In the Fall of 2023, we began the process of planting of our next campus, a Spanish-speaking Congregation in Waynesboro!
A few updates (Dec 14)!
Exciting things are happening through our church’s presence in the Waynesboro community. Since Vision Sunday on October 22, God has clearly been at work. Beyond God’s ongoing provision of finances to support this launch, here are just a few things happening in recent weeks:
•The life group continues to meet regularly on Saturday evenings and new people have been connecting. One lady came to her first life group in November, and has rededicated her life to the Lord, along with her two children.
•We are excited and anticipating a Christmas dinner for the community on December 22, 6:00-8:00 pm at the Parks and Recreation building in Waynesboro (413 Port Republic Rd).
•On January 27, we will be hosting an event called Love Your Neighbor (Amor al projimo). We will be giving out hot chocolate, coats, gloves, hats, and scarves to those in the community who are in need.
•On February 17 we have a couple’s dinner at a local restaurant. More details will be coming soon, but this will be an important outreach to new couples in the community.
FAQ’s
Why Waynesboro? Why now?
For over a year, we have sensed the Lord might be up to something in connecting us to the Hispanic community in southeastern Augusta County. Waynesboro is an area where there are currently no Hispanic Nazarene churches within a 30-minute drive. Further, when Pastor Walter Cruz and Iris (Maritza) Osorio (Pastor Chris’ parents) became available to lead a life group in the area, it seemed to be still more confirmation. Then, our Church Board approved the plan in June.
Walter & Maritza Cruz began their Christian journey at the Woodbridge Iglesia where they received Christ as their Lord & Savior. Later in their journey, they sensed and responded to His call to full time ministry. They faithfully served as Sunday School teachers and Life Group leaders, board members, and in other areas of ministry. In 2011, they sensed a call to move to Fredericksburg where they planted Fredericksburg Iglesia. They served faithfully as co-pastors until 2022.
Currently, they live in Harrisonburg and attend our Esperanza Viva campus where they are very involved in the life of our church. They provide leadership for a Life Group in Waynesboro and are both ordained Elders in the Church of the Nazarene.
Is this financially feasible? Can we afford this?
A financial model is in place that is expected to fund the effort for the first year, while the campus works toward achieving self-sustainability beginning in year 2. A budget will be established for the first year and funds will be raised so that it is fully supported during that time. Funds for the second year will be raised by the campus during the first year, since the financial burden of year one will be carried by the initial fundraising total.
What do you need from me?
This is definitely a church-wide effort, and we’ll need all hands-on deck to fulfill God’s vision. First, we hope you have already begun praying for the new work. Our Hispanic brothers and sisters in the Waynesboro area need Jesus! And they need a clear message on the freedom of holiness. Next, please be deciding how you can give financially to the effort. We’ll be sharing more about that in the days ahead. We’ll be asking you to make a monthly commitment as you’re able. Whatever you can give will be important.
What about a building/facility?
We plan to seek out a suitable space in the Waynesboro area to rent or lease. There are no plans at this time to purchase property and/or a building or take on any mortgage. The focus will be wise financial stewardship and self-sustainability for the campus.
What is the strategy to promote the new campus to the community?
A life group is already active there and is already reaching into the community. We also anticipate public events in a local park, festivals, outreach meals, etc. We plan to be very active in the community beginning this Fall.
What is the foreseen timeline for this campus launch?
The projected launch day for the new campus is Sunday, October 6, 2024, Lord willing. Any adjustments to this day will be made as the Lord leads.
How can we access more information moving forward?
You can always come back to this page for details and updates throughout the process. We will commit to update this page regularly so that you can easily find information, updates about funding the campus, upcoming events, and more. We know if we’re going to ask you to support the effort sacrificially, you deserve to have accurate information on progress at-a-glance.
To whom can I address specific questions?
Email us anytime and you’ll receive a quick response.