So, let me just say - I'm sorry if I've left friends hanging in the Boston-church-planting-news department. I've been a bit of a bad updater and informer in general in this area. It's all happening really quickly (from my perspective) and my husband is dealing with it so resiliently on his own, that sometimes I just totally forget what all is going on! The other night he and I were talking and all of a sudden, I realized - we are MOVING in THREE months! Is that for real?
So this post is going to serve as a short-backstory-let-me-catch-you-up-real-quick sort of thing. Some of my best friends in the world haven't heard the long story and as much as y'all know I'd like to tell it, it would be much easier if this whole thing was done in bullet points.
Here goes:
So this post is going to serve as a short-backstory-let-me-catch-you-up-real-quick sort of thing. Some of my best friends in the world haven't heard the long story and as much as y'all know I'd like to tell it, it would be much easier if this whole thing was done in bullet points.
Here goes:
- As of last fall, our plan was to stay here in the Puget Sound area, possibly
transition out of New Beginnings and Nick would transition into a full time
church job. We knew the end goal would be planting (in three to five years), and specifically in
Boston - but I kind of liked to pretend that wouldn't happen. I really like it here:).
- Around Christmas, Nick very gently let me know what the Lord was doing in
his heart and his life and asked me to come along for the ride. As I heard him lay out
his vision for Gospel Community Church in Boston, I really could not deny him or
Jesus my submission. It scared me, but I got on board.
- In March, we got assessed by Acts 29. Acts 29 is a church planting network
started by our church, Mars Hill. You can read about that here.
At assessment, they basically grill you and interview you (in love) to be sure
that you are both equipped and ready for the task at hand.
- Thru our assessment, Acts 29 suggested that we do in fact move to Boston
and get connected with Seven Mile Road, an awesome a29 church north of the
city. By sort of partnering with them, Nick will go through their
pastoral track to get some more training and we get the massive benefit of not
feeling so helpless and alone. Nick has talked a good deal with their pastor,
Matt Kruse, and he is really excited to learn from him. Today, he is actually
skyping in to one of their meetings to get started connecting with them. Hopefully, if
their congregation feels like we're pretty ok people, we will start hanging out with them
as soon as we get out there. Yay!
So, the next steps are:
- Have a baby.
- Continue to love on our family, our friends here in the northwest, and
wrap up our ministry time at New Beginnings for the next three months.
- Begin fundraising for the church. This will be the money that Nick and I will
live off of for the season that we're at Seven Mile and the initial plant of Gospel Community,
as well as the minimal expenses the church needs now for things like websites,
admin stuff, licensing, & print materials.
- Pray a lot. Pray thanks for Seven Mile, miracles in the area of fundraising,
strength for our marriage in a tumultous season, stability for our children,
love for our new city, & wisdom for our future church.
- By August 1st, be all moved out and in transit to Massachusetts.
- Serve, connect, and worship with Seven Mile until they feel like it's time for
us to head out and officially plant Gospel Community.
(woosh, that's a to-do list)
So, that's where we're at. Nick is writing thrice weekly blogs on the Gospel Community website to talk about his mission & vision to let people know what the deal is. I have to really encourage you guys to check those out! This is all stuff that Nick wrote months ago, some before I knew anything about the church, as God laid it on his heart to build a 'gospel community'. Most of what I read there blows my mind at the wisdom God has given him, and it also makes me thrilled for him to be my church-pastor, not just my husband-pastor, one day soon.
This week kicks off our first big fundraising push. Having had to fundraise to work at New Beginnings, this is something we're pretty comfortable with - but it is still a daunting task. I think this Friday I'll write a little update about how that is going and where we are at with it, if you would be interested:).
In summary, thanks friends for caring about our lives and what God is doing. I sure do care about yours and love to read what is going on with you,
but it is a blessing to feel loved and prayed for in the midst of such an adventure.
transition out of New Beginnings and Nick would transition into a full time
church job. We knew the end goal would be planting (in three to five years), and specifically in
Boston - but I kind of liked to pretend that wouldn't happen. I really like it here:).
- Around Christmas, Nick very gently let me know what the Lord was doing in
his heart and his life and asked me to come along for the ride. As I heard him lay out
his vision for Gospel Community Church in Boston, I really could not deny him or
Jesus my submission. It scared me, but I got on board.
- In March, we got assessed by Acts 29. Acts 29 is a church planting network
started by our church, Mars Hill. You can read about that here.
At assessment, they basically grill you and interview you (in love) to be sure
that you are both equipped and ready for the task at hand.
- Thru our assessment, Acts 29 suggested that we do in fact move to Boston
and get connected with Seven Mile Road, an awesome a29 church north of the
city. By sort of partnering with them, Nick will go through their
pastoral track to get some more training and we get the massive benefit of not
feeling so helpless and alone. Nick has talked a good deal with their pastor,
Matt Kruse, and he is really excited to learn from him. Today, he is actually
skyping in to one of their meetings to get started connecting with them. Hopefully, if
their congregation feels like we're pretty ok people, we will start hanging out with them
as soon as we get out there. Yay!
So, the next steps are:
- Have a baby.
- Continue to love on our family, our friends here in the northwest, and
wrap up our ministry time at New Beginnings for the next three months.
- Begin fundraising for the church. This will be the money that Nick and I will
live off of for the season that we're at Seven Mile and the initial plant of Gospel Community,
as well as the minimal expenses the church needs now for things like websites,
admin stuff, licensing, & print materials.
- Pray a lot. Pray thanks for Seven Mile, miracles in the area of fundraising,
strength for our marriage in a tumultous season, stability for our children,
love for our new city, & wisdom for our future church.
- By August 1st, be all moved out and in transit to Massachusetts.
- Serve, connect, and worship with Seven Mile until they feel like it's time for
us to head out and officially plant Gospel Community.
(woosh, that's a to-do list)
So, that's where we're at. Nick is writing thrice weekly blogs on the Gospel Community website to talk about his mission & vision to let people know what the deal is. I have to really encourage you guys to check those out! This is all stuff that Nick wrote months ago, some before I knew anything about the church, as God laid it on his heart to build a 'gospel community'. Most of what I read there blows my mind at the wisdom God has given him, and it also makes me thrilled for him to be my church-pastor, not just my husband-pastor, one day soon.
This week kicks off our first big fundraising push. Having had to fundraise to work at New Beginnings, this is something we're pretty comfortable with - but it is still a daunting task. I think this Friday I'll write a little update about how that is going and where we are at with it, if you would be interested:).
In summary, thanks friends for caring about our lives and what God is doing. I sure do care about yours and love to read what is going on with you,
but it is a blessing to feel loved and prayed for in the midst of such an adventure.
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