Property Purchase Update

October 18, 2024

Below you will see a brief update from the property committee. It’s been an encouraging week because we are indeed continuing to move forward with Rock Family Church. As such, we can begin to prayerfully consider the “brass tack” particulars necessary to rise to this occasion. If we are serious about wanting to purchase this property as a church then we need to raise at minimum $60k by the end of the calendar year to move forward. Rock Family Church has been exceedingly flexible about a down payment, and they would allow us to put down half a down payment in cash which amounts to $250K. Should we continue moving forward they would then agree to give us one year to sell our land and then pay for the remaining balance on the down payment. 

So we need to raise some money — $60k by the end of the year. But as I have mentioned before, I have little interest in simply approaching this as a financial requirement that needs to be met. Rather, I’d like to consider this a ministry opportunity to which we might rise as a church. That means two things: a ministry opportunity that presents itself in the form a a building that we might own and operate in, but also a ministry opportunity right now to be stretched in our discipleship and formed in our generosity. God does love a cheerful giver and where our treasure is there our hearts lie also. An exceedingly tangible litmus test of our Christian discipleship and maturity can be seen where our money goes. That which we are literally investing in is that which we actually value.

To that end I would like to lead our church into a season of intentional generosity and sacrificial giving. This season is designed for two things: one, to raise necessary funds to be able to move forward with the purchase of the Rock Family Church property. But secondly, and possibly of greater importance, to form us more into the image of our Lord and Savior. To grow us in our discipleship, to challenge our hearts, to give us a vision for what it might look like to be radically generous as God’s people. 

This season is most definitely about raising money to purchase a building, to that end I would implore you to prayerfully consider how much you might give (the best way to give right now would either be with a check, designated for the building fund, or if you prefer online you can give through the PCA Foundation and designate the gift for the building fund ). 

But it’s even more about becoming the people who God would have us to be as his disciples. Mercy Church you have been generous as a people. I am asking you to think about how you might be even more intentional in your generosity and sacrificial in your giving. Counting from this Sunday there are 11 weeks until the end of the calendar year. I would like to propose a prayer schedule that will take us through the end of the year, reflecting on who we are a a church and who we might be.

Prayer Schedule 

This prayer schedule and framework is built around our mission statement of “Celebrating the gospel of Jesus Christ in worship, community, and mission”

For those who like a bigger picture here are the prayer topics for each week at a glance:

October 20, 2024 — celebrating the gospel

October 27, 2024 — celebrating Jesus Christ 

November 3, 2024 — celebrating through public worship

November 10, 2024 — celebrating through private, personal worship

November 17, 2024 — celebrating in and through public community 

November 24, 2024 — celebrating in and through personal/ small scale community 

December 1, 2024 — celebrating in and through public mission

December 8, 2024 — celebrating in and through personal mission 

December 15, 2024 — celebrating and cultivating generosity 

December 22, 2024 — celebrating and cultivating sacrifice  

December 29, 2024 — giving up what we cannot keep to gain what we cannot lose

Look for suggestions for prayer each week in Pastor John’s weekly email.

Looking forward to walking through this season as a body!

In Christ,

John D