Patton family - Christmas 2023
2023 Year in Review
Growth:
2023 was a tremendous year for growth. We baptized 8 and added a total of 27 new members bringing our membership up to 85. We have visitors nearly every Sunday, and our average attendance runs between 90-110.
New families:
Focus Church has always drawn young people. The average age of our members has hovered around 30 with more than half of our members being single young adults. This year we were pleased to add two new couples in their 50s, who add some age and experience. We also added several new families with young children to bring more balance to the church. We were excited to launch a new Sunday school class for preschool children and to see growth in the class for school-aged children.
Increase in Giving:
We also saw a tremendous increase in giving this past year. Giving was about 75% higher than 2022. This has allowed us to rent the additional office space and move our Sunday services into the much larger auditorium.
Additional Staff:
It was also a blessing to have one of our elders, Leandro Torres, join the staff full time in March. Leandro oversees our media team, finances, and also helps with teaching, discipleship, administrative responsibilities and counseling. His addition has freed me up to focus more on preaching, leadership development and vision.
Financial needs:
The move to the larger auditorium demanded significant investments in sound and media equipment. We are still using borrowed/rented equipment in our sound system because we do not have the funds yet to purchase what is needed. The estimated cost of the needed equipment is $8,000. If you would be interested in contributing toward this need, please drop me a line and let me know.
Goals for 2024:
· Launch leadership training for a new group of 8-12 future leaders.
· Launch a youth ministry.
· Increase effectiveness in evangelism and outreach.
· Begin laying the foundations for our next church plant.
We wish you all a very blessed and Christ-centered new year. Thank you so much for your faithful prayers and support of our ministry. We couldn’t do it without you!
Marc and Charin Patton
Support Address: Global Faith Mission Agency, P.O. Box 3326, Chattanooga, TN 37404
Sending Church: Trinity Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Florida
