Greetings from the Flint Vineyard!
It is hard to believe that Summer is gone and Fall has begun. The days are getting shorter and the leaves have begun to fall (more from heat and dryness than the chill). At New Wine we had more people on the move this summer than previous years, but attendance on Sundays hovered around 20. Our average is between 20 and 25 which is a blessing, yet as a missioner I am hoping for more. We have had 30-40 a week involved in our cell groups, but even these have struggled as of late.
God has been so good to us. Our small congregation has had one of our members go to Columbia to help out with a children' ministry. Another has arrived in China where she will spend the next two years with ELIC (English Language Institute China). For such a small group we certainly are mission minded at the international level.
Join us in prayer this Fall as we focus on cell group multiplication and outreach. Those who lead healthy cell church congregations teach that the average life-cycle for a small group is about 3 years. If the cell has not naturally multiplied in that period because of growing larger than the 12-14 maximum members, they have found the group begins to disintegrate for waning interest, relational conflict or other natural factors such as schedule changes. We have several groups at this stage this fall. I am hoping to see the groups reconfigure into 4 small seed groups.
This vision is to create growing multiplying fellowships who worship together, study and disciple each other. They meet for study but also socially and for times of outreach. They minister to one another in prayer and caring fellowship as they journey together on mission.
We are finding that this model of ministry is relationship intensive, but can reap great rewards. But as Jon Schuler, my early mentor told me: “It will take a long time to do”. Pray for Deb and I as we keep our eyes on the Lord and labor persistently in the Flint & Genesee County mission field.
I am excited about several mentoring relationships that I am in. Two younger men are pursuing Anglican orders, through their relationship with me and New Wine. Micah is just starting his last year of seminary this fall and Mike has nearly completed his transition into AMIA and is looking at starting a new work in Grand Rapids. Pray for both of these men as we work with them and they become new ordained laborers in the vineyard!
On the the home front it is official. We are “empty-nesters”! Kyle moved out to an apartment near Mott Community College where he will begin classes next week. He is working 20 hours a week as a cook and is now learning what independent living is like. We ask your prayers for success in his studies and direction as he considers vocational opportunities. The house is now very quiet and Deb has started to look for employment in earnest. As she steps back into the work force at a very difficult time in our area, we need the Lord to lead her to a position where she feels challenged and fulfilled and one that meets our financial need. We are fine at this time but within the next few months, things will become very tight without her income. Please pray.
Thanks for your interest and prayer support,
Dave+ & Deb Kulchar
