Bay Area Community Church Annual Report 2016

B A Y

2016

A R E A

C O M M U N I T Y

C H U R C H

A N N U A L

R E P O R T

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O U R

M I S S I O N

MAKING PASSIONATE, MATURING FOLLOWERS OF JESUS FROM HERE TO THE NATIONS C O N T E N T S

R E A C H I N G E V E R Y

E A S T O N

O N E

M I N I S T R Y

4

M I S S I O N A R Y

H I G H L I G H T S

F I N A N C I A L S

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A

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3 4

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6

DEAR BAY AREA FAMILY, Our God is great and awesome! As we come to know God more intimately, surrender ourselves more fully to Jesus, and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit, we experience Him more and more at work. Reflecting on 2016, we as a church family have much to celebrate. Six months after launching our first satellite campus, we are praising God for what He is doing in Easton. Our longtime vision to disciple college-age students became a reality this year as we began our college ministry. Our church family demonstrated extravagant generosity in supporting the Mission Gardens of Christ, our partner ministry in South Sudan.

I could highlight many more great things God has done in and through Bay Area this year, but I’ll summarize in four words:

EVERY ONE A MISSIONARY. Throughout 2016, we have embraced this truth that every person who calls Jesus Lord is sent on mission by Him to make disciples wherever we go.

“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.’” John 20:21 We’re incredibly grateful for how many members of our church family were equipped through our Share the Gospel trainings. I am asking God to use us to share the message of His love and forgiveness with thousands throughout our county and around the world. One hundred people stepped out in faith on short term mission trips, our Missional Communities grew deeper in their Biblical knowledge and relationships with one another through narrative study, and our church family was encouraged to cultivate personal, intimate relationships with God through our teaching series.

These are just the priorities we desire for our church family to elevate! Understanding that we are no more on mission in El Salvador than Edgewater or Poland than Pasadena, it’s our hope that the missionaries who compose our church family would do five things:

CONNECT IN COMMUNITY SHARE THE GOSPEL SERVE LIKE JESUS GO ON A MISSION TRIP WORSHIP TOGETHER As we begin a new year, it’s my prayer that each of us would continue to elevate lostness – that our burden for those around us to know Jesus would compel us to further expand God’s Kingdom.

Will you join me in praying that God would continue to pour out His grace on Bay Area as we seek to make passionate, maturing followers of Jesus from here to the nations in 2017?

Expecting great things,

Greg St. Cyr Lead Pastor

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E A S T O N R E A C H I N G

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HOW DID BAY AREA EASTON COME ABOUT?

I N

205

A T T E N D A N C E

60

2

E A S T E R

S U N D A Y

PEOPLE GATHER REGULARLY IN THREE MISSIONAL COMMUNITIES

PROFESSED THEIR FAITH IN JESUS THROUGH BAPTISM

A V E R A G E

A D U LT S

&

C H I L D R E N

120 // 30

It was a faith decision birthed out of a vision to reach and disciple people on the Eastern Shore.

Over four years ago, God planted a vision within a man named Craig Fadel to see churches established across the Eastern Shore.

Simultaneously, God was moving in the lives of a Bay Area couple who live in Easton. After searching for a local church to which they felt comfortable inviting their friends, God birthed a dream in them of helping start a church like Bay Area in Easton. They started a Missional Community, inviting friends to encounter Jesus in their home, and it grew rapidly.

Bay Area’s leadership began to pray about whether God was leading them to launch an expression of Bay Area in Easton. In October 2015 the elders felt God’s confirmation to start a campus. They celebrated their first gathering together on March 27, 2016 – Easter Sunday.

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E V E R Y

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M I S S I O N A R Y

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C O N N E C T

SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND IMPACT HAPPEN BEST IN COMMUNITY.

700 I N

P E O P L E

2 0 1 6

C O N N E C T E D

I N

54

M I S S I O N A L

C O M M U N I T I E S

&

160

PEOPLE WERE NEWLY INTRODUCED TO MISSIONAL COMMUNITIES

N A R R A T I V E

T E A C H I N G

Our Missional Communities not only grew in number but also in closeness, spiritual depth and transparency. In 2016, we introduced narrative teaching, through which MCs are encouraged to dig deeper into the passages preached on Sundays. Through embracing this style of learning and studying the Word, communities elevated the importance of personal application of Scripture.

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M I S S I O N A R Y

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C O N N E C T

MCKENZIE BEDRA / /

N E W

T O

M I S S I O N A L

C O M M U N I T Y

I lost my father to cancer in May of 2009 and that left a big hole in my life. I thought I had everything: a good job, a beautiful home, a supportive family – but I still had a void in my heart.

WHEN I CAME TO THE REALIZATION THAT I COULD NO LONGER DO LIFE ALONE, I TURNED TO CHRIST. On August 11, 2015, I decided to give my life to Him. I moved to Annapolis in October 2015 and started to attend Bay Area. I soon joined a Missional Community, and I have grown exponentially in my faith with the greatest group of young women. MCs are a great place to really open our hearts while studying the Word. I have been discipled from the beginning, which keeps me longing for a deeper relationship with the Lord.

When I started going to our MC, it was intimidating because I didn’t know anyone and was a very new believer. But five minutes in, they made me feel like I had been a part of their group for years. MC has taught me so much about how important it is to be in community outside of going to church on Sunday. It’s something I look forward to each week. Being part of an MC has changed my life: I’ve made new friends and learned how to dig deeper into the Word while also having time to reflect on it.

I AM NOW LIVING EACH DAY GUIDED AND DIRECTED BY THE LORD, AND WHAT I LOOK FORWARD TO THE MOST IS SPENDING TIME IN COMMUNITY AND IN HIS WORD.

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E V E R Y

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M I S S I O N A R Y

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S H A R E

OF THE MORE THAN 550,000 PEOPLE LIVING IN ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, WE ESTIMATE THAT JUST OVER 100,000 ARE BELIEVERS. THIS MEANS OVER 81 PERCENT OF OUR COMMUNITY DOES NOT KNOW JESUS.

685

A T T E N D E D

S H A R E

W H Y

J E S U S

T H E

S H A R E

G O S P E L

T H E

T R A I N I N G S

G O S P E L?

I N S T R U C T E D

U S

T O .

YOU WILL BE MY WITNESSES IN JERUSALEM AND IN ALL JUDEA AND SAMARIA, AND TO THE END OF THE EARTH. ACTS 1:8

I T ’ S

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M A T T E R

O F

L I F E

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D E A T H .

GOD GAVE US ETERNAL LIFE, AND THIS LIFE IS IN HIS SON. WHOEVER HAS THE SON HAS LIFE; WHOEVER DOES NOT HAVE THE SON OF GOD DOES NOT HAVE LIFE. 1 JOHN 5:11-12

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S E R V E / / M I S S I O N A R Y A O N E E V E R Y

SERVING IS THE LIFE OF JESUS FLOWING THROUGH US, TOUCHING OTHERS

349

EXPRESSED INTEREST IN SERVING ROLES DURING OUR SERVE LIKE JESUS SERIES

S E R V I N G

2 0 1 6

A M B A S S A D O R S

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2 8

G R E E T E R S

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4 0

U S H E R S

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W O R S H I P

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H O S P I T A L I T Y

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P A R K I N G

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1 6

S A F E T Y

T E A M

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C H A I R

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C H I L D R E N ’ S

M I N I S T R Y

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2 7 5

S T U D E N T

M I N I S T R Y

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7 5

W O M E N ’ S

M I N I S T R Y

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N E T W O R K

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1 7

C A R E

12

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2 0 1 6

100

P E O P L E

S H O R T

S E R V E D

11

T E R M

O N

T R I P S

I N

7

// 2016 GLOBAL PARTNERS POLAND ROBERT + ELLA BORYCZKA TOMEK + DAMARIS OTREMBA

BRAZIL

C O U N T R I E S

MICKEY + CHERIE COUNTER

SOUTHEAST ASIA CHUCK + SHARON FAMILY H

EL SALVADOR S O U T H

S U D A N

$224,435 . 6 7 G E N E R O U S LY

G I V E N

In 2016, the Bay Area family rallied around the Mission Gardens of Christ and Pastor Stephen Mathiang, our global partner in South Sudan.

Through the prayers of many, generous gifts totaling more than $220,000, and a visit from a short-term mission team, Bay Area played a significant role in the establishment of a primary school and the equipping of local pastors and leaders in sharing Biblical truth and peace. God continues to use Pastor Stephen and his team to bring the Gospel boldly to the streets of Bor, South Sudan, even amidst civil unrest and growing pains in the world’s newest nation.

JORGE + SARAH SOLORZANO

RUSSIA SERGEY

INDIA SAMUEL + GRACE DEVRAJ

SOUTH SUDAN STEPHEN MATHIANG

GHANA KWAME ADU

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G O / / M I S S I O N A R Y A O N E E V E R Y

NEAL SCHAEFER / /

S H O R T

T E R M

M I S S I O N S :

P O L A N D

After retiring last summer, 2016 seemed to be the right year for a short-term mission trip I had been considering for several years. Of all the trips available, Poland had a special meaning to me because I had visited on a trip through Eastern Europe with my dad when I was 16. Now I’m 60, Dad has passed, and this seemed a special way to honor him.

Our mission was to lead a family English Bible camp with the dual purpose of teaching English language skills and Bible study. I was surprised at the amount of preparation leading up to the trip. There were team meetings starting several months before the trip, with homework in between! I thought, “This is a lot of hard work; it will be hard to do it again.”

The work didn’t end once we arrived. Between preparation, teaching, team worship and social interaction with team members, hosts or campers, it took a lot of energy – especially for an introvert like me.

BUT THERE IS A SPECIAL FULFILLMENT THAT COMES FROM WORK DEDICATED TO JESUS. We had been reminded that we are workers in the field. Some workers till the soil, others plant or water, but few see the harvest. So it was especially gratifying to witness about 10 campers answer an altar call to accept Jesus as their Savior at the end of the week, including one in my own small group.

The expression of gratitude from campers, whom we had grown to love during the week, was very touching.

BY THE END OF THE TRIP I HAD A NEW PERSPECTIVE: IT WOULD BE VERY HARD NOT TO DO IT AGAIN.

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M I S S I O N A R Y

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1 , 2 1 2

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1 , 3 5 8

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F Y 1 4

1,511 1 , 4 9 7

A V E R A G E

A D U LT

57

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F Y 1 5

O N

S U N D A Y S

ADULTS PROFESSED THEIR FAITH IN JESUS THROUGH BAPTISM.

C H R I S T M A S

E V E

3,911

E A S T E R

S U N D A Y

3,965 19

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M I N I S T R Y

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H I G H L I G H T S

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C H I L D R E N

A V E R A G E

424

C H I L D R E N

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A T T E N D A N C E

S U M M E R

E A C H

S U N D A Y

J A M

OVER 200 VOLUNTEERS SERVED 415 CHILDREN AS THEY LEARNED ABOUT THE DEPTH OF GOD’S LOVE FOR THEM. B A P T I S M S

17 CHILDREN PROFESSED THEIR FAITH IN JESUS THROUGH BAPTISM. T R U N K

O R

T R E A T

MORE THAN 3,500 PEOPLE CAME OUT TO ENJOY THIS ANNUAL COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENT.

143

N E W

F A M I L I E S

275

V O L U N T E E R S

N E W

I N

550

K I D S

O N

E A S T E R

2 0 1 6

In 2016, Children’s Ministry hosted its first Fourth- and Fifth-Grade Retreat. Moms and dads were equipped with parenting tools during an opening session, and 60 kids spent a fun-filled night at Bay Area and learned about self-image and how God sees them.

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C H I L D R E N / / H I G H L I G H T S M I N I S T R Y

THE LOGAN FAMILY / /

S A M ,

B A R B A R A ,

I R I S

+

We first came to Bay Area for Summer Jam 2015 at the invitation of a family friend.

We haven’t looked back since. For several months after, our 5-year-old son Enzo still thought he was going to “VBS” when we left for church on Sunday mornings.

BOTH KIDS ARE NOW EXPECTANT EVERY WEEK TO SEE THEIR CHURCH FRIENDS AND LEADERS, AND LEARN ABOUT JESUS. Our daughter Iris, 8, has formed a special relationship with her Children’s Ministry leader, Trish McGinn, who attended Special Friends Day at Iris’ school in the spring of 2016. Mrs. Trish, as our family calls her, also gave Iris a mother-daughter devotional that she used with her own daughter. Iris now has devotional most nights with Barbara. It is a time for the two of them to spend a memorable moment together, building a relationship that goes beyond parenting and into a real friendship.

MRS. TRISH’S IMPACT ON OUR FAMILY HAS GONE BEYOND SUNDAYS. Our first six months at Bay Area were for resting, learning and settling in. Since January of 2016, when Barbara and I both felt like God said “go,” we’ve become more involved in several aspects of serving on Sundays and during the week. As opportunity has opened, we have become involved with the Safety Team, GO&MAKE magazine, the Marriage Ministry, the Prayer Ministry, global missions, and facilitating two Learning Communities.

We are excited to see how the Lord has blessed us and has used our family to bless and support others in our church community.

THIS IS WHAT HOME FEELS LIKE FOR US. / /

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E N Z O

S A M

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S T U D E N T S / / H I G H L I G H T S

105 72 40 21 46 38

M I N I S T R Y

M I D D L E

H I G H

S C H O O L E R S

S C H O O L E R S

C O L L E G E - A G E

C O M M U N I T Y

O N

B I G

A T

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S T U D E N T S

G R O U P S

B E A C H

V I C T O R Y

W E E K E N D

J A M

COLLEGE MINISTRY // A LONGTIME VISION FULFILLED Our longtime vision to reach college students became a reality in summer 2016 with the launch of a ministry for college-age students, designed to help them transition from high school to the adult world.

As the ministry grows, we anticipate that several college-age Missional Communities will form, and students will be able to participate in retreats, conferences and service opportunities throughout the year.

/ / S T U D E N T M I N I S T R Y

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S T U D E N T S / /

My wife, Brenda, and I have three children – David, Daniel and Yani. We are a military family, and moved to Annapolis in May 2014 for a three-year military instructor tour at the Naval Academy.

Upon arrival, we visited various churches but felt the strongest spiritual tug toward Bay Area.

M I N I S T R Y

/ /

H I G H L I G H T S

THE DEANDA FAMILY R A M I R O ,

B R E N D A ,

D A V I D ,

+

Y A N I

THE LORD HAS, AND CONTINUES TO, SEND US TO AMAZING CHURCHES WITH POWERFUL FAMILY SUPPORT NETWORKS. This is especially important to us because of our oldest son, David, who is diagnosed with mental retardation and autism. David is a senior in high school, and like many young people his age, he yearns for inclusion and a sense of belonging among his peers.

Bay Area’s Student Ministry has been a blessing to our family. The BASM Buddies program that was launched in early 2016 has allowed David to immerse himself in the Sunday high school gatherings. His adult buddy, Donna, has come alongside our family with the most selfless of hearts and ensured David can participate and be discipled each week.

The young men and women in Student Ministry are starting to accept David among their ranks. The more they see him, the more they can validate positive and negative assumptions they have about a peer with a mental disability. So far, so good!

BAY AREA IS THE FIRST CHURCH WE'VE ATTENDED WHERE DAVID IS FULLY EMBEDDED WITH HIS CONTEMPORARIES. We are thankful to God for this program. / /

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D A N I E L

R A M I R O

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M I N I S T R Y

H I G H L I G H T S

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L O C A L

O U T R E A C H

441 15,600 550 30 136 B A C K P A C K S

S T U F F E D

with school supplies for local kids

S A N D W I C H E S

P R E P A R E D

by Happy Helpers for those in need

C H I L D R E N

R E C E I V E D

G I F T S

including 120 bicycles at Christmas

H O M E L E S S

F O U N D

S H E LT E R

for one week at Bay Area during Winter Relief

U N I T S

O F

B L O O D

S U P P O R T E D

I N

2 0 1 6

ANNAPOLIS PREGNANCY CLINIC BETHANY CHRISTIAN SERVICES CREATIVE PARADOX CRU - NAVAL ACADEMY FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES GOOD NEWS JAIL & PRISON MINISTRY H.O.P.E. FOR ALL LIGHT HOUSE SHELTER MULLIGAN DISCIPLESHIP MINISTRY NAVIGATORS - NAVAL ACADEMY OFFICERS CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP NAVAL ACADEMY SPAN WALK THE WALK FOUNDATION WE CARE & FRIENDS WORLD RELIEF ANNE ARUNDEL YOUNG LIFE YOUTH FOR CHRIST

D O N A T E D

through blood drives in the AAMC bloodmobile

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C A R E + W O M E N / / H I G H L I G H T S M I N I S T R Y

T H E

W O M E N

W O M E N

W E L L

B I B L E

S T U D I E S

166 325 O N

O N

T U E S D A Y

W E D N E S D A Y

E V E N I N G S

M O R N I N G S

41 11

L E A D E R S

77

S T U D I E S

GREW CLOSER IN THEIR WALKS

WOMEN’S CONFERENCE // KINGDOM COME This year, Women’s Ministry transitioned its annual retreat to a one-day conference to accommodate more women.

Themed “Kingdom Come,” it drew 109 participants. The conference included teaching sessions, practical workshops and ministry vendors, and ended in an extended time of prayer and worship. One woman who attended said, “I sensed God’s presence the minute I walked in.”

WITH GOD AT THE QUIET RETREAT

/ / W O M E N ’ S M I N I S T R Y 30

/ / C A R E N E T W O R K THE CARE NETWORK WALKED ALONGSIDE MORE THAN 70 INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN NEED IN 2016

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218 ATTENDED THE

COUPLES REFERRED FOR

REFERRED TO COUNSELING

GREAT DATE NIGHT

MARRIAGE COUNSELING

INDIVIDUALS WERE

P R E M A R I T A L

23

M I N I S T R Y

20

ENGAGED AND PRE-ENGAGED COUPLES MENTORED IN PREPARATION FOR MARRIAGE

L E A R N I N G

C O M M U N I T I E S

40

COUPLES PARTICIPATED IN MARRIAGE-FOCUSED LEARNING COMMUNITIES

D E A C O N S

+

B E N E V O L E N C E

50

INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES RECEIVED ASSISTANCE AND CARE FROM OUR DEACONS

// IT’S OUR HOPE THAT NO ONE AT BAY AREA WOULD EVER GO THROUGH A DIFFICULT EXPERIENCE ALONE. 31

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M I N I S T R Y

H I G H L I G H T S

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C H U R C H

P L A N T I N G

/ / C H U R C H P L A N T I N G

I N

2 0 1 6

THE SENT NETWORK LAUNCHED ITS FIRST ETHNIC CHURCH PLANT THIS YEAR. LED BY ENDALK AYO, IT IS REACHING THE LARGE ETHIOPIAN POPULATION IN THE SILVER SPRING AREA.

A C T I V E

DOWNTOWN HOPE LED BY JOEY TOMASSONI ANNAPOLIS, MD

THE WELL COMMUNITY CHURCH

9

LED BY MATT KLINGLER SILVER SPRING, MD

ALLELON COMMUNITY CHURCH

C H U R C H

P L A N T S

$220,883 C O M M I T T E D

// SENT NETWORK CHURCH PLANTS

T O

S E N T

5

N E W C H U R C H P L A N T E R S P R E P A R I N G T O L A U N C H

LED BY TOM HOOE ANNAPOLIS, MD

RENOVATE LIFE CHURCH LED BY DONNIE HATCHER GAMBRILLS, MD

ARISE RVA LED BY JEREMY CHAMBERS RICHMOND, VA

REDEEMER CITY CHURCH LED BY STEVEN LEE WASHINGTON, D.C.

REDEMPTION CITY CHURCH LED BY BLISS SPILLAR FREDERICK, MD

C O M I N G

S O O N

During 2016, five new church planters were trained and equipped to plant gospel-centered churches around the Mid-Atlantic. They are onboarding with SENT Network with a vision to share the good news of Jesus and make disciples in Georgetown/Washington, D.C.; Wilmington, Delaware; Arlington, Virginia; Riverdale, Maryland; and Baltimore City.

TRIBE CHURCH LED BY TIMOTHY MULL BALTIMORE, MD

FOUR CORNERS ETHIOPIAN EVANGELICAL CHURCH LED BY ENDALK AYO SILVER SPRING, MD

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F I N A N C I A L S

F I S C A L

Y E A R

2 0 1 6

O P E R A T I N G

B U D G E T

$4,417,654 GATHERINGS // 18.5

MISSIONAL COMMUNITIES // 6.9 CHILDREN’S MINISTRY // 6.8 STUDENT MINISTRY // 6.6 OTHER MINISTRIES // 2.8 GLOBAL MISSIONS // 8 CHURCH PLANTING // 5 LOCAL OUTREACH + BENEVOLENCE // 4.6 LEADERSHIP // 9.7 DEBT SERVICE // 5.3 OPERATIONS // 25.8

G I V I N G

I N

2 0 1 6

$4,489,603 A C T U A L

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V S .

G O A L

$ 7 1 , 9 4 9

/ /

1 . 6

P E R C E N T

A H E A D

I’M REFLECTING ON 2016 WITH A LOT OF THANKSGIVING. This church is flat-out generous. As you all know, when we give generously as a church family, we are better able to expand God’s Kingdom through our ministries and carry out our mission of making passionate, maturing followers of Jesus from here to the nations. By God’s grace, 2016 was really an exceptional year for giving.

That said, on behalf of Bay Area, I’d like to say a huge thank-you to every person in our church family for your sacrificial giving and generous hearts.

Because of your faithfulness, we were not only able to fully fund our ministries, but also increase our financial commitments to church planting, benevolence, and our local and global missions partners.

On September 1, 2015, we began Fiscal Year 2016 with a $4.116 million budget. God continued to pour out His grace on us and our family continued to grow. Giving began to exceed our budget early in the year. In February, we conducted a mid-year budget evaluation, and the elders approved a $302,000 increase based on conditions at the time. For the remainder of the ministry year, our budget was $4.417 million. Remarkably, we finished ahead of that budget goal by close to $100,000!

In addition to increasing our giving off the top to missions, your generosity enabled us to hire a college ministry coordinator and launch a residency program to equip future church planters and vocational missionaries, among other things. During the same year, we also had special project giving and short term mission funding that was perfectly stunning. Again, thank you!

AT BAY AREA, WE RECOGNIZE THAT GOD IS THE OWNER AND PROVIDER OF EVERY GIFT WE RECEIVE. Without Him, nothing is possible. All that we do is for His glory, which is why we prayerfully consider how to steward our every resource in ways that honor Him. It’s also why we encourage people who call Bay area home to prayerfully seek the Lord’s guidance regarding giving to the Church.

We all know that we are to give, and to get into a regular rhythm of giving; the question is always, “How much?” Well, thankfully, many of you have taken that encouragement seriously and we see the fruits of that every day!

Looking forward to 2017, working together for the Kingdom’s sake!

Yours,

Ed Kelley Executive Pastor

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B A Y A R E A C C . O R G

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