Dear City First Family,
As City First Church, we care about the one. Every person matters to God, and so every person matters to us. We are called to make a difference in this world, and be a part of the solution. We are to help the hurting (both spiritually and physically), feed the hungry, provide for the homeless, care for the orphans - and tell anyone and everyone about the Good News of Jesus.
Legacy is above and beyond our regular giving. There are five Legacy Lanes we focus on throughout the year: City First Building and Expansion, Local Missions, National Missions, World Missions, and City First Leadership College. Because of your generosity this year, we’ve accomplished so much together! This Legacy Report testifies to the goodness of God!
Thank you for being such a generous church – your giving is changing lives and leaving a legacy!
God Bless,
NEWLY RENOVATED CHAPEL
The original auditorium on Spring Creek and Mulford was built in 1971. Thousands of lives have been changed in this space since then. Because of your generosity we were able to make much-needed upgrades and prepare it for another 50+ years of life-changing ministry!
BEFORE RENOVATION AFTER RENOVATION
BREAKING NEW GROUND City First MetaVerse Location launched on
6, 2022 and
300+ individuals in attendance! 50 STATES 60 COUNTRIES 974,854 VIEWS CITY FIRST CHURCH IS REACHING
City First Anywhere is meeting people right where they are, bringing the hope of Jesus and a place to find community.
March
has had over
LOCAL MISSIONS HOLIDAY OUTREACH FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS 2,242,768 POUNDS OF FOOD DISTRIBUTED 2,038,880 MEALS GIVEN AWAY 137,650 INDIVIDUALS FED 30,721 FAMILIES SERVED *FROM APRIL 2020 TO DATE (DOES NOT INCLUDE HURRICANE IAN RESPONSE) WE KNOW THE HOLIDAYS CAN BE DIFFICULT FOR MANY. THROUGH YOUR GENEROSITY, WE ARE ABLE TO PARTNER WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO BRING HOPE AND JOY IN JESUS’ NAME! THANKSGIVING MEALS GIVEN TO THE HOMELESS AND HURTING THROUGH ROCKFORD RESCUE MISSION, MERCY CHEFS, OPERATION BLESSING, AND FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS. CHRISTMAS PRESENTS GIVEN TO CHILDREN IN NEED AT CONSTANCE LANE, ELLIS, JAMES STEPHENS, AND PINE ISLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. 10,000 3,500
PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS City First is honored to have ongoing partnerships and offer continual support to LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS: ROCKFORD RESCUE MISSION PREGNANCY CARE CENTER OF ROCKFORD KENNEDY MIDDLE SCHOOL FOOD PANTRY NORTHERN ILLINOIS FOOD BANK ONE MORE CHILD MIDWEST FOOD BANK THRIVE PREGNANCY CARE CENTER CHILDREN’S NETWORK LEE HEALTH ACT BETTER TOGETHER
HURRICANE IAN RESPONSE 1.1+ MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD AND SUPPLIES GIVEN AWAY IN JUST 8 WEEKS. MEALS DISTRIBUTED BOTTLES OF WATER POUNDS OF BABY SUPPLIES (DIAPERS, WIPES, FOOD) POUNDS OF RESPONSE SUPPLIES (GENERATORS, CLEANING & HYGIENE PRODUCTS) 530,972 554,610 38,880 93,620
IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE NEEDS IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE’VE PARTNERED WITH CONVOY OF HOPE TO REACH THE WIDER REGION OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA, SERVING 115,000 HURRICANE SURVIVORS.
NATIONAL MISSIONS CHURCH MULTIPLICATION NETWORK CMN CONTINUES TO PRAYERFULLY AND STRATEGICALLY TRAIN PASTORS AND PLANT CHURCHES, FUND MISSIONARIES, AND HOST CONFERENCES FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXPANDING GOD’S KINGDOM. TRAFFICKING HOPE TRAFFICKING HOPE EXISTS TO BRING HOPE TO SURVIVORS AS WELL AS SUPPORT TO THOSE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING. IT EDUCATES, EQUIPS, AND EMPOWERS SO THE MASSIVE PROBLEM OF TRAFFICKING DOESN’T FEEL SO HOPELESS. TOGETHER, WE CAN END IT. MERCY MINISTRIES MERCY MULTIPLIED EXISTS TO PROVIDE YOUNG WOMEN WITH TOOLS FOR FREEDOM FROM LIFE-CONTROLLING ISSUES AND SITUATIONS INCLUDING ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, ABUSE, EATING DISORDERS, SELF-HARM, ADDICTIONS, UNPLANNED PREGNANCY, AND TRAUMA FROM SEX TRAFFICKING. 213 CHURCHES PLANTED 6 VICTIMS RESCUED 154 HELPED THROUGH THE COUNSELING CENTER RESCUED 30,000 SALVATIONS RECORDED 66 VICTIMS IDENTIFIED 2,500 ATTENDED WORKSHOPS 1,062 MONTHLY PHONE CALLS FROM THE INTAKE DEPARTMENT 1,020 APPLICATIONS FOR THE RESIDENT PROGRAM 42 RESIDENTS SERVED 672 CHURCHES FUNDED 51 TOTAL ARRESTS 53 CHURCH PARTNERS
WORLD MISSIONS WAR ON UKRAINE + CONVOY OF HOPE WHEN NEWS OF WAR BROKE OUT IN UKRAINE, WE IMMEDIATELY PARTNERED WITH CONVOY OF HOPE, WHO HAVE BEEN BOOTS ON THE GROUND, HELPING THOSE IN NEED. TOGETHER, WE HAVE SERVED BECAUSE OF YOUR ONGOING GENEROSITY, REFUGEES CONTINUE TO RECEIVE WARM MEALS, SUPPLIES, SHELTER, AND A MESSAGE OF HOPE. COMPASSION INTERNATIONAL 1,400 CHILDREN ARE SPONSORED IN BOGANDE, AFRICA. THESE CHILDREN RECEIVE MEDICAL CARE, EDUCATION, CHRIST-CENTERED GUIDANCE, FOOD, AND MORE. ZOE INTERNATIONAL RECENTLY CELEBRATED 20 YEARS OF MINISTRY AND IS STILL WORKING, ALONG WITH PUBLIC OFFICIALS, IN THAILAND, AUSTRALIA, MEXICO, JAPAN, AND THE US TO PREVENT TRAFFICKING, RESCUE VICTIMS, AND RESTORE THEM IN JESUS’ NAME. ERIN OLANDER - LITHUANIA THE COLEMAN FAMILY - JAMAICA THE SKINNER FAMILY - INDONESIA THE WOOLLEY FAMILY - ECUADOR NOLAN TARENTINO - EUROPE MICHAEL MCNAMEE - EUROPE NICK AND HEATHER DURICK - THAILAND ZOE INTERNATIONAL - THAILAND, JAPAN, MEXICO, AUSTRALIA WORLD MISSIONARIES 2.1 MILLION PEOPLE 102 CITIES AND VILLAGES 16 COUNTRIES ACROSS EUROPE
GOALS ACCOMPLISHED RESTORE THE SPRING CREEK SOUTH AUDITORIUM TO MAKE A MULTI-USE CHAPEL THE ‘RESTORE THE HOUSE’ INITIATIVE ENVISIONS RENOVATING THE SOUTH AUDITORIUM AT SPRING CREEK TO CREATE A MULTI-USE CHAPEL FOR KEY MOMENTS AND TRANSITIONS IN PEOPLE’S LIVES. YOUNG ADULT OUTREACH LAUNCHED! IT IS OUR DESIRE TO LAUNCH AN OUTREACH FOR THE YOUNG ADULT POPULATION AROUND OUR LOCATIONS. AS SURVEYS STATE THAT ONLY 4% OF GENERATION Z SELF-IDENTIFIES AS HAVING A BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW. WE ARE ON A MISSION TO CHANGE THAT STATISTIC! ONE OF THE GREATEST INVESTMENTS WE CAN MAKE IS TO TRAIN AND EQUIP YOUNG LEADERS TO CHANGE THE WORLD FOR CHRIST. SINCE 1992, CITY FIRST CHURCH HAS BEEN TRAINING UP WORLD CHANGERS! 1,526 STUDENTS HAVE GRADUATED FROM CITY FIRST LEADERSHIP COLLEGE AND ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR JESUS AROUND THE GLOBE! CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF MINISTRY!
FUTURE GOALS
OPEN A NORTHERN IL AND SWFL DREAM CENTER
OUR GOD-SIZED DREAM IS TO BUILD A DREAM CENTER IN AN UNDER-RESOURCED AREA OF ROCKFORD AND CAPE CORAL. IT IS OUR DESIRE TO SHARE THE LOVE OF JESUS THROUGH MEETING BOTH SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL NEEDS OF THOSE WHO ARE MARGINALIZED AND SEE THEM EMPOWERED FOR A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE.
CITY FIRST ADULT LEARNING TRACK
IT IS OUR DESIRE TO LAUNCH AN ADULT LEARNING TRACK, OFFERING PARTICIPANTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE COURSES TOWARDS EARNING A CERTIFICATE OF LEADERSHIP STUDIES AND/OR A CERTIFICATE OF BIBLICAL STUDIES. CLASSES WILL TAKE PLACE ON A WEEKDAY EVENING AT BOTH THE SPRING CREEK AND CAPE LOCATIONS, TRAINING LEADERS TO IMPACT GOD’S KINGDOM.
CITY FIRST ANYWHERE
OUR PRAYER IS THAT GOD WOULD CONTINUE TO WORK IN AND THROUGH CITY FIRST CHURCH TO REACH MORE PEOPLE FOR CHRIST. WE ARE COMPELLED TO GO AND MEET PEOPLE RIGHT WHERE THEY ARE. WE DESIRE TO SEE THIS HAPPEN THROUGH THE CONTINUED EXPANSION OF CITY FIRST ANYWHERE LOCATIONS, AS WELL AS CITY FIRST CHURCH “POP-UP” LOCATIONS IN VARIOUS CITIES.
YOUNG ADULT EMPHASIS
THERE IS AN URGENCY TO REACH YOUNG ADULTS WITH THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST AND TRAIN THEM UP IN THE WAYS OF GOD. WE DESIRE TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE NEED-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THOSE ENTERING CITY FIRST LEADERSHIP COLLEGE, AS WELL AS CONTINUE TO EXPAND OUR YOUNG ADULT OUTREACH.
JOHN 21:25 ESV
“NOW, THERE ARE ALSO MANY OTHER THINGS THAT JESUS DID. WERE EVERY ONE OF THEM TO BE WRITTEN, I SUPPOSE THAT THE WORLD ITSELF COULD NOT CONTAIN THE BOOKS THAT WOULD BE WRITTEN.”
