Family and friends,
Happy summer! We are excited for the warmer weather, an increase in ministry as COVID restrictions lift in our state, and for continued answered prayer within our church and community. Read the update below for exciting updates and prayer requests.
1. Weekly Gathering Location
Our biggest prayer request right now is that we would receive approval to meet weekly once again at Brighton High School. Even though restrictions have lifted in our state, many organizations are still slow to open their doors. Please pray along with us that Boston Public Schools would allow external organizations like our church to rent our usual meeting location. We are praying this request will be answered by September. Would you pray along with us?
2. In-Person Gathering and After Party Meal
Our next in-person gathering is this Sunday, June 6 and we have almost 70 people planning to attend! We are excited to continue our Doctrine and Devotion series and study the doctrine of the church at the upcoming gathering. Not only do we get to gather with one another for our Sunday service, but we also get to gather together for a meal afterwards. Before the pandemic, we found that having a monthly meal with our church allowed new people to more easily get plugged in, developed a warmer and more welcoming atmosphere, and opened an opportunity for deeper gospel conversations to happen based on the service of that day. However, due to the pandemic, we haven’t been able to have these monthly meals.
As of last month, due to restrictions lifting in our state, we were able to host our first monthly meal as a church family in over a year. This is a huge praise! Many of our church family have felt not only physically distant from their community but have had trouble connecting emotionally and spiritually. Please pray for our gathering to go smoothly, for healthy attendees, and a deep worship of Jesus through song, preaching, and communion. Also, pray for intentional conversations, deeper relationships, and an atmosphere of welcome and gospel community to be developed and portrayed during these monthly meals.
3. Baptisms
Baptism class over Zoom!
We have the privilege of baptizing three people this Sunday! This is very exciting for us especially because these are our first baptisms as a church. We will be baptizing B & C who are our neighbors that recently came to faith in Christ. We will also be baptizing J who is a believer that is taking this next step of obedience in his faith journey. All three are them are also pursuing membership with our church after their baptism and we are so excited to come alongside of them in their walks with Jesus.
Please pray for B, C, & J as they take this step of obedience, share their testimony on Sunday, and seek Jesus daily as faithful followers of Him. Also pray for our church as a whole, our Community Groups Leaders, as well as Emily and me to walk well alongside these believers in holiness, accountability, love, and fellowship.
4. Community Leader Care
Our church has 11 Community Group Leaders that faithfully serve each week to lead our church’s Community Groups. Our Community Group Leaders have faithfully served with very few breaks over the past almost two years due to the pandemic. Our Leaders don’t just facilitate discussion on a weekly basis for their groups, but they serve, care, check in, love, invest, speak the gospel, and continually pour out their lives by pointing those in their group back to Jesus. After serving so intentionally, we are grateful to offer our Community Group Leaders a break from leading their Community Groups formally this summer and to be poured into themselves. Emily and I will be leading a Community Group specifically to care for, develop, and support the leaders starting the week of June 13.
Please pray for rest and refreshment for our Community Group Leaders and for Emily and I to serve our leaders well by providing them the care and support they need, especially over this summer. Also pray for our Community Groups health and growth as they continue to meet informally for cookouts and other get togethers over the next couple of months.