December 10, 2015
Dear Builder's Club supporter,
As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus, we cannot help but reflect back over this year that is quickly coming to a close. This year, like every year, has been filled with opportunities, challenges, frustrations, defeats, and victories.
We continue to see growth in the new places we have begun in the past few years. As we anticipate 2016, there are many possibilities:
* There exists the opportunity to begin a new conference and ministry center in Sevierville that will reach out to the local community, particularly the Hispanic community and the millions of people who visit the Great Smoky Mountains.
* We are exploring the leasing of the Cameo Theater on State Street in Bristol as a second campus for State Street UMC, which is no longer on State Street.
* We have new projects in Johnson City and Chattanooga Districts.
Your support of the Builder’s Club gives us the opportunity to not only start new worshipping communities, but to revitalize churches that have the potential to grow but are currently struggling. Recently, I met with a pastor in the Tazewell District and I was able to share with him that the Annual Conference had the resources to undergird his ministry and that he did not have to be focused on money; he just needed to focus on ministry. I shared with him, “We’ve got your back”, and the ”we” I was referring to is the Builder’s Club.
As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus, it is my prayer that these days will fill you with joy and peace, and that the HOPE born that night in Bethlehem will give you the courage and strength you need to face the coming New Year.
Yours and His,
Rusty Taylor
Director of Congregational Development & Revitalization