The Village Church has much to be thankful for this past year. God displayed his faithfulness by keeping our programs supported, our student’s safe, and bringing in a number of new students from outside our membership. We were blessed to have Bryant Burke and Don Smith serving as elders again and a supportive and involved youth commission. Commission members included Pat Singer, Esther Burke, Laura Metzger, and Scott and Gena Wilson, Suzan Appleby, Deb Thomas and Kathleen Nassi.
John Benson our Assistant Director of Student Ministries left in August and we were blessed to have Brian Gillette and Kara Lukash join our staff at that time. Lindsey Santamaria did a fantastic job again for her second summer before beginning her senior year at William and Mary in Virginia. Other volunteer staff included Kim and Kyle Berg, Gena Wilson, Betsy McCain, Suzie Marun, Christina Espinosa, Dan Brown, David Metzger, DJ Shirley, Miguel Gomez, Ian Wimers and Drew Darrow.
Our Sunday morning attendance has stayed relatively consistent with past years. This fall Drew Darrow began leading our contemporary music on Sunday morning before the students break into junior and senior high classes. To establish more consistency with our teaching Jay Shirley primary taught the senior high and Brian Gillette the junior high. Our mid-week programs include POP and small groups for senior high. It was exciting to see our Fellowship of Christian Athletes clubs at Torrey Pines and Canyon Crest remain very strong this year. It is our ninth year at TPHS and third at CCA. VPC subsidize the pizza cost each week as this provides a wonderful avenue for our staff to be able to get on campus and interact with our students. We are also very grateful to Kim and Kyle Berg for beginning a midweek college and young adult class in the fall. Student Ministries continue to participate in a number of service projects, fund raising, and mission’s trips. Locally students helped out with VBS and served at First Presbyterian Ladle Ministry every-other month. This year they assisted in feeding the fire fighters and raised $800 in a car wash for fire victims in Ramona. In the sleepless in SD overnight they raised $400 for the San Diego Rescue mission. Our participation in World Vision’s 30-Hour Famine students raised $17,100 that was matched four times by a government grant allowing $68,400 to be used to fight world hunger. The Sunday morning offering is used to sponsor two children through Compassion International. The senior high sponsored student mission trips to Mexico and inner city LA. Youth Sunday in March was another success with the students conducting the service. Eleven students complete our conformation class. Other highlights were our summer camps to Forest Home, ski trip to Mammoth, trips to amusement parks, Padre games, skateboard parks, the beach, paintball, the movies, bowling and Christian concerts.
Please pray with us for our staff and volunteers that God would touch and direct the lives of our students. If you are a parent or a grandparent of an adolescent, we would ask for you to encourage your child to attend and even bring a friend. May God bless you and our church in 2008.
Respectfully submitted,
Jay Shirley, Director