Blueprint: Local Partners and Community
The following blog was written using responses by Curt Moore, our Coordinator of Local Impact and Connection
Growing Smaller, Serving Wider
As Orangewood continues to grow, I am excited about helping people find a place where they can be known, cared for, and grow in their relationship with Jesus. Community Groups will play an important role in helping us “grow small.”
We are starting new groups, strengthening existing groups, and equipping leaders to create places where people know they are welcome and wanted.
I am praying that God will draw people out of isolation and into genuine Christian community. My hope is that people who are new to Orangewood will find a place where they belong, and that those already connected will experience deeper relationships marked by prayer, hospitality, care, and spiritual growth.
Becoming Gospel-Grounded, Formation-Focused, and Mission-Moved
I would love to see our members and guests become so overcome by the grace of the gospel that it begins to reshape their priorities—how they use their time, talents, and treasures. Not out of guilt or obligation, but because the love of Christ has captured their hearts.
I hope we will all become more willing to consider whether the places where we currently devote ourselves are consistent with the priorities of God’s Kingdom and where He might be inviting us to invest ourselves differently.
I would be especially pleased to see people discover that God has given them gifts, experiences, relationships, and resources that can be used to serve others. My hope is that our Community Groups will become increasingly gospel-grounded, formation-focused, and mission-moved—places where people are reminded of the grace of Jesus, grow together to become more like Him, and encourage one another to live as people sent into their neighborhoods, workplaces, and relationships.
Seeing God Provide Through Community
One of the greatest highlights has been seeing God provide four new Community Groups that will begin this fall, including two people who will be leading a group for the first time. I love watching the process as people begin to recognize how God has already equipped them and then take the courageous step of testing their calling to serve. Seeing God provide through these new leaders has already moved me to worship.
I also think of several individuals and couples who were not well connected but now feel much more comfortable and at home at Orangewood because of the relationships they have developed. That is a beautiful reminder that Community Groups are not simply meetings—they are places where people can become known, cared for, and experience a real sense of belonging.
Another standout has been watching one of our newer groups flourish as a Community Group for families. They include their children in their gatherings, creating a place where families can learn, grow, and serve together. It has been beautiful to see both parents and children learning what it means to follow Jesus alongside others.
Serving Our Neighbors Near and Far
I am also excited about helping our church family become more connected with our Local Ministry Partners. We have some wonderful partners who are faithfully serving children, students, women, and families throughout our community.
This year, I hope we can help more people at Orangewood learn about their work and discover practical ways to serve alongside them. We are also exploring the possibility of adding one or two new Local Ministry Partners.
I am also excited about our growing partnership with The Penitent Thief. We are helping them develop a discipleship ministry within the homes where the men and women they serve live. As this initiative grows, we will need men and women from Orangewood who are willing to lead Bible studies, build relationships with the residents, and encourage them as they grow in their faith.
Finally, I am very hopeful about finding new ways to connect our Community Groups with our “Missions Far” missionaries. Through prayer and possible Zoom gatherings during group meetings, we can provide meaningful care and encouragement to our missionaries. At the same time, these relationships can help our members and guests see more clearly how God is advancing His Kingdom around the world.
I am praying that our relationships with local partners and global missionaries will widen our view of God’s Kingdom. As we see God at work near and far, I hope we will be moved to pray more faithfully, serve more willingly, and invest more intentionally in the places where His Kingdom is advancing.
Opportunities to Get Connected
One important opportunity this fall is the launch of four new Community Groups, along with openings in several of our existing groups. We want to help people find a place where they can be known, cared for, and grow alongside others.
There are also opportunities to lead or co-lead a group or simply open your home as a host. Those who step into leadership will not be on their own. They will receive ongoing coaching, encouragement, and training, both in person and through new episodes of the Equipped to Lead podcast.
This year, the podcast will also feature conversations with our Local Ministry Partners. These interviews will help our leaders better understand the good work our partners are doing and introduce their groups to practical ways they can serve together.
This year, we’re inviting people to take a step toward deeper relationships at Orangewood and discover how God can use them to care for and serve our neighbors, both near and far.