Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Update on New Roots and Woodbury

It's been a while since I've posted, but I want to keep folks up-to-date on what's going on with new church.

 New Roots: New Roots Ministries (the name of the ministry in Northern Cass Country, North Dakota) continues to go well. In an email to New Roots families and supporters Pastor Wade Miller explained what was going on at New Roots during Holy Week:
I am writing to all of you because of the exciting service we have set up for tomorrow's Family-friendly worship and After-School ministry. I believe it is a great addition to any of the Holy Week services you might already be planning on attending, and a great way to begin our Easter Celebrations. During our After-School ministry, we will focus on two vitally important stories for Christians to understand, one from the Old Testament and one from the New...Passover (God delivering the Israelites from slavery in Egypt) & Easter (God delivering Christians from slavery to sin/death). Our after-school ministry begins at 3:45 in the library and goes to 5:45. Just a reminder, we always make sure there is time for our kids to work on their homework and reading as well as time for fun & games and teaching... Then, we will clear the tables and begin a very different kind of worship. Instead of gathering in the auditorium and hearing a message, we will set the tables for a Seder-inspired family worship. The Seder (literally, "order") is a meal that started after Jesus' time to help Jewish families teach the story of the Passover. When Jesus gathered his disciples for the Lord's Supper on the night before he was arrested, tried, and crucified, they gathered to celebrate the Passover. The words might have been different. The "order" may not have been the same. But it was the Passover story that reminded us that God has always been faithful, and (even though we still stumble) delivers us from slavery to evil and sin! You will certainly have something to talk about with your friends and family! And, hopefully, we will all learn just a little more what it means to be an Easter people!
Please take some time to visit New Roots website or it's Facebook Page to keep up with their progress in sharing Christ in Northern Cass!

 Woodbury: If all goes well, a new congregation should start in the Eastern suburbs of the Twin Cities later this year. Woodbury Christian Church is in its planning stages being led by Mike Brady, a Licensed Minister and long time member of First Christian Church in Minneapolis. Mike is busy finding rental space for the new community and has a small grant from the Region to help in getting this new ministry. Visit WCC's Facebook Page to learn more about this new seed that's growing in Woodbury! There are still other possibilities that are still in the early stages. I will share more as time passes. Please keep New Roots and Woodbury in your prayers. May God bless them as they share the Good News of Jesus Christ!