Pea Ridge News | March 2025
God is moving here at Pea Ridge! Check out this month's newsletter to catch a glimpse!
You can scroll through the newsletter or use the links below to jump to articles:
You can scroll through the newsletter or use the links below to jump to articles:
Our new church vision comes into focus
by Dan Londeree, pastor
For approximately nine months, our Church Renewal Team has been following God’s guidance about His vision for our church. We have received input from the entire church along way, through a survey and interviews, prayer cards, and focus groups. What we learned is that there is a great need for community, discipleship and outreach. In addition, we’ve realized that meeting these needs will require more people to get involved. The full vision that we believe God has given us is a big one! As we start to work through our strategic plan, we are focusing on four specific objectives from this larger plan. I shared these on Sunday, March 16 at the end of the sermon and we then prayed over them, asking God to continue His work.
Vision Statement:
We are a community of restored hearts, renewed relationships and revived compassion, built on a reliable foundation.
Restored Hearts
We are called to be a community of believers who grow in our faith as we are open and vulnerable with one another.
• Develop a Church-wide communication strategy
Strengthen communication between church leadership and the congregation to ensure transparency and alignment.
Renewed Relationships
We are called to share life together through intentional time in Christ-centered relationships.
• Create offsite spiritual growth and relationship-building experiences
Plan spiritual growth retreats and mission trip opportunities.
Revived Compassion
We are called to be proactive in reaching out to serve others in the love of Christ. We will express empathy as we seek to meet their needs.
• Develop an empathetic congregation
Offer empathy education and training, model empathy in leadership and launch ministries that meet needs in the church and community.
Reliable Foundation
We are called to build a solid infrastructure that serves as the essential foundation of resources, systems, and support, enabling us to realize our vision and fulfill our mission.
• Staffing and volunteer leadership
Hire an additional staff member to oversee the implementation of the discipleship pathway and facilitate training and educational initiatives. Assemble a team to collaborate with pastoral staff in executing the specific elements of the strategic plan.
I am asking you to continue to pray for our team and ask God to show you how He wants you to help us move forward! So far, we have been led to take smaller steps toward achieving each of these objectives. As we continue to share more details, you’ll be invited to join this effort. Our team is excited to have more people come alongside us in this important kingdom work.
Vision Statement:
We are a community of restored hearts, renewed relationships and revived compassion, built on a reliable foundation.
Restored Hearts
We are called to be a community of believers who grow in our faith as we are open and vulnerable with one another.
• Develop a Church-wide communication strategy
Strengthen communication between church leadership and the congregation to ensure transparency and alignment.
Renewed Relationships
We are called to share life together through intentional time in Christ-centered relationships.
• Create offsite spiritual growth and relationship-building experiences
Plan spiritual growth retreats and mission trip opportunities.
Revived Compassion
We are called to be proactive in reaching out to serve others in the love of Christ. We will express empathy as we seek to meet their needs.
• Develop an empathetic congregation
Offer empathy education and training, model empathy in leadership and launch ministries that meet needs in the church and community.
Reliable Foundation
We are called to build a solid infrastructure that serves as the essential foundation of resources, systems, and support, enabling us to realize our vision and fulfill our mission.
• Staffing and volunteer leadership
Hire an additional staff member to oversee the implementation of the discipleship pathway and facilitate training and educational initiatives. Assemble a team to collaborate with pastoral staff in executing the specific elements of the strategic plan.
I am asking you to continue to pray for our team and ask God to show you how He wants you to help us move forward! So far, we have been led to take smaller steps toward achieving each of these objectives. As we continue to share more details, you’ll be invited to join this effort. Our team is excited to have more people come alongside us in this important kingdom work.
Youth Ministry Update
by Zach Stevens, youth director
Our youth group, The C.R.E.W., will be continuing our lesson series entitled, "WHO HE IS" this spring. We are focusing on the life and teachings of Jesus!
We are planning a summer missions trip and are hosting a parent informational meeting on Wednesday, March 19 at 6 p.m. in the youth room.
The March SundayMeet is at Mark and Cari Reed's home on Sunday, March 30. We will meet at the church at 6:15 p.m., drive to the Reeds and be back by 8:30 p.m.
We are planning a summer missions trip and are hosting a parent informational meeting on Wednesday, March 19 at 6 p.m. in the youth room.
The March SundayMeet is at Mark and Cari Reed's home on Sunday, March 30. We will meet at the church at 6:15 p.m., drive to the Reeds and be back by 8:30 p.m.
Children's Ministry Update
by Levi Casto, children's ministry director
Our Wednesday evening Ridge Kids ministry now has new curriculum! There are a variety of ways that we can use this new resource, so we are trying some new things to see what will work best for our teachers, kids and parents. The focus for March is how Jesus formed a new family by calling people to follow him. The text below comes from the curriculum website and outlines how this new resource will help our church families grow in their walk with Christ.
Kids will:
• experience the awe and mystery of God’s love
• experience the transforming power of Jesus Christ
• know the Bible and make its stories part of their lives
• experience the faith community through worship and service
Parents will
• grow in their faith
• be given the tools to model and speak about their faith with their children
Teachers will:
• be nurtured in the Christian faith
• be given the tools that enable them to model and speak about their faith, especially with children
• be equipped to teach effectively
If you’d like to visit the website for this new resource, click or tap the button below:
Kids will:
• experience the awe and mystery of God’s love
• experience the transforming power of Jesus Christ
• know the Bible and make its stories part of their lives
• experience the faith community through worship and service
Parents will
• grow in their faith
• be given the tools to model and speak about their faith with their children
Teachers will:
• be nurtured in the Christian faith
• be given the tools that enable them to model and speak about their faith, especially with children
• be equipped to teach effectively
If you’d like to visit the website for this new resource, click or tap the button below:
Worship Ministry Update
Luke Creasy has officially stepped down from his role as director of worship ministry. Our church is thankful for Luke's leadership of this ministry and we ask that you continue to pray for him as he moves into a new season of life.
We have launched our search for a new director and ask that you pray that God brings the right person to lead our worship team. We would also ask that you look at the job description/application online and consider if you or someone you know would be a good fit for this role. We are continuing to take applications and the process is simple! Click or tap on the button below to go to the page on our website so you can share it or apply!
We have launched our search for a new director and ask that you pray that God brings the right person to lead our worship team. We would also ask that you look at the job description/application online and consider if you or someone you know would be a good fit for this role. We are continuing to take applications and the process is simple! Click or tap on the button below to go to the page on our website so you can share it or apply!
Pea Ridge faith stories: Brent Beckett
Brent Beckett, one of our deacons, shared a letter he wrote to God several years ago. At the time, he was serving in leadership at another local church and had challenged the deacons of that church to write a letter to God. He then realized he had never written one, so he set out to do it. That letter is below:
Father,
They say there is a first for everything. Well Lord, as you know, I’ve never written many letters to you. Seems like a simple thing, but as I sit here with pen in hand, this is not as easy as I thought. Lord, you know my heart better than anyone. So, as I try to have some kind of clarity to this prayer, I’m praying for wisdom in my study of your words. Bless this small group of sinners to learn more and absorb what we know of the truth. Let my mind be clean and always be thankful for all that you, Jesus, have done for all. Let your will be done on my study and may your will let me relax in your words. Keep my thoughts pure that whoever is in need of a gentle prayer of kindness, that no matter how big or small the request is, that my heart is in the right frame of mind. Thank you, God, for the day that you have given us, and the many blessings seen and unseen. I love you, sweet Savior, always trying to see through the daylight of your wisdom. Shalom. Amen.
Father,
They say there is a first for everything. Well Lord, as you know, I’ve never written many letters to you. Seems like a simple thing, but as I sit here with pen in hand, this is not as easy as I thought. Lord, you know my heart better than anyone. So, as I try to have some kind of clarity to this prayer, I’m praying for wisdom in my study of your words. Bless this small group of sinners to learn more and absorb what we know of the truth. Let my mind be clean and always be thankful for all that you, Jesus, have done for all. Let your will be done on my study and may your will let me relax in your words. Keep my thoughts pure that whoever is in need of a gentle prayer of kindness, that no matter how big or small the request is, that my heart is in the right frame of mind. Thank you, God, for the day that you have given us, and the many blessings seen and unseen. I love you, sweet Savior, always trying to see through the daylight of your wisdom. Shalom. Amen.
Brent and Lee Anne Beckett
Camp Cowen Update
Camp Cowen registration is officially open and you can register online! Our church will pay for half of the registration for kids and teens who are part of our church family (members and regular attenders). Click or tap the button below for more information and to register!
No Wednesday Ministries on March 26
Here at Pea Ridge, we typically take a break from Wednesday ministries when Cabell County is on break during the school year. March 24-28 is spring break in Cabell County, so we will not have Wednesday ministries on March 26. Our Wednesday kids ministry, youth group and adult Bible study will resume Wednesday, April 2.