Almost Speechless

This is a picture of our new fledgling church--Essential Church. It just started back in February, and we currently meet in a school because it's expensive buying and maintaining property. In fact, we didn't think a building was anywhere in the near future, but in this picture, our gifted pastor is making a "Big Announcement" (notice the screen). He revealed ---drum roll, please--- that another church in town with a declining membership had given us their 7-acre property. Yes, you read that right. A $4 million dollar property and they gave it to us!

Included: a spacious and fully stocked 15,000 square foot building.

Jaws dropped around the room, and not surprisingly, we erupted into applause.

Here, Steve's lovely wife, Melissa, talks about a verse that she had hung on to: Jeremiah 29:11. "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope".

But really, what an amazing answered prayer this place is! Melissa gives God glory for doing more than we could ever ask or imagine.

While we were listening to the announcement, a group of people were over at the new property preparing spaghetti lunch for us. When our morning service was over, we high-tailed it over to the new property to check it out. Oh my, it is indeed so much more than we could ever imagine. It is nothing but POTENTIAL! Who knows what lives will be changed in this place.

Here's the auditorium with lunch over and us out of there and the chairs all set back up in place. This incredible building also has about 10 children's classrooms, 6 adult classrooms, a recreation/game room, a fenced playground area, a full kitchen, and a piano and organ! You can see more if you go to my link for Essential Church.

What do you say to something like this, besides thanks to the generous people who gifted it and

"Thank you, God!"

I've never heard of such a thing and I'm almost speechless.

I'm just praying that this will be a haven of hope, healing and comfort for people, and that God will be pleased by how we serve Him in this amazing place.