Life as a portable church can get really interesting at times. Like when you get a call at the end of the day on Wednesday letting you know that all the AC in the middle school you meet in has been turned off for a system upgrade and no one knows how long all of this is going to take. That’s where we were this time last week. And then we found out on Thursday that the library had AC and decided to meet there as a stopgap while we got a better sense of what our overall plan was going to look like for the summer.
In all honesty, my prayer going into last Sunday was something along the lines of, “Dear God, please help this not be a total disaster!”
Which turns out to have been way too small of a prayer. Not only was Sunday not a disaster, it was a really good day in the life of Restoration City. Over the course of the morning, we started to realize we not only had a workable solution for as long as we are out of the theater (BTW, we will be adding more chairs this Sunday!) but also that God is using this season to do some pretty significant things in our church.
Here’s some of what I see Him doing and how I’m praying for this season:
Church is NOT an event we attend. It is a community we join.
We say that all the time but there’s something about breaking out of our normal routines that drives the point home. If nothing else, everyone walked into the library on Sunday without “their normal seat.” As a result, many of us, even those who have been attending RCC for a long time, met new people.
I’m praying that our temporary location makes us even more welcoming for new people and even more connected to each other as a community.
Worship is NOT something we listen to. It is something we participate in.
Standing really close to one another in a room filled with natural light really seemed to drive this home. There were so many moments on Sunday when I couldn’t tell who was louder – the band in front of me or the congregation behind me. As simple as it sounds, hearing one another sing is a massive spiritual encouragement.
I’m praying that our temporary location intensifies our expectation for and participation in corporate worship.
Adversity is NOT something we should fear. It is something God uses.
We aren’t shrinking back into survival mode for the summer. We’re trusting that God is going to do something incredible. He’s already doing that through the registration for our Summer Sessions and we’re trusting Him to add a significant number of new volunteers to our team through the Help Wanted initiative we’re going to be introducing this Sunday.
I’m praying that we add at least 25 new volunteers who are willing to serve regularly in one of our six internal team while we are meeting in a temporary location.
Ultimately, I’m praying we carry all of these things back to the theater with us when the AC upgrade in complete, whether that’s in 2 weeks or 2 months. God is doing some great things in our church right now and I’m so excited to see what He has in store for us this summer!
John McGowan 
That is amazing John. The Lord is so pleased that He has moved your entire gathering into a Missionary status in the field. I am praying and believing and anticipating very great things being ushered into your gathering. He will do this even just for the one. As Jesus as the center please focus on the one. Jesus goes after the one lost sheep. I am praying. Put out the extra chairs always. I am asking Jesus to come there right now and to fill the Library with His Glory. He is famous. Create banners to hang around town to come to the Library to meet the Famous One. Tell of His life and have the call to receive Him every message. Also invite the teenagers to attend the Passion conference that you will be having at the Library soon. Everything He has already taught you at The MBC Gathering will come into a full release of the Holy Spirit of Our Living God. He is the best steward and only Has His Best for you for such a time as this. I am sitting here and praising God for what He has done, is doing and will do through you as a Shepherd. You are really blessed. Thanks so much for sharing what is happening in our midst. Ask the librarian if they can put many of the Christian books in the Library that you believe in around the entrance of the Gathering door. They are free for you to use. Also see if they are willing to bring in more books that could be donated from various Christian Authors and see if there could be some weekly book signings and Testimonies given about How Jesus touched so many lives of the known people in the community. ” He Touched Me.” Maybe you will get a sate-“light” in each Library nearby too. Maybe Amazon could donate some of the books. Get the artists in your group started on the making of the posters around town. Maybe even the Passion Conference will offer their account to make up all of your posters needed and then you can segway into the next conference. See if they can tell you what the topics will be for the next conference. Break out into suicide prevention groups, in the field care to all the local High Schools. Provide a big support group to all the teenagers who might be feeling lonely,lost and depressed. Invite the Passion teenagers to come and apprenticeship into this field and have people in your fellowship give them housing and meals to come forth into this calling. Have the Senior Class Presidents from Last Year and incoming this year from the local High Schools speak and ask them to bring in their High School Friends to the message and to the events you will be holding in the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Bring in all the local Kids who excel in sports, especially the Basketball teams and let those who are Christian tell about the marvelous things that The Lord has done in their lives. They are bright role’models that Jesus has already put into place for this day. Remember The Lord is Near. I will be continually praying and believing and standing in the gap for you and your fellowship as you step out in Faith and Let Him Show you what He has already gone out and prepared for this day in this year in this time, forevermore!
All For His Glory,
servantFrienndKaren
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| | | That is amazing John. The Lord is so pleased that He has moved your entire gathering into a Missionary status in the field.  I am praying and believing and anticipating very great things being ushered into your gathering. He will do this even just for the one. As Jesus as the center please focus on the one. Jesus goes after the one lost sheep. I am praying. Put out the extra chairs always. I am asking Jesus to come there right now and to fill the Library with His Glory. He is famous. Create banners to hang around town to come to the Library to meet the Famous One. Tell of His life and have the call to receive Him every message. Also invite the teenagers to attend the Passion conference that you will be having at the Library soon. Everything He has already taught you at The MBC Gathering will come into a full release of the Holy Spirit of Our Living God. He is the best steward and only Has His Best for you for such a time as this. I am sitting here and praising God for what He has done, is doing and will do through you as a Shepherd. You are really blessed. Thanks so much for sharing what is happening in our midst.  Ask the librarian if they can put many of the Christian books in the Library that you believe in around the entrance of the Gathering door. They are free for you to use. Also see if they are willing to bring in more books that could be donated from various Christian Authors and see if there could be some weekly book signings and Testimonies given about How Jesus touched so many lives of the known people in the community. ” He Touched Me.” Maybe you will get a sate-“light” in each Library nearby too. Maybe Amazon could donate some of the books. Get the artists in your group started on the making of the posters around town. Maybe even the Passion Conference will offer their account to make up all of your posters needed and then you can segway into the next conference. See if they can tell you what the topics will be for the next conference. Break out into suicide prevention groups, in the field care to all the local High Schools. Provide a big support group to all the teenagers who might be feeling lonely,lost and depressed. Invite the Passion teenagers to come and apprenticeship into this field and have people in your fellowship give them housing and meals to come forth into this calling. Have the Senior Class Presidents from Last Year and incoming this year from the local High Schools speak and ask them to bring in their High School Friends to the message and to the events you will be holding in the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Bring in all the local Kids who excel in sports, especially the Basketball teams and let those who are Christian tell about the marvelous things that The Lord has done in their lives. They are bright role’models that Jesus has already put into place for this day. Remember The Lord is Near.  I will be continually praying and believing and standing in the gap for you and your fellowship as you step out in Faith and Let Him Show you what He has already gone out and prepared for this day in this year in this time, forevermore! All For His Glory,servantFriendKarenJesus is Lord. |
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