Both logistically and worship-wise everything was great! Our worship is different - very contemporary and informal (based on who we're trying to reach), but a solid, good, Bible-based grace message that I think really hit home for a lot of people that were there! We had 118 in the worship service and 7 children in the nursery and 3 nursery workers. And, we had two teenagers baptized in the service! And, in addition to a great setup by the Launch Team, of the worship space, lobby with refreshments & information, and parking, we also had an information table for our first mission trip to New Orleans in July!
It's becoming a long story, but it has been amazing the amount of confirmation, in various forms, that God has sent our way, especially in the last three weeks, by providing people and other resources we needed, "just in time!" (He's provided our worship leader and band, video operator, missions coordinator, and some children's ministry helpers, additional financial gifts, and other things, too - in amazing ways!) So, thank you for praying for us. I can tell you that your prayers are being answered! (Even, specifically, I had asked you to pray for God to bring someone to run video and an additional person in the Nursery for opening Sunday - both happened!!!!)
I can tell you for sure that God is really blessing us. When we set a firm date to open for Sunday worship, we had only 8-10 people on the Launch Team. At that time, we said, "if this happens, then for sure it is God doing it." - Because, early in January, when we set the aggressive 3 1/2 month plan to Launch Sunday Worship, we didn't see how WE (our small group) could get all the work done. Well, there was a lot of hard work done by the few of us, and some others, but God made it happen, WE KNOW!
I'm especially excited about how well the worship band is doing. They are a great bunch of young guys who are serious about their faith and very talented. The worship leader is doing a great job - not only of planning and getting it all together - but he is very sensitive to wanting to help lead people into worship but not have it be about him or about a performance. Nevertheless, excellence in music helps eliminate distractions from people's worship, and enhances it. He has a great voice, as well. Then, one of the other guys plays violin as well as lead guitar, and is amazing. He played violin for one of the songs - Amazing Grace (My Chains are gone) by Chris Tomlin - and it was soooooo sweet! These guys are really almost "professionals" and I can't believe God has blessed me with them! This is important, because music is so much a factor in reaching people today. One new visitor said they were amazed that it was our first worship service, because of how well they felt it was done, and said they felt a sensitivity to the Holy Spirit in our worship service.
Others also mentioned that they were impressed by how much community service focus we already had, since they wanted to be part of a church that was trying to "be" the church to the community around it.
We had a lot of "friends and supporters" in attendance at this first worship service, so we'll see how many come the next two weeks, but a lot of the new people really liked the worship and I think will be bringing friends. But, whoever God brings, we'll minister to and trust Him for the results!
There's obviously much work to continue to do to grow the church, but I'm very happy with the start.
Thanks for your prayers and encouragement - please keep it up!
God's blessings to you, too!
