The 316 Church NEWSLETTER: Feb 28, 2018

Hello 316 Family!!
We officially have 25 services under our belt. Each time I write a newsletter I realize I start by saying the same things.  

 -It’s been exciting!  
-Great things are happening!  -
God is on the move!  

 And here I am again with the same news, yet it feels even bigger than each time before. Life with Christ is a life of continual newness! Today, with greater intensity, we’re feeling and experiencing the move and momentum of God in our lives and in our community. How sweet and faithful He’s been to us. It’s hard to believe the conception of The 316 Church started around 2 years ago. With lots of perseverance and lessons along the way, we’re seeing God bring to life what He put in our hearts back in the winter of 2016.  

•  We have a whopping 60 members along with many more unofficial members. 
• In addition to Sunday service, we have our Tuesday night Bible Study led by Jordan and Tandee Rousselle. Our adult group is going through the book of James.  
• We’ve started a Youth Group for teens that meets on Tuesday night as well. Our teens are going through the book of Ephesians, led by Ian Woods and Autumn Walton.  
• Our Sunday morning Children’s Ministry has developed and taken form, which has been so fun to watch, thanks to Sheena Jackson. She has enhanced our kids experience in church by leaps and bounds and we’re incredibly grateful! Her many years of teaching have been a great asset. She puts her heart into planning weekly lessons and activities for our kids. Our kids are learning something each week that relates to Pastor Cam’s message and do crafts that help them remember the lesson. 
• We have 2 functioning kid’s rooms now, thanks to Paula Fernandez. She put in the hard work and got our nursery organized and running. She, too, brings many years of experience and benefits to our children’s ministry and we are so incredibly thankful. We’ve had 3 new members volunteer to be part of our children’s ministry rotation as well as some of our youth.  
• We just held our first New Member’s lunch last Sunday, 2/25, and had 25 people in attendance. We had a good time sharing the 316 vision and answering questions.  
• Also, back on December 9th we got to fulfill some church vision by holding our first Marriage Workshop.  
• We’re also thrilled to announce that Shelter & Rain, a freedom and protection from human trafficking non-profit, founded by members Eric and Janie Ford, received their 501c3 status and are official. We celebrate this victory with them and continue to support them with every resource we have.  
• We also want to thank Hugo and Paula Fernandez for cleaning the church every week. The church has never looked (or smelled) better.  
• Many thanks to Julie Oshel-Munoz and Judy Sharp, along with Georgie Chancellor for being our intercessors. They have been passionate and faithful, praying for every need in our community as well as making themselves available to others who need extra encouragement and support. This is a vital role in a healthy church and we value them so much.  
• We can’t forget our father, Don Jackson, who not only put in countless hours to get our building ready for our original launch date, but has since upgraded our entire sound system. We want to thank you for overseeing our sound and technology with your expertise.  
• And if all of that goodness wasn’t enough…we are ECSTATIC to announce The 316 now has our very own Worship Team, making their debut Sunday, March 4th. We want to thank Thurston Mitchell, Bacarri Washington, and Eric Ford for offering their incredible talents to us. They are an answered prayer and huge step forward for us!  
• Hugo Fernandez has been a huge blessing to us. He’s jumped in and taken over building projects that were not complete. He’s built a brand-new sound booth. He’s currently finishing an office space for Pastor Cameron and also finishing a storage space for the church. There isn’t enough gratitude we can express for helping us with this second phase of construction. He’s also provided us with a sense of support and backing. He’s been a true servant and armor-bearer. We are so grateful for he and his family.  
• And last but not least, we want to thank Tisha Alvarez for keeping our books and stepping into the role of church Treasurer. You continue to bring us organization and ease and we appreciate all you’ve done!  
• Each day we’re identifying new leaders and creating new ways to use all the gifts and talents within this amazing group of people. I want to honor this community for jumping in and contributing to being a working part of this body.

Cam and I have been so humbled and elated to watch this body grow and begin to take positions in helping all things move and function. We’re extremely passionate about discipleship and growing leaders and there’s nothing better than watching the vision take root in the hearts of people and watch them rise up and lead. It’s completely beautiful.  

 “The most creative social strategy we have to offer is the church. Here we show the world a manner of life the world can never achieve through social coercion or governmental action. We serve the world by showing it something that it is not, namely, a place where God is forming a family out of strangers.” –Stanley Hauerwas

 We are so proud of this precious family. We’re here to support you and stand with you through every high and low. To continue to press on through every growing pain. We will continue to strive to be a place of grace and truth. A place of love and safety. A place of unity and diversity. A place that never gives up on anyone.

 It’s never too late, if you’re looking for a church home please consider joining us. We welcome you as you are, and look forward to knowing you. Don’t give up on church. God has more for you and we desire to help ignite that hope once again. But I caution you, we have some dedicated huggers. And if you aren’t a hugger by nature, chances are you will be converted at some time during attendance. You can’t say we didn’t warn you.
 
 We love y’all!  
 #WeR316 #JoinTheMovement

Author: Stephanie Jackson