Last Service At Grace Community Church SB/Mish

Where to begin..........

I prayed a lot last week that God would be honored through our final service...along with that I prayed that the people of Grace would be honored and encouraged. It was quite a powerful, moving and emotional morning. We had debated with our leadership over whether to have our last service this week or next week...although it was Father's Day it was good that we did it yesterday...many people have talked with me, especially over the past week that emotionally they are "done." That they just could continue to go through this for another week...it has been a month of services now since we announced that we would be closing...emotional roller coaster...

Our service lasted for 2 1/2 hours yesterday...2 hours of that were people sharing how God, Grace Community and how PEOPLE have impacted their lives...marriages restored...people that have come to Jesus...friendship forged...as the pastor I have a lot of the "inside scoop" on some of these stories...and the amazing part for me is that people are truly speaking from their hearts...the stories are real and not just emotional reactions...

NOW...we would not be Grace Community if we only shared the moving stories of life change! I was ambushed AGAIN this week as about 10 guys had nurf guns and shot me in the middle of the service...it was a fun moment!! I had to run through the building to get away from the gun fire...good stuff...I have just loved the fun that we have had here....

Travis and the band led very, very well...they allowed the Spirit to just move in them and through them...the closing song was "Not To Us"...it has been a theme song for us...and no better way to finish...before that I read a list of things that we have done ministry-wise in the community and finished with 30 baptisms and 450 people that have expressed faith in Jesus Christ in 4 years...AMAZING NUMBERS! 450 people have their names etched in THE Book of Life through the Spirit working through the people of Grace. Incredible #'s! We gave God a Grace Community clap offering and then sang "Not To US"...tears flooded a lot of faces...powerful, encouraging, honoring...

There was a surprise for me yesterday...my prayer was that God and our people would be honored...God and his people did something for me too...I felt deeply honored by what people shared yesterday...many stories of changed lives are burned in my mind...memories that made me feel that I invested well...not a goal of mine yesterday, but I left encouraged...sad to see this chapter end-very encouraged by the life change that has happened.

Toward the end of the service I was given a book...a book with pictures of Grace and people signed it...Kari Tuttle presented it--it was a powerful moment...she spoke into my life...said that the book has been written for my families time at Grace...this book is complete...BUT she and the people expect to see our family have MANY books on the selves in the future...ways that we have influenced lives...GREAT STUFF!

A lot of emotions...honestly not even trying to figure them all out...trying to soak it in...learn from this...grow from him...and PRAY HARD that as the people of Grace stay FAITHFUL...stay connected to our Savior and the local church...that they will influence MANY, MANY, MANY people toward Jesus Christ...

I love you Grace Community and am so thankful to have had you in my life!

talked about this being a chapter in my life and how the church expects there to be many more books