Anyone who uses technology knows how fast it can change and it feels like the past two years have been nothing but change, especially with the tech around LGCC. We have made significant changes and upgrades to live-stream and enhance our in-person services as we have had to adapt to the changing world around us. Because of those changes, we were able to go without any significant technology changes this year, giving our volunteers more hands-on opportunities every Sunday and allowing me to sit outside of the sound booth and even take a Sunday or two off this year…more on that later.
Our social media platforms continue a steady growth at about 100 people across all platforms each year. Facebook has been our most popular social media platform in regards to interaction, however, Instagram allows us to reach more people. Using reels, we have been able to reach more people, for example, our Christmas Caroling reel reached over 1,100 people (over 1,000 do not follow LGCC) through interactions from you and others in the community. Social Media is another great way for us to connect with our community, tagging local businesses and organizations we partner with.
Please, if you have not followed us on Social media, click the links below. When you see us post something, interact with it with more than a like! Feel free to comment on and share the post! Social Media can be a great tool for us to share the gospel with people who may never set foot in a church!
Just as fast as technology changes, websites need to be updated as well. We are regularly updating our website, whether it’s through changing out pictures, or making sure information is up to date. Some of the significant changes that have been made are updating the wedding page, providing an area for Children’s Ministry volunteers to access Sunday School materials and creating a new outreach page featuring missions we support...to be released soon. Our website continues to be the front door of the church!
DID YOU
KNOW THAT...
OF THE PEOPLE VISITING
OUR WEBSITE ARE NEW!
As a staff, we have been using Planning Center for the past couple of years for a database, a calendar of room reservations, Sunday School check-in and more. One of the biggest projects that I have taken on this year was to clean up Planning Center People, a database of about 3,600 active profiles of current and former members that was imported from an older database.
I looked at every profile, marking those from the old database inactive, bringing the total of active profiles down to just under 600!
Thank you to each and everyone of you who responded to our membership update request! This process not only helps us to prepare for this meeting, but also as we prepare to release our online directory later this year!
WE HAVE AN APP!
Church Center is the place to go for all of your LGCC Needs!
Through the app you can access the website, our Online Bulletin, Event Registrations, Event Calendar, Life Groups, Children's Ministry Check-in's and in the future, an Online Directory.
To download it, visit the appropriate app store below. Once it is downloaded, search for Long Grove Community Church.
In the office we saw the most significant tech
changes with the installation of a new phone system. The new phone system
allows the staff to receive texts, calls and voicemails that come in through
the main church phone line on their cell phones.
We have added a new ministry opportunity, called Gloo to the Digital Ministry. Gloo is an outreach opportunity to a hurting world around us. You may have seen some ads from their ministry partner, "He Gets Us" during the Super Bowl last week.
When someone is in need of help, and they search for help from a church online, they are directed to a website where they can watch a video that shares about Jesus, and how He can help with their struggles. From there they are invited to connect with a local church. We, as the church, receive a notification that allows us to begin a text conversation with the person.
After activating Gloo this fall, we had five people reach out to us about a variety of problems, including relationship, family, money and more. In less that a week we had five people reach out to us! Unfortunately, we had to put this ministry on hold because we don't have the capacity to keep up with the demand, especially in a world that is broken and hurting.
If you have a passion to help the hurting, this might be an opportunity for you to volunteer. If you want to learn more, please let me know!
Personally This Year...
I have seen a lot of change in my own life this past year. In April I adopted a German Shepard puppy named Mahalia, and after many years of waiting on God, I got engaged! In September, RJ's family came from the Philippines and we had a small and simple wedding ceremony and dinner here at the church on a beautiful day! Unfortunately, we didn't get to celebrate with all of our friends and family, so we look forward to celebrating our one year anniversary with those who couldn't join us! Thanks to the hands-on experience the AV volunteers have received this year, RJ and I were able to escape to Mackinaw City for our honeymoon. For the first time in over two years, I took a Sunday off!
In 2023 I look forward to....
Seeing what God is going to do with us!
As I sat down to type this up, the verse Matthew 11:28 came to mind, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” After almost three years of going pretty much non-stop, I started to feel burnt out this past year. I am making it a priority to take time to rest and reconnect with God on a more intimate level this year. I'm looking forward to how He will transform me from being a "doer" to someone who takes the time to connect with coworkers, volunteers, members of the congregation, visitors and most importantly, my husband.
As always, if you like to push buttons, we have a volunteer position available for you! Thank you for all of your support and patience over the past three years, I can’t wait to see what God does with our church!