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