Announcing…

Guest blogger: Pastor Chris Gaynor
The Summit All Campus Choir launches Today, February 1^st at 6:45 in the Bay at Brier Creek. Let us know you’re coming and/or RSVP for childcare today!

This year, for the first time, we are launching a Summit All-Campus Choir! Starting February 1^st, we’ll spend 8 weeks together rehearsing for a concert of worship for the whole church on Friday, April 6th (Good Friday).

This new format allows us some key advantages and new opportunities. We now have the ability to invite people from every campus to be a part of the choir, while maintaining a commitment to their local campus! Some of you have not been able to be a part of the choir because you believed it was better for your family to attend a different campus. Others of you would love to go to a different campus, but your commitment to the choir has kept you at Brier Creek. Now you have the chance to do both – attend another campus and be part of the choir! This also gives those of you who historically have not been able to make a year-long commitment to the choir a new chance to join us!

In a church of over 6000 people, I’m praying for a huge turnout of people who want to be a part of this. If you love to sing and worship, this is for you! If you sang in a high school or college choir and miss getting the chance to sing, this is your opportunity to do it again! If you always wanted to sing in a choir but never have, here’s your chance! Even though we plan to do this again in the fall, you only need to commit for this session of 8 weeks! We hope you’ll join us Today! Let us know if you can make it and/or RSVP for childcare today!

Christmas Missions Offering, Part 1

Guest Blogger: Mike McDaniel

For the past couple of weeks, you’ve been hearing about the Christmas Missions Offering, one of the areas we give generously to at the end of each year. In this offering, our church comes together to give to those who can’t give back – to bless our city and our world. 100% of this offering goes outside the walls of the church to care for communities, advance the gospel, and plant churches here in RDU and around the world.

Last year, we set a goal of raising $300,000, more than we had ever raised before.  But we didn’t raise $300,000…we raised $530,000!

Among other things, your radical generosity allowed us to plant 3 new churches in the United States: The Summit Church in Denver, CO; City Church outside Nashville, TN; and Imago Dei Church right here in RDU.  We sent out 40 people from the Summit to plant those churches.

I had the chance to spend the last few days with the Summit Church in Denver. It was great to see a few familiar faces. But even better was getting to see the dozens of faces I didn’t recognize, some of whom had heard the gospel because members of the Summit had planted their lives in order to plant God’s church in the city of Denver.

Our next church plant will be in Greensboro, NC, this spring. Check out the video below from lead planter Andrew Hopper to find out more. Besides Mercy Hill, we also have plans to plant another 3 churches in the U.S. in 2012.

Summit, all this is possible because of your generosity. When we align ourselves to God’s mission, and give radically, lives are changed, and communities are transformed.

So we invite you to begin praying about how your family will be a part of the Christmas Missions Offering. Collection will begin the weekend of December 3/4.

http://vimeo.com/31976792

(Don’t forget to come out and support Mercy Hill Greensboro for their Vision Day on November 20^th. Whether you’re considering going with Mercy Hill or you just want to know how you can support and pray for them, you don’t want to miss this!)

Guest blogger:  Wayne Lewis

Prison Ministry Leadership Team

Angel Tree Christmas -

Every child has a story. For 1.7 million American children, that story is filled with the abandonment, loneliness, and shame that come from having a mom or dad in prison. For many, it also includes following their parents down the same destructive road to incarceration.

Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree is a ministry that reaches out to the children of inmates and their families with the love of Christ. Angel Tree Christmas connects parents in prison with their children through the delivery of Christmas gifts.  Parents complete a form with information about their children and the gifts they would like to give them.   We then have the opportunity to help brighten the lives of countless children by purchasing, wrapping and delivering gifts on behalf of their incarcerated parent—not only delivering a message of love from parent to child, but also the true meaning of Christmas—the good news of Jesus Christ.

But Angel Tree doesn’t end with Christmas. For The Summit Church family, we believe that first connection can be the beginning of a rewarding and ongoing relationship with these families.  By continuing relationships throughout the year, God can use us to help these children grow in their faith, strengthen their relationships with their parents, and fulfil the purposes that God has for their lives.

The Summit Church Prison Ministry wants to especially encourage all small groups to sign up for one or more Angel Tree families.  The cost is minimal, (purchasing one toy and one clothing gift – costing $ 15 – 25 each) as is the time to locate and deliver the gifts.   But more importantly, your small group can make a personal connection and share the love of God and the Gospel with children separated from their parents.

From Nov 5^th-20^th, your small group or family can sign up to sponsor a child through Angel Tree at www.summitrdu.com/prison.

Please pray about your involvement in The Summit Church Prison Ministry and take this opportunity to share the love of God with children of incarcerated parents.  As you consider and prepare for your involvement in the Angel Tree Ministry, you can watch these two videos by children whose lives were impacted by Angel Tree.