Click on each image to scroll through a slide show.
Thousands of smiles.
Just as many hugs.
More than 50 messages from the stage.
Hundreds of worship songs.
Dozens of baptisms.
Lots and lots of great food in the café.
Dinosaur duels, a football toss, trust falls, name that tune, and … OK, you get the picture.
A lot can happen in a church year, for sure.
But on a Thursday night at Pathway? As we shared in the previous sentences, you never quite know what to expect — you might even witness a party breakout.
And that’s exactly what happened last night as we marked the one-year anniversary of our Thursday night service.
Blue and gold balloons fluttered throughout the lobby. Even more in a variety of colors rested on the stage in our Live Auditorium, along with a huge wrapped package.
“In honor of our one-year anniversary, I’m wearing the same clothes as I wore last year,” Pastor Jon Gott joked as he opened the service.
Indeed, there was much to celebrate. And in true Pathway fashion, we went ALL IN — including a baby race and a baby bottle chugging contest during the “30 Before Thursday” segment.
Following the service, attenders gathered in the Pathway Café to view a montage of photos from the past year and enjoy a slice of cake in their honor, which read: “Happy 1-year. Yay, it’s Thursday!”
Before eating, though, Pastor Jeff McNicol took the microphone and gave thanks for the life transformation, spiritual growth and all the new faces we’ve welcomed on Thursday evenings.
“We were greatly anticipating what the future would hold,” he told the crowd. “It’s a blessing to look back and see God’s faithfulness in bringing a dream to reality.”
Indeed. On a bitter cold January 31, 2019, Pathway Church made history as Pastor Jeff uttered the now familiar refrain from the stage: “Yay, it’s Thursday!”
A year later, he joked about a potential new slogan for visitors.
“Come to Pathway each Thursday for the two Cs: Communion and Cake.”
He paused and smiled.
“And we’ll share another C while you’re here: Christ.”
For sure. And we can’t we to see what His power will do in Year 2.
Stay tuned …