The Launch!

We had our Launch Service on Sunday, October 7^th, and everything came together so well! In keeping with our theme and our desire to support the artists in our community, we began with a gallery show of several folks’ artwork.

We asked people to submit any of their work that they wanted to show, and they did! (You can see more of these on our website (www.gracelifechurch.com/light), under the “Creative” tab.) With coffee and refreshments, it was an opportunity to engage with our visitors and friends in a new setting, as well as ease newcomers’ transition into the service. It also allowed some of our less involved folks the chance to contribute and feel a part of The Light, by their artwork contributions.

We had well over a hundred people, several of whom were first-time visitors, and known to be unchurched. Please pray that they would return, begin to get involved with the larger life of the church, and come to know God.
We also had the pleasure of hosting a Vision Tour with MS leaders and pastors from the Jones County Association during this time. It was such a blessing to have them with us at our Launch service, to share in what God is doing here.

Thank you for praying for our Worship needs. We have had several people come forward to join in this, and have been able to share and “borrow” folks from our other churches to fill our gaps. God has brought a few new people to us who are specifically gifted in worship leading, and have been developing relationships with them as they have begun serving in this way.

Another area for prayer is that of our new worship space. We will soon come to the end of our lease (by Christmas), and as much of a blessing as our current space has been, we are finding ourselves constrained and limited by it. Thus, we are looking for our next space. We need a facility that will not only allow for a better flow from the reception area/lobby to the sanctuary, but also provide more/better space for the growth of art-worship.
There are also several technical limitations with our current room that we need better solutions to than are allowed now. Essentially, we need a room/facility that allows us to minister to people more fully.

Again, I cannot begin to thank our partners enough for their help and support:

BCMD (especially Dr. David Lee and David Jackson)

BBA

Embrace Baltimore (especially Bob Mackey)

MS Baptist Convention Board (especially Ken Rhodes, Paul Harrell, and Rob Sugg), Associations, and churches.

Your assistance in our journey thus far has been tremendous and crucial to our progress. Thank you for your obedience in God’s calling, and your love for His Kingdom.

(much thanks goes to Pastor Nate Blackledge of FBC in Ovett, MS for most of these pictures!)