Community Survey

I have I said lately how exciting the move of our church to a new location has been. Well it is. For sure, it is a lot of work as well, walls not holding paint, a little bit longer drive from home to the building, and a few electrical problems, but those are things that come with any move.

As I mentioned in a recent post we are in the middle of 40 days of prayer and fasting right now with our church asking God for direction and guidance as we enter this new neighborhood. Our last day is August 8, so please continue to pray with us. What I am excited about today is the community survey we are planning to do this coming Sunday. This coming Sunday after worship we are planning to go into our neighborhood and ask people to help us know the needs of our community and discern God’s will. While the survey in and of itself is very exciting I am thrilled to see the church excited about survey as well. We are called to be a people who step out our back door into the world around us and I see the church catching that vision more than I have ever seen it before.

As you pray this week, please remember our survey this coming Sunday. Pray that God will help us not only learn how we can help, but that we will be able to start building relationships with our neighbors. Pray as well that any fears that exist within our church will be over ridden by our faith in God and our love those He created.

Samuel laughing

40 days of Prayer and Fasting

The move to our new building is going well. Praise God. You never know how a church or any group for that matter is going to take a move in location. There is just as much possibility for the group to see the move as positive as they are to see it negatively. So we continue to praise God as the church seems to be accepting the move well. That being said we still have our work cut out for us. There are still technical aspects to get to in order to have the building working like we would like, but those will come with time. What is really before us right now is how we as a church are going to interact with our new neighborhood.

Our new home is different from our last. Our last building was located in a more commercial district with some neighbors residing high rise apartments locked behind restricted assess gates. We are now in a neighborhood filled more with houses and local markets and shops. A change we are fairly excited about. With this change though comes new opportunities for our church body. Therefore we have started a 40 days of prayer and fasting campaign with our church. Two Sundays ago we announced it and had a list for everyone to sign up for a day. We are spending the next 40 days praying, fasting, and studying through Joshua. We are praying for God to help us see how we might interact with neighborhood, how we might serve those around us, and what kind of church God is calling us to be in our new home.

It is so excited to make this transition with a church body. The last time we were faced with some of these questions we only had the five missionary families and those of you who were praying with us at the time. Now, there is a body of Brazilian Christians along with us ready to see where God will lead. We also want to offer you the opportunity to join with us as well. Between now and August 7 choose a day to spend in prayer and fasting asking God to reveal His will for us as a church in our new home. Together let’s see where God will lead.