IN THIS WEEK’S UPDATE
• Joyride
• Nacho Cheese
• Elder Board Recap
• ISO Contractor
• Outside the Walls
• Last Week's Insights
SUNDAY, MAY 3, 2026
What do the Ten Commandments and The Atlantic, Marco Rubio and Donald Trump, and the way our brains function have anything to do with Paul’s ancient letter to Philippi? You think we’re going to tell you in a newsletter blurb!? Come on, now. No, we are going to tell you in a rollicking sermon that zooms in on the bridge between the complicated and the complex, the bridge that spans chapter 1 and chapter 2 of Philippians. Come for the community, stay for the growth. See you Sunday.
MONTHLY LUNCHEON
Our monthly luncheon is back, and we’re kicking things off with a nacho bar. After some time away, it will be great to gather again, share a meal, and spend a few moments together.
Join us after the service to build your plate, connect with others, and enjoy a relaxed time as a church family. As always, feel free to bring a dessert to share, and you are welcome to help with setup or cleanup if you’re able.
We’re looking forward to being back around the table together.
ELDER BOARD MEETING RECAP
First quarter financial results are positive, with giving exceeding expenses by $18,267, an increased number of households participating in giving, and the amount of giving increasing each month in 2026. Thank you for your generosity and faithfulness!
The co-pastor search is moving forward with three new candidates who are participating in a second round of interviews which will be completed by the end of this week.
Building plans have been completed for the Kidcrest remodel and are in the final stage of approval by the elder board and landlord to open bids for the project.
SEEKING QUALIFIED CONTRACTOR RECOMMENDATIONS
The Elder Board is requesting your help if you are, or have experience with, a licensed, insured contractor who may be interested in submitting a bid for the Kidcrest space remodel. Please submit the company name/contact person and phone number along with your recommendation to board@woodcrest.org.
OUTSIDE THE WALLS
- FORCOLUMBIA -
Last Saturday, 18 participants from Woodcrest joined ForColumbia alongside more than 2,100 volunteers representing 63 churches across Columbia. Together, they served at 98 sites throughout the community in a wide variety of ways.
Woodcrest volunteers served at Woodhaven, while Kidcrest volunteers partnered with City of Refuge Shalom House. It was a beautiful day of meaningful work and connection. At Shalom House, volunteers helped build a fire pit, edge a playground, construct bridges, create a garden space, and mulch a trail that winds through the 13-acre property.
Serving side by side with other churches to meet the needs of our community is both a blessing to us and a way to honor God. We are already looking forward to next year.
- WON BY ONE TO JAMAICA -
Several Woodcresters served the community of Harmons, Jamaica, on a mission trip from April 18 - 25. We are grateful for their care and love for the people and their safe travel to Jamaica and back. Ask one of these folks to share one of their most meaningful moments from the trip!
LAST SUNDAY'S INSIGHTS
Matt Gordon continued the Philippians series by introducing a Paul who refuses to stay inside the lines. From a Roman prison, Paul writes a joyful letter to friends, treating his chains as a launchpad for the gospel rather than a setback. Matt invited the church to consider what it would look like to live with that same upside-down freedom, where the question is no longer "is my life good or bad" but "is the gospel advancing through me."
Highlights
Paul reframes every circumstance through one filter: not good life vs. bad life, but wasted life vs. valuable life.
A Christian can become functionally "uncancelable", because fame, money, prestige, and comfort were never the prize to begin with.
Death is both a bug and a feature. It is the curse we were never meant to carry and the doorway home that Jesus walked through first.
Christians can grieve deeply and rejoice deeply. We are not asked to pretend, only to grieve differently than those without hope.
Death loses its sting for the believer, and when the biggest fear shrinks, every smaller fear shrinks with it.
Eternity is promised, and eternity is good. Every good thing we love about the people we love finds its source and its fullness in Christ.
Takeaway
Joy isn't the absence of hard things; it's the presence of Christ in them. When eternity is settled, today gets lighter. Live anchored, love freely, and trust that the best is still ahead.
OTHER IMPORTANT STUFF
• Check out Kidcrest, our children’s ministry HERE
• The Loop: sign up for our student ministry newsletter HERE
• Watch services at WoodcrestWorldwide.org
• Engage on Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
• Download the Woodcrest App: CLICK
• Last, but definitely not least: Set up a recurring donation