2026 Annual Meeting

Dear York Alliance Family,

Grace and peace to each of you in the Name of the Lord Jesus!

We are approaching the end of the calendar year once again, which means that holiday celebrations will be soon upon us, our hearts will once again focus on the beauty of the incarnation, and before we know it, the new year will be here! And of course, in the midst of all of this, we’ll hold our Annual Meeting, where we will gather together across campuses, connect, and look at the year that was while looking forward at what will be.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Christian & Missionary Alliance, the Annual Meeting is the highest authority in the local church. Practically, it includes the election of leadership and the Nominating Committee for the coming year. It also includes the packet that you are holding in your hand, which contains the reports from all pastors and ministry leaders reporting on 2026 and looking ahead into 2027.

Our desire this year is for our Annual Meeting to be a celebration of the way God is moving across our campuses. Please note the following dates and information:

• The Annual Meeting will be held at 6:00pm on Sunday, November 22, with a light dinner gathering being held from 5:00-5:45 in the Student Center and lower parking lot at the YAC building. The meeting will then be held in the Sanctuary at 6:00pm, with childcare provided for ages 10 and under.
• The Nominating Committee’s slate of nominees for 2027 is included in this Annual Report. With the consent of the nominee, a member of the congregation may also nominate candidates. These can be communicated to any member of the nominating committee (Debbie Richard, Earl Peace, Dianne Jones, and Adam Silverman). Nominations must be submitted no later than Friday, November 6.
• Finally, we are also asking the body to submit candidates for the 2027 Nominating Committee prior to the Annual Meeting as well. The Nominating Committee is made up of members of the York Alliance Family of Churches who will meet at least three times throughout the coming year, listen to the Holy Spirit and give names of people whom they feel would best fill the expiring positions on the Governing Board. These candidates can be submitted to the church office or by email at questions@yorkalliance.org any time prior to Wednesday, November 12 and also must have the acceptance of the nominee.
• In this packet, you will find the ministry reports for the coming year as well as the proposed budget for 2027. Individual campus budgets are available by request. Please review both the budget and the explanatory report on the budget. Each of us are encouraged to review the reports contained within this packet and ask any questions or make any comments that we would like to have addressed at the Annual Meeting. Please do this prior to the meeting itself by sending questions, comments, and thoughts to questions@yorkalliance.org or sending a card with your question to the main office. You are strongly encouraged to connect your name to these questions/comments.
• Finally, in this packet you will find several bylaw changes that will need to be addressed by congregational vote. Please see my report for an explanation of these changes and additions.
• In addition to this format for questions, we will also have a Town Hall meeting on Sunday night, November 15 at 6:00pm. This will allow you several weeks to read and digest reports and the budget proposal for 2027. The Town Hall meeting will be held in the Hub at York Alliance.

I encourage each of us to review this packet carefully, and to plan to attend the Annual Meeting on Sunday, November 22! If you have any questions, please contact me at bkannel@yorkalliance.org.

In Him,

Congregational Meeting Agenda

Sunday, November 22, 2026
6:00 pm

1. OPENING PRAISE AND PRAYER
2. CALL TO ORDER
3. APPOINTMENT OF TELLERS
4. ROLL CALL
5. ADOPTION OF MEETING AGENDA
6. BUSINESS
   1. Minutes from December 7, 2025, Congregational Meeting
   2. Election of Officers for 2027 and Nominating Committee for 2027
   3. Constitution and bylaw changes
   4. Special privilege to YAC leadership team
   5. Proposed 2027 Schedule of Finances
7. CLOSING
8. ADJOURNMENT

INITIAL SLATE OF NOMINEES FOR 2027

GOVERNING BOARD - YORK ALLIANCE FAMILY OF CHURCHES

Bold Type indicates expiring officers & new nominees for 2027

On narrow screens, scroll the table horizontally. Keyboard users can focus the table region and use the arrow keys. Blank nominee cells preserve the unfilled lines in the original. Underlined names follow the original.

With the consent of the nominee, a member of the congregation may make nominations to any of the Nominating Committee (Debbie Richard, Earl Peace, Dianne Jones, Adam Silverman).

Nominations must be submitted to the church office no later than November 6.

Congregational Meeting

Sunday, December 7, 2025 6:00 PM

Call to Order

Pastor Brian called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM.

Opening and Prayer

Earl Peace, an elder at York Alliance (YAC) and the representative elder for Stewartstown Alliance (SAC), opened the meeting with prayer.

1. The worship team led the congregation in several songs of praise. Pastor Brian reminded those gathered that though we are here for business, it’s right and good to begin with worship so we don’t forget that whatever we do, it’s all about Jesus.
2. As part of the Christian & Missionary Alliance denomination, we need to hold at least one congregational gathering per year. Anytime the congregation is together in official form, it is the highest ecclesiastical authority within the local church. As a multi-campus church, if you are part of any of the individual churches, you are a member of the York Alliance Family of Churches (YAFC). From a procedural standpoint, everyone is allowed to vote unless it is deemed a members-only vote.

Appointment of Tellers

A motion was made to appoint the following tellers:
Ken Foreman, Ben Sawyer, Jake Schuhly and Dana Werner
Seconded  Approved X

Roll Call

Attendees were asked to sign in and indicate their membership status. There were 100 members and 10 adherents in attendance. Ballots for items requiring a vote were distributed at the registration table.

Adoption of Meeting Business Agenda

A motion was made to adopt the agenda as presented:
Seconded  Approved X

Business

1. Adoption of 2024 Congregational Meeting Minutes

A motion was made to approve the December 1, 2024 minutes as written.
Seconded  Approved X

2. Election of Officers for 2026

A motion was made for the secretary to cast a unanimous ballot on behalf of the body electing all nominees for 2026, since all were unopposed.
Seconded  Approved X

3. Election of Nominating Committee 2026

1. This is a very significant role and becoming even more significant as we grow into a multi-campus church. The committee is made up of four lay people, all members, from any campus. Two people are elected by the congregation, and two are appointed by the Governing Board. Pastor Brian is the fifth member of the committee. In the past, the Nominating Committee had to know people, but now with multiple campuses they must get to know people. This involves extra work in addition to meetings throughout the year.
2. The congregation was reminded that, unlike the previous church directory in One Church, the Planning Center app requires that individuals ‘opt in’ to be listed in the directory. As the Nominating Committee works across multiple campuses, it is increasingly important for everyone to be included in the Planning Center directory. Directions for opting in were sent by email, and help is available by contacting the church front office.

Nominees: Dianne Jones, Dave Lippiatt, Debbie Richard and Adam Silverman

Congregational vote: Dianne Jones and Debbie Richard

4. Special Privilege to YAC Leadership Team:

1. The goal tonight is to provide a broad-level overview and update, and then share several stories. Pastor Brian directed the congregation to a slide with logos representing the current family of churches: York Alliance, Mosaic City, Spring Grove Alliance, and Stewartstown Alliance. Our vision is that we would be a family of churches under one unified governance structure, with one membership. This allows us to be in relationship and on mission.

2. Often when new churches are planted, they grow quickly, then as they shift attention to church organization, growth falls off. Our intent is to focus on mission as much as possible and rely on a few called people to serve as the governing authority. We want to streamline church planting so when a church is planted there’s an existing structure, system, and level of support allowing each to start and grow quickly. We want to be a number of churches, under a single governance, formation based, practicing the way of Jesus, reaching places where people are not currently following Jesus and encouraging each another along the way.
3. As an entire YAFC body, we plan to meet twice yearly, once for the annual meeting and once in the summer for fellowship, prayer and worship. There will also be many other opportunities to partner through the year.
4. As an example of partnering together and how God is moving among us, members from each YAFC told stories that highlighted the themes God has placed on Pastor Brian’s heart for this year: Faith-filled Risks, Establishing for the Long Haul, and Committing to One Another.

Lindsey Harling, YAC, Faith-Filled Risks. Lindsey shared that she was on staff at YAC but in 2024, after the birth of her son Ezekiel and a change to her husband’s career, she felt God leading her to resign and be a stay-at-home wife and mom. At that time, she felt she was drifting from God, trying to do everything on her own rather than trust him. In early 2025, they learned they were expecting a second child. Lindsey was seeing negative affects from trying to live apart from God. Begrudgingly, last fall she stepped into Redemption Group. God began softening her heart, reminding her that he is kind, faithful and just. This Christmas time, Lindsey will deliver her second child, and she knows that God will be with them as he has always been, and she is grateful.

Kimberly Cole, Spring Grove Alliance (SGA), Establishing for the Long Haul.
Kimberly shared about the September 18^th vigil held at SGA to honor the killed and injured police officers from the community. As a greeter during the vigil, she talked and prayed with a young man named Justin who drove from Allentown to attend the service. The Holy Spirit called Kim to pray with him. About a month later, Justin wrote to the church saying that he was grateful for the vigil and Kim’s prayer which motivated him to become more in touch with his faith. In the past few months, God has impressed on Kim the words “live life ready” or LLR for short. 1 Pet 3:15 tells us to be ready to give an account of the hope we have.
Kim closed by telling of a woman she sees who lives across from the church. Kim sees her come out to her porch to smoke and each time she prays for her and the Spring Grove community. Through this woman, God gives Kim hope for all the people of Spring Grove who will come to know him. When we establish for the long haul, we love and serve the communities God invites us into for the foreseeable future.

Mike Kolsevich, Mosaic City Church, Truly Committing to One Another (video presentation). Mike spoke about Mosaic stepping back from holding Sunday morning worship services for a time of rest at York Alliance. That kind of transition can cause people to feel they have failed and to wonder what God is doing. But God has been present with Mosaic as they connect to one another and continue outreach engagements through First Sunday Suppers and the Friday night youth ministry. Tonight’s presentation is by video because Mosaic is serving supper to their community this first Sunday night. Through these suppers, Mosaic has successfully developed relationships with several families. One family has been bringing their kids regularly to Friday youth gatherings. Also, Mosaic participates in a free basketball program hosted by Logos Academy. The program was expanded this year, allowing more kids to participate and providing Mike the opportunity to coach a team.

Five of the boys from the Albemarle Park youth program joined Mike’s team, and it was amazing to see the boys work together and build trust. It has been encouraging to see God move through these connections even during a season of rest or retreat. God is not in retreat; he is still moving!

One of the things Mosaic lamented when they stopped Sunday morning worship was the opportunity to invite people to their service. On their second week at YA, Mosaic members noticed a woman from their community visiting YA. They had invited her, but she never attended Mosaic. They were able to connect with her and invite her into fellowship. Even from YA, God allows Mosaic to minister.

Caroline Bean, Stewartstown Alliance Church, Truly Committing to One Another.
Caroline spoke of how SAC was started from their small community group. The group was like an extended family, loving and caring for each another in the power of the Spirit. That culture has shaped the new church. Their fellowship doesn’t end on Sunday mornings but carries through the week. As God grows them internally, he’s also opening doors in the community. As an example, Caroline told of a pastor from New Freedom who offered SAC their building to hold Christmas Eve services. Since SAC meets in a local elementary school, it can be challenging to find space outside Sunday morning gatherings. Since the New Freedom church closed last month, their congregation plans to join SAC for their service. God continues to provide in ways we could never orchestrate. They are grateful for how their story began and expectant for what God will do in the future.

5. The Special Privilege ended with the congregation praying over each of the campuses that make up the YAFC. Jonas Wharton prayed over Mosaic, Jeff Bean prayed for Spring Grove Alliance, Asa Sturtevant prayed over Stewartstown Alliance, and Chris Smith prayed for York Alliance.

5. Proposed 2026 Schedule of Finances:

1. Pastor Brian provided pie charts detailing budget expenditure categories. A copy of the 2026 annual budget was provided in the Annual Report. Attendees were asked to cast a ballot to affirm the proposed budget by contributing their tithes and offering during the upcoming year. Upon tallying, the votes were as follows:
   98 yes  2 no
2. Pastor Nate provided a video presentation regarding an upcoming change to our online giving application. On January 1^st, we will move from Tithe.ly to the Church Center app for giving. The video explained how to cancel an existing recurring transaction and establish a new one. The change will save the church approximately $250 per month in giving fees.

Adjournment: Pastor Brian provided a benediction and, without objection, the meeting was adjourned at 7:40PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Deborah Csutoras
Secretary

BYLAW CHANGES

ARTICLE I
NAME

The official name under which this church is incorporated or organized is The Christian and Missionary Alliance of York, Inc.

Proposed Amendment:
Section A. The Christian and Missionary Alliance of York, PA. shall be referred to as the York Alliance Family of Churches. Individual campuses within the York Alliance Family of Churches will be as identified in the “York Alliance Family of Churches Strategy, Structure, and Polity” document, which will be managed by the York Alliance Family of Churches Governing Board.

ARTICLE VIII
PASTORAL STAFF

The governance authority shall not give consideration to any candidate for the pastoral staff without the approval of the district superintendent. Pastoral staff members shall be called by the governance authority and appointed by the district superintendent. The district superintendent shall suggest to the governance authority the names of such workers as in his judgment have proper qualifications for pastoral staff. Upon appointment by the district superintendent, a pastoral staff member and spouse become members of this church. Pastoral staff include all those whose position calls for licensing as an “official worker,” as defined in the General Regulations in the Manual of The Christian and Missionary Alliance.

Any member of the pastoral staff may resign from this church by giving due notice of this intention to the district superintendent and the governance authority. The governance authority may, in conjunction with the district superintendent, ask for the resignation of any member of the pastoral staff. Before such action is taken, the governance authority and that member shall follow the guidelines prescribed by the district superintendent. The district superintendent, with the approval of the District Executive Committee, shall have the authority to remove or transfer a member of the pastoral staff when the governance authority is in disagreement or whenever circumstances make such removal or transfer advisable.

Section 1. Application of Requirements. The requirements of regulations concerning the Lead Pastor in Article IX, Section 1 shall apply to all pastoral staff of this church.

Section 2. Calling of Pastoral Staff. The Governing Board shall call pastoral staff only after the recommendation of the Lead Pastor. The Governing Board shall keep the congregation appropriately informed on the status of calling pastoral staff.

Section 3. Resignation of Pastoral Staff. The Lead Pastor, with the approval of the Governing Board, may request the resignation of any member of the pastoral staff.

Proposed Amendment:
Section 4. The Campus Pastor of any campus within the York Alliance Family of Churches must meet the qualifications of an Elder, pursuant to the policies of the Christian and Missionary Alliance.

Explanation of Proposed Bylaw Changes

As we continue to work as a governance authority to align our bylaws and policies with our new reality, it has come to our attention that two bylaw changes would be prudent in order to clarify our policies and establish the structure of the Family of Churches with integrity and clarity. Bylaw changes/additions, as are being proposed, require a 2/3 majority affirmative vote.

Change #1: Naming the Family of Churches

This bylaw is being proposed because the entity we refer to as the “York Alliance Family of Churches” (YAFC) does not currently exist as a legal/constitutional entity. The current Governing Board acts as governance over each of the campuses, as well as the unified entity we refer to as the YAFC. By defining this name, legally known as a “fictitious name” or a “doing business as” entity, we are stating that the organization detailed within the constitution and bylaws is the entire Family of Churches, not just one individual church.

Change #2: Establishing Campus Pastors as Elder qualified leaders

The Uniform Constitution and Bylaws of the C&MA only provide for two categories of pastors: Lead Pastors and Staff Pastors. Under the recent action taken by General Council in 2025, Staff Pastors can be anyone, male or female, who are licensed by the C&MA and called into pastoral ministry by the Governing Board. Lead Pastors, however, must meet the qualifications of Elder because they are definitionally part of the Elder board, and therefore, they must be male. “Campus Pastor” is not a category previously defined by the Constitution and therefore could be viewed as either a Staff Pastor or a Lead Pastor, leaving a “loophole” of sorts within our bylaws. It is the understanding of the Governing Board that the implied will of the C&MA leadership is that pastors of congregations be Elders and therefore must also be male. As such, we believe that we would be acting in integrity under the authority of the C&MA if we define Campus Pastors as a unique category within the Pastoral Staff and require them to meet the qualifications of Elder as defined by the C&MA. This action closes that loophole by explicitly defining the qualifications of Campus Pastors.

York Alliance FAMILY OF CHURCHES

Budget Summary for 2027

Giving Goal and Budget Summary Statement

With all the changes taking place within the Family of Churches both this year and in 2027, it is challenging to estimate an accurate giving goal for 2027. Changes in personnel, changes to buildings, and limited historical data for some of our campuses make this a moving target. Nonetheless, it is necessary to develop as accurate a picture as possible of giving across the Family of Churches for the upcoming year. The following data represents a summary of the work done by the Operations team and the Executive Committee on Finance and Personnel (XCFP) in order to develop an estimate that is as accurate as possible.

Future Financial State

Assumptions

• Assuming giving is returning to non-seasonal levels (lower in the summer than the Spring and Fall)
• Assuming attendance continues to be steady and even increasing
• Assuming giving will follow a similar pattern as last year

York Alliance Family of Churches 2027 Giving Goal Calculations

Using similar assumptions as above, the following end of year giving estimates were calculated.

*Due to a lack of historical data for SAC a 20% increase was estimated through the end of the year which is a conservative estimate based on similar increases experienced at YAC and SGA.
** ValleyView EOY giving is estimated based on an average giving throughout the year

York Alliance Family of Churches Giving Goal 2027

Several factors were considered when estimating the 2027 giving goals for each campus. Those considerations are listed below.

York Alliance: With a number of personnel changes being made, and the fact that the church will most likely end the year at less than budget, the Finance Committee (FC) suggested keeping the giving goal flat going into the new year, or at $1,190,000.

Spring Grove: Spring Grove continues to show an increase in attendance throughout the year, with a significant increase following the move into its new building. Giving year-to-date is up 10% compared to the same period in 2025. Because it was anticipated that Spring Grove would move into its new facility earlier in the year, a significant increase to the 2026 budget was proposed, totaling $309,000. With estimated giving through the end of 2026 projected at $241,692, it was decided to keep the 2027 budget near the current level, at $308,750.

Stewartstown Alliance: Like Spring Grove, Stewartstown has shown an increase in both attendance and giving since planting one year ago. Because Stewartstown planted in October 2025, there is no historical data available for comparison. However, based on strong giving projected through the end of 2026, a 25% growth rate has been used to calculate the 2027 giving goal, resulting in a projected budget of $137,400.

Mosaic City Church: Mosaic's giving has been kept separate over the past year in anticipation of a possible relaunch at some point. Their end of year numbers are based on their current averages and no real change is planned going into 2027 at this point for general giving. Their giving goal for 2027 is set at $33,900.

ValleyView Alliance: Historical data for ValleyView was not readily available; however, estimated giving for the upcoming year is expected to increase over 2026 due to anticipated growth following the spring relaunch, as well as the addition of several strong core team members to the congregation. ValleyView's 2027 giving goal is set at $164,750, which represents approximately a 25% increase over its 2025 giving.

Hanover Alliance: Hanover is projected to launch in September of 2027 with no giving coming in until that time. Their giving goal for the last four months of 2027 has been estimated at $33,900 using numbers from those who have expressed interest in being a part of the church plant.

York Alliance Family of Churches: Totaling the giving goals for each campus results in a Family of Churches giving goal of $1,869,145 for 2027

York Alliance Family of Churches 2027 Budget Proposal Summary

When rolling up all of the campus budgets into the Family of Churches budget, the total giving goal for 2027 will be $1,869,145. This is a 11% increase over the 2026 budget. It does, however, include the ValleyView campus which was not included in the 2026 budget. If ValleyView is removed from the 2027 budget, the result is a slight increase of 2.5% year over year.

However, a better comparison would be calculating the change in the end of year giving estimate versus the new budget. This will show the true increase needed to achieve the budget. Using the $1,607,115 estimate calculated above against the 2027 budget income of $1,869,145 shows an increase of 16%. This is a significant increase in revenue to support the budgets of all the campuses.

While this represents a significant increase in income in order to achieve the 2027 budget, we believe that the budget is reasonable given the growth trajectory of each of the churches within the family. However, due to the significant increase, the Executive Pastor of Operations will be developing a contingency plan that would address shortfalls, which will be approved by the Board. Also, the XCFP will be meeting before the end of the year and quarterly throughout 2027, in order to monitor income versus expenses and suggest changes based on the contingency plan.

Budget Highlights

Church Planting Resident - It should be noted that both Spring Grove and York Alliance budgets do not balance. This is a result of moving the Church Plant Resident line item, which encompasses a portion of Jonerik Santiago's salary, benefits and training expenses, from the York campus to the Spring Grove campus. This transition will fall more in line with what is actually happening in practice because he is spending the majority of his actual training time at Spring Grove. This change does not affect the overall budget for the Family of Churches.

Operations Staff Expenses - As campuses were planted within the Family of Churches, the long-term plan was to allocate the cost of shared support staff across all campuses. Over the past several years, the York Alliance office staff has grown and taken on an increasingly significant support role for the entire Family of Churches. As Pastor Brian steps into the Lead Pastor role for the Family of Churches and the Operations Team assumes greater responsibility for supporting all campuses, the salaries and benefits of these staff will now be allocated proportionally across the campuses. The net effect is a decrease in York Alliance's personnel expenses and a corresponding increase in the personnel expenses reflected in the budgets of the other campuses.

Overall Staffing Changes - The 2027 budget includes the salaries and benefits of all of the personnel changes being made for the new year. This includes a new campus pastor and NextGen pastor for York Alliance, as well as a part time Children's Ministry assistant and Front Office Assistant.

Considering these details, the following chart shows the breakdown of the budget across the York Alliance Family of Churches:

However, we recognize that with a large percentage of the budget going toward staffing, it can be hard to understand what ministry functions are happening within that staff budget. Therefore, we did a rough projection of how those salaries would be allocated across the three budget areas of Church Life & Ministries, Mission, and Operations. The following chart gives that information:

While the overall budget for the Family of Churches it is not a significant increase in budget from last year, it does require a significant increase in actual giving to achieve the budget. We recognize that God has gone before us over the past five years as we have answered His call to plant several campuses, providing what we have needed at each step along the way. But moving forward has required faith—and it will continue to. It will require faith to move forward, believing that God has opened the door for us to plant another church in Hanover. It will require faith to welcome ValleyView Alliance into the Family of Churches, bringing new life and vision to a congregation that is longing for more. And it will require faith as we hire new staff, reallocate the Operations Team, and reposition Pastor Brian as Lead Pastor of the Family of Churches. Yet as we look back, we can see how God has been building our faith since we took that first step to plant Mosaic City Church in 2020. With every step of faith and every new church plant, He has continued to strengthen our trust in Him and expand our vision for advancing His kingdom in our little corner of Pennsylvania.

York Alliance Family of Churches

2026 - 2027 Budget Comparison

York Alliance Family of Churches

2027 Budget Overview by Campus

January-December, 2027

ANNUAL REPORT TO THE CONGREGATION

Brian Kannel, Lead Pastor

“As we do the will of God, we are drawn deeper into dependence on God for what is needed to effectively carry out the mission God has given us and to be strengthened in the doing of it. Every time we are pushed to our limits, it is another opportunity to rely more deeply on God and discover more of God’s unlimited resources. As it turns out, mission cannot be discerned without ongoing transformation, and it cannot be sustained without the inner resources God provides.”

Ruth Haley Barton, Leading a Transforming Community

“What the world—and more importantly, the church—desperately needs are people who have been with God. People who can offer a quality of presence that disrupts the violent pace that has swallowed many people whole—a presence shaped by contemplation.”

Rich Villodas, introduction to Being With God by A.J. Sherrill

“That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.”

Mark the Evangelist, Mark 1:32–35

I think it’s likely that there are specific aspects of the humanity of Jesus that stick out to each of us, probably due to our own personalities and our own struggles. For me, the balanced nature of His personality has always been a marvel. As many of you know, I’m a bit of a risk-taker and a visionary— I love to see what God might be doing over the next horizon, and before we’ve crested the current hill, I’m already dreaming of the next two or three hills in front of us as I look over the horizon. So, I resonate with Ruth Haley Barton’s words: “Every time we’re pushed to our limits, it is another opportunity to rely more deeply on God and discover God’s unlimited resources. Something that likely fewer of you know is that I’m also a bit of a contemplative. I love time quiet; time alone; time to just “be” in the presence of Jesus. It’s built into all of my rhythms—daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually. These times feel to me as necessary as breathing—they aren’t glamorous or public, but they are vital for me. And so, Rich Villodas’s words about a “presence shaped by contemplation” also deeply resonate with me.

But one of my challenges (among many, I’m sure, known and unknown to me) is that I rarely hold these two aspects of who I am in balance. When I’m alone with Jesus, I want to simply be with Him and receive. When I’m dreaming forward and actively taking risks, I want to keep things moving. Which is why Mark 1 fascinates me. In Mark’s re-telling of the early stages of Jesus’s ministry, a picture emerges of someone who holds together both aspects of my personality and yet balances them perfectly. He ministers to the crowd, healing many and I’m sure developing quite a following. And he also retreats to the “desolate place” (eremos in Greek, a concept that will show up repeatedly in the life of Jesus) to simply be with God the Father. One perfectly leads to the other, and neither seems to be rushed or short-changed. It’s not supposed to be an either/or. It’s a both/and.

This balance is beautifully seen in Jesus the individual. It’s also something that can be seen in the earliest iterations of the church—in places like Acts 2 and 4, we see the church both active and contemplative. They are being transformed themselves by the quiet and steady work of the Spirit in their community. Yet, this community is also a transformational agent in the community around them, seeing many come to experience the abundant life that Jesus offers. It’s not supposed to be an either/or. It’s a both/and.

I believe that this kind of balance is what God is calling us to pursue within the York Alliance Family of Churches. Jesus is continuing to invite us to step boldly into a forward move of the Kingdom, and these invitations shouldn’t be ignored or taken for granted. We can and should have a vision that’s larger than what we can accomplish in our own strength, and we should pursue that vision with passion and boldness, knowing that God will give us what we need to accomplish what He calls us to do. But we also need to be a people who learn to simply “be” with God. To be shaped by contemplation, by His presence, and by deep love so that we can bear His love and presence into the world. We live in an increasingly anxious world, and God has invited us to be a non-anxious, peaceful presence in that world. However, that won’t just happen—it must be cultivated. It’s not supposed to be an either/or. It’s a both/and.

As you read this report, and as you read the other ministry reports contained in this packet, I hope you’ll hear that call to the both/and. We need to be deep people with solid foundations, and we also need to be listening for the Spirit’s invitation to join Him in Kingdom advance. Until we are certain it’s not the case, we should assume that when we pray “Your Kingdom come and Your will be done on Earth as it is in heaven” that we have a part to play in that emerging reality.

I’m writing this report in the wake of the loss of Sarah Carletti, which hits both our Family of Churches and our staff in a deep way. Her passing is just one of a number of unexpected and very deep needs which we’re feeling together as a body right now, which is yet another reminder of how deeply we need the power of Jesus to do what He’s called us to do. As such, you will not see a report from Pastor Mike in this packet. I have sought to capture the majority of his areas within my report, and anything else that he would like to communicate we will distribute separately down the line.

Last year at this time, I communicated three key themes that I felt would define 2026. Before I speak to the year ahead, I think it’s important to report back to you on these three areas:

• Faith-Filled Risks. My concern at this time last year was that, even though we were seeing incredible and exciting growth and forward movement within the Family of Churches, we were still, at least at times, operating within our own abilities. Over the course of the last year, I’ve seen us stretch even more, at times moving beyond what we can accomplish on our own. Whether it’s the expected stretching of hiring a Hanover Church Planting Resident (welcome Jonerik and Emily Santiago!) or the unexpected stretching of a staff re-structuring “on the fly” while bringing ValleyView Alliance into the Family of Churches, we have stretched this year in ways that point to risks that are grounded in faith. While this continues to be a muscle that should be stretched and developed, 2026 was a year of faith-filled risks and signs of the goodness and power of God throughout the year.
• Establishing for the Long Haul. 2026 was a year of systematizing and documenting. The work isn’t finished, and there are still a few big projects to come in 2027, but we have begun the process of structuring the York Alliance Family of Churches for the long haul. We had 13 men and women go through our first “Next Leadership Cohort,” with representation across three of our campuses. These are men and women whom campus pastors have surfaced as strong candidates for leadership in the years to come. As you’ll note in this packet, we have started to do the back-end structural work to ensure that the Family of Churches has bylaws and polity that have been thought-through and adjusted as needed. Again, while there is still significant work to do, this is an area in which we’ve grown in 2026.
• Committing to One Another. This is a theme that we’ve addressed from a variety of different angles, but I’m not sure that we’ve seen significant forward movement in 2026. As you’ll see in the last part of my report, this is an area which I believe still needs to be addressed in the coming year. While we love being together on Sundays, there is a deep need across all of our campuses to connect together in groups, to love and serve one another, to use our gifts intentionally, and to establish deep connection that goes beyond Sunday morning. Certainly there are many pockets where this is happening, but I dream of a time where this typifies who we are as a church, and that everyone who is committed to any of our campuses is able to engage in deep and meaningful community.

As you’ll read below, much more than can fit within these three categories happened in 2026 within the York Alliance Family of Churches. But these themes are a good reminder of where we’ve been, how we’re asking God to work, and ways that we’ve experienced His goodness this year.

It’s been a full year, so I’d love to take a walk down memory lane as we consider the past year, and then dream a little bit into the year that’s coming.

The State of the Church

This was a year of “establishing” from a campus perspective—while York remained solid through much of the year, Stewartstown was just getting started (in fact, they celebrated a year of Sunday gatherings just a few weeks ago!), Spring Grove was (mostly) patiently waiting for a move into the YMCA, and Mosaic was operating in a bit of a different model by gathering at the York campus on Sunday mornings and serving in the community on Friday nights and during “First Sunday Suppers.”

From a teaching perspective, we began the year re-establishing our vision with a phrase-by-phrase study that culminated in a three-week “series within a series” on the phrase “for all people.” We had the privilege of hearing from a number of our sent missionaries across our campuses, as well as engaging “The Changing Face of Mission” conference as a Family of Churches. We then dove into an extended series on the book of Galatians, where we repeatedly drove home the foundational concept that Jesus + Nothing = Everything.

The summer months were bookended by practices as we learned together what it means to both discover and engage the identity that Jesus has given to us and what it means to serve one another out of the overflow of the way that Jesus has served us. In between these series, we studied the Old Testament book of Ruth, a beautiful short story that expressed the whole story of the Scriptures in four chapters. It was a rich study that continues to resonate with many of us. June was also the time we welcomed Jonerik and Emily Santiago, along with their three girls, to the Spring Grove Alliance community and to their new home in Hanover, with Jonerik serving as the Church Planting Resident for Hanover. We’re so excited about the pathway that God has laid out before us as we move toward Hanover, and about the leadership of Jonerik and Emily as they prepare to lead this church plant.

However, the summer months also held an element of chaos, at least for the York campus, with both Taylor and Kristen resigning from and transitioning out of their leadership of student ministry and children’s ministries respectively. We are thrilled that both of them continue to serve in various ways within the church body, but these transitions led us toward a needed restructuring that took up much of our leadership capacity during the summer months.

The summer was also a time where we had the privilege of sending teams across the city and around the world, both extending the love of Jesus missionally and inviting Jesus to form us in the process. Teams served in Rocky Road in West Africa, Macedonia, three separate teams in York city, two different teams in El Salvador, and finally, a team in France. Each of these teams were sent out from the Family of Churches and each participant was formed in powerful and life-changing ways through their participation on the team and engagement in the mission of God.

This fall we moved this fall into a series that I’ve been anticipating for the better part of eight years, which is called “Becoming the Church.” The series is a fusion of our vision for discipleship, our values, and some of the core practices that have emerged as ways for us to engage the values that we believe.

The result of this fusion is basically a corporate “rule of life” which invites all of us to live in rhythm with Jesus and with one another as we together pursue the vision to which God has called us. Also, this fall the York Campus has welcomed James Wilson, Jr. and his wife Ashley, along with their three girls, to York as James steps into the new role of Campus Pastor for the York Alliance campus. We’re so excited to have the Wilsons here in York with us! We also announced, just a few days before this report is being published, the hiring of our new Next Generation Pastor, Tanya Velardo, who will officially step into her new role in the beginning of 2027.

October also marked the end of the first “Next Leadership Cohort” referenced above, with 13 leaders from Stewartstown, Spring Grove, and York making up the inaugural class. Our hope for this cohort is that we will see key leaders developed from each of our campuses so that both our Governing Board and Elders are both ultimately made up of leaders that represent all of our campuses and that each campus has a number of leaders who can serve in key roles to support the ministries locally rather than relying on leadership from other campuses. While there are certainly tweaks that need to be made to the process, it was a joy to journey through the year with this group!

Following the completion of the Fall series, as well as the Annual Meeting, we’ll wrap up the year with our final Family Worship Sunday, which will kick off the Advent season and our study of John 1, which is simply called “The One.” We will also have a musical and artistic celebration at both the York and Spring Grove campuses called “The Promised One.”

Each campus has had a unique journey over the course of this year, which is captured in more detail by the campus pastor reports in this packet. This has been a year of learning in many different ways, resulting in a restructuring which will be spoken to later in this report. Jeff and Jonas are both doing an excellent job leading their respective campuses, and it’s a joy to see how both campuses are distinct in their personality and leadership but also aligned well with the mission and vision of the Family of Churches. We are praying for wisdom for both as they lead these congregations through some of the unique challenges that are in front of them in the coming year.

Looking Back and Looking Forward

It’s important to give you a few key updates for some important ministries that don’t have a specific report in this year’s packet. These are key areas in which God has worked in some significant ways over the past year, and we believe that He is continuing to move in the coming year.

Mosaic City Church

It’s important to begin this section by acknowledging once again that Pastor Mike would love to be giving you several of these updates. While he has a much different and more extensive perspective on the work that’s happening at Mosaic, allow me to report on some of the highlights. First, the Friday night youth connection that a group of Mosaic folks have at the park and in their building is growing and is incredible. They have a dozen or so kids and teens who are connecting each week for intentional discipleship, several hearing about Jesus for the first time. They have developed a non-profit called “East End Impact” which is serving the community in a variety of ways—so much so that the city has made the decision to receive the ways they are serving the community in lieu of rent for the building, saving many thousands of dollars a year. The church itself is continuing to grow deeply together with one another in a Family Group (basically a Community Group), and serve the neighborhood with “First Sunday Suppers” which are attracting new people and families most months. They have also made the decision to meet together at the Mosaic building one Sunday a month, which allows for some folks who are in the community but less comfortable coming to YAC to attend a Sunday gathering. We are continuing to pray about how the next season of Mosaic will look, but are thankful for the way that God is continuing to use and sustain this church.

Redemption Group

During the Fall of 2025 and moving into the Spring of 2026, Redemption Group shifted in a number of ways. First of all, Amanda Kannel stepped into leadership of the ministry, addressing both the form and process of the groups. Fall 2025 launched a semester-long version of Redemption Group, which included two weekend “retreats” (Friday night/Saturday intensives). It also tweaked both location and material, with one semester (Fall 2025) being offered at Spring Grove and the second semester (Spring 2026) held at York. While these location shifts are temporary and will need to be readdressed as the Family of Churches expands, the change in rhythm, length and material seems to be a welcome change for this next season of ministry. Spring of 2026 saw roughly 20 men and women go through Redemption Group, accompanied by their mentors and several additional leaders. This group of over 40 participants, including mentors, was the largest group we’ve seen go through Redemption Group, and it resulted in incredible stories of the transforming work of Jesus. This Fall, which has been held at Spring Grove, had six additional ladies along with mentors and group leaders go through the group, which will wrap up just before the Annual Meeting. As we look forward at 2027, the spring semester will be held at York, and then we will re-evaluate both location and possibly look at expanding the leadership structure going into Fall 2027. We are so grateful to God for stories of His deliverance and freedom that has come to so many who have gone through these groups, and so grateful for a great team of volunteer leaders and mentors who give up many hours each week to serve in this vital ministry. We are continuing to pray for clarity as to how to steward this ministry well going forward.

Missional Connections

As mentioned above, we had several short-term trips sent out from the York Alliance Family of Churches this year, and we are anticipating an even larger group next year. But our connections to both local and global mission are much more than these trips. We began the year with our “Changing Face of Mission” Conference, which was a first of a kind experiment to serve the Family of Churches as well as the York Region, along with being opened up to churches in the surrounding area as well. The conference was a great success, and we’ve decided to hold a second conference in January 2027 in order to build on the momentum both within the Family of Churches and within the York Region. Please consider making this event a priority during the first part of next year!

Pastor Mike has done a great job cultivating deep and ongoing relationships with international workers who serve all around the globe. These relationships give us a “face” for the ongoing work of which we have the privilege of being a small part within the global mission movement. We have also cultivated strong relationships with local mission partners who are serving around York County in ways that are moving the Kingdom forward. These relationships are more than simply ways for us to fund good work that’s happening in the York region—they are intentional partnerships in which we can pray for one another, serve together, and work to build a Kingdom movement. Bridging the gap between the local and the global work is “Missionary Wheels,” an incredible ministry started out of the former Spring Grove Area Christian & Missionary Alliance Church which serves international workers from many different denominations and organizations to provide access to vehicles while they are in the U.S. for home assignment. This vital ministry is a way that God has extended our reach far beyond York County by blessing many of our brothers and sisters who serve overseas.

In the coming year, as the Family of Churches continues to expand, each Campus Pastor will begin to take responsibility for cultivating their own relationships with local mission partners. This is in recognition of the fact that local partners will differ from one campus to another, and leveraging these relationships are key to seeing the incarnational presence of Jesus impact each local community in which we have a campus. Pastor Mike will continue to oversee both our global relationships, which will be shared across all campuses, as well as our short-term trips. These trips will also expand a bit in the coming year, with trips being opened to other Alliance churches who are part of the York region. We believe that by serving together on short-term teams here in York and around the world we will more easily partner with one another to reach our local areas as well.

Student Formation

While I can’t report on the totality of the year with students, I want to at least call out the incredible work that’s happening with students as we move into this Fall. As many of you know, I began both in volunteer ministry and then in vocational ministry serving with students. It’s still one of my favorite areas of ministry! I had the privilege of serving with an incredible team of leaders who were both gifted and dedicated. When Taylor resigned in June, she left behind a strong team of volunteer leaders who were ready to step into the ministry as needed until the right pastoral leader was hired. But then God, as He often does, did more than “we can ask or imagine!” (Ephesians 3:20) Within the period of just a few weeks, that team doubled—and not just numerically! Various other giftings and skills were added to the already strong team, leaving an incredible team of volunteer leaders that I would put up against any team at any church of any size! And so, while I don’t want to misreport details of the ministry due to my lack of detailed connection with it on a week-to-week basis, I do want to call out our incredible volunteer leadership team. If you recognize one of these names, you should thank them for the way they are serving. If you don’t recognize these names, you should meet them, because they are incredible leaders. And if you’re not sure how best to thank them, consider signing up to watch their kids on Wednesday nights—the Wednesday night childcare team is part of what makes it possible for these incredible leaders to serve. Here’s the team (in no particular order): Sebastian and Hannah Fuhrman, Ethan Hail, Tiffany Markey, Jacob and Amanda Shuey, Tyler and Lindsay Webb, Dan and Alyssa Williams, Deb Wilt, Emily Harmes, Marcos and Lori Herrera, Ethan Kannel, Chris and Abbie Horsman, Dave Kerrison, and Jim Scofield.

Children’s Formation

While the Children’s team has not had such a dramatic shift over the last several months, they are also a team that should be recognized. Ashley Abrahamsen coordinates an army of Sunday morning volunteers for Dig In, which I couldn’t begin to name. However, I do want to call out Liz Downey, Kali Dougherty, Tim Burk, and Rachel Katz who have stepped up to larger volunteer roles during this transition and have served with both excellence and joy on Sunday mornings and during the week. It’s a testimony to Kris Mitchell’s passion and leadership that not only did she continue to lead Thrive each week, but the volunteer team also continued to serve as well! So, a huge shout-out to Brett and Ashley Abrahamsen, Rachel Katz, Lonnie Sanderson, Dalton and Holly Wise, and Elyse Kauffman, along with Kris Mitchell continuing to lead Thrive on Wednesday nights. I have the privilege of talking to pastors who serve in both large and small churches around the world, and I brag about Thrive more that just about any other area of ministry at York Alliance. Thanks to all of you for loving kids and being so passionate about seeing them formed in the image of Jesus!

Restructuring for Health and Growth

This is a topic that will be further expanded in the themes for 2027 listed below, but this year has been one in which we’ve recognized both a need and an opportunity to consider the best structure both for the York Alliance campus as well as for the Family of Churches more broadly. I’ll speak more about the Family of Churches below, but our shift to a York Campus Pastor (Pastor James) and a Next Generation Pastor (Pastor Tanya), along with a Children’s Ministry Administrator (Ashley Abrahamsen) is part of our desire to see York Alliance be structured in a way that runs parallel to the other campuses and can be a model as campuses grow and develop in the future. We’ve also recognized that greater consistency in the pulpit is needed at the York campus as my role continues to shift and expand. While the resignations of both Taylor and Kristen were definitely not part of the plan, and the transition of Asa to becoming the Campus Pastor at ValleyView was uncertain at best until late this summer, all three of these transitions, taken together, were an opportunity that God gave us to evaluate our structure and make decisions around where we believe that God is leading us.

So where does all that leave us as we move into 2027? Here are four themes that I believe God is putting before as we move into the new year.

Theme #1: Launching with Intention

We have several “launches” coming in the next year, and my prayer is that we will handle them all with intentionality and care. These are key moments in the life of each of these churches, and it’s important for us to engage these moments well.

• Hellam. The current ValleyView Alliance is beginning a transition that we are projecting will last until at least late spring of 2027. Pastor Asa will begin to serve at ValleyView on Sundays beginning on October 25, with roughly 20% of his time still going to York Alliance as he completes some outstanding tasks and hands off ministry leadership well, and 80% of his time going toward forming and developing a core team that will be integral to launching this collaborative church (partnering the former ValleyView church with core team members from other churches in the York Alliance Family of Churches) sometime in the first half of 2027. Asa and I will work together in developing the core team in key areas of vision, values and leadership as they dream and plan together leading up to the re-launch. The plan currently is that the current church would close sometime in the late spring, likely soon after Easter, in order to have time to a do a variety of projects such as giving the building a facelift, doing some rebranding, and bringing the systems in line with the Family of Churches. We anticipate the church to be closed for roughly four weeks prior to an intentional re-launch late spring 2027.
• Hanover. Pastor Jonerik will have spent the first six months of his residency engaging the Spring Grove Alliance Church, learning the values and culture of the York Alliance Family of Churches, and getting to know the Hanover area. Through the Winter of 2026-27, Jonerik and Emily will begin to take steps to intentionally build the core team that will ultimately launch Hanover Alliance. Our prayer is that the team will also include a number of folks from the Hanover area who are not currently part of Spring Grove Alliance. They will spend the first half of 2027 connecting together as a group, developing and equipping ministry teams, and preparing the space in Hanover through prayer and relationship, for the launch of the Hanover Alliance Church. Hanover Alliance will meet, at least initially, in the Champion Center for Leadership and Workforce Development on Carlisle Rd. in Hanover. Our current projection is that Hanover Alliance will launch public services in September of 2027!
• York Alliance. It may feel odd for York Alliance to be part of this list, but it’s important to note that with so many significant leadership changes, there will be a sort of “re-launch” for York in 2027. Pastor James will be continuing to learn both the church and his role, but I anticipate that he will start to serve at something closer to full capacity by the end of 2026 and certainly in the first part of 2027. Pastor Tanya will be stepping into her Next Generation role in January, and while it will also take her some time to learn the systems and structures of the ministry, she will immediately bring a sense of passion and expertise to each of the areas under her leadership. Both James and Tanya are excited about working within the current values and structure of the York Alliance Family of Churches, and we are also excited for them to bring their personalities, giftings, and experiences to York Alliance. And so, while ministry at York Alliance will continue to move forward on the current trajectory in many ways in 2027, I believe that we should also expect to feel a sense of newness and excitement as the ministry staff transitions.

Theme #2: Aligning Leadership

Which leads into the second theme of leadership alignment. There is a need to address leadership across several key areas in 2027:

• Campus Leadership Teams. One of my projects for next year is to help each campus pastor establish a strong leadership team at their campus. Part of the long-term vision of the Family of Churches is that part of the shepherding and support of each campus will be covered by a group of leaders who serve and lead in various key ministries at that campus, but are also working together as a team, along with the campus pastor and me, to offer leadership to the campus. These teams are in various stages of development right now, but I believe that by the summer of 2027, they will be a key part of the leadership structure of each campus.
• Elders. Our Elder leadership is continuing to wrestle with how best to fulfill their role in the “in-between” time when the large majority, if not all, of the Elders have York Alliance as their home campus. Through the Next Leadership Cohort, we are working to develop strong Elder-level candidates for the future, but we all recognize that there is a time gap between idea and reality. Elders currently “adopt” a campus, attending their somewhat regularly as well as building relationships with that Campus Pastor along with key ministry leaders. I anticipate that this will continue in 2027, along with a desire to bring Campus Pastors into Elder meeting periodically in order to hear from them, find out how best to support that campus, and to pray for them.
• Operations Team. As I’ll hopefully explain in more detail during the Annual Meeting, we made a significant organizational shift over the summer which is basically invisible to the church at large but I believe acts to support our structure much more effectively. Our Operations team, under the leadership of Pastor Mike, is now officially serving the Family of Churches, not just York Alliance. This team includes Administrative support, Finance and Human Resources, Building and Grounds, Tech support, and Audio-Visual support. While this team will still office at the York Alliance building, we will be spending the rest of 2026 and the first part of 2027 helping to align each of these areas into their new roles supporting the Family of Churches more broadly.

Theme #3: Formed and Gifted

In 2018, we shifted our model of church in the direction of systematic spiritual formation. Basically, that meant taking the call to be and make disciples seriously in a way that was holistic—not simply grounded in more information, but addressing the call to transformation through a whole-body pursuit of Jesus. We are continuing to grow into this model, and I’m grateful to say that we are seeing deep fruit of lives changed to be more like Jesus.

While we still have much to learn and grow into in the area of formation, I deeply believe that God is inviting us into another paradigm-shift around the concept of spiritual gifts. My prayer for next year, particularly through the late summer and fall, is to do an extensive study on spiritual gifts—both what they are, and why they are so vitally important for the church at this point in history. While I believe these last eight years and journey of formation have been the necessary groundwork, I also believe that spiritual gifts are the next step for the empowered life and ministry that Jesus is inviting us into.

But this call to both identify and work out of our gifts is one that will require a renewed commitment to community. Even within our smaller campuses, and certainly with our larger campuses, we cannot all use our gifts during the Sunday morning gatherings. Smaller settings of intentional community are the necessary context for gifts to be identified, explored and practiced. This call to community is a vital aspect of growing in the empowerment of the Spirit and providing a space for all of us to use our gifts.

Theme #4: Deeply Knitted Together

Which, finally, leads to the fourth theme I’m sensing for 2027, which is the idea that our community would grow not just in breadth (more people in intentional spaces built on small-scale communities), but also in depth (people growing more deeply connected to one another at an honest heart level). Small-scale communities, like our Community Groups, serve a variety of vital purposes for the church. They certainly provide a space for connection and relationship, as well as providing a context for testing and using our gifts, as noted above. However, there are two additional purposes that may be even more important.

First, Community Groups provide a space for us to be truly known, which requires deep humility. There is a special kind of pride that keeps us from showing one another the vulnerability that simply comes from being human. It’s only within these safe and consistent spaces that pride can be broken down, and we can be truly known as we are.

And being truly known leads to the second additional purpose: a space to experience the depth and power of the love of Jesus for us. It’s only when we are truly known at an intimate level by the people within our community that we can experience how deeply Jesus loves us. And when we experience His deep love, we are then able to love others more deeply as well, which begins a virtuous cycle that doesn’t just transform those in our group, it can transform the world around us. Maybe my deepest prayer for 2027 is that we would not just grow wide in community, which is definitely needed, but that we would grow deep in community as well.

Launching with intentionality, aligning our leadership, being not just formed by recognizing our gifting, and becoming even more deeply knitted together—that’s my heart for the York Alliance Family of Churches in 2027.

Thank you for reading this massive report. I’ve tried to incorporate at least a flavor for a number of important reports that will not be part of your packet this year—reports from both Children’s and Student Formation, reports from Mission and Multiplication, from Redemption Group, and from Mosaic City Church. While those inclusions extended the length of this report, I’m hopeful that the information can give you at least a sense of what’s happening in these ministries. As is true every year, we will hold a Town Hall meeting prior to the Annual Meeting (on November 15 this year), and anyone is welcome to ask any questions that you have during that meeting. Questions can also be emailed to questions@yorkalliance.org.

Let me end this report with just a few words of thanks. This has been a wild year for the Elders, and I’m so grateful for their support, challenge, and partnership in ministry. Thank you to Justin, David, Todd, Chris, Kevin, Alec, Paul, Kagi and Earl for your faithfulness, prayer, and encouragement through the year. Thanks for the many late dinner meetings, the challenging conversations, and the loving push-back. A special thanks to Chris Smith who is transitioning out of this role after this year. You have been such a gift to me during your time as an Elder! I pray that your time split between your church family here in York and your parent/grandparent duty in South Dakota brings you and Jody great joy. I’m thankful for you both. I also want to thank our three non-Elder Governing Board members: Charlotte, Denny, and Deb. I’m very thankful for each of your voices as part of our governance!

I want to thank our staff as well—you guys have really come together this year in a beautiful way. I know that this has been yet another year of transition, but you all have not just endured, you have grown closer and more impactful in your roles and as a team. Kristen, you are missed! James, welcome—I can’t express how excited I am to work with you, and for York Alliance to have you as a Campus Pastor. Mike... I still have no words. My heart breaks for you, and I’m glad that we can all be present for you in some small way during this time. We love you. I am so thankful for you all!

I would be remiss if I didn’t thank my family as well. It’s not easy living in a pastor’s home, and while I know I’m biased, I think our kids (who are mostly adults now!!) do it remarkably well. This has been a big year for the Kannel kids—Tia graduated with her doctorate in May and passed her boards in July, so now she can actually step away from school for awhile and do the work that she’s been training for! Ethan graduated and just kept going at York Academy, serving 6^th graders with passion and purpose. Josiah transferred to Millersville and finally gets to be the music major he’s wanted to be, and Micah has started working with the Hanover Auto Group through a training program called Tech Pathways, which I’m certain he finds far more enjoyable than traditional school for his senior year of high school. I’m so proud of each of you, and thankful that we get to be a family. Amanda is such a gift to me, which I’ve recognized for many years. But she’s also an incredible gift to the body of Christ, which more and more people are recognizing through her leadership of Redemption Group and Empower, her intentional mentoring, and her steady pursuit of all of us becoming the people that Jesus has called us to be. I know that we didn’t set out on this path, but it seems God has put us on it, and I’m so thankful to be on it with you.

And one final thank you—thank you to each of you within the York Alliance Family of Churches, for the privilege of leading you and following Jesus alongside you. I’m continually honored, humbled, and thankful.

May the grace and peace of Christ remain with you all,

Pastor Brian

ANNUAL REPORT TO THE CONGREGATION

Asa Sturtevant, Executive Pastor of Ministries

We love because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19, ESV, emphasis added)

Closing the Current Chapter

With my transition into the Campus Pastor role of ValleyView Alliance (VVAC) and their inclusion in the York Alliance Family of Churches, the hand-off of the proverbial baton has begun. With the present vacancies in the Children’s Formation and Student Formation staff positions, my attention has been directed in both understanding the current systems and finding ways to “reset” things for the next people who move into those roles.

At the time of writing this report, I am happy to say that Ashley Abrahamsen has joined the staff as the Children’s Formation Volunteer and Logistics Coordinator. I have spent much time learning both the physical and digital systems such that I can effectively train Ashley in her role. In the brief time since starting, she has been proactive with tasks and has picked up the training very well. I am confident that she will be able to handle the various aspects of her role, including recruitment, scheduling, organization, communication etc. Rachel Katz will continue as a mid-week assistant in a volunteer capacity.

Regarding the Student Formation team, the adult volunteer team has many new folks with a desire to make disciples, which is so wonderful to see! The team is continuing to perceive the need for community to be built among the students and are taking steps to foster this. There is a rather large group of Middle School students, so the structure has been altered a bit to better serve the formation process in age-appropriate ways.

The remainder of my hand-off will be spent with James Wilson as the YAC Campus Pastor and whomever will be in the Next Generation Pastor/Director position. Since the vast majority of my current role will be divided between them, I plan to spend much time with both for the remainder of 2026. I will be modifying my regular meetings to include them in the conversations in order to foster not only a logistical handoff, but a relational one as well. I will also be meeting individually with both to explain the history and methodology that I have employed so that they have an understanding of the platform from which they are starting their ministries at YAC. My goal is to equip and bless them for however the Spirit wants to uniquely use them.

Specifically, I will be including James in both Community Group meetings (General CG’s and Daytime CG’s), as well as my regular meetings with Pastor Tim (Care Ministry) and Jacob (Worship Arts). I will also be working with him to hand-off a variety of other areas including Discipleship Partners, Welcome Team, Prayer Team, etc. I will also facilitate meetings between the Next Generation Pastor/Director and the leadership of the Children’s Formation, Student Formation, and College/Young Adult Formation teams.

On a final note, Ministry Maps are my primary outstanding project. These are essentially “Standard Operation Procedures” for each of the designated areas of ministry or other functional areas within the church. They are broad enough to be instructive at each of the campuses, and will serve to recruit folks, begin training them, and have something solid to use for accountability. They are not intended to be constrictive if new and better ideas are approved. Rather, the respective leaders can “pencil in” new ideas and publish them in the following year. Regarding progress, I have worked with the staff to complete eight of them which have been forwarded to the final review team (Executive Team + Campus Pastors). Once this first batch is approved and published, it will help calibrate the remainder of the Maps.

Starting the Next Chapter

As my family and I walk with Jesus into the next chapter at VVAC, we are excited to see what He is going to do. From a strategic standpoint, we have begun to invite folks into interest meetings as a precursor to a formal commitment to the core team. I have also begun to lay the theological groundwork of my vision for VVAC during the Crossroads classes offered in October. Looking ahead to 2027, I plan to have a contingent of people from VVAC participate in the Spring semester of Redemption Group at the YAC campus and to work with Sean Platt (Glenview Alliance) to facilitate the “Alliance Peacemaking Level 1” course. Both will provide a practical foundation for glorifying God as we move forward together into the next season.

Conclusion

I am so thankful for how the Lord has orchestrated events in a way that neither I nor anyone else would have predicted or perhaps even chosen. The uncharted waters have proven to be a vital part of learning to trust the eternally capable “hands” and “heart” of God. Being stretched in new ways has given me a fresh context for going about my work in a restful manner instead of an anxious one where I (supposedly) take control. As we move forward in the war of restoring God’s Kingdom (Eph. 6:12) “in York as it is in Heaven,” I am confident in our King and delighted to continue serving alongside my YAFC brothers and sisters.

Because God FIRST loved us,
Asa Sturtevant

PASTORAL CARE

Timothy L. Shuey, Pastor of Congregational Care, York Alliance

...Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Ephesians 4:15-16

HEART THOUGHTS

As we are currently wrapping up the “Serving” practice series at York Alliance and engaging it through Ephesians 4, the Scripture passage quoted above has especially been resonating in my soul. Some of you may know that it has been a years-long desire for me to memorize the whole book of Ephesians and, as a ministry goal for 2026, I am fervently trying to fulfill that desire. (Hmmm... 3 months left for chapters 5 and 6!!) Over the past month, it has been encouraging for me to have the recent (and finally completed!) memorization of Chapter 4 closely converge with the message series, making verses 15 and 16, and even the whole chapter, come alive in my soul, particularly as they relate to equipping the YAC brothers and sisters who faithfully serve with the Care Ministry Team. Weekly, I am blessed by a host of team members who effectively represent “speaking the truth in love,” “each part working properly,” and, as a result, “building the body up in love.” It brings me deep joy to love on needy people with a body of brothers and sisters who are committed to showing compassion by offering a “cup of cold water” in Jesus’ name.

CARE MINISTRY TEAM

As stated above, I am deeply encouraged by CMT members who step out of their comfort zone to sacrificially provide care for the sick, the lonely, the brokenhearted and the needy. Showing such a heart of compassion is represented in various ways at YAC: visiting hospital and rehab patients; chauffeuring to doctor’s appointments, chemo treatments and physical therapy sessions; providing meals for recovering patients or new parents; assisting with downsizing and moving into new dwellings; sharing communion with congregants confined at home; navigating loss with grieving people; sending texts and notes of encouragements; and many other caring ways. Thank you, Care Ministry Team, for the ways that, whether through your presence, word or deeds, you are faithfully “speaking the truth in love”!

PRAYER UPDATES

I daily celebrate the blessing of a broad prayer base of individuals who faithfully intercede for the needs that are sent through regularly emailed prayer updates and included in the weekly published Prayer Connection. Together, as staff and pastors, church leaders, intercessors and members of the Care Ministry Team, we have the privilege of claiming God’s healing touch over the sick and recovering, His comfort over the grieving, and His love, hope and peace over situations that seem to have no answers. Prayer will and must always be the first work as we seek to bring loving care to the needy.

CELEBRATION OF LIFE

Throughout this year, the YAC family has grieved the loss of dear saints of our congregation. Those who have passed into Jesus’ presence include: Carla Schwartz on December 31, 2025; Kathy Decker on February 25; Linda Frey on March 19; Joyce Siebert on April 5 (Easter Sunday!); and Christine Heilig on April 30. As I am blessed to be in a position to walk alongside families through “the valley of the shadow of death”, it is joy to be able to claim the comforting truths of God’s word over loved ones and, through the celebration of life gatherings and graveside services, to declare that Jesus is the hope that we cling to... both in life and in death.

CARE MINISTRY TEAM RESOURCES

One of my ministry goals for 2026 has been to create a compilation of care ministry resources that I have been collecting over the past several years, with the desire of it being made available for any CMT member who feels a need for encouragement and further guidance in reaching out to needy people. I am happy to report that, with the creative assistance of Marty Krebs in formatting the booklet and its contents, I was able to distribute and introduce it to the Care Ministry Team at its September meeting. The first six categorized topical resources in the booklet consist of correlating Scriptures, devotionals and prayers that have come out of my daily devotional times in the Bible app and Lectio 365. Additionally, the compilation includes a variety of appendices listing hymns, poetry, books, quotations and ministry tips that have served as markers in my care ministry experience. I look forward to seeing how the various topics and tools in Care Ministry Team Resources will be utilized by the CMT members here at YAC and, in turn, reflect the heart of Paul’s message to the Corinthian believers: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (II Corinthians 1:3-4)

OTHER MINISTRY INVOLVEMENT

• Participation in last December’s “The Artist Stepped In” and Christmas Eve services
• Coaching Ben DeLeonardis, staff member at Lancaster Alliance Church and Military Chaplain candidate, in his 2-year plan of working through the requirements for ordination with the Christian and Missionary Alliance
• Receiving loving encouragement and ministry guidance through every-other-week meetings with Pastor Asa whose heart for showing the love of Jesus has been compelling!
• Completing a Ministry Map for the YAC Care Ministry, a tool that will help to foster care ministry among all of our campus churches
• With the YAC family, navigating the trauma as well as celebrating God’s goodness through Tim Seely’s miraculous recovery from the serious injuries received in his 4-story fall
• Participation and mentorship in the Spring semester of Redemption Group
• Involvement in playing piano with the Sunday morning worship teams, most regularly with the core team that Abbie Horsman and Scott King lead
• Participation in the Ash Wednesday and Good Friday services
• Connecting with Ned Kauffman and his daughter Michele through Ned’s transition from York to Chapel Pointe in Carlisle
• Connecting with Todd Lloyd and his excellent leadership of the Deacon team
• With the gracious assistance of Belinda Jackson and Fred Weidemann, transitioning my group ministry communications to the Planning Center platform
• Officiating a number of non-YAC funerals, opportunities that bring me great delight in sharing the Gospel to families who need to hear the hope and love found in Jesus

With humble gratitude for the daily encouragement of my wife Margaret, with great delight for our precious sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren, with deep joy for the blessing of working with an awesome team of staff and ministry colleagues, and with inexpressible thanks for the beauty of journeying with you, my faith-vibrant church family, I respectfully submit this 2026 report as we continue to grow as a body that “builds itself up in love”... for generations to come!

Timothy L. Shuey

ELDERS AND GOVERNING BOARD

Justin Kauffman, Vice Chair

Lamentations 3:12-24

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
The LORD is my portion, says my soul,
therefore I will hope in him.

The clearest theme among the elders over the past twelve months has been of God’s faithfulness and provision. As we have prayed, we have had an overwhelming sense of God’s care and provision for his bride. We celebrate the great things He has done, and we have had peace as we trust Him amidst change.

We have seen Stewartstown and Spring Grove continue to take root, and we welcome ValleyView into the family of churches. With our growing family, we are bringing the incarnational love of Jesus to people in our communities in tangible ways. And what a blessing and encouragement it was to worship together in the all-campus gathering at the Pullo center this summer!

No doubt there have been and will continue to be real physical and spiritual needs within the body, considerations for staffing and leadership needs to shepherd the body well and equip the saints for the work of ministry.

Yet, we are told: do not be anxious, do not lean on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. We serve a loving God who knows our hearts, our needs, and who is acquainted with sorrow. We can trust in the LORD, and rely on our generous and faithful Shepherd, to lead us for His name’s sake.

Our good Shepherd has shown us how to pray.
He has demonstrated how we are to forgive one another (just as in Christ God forgave [us]).
He has called us to comfort those who are in any affliction (with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God).
He has taught us how to love (as Christ first loved us).

With each new merciful morning, may we:

• continue to be formed more into the likeness of Christ;
• to trust him more;
• to be his hands and feet.

Gatherings:
Elders and spouses retreat    Elder meetings 2x monthly    6x Governing board meetings

Grace and peace to you,
Justin P. Kauffman

WORSHIP ARTS – YORK ALLIANCE

Jacob Shuey, Director

At the start of this year, a group of us met together who are a part of the Worship Arts ministry across all of the campuses. As I think back to that day in January, I remember being awestruck at how many people are a part of this ministry. I saw a group of people who regularly, week after week, lead the church body in worship onstage or enable it to effectively happen by being a part of the tech team behind the scenes. These are not just warm bodies filling a need, but these are gifted people who get excited about God’s Church responding to Him in worship corporately. The phrase that I brought to that group in mid-January, and the one that I’m still reflecting on now, is bringing “a sacrifice of praise,” found in Hebrews 13. The word “sacrifice” and the word “praise” don’t often have much in common in today’s society. They’re often mutually exclusive. However, in the Kingdom, they are often found together. Below are a few ways that I’ve seen bringing a “sacrifice of praise” play out in the past year, what is happening currently, and what’s ahead in 2027.

Where We’ve Been

I’m deeply grateful for the faithful band of volunteers that serve on the worship teams each week. Throughout 2026, there have been 4 independent teams that include 8 worship leaders, 6 projectionists, 6 sound techs, and a host of musicians that lead in song each week. In addition to the Sunday gatherings, many of these teams lead at our bi-monthly Expectant events, First Wednesday prayer gatherings, along with various church calendar-related events as well. Worship leaders have been a consistent voice in leading their teams each week, and I’ve been blessed to listen to how they, along with the musical details, communicate the Gospel with love and grace. There has been a small group of songwriters that have continued to write and chew on, through song and word, what Jesus is doing in their own lives, but also finding that many of these ideas transcend into the corporate space as we seek Jesus together. More than just keeping the ministry afloat, I’ve seen practical ways that we’ve pushed back the dark and are making gains for Christ’s Kingdom.

Where We Are

So much has happened from an infrastructure, staffing standpoint in the last 6 months, I think we find ourselves seeking some consistency. I look forward to working alongside James Wilson, the new campus pastor for YAC, as he becomes a consistent face and anchor point for this church body. I look forward to our partnership and getting a fresh perspective on what we do each week. In York Alliance being the most established and a resource for the other campuses, both current and future, I recognize a deep need in continuing to develop volunteers. In the past year, some volunteers have left for other campuses, and I’m continually reminded of the call to train and equip the body so that they can be sent out. We are constantly called to develop leaders, not just when we feel a need for more of them, so through the use of the Serving Survey, website, and word of mouth, I love to hear about people wanting to become involved. In my 2025 Annual Report, I centered around why we do the things that we do. If what we do truly matters, we need to be able to explain to others why we do the things that we do. If we can’t explain it, it’s either not important or we need to take time to figure out “the why.” It’s for this reason you’ve seen some of the “why” statements appear in our Sunday morning gatherings (Why do we confess, why do we greet one another, why do we sing, etc.). I’d like to think that we’re starting to have a better rationale surrounding those weekly activities compared to a year ago.

Where We’re Going

We are not the same people we were a year ago, and I look forward to how the Lord will be transforming us in the year ahead. More than anything, questions serve as an open-ended canvas as to where we may be going, so rather than describe what may be in the future, I simply want to pose a few questions: What would it look like to have a theology of worship taught explicitly that is paired with opportunities to apply it from the youngest to the oldest of us? How can we continue to be mindful about the words that we sing and speak? What would it look like to write original music that lifts up Jesus and helps us connect what He’s doing in our specific time and space? What if our sanctuary was filled with those who didn’t know Jesus each Sunday? What would change or not change about what we sing and speak in our gatherings? These are some big questions that reflect some big dreams. Let’s look forward to what Jesus will do!

As the writer of Hebrews commends us to “continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God,” (13:15) I’m reminded of the motivation for that. That motivation can be found in the verses just prior to this command. There’s an Old Testament sacrifice picture offered, as the writer reminds us that the blood of animals were sacrificed in the city, using their blood to make atonement, and then the animals were burned outside the city. We have a Savior Who “suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.” (13:12) Jesus died outside the city, symbolizing and bringing forth the reality that He was making atonement for all people for all time. This is the Good News that we are called to share as we “bear the reproach that He endured.” (13:13)

In serving in such a part-time way, I’m deeply thankful to work alongside a team who helps support me. Alexa Russell continues to lead the Worship Arts Ministry at Spring Grove Alliance, and I’m deeply thankful for her humor, candor, and passion for Jesus. She continues to be an ear for me at weekly staff meetings, as she also balances being a wife and mother at home with her growing family. This is the first full year that Aaron West has been in the Worship Arts Administrator role. He continues to do a wonderful job creating and curating slide content across all of the campuses, a job that is ignored if done well and noticed if a mistake is made - a very difficult role indeed! Fred Weidemann, the Technical Operations Director, does so much behind the scenes to provide the needed infrastructure to make various content accessible and keep things running smoothly on Sunday mornings. Asa Sturtevant, the Executive Pastor of Ministries, and soon to be campus pastor at Valley View, has been a constant source of encouragement for me as I seek to lead in this role well bi-vocationally, something that he intimately knows himself. I am so thankful to be working with the volunteer team - the musicians, tech team, and worship team leaders that coordinate and lead those teams at York Alliance, along with the other campuses. They are so deeply talented as they lead at our Sunday morning gatherings and various events throughout the year. It’s a profound blessing to work with them and to cheer them on as they live out the vision of the ministry and bring glory to Jesus!

Lastly, I want to say thank you to my wife, Amanda, and my children Ezra, Eden, Miriam, Adalia, Abel, and Jude. I know that this role takes up some time and energy that are in my margins. Thanks for your grace as I seek to balance this role well.

Let us continually bring a sacrifice of praise to the One who is worthy.

In His grace,
Jacob Shuey

ANNUAL REPORT TO THE CONGREGATION

Jonas Wharton, Campus Pastor, Spring Grove Alliance

Spring Grove Alliance (SGA)

It has been another significant year at the SGA campus. The first half of the year was spent continuing ministry in our facility on Main Street, and we continued to see both spiritual and numerical growth within the church. At the same time, much of our energy was focused on preparing for the transition to our new ministry location at the YMCA facility. It was exciting to watch God continue to develop our church family while also preparing us for what was ahead.

One of the significant additions to our staff this year was Jonerik Santiago, who joined us as our Church Planting Resident. Jonerik has been learning, serving, and becoming part of the SGA team while also preparing for the launch of the Hanover church plant in the coming year. It has been a blessing to have him with us and to see how God is preparing him for the ministry ahead.

As we prepared the new facility, many people from both SGA and York Alliance Church invested countless hours to help make the transition possible. There was a tremendous amount of painting, cleaning, moving, construction, and preparation that needed to happen. People also worked on sound, video, lighting, signage, supplies, and countless other details. It has been incredible to see so many people give their time, energy, skills, and resources to prepare the new space for ministry.

In July, we hosted a week-long Vacation Bible School with the theme “You Are Treasured by God.” It was a great week of ministry, and many of the children who participated do not regularly attend church anywhere. The week gave us a wonderful opportunity to share the love of Jesus with children and families throughout our community. Many people from our church family helped make VBS possible, and it was exciting to see the church come together to welcome and serve these families.

As the August launch approached, teams worked hard to make sure we were ready for our first Sunday in the new facility. Carts were built, signs and supplies were designed and purchased, rooms were prepared, and volunteers were recruited, trained, and scheduled. The amount of time and dedication that our team has invested in building the volunteer structure needed for ministry at the new location has been incredible. It has been encouraging to watch people step forward and take ownership of different areas of ministry.

On Sunday, August 23, we celebrated our “Relocation Celebration”, gathering publicly for worship for the first time at our new facility on Roths Church Road. It was an amazing day of celebrating God’s faithfulness. There was a real sense of gratitude as we looked back at all that God had done to bring us to this point and looked forward with anticipation to what He might continue to do through this new ministry location. We have also already had the opportunity to host our first Expectant event at the new location, and it went very well. It has been exciting to begin using the new facility not simply as a place where we gather on Sundays, but as a place where ministry and community can happen throughout the week.

Another significant part of this year has been our continued partnership with and service to the Spring Grove community. We hosted National Night Out at our Main Street location and helped plan and lead the community’s 250th USA Anniversary Celebration along with the 9/11 and Fallen Officer Commemoration. We have also helped plan the Pumpkin Trail event at Little Creek Park and will be serving at that event. In addition, we have helped plan the Christmas Tree Lighting Parade and Celebration and look forward to serving our community through that event as well. It continues to be a privilege to find ways for SGA to be present in the community, serve our neighbors, and demonstrate the love of Jesus in tangible ways.

Local Mission Partners

This is an area that I get particularly enthusiastic about because I believe God has put us in this place so that we can see His Shalom impact each of the partner organizations that share the facility with us. One of the most exciting parts of this transition has been seeing that the new facility is not simply a place for SGA to worship, but a place where multiple organizations can work together for the good of our community. Already, we have begun serving our partners in a variety of ways, and I am excited about how these relationships will continue to develop.

YMCA

Our partnership with the YMCA has already opened many doors for ministry. I have had the opportunity to serve as their chaplain throughout the week and have already had a few opportunities to pray with people. We have also spent many hours painting and cleaning different areas of the building, helping prepare the facility for use.

Our team has provided audio and video support for the YMCA’s Grand Opening and a Leadership Conference, and Tyler Clabaugh and I were also asked to speak at their Regional Leadership Conference. We have partnered with the YMCA at several smaller events throughout the borough, continuing to build relationships with their staff and the people they serve.

Looking ahead, we are planning to lead a “Faith and Basketball” program for 4th-7th graders in November. We are also working toward the launch of an Alpha outreach course that would be hosted as part of the YMCA’s schedule of classes. It is exciting to think about the ways these opportunities could create natural avenues for people in our community to encounter Jesus.

Training Leaders through Athletics (TLA)

Our partnership with Training Leaders through Athletics has also continued to develop. Our community groups have served breakfast for their Saturday meetings, and several people from our church family have been trained and are now serving as mentors. We have provided audio and video support for their Grand Opening and other training events. A group of people from SGA and YAC also used their painting and construction skills to help prepare their teaching spaces. In addition, several people from both churches helped with the assembly and setup of training and classroom equipment.

As we look toward the future, we are praying and planning about how we can partner together in 2027 to develop a youth ministry at the new facility. We are excited about the possibilities that could come from combining the resources and relationships of TLA, SGA, YAC, and our other ministry partners.

Windy Hill on the Campus Senior Center

Our relationship with Windy Hill on the Campus Senior Center has also continued to grow. We have painted several different areas for them and have had opportunities to serve in practical ways throughout the year. Jonerik and I have also been leading a Bible study there two to three times each month.

We were able to serve hot dogs and drinks at their Christmas in August event and helped set up for and host a table at their Wellness Fair. Perhaps most importantly, we have continued to build relationships through informal encounters throughout the week. It has been encouraging to see some of the people from Windy Hill begin visiting SGA on Sundays. These relationships are a reminder that ministry often happens through simple, consistent presence and friendship.

New Hope Ministries

Our partnership with New Hope Ministries has also begun to take shape. We helped with some of the preparation and setup before they moved into their new space and I had the opportunity to share a devotional thought and pray a blessing over their ministry space at their Grand Opening. Members of our church family have also been donating food to support their ministry as they help people in need. We are currently working through how we can best develop ongoing opportunities

for people from SGA to volunteer and serve alongside New Hope Ministries. We are also in the process of becoming one of their partner churches through consistent financial support. I am grateful for the opportunity God has given us to be part of this community of ministries. I believe there is tremendous potential for these partnerships to become avenues through which the love, presence, and Shalom of Jesus are experienced throughout Spring Grove.

College-Age Ministries

The LifeHouse Community group of college-age people that meets at our home on Monday evenings continues to grow and develop each year. Over the summer, we had a good group of local students as well as college students who were home from various schools. It has been encouraging to see this community continue to develop and to watch students build relationships with one another and grow in their relationship with Jesus. This semester, we are studying through the Gospel of Mark with a particular focus on learning to practice the way of Jesus. Our desire is not simply for students to learn more about Jesus, but to increasingly learn how to live as His apprentices in the everyday realities of their lives.

This year also marks our tenth year of involvement with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at York College. I continue to serve in a volunteer role, while Beth has served as the InterVarsity Campus Minister for the past six years. This year, Beth is transitioning into a regional role with Nursing Christian Fellowship (NCF), a focused ministry of InterVarsity. She will still spend some time each week working with students from York College in partnership with Hannah Shenk. Hannah has taken the lead role as the full-time InterVarsity Campus Minister at York College, and we are thrilled with how she is doing in this role. We look forward to continuing to support and encourage her as she leads this exciting ministry.

Beth will now spend part of her time helping other campuses develop or strengthen their NCF ministries. She has already had opportunities to meet with students and advisors from several campuses, and it will be exciting to see how God unfolds this new ministry opportunity. The InterVarsity ministry at York College continues to be an exciting place of ministry. Approximately 40-50 students are involved, with many new freshmen becoming part of the group. There are currently eight Bible studies happening throughout the week, along with nine students serving on the Leadership Team. This fall, the ministry is focusing on the different names of God and the impact those names have on our understanding of who God is and how we relate to Him.

We have also been blessed with a significant amount of financial support from the college, which will make it possible for many students to participate in Fall Conference. Plans are also being made for an Apprenticeship Team to begin after Fall Conference.

One note-worthy change, Ben and Hannah Shenk will be stepping in to oversee and give guidance to this ministry so that I am able to commit more focus and time to the SGA campus. We are so grateful for this awesome couple’s willingness, and super excited that there is even another couple praying about partnering with them in this vital ministry. Our hearts are full of gratitude for how God is bringing together a great team to minister to college-age people in the YAFC.

Young Adult Ministries

The Haven ministry for young adults continues to develop as a regional connection point for young adults from several churches within the Alliance as well as from other denominations. Throughout the year, the Haven has hosted a variety of events, including game nights, camping trips, and worship nights.

It has been especially encouraging to see this group become more involved in serving through various ministries represented by the participating churches as well as through community events. The Haven is becoming more than simply a place for young adults to gather socially; it is becoming a place where young adults can build relationships, serve others, and discover ways to live out their faith together.

This year has also brought some leadership changes as several people have transitioned into the next phase of life while others have stepped forward to help. It is always exciting to watch how God continues to unfold His plans for a ministry as people move in and out of different seasons. Throughout it all, God remains faithful and this team continues to follow His lead and do a great job leading this ministry to young adults.

Another note-worthy change is that I have asked another couple from YAC to pray about stepping into the role of shepherding the leadership team of this ministry as I will be transitioning out of this role as well. With the move to a new facility and growth at SGA, it is critical for my focus to shift more and more to my role as Campus Pastor. Again, we are grateful for the ways God continues to provide people who are willing to invest in the next generation and help create healthy pathways for young adults to connect with Jesus and His church.

Personal Update

As many of you are aware by now, Beth and I have officially sold our home at 810 Country Club Rd. Our nephew, Seth, and his wife, Lindsay, felt led to purchase the home so that they could continue the legacy of ministry that has taken place there for many years. While we were not actively looking to sell and the process happened very quickly, we have had a deep sense of peace that God was directing the whole process.

One of the confirmations of that has been the way God provided a new home for us just five minutes from the new SGA church facility. It happened in such a short amount of time that we could clearly see His provision and direction in the process. We are excited about what this move will mean as we transition more fully into the Spring Grove community.

In October, Beth and I will also be leading a team of ten people to Mellionec, France, where we will serve alongside Steve and Alace Straw as they prepare their new ministry location. Upon our return, we will move our belongings into our new home and make the transition fully into the Spring Grove community.

We covet your prayers throughout this process. As you can imagine, there is a lot of excitement, but there are also many other emotions that come with saying goodbye to Beth’s childhood home and to a place where God has done so much in and through our lives over the past eleven years. Our home at 810 has been a significant place of ministry and hospitality, and we are deeply grateful for all that God has allowed us to experience there. At the same time, we are excited to see what God has ahead for this ministry home. Seth and Lindsay are unquestionably in the midst of big transition as they make the house their home, but they have made it clear that their intention is for the home to still be a place of ministry to college students and others.

With all of that said, this has definitely been a year of transition in many ways, but through all of it, we continue to see God’s faithfulness. He has been preparing SGA for a new facility, developing new partnerships, raising up new leaders, and opening doors for ministry in ways that we could not have orchestrated ourselves.

May God bless each one of you as you have been such a blessing to these ministries and to our lives. We are deeply grateful for the ways you continue to pray, serve, give, encourage, and participate in what God is doing. It is a privilege to serve alongside you, and we look forward with great anticipation to all that God will continue to do in and through Spring Grove Alliance Church.

Jonas

WORSHIP ARTS – SPRING GROVE ALLIANCE

Alexa Russell, Director

It’s so exciting to finally be sharing an update after being re-launched into the YMCA building in Spring Grove. After years of waiting, anticipating, and preparing, it is so cool to be able to walk out what Jesus has called us to! It has been several weeks of adjusting to a new space/time and figuring things out as we go, but God has been gracious in extending us grace and mercy, and His name is still being glorified - I call that a win! While it has been a huge season of change for the Spring Grove Worship Arts Ministry, I am trusting that Jesus will continue to meet us in our need and uncertainty and will use this season to grow us as his disciples and Levite worshippers!

Where We’ve Been

It was a stretching year for the SGA Worship Arts Ministry as I spent the first half of the year preparing for maternity leave (without knowing the actual launch date of the Y until just before leaving) and then the summer actually on leave. I was incredibly blessed to be able to disconnect and spend time as a new family of 5, so I would like to first say a massive thank you to my team, to the staff, and to all who not only prayed for me but stepped up to fill in the gaps as I was gone!

In light of my leaving, however, there was much for us to do. The team served this year across several platforms beyond the Sunday Morning Gathering, including the Mission Conference, Good Friday, the All-Church Gathering (July) and other gatherings such as First Wednesday and Expectant. I also need to include the huge lift that was “The Artist Stepped In” which was a huge success at both the SGA and YAC campuses last Christmas season (after my last report). For such a small team, the SGA Worship Arts ministry has continued to sacrifice their time and effort to see the larger body of believers at the YAFC draw nearer to Jesus in praise, worship, prayer, and lifestyle!

The team met in January with the broader team of YAFC Worship Arts members, and had 3 additional team meetings throughout the year, with one more scheduled for December. One of our meetings with Pastor Brian in the Spring was to discuss some of the larger implications of moving into the YMCA and how that would take form in light of my absence, and we have since had many conversations regarding what it looks like for the team to serve well, protect their time/capacity, and yet fill the needs we have for musical worship. It is still an ongoing dialogue as we discern and wrestle with the new demands of the Y and our team size/abilities, so please be praying that we would have wisdom, excitement, and the ability to sustain with the power of the Holy Spirit!

Where We Are

As of today, we are worshipping in the new facility and just hosted our first Expectant event - an exciting time to worship, pray, and wait on the Holy Spirit. Each week in the YMCA requires that we set up and tear down the space with tons of equipment, lighting, etc. which has largely fallen on the shoulders of Fred Weidemann and the sound/visual team at SGA. We are deeply grateful for all the hard work that Fred put in to prepare the space for us to worship in, and for his continued dedication to training and troubleshooting with us. Another huge thank you to Andy Howell and the tech team for being flexible, willing to learn, and excited to serve though the demands of the space have increased drastically from our previous location. The Worship Arts ministry is not complete without our sound/visual techs, and we are beyond grateful!

With all of this in mind, we are still figuring out what the demands are on our team each week, how we will fill all the needs, what it looks like to scale our team for the different needs, etc., and most of all we are waiting on the Holy Spirit to reveal to us how we proceed. Our team size continues to change as we bring in new people but also release others to do what the Lord is calling them to in this season, and so we are always adjusting. Through it all, we most importantly continue to pray that the Spirit would fall and bring a release of freedom to the body of SGA to more fully follow Jesus, worship with their whole lives, and engage in the work He is doing as we gather - we desire to be good stewards, good leaders, and good listeners, and so we have been doing a lot of pausing and reflecting. Please pray that Jesus would give us wisdom, discernment, and endurance to keep growing and doing what He has called us to!

Where We’re Going

As we look to the remaining months of the year and the beginning of 2027, I am eager to meet one-on-one with my team (via phone call) to connect, pray, and brainstorm together. I am also hoping to re-start my earlier initiatives of the year to provide training, development, and skill-growing opportunities to uniquely suit our team needs. We also anticipate “The Promised One” our new Christmas production for 2026 that I am developing with my co-laborer in these efforts, Jacob Shuey. It continues to be such a delight to partner with him in ministry and grow as followers of Jesus together. We have been working hard to put this production together and I look forward to how Jesus will use his story to help us share the gospel this Christmas season. Would you pray that the Lord would give us fresh inspiration, creativity, and cohesiveness as the campuses join together to serve in this way?

Many Thanks

I am eternally grateful to the members of the Spring Grove Alliance Worship Arts ministry - your flexibility, spirit-leadership, joy, and genuine passion are the biggest blessing to our church and to me personally. I honor you and thank you from the bottom of my heart, and I’m glad to call each of you a friend. To my co-laborer and dear friend Jacob Shuey, thank you for being the better and brighter half of our Worship Arts Director duo - I continually learn from you and appreciate all that you bring to the team. To the SGA staff and leadership team, thank you for your continued patience and support as I seek to be with, become like, and do the things that Jesus did - we make a great team! To my family: Tristin, Atticus, Magnolia, and Evangeline, you are my most precious ministry to the Lord and I am made more like Him because of you. Most importantly, I thank Jesus Christ for continually calling me to and equipping me for this work. He is faithful, merciful, and more beautiful to me each day. Thank you, church, for supporting the Worship Arts ministries across the YAFC!

For His glory alone,
Alexa Russell

ANNUAL REPORT TO THE CONGREGATION

Jeff Bean, Campus Pastor, Stewartstown Alliance

Reflections

As I look back on 2026, I am absolutely amazed at what God has been doing at Stewartstown over this past year since our launch. When we launched the church in October 2025, we started with one community group. Since that time, we have expanded to four community groups, including a college and young adult group that meets weekly. Currently, our community groups meet in both Stewartstown and New Freedom.

As we have continued building relationships with the elementary school, one of our primary focuses has been finding ways to bless and encourage the school staff. We have provided donuts and coffee during parent-teacher conferences and have intentionally sought opportunities to minister to some of the custodians who are with us on Sunday mornings. One of the custodians in particular has started bringing her children to the school so they can participate in our children’s ministry. Not only does this help alleviate the cost of babysitting, but her children are also excited to learn more about Jesus. It has been such an encouragement to see how God is using our presence at the school to build relationships and open doors for ministry.

One of the goals I had coming into this year was to develop and begin using a prayer team at the end of every service. Since the beginning of the summer, we have had a prayer team available in the back of the cafeteria during the last worship song each Sunday. Caroline and others, including some of our youth, have faithfully served as part of this critical ministry. It has been amazing to see the Spirit move during these times of prayer. The conversations we have had and the ways we have seen people experience freedom have been incredible. We give all the glory to God!

Two ministry opportunities within the body that I did not anticipate developing so quickly were a meal train and a prayer chain ministry. Due to emergency circumstances within our congregation, both teams came together very quickly after two individuals identified these ministries as critical needs. Both ministries have been working smoothly, and I have personally been blessed by each of them, especially as I recovered from shoulder surgery in August. It has been a beautiful picture of the church caring for one another in practical and meaningful ways.

As school began at the end of August and we moved back into our regular routines, the Lord answered two other prayers for us as a church. In September, we officially launched Charged Student Ministries, which meets weekly on Wednesday evenings at Summit Grove. The camp has been incredibly gracious to allow us to use the Youth Barn and Lodge for a small donation. I am excited to see how the Lord will use this ministry and how He will continue to work in the lives of our students.

We also had a women’s group begin meeting monthly in New Freedom. They will be studying the book of Ephesians and the theme of identity. Beginning in October or November, a men’s group will also be starting that will meet monthly and work through what it means to be the spiritual doorkeeper of the home. I am so grateful for Caroline and Jess taking the initiative to get the women’s group moving forward, and I am excited to begin having open and transparent conversations with the men.

For me personally, one of the most memorable moments of this past year came on Christmas Eve. Leading up to December, we were actively looking for a space to hold a Christmas Eve service because the school would not be available. I was so grateful to be introduced to Pastor Samuel, who was the lead pastor at the United Methodist Church in New Freedom. Unfortunately, the church had to close its doors at the end of November. However, when Pastor Samuel found out that we were looking for a space for our Christmas Eve service, he graciously offered the church to us. Not only did members of the Stewartstown congregation attend the service, but several families from the former United Methodist Church also joined us.

Having a Christmas Eve service in a church that is more than 150 years old, surrounded by beautiful stained glass, was something I had dreamed about since I was a kid. To actually see it come to fruition and to sing “Silent Night” together was absolutely profound and deeply meaningful. It was one of those moments when I was reminded of God’s faithfulness and His ability to bring together people and circumstances in ways we could never orchestrate ourselves.

After the Christmas Eve service, we considered purchasing the church property from the UMC district office. However, we sensed very clearly that the Spirit was asking us to continue to be patient and wait on His timing. That has become such an important part of this church-planting journey: learning to trust God’s timing rather than trying to force our own.

I am so thankful for the congregation that God has given us and for the number of adults and youth who serve faithfully each week. We truly feel like the body of Christ as we continue to depend on one another, care for one another, and serve one another in the same way that Jesus has loved and served us.

Looking Ahead

As I look ahead to 2027, I am very excited to see what the Lord is going to do as we continue building relationships and partnerships within the Stewartstown community and surrounding areas. We will continue looking for opportunities to serve within Stewartstown, Shrewsbury, and New Freedom. We have partnered with Shrewsbury Christian Academy through Serve York in both the fall and spring, and we are looking for ways to deepen that partnership over the next year.

We are also looking for ways to deepen our relationship with the elementary school. One of the things the principal and I have discussed is connecting families with specific needs to members of our church family who have the gifts and abilities to help. Those needs could be as simple as basic car repairs, mowing grass, or helping with other practical needs that families may have. We want to continue looking for ways to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our community.

We are also looking forward to our annual Halloween outreach, which will take place in Stewartstown and, hopefully, New Freedom as well. When we have engaged in this outreach previously, we have been encouraged by the conversations we have had with parents of young children as well as with students and youth. These events have provided natural opportunities to build relationships, hear people’s stories, and pray with them.

As we continue looking for a permanent space to call our own, we will continue to wait on the Lord. One of the greatest things I have learned through this church-planting journey is that total reliance on the Lord is essential. I know that He has placed us in the school for a specific reason, and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities that being in the school has brought us over this past year. At the same time, there are logistical challenges that come with renting a space only on Sunday mornings and not having a permanent location for meetings, ministries, and other gatherings. With several families now connected to us from both New Freedom and Stewartstown, the Lord has also begun stretching me by asking how we can effectively serve both communities. As we move into 2027, I will continue seeking the Lord for His guidance and direction as we discern what that should look like.

Thank you for your continued prayers, encouragement, and support. We are incredibly blessed to be part of the York Alliance Family of Churches, and we are excited to see what God has in store for Stewartstown in the year ahead! To God be the glory!

Blessings,
Jeff

ANNUAL REPORT TO THE CONGREGATION

Jonerik Santiago, Church Planting Resident, Hanover Alliance

My family has counted the cost and consider it a privilege to serve the Lord as church planters to Hanover. The staff and Spring Grove campus have been welcoming, supportive, and caring. We are grateful for such kindness. As we have settled, I (Jonerik) have begun the process of praying, personal development, ministerial leadership development, and have received a glimpse into what could be.

Prayer

As we look to plant a church, it is imperative that we lay a foundation of prayer. Prayer for ourselves, for the city, and for those the Lord has prepared for us to meet in the city. In prayer, I (Jonerik) have learned that the land of Hanover is crying out to the Lord, “redeem us.” We are here to proclaim that the redeemer is Jesus!

In prayer I learned that I should go to the city “gates” and call to them to open up, that the King of glory would come in (Ps 24:7-10). So, I have spent time going to the “gates” along the major arteries into and out of Hanover and released this Psalm, welcoming the King of glory.

Personal Development

The residency had been tailored for personal growth in developing and implementing a personal budget, establishing a rule of life, and a plan to sustain longevity.

Ministry development

Ministry development has looked like learning the vision, mission, and values of the Family of Churches. I began to meet with existing staff members to learn the roles they play within the existing structure. I have been invited into leadership opportunities such as strategic meetings, preaching opportunities, worship leading, and gathering host responsibilities. In October, I began an Exponential Multipliers Learning Community (EMLC) in which we will learn disciple-making and multiplication strategies in a cohort environment. The EMLC will take me to Asbury University in Kentucky (Nov '26), Austin, Texas (Jan '27), and Naperville, IL (Apr '27).

Looking Forward

As we look into the next year, we aspire to make disciples by bringing all of Jesus for the whole person (in Hanover) and the whole world. We want to teach others what it is like to be with Jesus, how to embrace becoming like Jesus, and courageously stepping into doing the things Jesus did.

We want to see the Kingdom of Jesus take root in the lives of individuals and thereby transforming Hanover. That is, His truth, His power, His forgiveness, His salvation (healing and deliverance) and His transformational love and presence.

I believe that one of Hanover Alliance’s contribution to the borough and surrounding area, is to serve as a gatekeeping/watchman church for Hanover. Therefore, we should work to become a prayerful, prophetic, proclaiming, and demonstrative church.

Jonerik

PERSONNEL COMMITTEE

Tim Burk, Chair

The Personnel Committee serves in an advisory capacity to the Lead Pastor and Governing Board on personnel-related matters as requested. Responsibilities of the committee include, but are not limited to:

• Periodically reviewing and updating Personnel Policies and Job Descriptions
• Conducting annual reviews of staff performance evaluations
• Benchmarking staff compensation and benefits against current market standards and recommending adjustments when appropriate
• Participating in the selection and hiring process for new staff members
• Promoting open and effective communication throughout all areas of church ministry, including addressing personnel concerns and grievance matters as they arise
• Evaluating the church’s staffing structure in relation to its size, growth, and ministry objectives
• Providing recommendations regarding staff training and professional development

In addition to these ongoing responsibilities, the committee devoted significant attention this year to the following areas:

1. Supporting numerous staff additions, transitions, and role changes associated with the continued growth of the York Alliance Family of Churches.
2. Evaluating employee health insurance options to identify quality coverage that meets the diverse needs of staff families while maintaining responsible stewardship of financial resources.

The current Personnel Committee consists of Dianne Jones, Josiah Katz, Charlotte Aldinger, Michael Carletti, and Tim Burk.

Respectfully submitted,
Tim Burk

FINANCE COMMITTEE

Charlotte Aldinger, Treasurer

The financial performance for 2026 has been a challenge from a giving perspective, especially during the summer months. Fortunately, the management of expenses were able to keep expenses under giving levels. Despite the decrease in revenue and giving, there was not a need to diminish any of the ministries.

Financial updates were provided in the second and third quarters of the year to share with the congregation where giving stood. The congregation was encouraged to align their giving to their original giving goal for the year, especially since there were two Sundays in January that required canceling services. In addition, the seasonal dip in giving from vacations and various other issues may have impacted giving. The short fall in giving did require more significant use of the Reserve Fund, which is the lowest it has been in recent past.

A new Reserve Fund policy was proposed and approved that would cover the Family of Churches instead of just York Alliance. Strategies will be developed to fund the Reserve Fund at prescribed levels per policy.

A church audit for 2025 was conducted and completed. There were no issues or concerns found.

We continue to see God’s faithfulness as there is steady growth in Spring Grove and Stewartstown campuses. With their continued growth comes growth in giving, which will contribute an increasing share in financially supporting the York Family of Churches, which will reduce the burden carried by York Alliance.

The 2027 budget for York Alliance is a conservative plan keeping giving goals close to this year’s giving goal. As it has and is a period of significant change, this next year is viewed as a time to let things settle in place and stabilize.

We end the year by praising God for his faithfulness. As we enter the next year, we trust God to provide for all that we need to carry out his plans.

Charlotte

TRUSTEES

Lonnie Cross, Chair

The Trustees at York Alliance will continue to serve the York Campus while also at times help out at other campuses if need be. We serve because of our love for Jesus and that he loved us first. Jesus showed us over and over again how to serve others in love, kindness and patience. Our goal is to meet the needs of the church building while also developing relationships through the gifts we are blessed with.

Spring and summer work:

The trustees along with volunteers mulched and cleaned garden beds, cleaned out side branches, Finished the prayer room, installed a hand rail, painted and installed 2 new childcare rooms, repaired down spout, plus minor repairs.

Fall work:

Volunteers and trustees cleaned the church parking lot, planted plants and cleaned gutters at the student center, trimmed branches, cleaned offices, painted room 21, and continue to mow and trim grass.

Thank you to all the Pastors, administrative staff, team leaders and volunteers that make up the Body of Christ and serve to keep our church and community beautiful; by sharing your time, talents and gifts to support this Ministry.

As every man hath received a gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves by the strength that God supplies - in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:10-11

Prayerfully submitted,
Lonnie

DEACONESSES

Nedra Baker, Chair

The Deaconess Ministry at York Alliance Church is designed to be a support ministry to the Leadership of YAC as well as an outreach to our church family. The Deaconess Ministry is comprised of church-family volunteers who are responsible for many areas of church-family ministry. These include:

1. Preparation and set up for communion each week.
2. Being available to help with special events that take place in our church facility such as weddings, funerals, luncheons and/or any other special events that are planned by the YAC Leadership.
3. Assisting the Deacons with the set-up for baptism.
4. Set up and display of seasonal aesthetics, especially the décor of the sanctuary and church building for the Advent season.

During 2026, the Deaconess Ministry Team has had a busy schedule. The Team was invited to participate in many of the events that took place within our church, or that involved our YAC church family. We participated with planning, set up, serving, decorating, etc. Some of the events for this year were funeral luncheons, various special church luncheons, Pastoral Ordination celebrations and, most recently, a Meet & Greet reception for our newest member of the York Alliance Pastoral Team. The Hub and/or Youth Center continue to be busy places for many of the different events within our church. All of our “church family” who have graciously volunteered to participate and help in so many ways, have continued to be the hands and feet of Jesus in a very practical & caring way.

Although we never know what the coming year will look like for our Deaconess Ministry, please know that we always need more people who are willing to join in this arm of ministry, and volunteer whatever amount of time you have available. There have been many times when we definitely needed every “hand and foot” available to serve and minister to our YAC family, in many capacities. Thank you.

This ministry is not only an avenue where you can be a support to the YAC Leadership, but you will also get connected to and fellowship with other members of our church family/community. Please prayerfully and intentionally consider this YAC ministry.

I look forward to what God has in store for our Deaconess Ministry and want to express my deepest appreciation and thank you to all those who have been willing to serve in this capacity. I look forward to serving with you this coming year.

In Him,

Nedra

DEACONS

Todd Lloyd, Chair

Bearing Burdens, Walking Beside

The Greatest Need We All Share

It takes about an hour to fill our baptismal pool and another 24 hours to bring the water to a cozy temperature—but whole lifetimes can pass without someone discovering the greatest need we all share: to be saved from our sin through Jesus Christ.

As deacons, helping prepare the pool for baptism is one of our behind-the-scenes responsibilities. While it fills and warms, it offers a fitting moment to reflect on two facets of this ministry: we have the joy of helping people celebrate the cleansing sign of baptism, and we have the privilege of helping wash feet worn from traveling hard roads. Both point us toward the mercy of Jesus, who meets our deepest need and draws near to us in the ordinary, painful, practical needs of life.

Grace Received, Grace Shared

In Acts 2:42-47, the early church devoted itself to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer. Their shared life extended beyond gathering together: they held their possessions with open hands and distributed resources so that people had what they needed. Their care was not separate from their worship. It was one of the ways their life in Christ became visible.

Our desire to meet needs through our church is an outflow of our relationship with Christ and our life together. We serve because we have first received mercy. We give because God has been generous to us. And we seek to bear burdens not as rescuers standing at a distance, but as fellow people who know that every one of us depends on the grace of God.

The current Becoming the Church series reminds us that authentic community is more than a belief we affirm; it is a life we practice. As deacons, we have opportunities to put that conviction into action by listening carefully, discerning wisely, offering practical help, and walking beside people as they navigate difficult circumstances.

Meeting Needs Within and Beyond Our Church

Throughout the year, the deacon ministry has had opportunities to support people facing a range of practical challenges. Requests include financial strain, housing and relocation needs, home repairs, budgeting, and other forms of practical or personal support. Some needs call for direct material assistance; all require time, a listening ear, careful questions, coordination, and/ or connection to another ministry or community resource.

This year, the deacon ministry will serve approximately 30 families, offering support in a variety of circumstances and seeking to respond with compassion, wisdom, and practical care. We are grateful for the opportunities to witness God’s grace and mercy not only among those already connected to our church, but also among people who call on us within the broader York community. We cannot meet every need, and not every request is best served by the same response. Even when we cannot provide the specific help requested, we can offer a compassionate response, be a grace-filled presence and help them find a next step.

Bearing Burdens and Walking Beside

When the deacon team last met together, we reviewed the words of Galatians 6: 2: “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” The instruction is not that we must remove every burden from every person. It is that we come alongside one another and help carry the weight. Before we bear another’s burdens, Christ has borne ours.

This posture shapes how we respond. We are thankful for the many ways deacons and other members of the church contribute their time, skills, resources, and care. This ministry is not the work of a few people alone; it is one expression of the whole body learning to notice needs and respond with the varied grace God supplies. We are also grateful for the collaboration of church staff, care ministry members, community groups, and community partners. When these gifts and ministries work together, support can reach further than any one person or team could manage alone.

Growing as an Authentic Community

Authentic community asks something of both the person who gives and the person who receives. It calls us to share what we have, but also to admit when we need help. It invites us to move beyond self-sufficiency and superficial connection toward a community where people can be known, where needs can be voiced without shame, and where practical love is offered without judgment.

As a deacon team, we want to keep growing in attentiveness, recognizing needs before they become crises. This ministry complements the care ministry and community groups. We also invite the broader church body into this work. For instance, partnerships such as LifePath Christian Ministries, where church members’ donations can become vouchers and practical assistance for families. These are concrete ways our congregation can help open the storehouse and extend care throughout York.

Thank you to everyone who has prayed, given, listened, served, made connections, shared resources, or helped carry a burden this year. Much of this ministry happens quietly and away from public view, but each act of faithful service can become a small, tangible expression of the love of Christ.

A Prayer for the Year Ahead

As we continue becoming the church God calls us to be, may our fellowship in Christ deepen into generous, honest, practical love. May we be quick to notice, humble enough to listen, wise in discernment, and willing to share what we have. May those who come to us in need encounter not only help for today, but also the welcome, hope, and mercy of Jesus.

And as we prepare the baptismal pool – filling it, warming it, and helping people take this step of faith — may we remember the eternal hope it represents. May we increasingly see people raised from the eternal death of their sin to new and eternal life through Jesus Christ, and may our church help make his grace visible along the way.

Todd Lloyd