Dear West Ridgers, When we first started West Ridge, we had several hundred families, individuals, and a few churches that supported us financially for the first two years. This was paramount in helping us get the church off the ground and providing necessary funds to do ministry. Along with this, I sent out a year in review to these supporters so they could see how God was using their resources to create a true movement of God in Northwest Atlanta. I got great feedback from these folks and it inspired them to continue giving and investing in what God was doing in this community. Each time I compiled a list, it served as a reminder of how God was faithful to his Joshua 3:5 promise he had made to me: Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” So the other night, just for fun, I started typing out everything that I could think of that we have done together as a church in 2010. I got so excited about this that I decided to keep compiling information and send it out as an email to our Church. It’s amazing to see how God is truly blessing West Ridge Church and how the faithfulness of His people in giving their tithes and offerings is making a huge difference around the world. Thirteen years later God is still doing unbelievable things in the life of our church. I’m humbled to be a part of it all. Let me ask you to take a few minutes and look at this list of all the great things that happened at West Ridge in 2010. Join me in thanking God for all he has done! Brian Bloye Lead Pastor
JANUARY • Sent the Feild Family as our first West Ridge missionaries to Burkina Faso, Africa. • On January 17, we had our first non-holiday Sunday of over 5,000 in attendance (5155) MARCH • Built a new classroom at the LAC (Lycee Alliance Christienne) in Burkina Faso, Africa • Relaunched Celebrate Recovery to support people with hurts, habits, and hang-ups APRIL • 6916 people attended Easter services and 121 salvation decisions • 65 high school students and leaders went to Brazil • 74 middle school students and leaders went to Orlando to minister with Tim Grandstaff and the Genesis Church Plant JUNE • 470 students and leaders attended RUSH Camp in Mrytle Beach, SC -57 salvations -82 baptisms in the ocean • 780 kids attended Surge Camp (405 Volunteers) • Kicked off the One Story Campaign -$348,952.00 in pledges -$270,000 received as of Dec. 19th -388 families participating JULY • Two new churches were built in Pugli villages in Burkina Faso, Africa (we have now helped to facilitate 10 new churches w/buildings in Burkina Faso) • Community Makeover 2010 -Over 700 community projects -80 different churches involved -Over 1,700 West Ridge volunteers
AUGUST • Hired 10 Campuses Connectors for 7 high schools and 3 middle schools in Cobb and Paulding Counties to connect with students and staff. • Partnered with A Fresh Hope to provide over 1,200 backpacks to children in Northwest Atlanta. • Began the formation of the Launch Church Planting Network • Finished remodeling project in the atrium/gallery/preschool areas on the Dallas Campus SEPTEMBER • Launched the West Paulding Campus at Poole Elementary • Kicked off the first semester of classes for West Ridge University to help people grow in their knowledge and understanding of Scripture • Started “Last Saturday” as an ongoing follow-up to Community Makeover OCTOBER • Opened up the World Café with all profits going towards global outreach • Over 5,000 people attended Trunkfest, our fall community outreach NOVEMBER • Partnered with CAYA to provide food for over 700 families at Thanksgiving • Began the 30/30 Prayer Challenge to pray for our church finances, the Hope for Christmas Outreach, and the Christmas Eve services • Launched the West Ridge Prayer Blog with hundreds of prayer requests posted and prayed over • Announced that Oak Leaf Church in Cartersville will become a West Ridge campus in 2011 DECEMBER • West Campus hosted a dinner for over 400 people at Poole Elementary PTA • Hope For Christmas -Served over 1,500 families -Provided toys to over 4,300 children -Ministered to over 7,000 people -Engaged over 1,500 volunteers. • Partnered with CAYA to serve an additional 800 hens and food bags to families at Christmas • Six Christmas Eve services on two campuses – 6400 in attendance, many salvations • Collected four vanloads of coats at our Christmas Eve services for Warehouse Hope
OTHER FUN FACTS LOVE • Over $30,000 of benevolent aid has been given to individuals needing assistance GROW • 40% of our adults (or 1550 people) were connected in a Journey Group • Hosted four 10-week Starting Point classes for new believers • Our Life Care area ministered to over 800 people each month • 700+ people in group meetings -100+ calls/referrals related to care needs -220 women involved in women’s Bible Studies -300-400 women attended each of the 2010 Real You events SERVE • 52 Community Service Volunteers have served at WRC • 1516.75 Community Service Hours have been performed at WR (3,517.67 Community Service hours have been performed since 2007) • 1,021 Campus Support serving opportunities (painting, cleaning, etc.) were filled by volunteers in 2010 SHARE • 349 Salvation decisions reported on campus (not including Christmas Eve 2010) • 231 Baptisms • Provided the funds for 26 new wells to be dug in Burkina Faso, Africa (we have now funded 61 wells since 2008) • Women’s Ministry raised over $3,500 for their Burkina Faso Kitchen Project • Six WRC sponsored teams participated in Global Outreach Trips in 2010 • 17 church planting teams were trained (we’ve trained 63 teams since 2006) • Nine new WR church plants were launched (Morrow, Stockbridge, Marietta, Cedartown, Calhoun, Chattanooga, TN, Orlando, FL, Charleston, SC, Anniston, AL) • Over 15,000 people now attend a WR sponsored church plant each Sunday • Two international mission teams were trained to plant churches and one new church was launched in Brazil
2010 TEACHING SERIES • • • • • • • • •
Naked Truth – Relationships and marriage series Average Joe – Character study of the life of Joseph (Book of Genesis) Life Happens or Does It? - Study of God’s Will Losing My Religion – Study of Romans 12 and the authentic Christian life One Story – Lesser-known characters of the Bible profiled and how they point to being part of a bigger story - God’s Story! One Month To Live – A discussion on how to live with radical faith Behind the Music – A study that took us behind the music of several Psalms Identity – A biblical study of the values of West Ridge Church Picture Perfect – A look at how pictures from Christ’s birth give us insight to living picture perfect lives before God.