After 20 years of working with churches, we wanted to share more on the ups and downs we face in every season.

Dear Church Communicators, Leaders, Pastors and Friends,
 
Thank you for all that you bring and give through your church and ministry! Our Fishhook team loves to say—You and your work matter! And it’s so true … YOU and your work matter. On the best of days and the hard ones, too.
 
God is always at work through us individually and all around us.
 
At Fishhook, we are celebrating 20 years. Our hearts are so full! God has been so good and faithful. And we’re blessed beyond measure by you—the churches, ministries and many partners and friends we get to collaborate with.
 
And while our work at Fishhook is everything I ever hoped for, it’s also quite a bit more (there are some really challenging issues we face on a regular basis). And I want to share more about that. I hope this is an encouragement to you in your role and church!
 
At Fishhook, our mission is to energize and support churches to communicate, engage with and reach people for Christ. It’s inspired by Matthew 4:19-20. In this passage, Jesus says: “Come, follow me, and I will send you out to fish for people. At once they left their nets and followed him.”
 
Our team has the privilege and responsibility to help our churches “fish for people” through intentional, clear and compelling communications and marketing efforts. Through this work, our churches strive to meet people where they are, serve them and encourage them to grow with Jesus where we all can find deep, all-consuming grace, hope and peace.
 
There is so much purpose and joy in this work. And we have a blast doing it with each other and you! Plus, we love to add in a ton of fun, laughs, great snacks and food—all of it! It’s incredible!
 
But I also want you to know that this is really challenging work—and we struggle too—just like so many of you in your roles and with your teams.
 
At Fishhook, we feel great joy and inspiration … but we also feel discouragement and weariness at times.
 
We wonder what the best next steps are or if we have what it takes … we struggle with anxiety or fear … we miss the mark … we struggle to balance the needs of our families and our work … and more.
 
It’s both incredible and really challenging—all at the same time.
 
Honestly? After my 18 years at Fishhook, I had hoped (assumed?) that someday our team would figure it all out! We’d be fully staffed, we’d have the right mix of service offerings and creative processes in place to serve our churches and help them excel every time, and that each of our team members would be thriving personally and with their families in the midst of our work.
 
But it’s not possible this side of heaven. 
 
This is the journey the Lord has for us! This is how he works and this is how he helps us grow in humility, patience and care for each other and others. This encourages us to be completely sold out and surrendered to him. Praying every day. Working and serving diligently together and then resting. And keeps us longing for eternity.
 
Yes, in this season—we’re celebrating and giving thanks for our 20 years of Fishhook.
 
And we wanted you to know that we are grateful for YOU. And also, you are not alone. We’re in it with you. We don’t know your exact situation. But we see the world … we see so many needs … we feel the weight … and we struggle too. We’re committed to being open and honest. Praying with you. Finding encouragement together. And doing anything we can to bring glory to Jesus and helping more people grow with him.
 
Grateful,
 
Leah Norton