'Ice the Debt' Update; Children

This is Pastor Chuck writing. Happy Friday---I pray everyone is looking forward to a blessed weekend. A lot of us are thinking about Christmas, of course, and I also pray we are able to find moments of peace where we are able to enjoy this season of anticipation. We will have communion together this Sunday, and the taking of that sacrament together should be one of those moments.

I write primarily today to deliver some very good news. As most of you probably know, we held our "Ice the Debt" campaign in the month of November, prayerfully seeking to reduce what was at the time a $285,000 building debt. This debt has to be refinanced before the end of the year.

Your response was magnificent, coming via multiple gifts of money and even stock. When our finance chair, Toshiko Hartsock, goes to the bank, she will be refinancing a debt of just $150,000.

This has very positive financial implications for us in 2026. Our current loan requires a monthly payment of more than $6,200. Even with higher interest rates, the payment on our new loan should drop to $1,700 a month.

That gives us an extra $4,500 a month---$54,000 a year---to apply toward ministry, assuming our generous giving to general offerings continue.

Thanks so much to all of you who have given toward this debt reduction effort. We are blessed in ways that will allow us to be a blessing to others!

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This next item is related. The ministry I am going to mention is possible in part because of the wonderful facilities we have available.

Just before I sat down to write this, I spoke to Karen Peace, who leads our children's ministry, primarily carried out in our Thursday night CrossClub ministry.

That ministry is growing beyond all expectations. It is not unusual to have 25 or more show up on Thursday nights. Some of them are saying it's their first time in church.

We even have some young teens among them showing up to help. The program has grown so much that it is going to have to expand into the room next door in the Darnell Ministry Center. Among those young teens, we also may be seeing the beginnings of a youth group.

Something to consider: Karen and the other leaders need help. If you feel a calling in this direction, let her know. Her phone number is (423) 742-1501.

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On this cold, wet day, may the warmth of Christ envelop you all!