Guinness tells us that we are just under halfway through 2025 and some world records have fallen.

For example, Bonnie and Simba, two incredible dogs, have broken the record for the fastest time to complete 10 side leapfrog jumps by two dogs. It took them a mere 16.78 seconds. They also set the record for the most bottles deposited into a reycling bin by a dog in one minute. Sixteen bottles were recycled.

Eric Kilburn Jr. can boast the largest hands for a living teenager in the world. His feet are a size 23 and his hands measure 9.13 inches. To put that in perspective his feet are longer than a standard laptop keyboard. I believe we have a few youths here at NRBC that are closing in on that record.

Sabrina Dausman’s collection of 1,523 squishmallows (soft stuffed toys) is a work record breaker.

And we definitely cannot pass Ruth Amos and Shawn Brown for creating the world’s larger electric toothbrush: 6 ft 7 inches tall (as tall as me). I would hate to see the teethe that would require such a toothbrush.

Of course, we are all aware of the many sports records that have fallen this year. Most of them around the amount of money paid to a person to play their sport.

I would like to share a few North River Records that have been made in 2025. Our 20 something group has doubled in size and are taking on some significant leadership roles. Our youth have tripled in size and many are coming to faith and following our Lord in baptism. Our Good Friday crowd this year doubled in size from previous years. Our Easter sunrise service had the largest attendance ever. We had to put out more tables and chairs to accomodate the easter breakfast crowd. Easter Sunday set the record for our largest post-covid attendance. February, March and April have been our largest post-covid average attendance months, with April topping the record.

Some records seems silly, like many recorded in Guinness. The records being set at North River are significant. They represent people being reached. They represent lives being changed.

Records are not broken without commitment, hard work, and sometimes several attempts. I am so grateful and excited about our North River family who are committed, they work hard, and they just keep trying. The lives changed are worth it all.

This is my story…