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dhansen

2018 State of the Church

February 5, 2019 by dhansen

2018 was an amazing year at Spirit of Joy! Lutheran Church.

Five years ago, the congregation of Spirit of Joy! entered into a process called “Redevelopment.” Redevelopment is intended as a time of rediscovering our mission and purpose in this community.

Through partnership with the wider church, we discerned that God was calling us to head in a new direction – to revive our ministry and community in a new way.

As we discussed through that process, we heard God calling us to focus on relationships – deep, joyful relationship with God, with one another, and with our neighbors. Those relationships have been reshaping our lives and our faith as we grow closer to God and one another.

Deeper in Scripture

reading the bible, intergenerational, generations togetherIn 2018, we focused on growing deep roots in our faith. We returned to the basics: worship together, prayer, and reading the Bible.

Over the summer, we read the WHOLE BIBLE in just 90 days. Not everyone finished, but most of the congregation participated to some extent. In fact, 63% of our congregation reported reading the Bible more in 2018 than they did in 2017 – and not just a little bit, people said that they read the Bible a LOT more.

The Bible is our story – it is our primary witness to the promises and grace of God. In an age when fewer and fewer people know the Bible, we are creating a community rooted in the story of God’s love.

Already in 2019 we have continued this trend, as we are reading together the whole Gospel of Mark.

Deeper in Worship

In most churches – Lutheran, Baptist, Roman Catholic, and every other flavor – an average of just 25% of the members come to worship each week.

Here at Spirit of Joy! we have grown with a culture of high commitment to worship.

We currently have 127 members of the congregation, and our average Sunday worship attendance in 2018 was 83. That means that on an average Sunday, 65% of our members are in worship.

How committed are we to weekly worship together?

In 2018, 76% of our member families were in worship for more than half of our Sunday worship services – and a full third of us attended 80% or more of the weekly worship services!

Are you looking to grow in faith? We learned this year that almost everyone who reported increasing their worship attendance also said that their faith grew stronger this year.

Since we began redevelopment 5 years ago, our total worship attendance has grown by more than 30%, and in 2018 it grew by 5% over 2017.

Deeper in Prayer

As we grew deeper in faith, we were reminded that prayer is the first language of faith. We learned some basic prayer practices, and many of us tried on new routines and habits of prayer.

43% of us reported that our prayer life grew stronger in 2018.

As we continue to grow in 2019, we will share new opportunities, tools, and resources for prayer.

Deeper in Generosity

The people of Spirit of Joy! are generous!

One of our core convictions is that “Joyful people live generously” – and the actions of this congregation show that truth.

In 2018, 67 households gave to our ministry together … Oh, and by the way, our 127 members represent 51 households. That means that we have a number of households who regularly participate in our congregation both in attendance and giving, and we have people outside of our congregation who support our ministry.

Of those who gave to our ministry in 2018, more than a third of them contributed more than they did in 2017.

And it’s not just about money. Our community shows up to volunteer –in our wider neighborhood, in outside organizations, and in support of our ministry. Loved people serve people.

In a given week, at least 40 hours of volunteering happen in and around our building. And that doesn’t begin to reflect the countless hours that we volunteer with other organizations.

As we head into this new year, we are reminded of our commitment to love our neighbor. Together we are opening our eyes and our hearts to the ways we can serve our community.

Our Financial Health

Looking toward the future, the Leadership Team is conscious of our need to manage well the generosity of our members.

Our Operating Fund income for 2018 was $273,921.
Our Operating Fund expenses for 2018 were $264,265.

Our 2018 income was slightly above our budgeted number, and our 2018 expenses were below our budgeted amounts.

In line with our projections, we expended the last of our 2016-2019 capital funds, out of which we have been paying our monthly mortgage note. The remaining balance on our mortgage is approximately $270,000.  We are in the beginning stages of a new capital campaign, so that we can free ourselves for more ministry and outreach by paying down this debt.

Looking Toward 2019

As we look forward to this year in ministry, we give thanks for the ways that God’s Spirit has been poured out on our community.

Watch this year for new opportunities for relationship building, prayer, and Bible Study outside of Sunday morning.

As we grew our roots deeper in 2018, this new year promises to be a year of our branches beginning to reach out. We will be called this year to serve our neighbors and to carry the love of Jesus to our community through our actions.

Five years ago the members of Spirit of Joy! stepped out in faith. They believed that God was calling them to a new and exciting thing.

In the midst of that process we encountered the power of God who brings new life from the dead, we re-discovered the joy of our faith, and we have built meaningful relationships with our neighbors.

Thanks be to God for this ministry that we share.

Filed Under: From the Pastor Tagged With: Year in Review

On Your Mark

January 3, 2019 by dhansen

Sermon Series on Mark

 

Why do we do it?
What motivates us to worship together, to serve others, to continue to believe even when it is hard to do so?

It all starts with a story.

And what a story it is!

This story has done more to shape history than any other. It has inspired poets and artists, it has changed the lives of rulers and workers, it has provided the bedrock for countless generations of hope.

This is the story that changes everything: The Gospel of Mark. 

The Plan

Beginning on January 7, our community will all be reading the Gospel of Mark together. But first, in worship on January 6, we will hear the entire Gospel.

Too often, we cut the story up. We read a little from Mark, a little from Luke, and so on. Very few of us have listened to the entirety of the Gospel story in one sitting. But that is precisely how it was meant to be heard. Mark’s story – from John baptizing in the wilderness to the shock of Easter morning – is all one story.

Hearing the whole Gospel is a powerful experience, and a great way for us to grow in understanding about the life of Jesus and what it means for our lives today.

Having heard the story together in worship, we will then all pick up our Bibles and read the story for ourselves. For next eight weeks, we will read two chapters each week and then talk about them on Sunday.

Why Mark?

Of the four Gospels, Mark was written first. It is also the shortest – a fast paced story that compels the reader forward in the life of Jesus.

The drama of Mark’s story-telling brings the meaning of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus into sharp relief.

The Schedule

Sunday January 6
Experience the Gospel of Mark in worship

January 7-13
Read Mark 1-2

January 14-20
Read Mark 3-4

January 21-27
Read Mark 5-6

January 28-February 3
Read Mark 7-8

February 4-10
Read Mark 9-10

February 11-17
Read Mark 11-12

February 18-24
Read Mark 13-14

February 25-March 3
Read Mark 15-16

Each week, we will talk about our reading each Sunday Mornings.

Filed Under: Sermon Series Tagged With: Gospel, Gospel of Mark, Mark, Sermon Series, The Woodlands

Christmas Worship 2018

November 26, 2018 by dhansen

Messy Christmas

We’re Not Perfect

Christmas is often about putting our best face forward.

Cleaning the house before guests arrive.
Putting on our best clothes for holiday events.
Everyone being on good behavior.
Taking the perfect picture for our cards.

But we don’t live perfect lives. We live real lives. Messy lives.

And it is into the middle of our real, messy, and imperfect lives that Jesus shows up this Christmas.

Put away the perfect version of yourself and your family, and bring the real you – the messy you – to experience the power of Christmas.

Christmas Eve Worship
December 24, 6:30pm

 

Why Worship on Christmas?

Christmas is a busy time of celebration for many of us. There is a lot going on – meals to prepare, parties and gatherings to attend; work to do and fun to attend to. Why should we make time for worship in the middle of all that?

Our need for worship (yes, we need worship) at Christmas is precisely because it is so busy.

Because Christmas is hectic for many of us – we are rushed and exhausted – we can miss the wonder and joy of what happens at Christmas. Worship together allows us to stop, take a deep breath, and experience the power of the great love God has for us.

In addition, as we gather in community we are reminded that we are not in this alone – we are surrounded by a community that is loving and supportive. The joy of Christmas and the gift of God unites us, and draws us into something more than just ourselves.

What Should I Expect at Spirit of Joy?

It is always helpful to know what to expect when visiting a new church.

First, we hope you know that at Spirit of Joy!, we welcome people to worship – whether this is your first time to worship in years, you are part of a different tradition, or you worship every Sunday. You are welcome here.

Some people worry about what to wear to a new church. Don’t worry about that. At Spirit of Joy! people wear everything from a new suit to jeans and everything in-between. Be comfortable and be yourself – we are just glad you are with us.

Our worship tends to be casual, contemporary, and follows a traditional order. You will recognize many of the elements of our worship from traditional churches, and our music varies from contemporary worship songs to ancient hymns. We worry more about joyfully worshiping than what category our worship falls into.

Finally, it is worth pointing out that we are an intergenerational church – our worship space is filled with people of every age. Children are an important part of our community and we welcome them to worship with us and be a part of our celebration.

Candlelight Christmas Eve worship

 

Located in the Alden Bridge neighborhood of The Woodlands, Spirit of Joy! Lutheran Church is committed to creating joy-filled, faith-growing, life-changing community.

Filed Under: Worship Tagged With: Christmas, Christmas Eve, The Woodlands, Worship

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Spirit of Joy! Lutheran Church

7550 Crownridge Dr
The Woodlands, TX 77382
United States (US)

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