A Grand Visit!

On December 9th Deb, Nick Daddario and I went over to Grand Rapids and worshiped with the folks at a new church plant called "Grand Rapids Anglican Church" (GRAC).   Like most new congregations they are small, but from the moment we arrived we could see that the Lord's favor is on them. 

Mike Cupp and his family greeted us as we entered the former RC parsonage about 1/2 mile from downtown Grand Rapids.  It is a beautiful office, meeting hall and apartment facility.  The RC dicoese is allowing them to use this wonderful space to start their new work.  Mike, Amy and the kids (3 young boys) come over from Homer, Michigan on the weekends to work on the new church.  Relationship building and worship planning is the heart of what they are doing now and this facility is the perfect base out of which to launch this new work. 

They have several core families meeting with them now.  The Lord has brought them a wonderful keyboardist from England (who is a history professor at Cornerstone College).  Much like New Wine, they meet in a basement commons room and project the liturgy and lyrics on the wall.  Sharing, preaching and communion makes GRAC feel very similar to our service in Flint.  They did have an outstanding offeratory where many of the kids played rhythm instruments to a joyful praise chorus.  We sang both hymnody and contemporay songs in the midst of a standard Prayerbook Service.  Simple altar hangings on a table and an Advent Wreath made us feel right at home.

Though we had to make a quick exit due to afternoon meetings with family, it was a great joy to meet some of the new Anglicans in Grand Rapids.  Mike allowed me to preach on our role in preparing people to meet the Lord in our generation.  My prayer is that all of us will be constantly aware that we are "preparing the way" with our words and deeds all the time.  I also brought them greetings and a bottle of communion wine from the people of New Wine who helped raise Mike and Amy up for this new work .   One cannot come away without a sense that good things are in store for the Cupps and the GRAC community. 

PS.  Note that GRAC could be pronounced "Grace" which we pray they will know more and more each day.