A couple of weekends ago the Benton Park Neighborhood Association held the first of two summer concerts in Benton Park. Since our home is located in the middle of the Benton Park neighborhood, we have become active in the association, volunteering to serve in whatever way necessary.
For the concert event (entitled “Blues in Benton Park”), we helped in the promotion and advertisment of the event. It was fun connecting with individuals and businesses to ask if they would be willing to display the posters to help get the word out about the concert. Everyone we talked to was more than happy to support the event.
I was amazed at the amount of work and cooperation that went into the event, from the planning, funding and preparation to the actual performance itself. It displayed the incredible amount of pride and neighborhood spirit that exists in many of the neighborhoods in South City St. Louis.
In regard to our church plant, the day of the event we set up a shade tent and gave out free bottled water and lemonade. It was a great point of contact with many people. We gave out information concerning our Monday evening Gatherings at the Mississippi Mud House. A small number of individuals that we met at the park that Saturday have attended in the two Monday evenings since the event.
Please pray with us that as we continue to interact and serve our community, the presence and purpose of Novation Church will be made known to the neighborhoods along Jefferson Avenue.
by admin on June 26, 2009
Over the past year and a half, during all of our itineration and support raising time, something has been haunting me: what should the name of the new church be?
From the beginning we have been hovering around the name “True Life Church,” which reflects our passion of seeing people experience true life in and through Jesus Christ. However, this name never really settled within me as THE name. So, for the past 18 months, my wife has been tormented, along with the other members of the church planting team, with my struggle to name the church.
I guess the underlying thought that kept this name from seeming like THE name had to do with all that God is speaking to us about the church plant. Namely, that we are to patiently follow Him in directions that we are not entirely comfortable with and have little experience in. On my end, I am inclined to rent a building, begin doing outreach and evangelism, create a commotion, draw a crowd, and call it a church. This is what I know how to do.
But God seems to be speaking to my heart this thought: you can do what you know how to do and create what you know how to create, OR, you can follow my directions and plans and create what I know how to create. God is saying to me that if we follow His plans we will be on an unconventional path, but the results will be what He intends.
Back to the name - If we were to go with the True Life Church name, defaulting to it because it is comfortable and conventional, I believe in five years we will have produced a fairly conventional church. That is not God’s intention.
My good friend and mentor in all things cool, James Kennison (who violently opposed the True Life name), told me that we needed to find a word and give it meaning. He referred to names such as Google, Twitter, etc., that are words that had little to no meaning in society as a whole in themselves until the concept that they represented gave them meaning.
I won’t bore you with the details and incidents that led us to the name we have chosen (but will give much thanks to Jackie Sharp for being the idea catalyst)….
The name: NOVATION CHURCH
Pray with us that we will give this word meaning to the glory of God.
P.S. Look it up - it actually has very profound and significant meaning, although virtually no one know the word in general.
Sherri and I met yesterday with Pastor Ed Shirrell and his lovely wife. This wonderful couple have been pastoring Faith Community Church in House Springs, MO, for the past 27 years.
We enjoyed lunch together at Tower Taco on Cherokee Street. I invited them to lunch because I wanted to ask Pastor Shirrell a few questions and pick his brain.
To summerize the counsel that they gave us, I will use the word, “plodding.” “Stick close to your core values and stay true to who you are, and just keep going,” Pastor Shirrell told us. He also commented that it takes time, lots of time, to establish a foundation. The more time and care invested in the foundation, the more potential for the overall building.
This council was very refreshing for us. We see planting a church like raising a crop. We are only at the “preparing the soil” time of the process at this point. Knowing that couples whose ministry has shown much fruit are not only behind us, but available to us as friends and mentors gives us the encouragement and confidence that is so very important.
This past Saturday, May 9th, we hosted a Mother’s Day Banquet for moms in our community. The banquet had a two-fold purpose: 1) to applaud and honor the mothers in our neighborhood for who they are and the work they do in raising the next generation, and 2) to connect with moms in order to learn the heartbeat of the community.
The banquet was held at Frazer’s, a very nice restaurant in Benton Park. We reserved the entire main dining room, complete with white linen table cloths and fresh flowers. The mother’s had their choice of dinner entree’s prepared especially for them by one of Frazer’s chefs; they also had their choice of delightful desserts.
The gourmet meal, the fashion show, the photographer, the gifts and prizes were all designed to show honor and respect to the moms who attended the event. I wish you could have been there to witness the presence of God throughout the event, and to see the tears of the many who had not received or felt so honored in a long, long time.
All of this was possible because of the many churches and individuals who helped to sponsor the event. Sherri and I want to thank everyone who was able to partner with us in prayer and financial support. Without it, we could not be doing what we are doing.
by admin on April 30, 2009
This Saturday the largest Cinco de Mayo celebration in St. Louis will be happening in our neighborhood. The presence and growth of the Hispanic community is one more dynamic of our neighborhood that makes it perhaps the greatest part of St. Louis to live in. It also speaks to the reality of the diversity in our community.
Just walk down Cherokee Street and you will witness firsthand the many cultures and subcultures that make up the area. Across the street from a Buddist temple sits a alternative music shop; next door to a West African clothing store is a Mexican grocery store and restaurant. From artists to entrepreneurs, and from bikers to moms pushing baby strollers, the neighborhood’s diversity gives it a character all its own.
Our question is this: what will the Kingdom of God and a new local church look like as it develops in this environment?
by admin on April 28, 2009
Our very first event is right around the corner. On Saturday, May 9th, we will be hosting a Mother’s Day Banquet for the purpose of connectiing with a key segment of our community: Moms. It is our desire to give honor to the mothers of the neighborhood by treating them to a fine dining experience at a great local restaurant (Frazers on Pestalozzi), a fashion show, a special speaker, and a few specially chosen gifts.
Many churches and individuals have partnered with us to make this event happen by sponsoring moms financially, by committing to work with us the day of the event, and by donating the things needed to make this event a success. And for this we say, “Thank you.”
Please pray with us that God will connect us with the moms that He desires to participate in this event, and for a strong presence of the Lord on the day’s activities.
by admin on April 27, 2009
This past Sunday our son-in-law, Kevin Brown, preached an incredible message to our home church congregation in Kansas City. He did an amazing job of communicating the reality that there are no “untouchable” people with God.
Take a moment and check him out…..click on the title of this post to see the video. If you don’t want to listen through the whole service, fast track to about 1:15:00 in the service.
We are so very proud of him!
(And did I mention that he his the father of the cutest granddaughter in the world? You can see her if you check out the video.)
by admin on March 5, 2009
This past Monday night at our Mud House Gathering we had a very special guest - Brandy Wilson. Brandy is a missionary with a call to work in the realm of human trafficking in the northern cities of Argentina (you can find out more about her at http://www.brandysbreeze.com). Much of what she shared about the reality of the sex slave trade and prostitution industry was hard to grasp.
Sherri and I invited Brandy to connect with the group to provide an avenue to realize a very important dynamic of the vision of the new church: connecting people with their world globally. I believe that every church must take advantage of the opportunities available to fulfill the Great Commission in every way possible.
This desire to connect with the world globally is one of the primary reasons that we are affiliating this new church with the General Council of the Assemblies of God. The World Missions program of the Assemblies of God has almost 100 years of history and experience in evangelizing and discipling the world. I can invest in anyone that has submitted their call to the process of the Assemlies of God World Missions program with no reservations, knowing that they have the approval and backing of this great organization.
We as a group have committed to supporting Brandy Wilson monthly, partnering with her both financially and through prayer. She can count on up praying with/for her consistently, and to support her financially on a monthly basis. I want all to know that from the beginning we are a missions-minded church that will impact the world on a global scale.
by admin on February 27, 2009
A strong part of the vision of this new church is the dynamic of connecting people with their world - both locally and globally. On the local front, we are busy planning efforts and endeavors for this summer that will allow us to connect with the neighborhoods that make up the church’s target area.
We are planning a Mother’s Day Banquet in which we will minister to the mothers of the community. This event is designed to bring hope and joy to those in attendance (we will have a fashion show put on by area clothing and apparel shops, beauty treatments, family photos, and a few other features to breathe true life into the spirits and hearts of the mothers).
Later this summer we are hosting a “Curb Appeal Extreme Makeover” for one block in our community. We will have teams from all over the state and beyond working alongside local individuals to rehab and enhance the external look of the block. One of the goals is to have people scratching their heads and saying, “This church hasn’t even started yet, but it is changing our neighborhood; I have to check that out.”
by admin on January 27, 2009
Last night we had our first gathering time at the Mississippi Mudhouse. The owners of the business have opened the doors to us in an incredible way, offering everything we need and want.
We only had seven people total attend, mostly due to the ice/snow storm that moved into the city three hours before. I was very disappointed from one perspective: we had spent a lot of time putting together the discussion material and had a great topic - stories; I know people would have enjoyed it and understood what we are doing as a church plant. But I was very excited from another perspective: it was the beginning of a GRAND NEW STORY that will affect not only the future but eternity.
We are looking forward to moving ahead and are anticipating next week and connecting with more people.
