Preview Service Update

To everyone who has been praying and for those who were in attendance this past Sunday evening:  THANK YOU.  For God answered your prayers and your faithfulness in a way that was beyond our wildest expectations.  We printed 100 bulletins and set out 100 chairs.  We had to pull more chairs into the sanctuary while running out of bulletins well before everyone was seated comfortably.  More than the numbers in attendance, God's spirit covered the campus and the faces of those attending as we worshiped, debriefed and eventually ate cake (what else could we do to end such an evening!) People hung around for quite a while afterwards visiting and talking about the future of First Church Andover.

Sunday night was a night of support and excitement.  It showed without a doubt that the church family is behind the effort and willing to do whatever it will take to reach out in the Andover community.  There is much work left to be done, but nothing that is insurmountable.  I am so thankful for the support personally and for the entire team's effort to ready the campus for worship.

I have attached a picture that captures the spirit of the night.  Ernie Stamper snapped this picture at the end of the debriefing session and then photoshopped a certain bear into the picture.   I was trying to be funny, but he got the best of me in the end! 

I will be posting more pictures very soon.  Please keep praying and come if you are close enough to attend this Sunday evening as we consecrate the building and commission the group that is coming to Andover.