February 13, 2013

Dear Fam,

Ash Wednesday Service is tonight at 6:30.  For those who haven’t attended a Vision Gathering – we’ll invite you to stay for 20-30 minutes after the service to hear more about MORE – our vision campaign.  We’ll also have Vision Gatherings after the Saturday night and Sunday 10:50 service.  We want every member and friend of SRPC to attend a vision gathering.  The response of those attending has been deeply encouraging.  One longtime member said, “I have never seen the congregation embrace a capital campaign with as much enthusiasm as this one.”  Perhaps we sense our culture’s decline is only accelerating and now is the time to draw a line in the sand and be the people of God!

Last weekend’s message on marriage and divorce has made for a busy week of correspondence!  Let me recommend two books:  The Meaning of Marriage by Tim Keller and What Did You Expect by Paul Tripp.  Paul Tripp is coming to SRPC on September 13-14 to teach a marriage conference.  Mark your calendar now – this is "can’t miss instruction."  The Rose story I told at the end of the sermon I got from Matt Chandler – it’s moving!

A number of you have asked for a report on how it’s going for my daughter and son-in-law who have moved into a poor neighborhood in Orlando to love the neighborhood and to begin a church.  Here’s their latest report and it includes a picture of our new little grandson Samuel. 

Want some encouraging statistics?  70% of the last Pastor’s Class to join SRPC are in a small group or attending classes.  98% of the last class was attending worship regularly!

What to see more statistics?  SRCS is seeing tremendous academic progress across the whole span of the student body.  Here are the latest test scores.  The IOWA tests compare our 3rd – 8th graders to students in the same grades across the country.  A 5.9 score for third graders in language means our third graders are reading at the level of the ninth month of fifth grade.  A 9.8 score for 5th graders means they are reading at the eighth month of ninth grade level.  A 13+ score for 7th graders means they are reading at a college freshmen level!  Has not the Lord blessed SRCS?  Our administration and faculty, with God’s help, have turned our school into an academic powerhouse!

Pray for community leaders who attend SRPC.  Geoff Greene is the Citrus County Tax Appraiser.  Amy Meek is the executive director of the United Way and Joe Meek is the Chairman of our County Commission.  Joe’s letter to the community in the wake of the power plant closure was an example of wonderful leadership.  I’m thankful for all three of these friends as they work to bless our community with their labor.

This weekend, we’ll kick off the MORE Campaign.  I’ll be preaching on the gospel of the Kingdom of God.  We’ll receive new members in our church.  What a party it’ll be!

Love,

Ray