God has been doing incredible things in ALIVE Kids this year! Since November, 21 new volunteers have joined our team, allowing us to better serve our preschool and elementary students. It has been amazing to watch our church family step up and invest in the next generation. We have created new spaces and opportunities for kids to grow in their faith. In The Big House, we added dedicated spaces for each grade level to engage in crafts, small groups, and relationships. We have also loved watching kids step into leadership by helping lead praise and worship, serving snacks, and assisting during dismissal. We launched The Launch Pad for our 4th and 5th graders - a space where their faith prepares for takeoff. This environment allows students to ask deeper questions, engage in meaningful discussions, and grow more confident in knowing and using God’s Word. We also welcomed Byrt Dryman as our new Preschool Director, and we are excited to see how God continues to work through her leadership. This year has also been filled with opportunities to connect with families and share the love of Jesus. Fall Fest welcomed hundreds of families through crafts, games, trunk-or-treat, and an outdoor movie, with many experiencing ALIVE for the first time. At Christmas, seven of our youth students shared the gospel through a special performance about the birth of Jesus, engaging hundreds throughout the church. During Holy Week, more than 100 families received Family Kits filled with devotionals and activities to help families grow together in faith. We are so thankful for Pam Fipps’ Ladies Bible Study for creating these kits. Our Easter Egg Hunt was another incredible celebration. Even with the rain, our church family came together to welcome guests, serve, and create a memorable experience for every family who attended. We are so thankful for all God is doing in ALIVE Kids and excited for the continued opportunity to help children know Jesus and grow in their faith.

God has been doing incredible things through our students! We have watched students grow in their faith, step into leadership, and share the love of Jesus with those around them. Students have had the opportunity to lead their peers in worship, and 10 students took their next step of faith through baptism this year. We have also seen students boldly live out their faith in their schools, sports teams, and communities by inviting friends, sharing Jesus, and creating spaces where others feel like they belong. Our students are not only growing as disciples - they are becoming leaders. On Sunday mornings, students serve throughout the church by welcoming guests, serving coffee, and caring for children in our kids’ ministry. It has been incredible to watch them take ownership of their church and their mission.

This year, we focused on helping students better understand who God created them to be by writing their testimonies, discovering their spiritual gifts, and exploring how God may be calling them to serve. After summer camp, six students shared that they sensed a call to ministry. None of this would be possible without our amazing AWSM volunteers who faithfully invest in students each week. Their commitment to praying, leading, and creating a place where students can encounter God has been such a gift. As we look ahead, our focus remains on helping students own their faith, own their church, and own their mission. We are excited to continue empowering the next generation and are thankful for the formation of our Next Gen Board, which will help our ministries continue to thrive.

Through Global Outreach, we have the privilege of partnering with missionaries and ministries around the world. Our team helps facilitate support from ALIVE’s budget to currently support seven missionaries and one orphanage, allowing us to participate in the work God is doing across the globe. We are grateful for the opportunity to stay connected with our missionaries and celebrate the ways God is working through them. Because some serve in sensitive and dangerous locations, we take precautions to protect their identities. However, we are honored to share some of the incredible stories of impact. The Shmutz family continues their work translating the Bible in Asia. Recently, they completed 2 Corinthians and recorded audio versions of six books of the Bible, providing access to God’s Word for communities where many people are still unable to read. They are now only six books away from completing the New Testament.

The Seiberts continue serving in Vietnam, where they recently welcomed a baby girl into their family and continue to help provide teachers throughout the country. The Lowes serve with Engineering Ministries International. David recently led a team of 11 engineers and architects to Kenya, where they partnered with a hospital on a much-needed expansion project. Daniel Stanley continues his work with Global Partners, serving alongside ministry partners in Haiti and helping connect churches with short-term mission opportunities, including ALIVE’s recent trip to Nicaragua. We also continue supporting Abel in Mozambique and Rupak in India as they plant churches and train pastors to share the gospel in their communities. Additionally, we remain committed to supporting the Okipe Orphanage in Haiti and pray for opportunities to return and serve there in the future. We are also incredibly thankful for the generosity and faithfulness of the ACTS Class. Over the past year, the class provided more than $27,000 in missions support, partnering with eight missionary units and four ministry organizations on a monthly basis, while also contributing to additional projects throughout the year. Their generosity impacts ministries both locally and globally, including church planting, Bible translation, refugee care, feeding the hungry, and providing clean water to communities in need.  Lastly, we celebrate the calling of Jordan and Isaiah Henry. Jordan served as a resident at ALIVE last year and blessed many through her gifts and service, especially within our children’s ministry. Although we were sad to see her leave, we were excited to support her as she answered God’s call to full-time ministry in Ghana. We invite our church family to pray for the Henrys as they begin this new chapter and continue serving God’s Kingdom. We are grateful for every missionary, ministry partner, and church member who makes this work possible. Through your generosity and prayers, ALIVE continues to share the hope of Jesus locally and around the world.

God has continued to build a team culture centered around authenticity, surrender, and support. We are grateful for the new volunteers who have joined both our worship and production teams and for the growing community that is forming as we serve together. Our team statement reflects our heart for ministry: “We strive to create an environment that is free of distractions so that anyone can experience God, worship Him freely, and leave with a strong sense of peace.” As a team, we focus on two priorities: Worship First and Build Community. Romans 12 reminds us that worship is an offering of our entire lives to God. Our worship is an overflow of what God is doing in us, expressed through the unique gifts He has given each person. We believe worship should be authentic, prepared, and offered as an act of honor to God. We also believe that ministry is built through community. Our teams strive to create a culture that is relational, supportive, respectful, and encouraging. We are committed to serving one another, valuing each person, and living out the unity described in 1 Corinthians 1. This culture reflects the values of ALIVE. Whether through contemporary worship, traditional worship, or production, our goal remains the same: to create environments where people can encounter God, hear His Word, and take their next step in faith. Over the past six months, we have seen incredible growth across our serve teams. Our contemporary worship team welcomed 9 new volunteers, with nearly half coming from Southern Wesleyan University. These students have not only experienced the joy of serving their church but have also been able to receive encouragement and guidance as they explore what it means to pursue ministry. Our choir has also grown, welcoming approximately 12 new members over the past five months. Gary Mosley and his wife, Martha, continue to faithfully lead the choir while building a culture focused on worship and community. Our production team has welcomed 7 new volunteers over the past six months. They continue to grow in their skills and serve across both contemporary and traditional venues, creating flexibility and excellence throughout our services. We are thankful for every volunteer who gives their time, gifts, and heart to create spaces where people can encounter God. Through worship and production, we continue to pursue our mission of helping people experience God and take their next step in their faith journey.

The Trustees faithfully serve by caring for the buildings and property God has entrusted to ALIVE. This year, the Trustees brought forward several important projects and recommendations to help maintain a safe, welcoming, and effective environment for ministry.

The Trustees reviewed a proposal from ELI Controls for a security system upgrade totaling $89,097.48. They also recommended that, at a minimum, all locks across the campus be re-keyed, with an estimated cost of $4,000–$5,000, as an important step toward improving safety and security. Additional facility needs included replacing the electrical transformer located off-stage in the Sanctuary, with an estimated cost of $8,150, and replacing one of the two gas tankless water heaters located at the back of the Sanctuary for an estimated $6,000. The option to replace both units was also considered, with a projected cost of $10,000, providing a savings of $1,000. The Trustees also recommended improvements at The Growing Place, including a new layer of mulch for the playground area at a cost of $5,000, along with playground fence and gate repairs and surrounding mitigation work estimated at $2,000. We are grateful for the Trustees’ commitment to caring for our facilities with wisdom and diligence. Through their service, they help ensure our spaces remain safe, functional, and ready to support the ministries and people God has called us to serve.

As the name suggests, The Growing Place is more than just a preschool - it is a place where children grow in knowledge, confidence, friendship, and faith. Each day, we have the privilege of serving more than 150 children, each one unique, curious, and full of potential. Through the dedication of our 30 teachers, children are taking their first steps into education while discovering the world around them in a loving and nurturing environment. Our mission is simple but meaningful: to teach children about Jesus, help them learn how to love and respect one another, and prepare them for a successful transition into kindergarten. At The Growing Place, learning goes far beyond letters and numbers. Children are learning how to share, listen, show kindness, solve problems, and build relationships. They are discovering what it means to be part of a community while experiencing the love of Jesus in ways they can understand. This year, we celebrated a special milestone as 22 pre-K students graduated and prepared for their next chapter. While we are incredibly proud of how much they have grown, we will certainly miss the joy and energy they brought to our halls each day. We are also grateful for the incredible teachers who make The Growing Place what it is. During Teacher Appreciation Week, we celebrated their patience, creativity, and dedication to caring for our children and investing in their lives. The Growing Place truly lives up to its name. It is a place where seeds of knowledge, faith, and kindness are planted - seeds that will continue to grow for years to come.

We have discovered that God is not confined to our plans or formulas. This ministry has been a beautiful work of the Holy Spirit, and we continue to see God bring people through our doors in unexpected ways. Even from our out-of-the-way location, people are finding us through Google Maps, word of mouth, and the generosity of our community. Since January, 409 new customers have joined our loyalty program. The Exchange exists because of the generosity of people in our church and community. We do not control the inventory we receive - we simply steward what God provides. Every donation tells a story of someone choosing generosity, and those donations allow us to serve thousands of people each year. With only two full-time employees and one part-time employee, The Exchange would not be possible without our incredible volunteers. This small army of dedicated servants sorts donations, creates displays, serves customers, listens to stories, prays with people, and builds relationships. Our volunteers represent six different churches, creating a beautiful picture of the body of Christ working together to love our community. This year, we sold 62,545 items and continued our commitment to generosity through our loyalty program and discounts for those in need, including foster families, refugee families, single parents, and senior citizens. Through these efforts, we were able to give away $24,556.37 in merchandise. The Exchange is more than a thrift store - it is a place of connection, compassion, and practical ministry. We partner with local schools and a women’s shelter, connect people with food resources, support families facing financial challenges, provide supplies for back-to-school needs, and help support community fundraisers and mission opportunities. God has continued to open doors in ways we never expected. This year, we shared more than 900 tomatoes from Mr. Charles’ garden with our customers, provided meat for those experiencing food insecurity, donated 50 pounds of ground beef to CCC for food boxes, and helped other groups begin their own thrift store ministries. We have also helped individuals access resources like Meals on Wheels and even had volunteers step in to meet practical needs, including repairing a vehicle so someone could get to important appointments. This year, God gave us the opportunity to reinvest profits back into our community and continue growing this ministry. We are excited about the future and the ways The Exchange can continue to be a place where people experience generosity, hope, and the love of Jesus.