Heritage News
Q2 2026: April - June
BREATHE
A Home Away
Breathe Ministry had an encouraging second quarter of 2026! We've seen our Sunday attendance continue to rise, which we think is due to the increasing visibility of the ministry and the trust families place in Heritage to provide a safe, joyful, and Christ‑centered environment for individuals with special needs. This tells us that more families are finding a spiritual home where their children are welcomed, supported, and celebrated.
The Breathe team itself grew as several new volunteers joined. These volunteers help us to offer more individualized care, creating space for more families to participate. The Breathe Moms small group also met weekly and welcomed several new mothers. This group has become a lifeline for women seeking community and encouragement. It's just one example of how Breathe is not only serving individuals with special needs, but also their caregivers.
We've also seen some Breathe participants step into new roles by serving on the offering team! They really are an active part of our church family.
July 4th
We're gearing up for the July 4th Breathe Family Cookout at the Billings cabin. We hope that this will strengthen relationships and create memories for families, volunteers, and participants. The next major ministry event will be the Fall Respite, which continues to be one of Breathe’s most impactful outreach opportunities.
Breathe Ministry had an encouraging second quarter of 2026! We've seen our Sunday attendance continue to rise, which we think is due to the increasing visibility of the ministry and the trust families place in Heritage to provide a safe, joyful, and Christ‑centered environment for individuals with special needs. This tells us that more families are finding a spiritual home where their children are welcomed, supported, and celebrated.
The Breathe team itself grew as several new volunteers joined. These volunteers help us to offer more individualized care, creating space for more families to participate. The Breathe Moms small group also met weekly and welcomed several new mothers. This group has become a lifeline for women seeking community and encouragement. It's just one example of how Breathe is not only serving individuals with special needs, but also their caregivers.
We've also seen some Breathe participants step into new roles by serving on the offering team! They really are an active part of our church family.
July 4th
We're gearing up for the July 4th Breathe Family Cookout at the Billings cabin. We hope that this will strengthen relationships and create memories for families, volunteers, and participants. The next major ministry event will be the Fall Respite, which continues to be one of Breathe’s most impactful outreach opportunities.
COMMUNICATIONS & PRODUCTION
Communications As A Whole
The goal of Communications is to continue growing from simply distributing information to intentionally shaping engagement for Heritage. Rather than only announcing what is happening, we want every communication we send out to help people take a meaningful next step. We don't want to just respond to requests as they arise, but to continually look ahead, asking the Lord for wisdom about what needs to be communicated, when it should be communicated, and who needs to hear it. Our desire is to ensure the right communication reaches the right people at the right time while continually helping people take their next step in following Jesus.
Communication Creative Team
One of our biggest accomplishments this quarter has been launching the Communication Creative Team. This team meets monthly and brings together representatives from Communications, Social Media, the Atrium Team, and a pastor to intentionally plan key Sundays and church-wide initiatives. It has been a privilege to have Brad Bowen offer his talents to our Communications Planning Team as we work to brainstorm these creative elements.
We've already seen progress. Mother's Day and Father's Day were the first major examples of the results of working together, from social media and videos to Atrium experiences and in-service communication. Instead of each area functioning independently, they complemented one another and helped to make our Sunday morning experiences powerful for our church family.
Our next major focus will be Fall Launch, and we are excited to continue building this unified approach.
Restoration Through Communication
While Communications serves the whole church, we are also intentional about caring for the individual. Whether through conversations in the Atrium, monitoring Text In Church, responding on social media, or simply paying attention to what people are experiencing, we want Communications to help people feel seen and valued.
One example this quarter involved an attender who shared frustration on social media after a clerical error prevented her from receiving communication from a Small Group leader. As soon as the concern was seen, Liz Ruis reached out personally, accepted responsibility on behalf of our team, and asked thoughtful questions so we could learn and improve our process. Pastor Mark and Pastor Brad also personally followed up with her to ensure she felt heard and cared for.
What could have become a story of disconnection instead became one of restoration. She is now participating in Discover Heritage and taking meaningful steps toward deeper connection within our church family!
At A Glance
A few of the pieces of communication we've produced for this quarter are:
Video Production
A significant portion of Lance's weekly ministry continues to be invested in creating videos that cast vision and help people see what God is doing at Heritage.
This quarter included videos for:
These videos continue to be valuable tools for celebrating life change, communicating vision, and inviting people into the life of the church.
Online Discipleship
We recently had one online participant entering One to One discipleship. We also have plans to launch an online Small Group this fall! Our desire is for those who primarily engage online to find pathways into being a more active part of our church.
Social Media And Digital Storytelling
As Communications continues to grow, one of our biggest opportunities is maintaining a website that reflects our church.
We also recognize the growing demands of social media. As this ministry continues to expand, additional equipment and, eventually, increased staffing hours will allow us to continue producing quality content that effectively serves our church family and reaches our community.
We welcomed Ashley Adams to the Communications Team this quarter as our new Digital Storytelling Specialists. She’s already built a thriving team and you will start to see her gifts and talents emerge in our social media presence. Growth is happening!
One to One Discipleship
One to One continues to be one of the clearest pathways for intentional discipleship at Heritage. The team helped create videos, resources and documents, recruited additional female leaders, and helped connect participants to disciplers.
One of the greatest encouragements has been seeing discipleship become part of our church culture as people naturally seek out relationships beyond small groups. As One to One continues to grow, our desire is not simply to increase participation but to cultivate a culture where making disciples becomes a normal part of church life!
The goal of Communications is to continue growing from simply distributing information to intentionally shaping engagement for Heritage. Rather than only announcing what is happening, we want every communication we send out to help people take a meaningful next step. We don't want to just respond to requests as they arise, but to continually look ahead, asking the Lord for wisdom about what needs to be communicated, when it should be communicated, and who needs to hear it. Our desire is to ensure the right communication reaches the right people at the right time while continually helping people take their next step in following Jesus.
Communication Creative Team
One of our biggest accomplishments this quarter has been launching the Communication Creative Team. This team meets monthly and brings together representatives from Communications, Social Media, the Atrium Team, and a pastor to intentionally plan key Sundays and church-wide initiatives. It has been a privilege to have Brad Bowen offer his talents to our Communications Planning Team as we work to brainstorm these creative elements.
We've already seen progress. Mother's Day and Father's Day were the first major examples of the results of working together, from social media and videos to Atrium experiences and in-service communication. Instead of each area functioning independently, they complemented one another and helped to make our Sunday morning experiences powerful for our church family.
Our next major focus will be Fall Launch, and we are excited to continue building this unified approach.
Restoration Through Communication
While Communications serves the whole church, we are also intentional about caring for the individual. Whether through conversations in the Atrium, monitoring Text In Church, responding on social media, or simply paying attention to what people are experiencing, we want Communications to help people feel seen and valued.
One example this quarter involved an attender who shared frustration on social media after a clerical error prevented her from receiving communication from a Small Group leader. As soon as the concern was seen, Liz Ruis reached out personally, accepted responsibility on behalf of our team, and asked thoughtful questions so we could learn and improve our process. Pastor Mark and Pastor Brad also personally followed up with her to ensure she felt heard and cared for.
What could have become a story of disconnection instead became one of restoration. She is now participating in Discover Heritage and taking meaningful steps toward deeper connection within our church family!
At A Glance
A few of the pieces of communication we've produced for this quarter are:
- Monthly "At a Glance" communication calendars for May, June, and July.
- Ongoing event promotion and pastor communications.
- Google Maps support and preparation for Fifth Sunday Together.
- Continued promotion and support of Daily Prayer.
- Testimonies and life-change stories that encourage others to take their next step with Christ.
Video Production
A significant portion of Lance's weekly ministry continues to be invested in creating videos that cast vision and help people see what God is doing at Heritage.
This quarter included videos for:
- Zane White's Testimony
- Fifth Sunday Together
- Fam Jam
- Mother's Day
- One to One
- SWO
- Mission Trip Recap
- Change for Change
- 250 Celebration
- Because He Lives
- Various social media videos supporting ministries and upcoming events
These videos continue to be valuable tools for celebrating life change, communicating vision, and inviting people into the life of the church.
Online Discipleship
We recently had one online participant entering One to One discipleship. We also have plans to launch an online Small Group this fall! Our desire is for those who primarily engage online to find pathways into being a more active part of our church.
Social Media And Digital Storytelling
As Communications continues to grow, one of our biggest opportunities is maintaining a website that reflects our church.
We also recognize the growing demands of social media. As this ministry continues to expand, additional equipment and, eventually, increased staffing hours will allow us to continue producing quality content that effectively serves our church family and reaches our community.
We welcomed Ashley Adams to the Communications Team this quarter as our new Digital Storytelling Specialists. She’s already built a thriving team and you will start to see her gifts and talents emerge in our social media presence. Growth is happening!
One to One Discipleship
One to One continues to be one of the clearest pathways for intentional discipleship at Heritage. The team helped create videos, resources and documents, recruited additional female leaders, and helped connect participants to disciplers.
One of the greatest encouragements has been seeing discipleship become part of our church culture as people naturally seek out relationships beyond small groups. As One to One continues to grow, our desire is not simply to increase participation but to cultivate a culture where making disciples becomes a normal part of church life!
DISCIPLESHIP PATHWAY
Discover Heritage
We just completed a roughly 60-page Discover Heritage Participant Guide and continue to see a lot of fruit from this membership equipping experience. One woman in our current group shared a meaningful story about feeling so alone and isolated after her husband passed away, but she decided to pour herself into small group life and said it has changed everything for her.
One-to-One Discipleship
This summer we have placed a special emphasis on one-to-one discipleship, connecting with our summer sermon series on the Lord's Prayer. Summer has become a particularly fruitful season for encouraging intentional spiritual relationships.
So far this Summer, we have connected 38 men (19 pairs) and 70 women (35 pairs) for regular conversations centered on encouragement, Scripture, prayer, and next steps. A special thank you to Liz Ruis, David Brown, Donald Dale, Sherri Beck, and Courtney Norman for investing so much time and energy into making these connections possible.
Small Groups
This Spring we had 56 small groups with 1,260 participants consistently involved in community.
Along with sermon-based groups and financial discipleship groups (Financial Peace University and the Legacy Journey), we intentionally emphasized healing and restoration through groups such as GriefShare, Light-Hearted (over 100 people from our church and community joined this excellent group), Lord, Heal My Hurts, and To Be Told and Celebrate Recovery groups. It has been a joy to hear stories of healing, freedom, and life change from these groups throughout the semester.
Brad Bowen just completed several months of meeting with the men of Crossroads on Monday nights and many of them have become friends who keep in touch and call on him for spiritual guidance. We could see Heritage being a resource for a lot of encouragement for Crossroads and the other local ministry partnerships by offering meals or ministry nights.
As we move into the summer, 29 small groups are actively meeting, including the Prayer Course that complements our Lord's Prayer sermon series.
Daily Prayer
We are continuing the Daily Prayer initiative and have been very encouraged by the level of engagement.
During this quarter (April–June), the Daily Prayer app reached more than 2,000 unique listeners with nearly 9,000 total plays. It has been a very unifying practice, with many families listening and praying together throughout the week.
This summer's prayers are centered on the Lord's Prayer.
Special thanks to Brad and Michelle, Roy and Cheryle Reeves, and Drew and Kate Krenkle for serving our church by leading weeks of the Daily Prayer app.
Fighting for Peace: Family Experience
In May, we hosted our Fighting for Peace Family Experience, where 25 families participated in an equipping focused on biblical peacemaking, conflict resolution, and reconciliation.
This was the first time we offered an equipping that intentionally included parents, children, and students together. Families participated in combined teaching sessions, age-specific breakouts with role-playing activities for kids and students, and family team-building. It was a special day that received overwhelmingly positive feedback, and many families expressed a desire for more opportunities like this.
Understanding Scripture Together
In June, more than 50 people attended a weekend Bible intensive led by Dr. Eric Foster-Whiddon. Together we explored what the Bible is, why it matters, and how to read it faithfully. Participants examined the Bible's authors, audiences, canon, authority, and reliability before learning practical tools for interpretation through the "three worlds of the text," careful reading, and seeing how the entire Bible points to Jesus Christ.
The response was extremely encouraging, with many participants expressing both greater confidence in reading Scripture and a desire for additional equipping opportunities.
Looking Ahead
We're excited for several discipleship opportunities coming this fall, including our Marriage Equipping Weekend which will include Marriage Jam, (a Friday night of fun and connection for couples) and marriage equipping on Saturday morning.
We just completed a roughly 60-page Discover Heritage Participant Guide and continue to see a lot of fruit from this membership equipping experience. One woman in our current group shared a meaningful story about feeling so alone and isolated after her husband passed away, but she decided to pour herself into small group life and said it has changed everything for her.
One-to-One Discipleship
This summer we have placed a special emphasis on one-to-one discipleship, connecting with our summer sermon series on the Lord's Prayer. Summer has become a particularly fruitful season for encouraging intentional spiritual relationships.
So far this Summer, we have connected 38 men (19 pairs) and 70 women (35 pairs) for regular conversations centered on encouragement, Scripture, prayer, and next steps. A special thank you to Liz Ruis, David Brown, Donald Dale, Sherri Beck, and Courtney Norman for investing so much time and energy into making these connections possible.
Small Groups
This Spring we had 56 small groups with 1,260 participants consistently involved in community.
Along with sermon-based groups and financial discipleship groups (Financial Peace University and the Legacy Journey), we intentionally emphasized healing and restoration through groups such as GriefShare, Light-Hearted (over 100 people from our church and community joined this excellent group), Lord, Heal My Hurts, and To Be Told and Celebrate Recovery groups. It has been a joy to hear stories of healing, freedom, and life change from these groups throughout the semester.
Brad Bowen just completed several months of meeting with the men of Crossroads on Monday nights and many of them have become friends who keep in touch and call on him for spiritual guidance. We could see Heritage being a resource for a lot of encouragement for Crossroads and the other local ministry partnerships by offering meals or ministry nights.
As we move into the summer, 29 small groups are actively meeting, including the Prayer Course that complements our Lord's Prayer sermon series.
Daily Prayer
We are continuing the Daily Prayer initiative and have been very encouraged by the level of engagement.
During this quarter (April–June), the Daily Prayer app reached more than 2,000 unique listeners with nearly 9,000 total plays. It has been a very unifying practice, with many families listening and praying together throughout the week.
This summer's prayers are centered on the Lord's Prayer.
Special thanks to Brad and Michelle, Roy and Cheryle Reeves, and Drew and Kate Krenkle for serving our church by leading weeks of the Daily Prayer app.
Fighting for Peace: Family Experience
In May, we hosted our Fighting for Peace Family Experience, where 25 families participated in an equipping focused on biblical peacemaking, conflict resolution, and reconciliation.
This was the first time we offered an equipping that intentionally included parents, children, and students together. Families participated in combined teaching sessions, age-specific breakouts with role-playing activities for kids and students, and family team-building. It was a special day that received overwhelmingly positive feedback, and many families expressed a desire for more opportunities like this.
Understanding Scripture Together
In June, more than 50 people attended a weekend Bible intensive led by Dr. Eric Foster-Whiddon. Together we explored what the Bible is, why it matters, and how to read it faithfully. Participants examined the Bible's authors, audiences, canon, authority, and reliability before learning practical tools for interpretation through the "three worlds of the text," careful reading, and seeing how the entire Bible points to Jesus Christ.
The response was extremely encouraging, with many participants expressing both greater confidence in reading Scripture and a desire for additional equipping opportunities.
Looking Ahead
We're excited for several discipleship opportunities coming this fall, including our Marriage Equipping Weekend which will include Marriage Jam, (a Friday night of fun and connection for couples) and marriage equipping on Saturday morning.
MISSIONS
The Storehouse
The Storehouse continues to grow in revenue, donations, and volunteers. Year to date sales through June reached 153,160, an 18.35% increase over June 2025.
We held a Storehouse cleanup and organization day with more than 60 volunteers, including about 15 students. Hamburgers on the grill and homemade ice cream made it a fun day, but the greatest encouragement was the new people who showed up to serve.
We welcomed several new team members this quarter, and donations continue to increase as more people hear about the Storehouse’s local and global impact. The conversations and prayer with people that we get to have every time our doors are open are amazing!
Our relief team served 31 households this quarter, providing clothing, furniture, household items, prayer, and encouragement to families facing crisis. Meeting practical needs continues to open doors to share the hope of the gospel.
Global Missions
Several mission teams served this quarter. Our Next Gen ministry took a team of 15 to Honduras in April of and a second Heritage team of 16 in June partnered with SoloHope to complete home improvement projects, lead VBS, visit remote villages, and pray with families.
Eddie and Jennifer Seagle led a team of 16 to Peru, where they served alongside New Life Children’s Home, provided 7 shanty homes, distributed blankets and more than 8,000 Bibles, and ministered in local communities.
Johnny Ray and Sammy Valdez facilitated the installation of 100 additional water filters to a remote Honduran village.
We were also able to provide $10,000 to COME Uganda after the ministry lost a major donor, ensuring their hospital care program can continue providing medical care and sharing the gospel with patients who would otherwise receive neither.
One of the greatest blessings this season was seeing many first-time mission team members- from teenagers to people in their seventies. These experiences not only bless our global partners but also broaden perspectives, ignite hearts for serving, and build lasting relationships among those who serve.
Looking Ahead
Our Kids Ministry’s Change for Change project is supporting COME Uganda’s hospital care ministry this summer. Children are learning about Uganda, earning money through chores and other projects, and bringing their gifts each week. Moultrie National Bank will once again match a portion of what they raise.
We’re also excited to welcome Katrina Bivins as the new CEO of CrossRoads for Her following her season of rest after leading Hope House. We look forward to partnering with her in this new role.
The Storehouse continues to grow in revenue, donations, and volunteers. Year to date sales through June reached 153,160, an 18.35% increase over June 2025.
We held a Storehouse cleanup and organization day with more than 60 volunteers, including about 15 students. Hamburgers on the grill and homemade ice cream made it a fun day, but the greatest encouragement was the new people who showed up to serve.
We welcomed several new team members this quarter, and donations continue to increase as more people hear about the Storehouse’s local and global impact. The conversations and prayer with people that we get to have every time our doors are open are amazing!
Our relief team served 31 households this quarter, providing clothing, furniture, household items, prayer, and encouragement to families facing crisis. Meeting practical needs continues to open doors to share the hope of the gospel.
Global Missions
Several mission teams served this quarter. Our Next Gen ministry took a team of 15 to Honduras in April of and a second Heritage team of 16 in June partnered with SoloHope to complete home improvement projects, lead VBS, visit remote villages, and pray with families.
Eddie and Jennifer Seagle led a team of 16 to Peru, where they served alongside New Life Children’s Home, provided 7 shanty homes, distributed blankets and more than 8,000 Bibles, and ministered in local communities.
Johnny Ray and Sammy Valdez facilitated the installation of 100 additional water filters to a remote Honduran village.
We were also able to provide $10,000 to COME Uganda after the ministry lost a major donor, ensuring their hospital care program can continue providing medical care and sharing the gospel with patients who would otherwise receive neither.
One of the greatest blessings this season was seeing many first-time mission team members- from teenagers to people in their seventies. These experiences not only bless our global partners but also broaden perspectives, ignite hearts for serving, and build lasting relationships among those who serve.
Looking Ahead
Our Kids Ministry’s Change for Change project is supporting COME Uganda’s hospital care ministry this summer. Children are learning about Uganda, earning money through chores and other projects, and bringing their gifts each week. Moultrie National Bank will once again match a portion of what they raise.
We’re also excited to welcome Katrina Bivins as the new CEO of CrossRoads for Her following her season of rest after leading Hope House. We look forward to partnering with her in this new role.
NEXT GEN
HERITAGE KIDS
Weekly averages with leaders:
PreK: 107
Elementary: 124
From Easter To Fam Jam
We started Q2 with an incredible Easter Sunday serving our leaders and their families breakfast before welcoming kids for a meaningful resurrection day celebration with a gospel focused activity to take home.
PreK Mom’s days continue monthly where moms can connect and be refreshed while kids play.
May began with families participating in a powerful weekend: Fighting for Peace with Fam Jam Friday and a family Saturday equipping experience where parents were encouraged and kids practiced peace skills. Ty & Tiffany Sutz led team building family style and families left with a peace plan for handling conflict after kids practiced scenarios for forgiving and receiving forgiveness.
Kent Hamilton brought our story at Fam Jam and Bautista Martial Arts kids made an appearance onstage. The end of May 5th family service included our slide into summer family event with water slides and hamburgers/hotdogs/ popsicles and hangout time. PreK introduced some new play equipment at this event and playground picnic table areas are set up with new fans to make the heat bearable for outside summer activities.
Kids Club and Change For A Change
Our kids club has been smooth, successfully serving kids a meal and Bible lesson and activities which allows families to participate in small groups on Sundays and Wednesdays! We will continue to have kids club through the summer for Wednesday small groups.
June has been full with a kickoff for summer missions Change for a Change: COME Uganda! Our airplane was upgraded this year and we are enjoying ‘flying’ our kids to Uganda each week in our missions room. In our other summer environment kids dig into the Word in our backyard clubhouse room.
We had a large group of families at our Skating party and we look forward to hosting a movie night soon to watch the David movie with families.
We look forward to Change for a Change with big goals throughout the summer and we are planning for our big kickoff & trainings for the school year that will be here so soon!
PreK: 107
Elementary: 124
From Easter To Fam Jam
We started Q2 with an incredible Easter Sunday serving our leaders and their families breakfast before welcoming kids for a meaningful resurrection day celebration with a gospel focused activity to take home.
PreK Mom’s days continue monthly where moms can connect and be refreshed while kids play.
May began with families participating in a powerful weekend: Fighting for Peace with Fam Jam Friday and a family Saturday equipping experience where parents were encouraged and kids practiced peace skills. Ty & Tiffany Sutz led team building family style and families left with a peace plan for handling conflict after kids practiced scenarios for forgiving and receiving forgiveness.
Kent Hamilton brought our story at Fam Jam and Bautista Martial Arts kids made an appearance onstage. The end of May 5th family service included our slide into summer family event with water slides and hamburgers/hotdogs/ popsicles and hangout time. PreK introduced some new play equipment at this event and playground picnic table areas are set up with new fans to make the heat bearable for outside summer activities.
Kids Club and Change For A Change
Our kids club has been smooth, successfully serving kids a meal and Bible lesson and activities which allows families to participate in small groups on Sundays and Wednesdays! We will continue to have kids club through the summer for Wednesday small groups.
June has been full with a kickoff for summer missions Change for a Change: COME Uganda! Our airplane was upgraded this year and we are enjoying ‘flying’ our kids to Uganda each week in our missions room. In our other summer environment kids dig into the Word in our backyard clubhouse room.
We had a large group of families at our Skating party and we look forward to hosting a movie night soon to watch the David movie with families.
We look forward to Change for a Change with big goals throughout the summer and we are planning for our big kickoff & trainings for the school year that will be here so soon!
STUDENTS
On Mission
Student ministry started the 2nd quarter of the year going on a mission trip to Honduras with SoloHope. We had a team of 15, including seven students. This team led VBS, made home visits, and helped in many other ways. One of the highlights from the trip was when the team took a hike they named "death hike". When they arrived at the homes which were down difficult trails, the people said that nobody had ever visited them (including politicians). The students shared their experiences at Encounter the following week.
A Busy Summer
In May we had our annual senior celebration dinner where we had an opportunity to bless 12 senior families. We ended the season at encounter with middle school having a "bring your parent night" where parents were able to experience what their students get to be a part of every week.
In high school, we ended Encounter with our senior share night, where seniors were able to give advise to younger students.
We started May with Snowbird camp where we took 60 students and 10 leaders to Andrews, NC for a week where the theme was "God with us". Students came back with a love for the Bible and many have signed up for baptism.
June began middle school hangouts and high school summer stories. Middle schoolers had pool parties, skate nights, and a movie night. High schoolers had a chance to share testimonies and hang out after. We are now in the middle of preparing for our Beach Retreat where we will be taking around 80 students and 25 leaders. for perspective, we generally take about 80 people total so this year will be our biggest one ever.
Student ministry started the 2nd quarter of the year going on a mission trip to Honduras with SoloHope. We had a team of 15, including seven students. This team led VBS, made home visits, and helped in many other ways. One of the highlights from the trip was when the team took a hike they named "death hike". When they arrived at the homes which were down difficult trails, the people said that nobody had ever visited them (including politicians). The students shared their experiences at Encounter the following week.
A Busy Summer
In May we had our annual senior celebration dinner where we had an opportunity to bless 12 senior families. We ended the season at encounter with middle school having a "bring your parent night" where parents were able to experience what their students get to be a part of every week.
In high school, we ended Encounter with our senior share night, where seniors were able to give advise to younger students.
We started May with Snowbird camp where we took 60 students and 10 leaders to Andrews, NC for a week where the theme was "God with us". Students came back with a love for the Bible and many have signed up for baptism.
June began middle school hangouts and high school summer stories. Middle schoolers had pool parties, skate nights, and a movie night. High schoolers had a chance to share testimonies and hang out after. We are now in the middle of preparing for our Beach Retreat where we will be taking around 80 students and 25 leaders. for perspective, we generally take about 80 people total so this year will be our biggest one ever.
PRAYER & PASTORAL CARE
Pastoral Care
Over the past three months, we facilitated meals for approximately 249 people who had lost loved ones. In addition to meals, many of our members who experienced loss also received cards, gift cards, flowers, or plants as tangible expressions of Christ’s love.
We ministered to 68 members facing various crises. Of those, 13 were referred to counseling, while 55 received prayer, mentoring, Inner Healing Prayer (IHP), deliverance ministry, or other forms of pastoral care.
We’re grateful to have added a new member to our Care/Needs Team (our Pastoral Care Team). They have been incredibly busy over the last two months with so many needs. We’re so thankful for their faithful service.
Prayer Ministry
Since April, our Inner Healing Prayer Team has completed 22 ministry sessions and 15 mentoring sessions. Of those ministered to through IHP, 20 were women and 2 were men. Applications continue to increase, including more men seeking ministry.
Pastor Stephen and Sandee Williams, our IHP leader, recently held an Inner Healing Prayer training with the goal of adding more men to the ministry team. We are encouraged that several men are now in the “on-the-job training” process.
One especially meaningful testimony came after the passing of Tramese Merritt. Jeremy and Joslyn Merritt asked to meet with the team that had facilitated Tramese’s Inner Healing Prayer session. It became a deeply healing time for their family, and we are so grateful that God brought such freedom to Tramese before her passing and then continued to use that ministry afterward to bring healing to those she loved. We truly serve an amazing God.
We are also seeing deliverance ministry occur more frequently during IHP sessions. Recognizing a need for more formalized training in deliverance ministry, Emily, Dawn, and Kerri White have been meeting weekly and studying a book on deliverance and then attended a conference. After attending the Restoration Prayer Conference, our team received valuable training and practical guidance for strengthening our current ministry approach. We plan to meet with key leaders to develop a framework that fits the culture and values of Heritage Church. The conference proved to be a valuable investment.
On April 18, Tim and Peggy Whitley, along with five members of their Prayer on the Square team, joined our downtown 24-7 Prayer Room team for the Spring Fling Prayer Tent. Although no count was kept of those who received prayer, many people were ministered to throughout the event. I was unable to attend because of Tramese Merritt’s passing.
Currently, a group of intercessors from several local churches gathers every Wednesday from 12:00-1:00 p.m. in the downtown 24-7 Prayer Room to pray for revival in Moultrie. It has been both refreshing and encouraging to join believers from across our community who share the same heart. Our prayer continues to be, “Come, Lord, and pour out Your Spirit on Moultrie.” We desperately need Him.
A Few Words From Pastor Brad
My Pastoral Care involvement has included multiple counseling situations, funerals, and weddings, including a couple that started attending Heritage after getting divorced. The Lord convicted them to get back together and we just did an intimate ceremony at the Prayer Chapel. There are several more weddings on the horizon for couples who completed the Starting Marriage small group with us last semester.
I'm walking with several people who are dealing with debilitating grief and about to do the funeral for Ben Fuller. His girls are crushed and don't want their father to be remembered by these horrible final acts.
Over the past three months, we facilitated meals for approximately 249 people who had lost loved ones. In addition to meals, many of our members who experienced loss also received cards, gift cards, flowers, or plants as tangible expressions of Christ’s love.
We ministered to 68 members facing various crises. Of those, 13 were referred to counseling, while 55 received prayer, mentoring, Inner Healing Prayer (IHP), deliverance ministry, or other forms of pastoral care.
We’re grateful to have added a new member to our Care/Needs Team (our Pastoral Care Team). They have been incredibly busy over the last two months with so many needs. We’re so thankful for their faithful service.
Prayer Ministry
Since April, our Inner Healing Prayer Team has completed 22 ministry sessions and 15 mentoring sessions. Of those ministered to through IHP, 20 were women and 2 were men. Applications continue to increase, including more men seeking ministry.
Pastor Stephen and Sandee Williams, our IHP leader, recently held an Inner Healing Prayer training with the goal of adding more men to the ministry team. We are encouraged that several men are now in the “on-the-job training” process.
One especially meaningful testimony came after the passing of Tramese Merritt. Jeremy and Joslyn Merritt asked to meet with the team that had facilitated Tramese’s Inner Healing Prayer session. It became a deeply healing time for their family, and we are so grateful that God brought such freedom to Tramese before her passing and then continued to use that ministry afterward to bring healing to those she loved. We truly serve an amazing God.
We are also seeing deliverance ministry occur more frequently during IHP sessions. Recognizing a need for more formalized training in deliverance ministry, Emily, Dawn, and Kerri White have been meeting weekly and studying a book on deliverance and then attended a conference. After attending the Restoration Prayer Conference, our team received valuable training and practical guidance for strengthening our current ministry approach. We plan to meet with key leaders to develop a framework that fits the culture and values of Heritage Church. The conference proved to be a valuable investment.
On April 18, Tim and Peggy Whitley, along with five members of their Prayer on the Square team, joined our downtown 24-7 Prayer Room team for the Spring Fling Prayer Tent. Although no count was kept of those who received prayer, many people were ministered to throughout the event. I was unable to attend because of Tramese Merritt’s passing.
Currently, a group of intercessors from several local churches gathers every Wednesday from 12:00-1:00 p.m. in the downtown 24-7 Prayer Room to pray for revival in Moultrie. It has been both refreshing and encouraging to join believers from across our community who share the same heart. Our prayer continues to be, “Come, Lord, and pour out Your Spirit on Moultrie.” We desperately need Him.
A Few Words From Pastor Brad
My Pastoral Care involvement has included multiple counseling situations, funerals, and weddings, including a couple that started attending Heritage after getting divorced. The Lord convicted them to get back together and we just did an intimate ceremony at the Prayer Chapel. There are several more weddings on the horizon for couples who completed the Starting Marriage small group with us last semester.
I'm walking with several people who are dealing with debilitating grief and about to do the funeral for Ben Fuller. His girls are crushed and don't want their father to be remembered by these horrible final acts.
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
Building Upgrades
This quarter we've made several improvements to our facilities as we continue to maintain the campus as a whole.
One of our primary focuses was completing the next phase of renovations to the Breathe building. Following the initial updates, we returned to add a much-needed second restroom, create dedicated storage space, and renovate the kitchen area. These improvements have increased both the functionality and flexibility of the building.
We also completed the final phase of renovations in The Hub, wrapping up construction details and installing artwork to create a more finished, welcoming environment that better shows the heart of our church.
Another major accomplishment was the completion of a campus-wide asphalt project, repairing and upgrading our parking areas and improving the experience for everyone who visits our campus.
Small Groups At Midpoint
Our team is in the midst of a complete renovation of the Midpoint building, addressing significant structural rot that was discovered during demolition, and ensuring the long-term integrity of the building. We have also reworked the interior to create a third small group room, allowing the space to better accommodate the growing needs the church.
This quarter we've made several improvements to our facilities as we continue to maintain the campus as a whole.
One of our primary focuses was completing the next phase of renovations to the Breathe building. Following the initial updates, we returned to add a much-needed second restroom, create dedicated storage space, and renovate the kitchen area. These improvements have increased both the functionality and flexibility of the building.
We also completed the final phase of renovations in The Hub, wrapping up construction details and installing artwork to create a more finished, welcoming environment that better shows the heart of our church.
Another major accomplishment was the completion of a campus-wide asphalt project, repairing and upgrading our parking areas and improving the experience for everyone who visits our campus.
Small Groups At Midpoint
Our team is in the midst of a complete renovation of the Midpoint building, addressing significant structural rot that was discovered during demolition, and ensuring the long-term integrity of the building. We have also reworked the interior to create a third small group room, allowing the space to better accommodate the growing needs the church.
SUNDAY AM
Growing The Team
The Worship Ministry continues to see growth this quarter. Three new team members joined the worship team, and our Infuse music small group is one of the largest we have had! There are eight participants actively involved, including three vocalists and five instrumentalists. This group is helping our musicians to grow in skill, confidence, and connection with each other while preparing the next generation of worship leaders. It's amazing to see this growth in participation. It truly means that more and more people are using their God-given talents to bless others at our church.
Lights, Lights, Lights
We've also have begun preliminary planning discussions with an AVL integration company to look for possible upgrades to our theatrical lighting systems. There are quite a few pieces of equipment that have either failed or caused lighting anomalies on the platform during preaching. A lot of it comes down to uneven lighting, and poor coverage of lights. These enhancements should help eliminate uneven skin tones and shifts in color temperature, which we believe will improve the screen experience both in-house and for church online. Looking ahead, we hope to continue developing new volunteers, both musically and spiritually via discipleship through Infuse.
When it comes to our production side, we hope to repair and upgrade various technologies on the camera and switcher side to help the worship experience for our congregation and online family. Having the right equipment for the right job not only improves what we see on the screen, but it helps give our volunteers confidence in the job that they do as well.
The Worship Ministry continues to see growth this quarter. Three new team members joined the worship team, and our Infuse music small group is one of the largest we have had! There are eight participants actively involved, including three vocalists and five instrumentalists. This group is helping our musicians to grow in skill, confidence, and connection with each other while preparing the next generation of worship leaders. It's amazing to see this growth in participation. It truly means that more and more people are using their God-given talents to bless others at our church.
Lights, Lights, Lights
We've also have begun preliminary planning discussions with an AVL integration company to look for possible upgrades to our theatrical lighting systems. There are quite a few pieces of equipment that have either failed or caused lighting anomalies on the platform during preaching. A lot of it comes down to uneven lighting, and poor coverage of lights. These enhancements should help eliminate uneven skin tones and shifts in color temperature, which we believe will improve the screen experience both in-house and for church online. Looking ahead, we hope to continue developing new volunteers, both musically and spiritually via discipleship through Infuse.
When it comes to our production side, we hope to repair and upgrade various technologies on the camera and switcher side to help the worship experience for our congregation and online family. Having the right equipment for the right job not only improves what we see on the screen, but it helps give our volunteers confidence in the job that they do as well.
SUNDAY SUPPORT
Baptisms & Bingo!
The second quarter is always a busy and exciting season for the Sunday Support and Atrium Creative teams, and this year was no exception! We kicked off the quarter by celebrating Easter Sunday. Our Baptism Team had the privilege of preparing 15 people to publicly declare their faith through baptism. At the same time, the Atrium Creative Team created a welcoming and meaningful atmosphere that invited families to reflect on and celebrate the resurrection of our Savior.
In May, the Baptism Team was back in action as another 15 individuals took the next step in their faith during our Fifth Sunday baptisms. This service was especially memorable because baptisms took place throughout the entire service, allowing the whole church family to celebrate together. It was an incredible morning! Following the service, Sunday Support hosted a fulfilled game of BINGO in the Community Room. One of our winners received Heritage merchandise after sharing that he wanted to become a member of our church...even before the game had begun! It was such a special moment and a wonderful way to welcome him into the Heritage family.
Mothers & Ministry
Mother's Day provided another opportunity for the Atrium Creative Team to create meaningful moments. Everyone who entered the building was invited to stop by the Stationery Station in the Atrium to write a heartfelt note to their mom or a mother figure in their life. By the end of the morning, more than 200 letters had been written! Families also enjoyed capturing memories at the photo booth, and every mom received a sweet treat as a small reminder of how much she is loved and appreciated. Just a few weeks later, we celebrated Father's Day, and it truly rocked! Dads were treated like rock stars with two themed photo opportunities, an interactive display where people could share life lessons they learned from their fathers, and, of course, a pair of rockstar sunglasses to complete the experience. It was a fun and memorable way to honor the dads in our church family.
We also celebrated growth within our own ministry teams. Sunday Support welcomed four new volunteers from our recent Discover classes, two serving on the Guest Experience Team, one joining the Baptism Team, and one serving with the Breakfast Team. We are also in the process of onboarding several new members to our Safety Team. Each Sunday morning, our teams continue to gather before services to pray together, share a devotional, celebrate what God is doing in our lives, and prepare our hearts to warmly welcome every person who walks through our doors.
What's Next
Looking ahead, in addition to creating meaningful experiences in the Atrium, we are working on enhancing our First Time Guest Experience. We are excited about this taking shape and look forward to sharing more details in the near future.
The second quarter is always a busy and exciting season for the Sunday Support and Atrium Creative teams, and this year was no exception! We kicked off the quarter by celebrating Easter Sunday. Our Baptism Team had the privilege of preparing 15 people to publicly declare their faith through baptism. At the same time, the Atrium Creative Team created a welcoming and meaningful atmosphere that invited families to reflect on and celebrate the resurrection of our Savior.
In May, the Baptism Team was back in action as another 15 individuals took the next step in their faith during our Fifth Sunday baptisms. This service was especially memorable because baptisms took place throughout the entire service, allowing the whole church family to celebrate together. It was an incredible morning! Following the service, Sunday Support hosted a fulfilled game of BINGO in the Community Room. One of our winners received Heritage merchandise after sharing that he wanted to become a member of our church...even before the game had begun! It was such a special moment and a wonderful way to welcome him into the Heritage family.
Mothers & Ministry
Mother's Day provided another opportunity for the Atrium Creative Team to create meaningful moments. Everyone who entered the building was invited to stop by the Stationery Station in the Atrium to write a heartfelt note to their mom or a mother figure in their life. By the end of the morning, more than 200 letters had been written! Families also enjoyed capturing memories at the photo booth, and every mom received a sweet treat as a small reminder of how much she is loved and appreciated. Just a few weeks later, we celebrated Father's Day, and it truly rocked! Dads were treated like rock stars with two themed photo opportunities, an interactive display where people could share life lessons they learned from their fathers, and, of course, a pair of rockstar sunglasses to complete the experience. It was a fun and memorable way to honor the dads in our church family.
We also celebrated growth within our own ministry teams. Sunday Support welcomed four new volunteers from our recent Discover classes, two serving on the Guest Experience Team, one joining the Baptism Team, and one serving with the Breakfast Team. We are also in the process of onboarding several new members to our Safety Team. Each Sunday morning, our teams continue to gather before services to pray together, share a devotional, celebrate what God is doing in our lives, and prepare our hearts to warmly welcome every person who walks through our doors.
What's Next
Looking ahead, in addition to creating meaningful experiences in the Atrium, we are working on enhancing our First Time Guest Experience. We are excited about this taking shape and look forward to sharing more details in the near future.