In most churches in the summer, congregations face the dreaded “summer slump.” This is usually a reference to giving – people go away, get busy and as a result, the offering tends to go into a slump. And while that is true for us this summer, there are still good things to be celebrated. In June, we changed the Sunday morning schedule for the summer. Any time leaders make a change to the schedule there is a risk that the change will be met with disagreement, usually shown in the form of absence. In reviewing our attendance records for the last three years, we’ve learned that in spite of making this change, the attendance has not dropped.

We also launched a refreshed website. If you have not been to www.ctpres.org, I urge you to do so. We have a new look, new content and a new feel to the site. This may not seem like a big deal, but some of our summer visitors have indicated that the website is the reason they visited.

Our youth group went on a mission trip at the end of June. Since Christmas, the youth have been planning a mission trip, and they partnered with YouthWorks to serve near Charleston. The youth plan to share more about their trip during worship on Sunday, September 11, which is also Rally Day.

In July, we had a great Vacation Bible School. So many people were helping and making the week great for kids. We were able to share the gospel in a fun and exciting way with a great curriculum and an awesome program. We even had a parenting class three out of the five nights. This weekend we are hosting one of the missionaries we support.  Drake Williams, who serves at Tyndale Seminary in the Netherlands will be joined by his family to preach at worship and lead a Sunday School class to explain how he is seeing God work.

Finally, why have one mission trip when you can have two? We are sending a small team to Webster Springs, WV, to help with the aftermath from the flooding earlier this summer. They will serve August 28-September 3. The deadline for signing up is Monday, July 25.

Summer slump? I don’t think so! God is at work in a variety of ways in and through our congregation!

Blessings,

Pastor John