THE WITNESS 2020 - SPRINGS OF LIFE-GIVING WATER CHURCH'S ANNUAL REPORT

Beloved,

Grace, Mercy, and Peace be unto you from God Our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Without question, God is faithful! In the midst of life and the challenges we face, including this year’s COVID-19 pandemic, we declared that we would live and not die; live, move, and have our being in God and His Spirit. Unbeknownst to me when the Lord established the 2020 theme, Catch The Wind, I did not realize how prophetic and on-point that would be for our ministry and lives. The Wind of God, His Spirit, has been and is our sustainer. The year 2020 has made real in our lives the critical nature of the presence, power, and promises of God revealed to us in the Spirit to empower us to make His Word flesh, real in our lives. Everything we knew about doing ministry and living in the comfortable spaces of what was, was challenged, nevertheless, the Spirit of God, before and during, has sustained and propelled us forward. Our pathway may not have been ideal or even appear accommodating but God has revealed that in our weakness His strength is made perfect. As a ministry we have been called to manifest God, in a relevant and liberating way so that people would see and seize God and all of His opportunities to become everything He intends, regardless of the circumstances of life. Despite and in spite of it all, we decided and do Worship God in Spirit and truth, free from what ever barriers that would hinder our authentic and pure Worship, to Catch The Wind of His Spirit and live, making His Word flesh. In a nutshell that has been our year!

In creating a context in which people can worship God, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we have expanded beyond my wildest imaginations. When we ceased in-person Worship, March 16, 2020, I was not sure what would happen and how we would navigate these strange times, and if we would be able to survive, however, God showed Himself faithful as we sought to Catch The Wind of God’s Spirit and live in His vision, although different from what was normal, we were yet able to accomplish His will. As we are called to connect people to Christ in order for them to be led through their everyday experiences, the number of people reached this year has grown tremendously. As a result of our Worship Experiences transitioning to virtual only, we on average have a viewing audience for our Sunday Worship, 300-400, and for Pastor’s Teaching, an average viewing audience of 150-250 via our 3 platforms; Website, Facebook, and You Tube. In addition, the participation in our Bible Studies, Ministries, Fellowships, and Outreach Ministries have also swell beyond our wildest imaginations, providing us more incentive to continue to be open and innovative in these days and times to reach and make disciples. In addition, our resources have not faltered but instead admin the pandemic have been pressed down, shaken together and running over. God has been faithful and with our faithfulness has positioned us to Soar in 2021.

I am so humbled and honored to serve you, the people and ministry of The Springs’. Please take some time to review the following information to see what God has done in and through you and us this year as well as His call for us to Soar in 2021.

Yours for the Cause of Christ,

Pastor William Mathis

CATCH THE WIND 2020 MINISTRY VISION HIGHLIGHTS

Ministry of Administration

Increased our visibility and presence virtually, sharing our Worship Experiences, ministry offerings as well as our marketing and other outreach strategies
Dramatically increased our on-line giving
Continued to identify and pursued other streams of income, including but not limited to Space Rental and Grant opportunities
Continued to identify and mentor new Leaders, including new members of our Staff, Diaconate-in-Training, new ministry leaders, and small group studies to prepare a pool of potential ministry leaders.
Continued development of an Operational Manual for Ministry, including but not limited to updating our Financial Protocol and Policy manual
Continued pursuit and renovation of the Church Properties
Sought and secured a Grant to support the Pastor and Church in which the Pastor will engage in a sabbatical for rest, reflection, and research while the church simultaneously reflects and engages in sync with the reflection and research the Pastor engages while he is away.

Ministry of Worship

Hired new Staff member: Minister of Worship
Continued Expansion and Diversity of Platforms for Live Streaming of Worship Experiences

Ministry of Wholeness

Adjusted venues for Bible Studies and Fellowships to accommodate virtual engagement.
Added new fellowships as needed, i.e., Singles and Married Ministries/ Fellowships

Ministry of Education

Judah’s Army and We2 expanded active participation in the main Worship Experiences and expanded to participate in other ministries of the Church
Adjusted venues for activities, including but not limited to Saturday School to convert to virtual platforms
Added a Prayer Worship Experience specifically for Judah’s Army and We2

Ministry of Service

Continued outreach through Prison Ministry, specifically in supporting inmates during the COVID-19 pandemic
Continued outreach to the community and needy through our Christmas Give-Away with an expansion of member and community participation, while observing COVID-19 precautions

SOAR 2021 MINISTRY VISION

Ministry of Administration

Continue to increase our visibility and presence in social media and other outlets through marketing and other outreach strategies
Increase our on-line giving, especially from non-members
Continue to identify and pursue other streams of income, including but not limited to exploring and implementing ministries that yield profits as well as pursue Grant opportunities
Continue to identify and mentor new Leaders, including restructuring our spiritual leadership and/or adding additional staff personnel to meet our need
Continued development of Operational Manual for Ministry, including but not limited to Policy manual
Continued pursuit and renovation of the Church Properties
Execute Sabbatical plans for the Pastor and Church

Ministry of Worship

Continued Expansion of Worship Experience options: Saturday Night Live
Expand Live Streaming audiences for all our Worship Experiences
Perfecting and expanding Media Ministry to assist with the streaming our Worship Experience that is on-line and broadcast friendly
Expansion of the Ministry of Music to incorporate a diversity of gifts and abilities to enhance the Worship Experience
Preparation classes for security, fire, and medical emergencies
Increase opportunities of fellowship among membership and community

Ministry of Wholeness

Brother-to-Brother and REAL Fellowships with men and women of our community to address and discuss issues of our community, including but not limited to creating and/or developing a Saturday Night Live Worship option.
Continued to establish schedules and recruit for Bible Study opportunities on a quarterly basis, including but not limited to establish small group studies, expanding options for Bible Studies
Continued development of Operation Net-Work, bible studies in the workplace, etc.
Continued to establish schedules and recruit for Bible Study opportunities on a quarterly basis, including but not limited to establish small group studies.
Expanded Bible Studies to include the development of financial stewardship as a component
REAL launched a new retreat concept that takes the women of the ministry away for both spiritual and physical relaxation and rejuvenation

Ministry of Education

Quarterly Youth Forums
Children and Youth Ministry’s Getaway
Continued development of Saturday School
Expansion of Tutoring Program
Expansion of Project New Generation

Ministry of Service

Expansion of Prison Ministry and Development of Reentry Ministry
Expansion of Celebration of Recovery Ministry to local Sober and Drug Rehabilitation Homes, Homeless Shelters and Communities, and Reentry and Half-way Houses
Expansion of Evangelism Ministry with workshops and development of teams.
Redevelopment of Ministry of Missions, specifically urban and global ministries and serving as a community convener for mission related causes
Explore and begin the development of a Community Resource Center

SPRINGS OF LIFE-GIVING WATER CHURCH”S

LEADERSHIP

The Very Reverend William L. Mathis, J. D., M. Div.

Pastor

Council of Elders and Ministers

The Very Reverend Geraldine Brown

The Very Reverend Allison Hobson-Gulley

Diaconate

Deacon Ezekiel Barfield, Co-Chair

Mother Estelle Barfield, Co-Chair

Deacon Joyce Hunter, Vice-Chair

Mother Mary Heyward, Vice-Chair

Deacon Walter Bailey

Deacon Andrea Scott Boyd

Deacon Kia Carrington

Deacon Noel Clark

Deacon Zelinda Clark

Deacon Mary Dixon, Emeritus

Mother Rosie Buie Edwards

Mother Annie Hudson

Mother Cynthia Lyde

Deacon Robin Hobson Sims

Mother Vaundella Tucker

Deacon Yvonne Walker, Emeritus

Executive Council

The Very Reverend William Mathis, Pastor-Chair

The Very Reverend Geraldine Brown, Executive Pastor (Ex-offico)

Deacon Joyce Hunter, Diaconate Vice-Chair

Shaynise Rose, Secretary

David Moye, Ministry of Finance

Ministry of Finance

Deacon Joyce Hunter, Chair

Louis Gripper

David Moye

Frank Ponteau

Claudette Robinson Thorpe

Darius Staggers

John Tucker

Staff

The Very Reverend Geraldine Brown, Executive Pastor

Deacon Kia Carrington, Administrative Assistant to the Pastor

The Very Reverend Allison Hobson Gulley, Minister of Wholeness

Deon Keels, Minister of Worship

Bryan Michelle, Musician-Drummer

Gregory Bowden, Sexton

MISSION

To assist people and communities in becoming all God intends

through worship, wholeness, education, and service in a spirit of excellence.

VISION

The Springs is the place where God and I meet in a liberating

and relevant worship in order that Christ will lead us through our everyday experiences and empower us to spring forth as His witness in our lives, our community, and our world.

(Revelation 7:14-17)