Dear Sunridge,
It’s difficult to believe that summer is already upon us. I hope you’ll have a chance to catch your breath and relax a bit!
There is a lot happening at Sunridge and I’d like to bring you up to date with a mid-year report on the following topics:
- Lead pastor search
- Convenient online giving
- Great 8 Family Focus
- Overall progress
Lead Pastor Search Update
To date, the search team has received approximately 40 application packets. Of those, we have conducted six in-depth online phase one interviews and (so far) one candidate is moving to phase-two in the application process. Over the next two weeks, we will be conducting 2-3 additional phase-one interviews and scheduling our phase two interviews. The Search Team will keep you posted.
CONVENIENT ONLINE GIVING
The elders, staff, and I all want to THANK YOU for your contributions and generosity during this transition season. From a budgeting standpoint, summer can be problematic. Attendance is down due to vacations and giving typically slumps, while expenses remain the same. I’d like to invite all of us to be especially generous with tithes and offerings throughout these summer months. Please visit the GIVING page on our website, which is on a drop-down menu under the MY SUNRIDGE tab. If you’d like to view your YTD giving statement, click here. If you find yourself behind in your giving, or if you’d like to give a special offering during the slump months, we welcome your support!
SUMMER FAMILY FOCUS
Great 8. For eight weeks this summer (June 22 through August 10), the Sunridge community is coming together for one worship service at 10 a.m., preceded by a coffee hour at 9 a.m. This is designed with two purposes in mind: 1) To enable the Sunridge community to get to know one another better; and, 2) For parents and kids to be able to worship together in a family-friendly atmosphere. Communion is available during the first set of worship songs, during the closing song, and after the worship service. A trained Prayer Team is also available to pray for you after the service.
- Two Park Days. Fun, food and friendship – sound like a plan? Sunridge families are coming together this coming Sunday (July 6) and August 3 from 12-4 at the Ronald Reagan Sports Park in Temecula. See the website for details.
- Make new friends, but keep the old. On Sunday, August 17, former Sunridge Pastor Greg Sidders will be teaching as we return to two services and kick off our 25-year anniversary celebration season.
OVERALL PROGRESS
Significant progress has been made in the following four areas: 1) Updated role descriptions and performance reviews completed for all staff including the lead pastor, 2) Ongoing rebuilding of trust and relational reconciliation as needed, 3) The ongoing implementation of a church board governance model that maintains clear lines of authority and accountability for the lead pastor, staff, and elders, and 4) Expansion of our ministries:
- Our ministries have received a strong boost with the following new staff members: Jed Manimtim, high school pastor (and newly appointed Student and Young Adult Pastor); Tara Thomas, now permanent Children’s Ministry Director; Danny Sugimoto, Youth Associate; Ken Munsey, Connecting Pastor; and Daniel Sanchez, Maintenance Technician. Several ministries have been launched or re-launched: 1824, our young adult ministry; Bridge Builders, a Sunday morning ministry to families with special needs children; the Children’s Choir; the Mission Board; our Help & Care groups continue to expand; and our elders have begun meeting regularly with our home group leaders.
- Last week we hosted a remarkable week of Vacation Bible School with a total of 230 kids participating, all made possible by an amazing team of 150 volunteers!
- We are committed to being worthy stewards of God’s provision for Sunridge and are in the process of forming a Financial Advisory Team.
Most importantly, all of the above is being accomplished in the context of a growing prayer movement within Sunridge. (If you’d like to become more specifically involved in prayer opportunities click here to send an email to our coordinators, Bud and Sue Louck.)
LISTENING & FOLLOWING
We are still in a season of reflection and seeking God’s guidance as we move into the next season of ministry fruitfulness. Let us all pledge to remain humble, prayerful, worshipful, teachable, and open to God’s direction. I am confident that the best is yet to come (1 Cor 2:9)!
May God’s grace and peace fill your hearts,
Gregg Caruso
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