A Note from Pastor Roger

Dear Church Family,

This week was a memorable and historic one in the Houston area, wasn’t it? We’ve had snow in Houston before, but this was snow. It was fun to see all the snowmen and snowball fights in our neighborhood and on social media. I hope you were safe and able to enjoy those two days and make some fun memories with your family and neighbors.

Speaking of memorable, did you know that our CityRise Bellaire location is coming up on its 20th anniversary? God has used that campus in mighty ways to lift the Bellaire community as well as our city because of its location; it’s a wonderful place to worship and hold events and to pour into those people and families who live in the area. God’s still doing amazing things with it as we’ve experienced through the amazing renovations last year and even by adding a second location to our A Children’s Village preschool there. Twenty years have flown by, and we’re excited to see what God will continue to do in the next twenty through CityRise Bellaire, in the community and throughout the city.

Lastly, as we think about our city, I’d like you to consider attending an important class that begins next week, especially if you feel the pull to stand up for those who can’t do so on their own. It’s called “FIGHT for Freedom,” and its goal is to educate and arm you to combat human trafficking. Human trafficking is an evil that is both known and hidden, and Houston ranks first among major US cities in the number of reported cases. The sex industry is massively lucrative at the expense of safety, abuse, and exploitation, and it’s everywhere. You can be a voice in the fight. Next week begins the six-week course that will teach you about the industry, effective action steps, how to protect our children, and how the church is important in this fight. Register today at cityrise.org/fightforfreedom.

Have a great weekend warming up, Church Family. We’ll see you on Sunday.


Expectant,
Pastor Roger