At liberti's June 5 congregational meeting, we looked back over our previous year, and looked ahead for what's on liberti's horizon in the year to come.  Below is the information from that meeting, in case you weren't able to be there.

liberti church june 2011 update

a look back...

worship.

• liberti's average worship attendance has roughly doubled over the last 12 months, and we've been encouraged to see our community cultivating an atmosphere of hospitality to friends and neighbors.
• To accommodate continued growth and be able to continue welcoming friends and neighbors, we transitioned our 2 worship services to the A.M., and then God opened the door for our transition to First Baptist once those services filled again.
• Brian Savage, an original member of liberti's launch team, was hired to direct and develop liberti's worship and arts life.

community.

• Over the last 9 months, our 6 home meetings have multiplied into 10 home meetings.
• Our family life has developed considerably- we've moved from one to two kids' classes, and will soon add a third.  liberti's also started a parents' playgroup, to connect families to each other and connect with friends and neighbors.
• The infrastructure and organizational life has developed: finance team, incorporation, etc.
• Scott Jennings, who moved into Philadelphia to serve with liberti in its very early days, was hired to oversee and develop the church's community life.

mercy.

• At our combined worship service, liberti committed over $13k to give to a church plant.
• Summer internship program: we hosted and organized a program for college students to intern in the liberti churches and serve in the community over the summer months.
• 1,000 Easter Dinners Project: This past Easter, liberti raised over $20k to distribute 1,000 meals to needy families in celebration of the Resurrection.
• Bethesda Project partnership: liberti purchased them a new stove, started a Bible study with residents, and has expanded its work to 3 of their sites: My Brother's House, Our Brother's Place, and Sanctuary.
• Alpha Pregnancy Services partnership: Donated funds to them in a time of financial crisis, and served on several occasions to rehab various parts of their facility.
• Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility partnership: teams from liberti have been serving innmates at Curran-Fromhold on a monthly basis.
• Vito Baldini was hired to intern at liberti and direct our mercy partnerships.

a look ahead...

summer 2011.

• Summer Nights in the Park, and Summer Conversations...
• Life Nights... Summer camp to serve neighborhood children, at Marion Anderson Park (17th/Fitzwater), from 7-9pm, during the week of June 14-17.  Want to volunteer?  Talk to Vito Baldini today, or email at vito@libertichurchcentercity.org.

worship...

• Hospitality... We want to continue to be a church that doesn't exist just for itself, but for its friends and neighbors.  liberti desires to continue to cultivate a hospitable climate, and fill our present worship space over the next year.
• Arts... Over the next year, we'd like to help the artists among us create and engage in increased ways in the life of the church...

community...

• Home meetings... liberti would like to multiply home meetings into these neighborhoods around the downtown: Old City/Society Hill, Pennsport, University City, Loft District/Center City North, University City, and the Mainline.
• Spiritual Formation... Over the next year, we anticipate offering more classes/workshops/training to facilitate spiritual growth in the liberti community.

mercy...

• Present mercy partnerships... Over the next year, we anticipate continuing to build and deepen our partnership with local organizations, i.e. Bethesda Project, Alpha Pregnancy Services, and Curran-Fromhold.
• Relational development... liberti is going to capitalize on relationships started through initiatives such as the 1,000 Dinners Project, and Life Nights, to build relationships with the vulnerable populations around and among us.
• First Baptist partnership... Now that we have been given this space, we'd like to partner with 1st Baptist to use these facilities to minister to the community in greater ways.
• Elementary School initiative... Over the next 2 years, we'd like to see an elementary school started to serve the educational needs of the city.  For more info, contact Katharine Savage at katharinesavage@gmail.com.
• Mainline multiplication... We've seen growth in people coming to liberti from Philly's mainline communities; we're praying about multiplying somewhere on the mainline.

fiscal yr. 2011-12 budget presentation.

giving options.

• For more info on giving, go to www.libertichurchcentercity.org and click "Give"
• 3 giving options: in worship services, via online banking, and via our stock/securities acct.