February 1?!
Time is officially flying. Thomas spent a lot of time in meetings and building out the next steps of the church plant. We invested a lot of time this week in conversations with people who are considering moving with us and seeking to join our launch team - these have been some exciting conversations! Next week will contain a trip for Thomas, fundraising, and the Summit Network conference.
Here's a little more about all that is going on...
Building Systems
Thomas is hard at work on building out the structures and systems of the church plant. In these weeks we're building systems for structuring the finances, providing accountability for our investors and planting team, and looking ahead to the processes that will undergird our ministry as a church in London. We're depending on a myriad of organizations, ministry leaders, and other church planters to coordinate the building effort. There's a lot that we're literally figuring out while we work it out. Within a couple of months, we will have: a stateside non-profit, an international non-profit, a system in place to move resources between the two organizations, and a board to oversee the entire process. Please pray for us.
Launch Team
God is assembling a team! In the last week we met with six people who have been praying and discerning whether God is leading them to London or not. After much discussion, and with great excitement, we extended invitations to all six people to join the growing team! We are so excited about the work God is doing. There are still a few people who we have been journeying with who have not yet reached a point of conviction as to whether or not London might be their next step. We're eager to see how things continue to develop. Please pray for our growing team.
Next Week
We will be taking it easy as a family over the weekend because we have a busy week ahead. Thomas has an overnight in Greensboro with Residency Training and then we have a full rest of the week together. We are looking forward to the Summit Network conference on Wednesday-Friday of next week. We are especially excited to visit with other planters who have become friends in this season of preparing for London. We're also looking forward to learning from the different groups of people who are coming together.
Transitions
We are feeling it! A few factors are speeding up the transition process for us. First, last week Thomas preached at NC State Cru (Campus Crusade) for the last time. We have loved our time partnering with this incredible organization. Second, fundraising is closing in fast. We are feeling the need to raise the final portions of the budget in the next couple of months. The busyness of these fundraising days is making things move faster and not slower. Third, the travel continues to mount. We are glad to have our time settled at home this weekend because the trips keep coming. Please pray for us to abide and practice the presence of Jesus in the midst of so much going on.
Thank You
We want to end this brief update with a simple note of thanks. Thanks to those of you who have partnered with us financially. Thanks to those of you who are praying for us. Thanks for the encouragement and care as we prepare to go. We love each of you. We are thankful for you.
Thank you for being on this journey with us.
For we are his workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God prepared beforehand,
that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10