Each year we ask the Lord for a focus word which will help bring direction and emphasis for the upcoming months. Our journey as Christ followers at Grace North has been influenced by these words; they not only tell the story of where we've been but also of where we are going.
We invite you to join us on this journey!
2023- ALIVE
We are ALIVE in Christ!
2022 - Send me
This word is unique because for the first time it is a response to the Lord on our part. We are challenged to respond as Isaiah did when God asked him, ‘Who will go for Us?’
Isaiah 6:1-8 - In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!” And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged.” Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”
2021 - dunamis
“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power (DUNAMIS) may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.” 2 Cor 4:7-10
2020 - Vision:
on earth as it is in heaven
In spite of the pandemic, God asked us to raise our vision and contend for “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10
2019 - Presence
In 2019 we were excited to experience His Presence as never before! Prayer and worship work together as we seek His face.
2018 - Thrive
Although our church was undergoing a transition, we were challenged to THRIVE in the midst of it! Some areas of focus this year were emotional maturity, Kingdom power, leadership development, and presenting the Gospel through drama and story at Easter. Click the graphic to watch this year's Thrive Report beginning at 52:01.
2017 - Why?
In 2017 it was back to the basics with a goal to answer the 'why' of 'what we do as a church'. Understanding the 'why behind the what' is a powerful place for individuals and a missional church family. Watch the opening message to this important season in the life of Grace North Church by clicking on the graphic.
Note: During this year a pastoral change occurred. Listen in on the sermon from Pastor Marion Ingegneri entitled: "Why I said yes!"
2016 - Live It!
God challenged us to live our lives according to what Jesus commanded in His Word. We need to be doers of the Word and not hearers only! (James 1:22-25)
2015 - Love Explosion
We were challenged to love others as Christ has loved us.
Click the graphic to listen to the last sermon of the year on the message of Love Explosion! (Sermon begins at 41:12)
2014 - Branded by Honor
As the church began to walk in the strength of the Spirit, God called the church to build a culture of honor. Thinking of high respect and esteem for one another became the focus. The "Branded Hearts of Honor" discipleship series was birthed with this word.
2013 - Beyond Limits
Things took a big change in 2013 when Pastor Scott challenged the church to walk with God in a way that went beyond the natural limits! Grace North shifted into a life of living and thinking of the supernatural possibilities of walking in the Spirit. Pastor Scott began to speak to the church about taking our "natural" and adding His "super" to become a supernatural church!
2012 - Taste and See
With Pastors Scott & Lydia's leadership in full swing the focus on the beautiful experience of the goodness of the Lord was not a surprise. The congregation was encouraged to simply experience, to taste and to see the goodness of God in their lives and in the life of the growing and ever changing congregation of Grace North Church!
2011 - Old School Jesus
The concept behind "Old School Jesus" is to go back to the basics. Focusing on the foundations of Christian living and primary words of Jesus became the simple target of the church in a year of transition.
It was the year of 2011 that Pastors Scott and Lydia Ingegneri were installed as the senior pastors with Pastors Marion and Joe Ingegneri shifting their focus to the expansion of the church into new locations. In addition to pastoral change in the church, this was also the first year of living in the new Anthem facility.
2010 - The Power of One
Building relationships and becoming one is never easy but it is vital to the life of a vibrant church. In the year 2010 Grace North Church moved from one location to another and spent April - August in a tent located with a birds-eye view of the I-17 and adjacent to the current Anthem location. With revival underway, every type of challenge came to life when the words of Jesus are considered, "that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me." John 17:21 (NKJV)
The power of one became the commitment of a congregation!
2009 - Water (Essential for Life)
A word like "water" no doubt needs explanation. Consider the words of Jesus, "Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:13-14 (NKJV)
As Grace North became a strong congregation, the challenge in this year was to drink in the Presence of Jesus and look to Him as the essential for life in all things. In a desert region the people of Grace North understood the value of water for living in the natural. In this year, the church became aware of the need for living water in their spiritual lives.
2008 - Logos
After a year of "Going Deeper" the Lord instructed the church to dive into the Word in an even deeper way. The logos effect changed the life of Grace North as an entire congregation focused on the impact and effect of the Word of God in their personal lives.
logos: the Word of God, or principle of divine reason and creative order, identified in the Gospel of John with the second person of the Trinity incarnate in Jesus Christ.
2007 - Going Deeper
As young church, the decision for this year was to go deeper into the things of the Lord. In keeping with this word and directive from the Lord, Grace North officially kicked off our formal discipleship process in the fall of 2007. This is the year that Grace North culture truly became a culture of moving from mere decisions for Christ to disciples for Christ.
2006 - Tag, You're It!
It is important to note that in this first year of Grace North promoting a "word for the year" that the focus was on the people being the ministers. The leaders of Grace North Church hope that when the people are asked, "Who are the ministers?" they will clearly answer, "We are!"
"And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ," Ephesians 4:11-12 (NKJV)