At the end of every year, we like to take a moment to reflect on the past year and plan for the year ahead. The Lord has done amazing things through us in 2013, and we know 2014 is going to be even better! We thank God every day for what He is doing at CityLight Church. We also thank God for our CityLight Church family. Nothing we do is possible without our members.
We just finished our annual Vision Sunday services, and we’d like to share with you the areas on which we’ll be focusing as a church in 2014. At CityLight Church, we believe wholeheartedly that everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ is saved by grace, through faith. Grace is defined as unmerited favor. There is nothing any one of us can do to earn salvation, and there is no way we can ever pay Jesus Christ back for His death on the Cross. While good works should be a natural by-product of our salvation, they do not earn us right standing with God. We believe in the finished work of the Cross, and we want everything we do as a church to be an outworking of God’s grace. All of our services, events and charitable works at CityLight Church are empowered by grace. In turn, everything we do as a church should outwardly demonstrate the grace of Jesus Christ to people in New York City and around the world who do not yet know Him.
How can you determine if your works are empowered by grace or by driven religion? 1 John 5:2-3 says this:
“By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.”
If anything you do as a Christian is burdensome, you are missing the love and grace of God in your life. Nothing we do as Christians should be done out of duty to follow God’s commands; everything we do as Christians should be done out of desire to follow His Word and Will for our lives.
With that backdrop firmly established, we will be focusing on the following areas in 2014:
1) Community
Spring Life Groups start the week of February 24, 2014. Sign-ups will be available soon on our website. Life Groups are the easiest way to meet new people and grow in your walk with God, so please join us this Spring for our best semester of Life Groups yet! We will also be expanding our CityMen and CityWomen ministries this Spring.
Acts 2:1-2: When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
2) Missions & Evangelistic Outreach
CityLight Global Compassion is alive and well, demonstrating love and spreading the Gospel in Ethiopia, Guatemala, Liberia and Montenegro. We’re going back to Guatemala from June 21st-28th,, 2014, and we would love it if you can join us! We’re also planning our first-ever missions trip to Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, for February, 2015.
Mark 16:15: And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature…”
3) Loving & Serving Our City
We launched CityLight Local Compassion in 2013, and we will continue our commitment to serve New York City communities that need our help on at least a monthly basis in 2014.
Mark 10:45: For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.
4) Anointing & Spiritual Gifts
Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power (Acts 10:38), and we believe His church should be too! We’re planning several special events this year to make sure we identify and develop your ability to hear from God and walk in the supernatural. We will also continue God Encounter Friday Services and Healing Rooms as ways for our members to enjoy God’s Presence and cultivate spiritual gifts.
1 Thess 5:19-20: Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies.
5) Family Ministry
CityKids is growing! We had our first-ever CityKids Christmas Pageant this year. We love our families and our kids, and we’re committed to adding resources whenever and wherever we can. Your family grows and adjusts, and so will we. In addition to CityKids, we’re also adding resources to our counseling department. If you ever need to talk with one of our Pastors about anything – no matter how big or small – our door is always open!
Prov 22:6: Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
Finally, we want our members to know that you are an essential part of God’s mission for CityLight Church. Thank you for your faithful attendance, and for sharing your life with us in 2013. Thank you for giving generously and sowing into the plans God has for us. We are praying that this will be your best year ever!
-The Pastors & Staff at CityLight Church
To listen to the Vision Sunday 2014 Podcast from service on Sunday Night 1/12/2014, by Pastor Bo Jancic, please click here: http://bit.ly/1e79nVi
To listen to the Vision Sunday 2014 Podcast from service on Sunday Morning, 1/12/2014, by Pastor Mike White, please click here: http://bit.ly/1bD7AaY