Story Church

06/02/2026

We are SO excited to celebrate the groundbreaking of Storytime Park with you guys this Sunday! We will have a prayer walk dedication, potluck, games, bounce houses, and a dessert auction that will benefit the 2026 Bolivia Team. We have had pork donated for the potluck and a couple people smoking the meat for that. So, we know we will have pulled pork!

You can sign up for the potluck here: https://thestory417.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3647846

You can sign up to bring a dessert to be auctioned here: https://thestory417.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3667201

We can't wait to celebrate with you!

05/31/2026

Gather with us this morning for ONE GATHERING at 10:00am at 203 Jamestown Blvd. as we continue our study of the Gospel of Luke. If you can't join us in person, you can watch live with the link below. We can't wait to worship with you!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rb1_wdpLsI

“A Touch that Changed Everything”
Luke 7:11-17

A high school teacher who noticed one of her students suddenly becoming withdrawn, exhausted, and disengaged in class. Instead of assuming the student was lazy or uninterested, she quietly reached out and discovered that his mother had recently died and his father was working multiple jobs just to keep the family afloat. The student was caring for his younger siblings at night and struggling emotionally while trying to keep up in school. The teacher began staying after school to help him with assignments, connected the family with community support programs, and organized other teachers to provide meals and transportation assistance without embarrassing him publicly. Over time, the student’s grades improved, but more importantly, he regained hope and stability during one of the darkest seasons of his life.
Jesus sees and responds to human pain with personal compassion, even before being asked for help. The widow in Luke 7:11-17 never approaches Jesus or requests a miracle, yet He notices her suffering and acts. Jesus is the example for believers to become more attentive to grief, loneliness, and needs of the people around them rather than waiting to be asked. This brings hope in situations that seem beyond repair. Just as Jesus brought life where there was death, we, as Christ followers, believe He can bring restoration, purpose, and renewal into broken circumstances today. These acts of compassion and restoration help us point people back to Jesus, inspiring faith, gratitude, and reverence to the creator of all things.

05/28/2026

Story Church, this is a report from our partnership with Love In Action in Bolivia. Our “new” Director of the Love in Action, Helio Fernandes Viana has been with us for just over 1 year now. God is blessing Andrea’s Home of Hope and Joy through his leadership. Please read the message below for an update:

Katarina and I are deeply grateful for your prayers, support, and faithful work for this ministry. This email intends to answer some of your questions and provide you with a brief update from the Home, along with some pictures and projects with short descriptions, as requested. By God’s grace, we welcomed our new Chaplain, Pr. Jafeth Villavicencio, and his wife, Ligia. As many of you know, the current Director of the Home is Brother Francisco Salvatierra.

Currently, the Home cares for 63 children, from newborns to 17 years old. We also have 10 young adults in our transition house (House 05), and 5 others studying outside the town, for a total of 78 young people under our care. We are also thankful for the progress of the clinic, the food gardens inside the Home, the food plantation at the dairy farm, and the JUGÀ program, all of which contribute greatly to the well-being of our children. In addition, we rejoice to share that we now have our first seminarian, currently in his first semester of formation, his name Alexandro.

Here are some of the many reasons why Story Church supports Andrea's Home:

- By God’s grace, Andrea's Home has rescued and provided a loving Christian home, education, food, and 24/7 care to more than 100 vulnerable children over the years.

- Our Transition Program currently supports 9 young adults who have turned 18 and are now studying or working toward independence. By the end of the year, we expect to serve 12 young people in this new stage of life.

- We joyfully celebrate a historic milestone: Alexandro, one of our young men, has begun his preparation at the local Seminary. Please pray for this future servant of the Lord.

- The Hogar de Andrea is currently recognized as one of the 'top 3' children’s homes in Bolivia according to national standards, and we continue striving for excellence in Christian care.

- We are the only children’s home in the region operating a fully active dental clinic, currently serving more than 80 children with dignity and compassionate care.

- God has blessed the Hogar property with a natural mineral water source. Our prayer is to one day develop a small bottling plant that could help the ministry become partially self-sustainable.

- Every day, children at the Hogar receive not only shelter and education, but also biblical teaching, prayer, discipleship, and the love of Christ.

- Our dedicated team of caregivers, educators, psychologists, and social workers continues working to restore hope, identity, and future opportunities for every child entrusted to us.

- The Hogar continues to shine as a testimony of God’s faithfulness on the Bolivia–Brazil border, impacting lives through compassion, structure, and Christian values.

- The ministry continues to grow not only as a shelter, but as a beacon of hope on the Bolivia-Brazil border region. Through educational support, vocational encouragement, spiritual formation, and community outreach, the Hogar is planting seeds that we believe will bear fruit for generations to come.

For more information about the ministry in Bolivia, check out the website: https://www.liaim.com/

-Chris Ballard

05/26/2026

Story Youth Summer Camp is coming up!! Registration deadline is June 11th. There will be a brief interest meeting after church THIS SUNDAY (May 31st). Remember, we have ONE GATHERING this summer at 10am. This meeting is for anyone (youth or parents) that know they want to go, or anyone who thinks they may want to go, but have questions. Please reach out to Silas if you have any questions about camp or this brief meeting.

05/24/2026

Gather with us this morning for ONE GATHERING at 10am at 203 Jamestown Blvd. as we continue our study of the Gospel of Luke. If you can't join us in person, you an watch live with the link below. We can't wait to worship with you!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25hizQXn6BA

“Marvelous Faith”
Luke 7:1-10

Do you want to have a great faith? This week’s passage contains a story of great faith as the ultimate conclusion of Jesus’ teaching on how to be a faithful disciple. But his example comes from a surprising source: A Roman Centurion. This story teaches us that a true faith is filled with humility in light of the Authority of God’s Word.

05/24/2026

S T O R Y S E N I O R S P O T L I G H T ! ! !

NAOMI MCNAUGHTON - HARDING UNIVERSITY

05/23/2026

Do you like to bake? Here is a way that you can do what you love AND support Story Church's 2026 Bolivia Missions Team! Your dessert will be auctioned off on June 7th during the Storytime Park groundbreaking potluck. If you have any questions, contact Lindsey Matney. Thank you, Story Church, for your support through prayers, finances, and service! Sign up to bring a dessert here: https://thestory417.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/3667201

05/22/2026

05/22/2026

S T O R Y S E N I O R S P O T L I G H T ! ! !

CLOIE JOHNSON - SEYMOUR HIGH SCHOOL