God’s Spirit is at work at Rockford Reformed Church. Despite the upheaval of the past year and a half, we see our Vision 2028 coming to life. While it can be easy to focus on the isolation and loneliness that months of caution have brought us, we need to open our eyes to see how the “new normal” of our current worship style has allowed the gospel message to move beyond our walls each week and into the homes of those who are hungry for the healing and restoration that God alone can offer.

But that on its own is not enough. We were created for relationship and deep, faithful friendships. People need Jesus, and our vision is to be the presence, joy, and welcome of Jesus for people who are wandering in the darkness of anxiety, loneliness, and discontentment.

Whenever a stranger joins us, it is a sacred moment, a huge responsibility, because they are searching for a fellowship where they will see Jesus. Jesus teaches that whatever we do to the stranger, it is as if we have done it to him. If our mission is to welcome the outsider, our facility needs to reflect our values. Just as we are working toward growing our hearts and lives toward welcome and hospitality and building new friendships, we need a facility that functions well toward invitation, welcome, hospitality, conversations, and new friendships.

• Our current worship space is dark and dated, and not significantly renovated for over 40 years
• Our current worship space is cramped, hard to navigate, and has no place to gather
• Our facility lacks the needed space to foster and build community

It is nearly impossible to push out with a fresh wind of renewal when our facility reflects an earlier era.

• Just as we work to maintain and update our homes, we need to do the same for the church
• Just as Jesus provides peace, joy, and welcome, our church needs to do the same
• Just as those before us have sacrificed to create the spaces we currently use for ministry, we need to do the same for future generations to carry out Jesus’ mission of welcome

We want to be a home for anyone who is searching. Will you help us welcome them?

• PRAY - Pray for God to overwhelm us with the beauty and welcome of Jesus so that we are empowered to share that beauty and welcome with others. Pray that we will all be willing to sacrifice and give generously to God’s vision for us in a way that honors the sacrifice and gift that Jesus offers to us.
• PARTICIPATE - Look for ways to get on board with becoming the welcoming presence of Jesus. Invite people into relationship. Be a faithful friend to those who are searching.
• PLEDGE - A welcoming facility will require our generous giving. “I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing” (2 Samuel 24:24).