FALL MEMBERS EMAIL
2024
Hey Church!
It's been a busy year! A LOT of stuff has happened and IS happening in our church!! So instead of asking you all to come to yet another meeting - we are communicating our end-of-year Members' meeting information via email/web!
Below are tons of AMAZING THINGS to celebrate.
You might remember we had some initiatives and goals we set out to press into for 2024. We wanted to:
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Get more intentional about the practice of Prayer.
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Free our hearts from a consumeristic, inward-facing version of Christianity and instead embrace an outward-facing Faith that impacts our community for the Kingdom.
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Baptize more people!
We didn't hit our baptism goal of introducing 50 people to Jesus, but we've made wonderful progress and we are still pressing on!
Thank you for giving generously!
Because of your generosity, not only have we been able to make new hires this year and maintain/upgrade our building in various ways, but our little church was able to give around $4,500 and SEND groups to Augusta AND Asheville, NC, to SERVE and LOVE those in need. GOOD JOB TEAM!
Riverstone Vineyard is 100% sustained by donations from our church body!
In 2024 we have been focusing on setting a bigger table at Riverstone Vineyard.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SET A BIGGER TABLE?
...by your blood you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation
Revelation 5:9b
Setting a bigger table means being intentional about making room for every tribe, language, people and nation in the local church.
You know when you go somewhere and everything has been set out perfectly for you so that you feel comfortable and welcomed?
We want to set a table so that EVERYONE FEELS AT HOME in our midst.
Sometimes, we can make church all about our seat at the table.
You know you've done this if you think your preferences are the most important.
With that in mind, here are some concrete things we've done to make room so that other people can hear the good news about Jesus.
Our Features
There is a large Spanish speaking population right around the corner from our church. There are also others within our church for whom English is not their first language.
We want everyone to be able to hear the Good News about Jesus in their heart language so we have invested in an amazing, convenient, real-time translation app that is now available to all!
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Bring your device
Whether it's an iPad or phone, bring your earbuds to join in.
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Connect to our dedicated WiFi
We have a router set up specifically for the translation service to avoid bogging down when it's most needed.
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Multilingual Functionality
Translation in your native language: Spanish, Mandarin, Ukrainian, Russian...
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Listen or Read or BOTH!
The translation service offers both audio translation and transcripts. If you forget your earbuds, you can always read along!
ALPHA AT ELIXER BREW CO.
ALPHA
We had 30-40 people show up at our first attempt of partnering with another church, AND meeting outside of a church building.
We even made our own 'neutral' website to help rally churches to work together.
IT HAS BEEN AWESOME!
THANK YOU to all of you who gave, helped setup, hosted conversations, and prayed for the people looking for answers.
With Alpha coming to an end- we will be shifting our focus onto to small groups!
We love Sunday mornings- but real life happens in circles- not rows. It is in smaller groups that meaningful relationships begin to flourish.
We have two kinds of groups:
FORMATION GROUPS
Formation Groups focus on spiritual formation and discipleship. Some groups might discuss the sermon, pray, or go through a book together. The emphasis of these groups are intentional spiritual growth.
LIFE GROUPS
Life Groups are really low stakes groups that can center around anything! Like to hike? Great, grab 5 people and go once a month. Like to paint? Rock climb? read Novels? These are also groups that make it easy for you to invite people that don't normally go to church, but allow you the opportunity to grow meaningful relationships.
BECOME A GROUP LEADER
Don't see a group near you???
START ONE! We need more life group and formation group leaders!
We are looking for servant leaders who long to create Gospel centered friendships and create an atmosphere where we can invite people into life with God.
Start a conversation with our staff about how it might look for you to lead a group!
WHAT HAPPENED IN 2024??
NEW OUTREACH MINISTRY: SALT & LIGHT
Andrea M. has given amazing leadership to our new outreach efforts!! We loved on the residents of Countryside Living with a free summer festival where we served over 200 people – not counting all those who received face painting and raced through the bouncy obstacle course! Several of our own people provided additional items, like books, a cotton candy machine, and a table for prayer and information. We also went on prayer walks throughout the neighborhood and have Gingerbread decorating for the kids, and more, planned for December!
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What else happened in 2024?
Baptized around 10 people
Part of our mission is: Declaring the beauties of Jesus this means one of our greatest joys is introducing others to the Gospel of Jesus.
We made a youth room!
We rearranged, built a wall, installed a sound system, and had a super cool mural painted in our new space for youth!
Updated our kids space
We installed new lights and hung acoustical insulation to enhance our large kids space.
Built movable partitions on either side of the stage.
As we attempt to maximize our building space we had to create some new storage space on either side of the stage.
CHECK OUT ALL THE AMAZING THINGS HAPPENING IN THE VINEYARD
We are proud to be a part of a movement that is doing amazing things for the Glory of Jesus. Vineyard USA gathers annual information from all its churches and shares statistics and financial data every year.
Seriously, you need to check out all the cool stuff happening in the larger family we are part of!
WHO IS VINEYARD?
Vineyard USA is an association of churches birthed out of the Jesus Movement in the 1970s led by John Wimber until his death in 1997. The Vineyard Movement has been characterized by its adherence to Kingdom Theology, its willingness to believe God uses everyday people in the power of the Holy Spirit, and an overarching drive to plant churches as a means to reach the lost for Christ. You can explore more about the history and theology of the Vineyard by clicking the button below.
WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING IN CELEBRATE RECOVERY?
Every week, members of our church gather to support and encouraging one another as they work through the 'hurts, habits and hangups' that stop us from flourishing as Christians.
Check out this short clip from Keith who attends CR at Riverstone Vineyard.
Do you know anyone who might benefit from a group like CR?
INVITE THEM!
Thursday nights | 6:30PM
LEADERSHIP UPDATES
Riverstone Vineyard is largely supported & led by volunteer leaders!
A well-known church metric states you can, on average, support one full time staff per 100 people that attend your church.
Chris is our only full-time staff person.
And we were thrilled that Clint agreed to come on in a part-time role at the beginning 2024.
While everyone who leads and serves does so out of a deep desire to Love the Body of Christ and Glorify Jesus - Chris and Clint are the only salaried positions. All others who lead get paid little-to-nothing to serve our community.
PLEASE support and pray for all these amazing individuals who have said "yes" to ministry and are willing to give, serve, and sacrifice to "build up the body".
While it may look like Riverstone Vineyard is a well established church, Chris was only able to come on in a full time capacity in 2023. We are still very much in the early stages of what we believe God wants to do with our community. We are gearing up for a year of growth in 2025, praying we can hire on more individuals in more substantial roles to lead us towards becoming more effective in ministry and have more impact in reaching those who don't know Jesus.
CLINT & AMY PARSONS
Clint and Amy moved to Lawrenceville from California last August. and have come to call Riverstone Vineyard home. Clint came on staff part-time in January of 2024 and they both have become active in various ministries, helping Pastor Chris and getting to know and love the Riverstone Vineyard family!
DAVID PRICE-WILLIAMS
With a servants heart, David has been faithfully and generously loving on our middle- and high-school-aged kids while developing a Wednesday night youth program.
David has also agreed to serve on our Finance team and bring his business savvy to help Riverstone Vineyard to flourish financially.
Give David a big high five if you see him. He serves this church tirelessly.
TANYA LUNA
Tanya stepped into the leadership role for our Women's Ministry part-way through the year. Her gentle strength is helping guide the women of our church into the next era of outreach and spiritual growth.
MATT KISER
Matt loves being a dad to his three girls, praying, laughing, and hunting – mostly in that order! Matt brings a strong desire to see the men of our church grow deeper into the lives God has planned for them. We're excited to see his heart to serve unfold in this new role!
ANDREA McCULLOUGH
Andrea's natural tendency to care for the "least of these"is a wonderful example for us here at Riverstone. Andrea has spearheaded several outreaches to our local community and to the greater homeless community in Atlanta. If there's a drive to feed, clothe, or comfort the homeless around us, you can almost bet Andrea had a hand in making it happen!
TAMMY McINTYRE
Tammy has a passion for teaching and a heart for serving others. A teacher and school librarian for 13 years, she brings a wealth of experience and education to the position of Riverstone Kids Pastor. Be sure to thank her by volunteering for the Kids ministry in 2025!
Do you know our Leadership Board?
Our Leadership Board consists of mature disciples of Jesus who help us make value-based decisions for the flourishing of our people and the effective execution of our mission. These fine folks help keep our leadership spiritually accountable to their duties and roles. They also serve our people, giving pastoral council and prayer, and we are so thankful for their wisdom and input!
FINANCIALS
Here's where your generous tithes and offerings are going. In addition to simply paying our monthly costs, we've been able to do so much more ...
Giving
Below are the weekly giving and attendance records for the past five years, with December remaining for 2024.
*Through November 2024
Operating Expenses
Thanks for keeping the lights on around here!
When compared with national averages, our expenses are within – and in some instances, below – the national average of churches in the U.S. What this means, is that the leadership team of Riverstone Vineyard is handling the finances with wisdom.
Our office is running efficiently (2% of our expenses), and we're pouring into Missions with purpose, believing in the effectiveness of Jesus' call to "go into all the world."
We're actually under the national average in our personnel and facilities budget areas. This is great, according to many studies! It means we are focusing our finances in areas that affect real change in the community and world around us instead of simply surviving!
*Actual totals: January- November 2024
Missional Giving
Here is where your missional giving went this year.
Missional Giving falls under the category of Designated Giving, which is simply any donation made to our church for a specific purpose.
Your specific, generous donations to our Hurricane Relief Fund were an enormous blessing to those in need! We were able to help families in both Asheville, NC and Augusta, GA because of your financial sacrifices.
And what great support you've provided during our Alpha! Alpha is a missional outreach program, setting the table (literally!) for people to encounter Jesus in a tangible way. We could go on... but we'll simply say:Thank you!
Due to your sacrificial support of $3,550.00(!), we were able to send our Youth to Camp Vineyard at almost no cost to the students! Thank you for investing in our Youth and in advancing the Beautiful Kingdom of Heaven!
Financial Team
Karen Allen Larry Bowman
Robyn Norris David Price-WilliamsChris Westbrook
Questions?
If you have any questions regarding this report, our financial team, or anything else, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at riverstonevineyard@gmail.com
WHAT'S NEXT
Jesus was on Mission so we want to be on mission.
Along with weekly, public services to build up the body of Christ we want to push into becoming a source of real, tangible blessing to the community around us.
Think about this question: If Riverstone Vineyard disappeared overnight, would Flowery Branch know it?
We want to become an active expression of the blessing, grace, power and presence of Jesus to the community around us. In short, we want to be on mission!
in 2025 you can expect:
- The same, rich Biblical teaching challenging us to experience the Grace of God and put feet to our faith.
- Increased opportunities for you to be a blessing to your community in the name of Jesus in the form of missional outreach events.
- Higher intentionality and investments in areas of ministry (Men's, Women's, Youth, Prayer)
- Possible updates to our building to make it more conducive and effective.
- Financial saving for a building fund.
- Opportunities to plug into Gospel-centered, intentional relationships in smaller group settings.
- David P. Williams goal was to create healthy structures for a youth ministry to hand off to another. In the coming year we hope to hire a part-time, but more long-term youth coordinator and invest more in Next Generation ministries.
- And more!
AND if you engage in the life of this church and begin walking in the Grace of God-
you can expect personal, powerful life transformation in your own life.
While we have our goals, God also has his goals too, which is your sanctification.
(1 Thessalonians 4:3 ESV - For this is the will of God, your sanctification)
His goal is His kingdom coming in your life, His will done in your heart, just like it is in heaven.
Our hopes are that as you engage with our mission of declaring and delighting in the beauties of Jesus your life would be transformed by those beauties :
- Your relationships would flourish.
- You would be filled with God's Spirit.
- Your personal life would begin bearing the fruit of the Spirit. (love, joy, patience, goodness, etc. )
- You would gain victory over areas of sin.
- You would grow in emotional and spiritual maturity as a person.
Everything we do as church is aimed towards these ends and we believe we are most transformed not by our effort (although it will take that, too) but by beholding the beauties of Jesus and declaring those beauties to any who would listen.
UPCOMING EVENTS
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA!
YouTube
Spotify - Podcast
Spotify - Worship Playlist
DO YOU HAVE OUR CHURCH APP?
The App is your one-stop-shop to see what’s going on at our church, connect & communicate with small groups, give, and register for events!
THANK YOU
Lastly, we just want to say THANK YOU: Thank you for being a part of this church. Thank you for volunteering, investing your time, investing your money, and investing into The Kingdom. We could not do this without you.