October is going to be an awesome month at Pathway!
40th Anniversary Celebration. We are going to hit the ground running with a great celebration of our 40th anniversary as a church the weekend of October 3-4. This is an incredible milestone and we will be reflecting on where we began and where the Lord has brought us over the years. Of course, the blessing we have experienced isn’t just so we can sit back and revel in it; we seek to use it as a springboard to launch us further into what God has for us in the future.
But first, we pause to reflect. I am so deeply grateful for those who started our church on Easter Sunday, 1975. It was a collection of people who were a part of two separate Bible studies, one led by Robb and Ruth Brandt, the other by Del and Inez Forsberg. They felt the call of the Lord to unite and launch “The Evangelical Free Church of Beaver County.” The early years required great faith and commitment on the part of those pioneers. Since that time, the Lord has continued to bring just the right people at the right time to advance His work in our community and beyond. I hope you’re able to join us for one of the weekend services on October 3-4 as we consider it all.
All In Initiative. We are at a critical moment in the life of Pathway Church. The future is going to be shaped in large part based on what we do today. There are significant needs that exist in our fellowship and places beyond that we must address. They range from overcrowding in our children’s ministry to under-provision of essentials such as clean water around the world. At Pathway, we intend to address these problems for the sake of the gospel and the people made in God’s image.
That’s where All In comes in. All In is a ministry expansion project with several facets. The components include:
• A new children’s building to serve birth through grade 5
• Renovation of our existing facility including youth, adult, café, lobby, and administration
• Give Joy to the World clean water project
• Kenya community development
• Personal spiritual growth
You’ll be hearing much more about each aspect of the project in the weeks to come. All In began as a prayer among the leaders five years ago, asking the Lord to direct us regarding needs that had surfaced within the ministry. We have continued to seek the Lord’s guidance at every turn along the way right up to the present moment. In fact, we’re kicking off 40 Days of Prayer on October 5 and we’d urge you to take part. It is through prayer that we’re going to find the leading and blessing of God, as individuals and as a church body. So please pray!
As you can see, it is indeed going to be an awesome October — and I haven’t even mentioned the Fall Festival or the Bucs! I’m looking forward to experiencing it all with you!