Some Twists & Turns on the Way

It is so amazing how God carries us through every step of the way.  We have had some bumps and frustrating moments these last months.  One such twist relates to our building space.  After starting the year off with such excitement and vision for how we were going to use the new upstairs space we were later informed that due to some shifting in other housing units one of the families was going to need to move into ‘our’ new space.  We were crushed. After years of waiting, a great plan for the space to expand our outreach and discipleship ministries, time and money invested into cleaning, painting, moving and setting things up….we have to loop back around and ‘undo’ everything.  What we’ve learned, though, is we are stronger, clearer on our vision, more full of faith…and happy we were able to bless this incoming family. 

Sure arriving at this perspective took some time to develop.  There was a lot to weed through and all this while some of the families at our church plant were going through some tough moments.  Yet there is no doubt God knows what He is doing and we believe that He has something so much better for us.  Pulling key, emerging leaders together to process these twists and turns has been a great growing experience for our church, drawing us closer to God and one another as a community.     

Our new neighbors move in sometime this month and we have already been able to collaborate with them.  The father is a pastor who is super excited about ministry and church planting.  His son is coming to our youth group.  Our church was feeling a bit over stretched in covering the extra rent anyway…so again, it ends up being a blessing.  With some of the money that our church pulled together for renting upstairs we build a shed in the back to help us create more space in the downstairs portion.  We are moving forward.  We are excited about our new small groups and upcoming outreaches to see more people come to know and live for Jesus. 

Here are some of the highlights of the last month and a half:

Work Projects

One of the men in our church gave a good portion of his week to help build this shed and saved us a lot of money…it was half the cost of a pre-built one!  We are now re-organizing space inside the church to allow for more space for ministry and greater diversity of activities….and of course more people.  

One of the spaces we hope to free up more is a quasi-office space that we hope to turn into more of a functional office space where our emerging leaders can come and use the tools and resources we have available for their classes, small groups or outreaches.  We are also figuring out ways to get more children into each of our classrooms.  Below you see one of our youth leading an upper elementary aged group during Sunday service.  

We’ve also put up a nice big sign to help announce who we are….it is great to be able to point from the other end of the park and show people where we meet for worship. 

The frame.

Chad waving from the roof.

Princess Tea

It is so important for girls and women alike to understand their value and worth in Christ.  Fabiola and Rebecca along with some of her friends and other ladies/daughters from our church participated in a special evening of being pampered and affirmed in the love that Father God has for them.  

Music Workshop

This was our 10^th music workshop we have put on.  We are beginning to see some growth and it continues to be a great first step for people who want to explore what playing a musical instrument is like.  Students of all ages and levels get a half-day workshop on the instrument of their choice - free.  Several individuals who are currently part of our worship team started out through these workshops.  Also, the piano students were able to play a worship song the following day for the church!

Financial Seminar / FL!P Intern

Mid-January our intern, Francisco, put on a seminar on finances for the church based on what he had been learning in his internship classes at our church.  This was his first time teaching up front.  We worked together with him to prepare him for this 3+ hour event and he did great. 

Francisco and his involvement in our prayer ministry and internship program will also be one of the feature articles in World Impact’s Bulletin that gets mailed out.  We have a clipping of that article at the end of the letter if you’d like to take a sneak peak.  

Pan y Café / (Sweet) Bread & Coffee

We have started a hospitality time with Pan y Café during several of our meeting times to help encourage conversation with first time guests and it is also a place where people are able to connect deeper. 

Somewhat related we have been doing a lot of training these last two months on how to walk with a new believer and help them grow in their faith.  We want to make sure everyone is being fed and the best way we know to do this is equip and empower the people we have led to the Lord to do a good job taking care of the people that they are bringing to the Lord. 

Men’s Night

A group of men from our church got together and shared fellowship, got to know one another better and played some pool.  Most of us were able to win at least once.  We had a powerful Bible study on purity and it was encouraging to hear men open up to one another and share a hunger for godly living. 

Winter Youth Camp

Thank you for your prayers! Camp went amazingly.  The youth bonded, had powerful times of worship, teaching, prayer and lots of fun.  Several youth recommitted their life to Jesus and one of our girls dedicated her life to Jesus for the first time!!!  The enemy works hard at discouraging and distracting them once they come home so please keep them in your prayers!

#HIGHER – was the name of the retreat

…some of the fun things they were able to do between sessions were play games like foosball, play a HUGE Connect Four game (below), 

archery, graffiti, 

paint ball, football, 

swinging, leap of faith (jumping off the top of a telephone pole to reach a trapeze bar a couple feet away), 

hiking, cabin time and much more!  

We believe in our youth – we invest in these future leaders.  Many shared that they are the only Christian in their entire school.  Again, thank you for your continued prayers on their behalf.  

Young Church Planters 

I came home one day to see a Lego village created that Rebecca and Justice had put together.  Off to one side was a group of people sitting in some rows.  I asked them what they were doing and I was informed that a group of the Lego-people had come together to create a church.  I was thrilled to hear about this new congregation! The next day I came home and the church had doubled! What wonderful growth.  The next day I noticed what looked like a chase scene (or a marathon). When I asked about what was happening, Justice responded that everyone in the city had heard the Good News and was running to get to church.  Pretty cool!!!  I love how God asks us to rest in Him and play like children and out of that playing God creates wonderful things.

Please Pray with Us....

LAUNCH of SMALL GROUPS Please pray for our leaders, hosts and assistants as we finish up our training and continue to pray for heart’s to be broken for their neighbors and communities.  Pray for faith, courage, unity on the teams, a heart for the lost and vision.  Most of these new leaders have never done anything like this before so it is exciting to give them these opportunities to grow and be challenged.  We will be walking by their sides, but more and more these ministries are becoming theirs.

EASTER  Please join us in prayer as we will be out in full force the whole week leading up to Easter.  We pray for fruitful outreaches and growth in the church!  See below for more details.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Outreach to new Senior Living Apartments – March 28

Vacation Bible School – March 30 – April 2

Youth Outreach at park – March 30 – April 2

Good Friday Service – April 3

Easter Sunday/Baptisms – April 4

           Beniah turns 1 on March 21!!

May God bless you and give you strength.  Thank you for reading….and thank you for praying and supporting what God is doing in the city through our family.

Chad, Fabiola, Rebecca, Justice and Beniah

Article excerpt from World Impact Bulletin (pre-release) about Francisco mentioned above: