Hi everyone, I hope Jesus has been your strength this week! As you’re sliding into your weekend, I’m still tearing apart the short, 1100-word sermon from the prophet Haggai. It’s an interesting little rant about worship, temple building, and the lifestyles of the rich and famous. And it’s a text prosperity preachers have used to raise enormous sums of money for not-always God-honouring means! To find out what I’m learning from this Book We Don’t Read and to encounter the living Christ in worship, join us in person or online Saturday or Sunday. And one more thing: This weekend’s services will include one additional congregational update. Joining me for a brief conversation about how our church is navigating changed financial realities will be the Pastor of Ministry Support, Dwayne Uglem. For a quick glance at what we will be talking about, please see below. If you missed either of the previous update chats with Pastor’s Brody and Jeremy, please check them out here. Take care, Greg Hochhalter | Lead PastorFinancial Update Ministry Year Giving to Ministry Fund This compares giving to the Ministry Fund over the past 4 years by looking at the number of households giving and the amount given. The 2023 values are year-to-date numbers (the other numbers show the full ministry year Sept-August). Households by Ministry Year Another perspective on the number of households giving to the ministry fund each year (again, 2023 is YTD). Year to Date Giving Compared to Previous Two Years Shows the giving to date compared with the last two years. New Donor Second Gift The second gift is an important marker of someone entering our church ministry team. This chart shows pre-covid patterns for the second gift and what post-covid patterns have become.Baptism - Is It Time? If you’ve been considering baptism as your next step in faith, or you want to know what baptism is or why it is an essential next step in a believer's life – then we want to invite you out to one of our Baptism Prep Classes. Here, we’ll help walk you through understanding what baptism means, why this next step is an essential part of your faith journey, and the significant value it has behind your story with Jesus. Baptism Prep Classes will be offered after each service on March 25/26 or April 1/2. If you'd like to do an online version, it will be held Sunday, April 2, at 1 pm. When you register, you'll receive a Zoom link. Our next baptism services are scheduled for Easter weekend.Easter at Sherwood Park Alliance Church On Easter weekend, we will journey through three unique gatherings to end the Holy Week. We will recognize the most significant event in religious history, the driving force for the birth of Christ’s church. Each day will offer a different experience as we journey together from the sorrow and remembrance of Good Friday (Communion will be served), the waiting in Holy Saturday and the celebration of Easter Sunday! We would love for you to join us online or in person for one or all days! For more information and service times, please see here. Easter Serving Opportunity Our team here at church is busy preparing for this special Easter Weekend and we would like to invite you to join us! There are various ways you can help and be a part of the Easter services! Please see spac.ca/easterserve for more information or contact our Hospitality team at hospitality@spac.ca. Groups Groups are a gathering of people from all walks of life where you are invited into a place of deep community, where you can be known, loved, and encouraged to grow in your walk with Jesus. Please check out spac.ca/events for all upcoming opportunities to meet in a Medium Size or Support Network Group. For more information on how you can get connected, please contact groups@spac.ca.In The Know at SPAC! Another place to stay In The Know and connected is to follow our social media accounts! You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Feel free to give us a follow, a subscribe, a like, and a share!