To My Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Grace and peace to you from our Heavenly Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I give thanks to God for your continued commitment to growing His Kingdom. I am truly blessed to be counted among you as His faithful servants. May we enter the year with a renewed passion for seeking and serving the one true living and everlasting God.

I am humbled, having been selected to serve as your Lay Director for the year 2010. I give thanks to God for outgoing Secretariat members Dale Knight, Karen Hesselbart, and Sherry Fowler for their dedication and service to SC Via de Cristo. I praise God for calling David Armstrong, Sharon Crout, and Vivian Knight to serve on Secretariat. These three new members, along with returning members Billie Lewis, Dale Peek, Mary Joan Gogel, Ron Redd, Pastor Cedric Gibb, Pastor Kathy Harris, and myself are looking forward to serving God, our Churches, our communities, and you.

I thank you for your patience and understanding while Secretariat reviewed and discussed the volumes of information collected during the September 2009 gathering. At the December meeting of Secretariat, we identified the need for a SC VdC Mission, Vision, and Guiding Principles Statement. In addition, 17 action items were identified, prioritized, and assigned to Secretariat members, the first of which is this letter to the SC VdC Community. Secretariat will meet again on January 16, 2010 to discuss progress and commit to a timetable for the resumption of VdC weekends, training, and activities. The information from the January meeting will be posted to the website and sent out via email.

In closing, we face many challenges that will test our resolve, demands placed on our time and talents, and decisions that will cause us to examine our motives and ideals. God calls His people to be bold and courageous, responding through Apostolic Action. Remember these words from JOSHUA 1:9, “Have I not commanded you? Be bold and courageous, do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

God Loves You my Sisters and Brothers, and so do I.

Ric Cosgrove
ric.scvdc@comcast.net
Home: (843) 553-7452
Cell: (843) 607-3394