Each quarter we'll be sharing highlights and prayer requests from those in our Crete family for you to stay connected with the work going on in across our community! Check out all the work God is doing below:
Ways we have seen God’s faithfulness this month:
- One of our women’s discipling groups took a visitor from the neighborhood out to dinner to get to know her and love on her.
- Our family found a home in Congress Heights and we moved in on February 22nd. We’re excited to be closer to our church, the church family, and our community.
- I started meeting with three 12th grade boys at Ballou High School for lunch to build relationships and share the gospel/make disciples among High School students.
Prayer Requests for the coming days:
- Pray that our church would love the new folks who are visiting our church well this month.
- Pray for our transition to our new home.
- Pray for gospel fruit as I meet with students at Ballou High School.
- Pray for wisdom and unity as we adjust some of our evangelism rhythms.
- We’re started meeting at our new service time (2:30 pm) on February 6th. Pray for our gathering.
Ways we have seen God’s faithfulness this month:
- We had 16 youth attend our 4-week soccer outreach consistently at the end of 2021. We were also able to connect with their families.
- We have been able to establish good relationships with youth at 2 local parks. We notice that they welcome us on their turf and 1 even allowed me (Jeremy) to share the Gospel with him.
- We have collectively connected with 15 households in a meaningful way in the barrio and/or shared the Gospel with them.
Prayer Requests for the coming days:
- We started an evangelistic Bible study this upcoming March. As we have built relationships in the community, it seems like some folks are open to some sort of Bible study. Our goal is to take time to teach the Bible/share the Gospel and recruit for a launch team/DNA groups from this space.
- There are public housing apartments for the elderly in our neighborhood and there is an apartment complex called The Green terrace apartments near us. Please pray for direction for how to best engage these places.
- The youth are an integral part of our community. Please pray for God to provide an open door to declare the Gospel and start a Bible study from our work with youth (Col. 4:3).
Ways we have seen God’s faithfulness this month:
We gathered for our first Sunday service on 1/9/22! It was such a joy to worship with people from the Alief community, including staff and faculty members of the school that we meet in. We are extremely humbled by what the Lord is doing in and through The West Church.
Prayer Requests for the coming days:
Pray we would experience a John 17 type of unity within our congregation. And Pray we would be known in our community for our love and our commitment to outreach.
PLANTER: ALEX DIAZ | Phoenix, AZ - (Maryvale)
Ways we have seen God’s faithfulness this month:
- A young man I have been sharing the gospel with has joined our weekly Bible Study.
- Another young man who has been attending is opening up and asking questions, and getting involved in our group.
- God has been so gracious-we are developing a relationship with Phoenix United Reformed Church, which may lead to big funding and possible core team members as well.
Prayer Requests for the coming days:
- That God gives me patience in this process.
- That he brings more people into our lives with a missional mindset.
- For young men (from Chicago) praying about becoming part of the core team.
- That some of weekly Bible study attendee’s come to saving faith in Christ.
Ways we have seen God’s faithfulness this month:
What we consider a Win @Reformation Church Detroit is that on Sunday mornings I hop in the church van and go pick up drug dealers, gang members, you name it. Then, they sit and listen to the preaching of God’s word!
Prayer Requests for the coming days:
Praying for 15 people to join us at Reformation Church Detroit, as we seek to be disciples and make disciples for the glory of Christ Jesus.
We are in need of three P’s
Ways we have seen God’s faithfulness this month:
- Seeing the excitement of evangelism spread throughout our congregation.
- Witnessing the love for God’s word each week in the lives of our people at the church
- God’s providence in allowing us to interact with more people who have been incarcerated.
- Floors have finally been finished after massive flooding through our church
- God has given us opportunities throughout our community to better understand our city by engagement (coaching basketball, joining cooking classes, volunteering in schools).
Prayer Requests for the coming days:
- That fruit comes from these acts of evangelism.
- Pray all the knowledge that God has given us transform the Christian life
- Pray we can properly care for those that have been incarcerated. Also pray that they be encouraged by the community of believers they are around.
- Covid has closed the doors for ministering to staff and patients at the nursing home; pray God finds favor in opening those doors again.
- Pray we be gentle as the Lord guides us in cultivating relationships with our community.
- Gang violence has gotten worse in our city; pray the Lord intervenes as we find ways to share the gospel with these young men.
Ways we have seen God’s faithfulness this month:
- Core Team Members experiencing gospel renewal in their lives. Embracing the truth of the gospel and witnessing fruit in their lives.
- My wife and I had our 2nd baby boy and took some time away from meetings, but in our stead, a few of our core team members stepped up and led the group and two people joined our team and we experienced growth!
Prayer Requests for the coming days:
- Pray that the Lord would send us folks who are excited about the mission and our excited about spreading the news.
- Pray that we would continue to build relationships in the community to gain gospel ground.
- Pray that the Lord would bless our finances/fundraising needs
- Pray that the Lord would open a door for us to have a location for 1) dinner parties (small groups) and 2) worship services/events.
PLANTER: DAVID NOEL | Led By Christ Church - (Bridgeport, CT)
Ways we have seen God’s faithfulness this month:
- The Merveilles - church planting team members - closed on a home in Bridgeport 3 minutes from us and in our target area.
- Brother Adrien changed jobs from NYC to 15 minutes outside of Bridgeport and is already meeting folks who live there.
Prayer Requests for the coming days:
- Structural issues were discovered in our family’s home in BPT. We trust that God will provide and are eager to see what He will do. Please pray that we don’t worry and that the issue is resolved soon.
- That we’d see more and more of Jesus!
PLANTER: TIM HOLMES | The Bronx, NYC
Ways we have seen God’s faithfulness this month:
- We started making informal asks for people to join our initial core team. We have two people who seem committed already, and 2 who are prayerfully discerning.
- Found an additional mentor outside of our pastors for me and my wife, which feels like a grace in this season as we prepare to start our core team.
Prayer Requests for the coming days:
- We are discerning denomination affiliation (right now with the ECC), pray for clarity and favor
- Pray for continued favor as we invite potential core members to discern alongside us
- We really would like God’s provision for a new place that is permanent and long term (co-op, condo). We are currently in a 1 bedroom with two kids.
