SUMMER STREET CHURCH FAMILY, I am so excited to celebrate another year of ministry with you! This past year was packed full of life changing experiences, both personally and professionally. I don’t know how 2018 will be able to compete. In the spring, I had the opportunity to visit Israel on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. It was a transformative experience that will inform my ministry and faith forever. In June, our youth group travelled to Costa Rica to serve the indigenous Bri Bri tribe. I will never forget watching our youth haul bags of cement, clear enormous boulders and play with children who didn’t speak a word of English. God was present in the hands, feet and smiles of our children, and it was amazing to see how he blessed their efforts. In August, Maggie and I welcomed our first daughter, Sparrow Isabel Lengyel, into the world. As you can imagine, it was like seeing in color for the first time. The world took on a whole new meaning, and the great love of our sacrificial God was magnified exponentially. Only a month later, our beloved Senior Pastor Rich Leland retired and passed his responsibilities on to me. On September 12th, I was installed as Senior Pastor, an event which represented the culmination of years of education, experience and prayer. I was humbled by the opportunity and excited to see how God will use me. Since I have stepped into this role, I have already seen God working. We baptized two adults, with more expressing an interest in being baptized come springtime. We dedicated two babies, and have seen other young families join our congregation on Sunday mornings. We have seen our population grow in both size and diversity, and our events have been well attended. Simply put, there is no doubt that God is among us and working through us! This year, I hope to continue this momentum, by preaching compelling sermon series, promoting fun and engaging events, and fostering authentic community among our congregation. I believe with total conviction that God has brought us together for a reason. He intends to accomplish great things through our island community! If we are faithful in service, generous in love, and humble in spirit, we can be certain that our work will not be in Senior Pastor 20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
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