Over the Horizon

Pictures of the Completed Church Facility

Here are some more pics of the complted church facility. I asked Sandy to take them and send them to me so that I could see it for myself. Perhaps you will enjoy them as well!

(left) The west side of the education wing courtyard (pastor's office, classroom, library, nursery, playyard); (right) The east side of the education wing courtyard (lower youth room, restrooms, upper youth wing)

The center section of the education wing which houses classrooms on the first floor and the long portion of the L-shaped youth wing on the second floor (complete with kitchenette!)

Looking across the education wing from the Pastor's Office

The view of the youth wing from the western end of it

The kitchenette located in the youth wing's elbow!

 

Looking at the two ends of the youth wing from the kitchenette: (left) the long end & (right) the short side which is above the youth room we've been using the last two years. Both end walls are painted with chalkboard paint, as is one wall in the lower youth room. This is a big hit feature with the youth!

 

(left) Tables and chairs for all the classrooms! (right) The complete outdoor grill/kitchen and picnic area!

 

The completed sports goals in the sanctuary/sports court...now we have goals for soccer AND basketball!

Mission Accomplished!!!

Well, the Central Church facility in Cofradía is OFFICIALLY AND TOTALLY COMPLETE!!!!! It was Dave's major To-Do item before leaving Mexico and moving back to Canada, and the Lord has made a way and rewarded him for his perseverance in seeing this project through to its end. Wow! As Paul said in Philliipians 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord always! I will say it again: Rejoice!"

Dave sent out a newsletter about the completion of this five-year project. Please read and keep the Elias family in your prayers as they finish up final details and packing in preparation for their departure on July 22, just two short weeks away!

 

In addition, Pastor Goyo has sent out a thank you note, and I wanted to include that here as well and echo his gratitude to you for all of your prayers and support of any kind over the last five years as we have labored in the Lord through this project! This celebration is yours as well. Enjoy it and REJOICE!!

Letter of Thanks to Supporters

Cofradía has been transformed. Now, we see a town in constant development, a dream come true. People that know God have been changed, adults with new ways of thinking. There is no greater selfishness than at the beginning, than always expecting to be served. No…now, there is a greater tendency to serve others and we appreciate that in the maintenance of the church, in dusting the chairs. We don’t even have to ask anymore! A few weeks ago the chairs were all set up in the church, but they were dirty. And I saw them, but on purpose I left them that way. Suddenly, there were people dusting them off! You know, serving others is not so common in these areas, but it is becoming common in the people of this church.

And, well, I want to say that the effort is not in vain. I am grateful to all of you that have participated no only with your prayers but also with finances. Thank you.

The reward is seeing towns transformed.

Hebrews 6:10

Canyon Hills Youth STM: June 25-July 4

We were privileged to host the youth outreach team from Canyon Hills Church in Bothel, WA from June 25 to July 4. This team is always amazing. In the past they have focused on evangelism in surrounding towns, but this year they focused more on the youth ministry in addition to their construction project. Rather than write up a report about their STM outreach, this year Steve and Jay created a video to overview their time with us in Cofradía. So, here it is for your viewing pleasure!

Pastor Goyo's thoughts on the new church...

Dave and Kathy recently sent out an update about the inauguration of our new church facility. They included a letter from Pastor Goyo about how the local church is settling into its new home. I thought you might enjoy reading this.

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Finally, we are in the new church facility, a multi-use place. For quite a while now it has been in use as a space for the enjoyment of the youth, the women, and the men.

For the youth it has a very special significance. Here in town there is not much that can keep them busy, and at our new facility they can invest their time in sports, and in that way distance themselves from the things that can affect their lives like drugs and all the other distractions that go on in this day and age.

For the adult men and women it is a place where communion is fostered and friendship is generated not just for the people within the church but also with those who normally wouldn’t participate in congregational activities. It is a place that brings together qualities necessary for everyone’s development, not just for Cofradía but also for the surrounding villages. It is a tool that will help people to know Christ, to be in fellowship with one another, and to bring restoration to those who arrive within its walls.

So, we want to say thank you so much to all who have been, and still are, involved in the construction of this facility, it is a very special and important extension of the Kingdom of God. Thank you for the gift of God that you are. Thank you.

Pastor Gregorio Hernandez Galvan

Centro Cristiano Inauguration!!!

THE INAUGURATION IS COMPLETE!!!!

My what an amazing time it was! The whole thing was planned and executed by the local church body. They had elected a committee for the purpose of planning and preparing for the inauguration service. So, they took care of planning the order of the service, lining up the menu and the cooks and the food-deliver, renting tables and linnens, recruiting the necessary people for the different components of the service, and even clean-up! It was so amazing on two levels: 1) Seeing them really step into being their own church and owning this momentous recognition of their church-hood and future vision and purpose in God's continued work in this area, and 2) we as the staff really didn't have to do too much! It was a first! 

The service took place on Sunday, February 27, 2011. It started at 10 am and went until around 4 pm. It included worship, a message from the pastor, ministry time, a huge lunch for which we literally killed the fatted calf, and a time for people to fellowhip and also share testimonies or songs or anything else their hearts desired to share. We had about 400 people there from all the surrounding villages (Cofradía, Arrayanes, Santa Fe, Ruiz, Rosamorada, Las Pilas, Paso Real, Tuxpan), the United States (Virginia, Texas, & Washington state), and Canada (Manitoba). It was so amazing...truly a Jubilee celebration!

So, here is a video that Jay put together of the event. Please watch and enjoy, but please also know that those of you who have supported me, the rest of the missionary staff, the ministry in general, and/or local believers are part of this celebration. We are celebrating God's faithfulness, God's vision, God's LIFE in this area of Mexico, but we are also celebrating all those who have participated in getting this church to this point in their church life. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Inauguration Centro Cristiano Cofradia from Jay TenBrink on Vimeo.

Cofradia Christian Church Facility Inauguration

The announcement poster below was created by Jay to announce our facility inauguration on February 27 to the towns surrounding Cofradia. Everyone and their mother-in-law is invited!!! On it you are seeing the logo for our Cofradia church planting ministry (the tree with deep roots bearing its fruit in season and whose leaves never wither...ref Psalm 1) and the local church's motto: "Grow & Let Grow". At the bottom is an areal shot of the church facility taken about a year ago.

Here is the poster's translation:

Christian Center
"Grow And Let Grow"

Cofradia Christian Center is pleased to invite you and your esteemed family
to its Inauguration
the 27th day of February 2011.
The event will take place in the new home of the central church.
We thank you in advance for your attendance.

Place: Cofradia Christian Center
Day: 27 February 2011
Time: 10 AM

Cofradia Construction Website

Well, we now have a website for the purpose of announcing our construction needs and raising funds to meet them!! Jay did a fabulous job of putting together this website. It looks amazing! Almost as great as the new facility itself! So, click on the link and check it out!!!

New Construction Website

YOU'RE INVITED!!: Cofradia Central Churcah Facility Inauguration

FINALLY!!!!! We are finally going to inaugurate the central chuch facility as the permanente an proper of the local church congregation! We have been working on building this facility since February 2006, and now the day is fast approaching, five years later, when we will move in and start using it full-time! This is so exciting! There are just no human words to describe it!

Dave has made an invitation for the event. Everyone is invited...even YOU!!! Just get yourself there, and we'll find a place for you to sleep. That is, if you can sleep with all the elctric excitement in the area! Check out the invitation!

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Construction Update

Here is a video that Dave and Jay made that gives an update on the construction of our central church facility. We hope to inaugurate it next year. We'll see how the Lord provides for that goal. Enjoy!

ANNOUNCING: INAUGURATION SERVICE!!!!!!!

OH MY GOODNESS!!!! OH MY GOODNESS!!! It's finally gonna happen!!! After 5 years, we are going to be inaugurating our central church facility and move all services and church events into that facility!!!

Construction began in February 2006, one month before I moved to Cofradia...and now, I'm pleased to announce that on February 27, 2011, we will host the official inauguration service for the Centro Cristiano Central Church Facility in Cofradia!!! Only a week or so after the 5-year anniversary of the start of construction, this long-term dream will finally be realized!!!!

Celebrate with us!!! Steve posted an announcement on his blog, and an invitation you to join us! So, please read it and consider this an open invitation opportunity to come to Cofradia and celebrate the Lord's dream-fulfillment with us! There is still much work to be done on the facility, but it will finally be functional for services, while the finishing work continues! Thank you so much for your support...financial, prayer, and labor...over the last almost 5 years. This is as much YOUR labor of love as it is ours!

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On February 27, 2011 we will be inaugurating the new church building in Cofradía. We have been using it for special events and one of the rooms for youth group, but we will begin to meet together on a weekly basis every Sunday on the inauguration date. This has been a huge blessing for the church in Cofradía and surrounding towns because we meet at the mission base where there is not enough room at all for everyone to fit.

We would like to invite you to join us for this special day. Many of you have held this work up in prayer, many of you have given financially, and others have sacrificed time to come down and physically help! We thank you very much for taking part in this ministry. Come join us on February 27, 2011!!!

ESPAÑOL:

El 27 de Febrero de 2011, vamos a inaugurar a la iglesia nueva en Cofradía. La hemos usado por eventos especiales y uno de los cuartos para el grupo de jóvenes, pero empezaremos a reunirnos juntos cada semana los Domingos a partir de al fecha de inauguración. Esto ha sido una gran bendición para la iglesia de Cofradía y los pueblos alrededor porque hemos estado reuniendo en la base de misiones donde ya no cabemos.

Les invitamos a que nos acompañen en este día especial. Muchos de ustedes han estado orando por esta obra, muchos han sembrado financieramente, y otros han sacrificado tiempo para venir y ayudar físicamente! Por eso estamos muy agradecidos a ustedes por tomar parte de este ministerio. Vengan a acompañarnos el día 27 de Febrero, 2011!!!