Prayer Partners,
Last month we had you pray for our vision trip with potential Launch Team members. If you would like more information on what a Launch Team is and why we need one, please check out our other blog addressing that very information. We'd like to take this time to show how your prayers were made effective through the work of the Spirit on our trip.
Emily and I had a great time with our team while in Boston! We had a group of 16 team members, including Emily and I as well as Casey Norkett, our Missions Pastor, ranging from single college students to parents of young children. Each of these individuals or couples are seriously considering and praying through the possibility of moving to be in Boston with Emily and I by Summer 2018. This trip was meant for the team to spend time in the city, get a feel for the culture of the people, prayer walk, and be a part of a few church plant activities. Needless to say, our weekend was packed!
When we arrived in Boston on Friday, we had the opportunity to hear the vision of an established Boston church plant, City On a Hill, and to prayer walk in Boston Commons, a main thoroughfare of downtown Boston. We also had the opportunity to do evangelism outreach. Through this outreach, several hundred people throughout the city received a card with City On a Hill's church service information. Two of our team members even had the opportunity to fully share the gospel with an individual of Catholic faith. While Bostonians are a little more reserved, our team found that most everyone they came into contact with was friendly and open to a potential conversation.
By Sunday, the team was excited to be a part of several church planting activities: church set-up, serving in the Preschool area, church tear-down, and participating in a church-wide picnic. It gave the team a tangible example of what church plant life regularly looks like with the entire congregation helping so that the gospel can advance through local church services. That morning and afternoon were great times of community with believers from all walks of life, spanning from all over the country and world. What a beautiful reminder of the true body of Christ!
With all that said, there are still several requests you can pray over as follow-up to that trip:
1. Pray that Emily and I will be able to come alongside these families for prayer, encouragement, and godly counsel.
2. Pray as Hickory Grove and its staff considers each candidate for the Launch Team with wisdom and discernment.
3. Pray for the potential Launch Team members to be diligent in seeking the Lord's plan and purpose for their lives.
Emily and I are grateful that we serve an all-knowing, all-powerful God that is involved in our lives. Whatever the future holds for our Launch Team, we ultimately trust the Lord in His sovereignty and look forward to the glory our future team will bring Him.
Thank you for praying!
-Aaron and Emily