What’s Happening 4/17/26

Forward family, don’t forget to stop by our Propel Youth lunch fundraiser happening THIS SUNDAY right after the service!

Our Spud-tacular potato bar will be open from 11:50 AM to 2 PM in the new Propel Youth area located in the back of our parking lot. If you’re in a hurry, feel free to grab and go! This fundraiser helps support our students going to the Forward Conference in Atlanta this summer. We hope to see everyone there!

All forKids and Propel Middle School students are invited to be part of our choir performance on Sunday, May 31st. If your child is in kindergarten through middle school, we’d love for them to join us.

Practices will take place immediately following the services in the Propel room on May 3rd, 17th, and 24th, and will last about 30 minutes each.

Registration is open through Sunday, May 3rd—so be sure to sign up today!

Have you had the opportunity to attend our Sunday School class before the service? If not, we’d love for you to join us! A new study on the book of Hebrews begins next week—come check it out. Class starts at 9:00 AM and is a great way to prepare your heart for our 10:30 worship service.

Are you new to Forward Church and wondering how to become a member? Or maybe you’ve been coming for a while and are ready to make Forward your home. Join us on Sunday, May 3rd, right after the service for our next Membership Class. This is a great opportunity to learn more about Forward and ask any questions you may have.

Lunch and childcare are provided with registration, so be sure to sign up soon—we’d love to have you there!

The 2026 National Day of Prayer is Thursday, May 7, 2026 inviting Americans to unite in prayer for the nation. The 2026 theme is “Glorify God Among the Nations, Seeking Him in All Generations,” based on 1 Chronicles 16:24, focusing on unity, repentance, and praying for the country’s leadership and people.

Women of Forward, time to get signed up for our Spring Tea which will be on Friday, May 8th, 6:30-8:30PM. All ladies ages 10 and up are welcome—bring your mom, daughters, and friends, or come meet new women and enjoy a great evening of food, fellowship, and a guest speaker.

The final day to register is Sunday, April 26th. There is a $12 fee which includes dinner. We hope you’ll plan to join us for a wonderful evening of fellowship! 🌸🫖

Forward Family, it’s almost time for Family Dedication! This is a special moment in the life of our church as families come before the congregation to dedicate their children and commit to raising them in a Christ-centered home—seeking to honor and glorify God in all they do.

If you have a new baby or child you’d like to dedicate, you’ll have the opportunity to do so during our Mother’s Day service on Sunday, May 10th!

Be sure to register your child or family by Sunday, April 26th. We can’t wait to celebrate this meaningful day with you!

Serve With Us

Serving is one way that we can ‘Be the Church.’ We believe that serving is both a privilege and an act of worship. Volunteering is an opportunity to share our gifts with others. It is a chance to become more like Jesus.

Parking Team
Coffee Team
Greeters
forKids Wonderers (Nursery 0-12mos)
forKids Explorers 1 (1 year olds)
forKids Explorers 2 (2 year olds)
forKids Adventurers (3 year olds)
forKids Pathfinders (PreK 4-5 year olds)
forKids The Canyon (K-1st)
forKids The Quest (2nd-3rd)
forKids The Dig (4th-5th)
Propel Middle & High
Childcare Team (Special Events)
Tech Team

Click here to apply:👉 https://www.forwardchurchfamily.com/connect/#events

Share the Love of Christ – Serve at The Breakaway Recovery House

Join us once a month as we share a meal and the love of Christ with the ladies residing at The Breakaway Recovery House, our neighbors just across the alley from Forward Church. Our goal is to make these women feel welcomed, valued, and invited to worship with us if they don’t have a church home.

Volunteers from Forward Church will prepare a meal and/or spend time in fellowship with the residents. Women of Forward, if you’d like to help or learn more, please contact Tonia Hatfield at Hatfield912@gmail.com.

Upcoming Dates:
April 19, May 17, June 21, July 19, August 16, September 20, October 18

Propel Youth Ministry

Propel is a ministry for middle and high school students. We meet every Wednesday evening from 7:00–8:30 PM at the church. It’s more than just a gathering—it’s a place where students can grow in God’s Word while building meaningful friendships and authentic community. Come join us—we can’t wait to see you there!

Contact Pastor Blake Belles at blake@forwardchurchfamily.com with any questions.

Merge Young Adults

If you are a young adult (age 18-29) and looking for encouraging community and solid Biblical teaching, then we invite you to join us as we gather every other Monday evening at the church. Dinner is always provided at 6:30 PM and our Bible study begins at 7 PM. Our next gathering is Monday, April 27th. Look us up on Stack Team app – Merge@Forward.

Reach out to Tanya at tanya@forwardchurchfamily.com with any questions.

Sunday School Class

Open to all and meets Sunday mornings from 9-10 AM in the classroom behind the Worship Center.
Contact Dave Hollander at dgchollander@yahoo.com with any questions.

Tuesday Morning Men’s Bible Study

All men are welcome to join! Every Tuesday morning from 7-8 AM at Panera Bread on State Street. For any questions, reach out to Brent Kulwicki at brentkulwicki@gmail.com

Tuesday Evening Men’s Bible Study

All men are welcome! We meet every Tuesday evening at 6:30 PM at the church. If you have any questions or want to learn more, reach out to Vince Garmon at vinceg0710@gmail.com.

If you are interested in becoming a member of Forward, contact Pastor Neil at neil@forwardchurchfamily.com!

The Chest of Joash provides an opportunity to give above and beyond the normal tithe. The money from it goes directly to work needed done on our building.

In 2 Chronicles 24 we find Joash repairing the temple and a chest was set outside of it for people to bring a tithe that was used to pay the workers restoring the temple. Verse 10 says, “And all the princes and all the people rejoiced and brought their tax and dropped it into the chest until they had finished.”

A huge THANK YOU to all of you who have joyfully donated just as the Israelite officials and people did!

You can give to the Chest of Joash by clicking the button below and selecting “Chest of Joash” in the drop down menu.

We want you to know that you are not giving TO Forward Church, you are giving THROUGH Forward Church! Our commitment is to stewarding every dollar that God entrusts to us for the advancement of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Join us online from anywhere every Sunday at 10:30am! You can stream our services here on our website! Just click “Watch Live” at the top of any page!

1 Peter 4:10, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:”

We’re encouraging and challenging everyone to take the step to get connected in serving on a team with us at Forward! We have many opportunities to serve:

• forKids (Nursery, Toddlers/Twos, The Clubhouse/Pre-K, God City/K-1st, The Dig/2nd-5th)
• Propel Middle (meets Sunday mornings) and Propel High (meets Wednesday evenings)
• Greeters and Ushers
• Parking Team
• Tech Team

For any area you may be interested in or want more information on, click the “Serve With Us!” button below and we’ll get you started!