Follow Jesus, Grow Together, Serve Others
In 2023, City Church focused on the Sermon of the Mount – the Upside Down Kingdom.
– We began the year with a desire to grow together in prayer by reading Be Still – A Simple Guide to Quiet Times by Brian Heasley and participating in 24/7 prayer.
– City and Mt. Zion partnered with Soup, Sandwich, and a Sermon during the Lent Season. As a church, we also read Lent in Plain Sight as a church by Jill J. Duffield. We focused on how God is often at work through the ordinary; ordinary people, ordinary objects, ordinary grace, reminding us to open ourselves to the kingdom of God.
– The City Welcomes team partnered with the Afghan Refugee Resettlement Project and supported a family by meeting their practical and critical needs.
– 19 Summer Get Together events were available for people to connect during summer. Activities ranged from a painting class to hiking and more
– 207 people downloaded the City Church App in 2023
– 270 people were invited to our first-ever Thank You for Serving Event, which celebrated all who serve at City and was held at Chiles Peach Orchard
– Serving in C’ville Opportunities was added to the City’s homepage as an easy way to quickly see what ways we can radically love and practically serve our community.
– 15 were dedicated, and 8 people were baptized: 2 were children, and 2 were youths
– 3 people committed to Follow Jesus after attending Alpha
– Deacons continue to serve and lead at City Church. We currently have 36 deacons.
CHECK OUT WHAT WE ARE ALL ABOUT HERE AT CITY CHURCH
2023 SUNDAYS AT CITY
WELCOME TEAM
-55 team members are serving as parking attendants, greeters, security, and coffee team
– 23 members began serving in 2023
-Foyer upgrades to better utilize space and highlight mission and values
GROWTH TRACK
– Growth Track has been offered for 5 years at City Church
– More than 500 people have graduated from Growth Track
KIDSPACE
– Total Kidspace average attendance is 75 children weekly
– 2 first time visitors each week on average
– 84 people are a part of the Kidspace Team
– City hosted 2 Bring Your Parent to Kidspace summer evenings
– 2nd year of Kidspace summer internship
– Local anti-trafficking leader Anna Nalle from Transformation Freedom Initiative, spoke about the local reality of human trafficking and how to protect your children through empowerment.
REACH YOUTH
– 3 youth baptized this year
– Over 40 kids participated in the first year of Youth Alpha
– High School guys Bible Study formed out of Youth Alpha
– Weekly High School girls Bible Study
– Reach Intern for a full year
– 9 new Reach team members in 2023
WORSHIP
– Hosted 2 church wide worship nights // one evening included an in-depth teaching on the empowerment of the Holy Spirit
– Added 5 new team members
– Reach Youth worship team launched
PRODUCTION
– Sunday Morning live stream averaged 266 views
– 100 videos produced
– 16 people serving on the production team
– Acoustic panels installed in auditorium
Community
We believe God delights to see us grow. He created us for community and calls us to deep relationships, loving one another as He loves us. Opportunities to grow together:
LIFE GROUPS
– Participation surged in 2023 //we now have over 400 people growing together in groups
– Table Groups launched which led to the start of 6 new Life Groups
ALPHA
– 3 people made the commitment to Follow Jesus
– Two 11 week Alpha courses this year // average attendance of 50 people
– 3 Life Groups formed out of Alpha
COHORTS
– Emotionally Healthy Discipleship (EHD) – This series has become a staple for the cohorts City Church offers //23 individuals participated in these cohorts
– Flourishing in the 3rd Year of Life – 25 people gathered for this cohort to engage with Biblical wisdom on how to live well into retirement years
– Soul of Shame – 6 people gathered to process important insights into understanding the role of shame in an individual’s life
SUPPORT GROUPS
– GriefShare helps you learn how to walk the journey of grief and be supported on the way. It’s a place where grieving people find healing and hope. //Two 13-week sessions of GriefShare were offered // 29 people of different ages and stages of life participated in our GriefShare sessions // We also hosted “Surviving the Holidays,” a one-day session in November // 6 people serve on the GriefShare Leadership Team // 14 community attendees
– DivorceCare walks through people experiencing separation and divorce. // 12 people gathered for support and insight during this painful and disorienting time
Love Our Neighbors
Great Commission: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:19-20
City Church’s exceeded the goal is to give 10% of all tithes received yearly to missions, benevolence, and local initiatives. In 2023, City Church received $67K for missions and benevolence with a total given in 2023 of $285K.
LOCAL OUTREACH
– City Church members are serving regularly at: The Haven, Meals on Wheels, LifeSpring Pregnancy Center, Habitat for Humanity, Loaves and Fishes, Crescent Hall, Abundant Life, All Blessings Flow, PACEM, City of Promise and more
– Monthly downtown outreach started offering prayer and refreshments
– City Church is now a CareProtal partner, designed to connect us to local kids in crisis
– Lori Cramer joined City Church staff to focus on serving our community. She is available to assist and individual or Life Group who is looking for an opportunity to serve.
CITYSERVE
– 2 City Serve Sundays hosted (April and October)
– 12 partnering organizations were served at City Serve
WORLD MISSIONS
– City Church supports 20 missionaries sharing the Gospel in our local university campuses and worldwide
– In 2023, City Church gave $201K to support our missionaries and missions work overall. City Church’s missionaries are all relationally connected to City Church so that the church can know and be involved in the work that our missionaries are doing daily.
MISSIONSARY HIGHLIGHTS
– 3 missionaries we support visited City this year
– Hope of the Nations was hosted to celebrate and encourage the missionaries we support
BIG GIVE
– City Church celebrates some of our local and world mission partners every December.
– City Church received $37K to support the Big Give in 2023 // Your generosity supports the following organizations: Habitat for Humanity, Beauty for Ashes, Bibles for Disciples, Advancing Native Missions, and Loaves and Fishes.
Prayer & Care
PRAYER TEAM
– There are currently 20 people serving on the City Church Prayer Team
– Prayer Team hosted for the 3rd year Stations of the Cross at City Church on Good Friday
SUNDAY MORNING PRAYER
City’s Prayer Team is available to listen and pray with you after any of the church services. Experience the comfort and peace only prayer can bring.
MONDAY MORNING PRAYER
– Monday morning prayer continues and is open to all as a drop-in or entire prayer time
CONGREGATIONAL CARE
Our core values, Biblically-Based, Spirit-Led, and Relationally-Driven, give shape and substance to our ministry at City Church. As such, we are deeply committed to providing the opportunities and means to help individuals, couples, and families experience spiritual, emotional, and relational health.
STEPHEN MINISTRY
We continue to offer one-to-one support to individuals who have experienced a significant life-change event/circumstance. There are 12 Stephen Ministers at City Church. We look forward to training new Stephen Ministers in 2024.
PREMARITAL COUNSELING
City Church is committed to a Biblical view of relationships, specifically marriage. In 2023 six couples went through a minimum of six weeks of premarital counseling.
ATTENDANCE
IN PERSON
406
2022
476
2023
FINANCIALS
TITHES/OFFERINGS ($)
1,708,014
2022
1,686,164
2023
1,720,000
2024 Budget
Condensed 2023 Financials
GIVING BACK
City Church gives 10% of the tithes and offerings each year toward missions, benevolence, and outreach. In 2023, City Church gave $285,000 to local and international ministries, organizations and missionaries (10% of tithes and offerings). City Church supports the following outreaches and ministries:
- UVA Chi Alpha
- Chi Alpha Missionaries
- Bibles for Disciples
- Advancing Native Missions
- Teen Challenge
- Fellowship of Christian Athletes
- Pregnancy Center
- Love Inc.
- Alliance for Interfaith Ministries
- Gideon’s International
- The Haven
- PACEM
- Good News Jail Ministry and Young Lives
- Habitat for Humanity
- World Missionaries
FINANCIAL OVERVIEW
The actual given to tithes totaled $1.686M in 2023, over the budgeted amount of $1.650M. Total revenue for 2023 was $1.840M compared to $1.846M in 2022. Missions Income was $62K in 2023 as church members gave to support Relief Efforts, Back to School Bash, and Big Give in addition to regular giving. Other Income in 2023 included some one-time events that cannot be expected for 2024.
Total expenses increased by 8.4% or $139K in 2023. For the year, Net Income was $53.5K, which was less than the budgeted amount of $107K. One-time expenses and new expenses in 2023 accounted for ending less than the budgeted amount. New expenses included expenses associated with a capital campaign firm assistance and the retirement program that is now in place for staff. One-time costs included trailer repairs, foyer remodel (offering box, water filling station, and coffee carts), painting downstairs and the sanctuary, parking lot repairs, multiple replaced electrical outlets, and heat pump repairs.
Capital expenditures included:
- 3 Computers
- Alarm System for Building
- Outdoor Furniture
- Used Vehicle
The official board and staff of City Church are projecting equivalent tithing amounts from 2023 to 2024 with only a 2% increase from the total given in 2023. The church continues to have a $100K goal for Net Income to position the church in a healthy place in case a loan would be necessary for future expansion. At the end of 2023, the church had a cash reserve of more than the targeted 3-month balance of $441,000.