Greetings Friends!  

I hope you all have been enjoying this beautiful Spring (let's be honest... Summer weather :)!  I know it's last minute, but we wanted to invite everyone out for a National Day of Prayer gathering at the Orange Park Town Hall tonight! The OP Town Hall is located at the corner of HWY 17 and Kingsley -- food trucks and worship will begin at 6PM followed by us all coming together for an intentional and intimate time of prayer as a community.  This is going to be a powerful moment to place ourselves into the presence of God and do exactly what His Son told us to do -- ASK, SEEK, and KNOCK!! I hope you will join us tonight and maybe even use this as invitation for friends, family, and neighbors alike to join you -- because we ALL need it!!  May the Grace of our Lord Jesus and the Peace of His Holy Spirit be with you always!  

Lucas Johnson Lead Pastor - Church Of The Way 

www.cotw.church e. lucas@cotw.church

Good Morning Friends!

I hope you are enjoying this incredible GOOD FRIDAY morning. What was the darkest day of human history, would become the most beautiful gift the Heavenly Father gave to you and me. Here is whats coming up at COTW that we would love for you to be a part of, along with some beautiful tellings of what this Holy weekend is all about. 

**GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE**

I would like to remind and invite you to please join us tonight at 7PM for a moment of reverence, reflection, prayer, communion, and worship as we look to the scriptures and gather for Good Friday.

Here is a beautiful walk through the scriptures of this Good Friday:

https://bibleproject.com/videos/gospel-luke-4/

**EASTER MORNING**

It would be our honor for you to join us this Sunday as we celebrate the resurrection and lift high our Messiah, King, and Teacher, Jesus Christ for the gift of new life He gave in overcoming the grave! We will host a 7AM sunrise service as we watch the beauty of the light and feel the warmth of the sun rise up over the lake. We will then have a 9AM and 10:45AM service with some amazing kids programming available for birth-5th students. Please come and invite friends, family, neighbors, and strangers to share in community the greatest day the world has yet to see!

We would love to share this amazing imagery put to Scripture guiding us through the victory in the resurrected life of Jesus!

https://bibleproject.com/videos/gospel-luke-5/

If you find yourself looking for a place to be this Easter Sunday, please know that Church Of The Way is always here for you and a place where you belong.

I pray that you have a wonderful Easter weekend and I hope to see you Sunday!

Grace & Peace,

Lucas Johnson
Lead Pastor - Church Of The Way
www.cotw.church

Me again!!

Correction for our Way Students POOL PARTY -- WAY STUDENTS programming is for ALL 6th - 12th grade students, ALWAYS! Please disregard the "7th -12th" in the previous email -- SO SORRY ABOUT THAT :)

Have a great night!

Grace & Peace,

Lucas Johnson
Lead Pastor - Church Of The Way
www.cotw.church

-------------------------------------

Good Afternoon Friends!

I hope you've had a wonderful week so far and the rest gets even better! 

We have some exciting updates and opportunities to share and love for you to be a part -- Take a look! 

**REVEALED**

We would love for you to join us as we continue on in our REVEALED series -- a look at the some of the moments throughout Jesus' ministry leading up to cross and the empty grave where along the way he would pull back the curtain to reveal to His disciples and the onlooking world his true identity as Teacher, Messiah, and King. If you missed last weeks message you can take a look at "The Tale of Two Tables" with the link below. We hope you will join for a special time worship, prayer, and scripture this week for Palm Sunday!

YOUTUBE LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp--LJOXGhw

**WAY STUDENTS POOL PARTY**

Third time is a charm guys!! This Sunday evening is going to be a beautiful sunny and 75 so we are going to head on over to the amazing Marquis home for a night of poolside fun, fireside worship, impactful message from the scripture and just an all-around great night! If you have a 7th-12th grade student we would be honored and beyond grateful to have them come, invite friends, and enjoy a fun and safe place where they build friendships and community -- they belong here! We will meet from 5:30PM - 7:30PM at the Marquis home in Fleming Island, for the address or directions please email Toby: Toby@cotw.church or Matt: Matt@cotw.church. Bring your bibles and your bathing suit because it's going to be an awesome time! 

**WAY STUDENTS SUMMER CAMP**

This is how you kick off the summer break!! If you are or have a rising 7th-12th grade student, then we would be honored to have them jump in and join our Way Students as they head up to Fort Caswell, NC! The 2025 camp theme is REMAIN, centered around John 15:4-5. Pastor Dr. Derwin Gray of Transformation Church in South Carolina, will be guiding and teaching our students through REMAIN: encouraging students to abide in Jesus by following Him and His Ways so they would bear much fruit, not just "in season", but a lifetime. This isn’t a one-time occurrence, but characteristic of a life devoted to following Jesus every day. The challenge to remain is to be there and stay there. They will enjoy a sandy and sun-drenched week complete with exciting fun, engaging worship, community building, and spiritual formation!

Fort Caswell is a beautiful camp located at the tip of Oak Island, NC! https://fortcaswell.com/

Camp Dates: June 2nd - June 6th

Camp Cost: $475 (includes transportation, all camp meals, lodging): We don't want any student to miss out on this wonderful opportunity -- if financial assistance is needed to help make this happen, please reach out to Toby for more information.

If you would like more information or dive right in and register your student, you can do so from the link below. The invitation is wide-open, we encourage students to invite friends -- space is limited so we also encourage early registration if they are :)

https://churchofthewayfl.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/2795578

If you have any questions at all please feel free to contact Lucas at lucas@cotw.church or Toby at toby@cotw.church. We are expectant of the great things God will do during this special week that will make a lasting impact for a lifetime!

**GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE**

On Friday April, 18th we will be hosting an evening Good Friday Service at 7PM. It will be an intentional, reverent, and vulnerable time of prayer, worship, scripture, and communion -- we would be honored for you to join us as we reflect with gratitude upon the sacrifice Jesus made for you and me. 

**EASTER AT COTW**

This Easter we will be holding 3 identical services at 7AM (sunrise service), 9AM, and 10:45AM as we come together to celebrate the empty grave of our risen King, Messiah, and Teacher -- Jesus! Your invitation is one of the most powerful forms of spreading the Gospel, USE IT! We invite everyone -- family, friends, neighbors and strangers to come and be in community alongside one another where kindness, belonging, love, and hospitality is at our heart. 

Way Kids programming will be in full-swing from ages birth - 5th grade so there is something for everyone! We hope you will join us!

Lastly -- a milestone celebration in the life of COTW: Here is a quick message from Pastor Todd Bussey!

"Dear COTW Family,

It is with great joy that we share with you that the congregation has enthusiastically endorsed Bill McMillian, Tom Glaser, Bryan Wolski, and Jason Doughty as Elders, as well as Mike Spear and Ken Marquis as Trustees. 

As I shared last week, the best counsel regarding the selection of Elders is to identify those who are already doing the work and invite them into this scriptural high calling within the local church. These men have wholeheartedly embodied this spirit. This Sunday, following the service, we will hold a brief ordination ceremony. For those who may not be familiar with this process, it is our way of formally recognizing their role and setting them apart for this kingdom assignment. 

The service is rich with meaning, and you played a major part in getting us to this moment. A church supper will follow. The expansion of the COTW leadership is the final step in advancing our mission of becoming fully autonomous. As we celebrate Easter—the death and resurrection of Jesus—we also celebrate the birth of our church! God is good. 

Blessings,

Todd Bussey

Management Team Chair"

As always, we are here for you -- if there is anything that we can be in prayer over then please never hesitate to reach out any time!

I hope you have a wonderful rest of the week and I look forward to seeing you Palm Sunday!

Grace & Peace,

Lucas Johnson
Lead Pastor - Church Of The Way
www.cotw.church

Good Afternoon Friends!

I hope you've had a wonderful week so far and the rest gets even better! 

We have some exciting updates and opportunities to share and love for you to be a part -- Take a look! 

**REVEALED**

We would love for you to join us as we continue on in our REVEALED series -- a look at the some of the moments throughout Jesus' ministry leading up to cross and the empty grave where along the way he would pull back the curtain to reveal to His disciples and the onlooking world his true identity as Teacher, Messiah, and King. If you missed last weeks message you can take a look at "The Tale of Two Tables" with the link below. We hope you will join for a special time worship, prayer, and scripture this week for Palm Sunday!

YOUTUBE LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp--LJOXGhw

**WAY STUDENTS POOL PARTY**

Third time is a charm guys!! This Sunday evening is going to be a beautiful sunny and 75 so we are going to head on over to the amazing Marquis home for a night of poolside fun, fireside worship, impactful message from the scripture and just an all-around great night! If you have a 7th-12th grade student we would be honored and beyond grateful to have them come, invite friends, and enjoy a fun and safe place where they build friendships and community -- they belong here! We will meet from 5:30PM - 7:30PM at the Marquis home in Fleming Island, for the address or directions please email Toby: Toby@cotw.church or Matt: Matt@cotw.church. Bring your bibles and your bathing suit because it's going to be an awesome time! 

**WAY STUDENTS SUMMER CAMP**

This is how you kick off the summer break!! If you are or have a rising 7th-12th grade student, then we would be honored to have them jump in and join our Way Students as they head up to Fort Caswell, NC! The 2025 camp theme is REMAIN, centered around John 15:4-5. Pastor Dr. Derwin Gray of Transformation Church in South Carolina, will be guiding and teaching our students through REMAIN: encouraging students to abide in Jesus by following Him and His Ways so they would bear much fruit, not just "in season", but a lifetime. This isn’t a one-time occurrence, but characteristic of a life devoted to following Jesus every day. The challenge to remain is to be there and stay there. They will enjoy a sandy and sun-drenched week complete with exciting fun, engaging worship, community building, and spiritual formation!

Fort Caswell is a beautiful camp located at the tip of Oak Island, NC! https://fortcaswell.com/

Camp Dates: June 2nd - June 6th

Camp Cost: $475 (includes transportation, all camp meals, lodging): We don't want any student to miss out on this wonderful opportunity -- if financial assistance is needed to help make this happen, please reach out to Toby for more information.

If you would like more information or dive right in and register your student, you can do so from the link below. The invitation is wide-open, we encourage students to invite friends -- space is limited so we also encourage early registration if they are :)

https://churchofthewayfl.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/2795578

If you have any questions at all please feel free to contact Lucas at lucas@cotw.church or Toby at toby@cotw.church. We are expectant of the great things God will do during this special week that will make a lasting impact for a lifetime!

**GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE**

On Friday April, 18th we will be hosting an evening Good Friday Service at 7PM. It will be an intentional, reverent, and vulnerable time of prayer, worship, scripture, and communion -- we would be honored for you to join us as we reflect with gratitude upon the sacrifice Jesus made for you and me. 

**EASTER AT COTW**

This Easter we will be holding 3 identical services at 7AM (sunrise service), 9AM, and 10:45AM as we come together to celebrate the empty grave of our risen King, Messiah, and Teacher -- Jesus! Your invitation is one of the most powerful forms of spreading the Gospel, USE IT! We invite everyone -- family, friends, neighbors and strangers to come and be in community alongside one another where kindness, belonging, love, and hospitality is at our heart. 

Way Kids programming will be in full-swing from ages birth - 5th grade so there is something for everyone! We hope you will join us!

Lastly -- a milestone celebration in the life of COTW: Here is a quick message from Pastor Todd Bussey!

"Dear COTW Family,

It is with great joy that we share with you that the congregation has enthusiastically endorsed Bill McMillian, Tom Glaser, Bryan Wolski, and Jason Doughty as Elders, as well as Mike Spear and Ken Marquis as Trustees. 

As I shared last week, the best counsel regarding the selection of Elders is to identify those who are already doing the work and invite them into this scriptural high calling within the local church. These men have wholeheartedly embodied this spirit. This Sunday, following the service, we will hold a brief ordination ceremony. For those who may not be familiar with this process, it is our way of formally recognizing their role and setting them apart for this kingdom assignment. 

The service is rich with meaning, and you played a major part in getting us to this moment. A church supper will follow. The expansion of the COTW leadership is the final step in advancing our mission of becoming fully autonomous. As we celebrate Easter—the death and resurrection of Jesus—we also celebrate the birth of our church! God is good. 

Blessings,

Todd Bussey

Management Team Chair"

As always, we are here for you -- if there is anything that we can be in prayer over then please never hesitate to reach out any time!

I hope you have a wonderful rest of the week and I look forward to seeing you Palm Sunday!

Grace & Peace,

Lucas Johnson
Lead Pastor - Church Of The Way
www.cotw.church

Greetings Friends!

We have a very special message that we are excited and honored to share with you -- please read the update below from Pastor Todd Bussey :)

Dear COTW Family,

Last February, we shared with you the exciting news that COTW would begin the Elder nomination and selection process. We invited you to participate by nominating individuals you believed reflected the character, qualifications, and heart of an Elder. Thank you for engaging with prayerful discernment.

After a thorough and prayerful review, we are pleased to present to you four candidates for affirmation.

This Sunday, you will have the opportunity to affirm the recommendations of the Management Team. Upon affirmation, these candidates will be ordained on Sunday, April 13, and—by God’s grace—will begin their service as Elders on Easter Sunday. This moment marks the completion of our three-step journey toward full congregational autonomy. God is good!

As Chair of the Management Team, I offer my full and enthusiastic endorsement of these candidates. Years ago, I was taught that the best Elder candidate is someone who is already living and leading like an Elder. That is true of all four of these men.

Please take time to read their biographies and come prepared this Sunday to offer your support. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve our church family in this season.

Blessings,
 

Todd Bussey

Meet the candidates in their own words….

BILL MCMILLEN

In June of this year, Bill and his wife, Fran will celebrate 59 years of marriage. They have been blessed with two grown sons, Eric (55) and Nathan (49), each with families of their own, and four wonderful grandchildren. Their youngest grandchild is graduating from high school in May.

After graduating and earning board certification as a Registered Radiologic Technologist in 1968, Bill served in the U.S. Army from 1968 to 1971 in the 3rd Armored Division Band. Following his discharge and before accepting God’s call to ministry, Bill served as Chief Technologist and Administrator of the Radiology Department at Alton Memorial Hospital from 1971 to 1982.

In 1982, Bill responded to the Lord’s call to pastoral ministry. Throughout their ministry, he and Fran have served together as a team. Her wisdom, teaching, and leadership in worship through music and choir have been vital in every church they’ve served. Their ministry has taken them to churches in Indiana, Florida, Michigan, and Illinois. While pastoring in Indiana, they both pursued further education at Oakland City University. Bill earned a B.A. in Religious Studies (1985) and a Master of Divinity (1988), while Fran earned an Associate Degree in Christian Education (1985) and a B.S. in Accounting (1987). Bill also served on the Board of Trustees for Oakland City University’s Academic Affairs Committee from 2000 to 2024.

This August marks 10 years of membership at Christ’s Church / Church of the Way. From 2016 to 2018, Bill served as the Spiritual Assimilation Pastor. He currently writes weekly study guides for Table Group leaders and serves as the pastor of Table Groups at COTW. Bill and Tom Glaser also lead a local Table Group. In addition, he occasionally serves with the Worship Team, playing tenor and soprano saxophone.

BRYAN WOLSKI

Bryan Wolski has been a member of Christ’s Church / now Church Of The Way since 2019, initially attending the River City campus before joining the Fleming Island campus in 2022. He currently serves on the Worship Arts team. He has a long history of involvement in music and leadership ministry, including past roles as a worship leader, youth choir director, deacon, professional Christian musician, and road manager for a Christian band. 

Bryan is married to Cassi, his wife of over 18 years, and they have two children, Bryanna (15) and Jackson (14). As a family, they are committed to creating a home grounded in faith, hospitality, and discipleship—often investing in others through encouragement, mentorship, and shared meals.

Professionally, Bryan is a Sales Enablement Operations Lead for Cato Networks, a cybersecurity company based in Israel. In this role, he equips the global sales force with the tools and training needed to communicate and deliver cybersecurity solutions to customers confidently.

Bryan’s faith has been deepened through both seasons of growth and significant health challenges. He remains passionate about serving others, pointing people to Christ, and walking humbly in obedience to God’s calling.

TOM GLASER 

Tom Glaser and his wife, Carolyn, have been attending Church of the Way (formerly Christs Church) since moving from Pittsburgh, PA to FL in 2016. While living in Pittsburgh he attended North Hills Christian Church for 40 years and served as a Deacon, Trustee, small group leader and a youth leader taking them on a mission trip to Mexico. 
 

 In Pittsburgh he worked in a nuclear power plant for 25 years as a training & maintenance instructor. 
 

 Tom married Carolyn 52 years ago and have raised their 3 children in the faith. They are blessed with 6 grandchildren, 2 of which he had the blessing of baptizing. 
 

 He is currently serving as a co-leader of a Table Group, serves at the Green Cove Soup Kitchen and volunteers for Waste Not Want Not which feeds the hungry. 
 

 He would like the opportunity to serve his church family at Church of the Way in whatever way the Lord would have him do so. 

JASON DOUGHTY 

Jason Doughty is a seasoned leader in both Christian ministry and education, with a strong foundation in biblical truth. Holding a Master’s of Divinity and currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Humanities with a focus on Classical Education, he has dedicated his life to teaching and mentoring others. 

Jason has served as a pastor and headmaster, demonstrating a deep commitment to shepherding individuals and organizations with integrity. His leadership style is rooted in Titus 1:7-9, which emphasizes the importance of an elder being above reproach, holding firm to sound doctrine, and encouraging others in faith. 

At Church of the Way, Jason seeks to bring his experience in discipleship, organizational leadership, and biblical teaching to nurture spiritual growth and strengthen the church community.  Additionally, he is the husband to an amazing woman, Bridget and 4 children.  Two grown and two in the home, all deep in their relationship with Jesus and serving their local church.  

Trustees Serving with the Elders

In alignment with our Charter as a recognized religious organization in the state of Florida, the Elders of Church of the Way are served by two Trustees. While their role is distinct from the biblical office of Elder, we believe that those entrusted with leadership—whether spiritual or structural—should reflect the character and values outlined in Titus 1 and 1 Timothy 3. The following individuals have demonstrated such qualities, have served with excellence on the management team, and are honored to serve in this capacity:

MIKE SPEER

Mike Speer and his wife Melanie united as a blended family in 2014. They have been members of our church for over 15 years, having faithfully served in family ministries for more than a decade. Mike works as a Client Delivery Leader for a benefits outsourcing company, while Melanie teaches junior high at Annunciation Catholic School. 

They are blessed with their accomplished children: Mike's son Haden graduated from FIHS and earned a Finance degree from UNF. He now works in corporate finance in Denver, Colorado. Melanie's eldest daughter Eva, also a FIHS and UNF graduate, will begin pursuing her master's degree in psychology at USF this fall.  Her youngest daughter Leah is graduating from FIHS this year and will attend UF to study engineering.

Mike is humbled and honored to serve as an Administrative Deacon and Trustee, where he applies his professional experience to help steward the church's resources.

KEN MARQUIS 

Ken Marquis is a 20+ year year transplant to Florida from New England.  Ken lives in Fleming Island with his wonderful wife of 33 years, Joelle.  Together they have been blessed with 3 adult children (Sabrina, Devan and Kierra) and three amazing grandchildren (Kiara, Ariah and Isaiah).  

Ken describes himself as a “recovering attorney” having previously practiced law in Massachusetts and Connecticut.  Ken operates four construction businesses in North Florida under the Legacy In Action banner.   Ken and Joelle operate their Florida businesses as economic engines to fuel their investments into the community through their One Another Foundation.  

Ken is an avid sports fan who enjoys almost everything on the water -except fishing.  He has been a Youth, Junior and Senior High school lacrosse coach. He strives to be a good example of someone who prioritizes family and conspicuously lives out his faith.

This is such an incredible moment that the Holy Spirit has brought us to in this new season at Church Of The Way -- we hope you will come and join us this Sunday as we praise God and celebrate together!

Grace & Peace,

Lucas Johnson
Lead Pastor - Church Of The Way
www.cotw.church

Greetings Friends & Happy Saturday!  We hope you've had an amazing week and an enjoyable weekend so far! Here are just a few things we'd love for you to know and would love for you to be a part of here at Church of The Way! 

**REVEALED**

Join us tomorrow at 10:45AM as we continue in our Revealed series as we take a look at the moments throughout the ministry of Jesus leading up to Easter Sunday, where he pulls back the curtain to reveal himself to the world as the One, True Messiah through the Way he lived -- but also showing you and me a whole new way to be human by following after Him.   

**Way Students Family & Friends!**

DON'T FORGET!! Tomorrow night from 5-7PM we will be having our Pizza, Pool, and Karaoke night to welcome our brand new Family & Outreach Pastor -- Toby McWilliams!! It's going to be an awesome night where the only agenda is to have fun, share a meal, make new friends while singing karaoke tunes and finishing the night with some fireside worship. We would love for all students, parents, and friends to please come out to celebrate and welcome the McWilliams family into the COTW family with open arms! The amazing Marquis family will be hosting this event at their home -- for the address and/or directions please email Lucas (lucas@cotw.church) or Matt (matt@cotw.church). We will also have someone at the church until 5:30PM to redirect those that may not read this :)  As always, we are honored and grateful for the opportunities to come alongside you in prayer. If there is anything that we can be covering in prayer then please let us know -- we are here for you!  Have a great afternoon and we hope to see you all tomorrow at Church Of The Way!  Grace & Peace,  Lucas Johnson Lead Pastor - Church Of The Way www.cotw.church

Happy Saturday Friends!

I hope you have had a wonderful week enjoying this beautiful weather! We have some exciting news and some great opportunities we'd love to share with you -- take a look!

**REVEALED**
 

This Sunday we begin a brand new series where over the next four weeks we will take a look starting from the very beginning of Jesus' 3 year ministry, all the way up to His cross, where along the way He begins to reveal not just who He is as the Savior to humanity -- but also revealing to the world of a whole new way to be human. Join us at 10:45AM each Sunday -- we'll save you a seat :)

** WAY STUDENTS SUMMER CAMP **

DON'T MISS IT!!! ALL STUDENTS FROM RISING 7th - 12th GRADES ARE WELCOME! 

Fort Caswell and BeDoTell ministries is a dynamic youth camp at the beach on the southern coast of North Carolina. The camp week includes powerful worship, quality proclaimers, original dramas, engaging production, a hands-on missions experience, intentional discipleship for students and youth ministry training for adults. Derwin Gray, pastor of Transformation Church in South Carolina, will be bringing a challenging and encouraging message each day to our students and leaders. This is an incredible opportunity for your student to have a powerful, fun, and faith-forming experience that they will carry with them for a lifetime. 

The 2025 camp theme is REMAIN. Based on John 15:4-5, REMAIN encourages students to abide in Jesus so they would bear much fruit. This isn’t a one-time occurrence, but characteristic of a life devoted to following Jesus every day. The challenge to remain is to be there and stay there.

Students will leave on June 2nd and will return on June 6th. Please be sure to save your students spot by registering through the link below! The invitation is open so feel free to have your student bring a friend along to share in this amazing camp experience that will make an impact for a lifetime. 

https://churchofthewayfl.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/2795578

For more information please visit www.bedotell.com 

** WELCOME TOBY MCWILLIAMS! **

On March 9th we made a HUGE and exiting announcement! After months of prayer and a season of waiting, we are thrilled and honored to announce our new Pastor of Family & Outreach — Toby McWilliams!! Toby will be serving and leading our kids and student ministry along with our community engagement and outreach! Here’s a little bit of Toby’s story!
Toby has been married to his awesome bride, Caitlin for 11 years. **Fun Fact** Both Toby and Caitlin are Fleming Island High School graduates! They have two incredible boys, Jude (6) and Nate (3). 
Toby has been in full-time ministry for almost 5 years serving in various leadership roles. He is currently completing seminary with one more semester to obtain his Master of Divinity with a focus in Pastoral Counseling from Liberty University. 
What Toby brings to this role is a passion for the scriptures and a heart to get the Gospel into homes and shaping families through shepherding kids and students while partnering with parents. There is a shared heartbeat and desire for the local church to be the cultural driver and the agent of change in the community it dwells within to meet great need with great love. 
Here’s what Toby had to share about this calling into a new season of life and ministry at Church Of The Way: “I desire that God would fill us with His Spirit and display us as a city on a hill that cannot be hidden so that the community can know God and His saving love, grace, and mercy. “
 God is writing a beautiful narrative through this church, and we are honored to have Toby play a part in its story. So friends, would you please join as we praise God for bringing Toby and his family to COTW, and also join with us all in saying, “McWilliams family, Welcome Home”!

Family ministry, both kids and students, is such a pivotal part of the local church -- spiritually guiding our growing little ones, and our maturing students is a big responsibility with a high calling. Jason and Bridget Doughty have done a remarkable job providing that with our little ones! As we paused to take a look forward, our heart in this process was to be still and ask the Holy Spirit to guide us in two ways: 1. Where this area of ministry is moving towards 2. Who will lead us into this new season. Because as a parent myself, I understand how significant it is to have stability, maturity, and structure for our children and students -- well, the Lord has provided! Many of you have been in prayer alongside us, waiting on purpose for God to lead and reveal direction, and WE THANK YOU!

So, here is what I will ask you to join me in now, take a massive jump forward for you and your students to come, be present, join in for this exciting new season of life and ministry within our Way Kids & Way Students!

With that AWESOME NEWS -- it leads us to...

** WAY Students Pool, Pizza, and Karaoke!!! **

 Next Sunday, March 30th we will be welcoming Toby and his awesome family into the Church Of The Way community as he jumps in to serve and lead our Family (Kids & Student) and Outreach ministries, so let's do it in COTW fashion with open arms!

We will be meeting at the Marquis' home from 5-7:30PM for an awesome night with no agenda but to hangout, have some pizza, sing some karaoke tunes, all poolside to get to know Toby our new COTW Family & Outreach Pastor!!

If there is anything we can be in prayer for, then please never hesitate to let us know. We are here for you!

Grace & Peace,

Lucas Johnson
Lead Pastor - Church Of The Way
www.cotw.church

Happy Saturday!

I wanted to send a quick message to invite you to join us tomorrow at 10:45AM as we continue the journey through the book of Acts in our series A Heart For The House!

TABLE GROUP LUNCH & LEARN! The scriptures give us the timeless formula to build, grow, and strengthen meaningful relationships and community while together drawing closer to the person of Jesus -- around the Table. Table Groups are designed to be the place where common interests or seasons of life gathers us, but the relationships and the journey of being formed by Jesus together, keeps us. If you are interested in learning more about joining, hosting, or leading a Table Group then we would love for you to join us around the table for a meal. Immediately following the service tomorrow (3/9/25) we will share a meal together and talk about the upcoming Table Group Season. You were built for relationship and made for community -- come and see! To register follow the link below -- lunch will be provided :)

https://churchofthewayfl.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/2809833

**BIG ANNOUNCEMENT TOMORROW!!** Lastly -- we are SOOOO excited to share some very BIG news with you tomorrow! So, do all you can to join us at 10:45AM as we gather in prayer, worship, in scripture and the presence of God -- to give Him glory for all He is doing in COTW as we move forward into this new season of life and ministry -- don't miss it! We expect great things from God, as we attempt great things for God. 

Have a wonderful and restful weekend, and I hope to see you tomorrow at Church Of The Way!

Grace & Peace,

Lucas Johnson
Lead Pastor - Church Of The Way
www.cotw.church

Greetings Friends!

I hope you've had a great start to the week and enjoying this beautiful weather! Here are a few things coming up at Church Of The Way that we would love for you to know and be a part of!

This Sunday, March 9th immediately following the 10:45AM service we will be hosting a lunch for those interested in learning more and/or wanting to host or lead a Table Group for the upcoming season! Table Groups is a great way to build relationship and community with one another while drawing closer to heart of Jesus together. They are also designed to be the simple and easy invitation for friends and neighbors that may not be connected to the local church to come and experience a real love and sense of community that they are made for. There is freedom and creativity within our groups - whether its gathering around a common interest (board games, gardening, running, dog lovers, knitting... the sky's the limit!) or even season of life, (mom's of little ones, empty nesters, single, married, young adults or simply young at heart!) we want there to be a place for every single soul. We were built for relationship and made for community -- our Table Groups are where we live that out. If you would like to attend the lunch & connect this Sunday please register with the following link to give us a good idea of how much food to provide :)

https://churchofthewayfl.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/2809833

**WAY STUDENTS IS GOING TO FORT CASWELL SUMMER CAMP!!**

We are SUUUUUUPER excited to be heading to Fort Caswell, North Carolina this year for our Way Students (rising 7th - 12th grade) summer camp!

Fort Caswell and BeDoTell ministries is a dynamic youth camp at the beach on the southern coast of North Carolina. The camp week includes powerful worship, quality proclaimers, original dramas, engaging production, a hands-on missions experience, intentional discipleship for students and youth ministry training for adults. Derwin Gray, pastor of Transformation Church in South Carolina, will be bringing a challenging and encouraging message each day to our students and leaders. This is an incredible opportunity for your student to have a powerful, fun, and faith-forming experience that they will carry with them for a lifetime.

The 2025 camp theme is REMAIN. Based on John 15:4-5, REMAIN encourages students to abide in Jesus so they would bear much fruit. This isn’t a one-time occurrence, but characteristic of a life devoted to following Jesus every day. The challenge to remain is to be there and stay there.

For more information please visit www.bedotell.com and to register your student please use the following link:

https://churchofthewayfl.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/2795578

**The cost of the camp will include meals, lodging, and gas for transportation.**

If you have any questions or if there is anything we can be covering in prayer, then please never hesitate to reach out any time -- we are here for you!

Have a great rest of the week and I hope to see you this Sunday at Church Of The Way!

Grace & Peace,

Lucas Johnson
Lead Pastor - Church Of The Way
www.cotw.church

I hope you are staying warm and dry out there today!

This past Sunday we held our annual "Family Meeting" where we took a moment to look back and thank God for all He has done, we paused in the present to acknowledge what is doing right now, and prayerfully look forward with expectation for ALL the amazing He has planned in our tomorrow.

We were able to celebrate and honor the appointments of our new Fellowship of Deacons by the laying on of our hands and prayer over each of them. Our Fellowship of Deacons are the dedicated team of congregants serving in all areas of ministry within the church to identify great need, and help meet it with great love. With hearts committed to living out the communal and servant-driven values of Acts 2, and the character and integrity outlined in Titus 1 and I Timothy 3, these leaders are champions of service and collaboration. Here is the list of our Fellowship of Deacons with the area of ministry they will be serving:

• Gail Whitehead - Hospitality
• Jim & Eva Dion - Benevolence & Generosity
• Charlie Robinson - Outreach
• Michela Tavolieri - Family Ministries (Birth - 5th grade)
• Loren Murwin - Student Ministries (6th - 12th grade)
• Matt Maynard - Worship and Production
• Ken Marquis - Administration (facilities maintenance/enhancements)
• Mike Speer - Administration (stewardship)

Please join me in continued prayer over each of one them as they lead us through acts of service to one another and our community. I would also invite you to pray about how you can play an amazing role in the beautiful story the Lord is writing through Church Of The Way by serving one another, the neighbor, and stranger in one these areas of ministry alongside them. It's the high call Jesus gives for all those who follow Him, and we will never look more like Him than in the moments we serve one another. There's always room and plenty of opportunities for you express God's love through serving others here at COTW: Here is a link for more information of how you can take this incredible next step in the journey of following Jesus together!

Serving Opportunities: https://churchofthewayfl.churchcenter.com/people/forms/833330

Lastly, this past Sunday was the launch for our Fellowship of Elders Nomination process. If you call COTW home, we invite you to be a part of this exciting and pivotal moment in the life of this church. Below you will find a link to the nomination form -- if there is someone that you feel exemplifies the qualities the scriptures outline as one who may serve in this role, then through prayerful consideration we would love to hear your heart through your nomination of them. Nominations will be accepted through March, 2nd. 

This is an exciting season and we are expectant of the great things God has planned for COTW! If there is anything we can be praying for, or any way that we can help then please never hesitate to let us know. We are here for you.

Yours In Christ,

Lucas Johnson
Lead Pastor - Church Of The Way
www.cotw.church
"Church Of The Way exists so that people will meet, follow, and live in the ways of Jesus"

Happy Saturday Friends!

I just wanted to send a quick reminder of some important things coming up at Church Of The Way!!

Way Students is back with a splash!!

This Sunday night our middle and high school students will meet at the church at 5:15PM for some pizza and an encouraging message, then head over to the amazing family of Bryan and Cassi Wolski's home just around the block for an awesome pool party! So if you have a student make sure they bring a bathing suit and towel because it's going to be a blast!

COTW ANNUAL FAMILY MEETING

We will be holding our annual "Family Meeting" tomorrow afternoon (Feb. 16th) at 4PM. It will be a time for us take a look back and celebrate all of the incredible things the Lord has done this past year in COTW and give Him thanks -- a time to be present, right now and pray for the vision and direction that He gives us to steward
-- to then look towards our tomorrow with great expectation to grow into the vision and move into the direction that He has given.

Also, this time is FOR YOU. We have reached a milestone moment in the life of COTW and you have a major part to play in the story that God continues to write. If you call Church Of The Way home -- meaning this is the place you gather, you serve, you give, and you grow in relationship with Jesus and community with others, then we want to hear your heart and your voice to speak into this vision and new season. This meeting will also serve as the launch for the Fellowship of Elders nomination process that will be placed in your hands. So please come to learn more about this process and be a part of this special moment.

If there are any questions you have, or anything we can be in prayer over then please never hesitate to reach out any time.

Have a wonderful weekend and I hope to see you tomorrow at Church Of The Way!

Lucas Johnson
Lead Pastor - Church Of The Way
www.cotw.church
e. lucas@cotw.church

Good Afternoon Friends!

I hope you are having a great start to your week!

As we continue journeying through the scriptures by walking through the Book of Acts, I am being reminded daily at just how simple, yet deeply relational the local church was designed and purposed to be. A community of belonging -- gathered in the name of Jesus, devoted to His teachings and practicing His ways in our daily lives -- serving the family, friend, neighbor and stranger, while growing in relationship with one another as we deepen our relationship with Christ, what a gift! I am honored and grateful to be able to do this alongside you at Church Of The Way!

He have a few things coming up that we would love to pass along to you! 

February 21-22nd North Florida Christian Camp will be hosting a women's retreat that several of our worship leaders from COTW will be leading! It's going to be a great weekend of unwinding and refreshment so don't miss out on this great opportunity. For more information or to register you can follow the link here:

https://nfcsc.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/2224536

Spots are limited so be sure to register soon if you would like to attend!

**COTW ANNUAL FAMILY MEETING!!**

We would love for you to join us at 4PM on Sunday, Feb. 16th for our annual family meeting. We have some exciting things happening that we would like to share and invite you to be a part of as the Lord continues to give fresh vision for Church Of The Way to steward and grow. We will be sharing with you some of the amazing ways of how through you and your faithfulness, have strengthened the local church, advanced the Gospel (hear, near, and far away), and met great need with great love to the neighbor and stranger out in our community. We are pumped to also share a very important update on the formation of both our Fellowship of Deacons and Fellowship of Elders so please don't miss it.

I am humbled, grateful, and honored to be able to serve and worship alongside you in the beautiful story that God is writing here. We give thanks for all the great things that God has done, and expectant of all the great things He WILL do through COTW! See you there!

The invitation is always open -- if there is anything that we can be praying over for you or anyone you know, then please never hesitate to reach out any time. We are here for you.

Have a great rest of the week and I hope to see you Sunday!

Grace and Peace,

Lucas Johnson
Lead Pastor - Church Of The Way
www.cotw.church
e. lucas@cotw.church
c. 703.618.0912

Happy Saturday Friends!

I hope you had great week and having a restful weekend so far!

This Sunday we continue in our walk through the book of Acts in our "Heart for the House" series! Join us at 10:45AM as we take a look at the first church with it's timeless, simple practices, the profound impact it had on the world, and how those same practices through the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the love of Jesus are more relevant today than ever before within the local church. Through this beautiful story we see how those marked by the life-changing love of Jesus, His local church and by His design, became the catalyst in the spiritual formation journey by inviting us to draw closer to Him through gathering around the scriptures, worship, prayer, and the table as this simple practice deepened relationships with one another, and advanced the Gospel to the ends of the earth and through time.

IT'S BAAAAAACK! This Sunday evening starting at 5:30PM our Way Students (6th-12th grade) will gather for a night of laughs, games, snacks, worship, and community! So, if you have a student, know a student, or are a student then we'd love for them to be there -- Doors open at 5PM!

If there is anything we can be praying for you then please let us know -- prayer is powerful and we are honored to partner with you and approach our Good God with expectation.

https://churchofthewayfl.churchcenter.com/people/forms/836168

I hope you have an amazing afternoon and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow at Church Of The Way!

Yours In Christ,

Lucas Johnson