Dear Church Family,

We want to share an important and heartfelt update with you regarding the future of our Winchester campus. After much prayer, reflection, and unanimous agreement from church leadership, we have come to the tough decision to close the Winchester location. Our final Sunday service will be held on October 20, 2024.

On Wednesday, September 18, we held a church family meeting to announce and discuss this decision, which was also shared during service this past Sunday. If you were unable to attend, we encourage you to watch the recording of the meeting to hear how we arrived at this conclusion. We know that this decision was neither easy nor simple, and we want to ensure transparency in the process.

In February 2024, we first shared the financial challenges facing the Winchester campus. Despite our best efforts, giving revenue has steadily decreased while operational expenses have risen. To address these concerns, we listed the property for sale and explored more affordable relocation options. Unfortunately, while we identified one potential site and even signed a letter of intent, the costs proved unworkable for both the short and long term.

Another important consideration was the long-term vision for the Winchester congregation. Our goal has always been to move toward greater autonomy, possibly as an independent church under the leadership of a called lead pastor. However, despite years of discussion, such leadership has not yet been identified, and the worsening financial picture forced us to accelerate our decision-making.

We’re grateful to announce that the sale of the property closed at the end of August. From the proceeds, we will be making a donation to the newly formed Love In Action (LIA) Center to assist in finding a permanent home for this critical ministry. Additionally, we will continue to operate the food pantry and free clothing boutique for up to 12 months through a rent-back period at the current facility. The food pantry, in particular, has been a bright spot in our ministry since it launched five years ago, and we look forward to seeing it thrive.

As we move forward, we want to provide support for anyone looking for a new church home. Please text nextsteps to 855.910.4010, and we will gladly assist you. We will also provide a list of suggested churches in the coming days. While we understand that distance may be a challenge, we welcome you to consider attending our Gainesville campus.

Thank you for your continued prayers and commitment to the ministry.