At the beginning of 2020, we felt the Holy Spirit saying to us “THERE’S MORE - and it’s found in community.” God placed a dream in our hearts that we all would find our people and become a community who are connected, not just by attending Sunday services, but a community of people who know each other. To know that you belong.

If 2020 showed us anything it’s that we need each other. We need to be with other people. We saw and felt how unhealthy isolation can be. Of course, God knew this from the very beginning – “It’s not good for man (people) to be alone.”  We were made for community.  

The early church understood this truth. They met publicly for worship and teaching from their leaders.  And they also met together in smaller settings. “They broke bread together in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts” (Acts 2:46).
 
We believe that is more than just an historical reference. It speaks to something fundamental about being a church. We meet in larger public spaces, and we meet together in smaller settings where we can get to know someone over a meal and share a bit our lives with others.

This year, we will continue to pursue this dream of community in large and small settings. There’s still more.

As we sought the Lord during this past year, we felt the Holy Spirit give us some more pieces to the picture of community at FFC.  

We see a thriving Culture of Belonging that permeates every aspect of our church.
No one wants to be an outsider.
Everyone wants to feel like they belong, like they can say…  
I’m welcome and wanted.
Someone knows me.  
I belong here.
 
This “culture” is a sense of belonging that flows from our public meetings into our smaller social settings and even developing into close friendships.

We want to facilitate that flow with leaders who can guide all of us into our next steps into community so that everyone can see the ways they can belong at FFC – from public services to smaller groups, from serving opportunities to finding close friends.

And we will continue to develop our Connect Groups so that everyone who wants to experience that level of belonging can find a group that is right for them.  
 
Imagine…
Imagine a large church where no one feels left out, where no one is a stranger.
Imagine a clear pathway for Next Steps in our journey of belonging.
Imagine a church with a clear and easy way to connect with a group of people who enjoy each other’s company, who are coming to know one other, and who care about each other’s spiritual journey.  
This culture of belonging is what we want everyone to experience at FFC.

We see a church that accepts the spiritual journey of broken people, and does so with patience and kindness, rather than strict rules and regulations.

We see a church that allows people to make their journey toward God at their own speed.

None of us has arrived. All of us are journeying out of brokenness. And the most gracious thing we can do is to journey with each other, understanding that we are all in different seasons of our lives, knowing we all need God’s grace.

Jesus told a story about a wayward son, a loving father and an older brother. The older brother was upset. His no-good sibling took half the inheritance and squandered it, and then crawled back home after going broke.  And instead of a reprimand, his father had welcomed him and thrown him a party! What!?

The father was longing and waiting for his young son, looking to the bottom of hill where the long, winding road led up to the farm.  He ran to the bottom of the hill to meet the young man on his journey.

But not the older brother, no sir! He had no tolerance for that kind of waywardness. He had no patience for his brother’s long journey home. So, he refused to join in the celebration, even though his father pleaded with him.

We don’t know what the older brother decided in the end. Jesus didn’t finish the story. Because it’s still being written… by US.

What will we decide? Will we welcome the wayward “brother or sister”? Will we patiently journey with them on their road back home to God?

We believe that God will help us respond as Jesus asks us in his unfinished story.   

FFC Kids was launched by Pastor Marjie in 1992, and from that time to this, children’s ministry has been central and vital to this church. Kids Town, our 1950’s themed facility, was designed by Marjie’s sister and Pastor John Temple led volunteers to build it out. It has been lovingly hand-crafted and is a place where children can have fun and thrive in their relationship with God. Each class is staffed with teachers who are gifted and motivated to see your child learn about God’s love for them at their age level.

FFC Youth meets in the Zone, a fully equipped auditorium and activity space that designed with them in mind.  It’s a place for your students to gather that’s their own space.

FFC Kids and FFC Youth are two of the most important ministries we have at Faith Family Church. That’s why we invested in providing excellent facilities for them. Our Educational Building allows us to give our kids and students the very best.

Our vision for children and youth only grows stronger and clearer, and we think the facility speaks to the priority we place on the future leaders of our church.

Debt Reduction

We want to invite you to invest in paying off this building. Over the past seven years, your HFTH giving has enabled us to pay down $1.1m of principle on this mortgage. We think this is one of the most powerful tools we have to equip our Next Generations.

Compassion Focus 
This year we are going to focus on the hurting in our own community through: 

• Providing fresh food for the families we serve through our Streetlights Food Ministry
• St. Vincent dePaul in East St. Louis, a ministry that feeds the homeless every day, provides clothing, job help, and numerous other services.
• Providing summer lunches for under resourced students at Shiloh’s Whiteside school.
• Providing school Back Packs through Kids for Christ (St. Clair County).    

Here are three steps to determine your faith commitment.

Ask God to show you what part he wants you to play in this vision. This is the first and most important step in preparing your hearts. Ask God what he wants you to give. Ask him to show you creative ways to give the amount he is indicating.

Let God move you beyond what is easy or comfortable. Let him stretch your faith. We can’t all give the same amount, but we can all make an equal sacrifice. Have an open heart to hear what sacrifice God wants you to make.

We serve an awesome God. So trust that he will provide what he tells you to give, even if it’s greater than the resources you can readily identify or expect. Leave room for God to move powerfully for you this year.

Let us know that you're "in" by filling out your commitment card at myffc.info.

We're excited to celebrate what God has done in 2020 and share the vision for 2021.

JAN 31
CELEBRATION SUNDAY

We'll spend time during both services celebrating how God showed up in 2020! You'll get to hear some amazing stories of ways that your giving has impacted the lives of others.

FEB 07
VISION SUNDAY

Pastor Rick will share his vision for what is ahead for FFC in 2021. There's STILL more! 

FEB 14
COMMITMENT SUNDAY

This is when we each get to say, "I'm in!" on what God has for us in the year ahead.