I Love this Place!

I LOVE IT HERE! I'm in love with this area: It's probably the first place that I have served in that I would consider staying for a LONG time. I was thinking about why that is. First, it's a really nice are and even with the 6% sales tax, the cost of living is pretty low (monthly rents for apartments start in the 400's). I think the other reason is that I have had the time to get to know the community and make connections with folks other than folks who will be part of the congregation. In most other communities my first and primary contacts were with the church folk. Since there is no church yet, I have been able to cultivate some other connections. I've switched gyms and am part of a smaller club where the owner really works at building a sense of community among those of us who work out there. Sunday there was a paintball outing, but I couldn't go because of other commitments. I'm also just really comfortable here and feel really at home. People have been fantastic and I'm learning my way around. It's a great area for walking and mornings when I don't go to the gym I take my bike out to ride through the park and along the dike. I really like it here! Things are going well, and next week I'll have the first group meeting of all the folks I have been meeting and telling about the church. It will be a time of informal conversation about the mission and vision of the church and a time for them to ask any question they have. The free pizza should provide an incentive for them to come! Next Friday I also hope to begin weekly Taize services for the students (and faculty) on the two college campuses downtown. I continue to be so thankful to God for calling me to plant a new church in this area, and continue t pray that I woudl be faithful and up to the task. But of course, since it was God who called me here, I need to remind myself that God will provide what I need to accomplish the task. Hasta Luego The search goes on for a music director, but I am confident that God will send the right person at the right time.

Update

I am on so many sites that it's a challenge keeping them all updated. I just finished signing up for a PayPal account for Field of Grace so that our web master can add a donation button to the website. I have also just finished creating a donation page on FirstGiving so that we can promote the ministry and request donations and financial partners. I'm going to try to put that link here on my blog page. One of the things that was emphasized a new church planter training was the importance of raising funds to help finance the ministry in the early stages. This will take some of the financial pressures off while the congregation is still small and growing. If we can have significant resources in the bank then the folks can focus on the ministry and growing in their understanding about giving and not worried about raising money to fund the ministry. I have finally finished the draft for my Ministry Action Plan and am in the process of getting a three-year budget worked out. Although planting a church is hard work and am enjoying it and loving being here in the Wilkes-Barre area. I think this is probably one of the first times in my ministry that I have lived in a town where I felt that I might like to live for a long time. We'll see what God has planned. Fr now I am enjoying being here and working with God to bring this church to birth. The planned birth date for our first public worship service is Dec. 24, 2010. I will be working really hard to make as many contacts as possible so that we can have at least 200 people at that first service. I have a contact list of about 60 people and at the end of this month will have a "Pizza with the Pastor" gathering to meet and talk with them about the ministry and answer any questions they have. I will also start Taize services at the end of this month and will offer them every Friday evening. Those will be specifically geared towards reaching the college students in town. There is a space that I can borrow for all of these gatherings, but there is also a sace that I would like to lease and eventually buy to serve as a permanent ministry site for us. It would not provide worship space but woudl be a great mission and outreach center. There are two buildings on the lot. One would serve as office and administrative space and could be used for small group meetings, Bible study, etc. There is also a room that could be finished off to serve as a prayer room and could be used for the Taize services. The building is fully furnished ad equipped and is in move in condition. The other building needs quite a bit of work, but with some "green" renovation my dream would be to place "Grace Cafe" on the upper floor and offer snacks and free internet access to the community. The lower level could be used for youth group and to provide educational enrichment programs to children and adults. So please keep this in prayer. The space meets all of our criteria for serving the downtown area. It sits on the edge of Wilkes University and is within walking distance of Kings College. It is on a busy street and has great visibility and it is on a couple of well-travelled bus routes. I love this space but need to move through United Methodist process in order to sign a lease. Church starting and leasing property is a new process for folks here so there need to be meeting and lots of discussion. Prayers, prayers, prayers, please! Well, let's see if I can get this donation link uploaded. Blessings and hasta luego, Marcelle