2025
quarterlyREPORT
Despite everyone's summer plans, our ministries did not slow down at The Orchard Church. Our youth returned from a week of Generate Camp just as the quarter began. We wrapped up Seamless Summer Program in July with the delivery of backpacks to the same children we'd been feeding all summer long. The staff split up to go feed teachers at both Clear Creek Middle School and Gilmer High School just days before kids started back up at school. Plus our youth's, women's and men's ministries all kicked-off August with events, and our Safety team held their first Safety Fair!
But even more important to mention is the RECOVERY FOCUS we had in the 3rd quarter! July brought John and Tanya James to our church for a weekend of worship and testimonies focused around recovery at both Celebrate Recovery on Friday night and at all 3 of our Sunday morning services.
In September we continued the RECOVERY FOCUS with our first Appalachian Restoration Motorcycle Rally at River Park! With the support of the Broken Chains Ministry, we brought together not just bikers, but also several Celebrate Recovery ministries from all over the North Georgia Mountains, including our own. The Orchard Worship Team rocked the rally and several life changing testimonies were shared! Our Celebrate Recovery hosted one of the vendor tents, serving up plates of BBQ with sides and drinks. Lots of other vendors participated, including crafters, bike wash and detailing, patch sellers/sowers and more. Kids enjoyed a monster size obstacle/slide pop-up. We wrapped it all up with 17 baptisms and awarded trophies in several categories for bikes and Jeeps.
Recovery Sunday was a day focused on what God can do with broken people and give everyone a taste of what happens on Friday nights at Celebrate Recovery. Ian Duncan gave his testimony, celebrating 13 years free from the chains of alcoholism. What a beautiful time of praise and worship as 116 people picked up their first Blue Chip. Blue Chips represent surrender of ANY hurt, habit, or hang-up.
As you take a look at this page, we hope you're as excited as we are for what this year has already brought and for what is ahead!
Making the Gospel Relevant
by
Loving God
Decisions for Christ
Loving Others
People in LifeGroups
Making Disciples
Equipping & Serving in some capacity
28 Baptisms
and 12 decision for Christ!
John & Tanya James
On Friday, July 11th, John and Tanya James shared music and testimonies at Orchard Celebrate Recovery. Then on Sunday, July 13th John James shared his testimony at all three services.
John James, former Newsboys co-founder and lead singer, together with his wife Tanya James, recording artist, are both motivational speakers. John now ministers alongside his wife, Tanya, a gifted worship leader and speaker, as they share the healing truth that no one is too far gone for a second chance.
Appalachian Restoration Motorcycle Rally
Motorcycle enthusiasts, our recovery community, and local vendors came together at River Park to show our community the love of Christ. Testimonies of recovery and redemption were shared. The Orchard Worship team was amazing, as always. Plus we baptized 17 people!
Recovery Sunday
Recovery Sunday was a morning focused on what God can do with broken people. Our Celebrate Recovery leaders and volunteers filled the auditorium and shared how we recover together every Friday night at The Orchard Church. Ian Duncan gave his testimony and celebrated 13 years free from the chains of alcoholism. The Orchard Worship team led us in a beautiful time of praise and worship. Plus, 116 people picked up their first Blue Chip! Blue Chips represent surrender of ANY hurt, habit, or hang-up. It was a great day of celebrating recovery with our church family!
Super Tailgate Sunday
It was a beautiful Sunday at River Park for our Super Tailgate Sunday's LifeGroup launch! There were approximately 400 in attendance, including our 19 LifeGroups that participated. We baptized 6, and everyone enjoyed the worship and fellowship despite the heat! The Orchard Church provided the drinks, burgers and dogs for everyone. Plus, LifeGroups provided either a side dish or a dessert at their tents. As a result, 32 people signed up to either join or visit one of our LifeGroups.
Safety Fair
We had our first Safety Fair with 12 volunteers and 14 attendees in August. The fair covered training for: CPR/AED with dummies; firearm handling/safety (rules and pistol handling); self-defense (hand-to-hand); stop the bleed (tourniquets, wound packing and chest seals); plus procedures for safety in gatherings.
Engagement
Summer always sees a down tick in attendance on Sundays and on Wednesdays for Orchard Student Ministry. LifeGroups mostly take the summer off, waiting to start back-up in August.
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Lifegroup Participation
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Student Ministry Attendance
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Celebrate Recovery Attendance
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Student Ministry
Have you met our new youth pastor? Adam Parker began serving in our Orchard Student Ministry this past September. It's been awesome getting to know him and he's already built meaningful relationships with our youth! We're currently in the middle of a study, Theology 101, which wraps up in January. Adam has also gotten involved with a Skateboarding Ministry with several of our youth. We can't wait to see where God leads our ministry next!
Y360 Generate Camp
The 34 students enjoyed a fantastic week at this new camp, including 10 who were going for the first time! Between corporate worship sessions and small groups, students bonded. They spent the week studying through the power and freedom found in Christ, and that there is no other name by which we are saved than Jesus. Our group also participated in competitive team recreation each day. We capped off the week with a fun stop at The Track for kids to play mini golf, go carts, and arcade games. Despite some poor driving skills of middle schoolers, all parties had great time!
C4 Multi-Church Event
Our annual C4 event was once again, a great exercise in cooperating with other youth ministries in Gilmer. The students love joining with friends across other churches in worship! This year, Harvest Missionary Church hosted the event with more than 250 students and adults in attendance. The theme was EveryOne Tell SomeOne About the One with a heavy focus on personal evangelism. Local FCA representative, Joey Sullivan, gave the message demonstrating the need in our community along with some key principles to remember when sharing.
Orchard Women of the Word
After taking June and July off from our monthly gatherings, we kicked-off again on August 9th with Kelin Ortega's testimony. Plus, Debi Light showed us how to make our own personal journals! Then on August 19th we continued our Women of the Bible Study Series, delving into the value of servanthood to the Lord, and how Lydia's brief story in Acts had a long-lasting impact on the church. On September 23rd our study series discussed how DEBORAH emerged as a prophetess and judge during a time when only men were leaders.
Fall Kick-Off Event
Women of the Bible
Orchard Guys
40 men attended our first OG Open to fellowship, enjoy a little friendly competition and develop Spiritual Father / Spiritual Son relationships. 4 men agreed to commit and train to become spiritual fathers, and 4 young men were interested in having a spiritual father / spiritual son relationship with someone. In addition, 18 men agreed to meeting with another man a couple times a month to build relationships and for accountability.
9 of our 11 Spiritual Father’s are in mentoring relationships with spiritual sons. If you'd like to be mentored, there are 2 Spiritual Father's ready to mentor you. Email Dan Davis for more information.
Two new men's groups formed in September with 12 men participating between them both.
OG’s continue to meet the first Saturday of the month for our breakfast at iHop. It's been a wonderful time of fellowship and devotionals together. Attendance per month varied from 10 in July, 22 in August to 20 in September.
OG Open Event
OG's Monthly Breakfast
Celebrate Recovery
Celebrate Recovery started off the 3rd quarter celebrating July 4th with the help of the Murphy LifeGroup. They made the atmosphere festive and grilled some delicious food for us. On July 8th, our Celebrate Recovery kids had an amazing afternoon at The Zone Arcade in Blue Ridge. John and Tanya James joined us on July 11th for a night of music and testimonies. On August 25th, we started a Celebrate Recovery Ministry just for the Timothy House. 6 Leaders/volunteers bring our ministry weekly to approximately 68 men in this recovery house. Plus, 3 volunteers cooked meals for them each week.
September was recovery month! 6 of our leaders headed to Nashville to Celebrate Recovery with other CR leaders from all over the United States. It was a time of rest and restoration for our leaders as we praised God, heard testimonies, and learned how to better serve our community. Our Inmate Outreach had a night of worship and baptism at the Fannin County Jail. 3 women were baptized during the service. Plus, we came together for the Appalachian Restoration Motorcycle Rally at River Park on September 20th, and we brought Celebrate Recovery to our Sunday morning services on September 28th for Recovery Sunday. Ian Duncan gave his testimony and 116 attendees received their first blue chip!
Our Inmate Outreach currently has 3 leaders ministering to 12 inmates. It hasn't been easy gaining access to inmates, but we're so glad we're there! God is changing lives!
Sobriety Chips Awarded
Dinner Volunteers
Meals Prepared/Served
Leaders/Apprentices
Hours of Training
Salvations
Rededicated Lives
Seamless Summer
In July, 114 volunteers served an average of 50 kids per day for a total of 950 meals through the Seamless Summer Program here in our community!
Backpacks
22 volunteers helped us pack and deliver 65 backpacks to kids in our Seamless Summer Program and brought a Day at VBS right to them.
Teacher Breakfasts
A few days before kids came back to school, our staff brought breakfast to 175 teachers combined at Clear Creek Middle School and Gilmer High School.
MEETING TOGETHER
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DEEPER CONNECTIONS
We continue to look for new ways to engage with our online audience. We understand not everyone can meet in person, which is why our digital presence is so important to us, both on Sunday mornings and throughout the week. Take a look at the social connections we're making!
2025 Quarterly General Fund
$152,489
Current Fund Balance
$200,225
3rd Quarter Budget
$190,177
3rd Quarter Giving
$175,542
3rd Quarter Spending
Through 3rd Quarter
Student Ministry
$23,707
Current Fund Balances
$3,158
Total Giving
$3,950
Total Spending
Celebrate Recovery
$3,001
Current Fund Balances
$9,015
Total Giving
$12,552
Total Spending
For Gilmer
$2,356
Current Fund Balances
$3,931
Total Giving
$10,243
Total Spending
Guatemala
$629
Current Fund Balances
$0
Total Giving
$0
Total Spending
Building Fund
$2,788,263
Current Fund Balances
$142,959
3rd Qtr Total Giving
$1,478,644
3rd Qtr Total Spending
"Right Now" Pledge Progress
$2,046,342
Total Pledged
$1,934,525
Total Received
94%
of Pledges Received
"Catch the Vision" to learn all about our future home, how it all started, plus check out the live video cam up on our new property. You can also follow Paster Steve's blog for the latest building progress.
We hope that this information gives you a complete and well rounded look at how we seek to steward our resources. Your obedience and generosity makes all of this possible. If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to reach out to our executive director, Steven Mansell. You can call at 706-621-5160, or email through the button below. He manages our accounts and is more than happy to help!
If you would like to give towards our mission for 2025:
The Orchard Church
7288 Hwy 515 N
Ellijay, GA 30536
706-621-5160
hello@orchardellijay.com
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