Tag Archives: Sunday Morning
The church is people, not a building. A building is only a tool.
This month we’re celebrating 4 years as a new church. Over that time we’ve changed buildings once… because we haven’t found another one. We are currently renting an elementary school gym (see photo).
So here’s our dilemma (and food for prayer):
We've since added more chairs.
The gym is packed nearly every Sunday. We’re also meeting in homes every week. There are hardly any more spaces to sit.
So what do we do? Each chose offers specific challenges:
Do we plant a daughter church?
- We would love to! This is part of our original 5-year plan… so, concrete plans should begin to take place this year to do that (we don’t yet have a qualified church planter to send out). But in the meantime… what do we do?
Do we go to multiple services?
- We already have people setting up and tearing down from 7:30am to 12:30pm. We may have to do this, but we don’t want to burn anyone out.
Do we rent a larger space?
- We can’t yet find a large enough place to rent for less than $6000/month.
- Currently we’re paying $2000/month for a few hours Sunday morning.
Do we buy?
Old Theater in St Jerome: for sale for $765,000 (they already refused a $500,000 offer, however, we aren't sure if it is worth more than that yet)
- We can’t find a large enough place, in the general vicinity of downtown for under $750,000… not including renovations.
- Most places are for sale for well over a million.
- Though it may be possible to raise the $$, do we want to invest that kind of effort to find $$ right now? Or do we want to continue investing in people?
Do we build?
- We have enough resources to build something that may not give us much time to grow. Again, do we want to invest our limited resources in something that may possibly be too small in a couple of years?
We aren’t saying “no” to any of these options. I’m simply asking you to pray for us as we pray and look.
Thanks for praying.
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7 comments | tags: Building, building a building, Church Building, church planter, Church Planting, daughter church, elementary school gym, multiple services, Prayer, St Jérôme, Sunday Morning | posted in Church Planting, Prayer, St Jérôme
Last Sunday after the morning service, at Ecclésia St-Jérôme (our church plant), we voted in three things:
- the Constitution,
- Le règlement numéro 1 (a legal document with the province of Québec),
- the annual budget.
What does this mean?
- We are a legal, functioning church in the eyes of the Province.
- We are financially autonomous for the first time! This means that all expenses, including Jacob’s salary are 100% paid for by the church with no outside financial help to do it… (though our salary is not included in this).
Here are some photos of the occasion so you can praise God together with us!
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Martin, Julie, Mahï-li, Alexandre, Isaac, Ézéchiel
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Martin, Julie, Mahï-li, Alexandre, Isaac, Ézéchiel
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L-R: Pierre, France, Me
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L-R: Lenny, Pierre, France, Vénus
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L-R: Josée, Leanne, Caleb, Philippe, Arianne, Gabbie, Annie, Ophilie Benjamin
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L-R: Josée, Leanne, Caleb, Philippe, Arianne, Gabbie, Annie, Ophilie Benjamin
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L-R: Jeremiah, Josianne, Terry
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L-R: Céline, Paulo, Richard, François, Marie-Josée, Victoria, Marie-Paul
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L-R: Anne-Marie, Myriam, Loïc, Anne-Marie, Sarah, Jean
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L-R: Andrée, Angélique, Céline, Johannie, Normand
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Jacob presenting the constitution, the reg #1, and the budget… great job Jack!
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Jacob getting the powerpoint up and running
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Leave a comment | tags: Church, Church Planting, Photos, St Jérôme, Sunday Morning | posted in Church Planting, Photos, St Jérôme
It’s one way that we love on St-Jérôme every year. This year, instead of a regular Sunday-morning service, we’re going pray, then set up… celebrating all together at 5pm rather than the regular 10am. I’ll spend a few minutes talking from Jonah about God’s love for the city.
If you live close… come on out! If you live far… thanks for praying!
TRANSLATION:
Sunday, February 6, 5pm – 7pm
655 rue Fillion, St-Jérôme
100 Bowls created by artists from here
Bowl – $20, Soup – Free
All of the proceeds go the “L’Ami(e) du quartier” (Friend of the Neighborhood)
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Leave a comment | tags: empty bowls, l'Ami du quartier, remplir un bol, St Jérôme, Sunday Morning, Sunday morning service | posted in Compassion, St Jérôme
The Sunday before last, a group of children (including Caleb and Constance) put on two skits: “Blind Bartimaeus” and “the pine trees”. Here’s the second (in French):
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Leave a comment | tags: Christmas, Sunday Morning, Video | posted in St Jérôme, Video
Last Sunday, a group of children (including Caleb and Constance) put on two skits: “Blind Bartimaeus” and “the pine trees”. Here’s the first (in French):
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Leave a comment | tags: Christmas, Sunday Morning, Video | posted in St Jérôme, Video
Thank you again for the fantastic photos Robert!
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Leave a comment | tags: Christmas, Photos, Sunday Morning | posted in Photos, St Jérôme
Thanks Robert for the fantastic photos!
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Leave a comment | tags: Christmas, St Jérôme, Sunday Morning | posted in General, Photos, St Jérôme
Ce dimanche nous plannifions deux répresentations: 10h00 et 13h00. Simplement, il n’y a pas assez de l’espace pour tout le monde dans une représentaiton. (This Sunday we’ve planned two services: 10am & 1pm. Basically, there isn’t enough room for everyone in one service, so we had to go to two.) Voici l’invitation (Here’s the invitation-with translation below):
Vous êtes invités: Un regard 9 sur Noël! (You're invited: a new look at Christmas)
TRANSLATION:
Join us for this special event where you will rediscover Christmas and its meaning through 9 specially chosen accounts. From the Garden of Eden to Jesus’ birth, you will be transported through history for a better understanding of God’s plan to show grace to humanity.
Date and Hour: 19 december, 2010. A representation will be held at 10am and 1pm.
Location: 457, Fillion road, Saint Jérôme
Contact us: If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us: (450) 820-7783, info@eglise-ecclesia.ca
A meal will be served at each representation and the children will put on a drama as well!
Thank you for praying for us!
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Leave a comment | tags: Christmas, Food, St Jérôme, Sunday Morning | posted in St Jérôme
Shared this in an e-mail with a brother. Then thought I should post it publicly as we hunt for prayer.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for praying.
Building Hunt…
Last week I visited a potential building. It’s a 16,000+ square-foot two-story building smack-dab in downtown St Jerome. The first floor is rented by several different businesses, leaving 8,000+ upstairs for us, all with rental contracts of 5 years or perhaps more. The location is incredible. And with the rentals it looks like it may be great financially. But the aspect that makes me the most nervous is having to constantly deal with the rentals.
We’re going to take the next exploratory step and put some serious prayer into it as we go. God will lead us where He wants us to go. If the building doesn’t launch us forward to love St Jérôme more effectively, but instead impedes us… we want nothing of it. We are not here for buildings. Buildings are tools.
Jonah…
This morning I preached on Jonah 1:4-16. The main point is that the world does not work like it should. Jonah acts like a pagan, the sailors act like prophets should. Our only hope is God’s sovereignty… and that is on full display throughout the entire book. Obey or disobey, God can, does, and will, use us.
We finished with the Lord’s supper. There is only one hero. It’s not Jonah, or a pastor, or a christian. It’s Jesus Himself. He is the only one who saved us and will never disappoint.
Church Planting…
Have some serious regional and provincial church-planting projects. Won’t go into it here. Just can’t figure out how to have enough time. God is up to something though. There are multiple things popping up all over the province that tell me God is planning something big in the near future. Kind of like moving in for check mate. You feel it coming and see things happening, but just don’t know exactly when and how. I trust He knows what He’s doing.
Thanksgiving…
Looking forward to jetting down to my cousin’s in Albany for thanksgiving. My brother will travel up from N. Carolina before shipping out as a Marine to Afghanistan in January. My sister is also coming up from the D.C. area. It will be a great family get together (Albany is about 5 hours from our place).
Thanks for your prayers. We always, always need them.
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2 comments | tags: Building, Church Planting, Jonah, Life, St Jérôme, Sunday Morning, Thanksgiving, vision | posted in Church Planting, Family, General, Prayer, St Jérôme
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