New Year, Same God (January 8, 2023)

Year 2022 – WOW, What a Year. We could look at the bad that has happened, but, let’s look at the good things God did.

• Mission Programs (Ann’s New Life, Benevolence, Camp Utopia, General Missions, Home for Children, YWEA) ~ $15,653.85

• Church of God State and International Mission Programs and Office Functions ~ $11,500.44

• Families Helped at Christmas Time ~ 5 Families Connected to CV

Budget for 2023

• Total Budget $186,375.81

• Church Office Supplies, Software, Cleaning Supplies, Insurance ~ 3.93%

• Church Mission Programs ~ $25,7000

• Ann’s New Life

• Backpack Buddies

• Benevolence Programs

• Camp Utopia

• General Missions

• Home for Children

• YWEA

• State and International Mission Programs and Office Functions ~ $12,000

• Pastor’s Salary ~ $33,956 ~ 18.22%

• Utilities ~ 8.55% (We increased Power by 4% from last year)

• Capital Fundraising Program for Sanctuary Units

• $52,500 over 3 years

• $17,500 each year

Why do I tell all this?

It takes all of us knowing where we are going in order to get there. By knowing what God has already done at Coosa Valley and seeing where we are going, we ALL can be working towards the same goal.

How do we get there? FAITH

Habakkuk 2:2-3 ~ “And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.”

God wants any vision made plain for all to be able to see it and God will do what He is going to do on His timetable, we need to FOCUS on His Plan and not ours. Too many times churches and church folks get their own agenda about what God “wants” to do and everyone starts doing what they want instead of what God wants.

Judges 17:6 ~ “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”

When everyone follows their own plans and not the vision laid out by God, everyone just does what is right in their own eyes, this brings chaos and confusion.

We find in Judges 17, three basic institutions of society: the family, the church and the government. All three were founded by God when He created Adam and Eve and began the first family upon earth. Through them, the first church community began and rules were established to govern the relationships were born. These rules became the basis for government. Now think for a moment:

• If the family disintegrates or ceases to be, there will be no society or life upon the earth. Also, if the family becomes morally corrupt – if spouses and children give themselves over to depravity – then society and government become morally corrupt and decayed.

• If the church community becomes morally corrupt – the church, the synagogues and the temples – then society and government become morally corrupt and decayed.

• If the government and its laws become morally corrupt – unjust and immoral – then society disintegrates and collapses. The way we relate to one another becomes unjust and immoral.

Do we see what happened in Judges 17 happening today? What do we do? What direction to we need to go?

I have prayed and I believe that, just like in years past, God has given, as the Pastor of Coosa Valley Church of God, a THEME for the Year 2023 for Coosa Valley Church of God. Over the next few weeks, we are going to look at each of these four words individually and moving throughout this year, we are going to dig into His Word deeper and deeper.

• SEPARATION

• SALVATION

• SERVICE

• STEWARDSHIP

I am excited to see where God is going to take Coosa Valley in 2023!!!