Tis the Season!

As we make our way into the seasons of Christmas, I wanted to share with you some exciting things that will be happening at Grace Chapel, Wilmington. It is our first time celebrating the holidays in Wilmington together, so I want you to know all the details! Remember, this is a wonderful season to invite friends, family, and coworkers to church – many are open to trying something new during this time of the year.

On Sunday, December 4 at 4:30pm, we will have a Christmas Tree Lighting at the church. Hot cocoa, gingerbread cookies and a live reading of a Christmas story. Dress warm, bring your family, invite a friend, and together we will usher in the season of Advent.

Upcoming special Worship Services:

Sunday, December 11, 9:30am & 11:10am: a Jazz Christmas Worship featuring Berklee Jazz Writers Collective: A Berklee College of Music Ensemble

Sunday, December 18, 9:30am & 11:10am: a special Christmas Monologue by Pastor Wilkerson

Saturday, December 24, 4:30pm & 6pm: Christmas Eve candlelight Service featuring Jaime Jamgochian leading worship.

Sunday, December 25, 11:10am only: Christmas morning worship featuring Jaime Jamgochian leading worship.

In addition to all of this, remember that Grace Lexington will be hosting Christmas eve services on 12/22 and 12/23 at 7:30pm as well as on 12/24 at 3pm, 4:30pm and 6pm.

Lots to take advantage of! We hope to see many new faces as we celebrate the goodness of God!

In Him,

Tom VanAntwerp

The other side of the launch

Well it's official . . . we have now moved beyond the "launch" phase of life here at Grace Chapel, Wilmington! We opened our doors on May 22, 2011, made our way through our first summer, had our first Vision Sunday on September 11, and on September 18 we had our official "Grand Opening". By God's grace we have been seeing around 500 people at our worship services, with more than 150 new to Grace Chapel and many more new to church altogether.

Launching something new always brings out the best in people. The joy of embracing new vision, taking a bold new step, rising to a significant and new challenge, awakens in us individually and collectively a passion to engage with enthusiasm in the work before us. New beginnings have a way of carrying with them their own momentum.

But what happens when we move beyond the beginning? What does life look like on the other side of the launch? Where does this necessary and important forward momentum come from now?

I would suggest it comes from being reminded of our mission.

We need to connect ourselves deeply and wholeheartedly to the reason why we launched the Wilmington Campus in the first place - so that individuals, families, neighborhoods, communities, the greater Boston region, and the even the world beyond might see and experience the love, grace, and goodness of Christ more clearly. We exist to partner with God in the transforming work that he's doing in the world - to see the spiritual landscape change around us and IN US! Our mission statement is simple - "Transforming lives with the surprising message of God's grace."

This doesn't happen by launching, it happens by LIVING!

It happens as we live the beautiful message of the gospel - through our abiding connection to Christ, our deep love for each other, our concern for the needs of those around us, and our connection to God's redeeming work in the world. It is in living like this, that we join with Him in His work of making all things new! What could be more thrilling than that?!

In Wilmington, we'll see this played out in a whole host of ways: as a young family brings God into the center of their homes for the first time; as a LIFE Community lovingly helps a neighbor in need; as a person brings a friend to ALPHA and sees their eyes open to the good news of the gospel; as a young person experiences God on a retreat with her friends; as together we are reminded of the amazing story of God throughout history in our times of worship. This is the stuff of life that we're now to be about in Wilmington! Let's roll up our sleeves and get started!

You see, now that we're on the other side of the launch . . . it's time for us to LIVE!!

Tom

See how one Wilmington Campus LIFE Community serves in their town!

An Evening of Prayer in Wilmington - Wednesday, September 14

Join us this Wednesday night from 7-8:15 at the Wilmington Campus for a very important time of prayer as we begin our first full ministry year. We will gather in the sanctuary and then pray through the various ministry areas of the building. We'll be asking that God's grace, truth and power might flow through each of us and that it would be at the heart of all that we do this year. We hope many of you will join us!

Join a LIFE Community on Sunday, September 11

A LIFE Community is a gathering of people who meet regularly in homes or at the Grace Chapel campus to experience the Christian life together. These fellowship groups are Grace Chapel's primary way of building community in the midst of our large congregation.

Our LIFE Communities seek to develop "three-dimensional" life together, summarized by Caring, Growing and Making an Impact. We gather together to care for one another, grow deeper in our faith, and make an impact in the world in which we live.

On Sunday after the services, you can check out the groups that are meeting around the Wilmington campus. Leaders will be in the lobby with flyers about their group so that you can meet them, ask questions, and find a group that is right for you!

A New Season Begins!

As the summer days get shorter and the slightest bit cooler and the yellow buses slow our morning commutes, we’re all reminded that the seasons are changing soon. For us at Grace Chapel Wilmington, it means we’re at the beginning of a new ministry year. It’s hard to believe that we’ve only been open since May 22. What a wonderful summer it has been! By now you may have heard that Sunday, September 11 is our Vision Sunday at Grace. The Lexington campus will be dedicating their new sanctuary space and we will be launching our first full year of ministry at the Wilmington Campus. Pastor Bryan will be sharing vision in Lexington, while I will be doing the same right here in Wilmington. A few things you should know as we get ready for that important day:

1) New worship hours/programming begins. Beginning on Vision Sunday, we will have two services – 9:30am and 11:10am. We will offer Kidstown for kids newborn-5^th grade at both hours, 6^th – 12^th grade Fusion and Gravity at the 9:30 hour, an Adult Discipleship course entitled “Foundations of Spiritual Formation” at the 11:10 hour in the Cove.

2) Get connected to a LIFE Community - Our LIFE Communities will be the very heartbeat of the community life that is developing here at the Wilmington Campus. These are groups of people who meet regularly for the purpose of community, growth, and service. We will be offering many different groups that meet at different times in various locations. On Vision Sunday, after the services, you will have an opportunity to see all the groups, meet the leaders, and find one that is a great fit for you.

3) Special Offering – as we officially launch our first full ministry season in Wilmington, we’d like to mark the moment with a “New Day of Grace” Celebration Offering. This will be an opportunity for those who haven’t yet participated in the New Day of Grace Campaign to make a one-time gift or a commitment for the second half of the campaign. For those who have been giving, it’s an opportunity to do something special to express your gratitude and continuing commitment to transforming lives in greater Boston and beyond.

Finally, be watching for information about our Grand Opening the following Sunday - Sunday, September 18 - We've been worshiping in Wilmington for a few months now, but this is our very first opportunity to start the fall off right with a grand welcome to friends and neighbors. Many people have wondered what has happened at the old Casa Di Fior, and we want to give them an opportunity to see for themselves. There will be an outdoor tent with refreshments, an expression of our heart for serving the community, a wonderful message from Pastor Bryan that launches our year-long preaching theme "Living God's Story" and a great time of welcome and worship!

Looking forward to a wonderful year with all of you,

Tom VanAntwerp

Pastor, Wilmington Campus

New Service Times Begin Sunday, September 11

Beginning on Vision Sunday, September 11, our Wilmington Campus will be holding two morning services at 9:30am and 11:10am. This will give us a little more breathing room between each of our services - won't that be nice!? More info on the fall to come soon.