November 2008 Church Planting Update

We are meeting with our established core group, encouraging one another, seeking God's leading, and submitting to His will as we replant this church. We will have a period of “dormancy” this winter while we worship together around God's word, and then watch with great anticipation what God will bring to new life in the spring! Though times have been challenging, God has given us relationship building opportunities.

• We will be serving water to runners at the YMCA wellness events this fall and we have a potential meeting place at the YMCA in the spring. In addition, Mark has been encouraged to volunteer time working with the youth there as a mentor and in a ministry capacity if he feels so led.



• A providential meeting with the president of an area bottling company this summer provided water bottles for us when we held our picnic in the park in September. This relationship continues to be a blessing in the forming of networks with Brethren churches in our area, and the church planting pastor affiliated with them.



• The Sovereign Grace Church of Altoona (http://www.sovgracepa.org/) and its Pastor Tom Kurtz have encouraged us with mentoring and leadership development for Mark and amazing worship music for ourselves and our church to enjoy.



• A playgroup of women from the Westminster Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Altoona has befriended Kendra and the kids, given insights into homeschooling, and provided friends our kids' age with whom to play and sometimes with whom to fight!



• We currently meet in one-on-one discipleship with persons younger in the faith than ourselves. Each of these individuals have a hunger to know and understand the Bible and its application to life.



• One-on-one discipleship between more mature church members and newer believers has yielded much fruit.

We desperately need your prayers for our continued ministry here in the Altoona area. We have been supported by prayers of close friends and fellow pastors during this last six months, and we know that the effort to replant a church in this area will take many more prayers on our behalf.

Here is how you can pray:

• God would give Mark just the right measure of humility and boldness as he leads our church.



• For healing and restoration to take place in the people of our church so they can embrace the vision and mission that God has for them.



• For open doors for the gospel in our neighborhood and larger community.