In 2018, the City Church Worship Arts Ministry successfully addressed its goal of “healthy growth”. Brad and Rebecca Bigler started the year in the Interim Worship Pastor position until Steven Giles began as full-time Worship Arts Pastor in August. Jonathan Davis continues to direct the production team while working with technology and videography. This year the team has grown in number, production professionalism, musicality, and team vision.

This year, the Worship Arts Ministry has added 32 new members – 22 to the worship team and 10 to the production team. The Worship Arts Ministry has begun “OnRamp”; a training and ministry acclamation process for new team members. By pairing experienced team members as coaches with those who have just passed their audition, new team members are relationally invested into for successful entry to the team.

The worship ministry has incorporated new musical technologies for growth, confidence, and excellence. Tutorial videos and audio files are uploaded to PlanningCenter for musicians’ preparation. Keyboard players are now processing audio through MainStage, thereby unlocking creative musicality and studio-quality tone. We have built a pedal board for bass guitar players to have more creative and dynamic tone options. Drum sounds have been improved through snare drum work, new cymbals, and microphone placement. The band is now using Ableton on every song for arrangement directions, incorporation of prerecorded audio, clean song transitions, and freedom of spontaneous worship arrangements.

This year, our Worship Arts Ministry has grown in production professionalism. Through a weekly Service Planning meeting, the City Church staff team has improved the quality of service event flow. The production team has added “stage manager” as a weekly volunteer role. The stage manager has improved Sunday morning communication, setup efficiency, and service event transitions. Weekly announcement videos are now internally recorded and produced for effective and authentic communication. Both live and broadcast audio quality has improved through training, presets, and contracting with Chris Davis. All stage lights are now automated through Ableton (the software that gives cues to the band) which assists the worship team in setting appropriate atmospheres throughout various moments in worship.

Vision for the worship and production teams has been cast through OnRamp, team night, shadowing, individual training, group training, and conversations. Team members have grown in their roles and understanding and have grown into leadership roles.

As we look forward into 2019 we are excited for how God will grow us not only wider, but deeper as well as we seek to be a ministry that truly follows Jesus and serves others.

Life Groups at City Church exist to gather our community around the good news of Jesus Christ for the life that is truly life, transforming our city and our world as we follow Jesus and serve others.

Keith Rogers joined us as Life Groups Pastor in January of 2018 and committed himself to an ethnographic study of our culture for the development of best practices for small groups ministry at City Church. The study produced a host of valuable insights and implications for the Life Groups Ministry, several which brought about significant changes to the ministry:

• Adopting a seasonal approach to life groups that aligns with cultural rhythms of life in the community and affords outsiders more frequent opportunities to join a group

• Launching sermon-based groups that encourage Sunday morning attenders to continue the conversation we start on Sundays in deeper dialog with a life group, supplying leaders with quality discussion guides for their groups, encouraging more men and women to answer the calling to lead life groups

• Advocating more consistently for the importance of life groups on Sunday mornings and througout the week, highlighting success stories and compelling everyone at City Church to join a group

• Strategically calling millenials to serve as life group leaders, providing greater opportunity for the largest demographic in our community (34.9%) to find connection and grow in faith. We were blessed to add 4 new groups for millenials this year (raising up 12 new leaders).

• Using mid-sized groups to whet the appetite for small group life, we began partnering strategically with Soul Care, Connections, and Men’s and Women’s Ministries to practice small group life in their larger contexts while calling participants to engage in a life group.

As a ministry we were blessed to enjoy extraordinary growth in 2018. We finished 2017 with 22 active life groups and 35% of our average Sunday morning adult attendance committed to a life group. Over the course of 2018, life group engagement grew dramatically.  Currently, we have 393 adults involved in a life group, 67% of our average Sunday morning adult attendance! We have grown from 22 to 34 active life groups! That is extraordinary growth!

We are thrilled to see so many at City Church responding to the call to put feet to their faith as relationally driven Jesus followers, and we continue to ask for immeasurably more. We are excited to add new members to groups and raise up new leaders in the coming year. We are hoping to grow in our commitment to follow Jesus and serve others in our community, faithfully partnering with the Spirit to transform our city and our world with Jesus Christ.

As the youth ministry of City Church, Reach exists to build life-long followers of Christ who take His message to their world. We want to be an asset to parents as they disciple and lead their teenagers in the faith.

At Reach we fulfill this calling by asking our students to:

• Reach Up – In relationship to the Lord. 2nd Corinthians 3:17-18
• Reach In – In fellowship and encouragement to other believers and their church family. Hebrews 10:19-25
• Reach Out – In regard to sharing their faith and living a life of generosity and service. Hebrews 26:28-29

We had a very interesting 2018 at Reach, where at the end of the school year we graduated nearly thirty seniors out of our youth ministry and into the next phase of their lives. This was a very special group of students who lead our youth ministry to be something terrific. Such a large class exiting presented us with great change and opportunity to redefine our youth ministry through the latter part of the year. Our leadership team took an intensive look at our calling, reworked our program, and began to see younger students step into leadership roles. With these new opportunities we have marked this new year as one where we will implement a few changes to our weekly programs. We are going to see a more interactive Reach where students are challenged to fully engage in their youth ministry.

2018 Highlights:      

• 60-70 students a week at Reach
• 20 active adult leaders
• Students leading Bible Studies (especially with younger students)
• Continued service at Advancing Native Missions and Loaves and Fishes
• Continued In-Depth Monthly Teachers

For 2019: One highlight of this year that we are looking forward to is the beginning of our Alongside Parent Group. This group meets on the Sunday nights when we have our In-Depth Bible Studies. It is a group specifically for our parents to sit and talk about faith, family, and how to encourage their teenagers to embrace their relationship with Christ. All parents are welcome and encouraged to come check out this amazing new ministry that we hope will bless our Reach parents.

Also coming in 2019: (Chaperones and parents needed)

D.C. Spring Getaway, Breakout, Blast, Summer Service Projects, Summer In-Depth, Alaska Group Missions Trip, Student Leadership Training, Fall Retreat, Beach Weekend, and Busch Gardens.

Areas of Need: Small Group Leaders, Parents and Chaperones for trips and activities

Kidspace provides a safe environment where children have a great time learning about Jesus and growing in their faith.

In 2018 a weekly average of 106 children were ministered to by an average 30 adult volunteers and 3 youth.

The Kidspace team consists of 97 adult volunteers and 18 youth volunteers who serve in this dynamic ministry in the areas of:

• Room Volunteers (serving infants, walkers, 2’s and 3’s, 4’s – K, and 1st-5th Graders)

• Computer Set-up

• Kids’ Check-in  (primarily greeters and communication hub)

Currently children from 101 families attend Kidspace regularly and of those families 62% serve in a ministry within City Church.

Leadership Team

Chris Becker: Children’s Pastor
Darcy Becker: Kidspace Director
Kristen Schlegel: Overall Kidspace Support

Cathy Fairchild: Nursery Coordinator

Lisa Choi: Nursery Support

Anna Brown: 1st-5th Grade Support

Our prayer is for children to follow Jesus at an early age.

Congregational Care

Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light’ (Matthew 11 28-30, NLT). City Church is committed to empowering individuals to be agents of God’s compassion and care, inviting those receiving care to live into their identity in Christ.

Congregational Care encompasses the following ministries: Stephen Ministries, GriefShare, Marriage health and enrichment, Visitation and Soul Care. Highlights and information from the past year are as follows:

• Soul Care Winter 2018 launched on January 22 and January 24 respectively; two groups, Mondays and Wednesdays. There were 115 participants, 54 on Mondays and 61 on Wednesdays. The course culminated in Freedom Weekend when author and presenter, Dr. Rob Reimer, ministered.

• Five Love Languages Seminar—Every February City Church hosts an event focused on Couples; this year Pastor Pete led more than 20 couples through a discussion and teaching on the Five Love Languages adapted from Dr. Gary Chapman’s seminal book.

• Stephen Ministries—Seven new Stephen Ministers began their 50 hours of training on May 23. There is now a total of 16 trained Stephen Ministers, 14 of whom are actively engaged with a care-receiver. Since completion of their training, the original class of Stephen Ministers have logged over 130 hours of additional supervision training. Stephen Ministers spend an hour to an hour and a half each week with their care receiver. In total, around 750 hours of support was given to care receivers this year. We are deeply grateful for each of these Stephen Ministers who serve and have been agents of God’s compassion and strategic caring. In March of 2019 City Church is playing host to several churches and individuals for a regional Stephen Ministries workshop. This is when interested parties are exposed to the depth of this ministry in order to make an informed decision to establish one in their own faith communities.

• GriefShare—This deeply beneficial ministry began on October 13 and met for 13 weeks. The group was facilitated by Fran Hartwig, a certified Stephen Minister and who has a heartfelt burden for those living with grief due to the passing of a loved one. At this time, there were four women who met weekly.

• Miscellanea—10 couples have been seen for premarital counseling and/or marriage enrichment in 2018. Pastoral counseling has been provided to 8 individuals on a weekly basis as well as short term consultations. Gabe is thankful for the number of faith-based counseling services in Charlottesville to which he has made several referrals.

The Men’s Ministry is committed to forming a community of men who are dedicated to strengthening, encouraging, challenging, and caring for themselves, their families and each other.

In 2018, we emphasized this via our Saturday morning breakfasts with speakers to motivate and challenge the men. There were on average around 45 men at each breakfast. The men met together at several Tom Sox baseball games at Charlottesville High School to hang out and have fun, and our first multi-week Bible study focusing on “Our Thought Life” occurred in the fall.

In 2019 we are looking forward to our Spring (Ignite Men’s Weekend) and Fall retreats, two more Bible study series, and additional events to provide opportunity for us to enjoy fellowship and build friendships, growing together as followers of Christ at City Church.

Bible Verse: Romans 12:13 “…Practice hospitality.”

As we were challenged to make 2018 a year of “Health” the church leadership sensed the call of God to Serve Others by prayerfully offering hospitality driven environments for medium sized groups. Fran Hartwig joined the staff to lead this ministry in February. The call was to provide gatherings for 20-60 people who through a common connection or interest would be able to get to know each other. It has been exciting to see how these gatherings have facilitated new relationships throughout the City Church family!

Feet To Our Faith:

Some examples of these gatherings have been: Ice Cream Sundays, Father’s (donut) Day Celebration, All Church Picnic, Military Gathering, Young Parent gathering to decorate ginger bread houses, have winter fun, and celebrate Valentine’s Day. Hospitality also included, providing food and welcoming environments for Growth Track, worship team gathering, holiday celebrations, where hospitality provided a warm and welcoming environment that communicates our love for people.

We are excited to be prayerfully planning additional gatherings in 2019 where people will be able to Follow Jesus and Serve others… together.

In 2018 our Guest Services Team grew significantly. Keith Rogers assumed responsibility for leadership of the ministry, and strategic partnerships with other churches helped us identify areas of improvement for our Guest Services Team.  We made changes to the layout of our foyer to facilitate greater flow and connection, and we purchased new signs to reinforce our mission to follow Jesus and serve others while more efficiently orienting guests new to City Church. The following significant developments helped us improve our serve and welcome guests more effectively:

We added 16 new members to the team, servants who generously give their time and energy to serving at least once a month. We began sending the team a devotional each week that challenges everyone to love and serve with a heart like Jesus. We began calling our ushers to next level service that extends throughout our meeting time. We added a New Here tent on the front porch to facilitate greater connection with new guests, and we adopted a personalized approach to walking new guests through the building.

In addition to these changes, English Garland recently accepted a part-time position helping us manage the team and maintain organizational excellence for the ministry.  She is doing a phenomenal job partnering with Keith to lead and call the team to faithful service.  We are looking forward to continued growth in our effort to serve those seeking connection with Jesus Christ.

Creating environments weekly for the adult worship service, Kidspace and volunteers.

As a mobile church, City Church prepares Charlottesville High School for Sunday services through the efforts of a committed team of 38 individuals, who literally build (and “unbuild”) the church on a weekly basis. There are 15 individuals who serve on set up and 23 who serve after church with tear-down. Each Sunday it takes at least 11 individuals to serve in this ministry.

Highlight: There are 3 new members who have joined the team from Growth Track. As we all consider serving “home” and “away” (City Church and within our community) we pray you will consider serving on the mobile ministry team.

Many church guests are amazed at the transformation that occurs on a weekly basis. It’s obvious that this is a lot of work, and both members and guests are impressed by what is created every Sunday! The process is efficient and effective with a purpose for everything that is set up and when it all comes together around 9am, it’s beautiful to see the areas fill with individuals and families coming together to worship God.

The team is diverse in how volunteers serve: trailer hauling, setting up, tearing down and rolling cases. While there is a need for some with a strong back, many others are able to help with organization, packing and unpacking cases, and other areas that do not require great physical effort.

When the team schedule is prepared each month, volunteers sign up for the Sundays they are available, allowing them to work when, and as often, as is convenient for them. As the church continues efforts to obtain a permanent location, our prayer for this team is for additional members to serve as more hands will lighten the load.

City Church is committed to serving Charlottesville and its surrounding counties in the name of Christ. Whether acting on our own initiative or partnering with local agencies, City Church is always looking for ways to live out the great commandment:

“Love your neighbor as yourself.”  Mark 12:31a

City Serve:

In August, City Church went into our community to love our neighbors. There were 24 projects with 13 community partners that City Church joined up to serve, love and work. Over 150 people in our congregation joined in over the 3 days to help our community.  On April 27th, we are planning to make even a greater impact in our community with another City Serve.

PACEM: People and Congregations Engaged in Ministry

PACEM is an administrative organization that coordinates local churches to provide evening shelter and food for homeless men and women around the Charlottesville community during the cold weather months. From the end of October through March, churches provide overnight shelter for the guests of PACEM for one or two weeks at a time.

In 2018, City Church hosted 2 weeks of PACEM at City Church. The host churches are rotated throughout the Charlottesville community and City Church is just one of many churches who participate. PACEM has been a wonderful way to serve our neighbors in need. Due to your support, many meals, entertainment, activities and games were available for the guests who came each evening. City Church will continue to be involved with PACEM in 2019.

Loaves and Fishes

Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry exists to provide food assistance to families and individuals in need in Charlottesville and surrounding communities. Loaves & Fishes provides groceries once per month to help low-income families stretch their food budgets further as they try to get on their feet financially. Their new facility near Albemarle High School provides them with ample parking, an expanded waiting area, larger warehouse, more cold storage facilities, and office space. City Church has helped to purchase food for these families in need through our “Big Give” project at the end of the year. In addition to financial support, City Church volunteered throughout the year. We became a “Partner Church” with Loaves and Fishes in 2018 and want to expand our relationship with Loaves and Fishes by offering more service days in 2019.

Advancing Native Missions (ANM)  

ANM is a US-based agency called to seek out, evaluate, and equip native (or indigenous) mission groups throughout the world in order to hasten global evangelization. As they partner with these native missionaries through advocacy, encouragement, and support, they help them to serve, love, and reach people in their surrounding regions with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, all for the glory of God. City Church sent  youth volunteers to help load a shipping container full of supplies to nation in need.

Day Haven

The Day Haven at First & Market is a dynamic, multi-purpose community space that features resources for the hungry, disadvantaged and homeless. It enhances our community by providing a centralized place for meeting the needs of this population. It also includes a community kitchen and serves as a day haven for the homeless.

Operation Christmas Child  

In November, City Church participated in filling shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child which delivers gifts and the Good News of Jesus to children in need around the world. 57 children smiled as they opened a shoe box made for them by someone in our church.

 “The Big Give” and The Giving Tree

In December, City Church had an opportunity to give financially in our December Giveaway to local and world ministries. For this special focus, church members gave $43,203 and the church added and additional $26,797 for a total of  $70,000 to support the following ministries: Loaves and Fishes, Habitat for Humanity, Advancing Native Missions: Philippines Medical Support, King’s Palace Kids’ Ministry in El Salvador, Bibles for Disciples, Teen Challenge: Beauty for Ashes (moms with additions). The annual “Giving Tree” provided 150 Christmas gifts to local organizations (The Bridge, The Haven, Laurels Nursing Home and Teen Challenge) and to local families in need this past year.

Special Offerings

City Church collects donations to assist with specific needs throughout the year. Through a special offering, we supported Hope Builders International’s efforts to provide Bibles and training to new pastors and churches in Africa. Additionally, we participated in Back to School Blast, a local outreach to give underprivileged students in C’ville a backpack and supplies at the start of the school year. In response to the devastating hurricanes and flooding in 2018, the church gave over $10,000 to a church in North Carolina to support the relief efforts.

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Matthew 6:3

This list does not include all of the ways City Church reaches out to love our community. Many of our small groups, ministries and individuals love and serve in unseen ways.

In October, following much prayer and conversation about helping people really grow in their walk with the Lord at City Church, we launched a new ministry called Growth Track. It is a three step process aimed at orienting people at City Church for a life of following Jesus and serving others.

• Step One serves as an introduction to City Church and challenges participants to wonder at what it really means to follow Jesus right here in Charlottesville.
• Step Two is all about helping people discover purpose and their unique SHAPE (Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences) for life in the Body of Christ.
• Step Three invites participants to consider membership at City Church, then put feet to their faith, following Jesus and serving others with us.

As the Pastor of Assimilation, Keith Rogers took ownership of the ministry and assumed leadership of the gatherings that occur every 1st, 2nd and 3rd week of the month. Partnering with Fran Hartwig to cultivate greater connection,(added a comma) and Chrisanne George to manage involvement, we’ve successfully walked 59 people through Growth Track and currently have another 47 engaged in the process. As a result, we can celebrate 19 new commitments to serve others, 9 new members of life groups, and 9 new members at City Church.  We’re confident that’s just the beginning.

We believe Growth Track will continue to serve as a tool to help people grow in their commitment to follow Jesus and serve others in 2019.

“I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ Himself. In Him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:2-3, NLT).

The Apostle’s words help us articulate the vision and purpose for City Church’s ministry to, for, and by our women. They also guide us in making decisions about all of the activities City Church offers. While the scripture serves as a foundation and guide it must be implemented by good leadership.

We are so very pleased that Sandy Archer has committed herself to lead a team of talented women who enthusiastically share in the vision of developing a thriving women’s ministry. The following are highlights of the past year:

• “Breathing Room” Bible study that focused on slowing down and resting in Christ ran Monday evenings from April 16-May 14. More than 30 women participated.

• Summer Nights at Sandy’s through the month of June where the focus was on fellowship and learning the S.O.A.P. (Scripture, Observation, Application, and Pray) method of engaging the Bible.

• Our steadfast Wednesday morning Bible Studies met throughout the year. We thank LoryJean Wilson and Karren Rose for their faithful commitment to leading this group.

• Monday evenings from October 1 until December 11, Trish Moya facilitated a two-part Bible study series. The first focused on learning and interacting with the various literary genres which comprise the Bible. The second focused on learning how to engage the scriptures through Lectio Divina.

• Dr. Ingrid Davis returned to City Church to minister during our Women’s Conference held on October 12-13.

• We capped off the year with the annual Christmas Brunch held at City Church Central on December 8.