Two decades of God's faithfulness to SRC!

As you may know by now, we are celebrating our 20th anniversary as a church this month. That just makes me smile. I smile because it is a testimony to God's abundant kindness to us over the last two decades. I simply shake my head at His graciousness to us and find comfort that we are in His hands.

I have to share with you the testimony from one of my friends and former members of Summit - in fact, they were here from day 1! Kerri Wittwer is the daughter to Paul and Jean (founding pastor of Summit). Kerri and her husband Cary faithfully came to Vegas to help start this church. Please read her story of our beginning and see how the Lord worked.

Be encouraged.

I love you, church. May the Lord strengthen you as you walk in Him today.

Story of our beginning and God's goodness:

20 years of Summit Ridge. Where do we even begin? Actually, the story begins more than twenty years ago. I was fresh out of college, blessed to be living in an area with all of my siblings and parents nearby, recently engaged. We were surrounded by great friends in Indiana and my mom was living in her dream home that my dad literally built with his own hands. It seemed like the ideal place for them to stay and enjoy the coming years of weddings, grand kids and a comfortable life. So, it was definitely with shock that I sat down with them in that same home and listened to their calling to plant a church in Las Vegas. We knew not a single person on the other side of the country in Vegas, but after months of finding partners to financially and prayerfully back the calling to plant a church, my parents somehow convinced my sister, Cary, and I to head across country as well. My mom and I drove together from Indiana to Nevada in a car...with no air conditioning...in August. It was heartbreaking to say good-bye to so many loved ones and move across country, but it is one I will forever be grateful, both for what Summit Ridge has meant to me and my family, as well as so many that would be a part of this church over the years.

I could write a book on the decade we were privileged to call Summit Ridge our church home. Watching God at work over the years building his church from literally nothing. Church at the pool, in homes, at the park, at a casino. There were countless hours poured into just trying to gather a core of people to build upon and to find a place just to gather. There were tears and hard and discouraging times when it seemed the church might slowly fizzle out, but it is amazing to look back and think of so many people that God brought through Summit Ridge and how He is still at work in this body of believers today.

Summit Ridge to me is the faithful following of a calling. It is a love for people and pursuing relationships with those who are lost to help them find and follow Jesus. It is gathering to worship. It is the gift of other believers to share life with. We will forever be grateful for the people we gathered with over the years. Fellow members who served with us, encouraged us, studied the word with us, laughed with us, cried with us, played games with us into late nights, and gathered to share a meal. Tricia is a common household name at the Wittwer home, known for her famous chocolate chip cookie recipe. Papa Joe and Linda, 2nd grandparents to our kids. The Curdy’s are some of our dearest friends and fiercest competitors on game night. Pastor John and Angela became not only our beloved pastor’s family, but dear friends who let us “move in” with them as we prepared to move to Texas. Pastor John to Cary was his mountain biking partner who never ceased to amaze Cary with his Marine toughness of wiping out, flipping over his bike and then popping right back up and taking off again.

Many dear friends have come and gone through the doors of SRC. The mission of the church from the start was to “go and make disciples.” From this church, missionaries have been sent and families have literally spread across our country and even around the world. Some have been promoted on to heaven. Today there are many at Summit Ridge today that I have never met, but I am so grateful for each one and celebrate the ever growing family of this piece of the body of Christ known as Summit Ridge Church. Ultimately, that is what Summit Ridge means to me and my family, a place where imperfect people gather to worship a perfect God, grow in His truths, love one another, and seek to be a light to a dark world. I look forward to the day when my family might once again gather in Vegas to worship at Summit Ridge, and especially look forward to the ultimate reunion in heaven.

I am so grateful for my dad and his willingness to step out in faith and follow God’s calling to plant the seed of Summit Ridge.

With Love,
Cary and Kerri Wittwer
Colton (17), Dalton (15), Jackson (9)