About a year ago, a small group of adults and children began meeting in the Sandberg Chapel of New Hope Church in order to dream and pray together about what it might look like to plant a new church in the Marcy Holmes neighborhood of Minneapolis. We didn’t have a building or meeting space in the neighborhood. We didn't have a detailed strategy for planting a new church. We didn't even have a church name. What we did have were three foundational points of vision that unified us as a team (the desire to be a church for skeptics, a church for the neighborhood, and a church that plants churches). We had a shared sense of calling to this vision. We had a deep conviction that the good news of Jesus brings transformation. And we had new and growing relationships with one another as a church planting family.
Since that point, we’ve chosen a name for our church and crystalized much of our vision and mission. We’ve been graciously given an amazing space in which we’ve been able to meet weekly as a team. We’ve also hosted numerous community gatherings and worship gatherings alongside of many hours of prayer and preparation as a launch team. It hasn't always been easy. In fact, it's been incredibly challenging. Church planting is hard work. But we have seen the Lord at work—many times in unexpected ways.
For the past few months, we have been meeting primarily on Sunday nights in Marcy Holmes, rotating between opportunities to worship together and opportunities to connect friends into our community. This has been a great season for us to continue to learn from people in Marcy Holmes, serve our neighborhood, experiment with the structure of our liturgy, build relationships, and continue to pray/prepare as a team. We are so thankful.
As our journey as a church continues to unfold, and as we continue to meaningfully and relationally engage skeptics in Minneapolis with the good news of Jesus, we also sense that this is the right time to begin a new season. Starting on November 5, Gospel Life Church will launch into public weekly worship gatherings on Sunday mornings from 9-10:15am. This will enable us to worship together more consistently as a church family, continue to have a consistent and faithful presence in our neighborhood, include new friends in the context of our worship, and continue utilizing Sunday nights for mission.
The Lord continues to provide for us and move us forward. We are so thankful for Andrew Riverside Presbyterian Church and the friendship that we have formed with them, enabling us to move into this new and exciting season. They have been extremely gracious with us, and we are thankful for their friendship.
Would you continue to pray for us as we launch into weekly worship services on November 5? Pray for our continued relationship with Andrew Riverside as we begin this new season, for wisdom as we continue the journey, and for non-believing people to put their faith in Jesus. And consider coming out on November 5 and joining us for worship! Check out our events page for more opportunities to connect.
