As we make the turn towards 2018, I wanted to take a moment on this “Giving Tuesday” to say “Thank You.” Thank you for being a generous church. I’m not sure when “Giving Tuesday” became a thing, but I am so thankful that I am part of a church that gets generosity. And Western Hills, you get it.

We gave away more money this year to missions work than in any time since I’ve been here (9 years). We sponsored more folks on missions trips. We sent 13 people to Honduras to minister with Trash Mountain Project. We increased our giving to Christian Challenge and IMB missionaries serving in closed countries. We sponsored more kids in our Upward Programs. We supplied backpacks and school supplies for all of McCarter Elementary. We bought Blotch books for a special needs ministry. We had a massive response to both Sharefest and BackSnacks.

That’s not even the whole list either. So let me say it again – Thank YOU!

As you wrap up your year-end giving, I hope Western Hills is on your list. When you financially support the ministries at Western Hills, it has both a local and global impact. I am both proud and humbled to be a part of a church that is so focused on ministering to those outside of our own walls.

A couple of reminders as we wrap-up 2017:

1. The cut-off date for tax-deductible gifts for 2017 is December 30, 2017. If you mail in your check, be sure to make sure it is dated on or before that date.

2. Online givers: REMEMBER TO RENEW YOUR PASSWORD! Our online giving system requires every user to renew their password at least once a year and to sign back up for online giving. The reason is simple. We care about the security of online giving, AND we never want to take your giving for granted.

Give Online

An Invitation To Start 2018
Over the next couple of weeks, you are going to hear about what God has put on my heart for 2018 during our services. A few months ago, I was challenged with a quote from Dallas Willard. I’m paraphrasing here, but this was the essence of it:

There are scores of people who die and go to hell every day because the reality of Jesus was never lived out in front of them.

This started a whole line of questions for me. What does living out the reality of Jesus look like for an individual? For an entire church? What does a church look like that takes seriously living out the reality of Jesus for those far from the Gospel?

We are going to explore these question and more in the first teaching series of the year, We Are The Church. I urge you to attend this first series of the year AND get involved in one of our Connect Groups that will be covering the same material. More details are coming.

Let me say this one more time – THANK YOU, WESTERN HILLS! Thank you for being a part of impacting Topeka and beyond by your giving to the ministries of Western Hills Church.

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9:7