Beginnings . . .

Evergreen Church - A Report to the District (Nov 2001)

"I will heal their waywardness and love them freely...
I will be like dew to Israel; will blossom...
I am like an evergreen tree; your fruitfulness comes from Me."
Hosea 14:4-5,8

As God has promised and is wonderfully faithful to fulfill, He graciously brings eternal, spiritual fruit from our labors as we seek to experience God, exalt God, and extend God to others.

Evergreen UMC has been meeting for worship weekly and growing as a Christ-seeking community daily for just over five years. And we have much cause to rejoice in the fruit God is bringing forth.

We rejoice as we experience God through Home Groups, weekly and bi-weekly on-going small gatherings for study, prayer, and fellowship. We currently have nine Home Groups. Most meet in homes, though several meet at the Evergreen House (the small rambler on the church property that we use as a ministry center), and one meets in a restaurant. This is where vital discipleship takes place.

Children at Evergreen (more than 100) experience God through nine different Sunday morning "Greenhouse" classes and a new youth ministry (Live Life Loud) and Home Group.

Our principle gathering for exalting God continues to meet in an elementary school gym. But the informality of the atmosphere does not inhibit the offering of heartfelt praise or the receiving of biblically-based, PowerPoint-enhanced, culturally and personally relevant teaching. (We just finished a series called "9/11 Aftermath.")

Vital to being a new church is our faithful extending of God to others. Through means such as multiple 9,000 piece direct mailings, invitations are extended to special events like a free Harvest Day fall festival, "Christmas at the Barn," and VeggieTown outdoor summer Bible school.

We are very thankful for the continued prayer, financial and tangible support from our brothers and sisters of Leesburg UMC and throughout the Winchester District. We continue to see ourselves as Winchester District missionaries, living out Jesus' commission in the plentiful and ripe spiritual harvest fields of Loudoun County.

Chip Giessler, Pastor   

Evergreen Church - A Report to the District (Dec. 1999)

"I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest... Even now the reaper harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together." John 4:35-36

In August, 1999, "Evergreen" became the name of the 100th United Methodist congregation in the Winchester District. There was a name, along with 18 acres of land, and there was a great foundation laid in prayer, but there were no people... except in the mind of God.

In September, many friends of the newly appointed pastor were contacted throughout the world via e-mail, and the prayer circle widened. The last week of the month, cards were sent to 12,000 Leesburg homes, announcing the birth of the new work of God. On the weekend of October 2-3, seventy people, coming mostly from Winchester District United Methodist churches, went throughout Leesburg in teams of two, "sowing" invitations to some 1,700 homes. Many positive contacts were made as thousands were invited to Harvest Day and to the grand opening worship celebration (October 17).

The following Saturday, the Evergreen Harvest Day took place on the church property. This event, free to the community, drew 300+ people, many of whom had no church connection. The spirit that day was one of love and openness, thanks to the presence of God's Spirit. In addition to following up contacts from Sowing and Harvest Days, 200+ invitations were sent to new Leesburg residents. And all the while, prayer continued, personal invitations increased, and God was at work. On October 17th at 10 am, the gym at Evergreen Mill Elementary School was ready to be a house of worship, thanks to the help of several "missionaries" from neighboring churches and other contacts. Worship began at 10:15, and by 11:00 there were 185 people present, including 45 under 7 years old. The children received loving attention and quality Christian education, while the adults were invited to focus on God and on who we are in God's sight. It was a true worship celebration.

On subsequent Sundays (without the one-time well-wishers from other churches) groups of 125-155 continue to gather for band-led worship that incorporates drama and video clips. Eighty percent of the worshipers indicate they have no other church connection (and many of those with connections are connected to churches out of town). In response to an invitation the very first week, 8-12 gather weekly for Bible 101 - an introduction to God's Word. On the fourth Sunday, communion was shared for the first time (for many present, their first time in many years). And on the fifth Sunday, Evergreen's first "missionaries" were sent forth with a team from Leesburg UMC to help with flood clean-up in eastern North Carolina.

What is yet to be seen in Evergreen Church's life, only God knows. All glory and thanks to God for the birth of this new church. And thanks to the faithful people of the Winchester District and beyond for your prayers.