Merry Christmas Friends and Family of RRUMC!!
Rev. Dan Bogre, Senior Pastor at RRUMC
I hope that your Advent season has been filled with love, joy, peace, and family. It all goes by so fast.
May your Christmas this year be more than just a one day event. I am praying that the birth of Jesus Christ into the world and into your lives may truly become a way of life for you.
As I am reflecting back on the year that is coming to a close, I am overwhelmed with joy and thanksgiving. We are a church that continues to grow. We have more and more ways that we are helping people meet Jesus Christ in the midst of their story.
I am aware of two new ministries that are now in their infancy. We have a bicycle ministry that was just discussed at Administrative Council. I also know of a new women’s ministry that is close to becoming a reality.
Both of those ministries happened organically. What I mean by that is that they were not suggestions by either of your pastors. They originated within the hearts of people from the church. They were stirred by the Holy Spirit as they live out their faith through RRUMC.
That is the key to everything. The Holy Spirit is moving all over this church and more importantly, through the hearts of the people of RRUMC.
That was made abundantly clear as we came through another Consecration Sunday stewardship campaign in November. As you know, at RRUMC we do not set our budget until we conclude that campaign. Our budget is dictated by what the incredibly generous people of this congregation decide to commit to the new year.
It is no surprise that, once again, led by the Holy Spirit, you have let your faith come through in your financial giving to RRUMC. The numbers were spectacular, AGAIN! In 2018, the church pledged $797,249; and for 2019, you have pledged $870,814. That is a $73,565 increase, or 9.2%.
This is the sixth straight year of at or around a 10% increase over the previous year. So far we have received estimates of giving from 178 families. There were 38 new giving families. This year, 81 of the people who pledged increased their giving over last year. JUST AMAZING!
I have been in ministry for 23 years now and I should not be amazed by God’s grace anymore because I know that he is a great God and he always does great things.
In reality, I hope I never stop being amazed by his grace. I don’t want to get used to the amazing grace of God. That amazing grace is what is behind all of those financial numbers for the year to come.
I know that God’s amazing grace brought those amazing numbers into an amazing reality which will lead us into his amazing 2019.
Thank you RRUMC for another great year of living into our mission. “It’s All About the Story: we exist to help people meet Jesus Christ in the midst of their story.”
I know that, with your overwhelming generosity, we will help many more people meet Christ right in the midst of their story in 2019. CHURCH, THANK YOU!!
Peace, Rev. Dan