Church Plant

What Matters Most to YOU This Christmas?

2009-11-28T09:45:00.001-05:00

What are you hoping for this Christmas? Ever wonder what happened to 'silent nights'? This Christmas ponder these questions and learn why to give is to live and why wise men still seek Him!

Join us the next four Sundays as we prepare for Christmas by taking a look at Christmas Matters. Then, on Christmas day, hear what it is that changes everything!

So...come on home for Christmas!

9:30 am - Refreshments

10:00am - Gathering time

400 76th Street Suite 11

Byron Center, MI 49315

WOW!!

2009-10-10T09:40:00.002-04:00

It’s been awhile since we’ve updated the blog. Perhaps shame on us for not doing so however, we’ve been busy. Here’s a picture of what has transpired in the past couple of months.

On August 23rd we launched with our first service. It was awesome. 137 people attended and we were blessed with a great message.

On August 30 we held our second service. Another awesome service; we can feel the presence of the Holy Spirit at work! With 145 people attending we decided we better order more chairs since we only had seating for 150. We ordered another 50 chairs, which arrived in time for our next service.

Labor Weekend: knowing many people were gone, we did not meet.

On September 13th we held our Grand Opening / Celebration Service, which included kicking off Children’s Worship, Youth Group, Life Groups (small groups), and AmpLife( singles ministry). Again – it was a great service with 157 people in attendance. During that service and for the next three weeks, Pastor Randy preached four messages on the four components of inSpirit’s vision. We are having so much fun, and experiencing so many blessings, praising and worshipping God together and being challenged by Pastor Randy's messages to grow and live out our faith.

The following Sunday(9/13), out of gratitude to God and to all who have been attending, the Leadership Team provided lunch for everyone. We had 124 people at the lunch. What a blessing!

From September 13 through our service last week Sunday (October 4th) we continue to marvel at how God has blessed us. The diversity of people, the fellowship, the worship services, life groups, children's worship, youth group, AmpLife, as well as the volunteer base has been awesome.

There is so much joy and excitement – people can’t wait for Sunday.

Praise God!

There is probably no greater joy than to see how lives are being changed through inSpirit! We have already seen God work wonders. Our service last Sunday was probably our best yet. It was a very emotional service whereby we undoubtedly felt the presence of Jesus in a powerful way as we celebrated Communion and were challenged and encouraged to be servants to those around us and in our world.

We continue to be blessed. Our facility and furnishings have been a real blessing. We are staying true to our vision and God is undoubtedly blessing that. We continue to see new people make commitments weekly to be a part of inSpirit’s ministry. We are currently worshipping with about 140 weekly participants.

Thank You!

Thanks so much to each of you for your continued interest and support of inSpirit. Please feel free to also visit our website at www.inSpiritChurch.org. That site is still being developed and shortly we hope to have e-news and other information available.

Please Join Us!

We’d really like you to experience inSpirit firsthand. Please come and join us for a great cup of coffee and a donut or bagel beginning each Sunday morning at 9:30. Our service is a very simple one beginning at 10:00. Nursery is provided and children 3 years old through 5th grade are invited to go to an age appropriate worship time of their own during the message.

Blessings to all and again Thanks!

To God Be The Glory – Great Things He Has Done!

inSpirit News and Updates!

2009-07-29T13:38:00.002-04:00

WOW!!

A lot has happened since our last update. Let us share with you a little of what’s taken place and what things look like moving forward.

First, we continue to praise God with how He is blessing us. We are extremely grateful to launch this ministry in an exceptional facility. Painting, furnishings, equipment, are all coming together nicely. We think you’ll be amazed when you see just how God has blessed us. Financially we have received just over $30,000 toward total expenses of approx. $40,000. If you are able to help us out financially, we would be extremely grateful. We are moving forward in faith, confident that the Lord will provide.
Second, we anticipate starting on August 23rd. The services on the 23rd and 30th will consist of praise, prayer, and sharing the excitement, reasons, and intentions for this new ministry.
As for the tentative schedule beyond the first two weeks, we do not plan to meet on Labor Day weekend but will resume with a celebration service and launch programming etc. on September 13th. We are excited and looking forward seeing all you as we begin this ministry together.
Lastly, we still have some volunteer positions that need to be filled. They are as follows: Prayer Coordinator
Small Groups Coordinator
Service Projects (servant ministries) Coordinator
Facilities
Children's Ministry/Youth Ministries opportunities
Please don’t be intimidated by the titles. If you have any questions or would like to know more about these positions, please give Pastor Randy a call.

Thank You!

In closing, let us again say thank to each of you for your support, commitment, and interest. We at inSpirit are grateful and blessed by your partnership.

Serving Him,
The Leadership Team – inSpirit Church

We hope to have the website and inspirit e-mails up shortly. For now, please continue to contact us as you have been.

Exciting news at inSpirit!

2009-06-18T11:29:00.001-04:00

At their meeting this past Monday night, The Byron Township Planning Commission approved our application for a "Special Usage Permit" for the 76th St. & US 131 facility. This is an exciting time for all of us, the township as well. We are grateful to God for His continued goodness.Having said that, please come and celebrate God’s goodness with us at the new home of inSpirit Church located at 400 76th St Suite #11 (SW corner of US 131 &76th St). Join us for cake and punch at an open house on July 8th from 6-9 pm. Thanks so much for all your prayers and support.

With the approval behind us, we move forward.

There is much to be done. We are in need of volunteers to help us get the place ready and finances to make the ministry happen. At this point, we have about $17,000 committed towards a goal of $40,000 needed by August in order to furnish the building with chairs, sound systems, AV, supplies etc.
If you are able to help us out toward our financial goal, your support is greatly appreciated. All funds received will go toward purchasing equipment and furnishings to start this ministry.
If you'd like to volunteer to help get the place ready, please contact us.
Pastor Randy at 698-7787 or Gord Brinks at 261-2295. You may also e-mail us at;RSLedeboer@aol.com or gordonbrinkscpa@brinkcpa.com. Thanks so much in advance.

Blessings to all and see you at the open house on July 8th.

inSpirit Church Breaking NEWS!

2009-06-17T21:33:00.001-04:00

This past Monday evening The Byron Township Planning Commission approved our application for a special usage permit. Please come and celebrate God’s goodness with us at the new home of inSpirit Church located at 400 76^th St Suite #11 (SW corner of US 131 &76^th St). Join us for cake and punch at an open house on July 8^th from 6-9 pm. Thanks so much for all your prayers and support.

The Excitement Continues!

2009-05-18T18:02:00.002-04:00

Last Thursday night we held our 4th informational gathering and well over half of all attending were 1st time guests. The comment “this was the best meeting yet” was heard by several people who have attended the previous meetings. We are awed by the growing interest and enthusiasm for inSpirit. It is really exciting to see the facial expressions when people start experiencing the passion in the people behind the vision at inSpirit.

On top of Thursday’s “high,” on Friday we received word that the lease on the 400 76th Street facility is next to a done deal. With a couple minor changes, and a couple of signatures, we should be good to go. We hope to have all this completed by the end of this week. Having said that, the lease is conditional based on Byron Township’s “special usage” approval of this warehouse facility. Please be in prayer for this process and decisions.

Lastly, we are grateful and continue to be blessed by all of you who are following our progress. Your prayers, encouragement, and support are greatly appreciated.

Moving Forward...... here is specifically what you can pray for:

Give Thanks for how God has so richly blessed this process thus far.
Pray for all of the families and individuals who have made commitments to be a part of inSpirit. Many of them are leaving other church families to be a part of this.
Pray for those yet discerning whether or not inSpirit is where God is calling them.
Pray for the inSpirit leadership team as they continue to listen, discern, and make discisions for the ministry.
Pray that God would bless us with the finances needed ($40,000 goal) for the new facility. The facility is an empty shell. We need chairs, sound, worship equipment, and….. everything needed to get started. If you are willing to help us with contacts or financially, please contact Pastor Randy.

For now and always, may God bless each of you richly.

Note: check back in the next couple of weeks for dates for summer gatherings, and for informal worship services. Our website info, new e-mail/contact info, and our webpage, are currently in process but not quite ready.

Be infused, invigorated, encouraged @ inSpirit!

2009-05-03T20:20:00.004-04:00

Last time we updated, we shared our new name with you. Since our last update, inSpirit has become more than just a name. Here’s a few things that have happened or are currently in process;
· We have filed our papers of incorporation with the State of Michigan.
· In process is the official documentation for our 502c3 status.
· In process are the negotiations of leasing a facility on Hwy. 131 & 76th St.
· We have also filed for “Special use Permit” of the facility with Byron Township. We’ll continue to keep you updated with more info in the next few weeks. At that time we also plan to share an events timeline for gatherings and ministry events.

Exponential Conference
As a leadership team, we’ve also been blessed by being able to attend the National Church Planting Conference in Orlando, Florida. What a blessing to learn from the nations leading church planters and ministry experts as the shared how to grow churches through relationships and community engagement. The learning was awesome and so was the time we spent as a group. We continue to be amazed at the enthusiasm and talents of the people God has assembled for the leadership of inSpirit Church.

Get Involved!
We are currently looking for people who are planning on joining inSpirit who are interested in helping with the educational programs. If you are inters ted in working with children (nursery, children's worship) or the youth (middle and high school), or would just like to learn more, please email Lisa at laledeboer@aol.com.

You're Invited!
We hope to see at our next informational gathering! It is Wednesday, May 13; 6:45 refreshments, 7:00 we will get started. Please help by spreading the word about this event and take your family, friends, neighbors....We're looking forward to seeing you! (See below for the address)

Please Pray
At this time, we are grateful to all of you who are following this blog. We covet your prayers and support. Specifically, here is how you can support us.

· Pray for the leadership team as we continue move forward with bold confidence!
· Pray that God will continue to work and lead in the hearts of those people He will call to inSpirit Church.
· Pray for the negotiations of the lease, township permits, and government documentation process.
· Pray for our next gathering on May 13th at the Alto Precision bldg located at 6534 Clay Ave. in Cutlerville.
· Pray that God would provide the funding necessary. The building we are looking to lease is empty. Basically an empty box. No chairs, sound systems, phones, equipment – nothing. The goal of the leadership team is to raise $40,000 to cover the lease and cost of start-up etc. If you are able to help, we covet your support. Please mail checks to our new name / old address at:
inSpirit Church
7245 Eastern Ave. SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49508

If you have any questions of any kind, or if we can be of service to you, please contact Pastor Randy at 616-698-7787 ext 321.

Headline News...

2009-04-01T20:10:00.002-04:00

We’ve got a name for the new church and this time we are going to share it!
The name is “inSpirit Church”
The dictionary meaning;
In-spir-it ~ To infuse new life or spirit into; to encourage; to invigorate.
The word is full of action. If you look closely, the words used are verbs. They fit well with the action words of love, accept, encourage, grow, and share that are all part of our vision statement. We capitalized the “S” not only because we believe in the presence of the spirit, because also because it is the Spirit that empowers us.

Beyond the name...

... where are we in this process? So glad you asked!

The leadership team has been officially seated and is meeting regularly.
Each member of the leadership team is beginning to make calls, putting their teams together, and are beginning to meet with their team members.
The leadership team is currently working fervently on “meeting space.” We are looking at a number of options and hoping to have some answers soon.
The leadership team as a group has begun to worship other churches for observations and best practices.
Later this month, the leadership team plans to travel and attend the national church growth and planting conference.
Currently tentative schedules are being worked out for a launch date and preceding activities. We hope to have activities in June & July, and anticipate a soft launch in August and a full launch in September.

Having said all that...
1. Pray for us. The leadership team, the process, especially facilities right now as we see seek space.
2. Tell others!! Tell your co-workers, family, neighbors, and friends about us. Share the excitement.
3. If you are able, we really need your financial support. As we mentioned earlier, due to the difficult economic conditions we are in, some of our funding has been cut. At the same time, in these next few months, as we purchase what that is needed for start-up, and agree on some type of rental space arrangements, we really need your financial support.
Please consider how God has blessed you and if you are able, please send your tax-deductable gift to;
Discovery Church
c/o CHURCH PLANT
7245 Eastern Ave. SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49508

Thanks so much for all of your support.

Breaking News!

2009-03-16T21:26:00.002-04:00

We’ve got a name for the new church. That’s the great news. The bad news is we just can’t tell you yet. We have a couple of things that need to take place for the name to become official. As soon as we can make it public, you will all be of the first to know.

Other News!

The leadership has meet several times since our last posting. Besides the name, we’ve been working on the various aspects of the ministry. We are currently addressing the areas of facilities, hospitality, servant ministries, and education. We continue to marvel at the highly diversified capability of the leadership team. The excitement and enthusiasm is absolutely contagious. Over the next several weeks, the leadership will continue to work on these things as well as visit churches together and attend a church planting and growth conference.

What's Next

Next Thursday, March 26 we will hold another informational meeting. If you would like to know more about this ministry, have questions, or just want to show your support, we welcome you! We will meet at Randy's office, 6534 Clay Ave. Refreshment at 6:45, the meeting wil start at 7:00. We hope to see you there!

Prayer Requests

We feel the power of your prayers. Stuff is happening every day because of your prayers. There is no way we could put this stuff together. It is God who is building this ministry through your prayer.
Pray specifically for:

The informational meeting on the 26th. Pray that God would send us at least 20 more new people, as He did last time, to learn more about this new ministry. Pray also that through these meetings God would continue to build the core group of this ministry.
The leadership team – Pray that God would continue to fill them with His spirit and equip them for the journey.
The Facilities team. Pray that God would make the location clear for where He wants us to begin.
Finances – Pray that God would provide the necessary finances for this ministry. Last week we learned that Home Missions will be cutting a por- tion of our support due to a 25%+ decrease in ministry shares. We are also behind in what was originally budgeted from individual church support.
Randy & Lisa and their family – Pray for Physical and Spiritual strength and protection.

Please continue to check back. We hope to share our name and other things with you shortly.

Thanks for Checking!

2009-02-23T16:03:00.007-05:00

It’s been a couple of weeks since we’ve posted. That doesn’t’ mean nothing has been happening. On the contrary, quite a bit has happened! We’ve just waited until some things were official before sharing them with you.

First – Our leadership team members have been officially approved by the New Church Development Committee of Classis. This newly appointed leadership team met last Thursday evening for the very first time and we had an awesome meeting.
It was great to see the diversity of the group, the talents of each member, and the passion and commitment God has lain on each person’s heart. We undoubtedly experienced the hand of God in orchestrating this body and we are excited about what He is going to do through each member.

Meet our Team! - Jill Hendricks, Gord and Judy Brinks, Lisa and Randy Ledeboer, Rick and Rhonda Workman, and Bruce Gleason.

At this point, the leadership team has a good idea of the work before each one of us and we are beginning to take up that work. We will be meeting a couple of times in the next few weeks to put together more details etc.
We are also very excited that the leadership team plans to travel as group to the national Church Planting Conference in Orlando, FL in April. We are excited to be able to do this as a group and feel that God is going to do some neat things and give us some great experiences as he brings this group together and strengthens us for the work He has called us to.

Looking Ahead

Please mark your calendars for March 26th at 7:00 pm. We will be holding our 3rd mass informational meeting.
At this meeting we plan to give you a ministry update as well as provide you with tentative plans for gatherings, activities, and worship.
Remember, this is an outreach driven church so please invite and bring along friends, neighbors, family members, or co-workers.

Prayer Requests

Praise:
-Leadership Team and Meeting Last Thursday
-That we have seen God's hand leading, guiding, and providing.

Petition:
-Guidance and wisdom as we work on a name for this ministry.
-Direction as we seek a location for this ministry.
-For continued financial support.
-For Church Partners – Classis Churches participation

Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm for this new ministry! Your thoughts and prayers are felt and appreciated.

The Excitement Continues...

2009-02-01T15:08:00.004-05:00

We met this past Wednesday evening with people representing Home Missions, Classis GR South, Discovery CRC, a Church Plant that has been meeting for 3 years now, and the new Church Plant. The intention of the meeting was to discuss the past four months, where we are currently, and a time-line for moving forward. The meeting was very encouraging with all in attendance feeling very good about what God has been doing.
On Tuesday, February 10 the New Church Development team from Classis GR South will be having a meeting to discuss the make-up of our launch leadership team as well as tentative timing for events in the months ahead. At this point we are anticipating bringing the launch leadership team together by the third week in February and having a general meeting again by the end of February or early March.
Moving forward beyond February, we intend to offer various formats of get-togethers on a regular basis. These may be for the purpose of simply getting to know each other, doing a service project, or gathering for an informal worship service.

Prayer Requests

Give thanks for the progress and God's blessing on the plant so far as was acknowledged in the meeting this past Wednesday evening.
Pray for the New Church Development Committee as the organizational structure and launch leadership positions are discussed.
Pray that God will continue to bless this new ministry with people, churched and unchurched, who are desiring to be in community and grow in relationships with each other and with God.

Some of you have have begun or indicated your desire to begin to financially support the new church through your tithing. Your gifts can be sent to New Church Plant, c/o Discovery CRC, 7245 Eastern Ave., Grand Rapids, MI 49508. If you would like some pre-addressed envelopes you can contact Randy and he will get them to you.

Blessings to all of you and many thanks for your love and support!

The Excitement Continues...

2009-01-19T21:45:00.003-05:00

It may be freezing cold and dismal outdoors (for those of us who don't particularly like winter) but it is certainly heartwarming to see what God has been doing the past couple of weeks with the church plant. Here's a few highlights;

We continue to receive very positive feedback on our meeting held on January 8th. People are excited about this new community and what God is doing. We have heard back from many of you with your intentions for this new ministry. Almost everyday we hear from someone who is on board. We are praising God for each person we hear from!
We continue to pray for those who are still discerning what their potential involvement might be. We would be happy to talk with any of you at any time to help you in that process.
A week ago Sunday (January 11th, 2009) Randy led services and met with the congregation at Cutlerville East CRC. We are excited to see how the Spirit is working in and through this ministry as a partner in the church plant and we are grateful for the opportunity to share the vision.
This past Sunday Randy shared the vision of the church plant with the Hillside congregation in both of their morning services. We are very grateful to Hillside for allowing us to share, for Pastor Ron's support, and for the interest and conversations that followed.

Moving Forward

We will continue to remember all of you in prayer, especially those we haven't heard from yet as to where God is leading you. If you could let us know by the weekend that would be great. If you need more time - we understand and will honor that.
We thank God for everyone of you and we are praising Him from whom all blessings flow.

Praise God!

2009-01-14T21:13:00.008-05:00

Praise God with us for the 30+ people who attended our gathering last week! We are so blessed and encouraged by the interest and excitement! Several months ago I referred to this new ministry as a seed. I feel confident in saying that we have sprouted into a seedling and we are well on the way to becoming a healthy young plant! God is so good!!
We praise God for the commitments we have received from several people who have decided to become a part of this new ministry.
We praise God for the many year-end financial contributions that were made to this new ministry! What a blessing!

Prayer Requests

Pray for those who are considering making a leadership commitment as we have asked them to do so by the 23rd of January.
Pray for continued guidance and clarity for Randy as he continues to lay the groundwork for this ministry. Pray that doors and hearts will be opened to this new ministry.
Pray that all Classis South churches will support this ministry.

Welcome to 2009!

2009-01-04T16:22:00.002-05:00

We would like to wish you all a very happy New Year and pray that God will bless you richly in this New Year! We hope you are as excited as we are to see what God has planned for us and for this new ministry in 2009!

Thursday, January 8, 2009

This Thursday at 7:30pm (come early for snacks and refreshments!) we will be hosting an informal gathering for all of you whom have shown interest in becoming a part of this new ministry or just want some more information or have questions. If you were at our last gathering, or have been in contact with us, and we had your email then you should have received an email from us regarding this meeting. We will meet at Randy’s office, 6534 Clay Ave. (across from the Holiday Inn Express).

The format for the meeting will be: Opening Prayer, Getting to know each other time, Status and Update, Question and Answer time, Next Steps discussion i.e. leadership team, events, timeline… , Closing Prayer.

We hope to be done by 9:00pm. :)

In order to help us with the planning and preparation of this event, please let us know via email if you are planning on attending this event. rsledeboer@aol.com

Prayer Request

Pray for the meeting on Thursday night.

Pray for discernment for each person who is considering, or has already committed to, being part of this ministry. Pray specifically that God will lead and direct them as to how He wants to them and their gifts in this ministry.

Pray that in the next several weeks God will clearly put together a leadership team to work with us in building this ministry and moving it forward.

Pray that we may be fitted with the Armor of God that we may stand strong against the devil and his schemes.

Thank God with us for several year-end financial gifts given to this new ministry. Pray that in a difficult economy God will continue to provide the needed finances for this ministry.

It"s Finally Here!

2008-12-07T12:34:00.007-05:00

We have been telling you for some time that that Randy has been working on the Vision, Mission, and Core Values for this new ministry. Several weeks ago when we held our first gathering we shared with those present these statements and now we are finally getting them posted! Sorry about the delay but between continuing to work out the details of the vision, mission, and core values, the busyness of life, and technical difficulties (sometimes I really hate computers!) we are a little behind! Thanks for your patience and understanding and please keep in mind that further changes may occur within the framework of these statements.

“____________ Community Church” (Church Plant)

VISION STATEMENT:

“ _____________” is a DIVERSE COMMUNITY of Christ-followers who LOVE, ACCEPT, and ENCOURAGE one another, GROW in our Faith, and SERVE God and our neighbor.

MISSION/PURPOSE:

To “REACH OUT” to all people, regardless of race, color, or socio-economic levels, by Loving, Accepting, and Encouraging each other, including those from our community, to Grow in faith in God and Serve by being the hands and feet of Jesus to all those around us.

VALUES:

· LOVING RELATIONSHIPS (People/Community)
o We Value a safe accessible place to be together with family, friends, and neighbors.

· INSPIRING SIMPLE WORSHIP
o We Value praising, praying, and proclaiming the
Word of the triune God with simplicity, joy, and excitement.

· PASSIONATE SPIRITUALITY (Discipleship & Evangelism)
o We Value learning about Christ so that we can become
more like Him and lead others toward Him

· MINISTRY INVOLVEMENT (Stewardship)
o We value the gifts we’ve been blessed with and pledge to use them by serving our Lord, each other, and neighbors.

· SINCERE SERVICE (Service)
o We value serving our Lord by being His hands and feet to all those around us.

What's been happening?

Randy continues laying the groundwork for worship to begin. With much to learn about starting a new ministry like this and much to be done to accomplish a successful start, we are not sure when the actual start date will be yet. We are looking at either late spring or early fall.
We continue to visit many area churches each Sunday. From each different service we attend we are gleaning much useful information as well as being richly blessed through the different worship experiences!
We have met with some of the pastors and have more meetings scheduled with other pastors of the churches we are visiting. They have already walked the journey of church planters and are excited to meet with us and share their joys as well as difficulties that were encountered along the way. They have a lot of knowledge and are an invaluable resource for us.
We had been planning on having another get together this month so that we could get to know each other better as well as ask and answer any questions we may have for each other. Realizing how busy this month is is for everyone we have decided not to to get to together again until January. In the meantime if you have any questions or concerns you can contact Randy through this blog or his email, rsledeboer@aol.com.

What's Next?

We want to thank you for your love and support for us and this new ministry. Whether your support has been through being actively involved, prayers, words of encouragement, visits, financial, or just reading this blog, we love and appreciated you!
Continue to think about what your role will be in this new ministry and contact us and let us know what you are thinking!
Spread the word! We know some of you have been doing this because some of the people whom you have talked to have emailed or called us. Please continue telling your friends, co-workers, neighbors... about this new ministry!
Keep your eyes and ears opened for the date of our January meeting and plan on attending.

Prayer Requests

Pray that we will continue to seek and follow God's will for this new church.
Pray that people will step forward who are willing to be part of the leadership team of this new ministry. Pray that God will reveal to you what He wants your role to be.

Needed

Recognizing that the devil is alive and well and does not want this new church to become a reality, and realizing the power or prayer, we are looking for some people who would be willing to be prayer warriors for us. If you would be interested in praying for us on a personal and confidential level, please contact Lisa through this blog or at laledeboer@aol.com.

If you would like to make a year-end, tax-deductible, financial contribution to this ministry your check can be sent to: New Church Plant c/o Discovery CRC, 7245 Eastern Ave., Grand Rapids, MI 49505.

Thanksgiving Blessings!

2008-11-26T21:34:00.002-05:00

We would like to wish all of you a very blessed Thanksgiving! We hope and pray that you are truly able to see God's blessings all around you. God is so good!

We are thankful for the 20 people who attended the meeting last Thursday. We are praying for you that God will guide you as you discern His will for you in regards to your involvement in this new ministry. We are excited as we have already heard from some you and we are anxiously awaiting to hear from the rest of you!

We are thankful for God's faithfulness and grace as we continue to witness His leading and guiding. We are thankful for God's plan and for His control over all things.

We are thankful for all of your support. Whether it is through your thoughts, prayers, or financial support, we are grateful for all of you!

We are thankful that Randy is beginning to feel better. We realize we have not updated in a while and we apologize for that. Randy has been quite sick and things have been on hold for the last week. We believe he is now on the upswing and soon hope to get back into action. Some of you have been waiting for us to publish the vision, mission, and core values. Thanks for your patience! It's coming...

Happy Thanksgiving from the Ledeboer's

Anxiously Awaiting!!!

2008-11-12T20:28:00.003-05:00

We are anxiously awaiting Thursday, November 20th. We will be hosting the first get-together of all those who have committed to or have expressed an interest and want to know more about this new ministry. We are looking forward to this time when we can gather for information, ask questions, and make preparations for moving forward.
If you would like to join us for this exciting evening, we would love to have you present. We will be meeting at Randy's office located at 6534 Clay Ave. (Across from the Cutlerville Holiday Inn Express). The meeting will start at 7:30 pm, snacks and refreshments will be provided.

Also, in the next couple of weeks we hope to be able to publish the Vision, Mission, and Core Values of the ministry. Hopefully soon this new ministry will actually have a name as well!

Other News

First the good news. Randy has located several possible sites to launch/house this ministry. God has been leading, directing, and providing in this process. Randy will continue to work on this process and we will be sharing more in weeks to come.
Randy has proposed and submitted preliminary budgets for 2009. This has been a challenge since we know what the anticipated costs are, yet don't know what the membership role and their financial support will look like.
Just looking at the financial numbers, it is clear to see that this new ministry is going to be financially challenged.

Prayer Requests

Pray for the meeting on the 20th of November. Pray for a good turnout and that God will bless the meeting and those present.
Pray for the finances of this ministry. Pray that we will receive some year end gifts from churches and individuals. Also pray for churches as they continue to consider how they might support this ministry in 2009.

If you would like to make a financial contribution to this ministry, your tax deduct able donation can be mailed to Discovery CRC, 7245 Eastern Ave., Grand Rapids, MI 49508.

If you would like any further information regarding this ministry, Randy can be contacted at rsledeboer@aol.com or 698-7787 ext. 321.

Plant Updates

2008-11-02T16:13:00.002-05:00

The weeks are going by in a blur of activity!

Randy is keeping busy doing a lot of administrative tasks, including working on putting together a budget for 2009 (not an easy task when there is no church in existence yet!).
Support letters have been sent out to all of the churches in classis asking them to prayerfully consider how their congregations can financially support this new ministry.
The demographic studies have been ordered and the information is beginning to come together.
Randy is beginning to look at some possible sites for the new church to meet.
We have had several meetings with people who have expressed an interest in possibly being a part of the planning and launch team for this new ministry.

Upcoming Event!

An initial gathering is being planned for all those who are potentially interested in being a part of the planning and launch team for this new ministry. This will be a time to share, ask questions, and learn more about the plans God has laid on our hearts in regard to this new and different type of ministry. If you are at all interested in finding out more details of this ministry or are wondering if becoming a part of this is something God is placing on your heart, then please join us at 7:30 pm on Thursday, November 20, 2008. We will meet at Randy's office- 6534 Clay Ave. It's off of 68th street, in Cutlerville, between the car wash and Arby's. Refreshments and snacks will be provided!

Prayer Requests

Letters - Please pray that the churches of classis prayerfully consider how their congregations will financially support this new ministry.
Land - Pray for guidance and directions as we begin looking into real estate and locations for the new church.
Leaders - Pray for the future planning and launch team.

Many of you have been asking how you can you can help. Please remember this new ministry in any year end giving you may be anticipating and prayerfully consider financially supporting the church plant. Tax deductable gifts can be lableled "Church Plant" and mailed to Discovery CRC, 7245 Eastern Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49508.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact us through this blog or at rsledeboer@aol.com.

Plant Updates

2008-10-29T19:34:00.003-04:00

God is Good!

2008-10-12T15:43:00.002-04:00

The prayer conference that we attended was once again spiritually uplifting and also provided some valuable bonding time with fellow colleagues and their spouses. God continues to show us what He wants from this new ministry. Prayer will be a strong focus of this new church; including prayer for healing of the inner person.

This week letters are being sent to all of the classis Grand Rapids South churches. We have two specific requests: prayer support and financial support. We can do nothing without your support! It is our prayer that God will continue to work in the hearts of the people within these congregations so that they will eagerly offer their support.

Many of you are still asking, "Where will this church be located?" Demographic studies are in process that will aide in determining where the greatest need is and where this church should be located.

Prayer Requests

Pray for the churches within classis as they receive the support letters and consider how they will be involved in the plant.
Pray for meetings with Home Missions that will take place this week to assess progress so far and time lines ahead.
Pray that once the demographic studies are complete God will lead us to the location He wants this church to be.
Continue praying for individuals who are considering becoming involved in a leadership capacity.
Pray for boldness as we seek to listen, hear, and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.

For more information contact us at rsledeboer@aol.com

Seeds

2008-09-29T21:14:00.005-04:00

Did you know that inside every seed is a tiny plant that is waiting to erupt into a young seedling? At this point in the process of this church plant we are still just a seed! However God is doing amazing things and as He continues to water and nurture this seed we are confident that soon it will erupt into a strong young plant! It has been exciting to hear from so many different people! The excitement is spreading, you are reading this blog, and you are getting in contact with us. Thank You for your interest and excitement!

The DeColores event that Randy attended was very beneficial and a spiritual high for him. He had the opportunity to meet many new people, spend time in quiet reflection, and attend different seminars, all of which proved to be very timely for him. Sunday morning we worshipped at the Grand Rapids International Fellowship. Once again we were inspired and awed by the timeliness of the message we heard. Certain themes continue to reoccur, leading us to believe God is speaking to us and giving us direction through these different situations we find ourselves in. Whereas it is difficult not worshipping with one community of believers, a church family, we have been blessed to experience many different styles of worship. To hear the joy, see the excitement, and participate actively in these different styles of worship, yet all worshipping the same God, is an awesome privilege and blessing!

Upcoming Events

This Tuesday evening we will be officially installed! The service will be at 7:30 pm at Discovery Church. All are welcome to join us for this event!
October 5-7 we will be attending the classis prayer conference that will be taking place at The Shack. This is a time of reflection and renewal as well as a time of learning. This annual event is sponsored by the spiritual growth and prayer team of classis and is attended by the classis pastors and their spouses.

Prayer Requests

Pray that God will continue to stir the hearts of those whom He wants to position in leadership.
Pray that people capture the vision that this is not just another church, this is going to be a different kind of church. There appears to be much confusion as to what we are really doing and we are trying to clear up some of this confusion!
Pray for continued direction as the mission, vision, and core values are being defined.

As always, please contact us if you would like to know more or are interested in becoming involved! RSLedeboer@aol.com

Praises and Updates

2008-09-21T20:17:00.006-04:00

Randy is settled in his new office and has had a busy week. The meetings with Home Missions and the New Church Development Team went very well. As I mentioned before, we spend our Sunday mornings visiting other church plants so that we can glean some knowledge from them. On Sunday evenings we are visiting churches within our classis and soon hope to be able to present you with more concrete information such as the vision, mission, and core values of the new church.

This week-end Randy has the opportunity to be part of DeColores. This 4 day men's retreat is a time of spiritual refreshment, encouragement, and reflection. This is also a time of no watches, no keys, no cell phones, you are locked in for 4 days! How do you think Randy will handle that?

Prayer Requests

Pray that meetings with potential partner churches will go well.
Pray that God will work in the hearts of those whom He wants on the leadership team, and that they would step forward.
Pray for the administrative work that must be done this week.
Pray for the DeColores event.

Get involved!

If you are thinking about becoming involved in some way or if you are interested in hearing more please contact us, or you can comment on this blog and we will get back to you!

Moving Day!

2008-09-14T19:40:00.007-04:00

Address: 6534 Clay Avenue SW ------Phone: 698-7787 ext. 321

Despite the rain Friday night the move to the new office went relatively smoothly! We'd like to thank Covenant CRC for the use of their trailer. We were able to move everything in only two trips!

We'd also like to thank friends, Rick and Rhonda, for helping us move everything and put it all back together again. We could not have done it without you!

Randy is all ready to get to work! We are grateful for your support and love! God continues to amaze us by the people He places in our paths!

What's Next?

One of the first steps in this process is to visit other churches, primarily church plants, and learn from them. We began this today by visiting Harderwyk Ministries in Holland. We attended their Fusion service and their Watershed service and came away from both with new ideas and renewed excitement! We will continue to visit different churches each week.

This Tuesday and Wednesday Randy has three different meetings. One with Classis and two with Home Missions.

Prayer Requests

Pray for the meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday, that they may go well and that God will continue to reveal His plans.

Pray for the meetings that Randy is setting up with individuals who are interested in being involved in the Plant.

Pray for direction as the mission statement, vision, and core values of the church are being formulated.

And We're off!

2008-09-09T21:47:00.005-04:00

September 8, 2008 marked Randy's official first day as a church planter!
The purpose of this blog is to keep you informed as to the progress that is being made, give you specific prayer requests, and answer any questions you may have.
We are so excited to begin this new work and see God's plans as they unfold!
Thank you for your support, we covet your prayers.

Frequently Asked Questions

2008-09-09T20:52:00.001-04:00

Why do we need another church?

We do realize that this area has many existing churches in it already. Statistically people who are not currently involved in a church will not walk into our current church buildings and church the way we are used to it is not appealing to them. Some of the aims of this new church are to reach those who have been hurt by the church and walked away, have never been involved in a church, or have left the CRC for some other reason. These people are not easily going to return to an existing church. The need for a church in which these groups can feel accepted and comfortable and come to know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior is huge! This church is going to have a very different feel to it. The focus will be on building community, out of which we build relationships with each other and relationships with Jesus Christ.

Where will the church be?

The location remains to be determined. After much prayer as well as demographic studies, the process of determining the location will occur.

How Can I Help?

Pray
Get involved! If you are interested in being actively involved, please contact us
Financial support. If you are able to help out in this way you can send checks to Discovery CRC, mark them "Church Plant".

Prayer Request

2008-09-09T20:47:00.000-04:00

As we are just in the beginning stages of birthing a new church , pray for clarity and direction, that God's will may be sought out and followed.

Pray that the move to the new office will go smoothly.

Pray that the Holy Spirit will work in the hearts of those who have been hearing about this new church and are considering whether God is calling them to be a part of the leadership team.