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Two Launches Make September
One Incredible Month

One of the most exciting times in a family’s life is the birth of a baby.  New parents (and grandparents!) post photos to share their joy.  Starting a new church is often compared to a birth.  Furious work happens behind the scenes for months.  Then everyone gets together to celebrate “Launch Sunday.”  What was once behind the scenes is now public and ready to take its place in the world!  

 
Last month two new churches were planted with the help of Orchard Group.

 
One hundred and forty three people attended Renewal’s launch service.  Many were first time guests, invited by core group members. Several came because of flyers Renewal members had placed all over the West Side.  Launch Sunday was notable for its enthusiasm and the diversity of the crowd.  The congregation, led by church planter Derrick Puckett, mirrors the racial and generational diversity of the area. Young, old, and people from a wide variety of backgrounds are participating in the new life of Renewal Church.  
 
One young couple visited for the first time.  They were overjoyed to find Renewal. “We came just to check it out.  By the end, we both looked at each other and said, ‘This is it. This is the community that we have been looking for.’”
For more photos from Renewal Church’s launch, click here
 

 
That same enthusiasm was present at the opening of Renaissance Church.  Lead planter Jordan Rice gave an impassioned message on the centrality of the gospel to the identity of their forming community.   “If Jesus is truly raised from the dead – and I believe he is – then nothing else matters. This is the only thing that matters.”  Two hundred and twenty people gathered, many of them enthusiastic about a new community of faith in Harlem and anticipating the ways they can be a presence in the neighborhood.
The Foundry Church in Baltimore just celebrated their first year of meeting. Volunteers from The Foundry came to help Renaissance on Launch Sunday.  Amber Ancarrow recalled, “We were doing this same thing just one year ago! So much happens in a year.”  The “birth” of a new church is important.  Equally important is how the church continues to grow.

New churches and serving churches. We have every reason to be hopeful for the continued health and growth of God’s Church!
For more photos from Renaissance Church’s launch, click here.
Will you pray?

 
Good beginnings are exciting. Both Renewal Church and Renaissance Church have strong starts. Now they begin the hard work of growth and development. 

  • Pray for the church planters and their families
  • Pray for the staff and for leaders to rise from within the church
  • Ask God to give the new churches boldness in declaring the gospel and courage in sharing their faith
  • Pray for the people of Chicago and NYC, that hearts and minds will be open
Can you give?

 
Both churches would appreciate your support! You can give to our general fund or directly to the church plant by visiting our donations page and selecting the project.
 
Thank you for all you do to support the Orchard Group family of churches. You can celebrate with each birth of a new church, because you make it possible!
 
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Our mailing address is:

Orchard Group

928 Broadway

New York, NY 10010