Hope you and yours had a wonderful Fourth of July! Many started the celebration of our nation's Independence Day with the 50th annual Amesbury Pancakes in the Pines. This year was a banner year as people from all Rock Church campuses came together and served over 630 people! Since the merger of Rock Church with First UMC Amesbury, this event has always included a combination of volunteers from all of our Rock Church campuses. We were so blessed to have record attendance and volunteers, making it possible for some of our people to be available to share time with those that came out on a perfect morning and to show that Rock Church is FOR OUR COMMUNITIES!
My best guesstimate is that we as a ministry have reached a few thousand people so far in our summer outreach opportunities. That's pretty amazing considering that this is only the 13th day of summer! I could not be more proud of the response & dedication by our church family in donations, prayers and service so far this year. So on behalf of all of our leadership, THANK YOU! Because of you, we are reaching people who need Jesus, we are growing deeper together and people are using their gifts in service to our great God!
So what's next? Well, tonight we do have the first of the Salisbury Beach Outreach Concert Series that is happening for eight consecutive Wednesdays this summer put on by a collaboration of churches and worship teams. We are blessed to host this first event with DRM Band, who we know well as many of their members have often pitched in at our Men's First Mondays and Amesbury campus when we've had need. That's what's amazing about the ("big C") Church and how we are responsive & dedicated to one another in the mission of outreach and discipleship Jesus calls us to.
Also coming up this month at Rock Church Plaistow is the annual Men's BBQ on July 10 starting at 5:30pm. This is a great opportunity for men to get together with other brothers-in-Christ and guests. So please invite your friends, family and neighbors to join us for this "Meat-A-Palooza" that includes steak tips, burgers and more meat (and I've even heard you can get a side of meat as well to round off the meal). Of course we'll have Hodgies ice cream and a great message in the line-up for dessert as well so don't forget to put that on your calendar!
Summer Life Hack-Cupcake wrapper to catch Popsicle drips...who knew?!