The Challenge of Changes
In 2007, the building planning committee was commissioned to complete an architectural design and produce drawings for contractor’s estimates. The Staunton Growth Group continued to meet through the spring while the Session began planning to make the Growth Group a 3rd worship service under a multi-site church planting model.
In July, a team of 16 people was sent by the church on a short-term missions trip to Ireland to meet and encourage leaders of the evangelical church in Dublin, Ireland. Lives on both sides of the Atlantic were greatly affected by the trip and folks came home sensing the greater call to foreign missions. The Deacons undertook the task of building a wooden access ramp on the east end of the building. This was the largest project accomplished to date by all volunteer labor and with the help of many, many hands, the ramp was completed by fall and later had stain applied during the Spring workday.
The fall of 2007 held numerous changes for the church. A congregational meeting was held the first Sunday in October to approve the issuing of a Call to Rick Gilmartin to be an Associate Pastor of the church. The Call was approved by the Presbytery the following Saturday when Rick passed the remainder of his ordination exams. The second Sunday was “Expansion Sunday” when the building committee presented the architectural plans at a congregation meeting for the addition of a new sanctuary to the building. One worship service with everyone together was held outside in the parking lot within the outline of the proposed new facility painted on the grounds. The third Sunday was “Extension Sunday” which marked the beginning of the morning worship service in Staunton at the Clock Tower Tavern. There were 63 present the first Sunday with many folks helping to organize and startup the Staunton worship service. This completed the theme of the month: 1 church, 2 sites, 3 services, 4 God’s Glory and our community!
The church held the ordination and installation service for Rick Gilmartin as Associate Pastor the first Sunday in November. By the end of 2007, the church was growing at both Waynesboro and Staunton locations with the weekly message being delivered by Pastor Essen at all three services. A “pastor shuttle” was organized for transportation between locations as leadership and congregation became more keenly aware of the nature of a multi-site church.
