Training at Silver Creek!

Our staff and interns went on a short retreat to Greyland, WA last week. It was fantastic and we had a great time! We spent hours talking, praying and dreaming about ministry and what we feel God is putting before us in the coming year. We are conscious of an ever-changing culture and it is critical that we be engaged in following God’s plan to accomplish His work. We looked at our Core Values, and we talked about how effective we have been in functioning within those values. Our Core Values are Worship, Connect, Invite, Train and Serve. We are always evaluating the effectiveness of ministry at Silver Creek. We want to stay relevant yet grounded.

One area we felt we could improve was in Training. We want to provide opportunities for all ages to grow and continue to be challenged. We have been effective in providing Invite events and Connect opportunities. We are excited about our entry points including FUSiON, Adult Worship and Student Ministries on Wednesday and Sunday nights but we also want to be conscious of the depth of ministry and ongoing growth.

This fall we are offering on a number of new Training opportunities. These classes and programs are directed at taking those already involved at Silver Creek to a deeper level. We know that it is critical to grow in depth of knowledge and in knowing God personally and relationally. If we are better equipped with Biblical knowledge and application then we are also more able to tell those, in other areas of our lives, about Jesus.

I am highlighting a number of these different Training opportunities. If you have any detailed questions please don’t hesitate to contact any of the staff we would be happy to discuss any of our programs with you!

In September we are kicking off, SWAP, a program for our 7th-12th graders. To further develop the Word of God as an important part of our students growth, SWAP will be used as a tool that will provide an in-depth study into God’s Word. It uses Bible study, fellowship and competition to get the word into the lives of our teens. This year the study will be on John. Participation can be at whatever level that works for your student’s needs. The basic level is time spent together in the Word trying to get the Big Picture and apply it as individuals. The higher levels would involve the students taking time to study and memorize key verses from John on their own. The level of participation is up to the discretion of the teen and their parents.

SWAP will be meeting on Sundays from 5-6 PM and will be led by Roger Sauter, Rain & Anne Sterns and our new High School Intern, Breanna Hemingway. We will be having a parent informational meeting about SWAP before our last two Summer Spectacular Showcase Events on August 22nd and 25th from 6-6:30 PM. We encourage any parents that are interested in knowing more about SWAP to attend one of those sessions. We feel this program is worth your time and know that an hour a week can make a huge difference. For more information please contact Roger Sauter at rlsauter@gmail.com.

We are also kicking off a Women’s Bible Study class on Thursday Evenings. They will be reading and discussing “Battlefield of the Mind” by Joyce Meyer. The class will start on September 9th and be offered every other Thursday. The ladies will be meeting for dinner at 6:15 PM and then moving to the study at 6:45 PM. Penny Bravo is taking the lead and Cidney Ratliff will be supporting her as needed. Signups will start soon, the course book only costs $9 and we believe this will be a powerful tool for all women interested in going a little deeper with their studies.

We are also launching another Financial Peace class on September 12th. This class is incredibly useful in taking control of your financial situation and looking for ways to find peace through the process. Many of those that have taken Financial Peace have been thrilled with its results. Consider this as an opportunity to grow in understanding and freedom in your financial decisions. The introductory video will be shown after church on the 12th and the following classes will be offered on Sunday afternoons at 4:30 PM.

As you can see, we are interested and committed to offering more training to you and those that you know. Please take advantage of these opportunities. We believe your time and energy will not be returned void. There are many volunteers that are making these new classes and programs possible. We believe in them and appreciate all that they do to make Silver Creek a challenging and engaging community!


God Bless! See you Sunday!
Elizabeth Volz