Ministry

April 19, 2026

Share this Article:

Acts 1:12-26 ESV

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) “For it is written in the Book of Psalms,

“‘May his camp become desolate,
    and let there be no one to dwell in it’;

and

“‘Let another take his office.’

So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Connect with Us:

March 13, 2026
The Orchard Barrington shared the following testimony from Annette Wehrli. Faith @ Work: Annette has felt a growing burden for those called to the marketplace—business owners, entrepreneurs, and leaders who long to live out their faith where they work.  With prayer and vision, she’s launching a new ministry to encourage and equip believers to lead with Christ at the center. This ministry will gather men and women who desire to grow in faith, share their testimonies, and lead others to Jesus through their daily work.
February 13, 2026
Submitted by Steve Bond, The Orchard Barrington. There’s an urgency senior year as parents consider their kids’ readiness to face the world views of college. In March, my friend, Matt, and I were compelled by the Spirit to not squander the chance to equip our 18-year-old sons, Grant and Ty, with Truth before their departure. We dads can unintentionally outsource the training up of our kids to preachers and small group leaders… but Solomon’s caution in Proverbs 3:1 “My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments” modeled the intimate privilege and obligation Matt and I owed our boys.
January 5, 2026
Mark Wilson, a long-time business owner and faithful member of The Orchard, recently took a bold step to share his faith with his team of 50+ employees. While known for his kindness, Mark realized he had never openly shined for Christ at work. So, he hosted a voluntary lunch to share his story of faith. The impact has been incredible—sparking new conversations and inspiring others. Watch Mark’s story and consider how you too can shine for Christ. Do you, or someone you know, have a SHINE story? Let us know!