Pastor’s Report to the Church Conference
Mountain View UMC, Marietta
September 26, 2016
God continues to bless the faithful congregation of Mountain View as we grow in sharing our faith, our relationship with God and each other, and grow in our ministry and outreach to this community and around our world. Mountain View continues to grow in disciples being added to our number by profession of faith in Jesus Christ and also by transfer from other United Methodist Churches and other denominations in our faith community.
God’s hand is visible and active in leading persons to faith in Jesus, most recently witnessed through our August Revival and concluding with a Service of Baptism at the Gather at the River event on August 28. Persons of varying faith backgrounds and cultures have been drawn into the family of Mountain View by the work of the Holy Spirit moving in this congregation.
Mountain View remains one of the friendliest and welcoming churches that I have ever seen. The outreach efforts in mission would rival churches of larger membership and greater financial resources. Mountain View is a mission church with a heart for others and continues to help the those in need through a wide variety of caring ministries.
This year, I have purposely sought to focus more of our efforts and resources toward education and Christian growth. Our church continues to grow in church staff, as we have added two great leaders for youth in the persons of Adam and Ashley Casey. We have also added Dr. Roberta Wallace in her role as Director of Biblical Studies. We believe that Bible Study is one of the most important elements in developing the spiritual life of Christian disciples no matter their age.
Mountain View is blessed with spiritually mature and insightful teachers for growing disciples. Mike Jahl, Cheri Harwood, Brad Moore, Emille Cole, Victoria Owens, Ira Miskin, Cindy Thorne, Roger Patterson, along with others, are part of a dynamic Christian education program at Mountain View.
Our SPR Committee has been actively working to keep our growing nursery needs at the level where newcomers will know we have great staff and volunteers to care for the littlest ones during both Sunday worship services. Our children have age appropriate classes on Sunday mornings as well, led by Tim and Jennifer Clark, David and Suzanne Dawson, John and Trish Reilly, and Bud Blide with the youth. Natalie Anderson has been serving faithfully as our interim Children’s Director, and she helped coordinate one of the best ever VBS experiences this past summer.
Mountain View has added a Prayer Ministry, which is under the leadership of Cathy Gentilello. She is learning and teaching others about prayer, and Cathy and husband Frank also are instrumental in our ongoing Walk to Emmaus emphasis; this is a great resource for our local church to build leaders for Christ. Disciple Bible Study also remains a strong component of our Christian discipleship program, and many persons are involved in Disciple annually.
With all these wonderful teachers, leaders and helpers committed to making disciples, I believe the greatest resource at Mountain View Church is the Holy Spirit, manifest in these same faithful and willing disciples of Jesus Christ. They continue to love, pray, give, serve, and witness to their faith in ways that draw others into the kingdom and closer to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
As a congregation, our members are faithful to their commitments to Christ and His Church. For all of these reasons, we continue to see Mountain View growing as a beacon of light and source of hope to the world. Leah and I are truly blessed of God to have such a church to serve.
Pastor Bill Burch