Dear Neighborhood Vineyard Family,

This is an exciting time for us at the Neighborhood Vineyard Church. We have started a  journey to complete our first capital stewardship campaign, called Crossing Over - Reaching Neighborhoods and Nations. I believe that God is going to do a great miracle right before our eyes as we step out in faith believing that God will provide a place that we can call home.

In June of 2010 the Lord reminded me of the book of Joshua and its story of how the people of Israel were led out of the desert and into the land that God promised them. Joshua tells the story of God's faithfulness to his people and how they crossed over the Jordan River from a nomadic existence to a place they could call home. In Joshua 3:17, the river did not part for God's people until the Levites actually stepped into the water believing in faith that God would act on their behalf. All it took was their simple act of faith to step into the water, and God responded with a miracle to bring them into the land of promise.

I believe the Lord is saying, "Now is the time!" to cross the river from a "nomadic" existence of meeting in a school, to finding and inhabiting a place of our own. This step of faith is a big one, but I want to remind you of the challenge God gave to Joshua and the people to, "Be strong and courageous!" (Joshua 1:6, 7, 18). This stewardship campaign has the potential to unify our church in ways that we cannot imagine as we step out in faith together.

In faith together,

Pastor Jim