On Sundays after church, Ron and Bella Werling often invite friends over to their house for lunch. Ron fires up his Blackstone Grill and cooks burgers for everyone. “I almost feel selfish because I love it so much!” Ron says. For the Werlings, being generous with their time and resources is just part of what it means to follow Jesus. They have experienced the generosity of others during difficult seasons and understand how much it means when someone shows up for you. “It feels easy to be generous when we see others in our community be generous,” says Bella.

Whether it’s Bella watching friends’ kids after school, Ron cooking soup when everyone in his community group came down with a cold, or the couple giving financially to those in need, the Werlings do their best to live life with an open hand. As they put it, “If we can be there for somebody, why would we not?”

Before Palmer and Nicole Trice were even married, their future son, Jackson, was already part of their lives.

It all started in 2017, when Nicole’s parents began fostering Jackson, who was one year old. Nicole lived with her parents in the months leading up to her wedding, and she and Palmer loved hanging out with Jackson. He was even there to celebrate their engagement!

A few short months after their wedding, Nicole and Palmer began to babysit Jackson regularly. He was in and out of foster care during the first couple of years of his life but always wound up back with the Trices. And that’s when they began to consider adopting Jackson.

“I’ve had the time of my life leading Riverside through all of its iterations,” says Doug. “We have seen roughly two dozen people come to know Jesus as Savior and be baptized. We have worked together to provide food and other necessities for people in need. We have volunteered in schools, thrown block parties, worshiped together, and funded projects.”

As Doug shares stories of the Riverside community, you can see his profound sense of gratitude. He knows that every friendship formed and every life changed is evidence of God’s faithfulness. And reflecting on these memories is bittersweet now that Doug looks to the future.

When Ella Stanley returned home from Malawi, Africa, last summer, the first thing she said was, "I'm booking my ticket now for next summer!" Although she was entering her senior year of high school and had a busy year ahead, she was already dreaming of returning to the place that had captured her heart.

This summer, eight high school students from our Summit family are serving as interns, giving them the opportunity to get more involved at Summit. From behind-the-scenes tech work to social media creation, these students were dedicated to helping Summit’s community grow and thrive.

When Summit began hosting Alpha, Juliana attended on her own. Alpha created a space where she could explore faith, learn more about Jesus, and ask honest questions in a group setting.

Through the weeks of Alpha, she began reconnecting with church and stepping into community through Alpha, her life started to shift. Old patterns gave way to something deeper. What once left her empty is now being replaced with a growing awareness of God’s presence in her everyday life.

Her faith is no longer distant. It’s personal, present, and continuing to grow.

After years away from church, Sam walked into Summit, unsure of what to expect. What he found was something real.

That moment became a turning point. Sam began rebuilding his relationship with God through consistent rhythms like prayer, Scripture, and community. Through Rooted and serving on the media team, his faith moved from something theoretical to something lived.

After years of leading and being part of groups, they’ve learned that spiritual vitality grows through intentional rhythms, especially rest. “We made a conscious change, and it has made a dramatic difference for us,” Shawn said.

Choosing to practice Sabbath created space to slow down, refocus, and be with God.

“Rest brings vitality. You think of those as opposites, but one leads to the other,” Stephanie shared.

As they’ve leaned into those rhythms, their relationship with God has deepened, and their community has grown alongside it. They’ve seen how spiritual vitality takes root and grows in all areas of life.

But in the midst of thinking about the invitations you might make to others, I want you to consider a question I posed to our staff a few weeks back as we entered this season of preparation for Easter, which the church calls Lent. 

Here it is:

Is there something about your life with Jesus that is worth inviting someone else into?

Rooted gave Isabella and Jeff exactly what they were searching for: multi-generational friendships, leaders willing to ask the hard questions, and people who welcomed honesty. “This group was so transparent, so raw,” Isabella says.

The relationships didn’t stop when the ten weeks ended. Their group decided to keep meeting, forming a group now affectionately called Hammer Time.

These stories don’t just show what God is doing through Summit. They reveal how lives are transformed when people also give of their time, their faith, their vulnerability, and their presence. They are powerful reminders of how generosity flows both ways—and how the church reflects the transformational love of Christ when we give ourselves to each other. a common but crushing reality in the industry. Just like that, the career she had built her life around was over.

When Katie Evans was in high school, she spent her days bouncing between varsity cheerleading practice, leading her school’s Bible Club, and preparing for the International Science Fair—a combination that might not make sense on paper, but in practice, it reflects something that has remained true about her: Katie thrives in diverse spaces where faith and learning intersect.

That passion has led her to serve in pastoral leadership, small groups, and discipleship programs, always with the goal of helping people take their next right step in faith. Now, as Summit’s new Adult Ministry Director, she’s bringing that same energy and heart to helping adults grow in their spiritual lives.

For as long as she could remember, Jordan Miller wanted to train marine animals. It wasn’t just a childhood dream—it was the dream. And she made it happen.

Jordan landed a job at SeaWorld Orlando, working with dolphins, alligators, and even orcas. It was everything she had worked for—until one day, it was gone.

A motorcycle accident put her on disability. Then, she was laid off—a common but crushing reality in the industry. Just like that, the career she had built her life around was over.

Heartbroken and unsure of what was next, she followed her husband, a lineman, to a tiny three-store town in Colorado. She didn’t know it then, but that move would eventually bring her back to Orlando as Summit’s Lake Mary Student Ministry Coordinator.

Feeling connected to your community is important. It’s more than just sitting next to someone on a Sunday morning—it’s about truly connecting, sharing life, and growing in faith together. That’s why our Let’s Connect events are so exciting. They’re designed to give congregants the chance to organize their own gatherings and create spaces where people can build meaningful relationships outside of Sundays. From Bunco to kickball, these events have already sparked incredible stories of connection. One such story comes from Gretchen Joubert, a dedicated member of our Lake Mary Campus.

As we approach our Christmas Eve services, we're excited to once again invite our congregation to give to one of our amazing ministry partners. Every year, we dedicate the entire Christmas Eve offering to a cause outside our church, and this year will be no exception. Today, we thought it would be meaningful to take a moment to reflect on where last year's offering went and the impact it had!

If I had to describe the Rooted experience in one word, it would be “Depth.” From the very first day's reading, you’re invited to explore your faith and strengthen your relationship with God, your church, and your purpose.

Over ten weeks, my faith was transformed and I became braver. And I don't even speak English!

Word is spreading—Summit Orlando has a new campus minister! Chris Timson will be joining our staff in December, and we thought it’d be fun to introduce you to Chris, his family, and his heart for ministry.