Change is inevitable.  Growth is optional.

~John C. Maxwell

Dear Church Family and Friends,
There are exciting things afoot at the church … and I wanted to let you know about them.  We have a new-to-us school moving into the church this week – Red Mountain Community School (RMCS).  The Church Council is hope-filled about the possibilities for this to be a long-term partnership and investment in the life of the church, our neighborhood, and the lives of young families.  We see it as an opportunity to reach unchurched families, provide a new revenue stream for the church, and bring our building to life with lots of activity happening each day throughout the week.  COVID definitely changed the nature of how we use our church campus, and now we’re emerging thankfully with renewed energy, life, and growth ahead of us.

You’ll recall that the pandemic forced our Parents Day Out program to close its doors in March 2020.  After thoughtful discussion and discernment, the Church Council decided not to reopen our Parents Day Out.  Instead, we feel this new partnership will use our space more fully than it’s been used in quite some time.  In addition, we believe our church’s values align well with those of RMCS.  RMCS has been in the Avondale community since it opened in 2005.  It’s an intentionally small K-12 private school based on the traditions and practices of Charlotte Mason.

RMCS will begin by having classrooms on our first floor.  In the meantime, the church and school will both be working to raise capital funds in order to improve life safety measures throughout our campus that are being required of us by the city (more on that to come in another email soon).  These life safety improvements will allow the school to then be able to have classrooms on our second floor in addition to the first floor.  I invite you to take a look around both floors this Sunday before or after worship to see all the good things that have been happening this week … from fresh paint on the walls to classroom furniture and décor being set up.

It really is exciting to see so many spaces in the church alive again.  Our Church Council is enthusiastic about this partnership and hopes you will be too.  School begins next Wednesday, August 17.  Please be in prayer for both the school and the church as we eagerly watch and wait to see what God will do through all of us working in ministry together.  It’s gonna be good, y’all!

Blessings,

Rev. Malinda Weaver

P.S. We’re going to have a team of folks here next Wednesday morning to welcome the students, their families, and their teachers during carpool drop-off.  If you’d like to help out, please let me know.

P.P.S.  To learn more about the school, click here to go to their website.