Dear Pathway Family,

I hope you and your family are having an amazing summer. Summer is time for our camps and I hope this week you are praying for our high school students and leaders who are at CIY Move on the campus of the University of Nebraska. Be praying that God would move.

God has been moving in all kinds of ways in our church family. At our baptism celebration this month, we witnessed something truly powerful—33 people publicly declared their faith in Jesus through baptism! That brings our total for the year to 181 lives changed through this step of obedience and surrender. Every baptism is a story of God’s grace, a victory over darkness, and a bold step into new life. Take a moment to celebrate and praise God for what He is doing in our church family!

But our job doesn’t stop at the water. These 33 individuals—and all 181 baptized this year—are stepping into a journey that was never meant to be walked alone. As their church family, we are called to walk with them, encourage them, and help them grow. If you know a person who has taken that step, be intentional about building relationships, praying for them, and opening doors for deeper connection. Whether that’s over coffee, in a Group, or through a simple conversation in the lobby, every touchpoint matters. I know some of you may not know someone who is new to their faith. The longer we are in a church we can sometimes close our circle unintentionally and not get to experience the freshness of people growing in their faith. This is also how our faith grows. If that is you, I want to challenge you to walk up and talk to your Campus Pastor or another staff member and ask them to introduce you to someone who is new to the journey of faith. This weekend take the opportunity to introduce yourself to someone you don’t know.  

I want to challenge each of us to take the next step in this journey: invite them into your Group, serve alongside them on a team, or simply reach out and welcome them by name. When we do this, we don’t just grow as individuals—we grow as a spiritual family and the Kingdom of God grows for everyone. Thank you, Pathway, for being a church that celebrates life change and surrounds people with love as they follow Jesus.

In Christ,

Pastor Todd Carter

All Things New

Jen’s Story: From Behind the Camera to Baptism

Jen Fay never imagined herself going to church—let alone getting baptized. But this past weekend, she took that bold step of faith, surrounded by friends and family.

Just days before, Jen shared openly: “Never in my lifetime did I think I’d be going to church—let alone getting baptized.” Her journey is one of unexpected transformation and contagious faith.

It all began with a simple invitation. Around Christmas two years ago, Jessica Petrik invited her friend Sarah Sharon to church. Later on, Sarah invited Jen—who happened to be photographing a daddy-daughter dance at the church right before a Big Game event. That invite sparked Jen’s first visit… and she kept coming back.

Since then, Jen’s been all in. She’s shown up to women’s events, built deep friendships, and found a way to serve—especially through photography. She’s even captured baptism photos multiple times. But something stirred in her. After witnessing so many powerful baptism moments behind the lens, she realized: “I need to do this too.”

And on Sunday, she did.

Even more powerful? Jen is now the one doing the inviting. She once invited a former coworker, Jordan, who ended up getting baptized. For her own baptism, Jen had an entire crew there to support her—family members, nieces and nephews, and a friend named Simeon who drove all the way from Heston just to be there.

Simeon didn’t respond publicly during the service, but later that day he filled out a What’s Next card and made a decision to follow Jesus. One of our pastors, Jarred, is now helping him connect with a church near Heston or Newton—or even return to Valley Center if he chooses.

Jen’s story is a powerful reminder that God is always at work—often in ways we’d never expect—and all it takes is one invitation to start a ripple effect of life change.

You're Not Alone—We're Here to Pray With You

There are seasons in life that feel heavy—when fear, grief, or uncertainty seem to drown out hope. In those moments, it can feel like you're carrying the weight alone. But we believe that prayer makes a difference—and more importantly, that you don’t have to walk through anything by yourself.

No matter what you're facing—whether it's a personal struggle, a health challenge, a relationship issue, or a prayer of praise—we’d be honored to come alongside you in prayer. When you share your request, our team and church family will lift it up with care and compassion. And while you're here, we invite you to pray over the requests others have posted. There’s something powerful about knowing you're both giving and receiving prayer in community.

Let’s bring our needs, our hearts, and our hopes to God—together.

Journeys Of Paul

Hear from Pastor Todd Carter about an upcoming trip to Greece.

Join Dr. Todd Carter, Pastor Larry Wren, and Pathway Church on the Journeys of Paul in Greece tour from Wichita, Kansas, on April 26, 2026. Journey to Amphipolis, Philippi, Neapoli (Kavala), Thessaloniki, Veria (Berea), Meteora, Delphi, Mykonos, Ephesus, Patmos, Crete, Santorini, Corinth, and much more. 

Register Here >