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