We're Out of Room!

Next Level is always about change, growth, and challenge! One thing we have learned in our year and a half as a church is that life at Next Level is never boring – at any moment we could be relocating across town or merging with another church or some other crazy thing.

Well, we’ve got a new challenge – WE ARE OUT OF ROOM!

This past Sunday we had our highest ever attendance – nearly 700 people – and our Kid City ministry was as close to maxed out as it is possible to be, with over 180 kids there from birth to fifth grade. We could only have fit in about another 5-7 kids according to Rene’ Gillming, our children’s pastor.

At the same time, we have an increasing sense that our auditorium is becoming uncomfortably full for both the 9:30 and 11:00 AM services, especially for people who are even a few minutes late.

We need to act, and act now so that people will not turn away from us, either because they perceive that Kid City is too crowded for their kids or because they can’t sit together in the auditorium with the family and friends they came with (and this is happening weekly).

So here is the news – beginning Easter Sunday, we will move to THREE SUNDAY MORNING SERVICES, at 9:00, 10:15, and 11:30. We had planned to do this for Easter but we now realize that we need to make the move permament.

What does this mean for us? Two big things:

It means that we’ll need more volunteers to step up and serve – in First Impressions, Kid City, Wi-Fi, and in the worship arena. We ask all of our leaders to consider attending a service (and bringing disconnected friends) and serving at a service – no one has to miss anything, but we need everyone to pitch in.

It also means we would like to ask our folks to try the 9:00 AM service as the time they attend. We think that most disconnected folks would rather come sooner rather than later to church (probably 10:15 will be the most popular service) and, after all, it is all about them not us. So, if you can – attend at 9 and serve at 10:15 – a great example of a way to give yourself away and reach disconnected people (two of our core values!) at the same time.

These are increasingly exciting days for us as God shows us his favor, broadens our influence and impact and gives us the opportunity to serve the people he loves so much.