12 Months & Counting

February 7, 2011 By revheff in New Building, Uncategorized Tags: capital campaign, dedication service, groundbreaking, New Building Leave a comment

Don’t you just hate it when billboards display outdated info? Some event stays logged on the sign for all to see when in reality it happened days, even weeks ago? Bugs the tar out of me. I am so easily perturbed.

I refused to let that happen yesterday after our groundbreaking celebration.

I cornered our contractor after the ceremony.

“OK, Dave, give the straight scoop. How long before we get in this thing?” I asked. He never even blinked. “One year,” he replied.

Say no more. I shot over to the office and pulled the new letters for our sign.

Come March 6, we’ll do it again with eleven. April 6, ten. And so on until we start to count the days in 2012. Won’t that be sweet?

If per chance you missed the groundbreaking for some reason, we still have vials of soil with a commemorative label on them from the event. We’ll have them at the SDA this Sunday if you want to pick one up.

If you missed the service as well, the message from Matthew 7:7-11 is now on the website. You can access the audio here. I would urge all covenant members to make a point to listen to this message entitled Each One Seek One. In it I made an application challenge for our people aimed at closing the $100,000 gap in our capital fund raising campaign for the building.

My thanks to all who labored so hard to make yesterday such a moving and special event. We won’t soon forget it. Lord willing, only twelve months to go before we get to experience the even greater thrill with the dedication of our new church home.

I’ve already started dreaming potential plans for that weekend! Wonder how busy Mr. Stanfill and his group will be around that time?

Soup, Soil, & Super Sunday

February 5, 2011 By revheff in Events Tags: building, good works, groundbreaking, mercy ministry 1 Comment

If you think I’m referring to the big game tomorrow night, think again.

In my mind the significance of Super Bowl XLV pales in comparison to the day before us at Orlando Grace tomorrow.

In the first place, we get to practice Titus 3:14 – And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.

Hunger, particularly in these tough economic times, is always an urgent need. Every year on Super Bowl Sunday, the Christian Service Center of Orlando petitions the churches of this city to collect non-perishable food items to help restock their food pantry for feeding the hungry. Have you pulled your items from the shelf yet? The deacons will have a designated spot in the entry way tomorrow for you to leave your offering. Let us do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8) as Evan reminded us so well in last week’s message.

In the second place, we get to break ground for our facility (pray for good weather)! At 3 PM tomorrow afternoon we will participate in a service of worship on our property for giving the construction project of our church over to God. After the turning of the soil, those who call OGC their church home will bring soil from their own households to put in the hole symbolic of each one’s investment in this kingdom enterprise. Have you dug up your bit of ground yet? That’s ours in the baggie on the right.

As some of us put the finishing touches on prepping the property this morning for the ceremony, we mentioned numerous times our growing sense of excitement at the historic day and process before us. We will really get to do this, if God continues to give us favor!

Will you join with me this evening and throughout the day tomorrow that God will be glorified in all we say and do and that our joy will grow as we embrace the challenge He has put before us? Watch with me tomorrow and throughout the rest of the year as He will do immeasurably beyond all that we ask or think (Eph. 3:20-21)!

Groundbreaking Countdown!

January 28, 2011 By revheff in Events Tags: groundbreaking, New Building, outreach, website Leave a comment

It has been so long since I’ve done a blog post, I’m not certain I remember how to do it!

Fortunately our website has returned to the land of the living. Thanks, Greg, for going the extra mile to get us back in service.

What better way to return to the blogosphere than by reminding everyone that in just a little over a week we will break ground for our first ever facility?

Here’s what you need to know:

As the sign indicates, the date is set for February 6th at 3:00 p.m (not 4 as originally communicated) on our property at 872 Maitland Avenue. We will be having an informal picnic on the property immediately after the worship service. Pack a lunch or go pick up something from your favorite take-out place and bring it to the property. Also bring lawn chairs (extra for guests if you have them) and/or blankets for seating. Parking will be on the vacant adjacent property just south of our parcel. Portable “facilities” will be on site for our convenience. Please, each household also bring a finger food to share among ourselves and our guests after the ground breaking (A-M – savory; N-Z – sweet). Drinks will be provided. Members, and those working toward membership, will also want to bring a couple of ounces of dirt from their own properties to place in the hole that will be turned by our groundbreaking shovels to symbolize the participation of all our people in the building of God’s church. Every family that attends will receive a special gift memento.

The property won’t look like this for much longer. February 6 is right around a corner. It will be a banner day in the history of our church!

Please pray that the invitations that have gone out to the surrounding homeowners will result in some attending the groundbreaking ceremony and that the gospel of Jesus will touch their hearts.

And it wouldn’t hurt to pray for decent weather as well, now that I think about it.

Hang on to your hats. It’s gonna be a great year for Orlando Grace Church!

Groundbreaking Event Announced!

December 21, 2010 By revheff in New Building Tags: building, groundbreaking, outreach 2 Comments

Some building committee updates take on more significance than others.

Last Sunday our chairman, Ross, stood in the pulpit to give his monthly update on our campaign to get into our own facility. He kept things short and sweet. In fact, he mentioned only one thing. In light of our recent congregational meeting and by unanimous agreement of our leadership team, Orlando Grace will move ahead with the construction of our building at 872 Maitland Avenue.

Normally I would delegate the task of changing the lettering on our sign at the property, but not this time. I can hardly explain the sheer delight I took in removing the old version – “Breaking Ground this Fall” – and replacing it with “Breaking Ground, Feb. 6, 4 PM!”

If you haven’t already done so, mark your calendars for this very important date in the life of our congregation. And please pray that we will use this opportunity wisely to reach out the the surrounding community.

OGC, buckle your seat belts and keep your arms and hand inside the vehicle at all times. We’re in for the ride of our lives. Let the adventure begin!