As we enter a new year, we do so with anticipation and imagination as to what the year will hold and how those things will impact each of us. It also becomes a time to reflect on the previous year – successes as well as failures, positives as well as negatives, and lessons learned to avoid and embrace in the new year.
As far as the new year, I am excited about our Associational Strategist, David Cardoza, as he will be leading our churches with equipping sessions focused on going into our neighborhoods and building relationships with the goal to share the good news of Jesus Christ. I will be scheduling him throughout the year to lead four key areas of ministry including Evangelism, Discipleship, Missions, and First Impressions.
I am also excited to see the next phase of our new building get under way. Though there hasn’t been much activity lately, the Building Team has been active, working very hard behind the scenes in preparation for utilities and interior framing.
Plans for our multi-church revival are underway and will be at various churches beginning March 8. More information will be available in the coming weeks.
As far as the past year, we saw steady growth and God blessing in every area of ministry. Our SHP ministry delivered 84 beds for kids that didn’t have a bed to sleep in. In missions, a team went to Costa Rica to share the gospel with incarcerated youth, homeless, and school kids. Our VBS rocked and will be no different this new year. Our Encounter prayer warriors saw God answer in miraculous ways.
One other area of importance in the past year was the establishment of bylaws for the church. This was a crucial step as they now create a legal and operational framework defining the church’s mission, governance, membership rules, financial policies, conflict resolution, and ensuring legally compliant operations while reflecting biblical principles for unity and accountability. In essence, they define our identity, beliefs, and procedures as well as leadership roles, responsibilities, and how leaders are elected, creating checks and balances. From a legal compliance, they meet requirements for nonprofit organizations with tax-exempt status. From an operational standpoint, they detail procedures for meetings, voting, financial management and record keeping, ensuring consistency.
The reason I mention the bylaws is that our current church roll doesn’t provide a legal membership roll. As such, a supplement membership agreement was created to be used retrospectively with our current membership in order to provide a legal membership roll. Those agreements are available in our Sunday School classes as well as the sanctuary. Once signed, they can be returned to our clerk, Elizabeth Norris, for recording. This will ensure accurate record keeping and consistency. If you have any questions concerning this aspect of legality, please contact me or Todd Norris.
I am praying that 2026 will be the greatest year in the history of Belmont. I hope you will join me in that prayer and make yourself available to see it come to fruition.
For His Glory,
Pastor Bill