Trust in the Lord and do good, dwell in the land, and cultivate faithfulness.
Psalm 37:4 (NASB)

Family

2025 has already been a very full year for our family.

Aiden is preparing to attend the LIFE Conference in Indianapolis (LIFE is a conference for teens in the Christian and Missionary Alliance). Emma was part of the cast in her school’s production of Matilda. She didn’t have any speaking parts this year, but she had to learn a half-dozen dances. She did great! Josiah is in kindergarten and recently turned 6 years old. He’s preparing to be the ring bearer in an upcoming wedding.

Kendra continues to fulfill her calling to motherhood in a variety of ways. In addition to raising our kids, she provides childcare for two families in south Jersey. She also continues to lead the Children’s Ministry at our church. She’s really good at this mothering thing!

Pray that our family will be Christ-centered and that our home will be a safe, nurturing environment.
Also, please pray that we all sleep well.

True Vine Church Community

True Vine ended 2024 with a few challenging circumstances, but we’ve leaned into those challenges and seen progress. Our attendance is up 15% compared to this time last year. Over 100 adults and teens are regularly involved in weekly Discipleship Groups. The attendance at our Prayer Meeting has nearly quadrupled since the end of 2024. For now, we are operating with a budget surplus. I’m grateful for all of this progress.

Since January, we’ve been in a series on our church vision. We’ll dedicate 17 sermons, 12 weeks of Discipleship Groups, and one weekend to further develop and advance our vision.

Pray for continued growth, health, and stability. We’ve taken several aggressive steps to expand our impact recently, and now we want to sustain all of that progress.

Christian and Missionary Alliance

• I continue to serve on the Ordination Council of the Metropolitan District. I enjoy this work.

• I recently designed a book cover for my friend, Dr. Paul King’s new book, Spirit Immersion Encounters.

• I’ll be attending the General Council of the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Columbus, Ohio, in June.

• I’m serving as the Morning Bible Hour speaker at Summit Grove Family Camp in New Freedom, PA in July.

• I’m currently working out the details to speak at a retreat in May and a conference in July.

Pray for renewal and revival in the Christian and Missionary Alliance.

Philadelphia

I don’t typically include a section about Philadelphia, but so much has taken place lately that I want to share.

On Friday, Jan. 31st, a small medical plane crashed in our neighborhood. This crash was very close to our house. The explosion shook our home and lit up the sky. It took place at Aiden’s bus stop - he was in that location just two hours before the crash. Eight people lost their lives in the crash, and about two dozen were injured. Memorials have been set up at the crash site, and some families have still not returned to their homes even six weeks after the crash.

Pray for the victims of the crash as well as those who were injured and have been displaced from their homes.

The Eagles won the Super Bowl! Watching the Eagles has become one of our favorite pastimes. We live just a few blocks from Frankford and Cottman, one of the major gathering spots to celebrate championships in Philadelphia. We really love living in Philly!