A Note from Pastor Roger

March 21st, 2024
by Jason Bergstrom

Good afternoon, Church Family!

Do you remember a couple of weeks ago when I asked you to keep a group of high school seniors and adults in your prayers over Spring Break? They spent last week in Canilla, Guatemala. As they stepped out of what's comfortable and known and into the uncomfortable and unknown, God began to work. Tim Yeager, our Student Pastor, has a report to share with us today on the impact that this trip had in the lives of our students.

Sixteen high school seniors used their last Spring Break of high school to serve God in the mountains of Guatemala. Isn't that beautiful?

The work consisted of visiting local schools where we provided new shoes for each student there, and then we washed their feet and shared the gospel of Jesus with them! We also visited an elderly refugee house where we helped with physical therapy, gardening, cooking and some of their nursing needs. The students were truly the hands and feet of Jesus to the people in Canilla!

But the most impactful thing, in my opinion, was the opportunity our students had to spend quality, quiet, uninterrupted time in God's Word, going through a study where every one of us was challenged to wrestle with the lies of the enemy and to exchange those lies for the truth of God. As it says in John 8:32, "the truth will set you free"! It was a blessing to hear all the ways God was speaking to each student's heart.

Each night we also created a safe place for students to share their testimony. We truly lived out James 5:16, which says "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed."

I am so thankful to be a part of a church that provides opportunities like this for our students!

Thank you for faithfully giving to the ministry so that lives are changed! Enjoy a few pictures from their life-changing trip below.

Next week is Holy Week, with Palm Sunday this weekend. We will have a Maundy Thursday service on March 28 as we share the Lord's Supper and worship; join us at West U Baptist or online for the livestream. Then, Easter Sunday is on March 31. We have ten services across all our campuses. For a complete list of times—as well as information on our Easter egg hunts on Saturday, March 30—visit cityrise.org/easter.

If you are unable to join us in person, you’re welcome to be with us online at one of our livestreamed services through the app, on our livestreams page, or at youtube.com/cityriseorg.

Don't forget to visit the CityRise Hub Weekly for upcoming events across all our campuses beyond Easter.

Stay Expectant,
Pastor Roger