was one of the most incredible years of our history. Our Church saw so many people come to Christ, so many people serve Christ and so many people surrender to Christ! An absolute highlight for us is when we see people go through the waters of Baptism and start serving the purposes of the Gospel.
Our theme for 2019 was “Who’s Next?”. We began by asking that simple question because we knew that this year would be a year of transition. “Who’s Next” has become more real to us in this past year than any other previous year. We have seen God move on people’s hearts to send them overseas in mission and church planting. We have seen others step up and lead in areas that brought our church to a whole new level. We can also see that “Who’s Next” will be carried over into this new year too, as where we are going will require new faces in new places.
So with that in mind, we introduce our theme for 2020: “Breakthrough”. Great things have happened before but we are confident that greater things will happen today and tomorrow. We are believing God for a breakthrough in your life personally, a breakthrough in our Church family geographically, and a breakthrough in ministry impact globally. This year, our Church will break new ground in different countries and states. We can’t wait to experience this with you. We present the 2019 year in review so that you see what happened and be prepared in your hearts and minds to participate with us for what happens next. The best is yet to come!
Life Groups
We currently have 94 active groups.
0
Small Groups
0
Action Groups
0
eFam Groups
50 new leaders
Serve Team
244 new members in 2019 • 452 total active members
0
Growth Track
0
Starting Point
0
Financial Peace
Attendance
Campus Wide: 1600 on average weekly
Online: 1200 on average weekly
Waters Kids: 265 on average weekly
Activate: 50 on average weekly
Elevate: 55 on average weekly
Easter 2,972 • Children 487
Christmas 3,508 • Children 595
519 new connections in 2019
10 marriages performed
18 children dedicated
Special Events
February
Tim Tebow – Night To Shine
We were so thankful to be one of the over 500 churches around the world that took part in the Tim Tebow Foundation’s Night to Shine event to bless over 90,000 honored guests with special needs with an unforgettable prom night experience centered on God’s love. As a church, we served 120 guests, provided respite for just over 100 of their care-givers, and had 265 volunteers for the event.
February
Parent’s Night Out
At Waters Kids, we love showing your children Jesus. However, we know that we are just one small part of the influence on children’s lives. We recognize the integral part that parents play in fostering Christian values and with a desire to bless them, we created the Parent’s Night Out event for Valentine’s Day. In 2019, we were able to provide free childcare to over 100 families so parents could enjoy Valentine’s Day together.
April
Epic Egg Drop
The Epic Egg Drop is our annual Easter community outreach event. In addition to the 10,000 eggs hidden throughout church grounds, two aerial releases of 10,000 easter eggs were dropped from a helicopter. The event had 1086 children register as well as many walk-ins. We also partnered with Abundant Hope Pregnancy Resource Center to provide them with diapers, wipes, and baby clothes.
June
Compassion Experience
Compassion International is a Christian humanitarian aid organization dedicated to the long-term development of impoverished children throughout the world. Its’ mission is to develop children into what God intends them to be through the work of local churches. On Compassion Weekend we saw a total of 458 children released from poverty through the generous giving of Waters Church members in addition to 1,763 visitors who toured the Compassion Experience trailer.
August
Summer Splash
Summer Splash is our annual event to celebrate the children of Waters Church taking the next step in faith and get baptized. In 2019 we saw 12 children in the 10-14 year age group enter the waters of baptism.
October
Breakthrough Tour
In October, we hosted an intimate concert with Chris McClarney of Jesus Culture, Red Rocks Worship, and our very own Waters Music. It was an amazing night of music, worship, and fellowship with over 300 in attendence.
October
Trunk or Treat
Trunk or Treat is a Halloween themed event that provides a safe, family-friendly afternoon of activities to children in our local community. We had over 65 trunks across our North Attleboro and Woonsocket campuses and we hosted over 1,000 children and their families.
December
Community Blood Drive
We closed out the year with a community blood drive in conjunction with the Rhode Island Blood Center. The afternoon saw many people take the time to come and donate this precious gift that saves lives.
Guatemala Missions
51 members of our church traveled to Guatemala in 2019
Waters Church partnered with Let Love International for two 8-day mission trips to the campus of Hope of Life where missionaries distributed food to malnourished families in the region, helped with needed construction projects, and participated in various service activities which included visiting hospitals, the elderly, disabled children and much more.
Missions Supported
ARC Churches
Because of you, the ARC Family helped to plant 65 churches in the U.S. and five churches through ARC Global Networks around the world. On launch day, in the U.S. alone, 18,587 people attended one of these new local churches, and 799 people gave their lives to Jesus.
Hope of Life
Hope of Life is a ministry to the people of Guatemala which has impacted millions of lives and become a catalyst for change in the country of Guatemala through the planting of churches, leadership development programs, education, and the creation of a sustainable economy through income-producing projects.
Compassion International
Compassion International is a Christian humanitarian aid child sponsorship organization dedicated to the long-term development of children living in poverty around the world.
American Bible Society
The American Bible Society is a Christian ministry which has been engaging people with the life-changing message of God’s Word for over 200 years. Donations are used to place a Bible in the hands of people who have never had the opportunity to read God’s Word in their own language, to orphans, to Chinese Christians who otherwise would not have access to Bibles, to persecuted people groups around the world, and to our U.S. military members who daily defend our freedom.
Abundant Hope
Abundant Hope is a women’s health clinic and pregnancy resource center that exists to share the love of Christ and to provide free services to educate women on their pregnancy options
Won Life
Won Life is a Non-Profit Organization that delivers services in the areas of health and education to the underprivileged in Cape Town, South Africa.
Manna Ministries
Since 1966 Manna Ministries has been reaching out to men and women throughout India and the world with the Gospel. They also help those in dire need through their catastrophic relief services, medical services, orphanages, and village development programs as well as provide education and discipleship opportunities to the impoverished with their many schools and colleges.
Woonsocket School Lunches
We paid off the lunch bills for the Hamlet and Vilanova Middle Schools and blessed the teachers with lunch during teacher appreciation week.
Providence Rescue Mission
The Providence Rescue Mission is a non-profit organization that reaches the homeless and needy of Rhode Island’s urban centers with the Gospel of Jesus Christ while providing physical, emotional, educational and rehabilitative services at no expense to those in need. Once a month Waters Church provides and prepares dinner for all of the mission’s guests, (approximately 150 homeless individuals) as well as conducts a church service with live worship, a message, and prayer.
Waters Church holds two annual drives for the rescue mission. Thanks to your generous donations, our Thanksgiving Food Drive provided guests with an entire van full of food for the mission’s Thanksgiving Dinner and our Christmas Toy Drive, saw our church donate over 1,000 toys to help bless underprivileged local children with Christmas gifts.
Campus Expansion
Woonsocket, RI
We want to celebrate the beginning of the build-out for the Walnut Hill Woonsocket property! On December 9th, construction crews began demolition of the existing structure and ordered all the materials for the campus build-out. When completed, the sanctuary will accommodate double the present membership! The projected move-in date for the Woonsocket Campus is early spring of 2020. Let us continue to keep our Woonsocket brothers and sisters in prayer as faithfully set-up and breakdown an entire campus each weekend.
Fall River, MA
We are so excited to begin the process of planting a church in the great city of Fall River. We are actively seeking campus locations and have a team of over 30 people ready to undertake this mission. We expect to have the campus open in the fall of 2020.
Tampa Area, FL
We have begun the process of planting a Waters Church campus in the greater Tampa area. Presently we have a team of 25 interested people ready to start this new location and are hopeful for an opening by the end of 2020.
Guatemala
The Guatemala campus is in the final stages of construction and is expected to start serving the surrounding community and U.S. missionaries in January to early February of 2020. We are excited to see how God will work through our first international campus.
Improvements & Expansions
Media
Being part of a church in New England, the least biblically-minded area in the country, we cannot rest in the victories and assume that we continue to automatically increase our growth. We must always be mindful of our mission to reach that one lost sheep; to tie everything we do to a soul. We must be people who are here for those who are yet to be part of the Kingdom of God. Improvements included new digital screens and new cameras.
Activate
A brand new Activate space was created to accommodate the middle school youth so they could better hear and relate to the message as well as partake in worship, fellowship, and small group.
Waters Kids
An additional Red Room was created to help accommodate our children from kindergarten to grade 2. Waters Kids had 30 new volunteers and the children studied a Bible verse each month resulting in 12 new Scriptures in their hearts in 2019.
Financials
18%
Ministry & Missions
19%
Operations
37%
Staffing & Personnel
26%
Facilities & Legal
Tithes & Offerings
Total received for 2019: $3,587,849.63
Tithing is an acknowledgment that God has authority over all parts of our lives and that everything comes from Him. And your tithes help bring the Gospel to the world! Waters Church tithes back out 10% of what comes in.
Stepping out in faith by giving tithes in support of the advancement of His Kingdom not only grows our faith but allows us the experience the blessings from God. Malachi 3:10 says, “Test me in this and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be enough room to store it.”
Above & Beyond
Total received for 2019: $522,488.88
The first Above and Beyond dispersal was $49,000 to Hope of Life Ministries. We expect this tithe amount to continue to increase as additional gifts are received.
Next, $256,000 was released to pay for the cost of the new roof at the North Attleboro Campus. The ability to pay for a roof of this size without taking on new debt is unheard of in the church community. Our goal as a church is to carry as little debt as possible.
After the roof, $160,000 was set aside for the construction of the Woonsocket Campus and $25,000 was paid in preliminary fees and planning costs. Going forward the remaining commitments that come in from the campaign are earmarked for additional parking at the North Attleboro Campus. If these pledges are kept, we could have in excess of $100,000 to put toward parking improvements.
Big Things Weekend
Total collected for 2019: $45,853.79
Big Things is allocated to benefit the new campus plants of Guatemala, Fall River, and Florida.
Technology For Christ
Total utilized for 2019: $36,976.21
Is utilized for new technology to better deliver the Word of God to the world.