In January, actually in December, Bob Phelps and I started talking about starting a new church. We wanted to maintain a presence in the area we had ministered in for 1- 2years. In January we started meeting in Bill and Barb Baker's home. 12 to 20 people would come together for worship and the Word, with fellowship, and it was crowded. We started brainstorming and looking for some place to move to for our Sunday morning meetings.
After looking around we settled on two schools to approach. One immediately became a non-item. We viewed Cheltenham Elementary School at 16th and Julian, one block off Colfax Ave. We fell in love with the school, it was so clean, neat and beautiful inside. We decided to pay extra for the use of the auditorium. It is in a semi-circle with raised seating and with a stage at the front. As we expand, we could put over 200 people in the room. Chairs are provided and not small children chairs!
Lots of paper work to fill out but we did it and it was approved for us to start on April 14.
Get this.....WE HAD 36 PEOPLE COME!!! 16 were first timers! One man came who lived across the street. Two young men from Rwanda were there, God thing how we met them 2 weeks ago and one of them has only been in the USA for two weeks. I don't know if you realize how great a thing it is to have 36 people come our first public Sunday morning meeting.
We are so looking forward to sharing God's Word and His love with people in the area. We continue to ask for your prayers.
Also, I don't understand all there is to know about FaceBook, but if we get so many likes on our church page, something happens that is beneficial to us. Would you please go to our FB page and click 'like page'? Open Arms Community Church Denver. Our webpage is also up and running. It will be a work in process but we have an Internet presence. www.openarmscommunitychurch.org
Visit us occasionally. Some good photos up with more to come from our fist meeting at school.
Another thing about the school, we don't want to just be a user, we want to bless and help the school. We have plans to volunteer as tutors, and to develop and volunteer for After School Enrichment programs, like music, arts, life skills. Barb Baker and Kathi Hernandez ( admin on FB page and Web Page) want to teach the children about gardening and canning and cooking. We want the school staff to have good memories of Open Arms Community Church when the time comes for us to move to a larger facility.
Exciting times ahead!!
TO GOD BE THE GLORY, GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE!!
Troy
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