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| Architect's Model of the Proposed New Sanctuary for The Community Fellowship |
I can picture in my mind what it
must have been like for Paul
Revere early in our nation’s history as he passed his message on that “the
British are coming”. There was fear,
anxiety, preparation and so much more going on.
It was a time of unrest, but it was also a time of freedom of being
declared because it was a new day.
Several times this week I have
walked through our new campus property as we prepare to begin the build out process. This next week is Memorial Day, and a mission
team of sixty plus men is coming to our place to begin framing the walls. It is an excited time. My imagination has been running fast. The vision we have had for this property is
coming to life. They’re coming!
Romans 15:32 NLT
Then, by the
will of God, I will be able to come
to you with a joyful heart, and we will be an encouragement to each other.
You have a
large number of skilled
stonemasons and carpenters and craftsmen of every kind.
It began in a way that I didn’t
expect. As our church began to look for
property to expand the church we found the former American Standard Building
Systems place and began to circle it in prayer.
A pastor friend from South Carolina, David Moore, prayed often and
stayed in contact with us about our next step.
Years before our mission team went to his place to help build their
church’s new building.
After seven long months we finally
owned the property (22 acres and 148,000 square feet under roof), and we began
cleaning. It was a few months later that
Pastor Moore asked us about hosting mission teams to help build out our new
campus. He brought a small team last
year and sent others to help as well.
Then, another door opened. A
large team that goes out each Memorial Day was offered to us.
This coming week a huge team will be
with us to do things much quicker than we have thought possible. God has put so much together. He is making it all happen, and they’re
coming!
To make this even sweeter, as some
of the team leaders came to visit us I was reacquainted with a contractor from
the Richmond area. His name is
Avery. He arrived, and it hit me. This was the contractor who led the first
mission project that I was part of when we moved to Virginia. It was also his home church. My former church, The Orchard, went on an
annual mission trip, and in 2001 we went to Ashland, Virginia and helped
Jerusalem Baptist Church.
Coming full circle has new
meaning. 13 years ago we helped Avery’s
church, and now he’s coming to us to make our new campus come into
existence. It really is sweet.
They’re coming! I ask for your prayers. Pray for the mission team as they travel and
work. They bring everything with them
other than the building materials. Pray
for the resources to buy those materials.
We will be providing an evening meal for the team Sunday through
Thursday. If you would like to help with
the meals, let me know. Pray for the
project as it comes together.
It is almost surreal. The building is finally becoming a
reality. I’m reminded daily that our
ministry and church is not focusing on or putting all our resources in to
property. It is about people. There are people across our community and our
region of the world that need to see the love of God lived out in front of
them. That is our calling. That is our commitment. I once again ask you to join us and our
ministry partners as position ourselves to help more people.
If you would like to give to make
this a reality, go to THIS LINK
and click “vision fund” as you give online.
Thank you for an even more important piece. Will you partner with us in prayer?
Philippians 1:5 NLT
for you have
been my partners in spreading
the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now.
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