The following reports were presented to the CNaz congregation on Sunday, April 26, 2026.
Cortez Church of the Nazarene
Board Secretary Annual Report Narrative (2025–2026)
Good morning church family,
As we reflect on this past year, we are grateful for the ways God has been at work in and through our church. The 2025–2026 year began with a clear and intentional vision: to bring Jesus to people by stepping beyond the walls of our building and engaging more deeply with our community.
From the very beginning, the board committed to the GROW vision—Go to God First, Reach Out, Offer Transformative Connections, and Work Together. This was not just a statement, but a direction that shaped our decisions, our ministries, and our priorities throughout the year.
One of the most encouraging outcomes of this focus has been the way our church has embraced outreach. We have seen meaningful engagement through events like the Easter celebrations, the Passion Play, and ongoing community-focused efforts. Time and again, we witnessed something powerful: when opportunities to serve and reach out were presented, people stepped up. This willingness to participate reflects a growing heart within our church to invest in others and share the love of Christ in tangible ways.
A particularly strong area of growth has been in our youth ministry. Our teens have been active, engaged, and growing. Weekly gatherings have remained consistent, new curriculum has been introduced, and mentorship opportunities have begun to take shape. Events like the Easter outreach and other activities have created both excitement and spiritual impact. It is clear that God is moving among our young people, and we are thankful for the leadership and support that continues to make this possible.
Throughout the year, we also saw the strength of our church community in times of need. Whether stepping in during pastoral absences or supporting individuals and families facing difficult circumstances, this church has demonstrated unity, compassion, and resilience. That kind of response speaks volumes about the health and heart of this body of believers.
At the same time, we have taken time to reflect honestly on areas where we can grow. Clear communication remains an important goal, especially as we introduce meaningful events or traditions that may be new to some. We also recognize opportunities to strengthen participation in men’s ministry and to continue building pathways for children’s discipleship and engagement.
Operationally, the church has remained steady and forward-moving. We have maintained regular meetings, made thoughtful budget decisions, planned for upcoming ministries like Vacation Bible School, and addressed facility needs through workdays and inspections. These efforts, though sometimes behind the scenes, provide a strong foundation for everything else we do.
Most importantly, we have remained aligned with our spiritual direction. The emphasis on becoming Christlike disciples has continued to guide us, reminding us that our goal is not just activity, but transformation. As we look ahead, we do so with a desire to keep growing in faith, deepening our relationships, and expanding our reach.
In closing, we want to say thank you—to each of you who has served, prayed, given, and participated. This past year has been one of meaningful progress, and we believe God is continuing to lead us forward with purpose.
Thank you.
Respectfully Submitted,
Melany Bradley
Annual Pastoral Narrative Report (May 2025 – April 2026)
Pastor JanElle Hoffman
Cortez Church of the Nazarene
Annual Church Meeting - 26 April 2026
Dear CNaz Family,
Incredible to believe that this is my fourth annual pastor’s report. I thank God for the continued joy and honor of serving as your pastor.
When I fed all of my monthly reports into AI, it spit back this summary: “ The past months at Cortez Church of the Nazarene have been defined by a deep commitment to being ‘the hands and feet of Jesus’ both within our sanctuary walls and throughout the broader Montezuma County. The hope of the empty tomb [propels us] into the practical, daily work of loving our neighbors, supporting the vulnerable, and growing together in faith.” It is my prayer that we embody that definition more and more in the coming months as we partner with Christ to build his kingdom in and through our CNaz family.
Our journey through the scriptures this year has been intentional and transformative. We began the church year exploring our Resurrection Reality, followed by a summer-long old testament study of the life of Elijah. In the fall, we challenged ourselves with the B.L.E.S.S. series, focusing on practical ways to engage our community: Beginning with prayer, Listening, Eating, Serving, and Sharing our stories. (I look forward to putting that into practice at our block party at the end of May.) During Advent we encouraged one another through devotionals we wrote ourselves (we have some great writers!). Following our Christmas and Epiphany series, we “Embraced the Journey” during Lent. How wonderful to see our church bursting with life on Easter Sunday! In this Eastertide season, we are joining with our Nazarene brothers and sisters across North America as we explore “Becoming Christlike Disciples.”
I appreciate the addition of “Stuffenfoam Bible Adventures” and the creative ways Gil Harris is leading us through the bible each Sunday morning before the sermon time.
Relational ministry remains the heartbeat of our church. Throughout the year, I have endeavored to be available for home and hospital visits, office counseling sessions, and phone check-ins. What an honor that my first funeral would be for our sweet and sassy Imogene Spruell. Whether in the courtroom, the hospital room, or over coffee, the goal has remained the same: to ensure no member of our family walks alone.
I appreciate the outward-focus of our CNaz family. To that end, many have served at The Gathering Place and through those interactions we have seen at least one come to the Lord, be baptized, and begin coming to our church.
Together we have provided food and gas cards to community members. We have assisted with utilities and helped several individuals navigate the complexities of housing, technology, and employment. A highlight of our year was the intensive work to help a homeless individual reconnect with family in Arizona—assisting with everything from storage units to travel arrangements. We have helped people get to recovery facilities and have attempted to help others returning from recovery facilities. I have had the privilege of facilitating useful public service for several individuals. We saw nine people trust Jesus as their savior, and four baptized.These are not just statistics; they are stories of lives changed by the grace of God - and we got to be a part of their stories!
I have collaborated with Montezuma Ministerial Alliance (MMA) to secure a grant for the ministry BUS and see it put to use with Good News Clubs outside Kemper Elementary this spring. MMA planned Praise in the Park, Baccalaureate, facilitated “jail church,” and on-call hospital chaplaincy. I serve as an on-call chaplain at Southwest Memorial Hospital in Cortez.
I am continuing ministry preparation by taking classes through Nazarene Bible College and my district license was renewed this year.
I think perhaps the highlight for me was when our church board compiled our GROW initiative. I look with anticipation into the coming year to see where God leads us as we continue to:
Go to God first
Reach out
Offer transformative relationships
Work together
Let’s prayerfully lean into all God has for us in the Lcoming year!
Respectfully Submitted,
Pastor JanElle Hoffman
ANNUAL NDI REPORT 2025-2026
KRISTI LIGHT NDI PRESIDENT
Good morning. This year we have had a lot going on in the Sunday schools and children's outreach. The adult and teen sunday school classes have been going strong with Chase Light as the adult sunday school leader and Melissa Harris as the teen class teacher. Thank you both for what you do and thank you to anyone who was a sub when they couldn’t be there. Gil Harris has started a puppet presentation for the children (we all enjoy that) that’s a walk through the bible. During children’s church the kiddos have a short lesson discussing what Stuffinfoam taught.
There have been several children's outreach activities also. In May we had a Backyard Bash. The kiddos heard a God filled message and had a great time playing water games and eating yummy snacks. Christmas we also had a Backward Birthday Bash.That took place in several locations. The Gathering Place, Towaoc, Kemper, and Mesa. Good News Club just wrapped up this last Thursday. It started in March and it was a 6 week program. We met in the ministry bus across from Kemper every Thursday after school. There was an average of about 8 kiddos. They played outside , had snacks then went on the bus for a lesson. It was like an extended VBS. Speaking of VBS we will have our church VBS June 16-18. The theme is Cave Quest. We want all hands on deck!
Last but not least there was wonderful family nights for 6 weeks in the fall and spring. Great turnout and wonderful food!! Thank you to all the great chefs!! I look forward to the next Family Night!!
Respectfully submitted,
Kristi Light
2026 Local Licensed Minister’s Report
Hello Cortez Church Of The Nazarene
I have had the best year being your Local Minister and look forward to for many years to come, This past year I have been serving the Lord to the best of my ability listening to him and being obedient to him. I have been able to preach at Durango and enjoyed every minute of it.
I look forward to every Sunday morning at Cortez Nazarene teaching my adult Sunday school class and we sure enjoy discussing our love for The Lord and others and our study time is just amazing in my opinion!
I will be continuing my education at NBC on May 25th with my pastoral degree, and I'm so excited to do that and just watch how the Lord works with me bringing people to him and just being a good servant to him.
The way that he is leading me is just amazing, I am excited to continue learning more and more about Christ and being as Christlike as I possibly can.
I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to my church family here at Cortez Nazarene and I love each and everyone of you as you also help me continue my walk with the Lord.
Proverbs 27:17 "Iron Sharpens Iron, so one person sharpens another.”
Respectfully submitted,
Chase LIght
2026 Annual Missions (NMI) Report
We are grateful for the many ways our church family participated in missions throughout 2025. Through giving, serving, and outreach, we were able to make an impact both locally and around the world.
This year, we received two Alabaster Offerings—one in March and one in September. In September, we gave $207.69, and in March it was $130.10, contributing to the ongoing work of building churches, schools, and ministry facilities across the globe. These offerings play a vital role in supporting long-term mission efforts.
In November, a Work & Witness team of 6 people from our church traveled to Arizona to serve at the Native American Christian Academy. Over the course of five days, the team worked diligently to paint several buildings on campus, helping improve the environment for students and staff. They were also invited to participate in a church service, providing an opportunity for fellowship and encouragement.
We were blessed to host missionary Rob North in June. He shared about his work in Australia, giving us a broader perspective on how God is moving in other parts of the world and inspiring us to continue supporting global missions.
Our congregation also assembled approximately 15 Crisis Care Kits, which were delivered to Nampa to be combined with kits from other churches. These kits provide essential supplies and bring hope to those affected by disasters.
During the Christmas season, we participated in the Navajo Christmas Project, providing gifts for approximately six children. This outreach allowed us to share the love of Christ in a tangible and meaningful way.
Additionally, we faithfully paid our district budgets. These funds contribute to supporting missionaries and mission work around the world, extending our reach far beyond our local community.
We thank God for the opportunity to serve and give, and we look forward to continuing our mission efforts in the coming year.
Respectfully submitted,
Todd Hoffman
NYI Report 2025-2026
Melany Bradley, NYI President
While we were sad to say goodbye to Pastor Ian and Marcia and appreciated their leadership, our youth continues to be a vibrant force in our CNaz family. Meeting weekly to worship together, be in God’s word, play games, and or course - EAT! The goal of these times together is to provide a safe place to ask questions and to grow closer to Jesus.
In addition to weekly youth group, we camped near Telluride, had a day at Lake Nighthorse, hosted deCycles, had a glow-in-the-dark egg hunt, attended the passion play in Farmington, and many trips to Dairy Queen!
We raised funds with bake sales, a cash tuck, and our chili cook-off. Some of these funds will help send Zane Frazier, Adelynn Hyde, Samson Hyde, and Dakota Townsend to Nazarene Youth Conference this summer in Salt Lake City.
Thank you for your continued prayers for our youth!
Respectfully submitted,
Melany Bradley