March Vision 22 Update

Good Morning Pastors,
I am trusting that each of you is encouraged by what God is doing in the lives of people in your congregations, in your neighborhood, and in our city. God is doing something remarkable and I wholeheartedly believe He is inviting us to participate in a greater way in this season.  Thank you for your commitment to our city and its most deteriorated neighborhoods!  Here are a couple of quick updates/reminders:

  • PRAYER: Did you see this article in the Fresno Bee last month?  I truly believe the bold commitment of the body of Christ to pray for our city’s most deteriorated neighborhoods is resulting in an increase of Heaven in our city. Life is increasing as the hopes of the Body for our city are being fulfilled.  As the Proverb says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.”
  • VISION 22 WEBSITE: Thanks to Andrew Feil of Every Neighborhood Partnership, Vision 22 now has a website!  Here you will find a description of Vision 22, curriculum, and so much more.  If you were having difficulty keeping track of the documents we have sent you over time, all of them can be found at www.vision22.org
  • GUEST PREACHING: Just a reminder that Paul & Ashley Swearengin have made themselves available to come to your church and help kick off your teaching of the Vision 22 curriculum.  This Friday I am having Paul share about Vision 22 with 45 students from Northpark University!  Paul can be reached at pswearengin@comcast.net
  • DEEPENING RELATIONSHIPS; INCREASING IMPACT: Have you met with your Vision 22 partner(s) this quarter??  Recently Pastors Lee Pointer (Bethlehem Baptist Church) and Dale Oquist (Peoples Church) met in the West Fresno Elementary School neighborhood to plan some initial ways their churches can deepen their relationship with one another and with this great neighborhood.  The leadership of these two pastors is going to have a tremendous impact on the Body and on the West Fresno Elementary community!                                               
  • NEXT LEADERSHIP GATHERING:  Just a reminder, we are meeting April 30th from 12:30pm-2pm at North Fresno Church, 5724 N. Fresno St, 93710.  This should already be on your calendar.

Thank you again for all you do, and for the extraordinary effort it takes to not only shepherd a congregation but also to provide leadership to our city.  I count each of you as precious friends.
Your brother,Phil