Looking Back

As I’m sitting down to write the Duluth update, it’s striking me how much God has allowed us to do – and in that, shape who we are becoming – this past month.

Sundays

Greetings from Duluth!

February came much sooner than expected. We started off the month with a prayer breakfast and workday, where we did some housekeeping, made some technology upgrades, and continued the remodel of the balcony into a work space (and it made quite the jump forward that day). The day after was our Super Bowl party, which was quite the event. Per our usual tradition it was a pot luck event, and the number of crock pots definitely shows we’re mid-westerners! The good fellowship we have helps make the Duluth winters more bearable.

March brings with it a longing for spring, and the excitement that comes with it. We started off the month with a men and women’s Bible study and prayer breakfast. As the month progressed things became more lively. A group from Duluth went down to the covenant retreat, and we also had a visit from Brittany and Laura. Slides announcing our annual rummage sale entered the rotation, a sure sign that spring (and warm weather) is on the way.

On Sundays we have continued through the book of James, digging deeply into what he has to say about genuine faith. We have been continuing on the theme of putting our faith on trial, and we’ve been looking specifically at what James has to say about works, fruit, wisdom, and faith. James is very convicting in these matters, and it has produced deep introspection here, which helps us to grow and mature. March brought a close James, and we started Jude at the beginning of April.

Exciting things are also happening at Street Level. We were having our pre-meeting meals in one of the dorms at UWS since last semester. In February we moved both our meal and our meeting off campus to Big Apple Bagels! Thus far the change has been nice; it’s a nicer atmosphere, and it gives us some additional opportunities to serve (and the food is also very good).  We had an open mic night at the beginning of April, and we had a very good turn out. We look forward to seeing how God will use this new location in the months ahead.

Until next time–

Duluth Update

2018 is well under way in Duluth and is not slowing down at all.  It has been an exciting start to a new year as we have continued to see visitors coming to check out the Sunday service. We have been seeing 30+ people on Sundays.  We know it’s not about numbers. However, it sure is encouraging to see God bringing people our way and to see some growth in our church.  We have even had eight kids in the children’s ministry on some Sundays.  Speaking of exciting, we were also happy to pray for and send out Jesse and Chelsey as they join Jason and Faye in the Philippines. They’re going to set up some radio equipment to help get a radio station running overseas.  It’s good to remember what God is doing outside of our church and that we get to be part of it.

New

It was also just announced that we may be assembling a Duluth team to go down south this summer on a domestic mission trip.  It’s exciting to think we could be at a point where we could send out our own team.  Street Level is in full swing again after winter break. We have decided to make some huge changes like moving off campus.  We were meeting in a dorm common area for a meal before our study. This used to happen in the Yellow-jacket Union years before.  Now, we are meeting at Big Apple Bagel and will be having a meal and study at the same place in hopes that students may be interested in getting off campus and trying something new.  It seems the change has been good; a few new students have come to check it out.

Football and Fellowship

We had a Super bowl party at the church equipped with plenty of “healthy food” and a retro halftime show.  Pastor Justin surprised us with streaming the 1992 Super bowl half time show held in the metrodome.  It was hilarious!  We also recently had a prayer breakfast/work day at the church, those tend to be some of my favorite events at the church, and it’s always fun to work together and see the building God has given us continually transform.  We were able to have separate men’s and women’s studies before we began working on various tech upgrades throughout the church as well as transforming the balcony into more than just storage.  We plan to use it as a work station and meeting area.  As our church grows, so does our need to put the space we have to good use.

Food on Wednesdays

We also started serving a Wednesday night meal prior to the study, which has been great for arriving early to eat and hang out with everyone.  Please continue to pray for us to grow into the people and the church God wants us to be. We are praying for you all as well.

• Pastor Justin is reading a book called “Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor” by D.A. Carson

• Sara is reading Tim Keller’s “Prayer”

• Pastor Jesse is reading “The Hole in our Holiness” by Kevin DeYoung

• And Chelsey is reading a book by Nancy Demoss Wolgemuth called “Adorned”