AWAKEN A GIVING HEART

Transcription

1 Briarwood Presbyterian Church AWAKEN A GIVING HEART Every Member Commitment 2018

2 Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the Lord s contribution. Exodus 35:5

3 As a member of Briarwood I write my monthly tithe check out of obedience to God, a sense of gratitude for His provision, and a heart of appreciation for our church s ministries. But as I read through this brochure my giving heart is awakened! I am moved as I read of hope being offered to the hopeless, truth to the lost, encouragement to our hurting members, and physical comfort to those in need. My tithe dollar is helping to accomplish things that are far beyond my own circle of influence! Awaken your own giving heart during this season of stewardship.either in new enthusiasm for what God is doing in and through our church, or new obedience and involvement by bringing the tithe! Psalm 115:1 Not to us, Lord, not to us but to Your name be the glory, because of Your love and faithfulness. A Lifelong Briarwood Member What is the Every Member Commitment (EMC)? 1) EMC (Tithe) The EMC occurs annually and funds the church s day-to-day ministries such as worship, community outreach, national ministries, operations, meeting our members spiritual needs, and equipping us to be salt and light in this world. 2) Faith Promise (Offering above the tithe) The Faith Promise occurs annually and funds Briarwood s world missions ministries. 3) Capital Campaigns (Offering above the tithe) Capital campaign resources fund new building programs, campus expansion, debt reduction, and other onetime needs. On the following pages you ll find a brief description of some of the ministries your tithe supports, along with ministry impact stories illustrating the significance of your tithe in the lives of others.

4 Birmingham Theological Seminary BTS was established in 1972 to provide practical theological training for pastors and other church leaders, especially those unable to attend seminary full-time. During the seminary s 45-year history, more than 5,000 students have taken courses, and BTS graduates serve in churches and ministries throughout Alabama and beyond. Through its distance education program and international relationships, BTS now has students (in Spanish and English) in over 130 countries. Fifteen inmates were chosen last year from various state prisons to participate in the BTS Prison Initiative. This intensive biblical training program is designed to equip inmates to share the gospelwith their fellow prison inmates. The first class of students will graduate in August 2018 and upon graduation, will be sent to other prisons to share the gospel. As each class graduates, another BTS class will be chosen. Pray that these men will have a significant impact for Christ in the state prison system. Briarwood Ballet Since 1980, thousands of students have been taught to use dance for the praise and worship of our Savior at Briarwood Ballet. Our performing companies Ballet Exaltation and Immanuel perform locally, nationally and internationally. This year over 400 area students will receive dance training that is artistically excellent and biblically based. We also strive to share the gospel with each student while using productions as an opportunity to allegorically present God s truths. We choose to make a 45-minute commute three times a week for ballet classes at Briarwood. We pass several other dance schools along the way because at Briarwood Ballet the teachers and staff see my daughter, not just as a dancer to be trained, but as a young soul in need of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Ballet parent

5 Briarwood Christian School As a ministry of Briarwood Presbyterian Church, BCS is committed to providing a Christ-centered environment and education based on academic excellence through exemplary leaders who will challenge and inspire each student to know Christ and make Him known in every sphere of life. Today, during our prayer time, I prayed and asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins, and I became a follower of Christ! BCS Fourth Grader That same day another boy tearfully said, I have wanted to ask Jesus into my life and become a believer and follower of Christ, but I didn t know how. But now I know how. Campus Outreach Briarwood established Campus Outreach in 1978 with two staff members on one campus. Today, Campus Outreach serves 92 campuses in the U.S. and 14 campuses overseas. Our mission is to build Christ-like laborers on the campus for the lost world for the glory of God. Twenty-seven years ago Campus Outreach sent a team to Thailand. They planted a church and started a campus ministry that is now fully run by Thais. They have begun sending missionaries to Australia and the Ukraine. In the last six months, fifteen people have been brought to Christ. Five new interns were hired and twenty five people are attending seminary. Praise the Lord for all He has done in Thailand!

6 Biblical Counseling The Briarwood Biblical Counseling ministry is a place of marital reconciliation, personal growth and community development. We provide personal counseling for a variety of life issues (pre-marital counseling, marriage, depression, anxiety, addiction, self-injury, etc.) The center also trains lay counselors and mentors who assist and extend the reach of the pastoral staff. We contribute to the mission of Briarwood to reach Birmingham to reach the world for Christ through counseling, training and assisting other churches in establishing biblical counseling ministries. A husband was distraught and depressed and could barely get out of bed each morning. He increasingly found it difficult to get up and to work on time. He lost interest even in things he had once really enjoyed. His wife kept encouraging him but her encouragement did little to change what he was experiencing. They heard of the Briarwood Counseling Center and both of them came for counseling. After several counseling sessions, the husband began to emerge from the stubborn darkness that had so gripped his life. His wife and children sensed the difference in him. He told his wife, Thank you for not giving up on me and for making me go to the counseling center where I was able to see the hope and healing that God gives us through the Scriptures. Congregational Communities In order to place the emphasis on our need for communion with Christ and community with other Christians, we refer to our adult Sunday School classes as Congregational Communities. These 31 vibrant communities are where many of our members find a place to participate in the body of Christ with fellow Christians. In addition to offering excellent teaching and learning opportunities, our Congregational Communities assist our members in connecting with others in our church with whom they can fellowship and provide ministry. As we learn in Hebrews 10:24, we want to consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, encouraging one another in Christ. During a 48-hour period in March of 2016, I became totally paralyzed from an illness known as Guillain-Barre Syndrome. I was on a ventilator, unable to speak, for many months. I am slowly, steadily recovering. Day-in and day-out, our congregational community ministered to us in many practical ways, such as helping pass the long hours in the hospital room, bringing food to Julie, cutting our grass, and when it was time for me to come home building an amazing ramp to get me in the house. The teaching in our Sunday School class over the years helped prepare us for this crisis, and now we have been greatly encouraged and cared for as they walked through this adversity with us. Jim Hollon

7 Christian Medical Ministry of Alabama CMMA was established in 1982 to reach and disciple those in the healthcare professions, especially students in medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, etc. We also work with professionals in each field. We care for those who care for others so that they can survive the rigors of training, thrive spiritually and multiply to help reach the world for Christ. CMMA impacts students and professionals each week. It was amazing to see how much joy the gospel message brought to the children in each village on the CMMA mission trip to the Dominican Republic. We presented the gospel using a wordless color book and after sharing the story of Jesus, the children were able to make their own copy of the book. They were so excited that they lined up to retell the gospel message to us and then started yelling to other children in the street to come and hear the gospel message! Then with great enthusiasm, they used their books to tell their friends about Jesus. CMMA student The Children s Ministry The Children s Ministry at Briarwood desires to partner with parents to lead children to a saving, growing relationship with Christ by presenting the gospel, training children to worship and equipping them to impact others for God s glory. Children s Sunday School, Vacation Bible School (VBS), ABC Bible Memory Club, Missions Minded (M&M) Kids Club, Children s Worship, Super Summer and Camp Briarwood are just some of the ministries available for children here at Briarwood. One day after VBS, a little girl was telling her mom what she had learned. Then she stopped and said, Wait, Mom! Are we Christians? Her mother explained to her that she was a Christian because she had asked Jesus to be the Lord of her life and she tries to follow what He wants for her life. The little girl then said she wanted to be a Christian, too, and prayed telling God that she wanted to be a Christian and make Jesus the Lord of her life!

8 Church Revitalization Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You? Ps. 85:6 Briarwood has long been a champion of church revitalization. In 2018, we will continue our mission: For God s glory, we promote spiritual health in churches throughout the world by applying biblical strategies for church vitality. This will include holding four Embers to a Flame conferences wherein pastors and church leaders will be called to Remember, Repent, and Recover. In addition, we will lead numerous churches through our coaching ministry, Fanning the Flame (FTF). After completing FTF, Ben Gibson, pastor of Phillips Chapel, had this to say about what FTF meant to his church: God has freed us and liberated us to do ministry. We are worshipping in spirit and in truth and God is now drawing people to Himself. We have new people coming on a weekly basis and people are being saved and baptized. Older adults who have never had a devotional life are now walking with Christ with their spouse hand-in-hand and getting to know the Lord through His Word. People who have never shared their faith, who have never even invited anyone to church, are now participating in the Great Commission. The College Ministry We are a community of college students from around the Birmingham area who gather at Briarwood on Sunday morning and in various settings for development and outreach during the week. We desire to be a community that seeks to worship the Lord, engage in Christian fellowship, love and encourage one another, and to reach our campuses, city, and the world for Christ. In March, a group from the College Ministry went on a mission trip to Havana, Cuba. The Lord provided many opportunities to share the Gospel and see many Cubans come to Christ. On the last night of the trip, the Lord provided an unexpected opportunity to share the gospel. Ally, one of the girls on our team, asked to talk. She shared that after spending several days with other college girls, whose love for the Lord overflowed into all areas of their lives, that she realized that they had something she didn t. She knew she needed to ask Jesus to become Lord of her life and she did that later the same night in the square of downtown Havana.

9 Communications Briarwood Communications includes our Print, Internet and Electronic Media Ministries. Audio/Video, Radio and Television comprise our Electronic Media Ministry. At 88.5 FM, WLJR is our automated, 24-hour-a-day Christian radio station, affiliated with both the Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. Our website is located at briarwood.org and the Briarwood App is available at no charge in all the App Stores as BriarwoodPCA. This past year we ve heard from several people impacted by our Sunday service live TV stream. A woman from Colorado tells us she s been watching our service for a while, because Once you veheard Pastor Reeder, where else do you go? Another viewer in Tennessee has thanked us for allowing her to attend church via television as she cares for a bedridden husband and son. A new member from Florida tells us she immediately felt at home attending our worship because she had been watching our service for several months prior to moving here. Praise the Lord for technology that allows God s Word to be in all places! Discipleship As part of Briarwood s equipping ministry, we offer discipleship groups connected to the different ministries of the church and the different Congregational Communities. Men and Women of the Covenant are small groups that meet throughout the week and year. Our goal is to see believers become mature disciples of Christ. In our discipleship groups we have the blessing of seeing Christians old and young meeting together to encourage and challenge each other in their faith. Recently a young man who was struggling to know God s will and his future asked an older man for wisdom. The older man encouraged him to get Kevin DeYoung s book, Just Do Something, and hoped that the young man might eventually read it. He was blown away to hear that the boy bought it and read it over the weekend. God is using relationships like this to impact the next generation for His Kingdom.

10 Evangelism Evangelism has been a primary focus from Briarwood s beginning. Our Mission Statement challenges us to reach Birmingham to reach the world for Christ Workshops such as EV2, Evangelism Explosion, Bridge to Life and Share Your Faith are just some of the ways we bring this training to our membership. This year, three students attending Birmingham Theological Seminary signed up to take the personal evangelism class. Receiving this knowledge of how to share their faith, the Lord blessed each of the trainees with later being able to lead someone to a saving faith in Jesus Christ. Briarwood Fellows The goal of the Briarwood Fellows is to develop future generations of leaders from the church to the world. We equip recent college graduates to influence their vocation, church, family and culture. Our Fellows invest nine months working in marketplace internships. They serve in ministry within the church and city along with theological study in order to be thoroughly equipped to engage our culture with the gospel. Recently, one of our graduates launched a business and has a vision of working with the local prison to create an apprenticeship program to train and transition inmates into careers after their incarceration. Another Fellow graduate just returned from Dearborn, Michigan where he was engaged in evangelism among the Muslim population. We are excited to see our alumni engage the many needs of a broken world with the gospel in word and deed.

11 Graduates and Career Graduates and Career (G&C) is a community for young single adults, early 20 s to mid 30 s. We are focused on growing in personal spiritual formation, servant leadership and revealing Christ to the world around us. Our goal is to train and equip individuals to navigate the culture and relationships in ways that honor and glorify God. I work as an elementary school teacher in an inner city school and have seen God do amazing things over the past year. Through God s grace, I, along with another teacher and fellow member of the G&C class, have been able to start a small group with other teachers at our school. What started as an investigative Bible study has turned into study of Scripture and discussion of God s Word. We have seen the Lord moving in the lives of our colleagues and are hopeful and expectant for the work He continues to do! Danielle Spears Membership The Membership Ministry s goal is to glorify God by helping our guests and members connect to Christ and His church here at Briarwood. We focus on providing a warm welcome to our guests, connecting new members into the body through our Christ-centered assimilation objectives, and partnering with seasoned members in providing continued support and guidance in various ministry endeavors. This is facilitated through various small group meetings and partnering with other church ministries. This past year we had a young couple make a commitment to trust in Jesus for their salvation. The husband had a church background, but stated that he had never made a faith commitment to Christ and that he is now trusting in Christ rather than himself for salvation. His wife said that she has always been unsure of her salvation. She stated that she wanted certainty in her salvation, so the elders that were meeting with her shared the Gospel and how she can have certainty in her salvation. Once she heard this, she made a commitment to trust in Christ alone for her salvation. It truly was amazing to hear how the Lord drew this couple to Himself in part, through the ministries and members here at Briarwood.

12 Men s Ministry We believe that Christ-like men of character and conviction is one of the highest priorities in the mission of Briarwood church. Discipleshiporiented courses make up the nucleus of the Men s Ministry, enhanced by special events such as the Sportsman s Blast, Men s BBQ Dinner and Men s Retreats. All work together to focus on equipping men to act like men of God. I Samuel 16:7 says,...for the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. In our Men s ministry we desire to be authentic before each other and honest before the Lord. This year we have seen several men in honesty and transparency share about their struggles and ask for help. They have been meeting with other men for accountability, discipleship, prayer and the study of God s Word. Mercy Ministry The Mercy Ministry of Briarwood is committed to ministering to those in need. The deacons and volunteers of the Mercy Ministry are able to enter the lives of both members and nonmembers to walk with them through times of struggles and offer them the mercy of God. The Mercy Ministry also dispenses the mercy of God through New Direction Ministry and Fostering Hope. A single mother attended the New Focus financial literacy class and made a choice to diligently pursue a career change. She attended the New Focus program several times, along with the Career Focus program. With the direction and counsel from the program leaders, she came to Christ and also now runs her own salon.

13 MidWeek Briarwood MidWeek is a Wednesday night fellowship and discipleship opportunity for the entire family. The evening begins with a meal in the Fellowship Hall from 5:15 6:30 p.m., and is followed by a host of activities including: Bible studies, adult choir rehearsal, seminary classes, evangelism training, children s programs, nursery, and youth ministry activities. For a full list of MidWeek opportunities, visit the Briarwood App or briarwood.org/midweek and also reserve your spot for dinner and register for nursery care. I have had the opportunity of leading a table discussion of men during MidWeek at our Men of the Covenant Bible study. By the grace of God, and because of the accountability and encouragement we have in this setting, we are better fulfilling God s call on our lives as men to biblically love our wives and families and to pursue holiness in all areas of life. Mike Russell

14 Mother s Day Out This fall MDO begins our 30th year of loving children! We have a wonderful group of teachers who love, nurture and teach each child in our care. Our deepest desire is that these precious children hear about and experience the love of the Lord! We want each parent to feel fully confident that their child will be well cared for and loved each and every day while they are at Mother s Day Out. When you have to restrain your grandchildren from running off and leaving you in their haste to get into the building, when every teacher knows your child by name, when you realize that your children feel the love that each teacher has for them you realize you are in Briarwood s Mother s Day Out! These people pray for your children. They tell them about Jesus and reflect His love. MDO Grandparent Music and Worship The Music and Worship Ministry exists to equip Christians to worship, mainly through our Lord s Day morning and evening worship services. This enables God s people to more effectively fulfill the calling God has given us to make disciples (and ultimately worshipers) of all the nations. The Music Ministry provides opportunities for all members, ages five and up, to find their voice in worship through graded choirs, youth choirs, the Chancel (adult) choir, orchestra, praise teams and bands. There is no higher joy, to me, than to worship our Heavenly Father or to communicate His truths through singing or playing an instrument here at Briarwood. And the exciting thing is that our worship will never cease! We are preparing now for singing that new song in the Lord s presence forever. Richard Hitchcock

15 National Missions Briarwood s National Ministries Department is motivated to make disciples of Christ throughout the United States. Our one committee is divided into three teams which focus on church planting, parachurch partnerships, and urban ministry. In regards to church planting, we are intentionally focused on non-gospel-saturated environments. Our parachurch partnerships include 124 ministries which take the gospel to prisons, college campuses, military bases, recovery programs, etc. Our Urban Ministry focuses primarily on the city of Fairfield, Alabama, but in the future we hope to expand to other urban environments throughout our county. Recently, we had the great privilege of baptizing and praying for one of our students, Z from China. Before being baptized in the local church, Z said that his heart changed and the Gospel of Jesus became real to him when he began to understand that God loved him first. He expressed placing his faith in Jesus as his Savior. Praise be to God! Thank you for your faithful giving to RUF, which enables us to minister to students like Z on campus. Wes Simmons, RUF Auburn University Nursery The Briarwood Nursery provides a service to the parents of the church by providing a safe and pleasant atmosphere in which to leave their children while they pursue spiritual growth and fellowship with other believers. We are open during church on Sunday and Wednesday nights during MidWeek classes. We are also open to meet the needs of church members and Briarwood School, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to noon. The loving care and attention you have provided in the nursery is more appreciated than you know. I would not have been able to participate in the Briarwood Bible study and my granddaughter would not have experienced Jesus loving her through you. Thank you all! Briarwood Grandmother

16 Pastoral Care The Pastoral Care Ministry serves as part of the Shepherding Team and assists elders, pastors and Congregational Communities in caring for members and friends of the church especially in times of sickness, infirmity, disability, bereavement or family crisis. Through specially trained laymen and women, they also serve homebound members and widows. Recently, one of our members expressed surprise that a Briarwood elder who she did not know called and conveyed his condolences following the death of her parent. She said that she was blessed tremendously knowing that such a loss in her life had not gone unnoticed. I shared with her that selected elders regularly make such follow-up calls. It is part of our calling as elders to comfort members of the flock. Briarwood may be a large church, but the elders and pastoral staff work diligently to encourage all who are in need. Mark Cushman, Pastor of Pastoral Care Prayer Ministry The Prayer Ministry at Briarwood exists to glorify God through providing opportunities and equipping Christians to pray in order to impact Birmingham to reach the world for Christ. Prayer is incorporated into every meeting conducted in the church. Following Pastor Reeder s sermons there is a prayer team to the right of the pulpit for anyone seeking prayer. We also have people in our prayer room praying during the morning services. Our Sunday School communities send out prayer requests regularly to their members. One of our members was studying Matthew and read the verses, Matthew 7:7 8 (ESV) Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. He thought, that would not work with his two daughters, but it did. One daughter s marriage moved closer to a better relationship with her husband. The other daughter cried out to the Lord and started going back to church where she is again being fed spiritually.

17 Quest (Recreation) Camp Briarwood is a summer camp ministry for grades Since its beginning in 1964, Camp Briarwood has served as a summer camp and leadership training ground for approximately 20,000 children and counselors. The Briarwood Soccer Club was established in Today, 600 players and 50 coaches participate. TRAIL LIFE USA is a Christ-centered, outdoor, character-developing adventure program open to boys and young men aged Upward Basketball reaches grades 1 4. All the ministries of Quest exist to provide our youth Godhonoring recreation. In huddle-group one night we were discussing the story of the prodigal son. One ten-year-old camper said he could relate to the older son in the prodigal son story. He told me he was trying to earn God s love and his way to heaven and just felt like he couldn t keep it up. I was able to assure him that there is nothing we can do to earn God s love or salvation, but it s a gift that is given to us. That night he accepted God s free gift and gave his life to Christ. Ben Conry, Camp Counselor Special Connections The vision of the Special Connections Ministry is for the Gospel to be made accessible to all as the body of Christ shows equal concern for people with disabilities and their families. The ministry provides teaching and worship opportunities as well as care for children, youth and adults with special needs. High school buddies accompany the children to inclusive Sunday School classes as well as Vacation Bible School. The ministry also provides respite care and numerous other activities throughout the year. On Sunday mornings, we have a praise and worship time as well as a Bible lesson for our children and adults who do not go to a Sunday school with their peers. Some sing with gusto while others who are less verbal may hum or just smile, all the while praising God in their own way. It is a joy to start saying a Bible verse and hear them finish it. God s Word is presented each Sunday and God, through His Spirit, works in and through their lives. June Cork, Special Connections Director

18 Trailblazers Trailblazers is a ministry to all adults over 55 here at Briarwood; extraordinary senior adults, many of whom God used to help build this church. Goals of the ministry include helping seniors grow spiritually, integrating them into the life of the church through service, providing educational seminars, fellowship luncheons, and using excursions to increase their awareness of the creative majesty of our great God. What a blessing to see the life-size recreation of the ARK! Our trip with the Trailblazers to the Ark Encounter in Williamstown, KY was a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the faithfulness of God and the reliability, truthfulness and authenticity of His Word. We were also able to enjoy a great time of fellowship and relationship building with other seniors at Briarwood. Bert and Marilyn Mullis Walk Through Nativity The Walk Through Nativity is a moving depiction of the story of Jesus Christ s birth and life presented by our congregation over three nights each December. This is an exciting opportunity for our Briarwood family, as more than 900 volunteers join together to reach out to our community and share God s love and the good news of Jesus Christ. Last year, more than 7,400 people came and heard the story of Christ through 14 scenes with audio narration, live actors, and live animals. A couple shared that they invited a family that did not know Christ to come to our Walk Through Nativity, and they came. The family really enjoyed it. This gave the couple another opportunity to share the Good News of Jesus with them. A mother shared that she brought her children to the Nativity. She was so glad that her children heard the Gospel of Christ and they were able to see the depiction of the true story of Christmas.

19 Women s Ministry The Women of the Covenant Mission Statement is, Equipping to know God, and to glorify Him in our Home, Church, Community and World. We seek to do this through Bible studies, small groups, retreats and special events designed for personal spiritual growth as well as opportunities to reach out to family, friends and our community with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Threads of Comfort is a knitting group at Briarwood that meets weekly to knit, pray and fellowship. It s amazing that since 2012 this small group has knitted 104 prayer shawls, 831 booties for Sav-A-Life, 94 chemo caps for the Kirklin Clinic, 54 children s caps for UAB Hospital and 40 premie caps for St. Vincent s Hospital. We meet on Wednesdays from 10:00 a.m. to noon and welcome new members! Whether an experienced knitter or beginner, it is so encouraging to know that as we knit and pray over these projects, the Lord really is producing Threads of Comfort. Pat Nabors

20 Young Business Leaders How do you create gospel-centered conversations in the marketplace? Does your faith impact both the conduct and content of your work? For 35 years, YBL has directed a multiplying, Christ-centered discipleship movement to the business community. On any day of the work week, men in the business community are centering their day with Christ and like-minded men through YBL. Our small groups, outreach events and mentors build friendship, accountability and direction to live biblically for God s glory. I volunteered to serve as a mentor for YBL. I am having so much fun with my two mentees. One came to Sunday school and church with my family and then back to my house afterwards. He is very inquisitive and asks insightful questions such as, How can I know for sure I am a believer? My other mentee and I have started a book about knowing the Bible. We have great discussions and I am encouraged by his enthusiasm to be discipled and his eagerness to learn. He wants to know how he can be a good husband, a good father, etc. God is definitely using the one-on-one mentoring ministry of YBL. Zach Ivey, Briarwood Member Young Marrieds Believing that our young couples are the next generation of elders and leaders, the Young Couples Ministry of Briarwood exists to bring Glory to God by equipping young couples for the work of the ministry in order that they be rooted and built up in Christ, established in the faith, and growing towards maturity as a part of Christ s Church. During the summer, the Legacy class hosted a women s outreach event called Elegance A Night of Beauty and Relaxation. This was an excellent opportunity for me to invite two of my female co-workers to hear the Gospel. We were pampered with a facial, enjoyed dinner together and listened to a testimony about outward and inward beauty. The message on forgiveness as a true reflection of inner beauty has spurred many continuing spiritual conversations with my coworkers. I m thankful for the many opportunities Briarwood provides to invite friends to hear the truth of the Gospel, but furthermore to empower members to discuss spiritual truths with others in our daily lives. Jessica Ivey

21 Youth Ministry The Youth Ministry has touched the lives of thousands of young people throughout the years through retreats, conferences and mission trips. Over the last several years, The Youth Barn has enhanced and facilitated even more ministry opportunities to our youth, both here in the church and in the community. Through weekly meetings, discipleship groups and special events, the Lord has blessed us to reach and disciple more and more students for Christ! This year we were able to see many of our students share their faith at school, on mission trips, and with their peers within our youth group. On one of our senior high trips we had a student in the youth group who had been struggling with totally surrendering his life to Jesus. One of our older high school students on the trip engaged him in a spiritual conversation and was able to lead him to Christ! Later in the summer, during our mission trip to Yakama, Washington, we had a free day in Seattle and one of our groups decided to walk around to different coffee shops to share Christ! This free day was built into the end of the week as a fun day after a very hard mission trip, but our students chose to use this time to share Christ with the lost in Seattle!

22 These ministries benefit from your faithful tithe: Administrative Services Birmingham Theological Seminary Briarwood Ballet Briarwood Christian School Briarwood MidWeek Campus Outreach Children s Ministries Christian Counseling Ministry Christian Education Christian Medical Ministry Church Planting Church Revitalization Church and State College Ministry Communications Congregational Communities (Adult Sunday School) Discipleship Groups Evangelism Fellows Ministry Graduates and Career (G&C) In Perspective Radio L.O.V.E. Ministry Membership Men of the Covenant Mercy Ministry Mother s Day Out Music Ministry for all ages National Ministries (124 Ministry Partners) Nursery Pastoral Care Prayer Ministry Quest/Recreation Ministry Shepherding Special Connections Trailblazers/Senior Adult Ministry Vacation Bible School WLJR-FM Walk Through Nativity Women of the Covenant Young Business Leaders Youth Ministries

23 2200 Briarwood Way, Birmingham, AL

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