Church Planting Updates
Wednesday, February 15th, 2012
Greetings! We hope this letter finds you doing well. We are so thankful to God for all of our faithful support team. Thank you so much for your ongoing prayers. As we are on the front lines of church planting, we daily feel the need of your faithful prayers.
Snow Break
In January, Seattle had a major “snow event” (as the media called it). This “snowpocalypse” was a great time to slow down and spend time together as a family. The routine quickly became sled, warm up, dry clothes, and eat. We would then repeat this routine, throwing in the occasional walk to the store. It was really fun. We also had many opportunities to meet neighbors.
Neighbor Appreciation Day
We decided to have an open house to invite all of our neighbors over for dinner, a few weeks ago. The response was great. Almost all of our neighbors that we invited ended up joining us (over 20). We had a great time and some amazing food. A number of neighbors thanked us for initiating such a thing. Please continue to pray for our connections with our neighbors.
Financial Support
We are so grateful to God for the many ways he provided for our family during our first year in Seattle. Thank you for the role many of you played in supporting us. As our part time positions within North Seattle Alliance Church have now ended, we find we have a need for more funding. God has been working on this by providing new supporters, but some supporters have dropped off from last year.
If you would like to support us in the coming year; contact gro.g1337432653nitna1337432653lphcr1337432653uhcwn1337432653@haci1337432653m1337432653 or mail your check to: North West Church Planting, P.o. Box 13699, Portland, OR 97213, checks should be payable to: NW Church Planting and in the memo line “Seattle church planting”.
Prayer Requests:
- Praise for God’s provision for our family this past year.
- Praise for the support and relationships from North Seattle Alliance this past year.
- Please pray for our support levels to increase. In particular, that we find new supporters or a return of former supporters.
- Please pray for future leaders to develop that have a heart for the people of Seattle.
- Please pray for our team to live as missionaries in their “day to day” lives.
- Pray for ongoing connections in our neighborhood. Pray for new opportunities to serve the people of our city.
- Pray for the Gregory’s group to have a strong start.
Wednesday, February 8th, 2012
January 2012
I recently shared the “State of the Church” address with Bread&Wine at a Worship Gathering. We are certainly not a people without weakness, failure, and disappointments. However, as I prepared I found myself thanking God for all of the evidences of His Grace that are expressed in each of our Gospel Identities; Family, Servants, Missionaries, & Disciples.
We are Family
“We are children of God who live and care for each other as a family.” We have seen people identify & confess their radical individualism and grow to more fully embrace the communal realities of our Faith (i.e. Christianity = Eastern Religion). We have seen a mass influx of children come into families joining Bread&Wine, via adoption & pregnancy. We see Gospel Communities that live and serve together throughout the week, demonstrating that they see their connection to one another as primary and not merely a time slot that they attend. Join us in Praising God for His Grace towards us.
We are Servants
“We are servants of God who serve others as a way of life.” Within the community…countless people have received help moving, rides to & from the airport, hot meals after hospital visits or when new babies arrive. God has assembled many believers in Portland who understand and live out their identity as “servants.” This is perhaps the greatest strength of our Church at this time. Praise God for giving us the example in Christ and the Spirit to empower us for service.
We are Missionaries
“We are sent by God to restore all things to himself.” We’ve recently seen people come to faith and baptism. We’ve seen several notyet-believers invited in and walking through the “Story of God” in various Gospel Communities. Weʼre currently coaching 3 church planters and are in conversations with other planters who will likely be sent out of Bread&Wine in the days ahead. God is assembling a team to be sent out to plant in Pune, India. Praise God for new life and a community of people who are being formed by the Gospel sent on a mission.
We are Disciples
“We are disciples of Jesus who take responsibility for our own development and the development of others.” More people than ever are in DNA(same-sex triads for Discipleship-Nurture-Accountability) applying the Gospel to particular areas of sin and unbelief. Gospel Communities are walking through the scriptures together and challenging one another to obey all the Christ has commanded. People are learning to pray, and
finding the courage to expose idols, confess sin, calling one another to greater faithfulness. Leaders are being intentionally developed to lead Gospel Communities on Mission. This year many have been equipped in; Biblical Stewardship, How to Study the Scriptures, & the nature and mission of the Church. Praise God for His faithfulness to continue the work He has begun in each of us.
Prayer Requests:
- That the church would love one another in a way that would cause Portland to take notice.
- That those not-yet believing neighbors that heard the Gospel, the past 10 weeks, would transfer their trust to Jesus.
Wednesday, February 1st, 2012
Hello partners,
During our Christmas Celebration we had about 100 people attend the party, about 90% of those that attended are unbelievers and unchurched. The “Litson” (roasted whole pig) was definitely a big draw. I was looking around during the party and I saw lots of connections and relationship formations happening between believers and unbelievers. With one man in particular realizing his need for Jesus and we are now praying and
following up with him. God is indeed at work here! Please pray that God will continue to speak to him and he will find his way to really know Jesus personally. Katrina and I hosted a small group for teens and tweens. We had a great bonding time over a dinner, some fun games, meeting, planning and devotional talk. We were able to have a heart to heart talk to all 10 unbelieving young people and they prayed with me asking Jesus to be their Lord and Savior. Now the real work of discipleship has begun…
Awesome God! Pray that God will send Kaisa more workers to lead small groups and disciple these new believers. God is working in the west side of Portland. Prayer Requests:
- That people will be challenged to continue participating in Christʼs great commission to“go and make disciples.”
- That God will send us Music coordinator, Kids coordinator, Youth leader and more small group leaders.
- For our finances in this new year. We have a matching grant from the Alliance, so every dollar we receive is matched two dollars, which will help us to eliminate ourdeficit and balance our budget.
Thanks for your prayer partnership. Thanks for your financial support. We simply cannot do this alone. God is our strength but your partnership is what God is using to provide us the resources we need to continue moving forward. God is at work!
Fred Cardino
Kaisa Lead pastor
Wednesday, January 4th, 2012
The New year marks a season of transition for us as we multiply our Leadership lab into two Gospel Communities and begin our once monthly worship gatherings.
We’re finding more and more that the Lord is working at multiple levels in East county, rather than just through Roots, or just through the Church for that matter. God is expanding our vision of His influence and His Kingdom by opening a large number of new relationships with individuals, churches, schools, and para-church organizations who God is using to transform this community. This has hugely affirmed our call and vision for the people of East County and has greatly encouraged us! It’s amazing to be apart of what God is doing and to feel the love of those already invested here!
Pray for us as we continue to partner with those in East county in our Lord’s Mission to effect the community of East county with the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Also pray for Kristina and I as we move into East county in January. Our desire is that God would open many doors for us to share his message and his love with those He places in our lives. Pray that his Spirit would lead and guide us into those places where He desires to heal, transform, redeem, bless, and do his good work.
~Paul Boelhke, Associate Planter
