WE ARE SECOND
Responding to Sacrifice with Sacrifice
“We love because He first loved us.” -1 John 4:19
Journey Community Church exists To Connect imperfect people on a journey to Be, Love and Serve like Jesus. . . And to Multiply by helping others do the same. As we pursue this mission for the long-haul, we envision God unleashing a movement of disciple-making disciples and leaders who are being changed by God’s grace and partnering with God to change the world.
JOURNEY’S MISSION AND VISION
Thanks to the sacrificial stewardship of many faithful disciples, we are blessed to serve the mission of Jesus on a beautiful property with a versatile facility that is being utilized seven days a week. Through our partnership with the Daily Needs Assistance Community Center (click here to learn more), we are offering food, clothing, community and support to hundreds of neighbors in need each month. Through our Sunday gatherings and other ministries, we are connecting many people to new life in Christ and walking with them as they grow to Be, Love, Serve and Multiply like Jesus. In our NextGen Kids ministry (click here to learn more), we have experienced 34% growth in participation in the past year. New people are being drawn to Journey nearly every week because God is changing lives by His grace, love and power.
OUR BLESSINGS
In 2018, we took on a new facility loan of $750,000. In 2022, as a result of the nearly unanimous vote of our congregation, we took on an additional disaffiliation loan of $175,000 to cover the costs associated with necessary steps to disaffiliate from our previous denomination and align with the Global Methodist Church. In late 2023, the interest rates for both of these loans reset, which increased our loan payments to $6,500 per month for both loans. These loan payments have put a strain on our regular operating budget that has required us to cut back on mission and ministry spending.
OUR CHALLENGES
With 5,000+ new homes slated to be built in Plain City in the next five years – many of which are literally in our own backyard – now is not the time to reduce mission and ministry due to limited funding and the strain of paying off debt. We want to urgently expand our efforts to reach people who are not connected to Jesus or a community of Faith and to serve the increasing physical needs among those who are poor, marginalized and hurting all around us. We have the opportunity to respond to the sacrificial love of God in Jesus Christ with our sacrificial living, loving, serving and giving. His sacrifice invites – even compels – our sacrifice so that the world may know Jesus.
WE ARE SECOND OPPORTUNITIES
Our We Are Second Missional Giving Campaign is an opportunity multiply and expand the spiritual transformation we see taking place in many lives already. Our $1.1 Million goal will enable us over the next two years to 1. fully fund our operating budget, 2. pay off our disaffiliation loan and 3. begin paying down debt on our facility loan. Here’s the breakdown of the numbers:
$800,000 to fully fund our operating budget for two years to maintain current mission and ministry.
$160,000 to pay off the disaffiliation loan, which will free up $24,000 annually to expand mission and ministry
$140,000 to begin paying down the $665,000 remaining on our new facility loan.
= $1,100,000 Total Two Year Funding Goal
THE COST
Everyone in our Journey Family is invited to prayerfully discern a Two-Year pledge commitment to the We Are Second Campaign that will enable us to fully fund our regular operating budget and direct more funds to expanding mission and ministry. This campaign will be a success as every member of our Journey family responds to the invitation to . . .
1. Grow in Listening and Responding to God’s voice. Priority number one is growth as disciples of Jesus. Every step of obedience to connect, be, love, serve and multiply like Jesus is a success story to celebrate.
2. Move toward obedience in tithing (giving 10% of our income).
3. Give sacrificially in response to Jesus’ sacrificial love.
WE ARE SECOND RESPONSE
We will kick off the two-year giving campaign with a First Fruits Offering. The goal is to bring a sacrificial gift that will jumpstart the campaign and bless our community. Ten Percent of this offering will go to local mission partners to share the love of Jesus in tangible ways in our community.
FIRST FRUITS OFFERING - Sunday May 19, 2024
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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The congregation unanimously approved the decision to take out a $750,000 loan to fund the construction of our new facility in 2017. In addition, the congregation voted (nearly unanimously) to take out a $175,000 disaffiliation loan in 2022.
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The disaffiliation loan covered the costs associated with exiting our former denomination, which included paying our share of the conference’s unfunded pension liability along with other exit expenses determined by the prior denomination. The congregation discerned that the costs/risks associated with remaining in our prior denomination were greater than the costs of exiting. We believe God will continue to honor and make provision for the needs resulting from our costly and courageous steps of obedience.
To learn more about the disaffiliaton process and costs associated with it, click here.
To learn more about our current denomination, the Global Methodist Church, click here.
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Our basic operating budget in 2024 is $394,000. The $800,000 amount in our campaign materials includes a modest increase in 2025 and was rounded up slightly for ease of communication. (2 year campaign, so $394,000 X 2 = $788,000. Rounded up to $800,000).
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Our congregation has participated in 5 different capital campaign efforts over the past 20 years. One of our earliest two-fund campaigns (with a smaller congregation) raised over $400,000 and enabled us to pay off the mortgage for our current property years ahead of schedule. Since then, we’ve had multiple three-year, two-fund campaigns that have raised over $350,000. Our We Are Second campaign is taking a two-year, one-fund approach.
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We are inviting each member of our Journey family to discern one dollar amount that you will give over the next two years to (1) support our regular operating budget, and (2) pay down debt to free up funds for mission and ministry.
On Sunday April 28th, 2024, we will celebrate our next steps of faith by bringing our completed pledge cards indicating our two-year giving commitment.
Practical Next Steps:
1.Prayerfully discern your two-year giving commitment, which is always open to revision/change.
2.Complete a We Are Second pledge card.
3.Consider automating your pledge by setting up online giving here.
4.Bring your pledge card to celebrate together on Sunday April 28th.
5.Prayerfully prepare to bring your largest offering of the two-year campaign on Sunday May 19th for our First Fruits Offering. (10% of this offering will support local mission partners - see #10 for more info).
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If you completed a pledge card in the Fall, we’re so grateful for your prayerful generosity! We Are Second is an opportunity to re-evaluate your current giving commitment, and to discern a two-year giving commitment. We are inviting all to take faithful next steps toward stewardship.
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Funds will be distributed by our Leadership Team prioritizing our budget needs, delayed budget needs, debt retirement needs (fixed payments) and debt retirement wants (paying down debt early).
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Tithing is the biblical practice of giving 10% of our income to the local church. At Journey, we believe tithing is a great place to begin our giving/stewardship journey and is a loving step of obedience in response to God’s love. “Sacrificial giving” is the goal of our We Are Second campaign. The New Testament principle is that 100% of our money belongs to God so we aim to give as much as we are able to advance the work of God’s Kingdom – even to the point of sacrificing some of our wants or luxuries.
Click here to view an income-based Tithing Chart and potential next steps.
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We will begin giving on Sunday May 19th, 2024 when we receive a “First Fruits” offering. The invitation with this offering is to start the campaign off strong with our largest sacrificial gift of the two years. For some, this will simply be the beginning of your new regular giving commitment, which may represent a small increase from past giving. For others, you may be able to make a larger gift by taking from a tax return or savings or some other source, in addition to your new regular giving commitment.
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Yes, but our Easter Offering will look a little different than usual! Instead of receiving our traditional Easter offering in 2024, we as a church will tithe 10% of the total FirstFruits offering for We Are Second (to be received on May 19th, view #9 for more info). This collective 10% tithe will support local mission partners in place of our Easter Offering.
We will still receive our annual Christmas Offering in 2024 because it just wouldn’t feel like Christmas at Journey without it!
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NO!!! The primary goal for the campaign is for everyone to experience spiritual growth as we listen to and respond obediently to God in new ways. For most of us, surrendering our finances to God will require surrendering our whole lives, and that is what Journey is all about as we connect imperfect people on a journey to be, love and serve like Jesus . . . and multiply by helping others do the same. The Leadership Team of Journey is inviting you to partner with us in pursuing this mission with faithful integrity and stewardship.
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This is a tricky question that requires a Yes and No response. In some ways, we do not need more money to grow as a community of disciples who are making disciples. At the same time, some of the ministry we do together requires facilities, staff and resources that cost money. We want to expand both kinds of ministry out of obedience to Jesus.
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Because of our partnership with Daily Needs Assistance, our facility is literally being used 7 days a week to serve our community. DNA pays a modest rental fee intended to cover costs related to their use, but Journey is investing sacrificially in this partnership. Additionally, Journey partners with other community ministries, like two weekly Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, that use our facility.
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YES! Here are three huge reasons that your pledge card matters.
(1) Every card represents a prayerful decision to take a next step with Jesus.
(2) Every card helps us get a step closer to our $1.1 million goal, which will enable us to fund our next steps as a church family on mission following Jesus.
(3) Our pledge cards help the Leadership Team of Journey plan wisely for the next two years of expanding ministry and mission.
Setting up online giving is practically equivalent to completing a pledge card, but both are helpful for the above reasons.
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First, welcome! We are so glad you are here! You picked a great time to get to know us. God is on the move in exciting ways and we would love to have you join!
There is zero pressure for you to give, but we invite you to prayerfully consider if God is leading you to be part of the Journey family and all He is doing in and around us.
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Increases in staff salaries and/or hours (which have not been possible in recent years)
New computer for sound booth (to run slides, videos, etc.)
Expanding Digital Ministry
Computers for staff (who are currently using personal computers for work)
Replace front porch at the parsonage (which is a safety hazard flagged by insurance)
Replace drive way at parsonage (which is a safety hazard flagged by insurance)
Reseal church parking lot
NextGen Check-in software/equipment
Leadership/Discipleship events for adults
***As it is one of our fastest growing and biggest ministry focuses of We Are Second, click here for more information on NextGen ministries (Nursery - 12th grade).
WE ARE SECOND CAMPAIGN GATHERINGS
We would love to share more and answer any additional questions you have about We Are Second.
Join us for one or all of the following We Are Second gatherings:
Sunday March 10th @ 11:30 AM (after service, lunch provided). Click here to RSVP.
Sunday March 17th @ 11:30 AM (after service, lunch provided). Click here to RSVP.
Sunday April 7th @ 11:30 AM (after service, lunch provided). Click here to RSVP.
*If you would like to bring food (soup / sandwich / dessert) to a We Are Second gathering, click here to contact Janet Noble.
Sunday
Listen for God’s voice
Hebrews 1:1-2
Monday
Obedience to God’s voice
Psalm 128:1-2
Tuesday
Sacrifice / Service
Romans 12:1 NLT
Wednesday
Generosity
Psalms 54:6 NLT
Thursday
Loving others
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Friday
Church leadership
2 Chronicles 1:10
Saturday
Thanksgiving for blessings
Ephesians 5:20 NLT
We invite you to join us in praying for the topics listed below throughout the We Are Second campaign.
WE ARE SECOND WEEKLY PRAYER FOCUSES
These Scriptures are for you and your Journey Group to study, individually and as a group, throughout We Are Second. Let’s listen and respond to God’s voice together.
WE ARE SECOND SCRIPTURE STUDY
“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us…” -1 John 4:1-12 NIV
“And God is able to bless you abundantly…” -2 Corinthians 9:6-11 NIV
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.” -Luke 6:27-38 NIV
“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” -Hebrews 13:13-17 NIV
“Command them to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” -1 Timothy 6:17-19 NIV
“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things.” -Romans 8:31b - 32 NIV
“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.” -Proverbs 3:1-10 NIV