October 26, 2026

Dear Church Family!

Believe it or not, 2027 is bearing down and will be upon us before we know it! That means I am entering into my fourth year as pastor at Edgewater. Time flies! I absolutely love being your pastor, and I am as thrilled today to be here as I have ever been.

As I look ahead to 2027, I would like to invite you into one of my famous experiments.

Every year, I spend a great deal of time in prayer and discernment, seeking God’s direction for our congregation. Generally, I develop a year-long plan for sermons, Bible studies, and discipleship opportunities so our staff and ministry teams know where we’re headed.

But this year, I’d like to do something a little different. I want to invite you into that process of discernment.

At Edgewater, we talk a lot about becoming more and maturing disciples of Jesus. That’s not just something we say; it’s what we’re here to do! And if we’re serious about helping one another grow in our life with Jesus, we need to understand what’s helping, what’s missing, and where God might be inviting us to grow.

That’s where you come in.

Attached is our 2027 Discipleship Survey. It shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes (probably much less!), and I’m asking everyone to take a few moments to complete it.

Your responses will be kept confidential. Only Pastor Josh and I will read the individual surveys, and we’ll share only a summary of what we learn with our leadership teams and congregation. You may complete the survey anonymously, but I would encourage you to include your name. Doing so allows us to follow up, ask clarifying questions, or respond to any questions you might have.

More than anything, I’m asking you to be thoughtful and honest. We aren’t looking for particular answers. We genuinely want to learn from you.

On November 15, we’ll gather for our next Family Meeting, and I hope to share some of what we’ve learned from this experiment and how it might help shape our discipleship opportunities in the coming year.

Thank you for being part of this process. I’m grateful that we get to follow Jesus together, and I’m excited about what God has in store for Edgewater in 2027 and beyond!

Please complete the survey by Sunday, November 8.

Grace and peace,
Pastor Jim