Dear Mariners’ Family,
If you aren’t currently on our prayer letter mailing list, you may be wondering what is happening with us and our ministry. If you’d like to receive our prayer letter updates, please contact us at ray@theleighthouse.org with your information.
As far as ministry goes, we are still deeply committed to one-on-one discipleship, as well as marriage mentoring. These two things remain the primary focus of our ministry, along with corporate and private prayer. So much is gained in the life of a believer by spending focused time on the Lord, learning to live by faith ratherDear Mariners’ Family,
If you aren’t currently on our prayer letter mailing list, you may be wondering what is happening with us and our ministry. If you’d like to receive our prayer letter updates, please contact us at ray@theleighthouse.org with your information.
As far as ministry goes, we are still deeply committed to one-on-one discipleship, as well as marriage mentoring. These two things remain the primary focus of our ministry, along with corporate and private prayer. So much is gained in the life of a believer by spending focused time on the Lord, learning to live by faith rather than feelings, circumstances, or the culture. It is our mission to make disciples who make disciples. We want to make disciples who are secure in who they are, authentic in their relationships, and available for what the Lord created them to do.
You may also be wondering about the church we are helping to plant. Downtown Hope is a new expression of church in the city of Annapolis. Since January of this year, Ray and I have been worshipping, praying, and dreaming with a core group of people, all called to reach out to downtown Annapolis specifically. Much prayer was invested in this before any of it took shape. God is definitely at work! So far our one core team has grown to become two communities, meeting at two different locations in the city. One meets at the Stanton Center, reaching out to the Clay Street community, and the other meets above Kilwin’s on Main Street, reaching out to the Naval Academy midshipmen, St. John’s College students, and business owners and employees downtown. These two communities also meet, at least monthly, for a large gathering. This will soon be held at Annapolis Elementary School because we’ve outgrown our current location.
We are seeing God connect believers in this city in amazing ways. He is definitely up to something in our midst. In the course of conversation recently, Ray told a local business owner about Downtown Hope. This past Sunday she and her husband came to our fellowship and were thrilled to see the movement that God is building. They often serve midshipmen and St. John’s students in their store, and they are looking forward to letting them know about our fellowship. Our heart is to reach those who aren’t willing to walk into a traditional church setting, so this type of contact is so important. It is this unity in the faith that will pave the way for many to come to faith in Jesus. We want to bring church to the city and engage the culture in a way that allows them to hear the gospel in relationship with a committed believer. Relationships take time, and much prayer! This is why the unity among believers is so vital. We need your prayers now more than ever.
During the week, much is happening in the way of meaningful relationships. Fellowship and discipleship are fostered during these intentional times. Those called to be a part of one of the Downtown Hope communities know that they must be intentional about making time to be on mission. It is thrilling to see God use simple times of fellowship for spiritual purposes. What a joy to witness a group of midshipmen spending time on a Friday night praying for their school! What a joy to know that Ray and several St. John’s students spent time this past week walking around the campus praying. These times matter, and we can’t wait to see what the Lord will do as the entire body of Christ in Annapolis joins hands and begins to pray! Greater things are coming!
We love you and we thank God for you! than feelings, circumstances, or the culture. It is our mission to make disciples who make disciples. We want to make disciples who are secure in who they are, authentic in their relationships, and available for what the Lord created them to do.
You may also be wondering about the church we are helping to plant. Downtown Hope is a new expression of church in the city of Annapolis. Since January of this year, Ray and I have been worshipping, praying, and dreaming with a core group of people, all called to reach out to downtown Annapolis specifically. Much prayer was invested in this before any of it took shape. God is definitely at work! So far our one core team has grown to become two communities, meeting at two different locations in the city. One meets at the Stanton Center, reaching out to the Clay Street community, and the other meets above Kilwin’s on Main Street, reaching out to the Naval Academy midshipmen, St. John’s College students, and business owners and employees downtown. These two communities also meet, at least monthly, for a large gathering. This will soon be held at Annapolis Elementary School because we’ve outgrown our current location.
We are seeing God connect believers in this city in amazing ways. He is definitely up to something in our midst. In the course of conversation recently, Ray told a local business owner about Downtown Hope. This past Sunday she and her husband came to our fellowship and were thrilled to see the movement that God is building. They often serve midshipmen and St. John’s students in their store, and they are looking forward to letting them know about our fellowship. Our heart is to reach those who aren’t willing to walk into a traditional church setting, so this type of contact is so important. It is this unity in the faith that will pave the way for many to come to faith in Jesus. We want to bring church to the city and engage the culture in a way that allows them to hear the gospel in relationship with a committed believer. Relationships take time, and much prayer! This is why the unity among believers is so vital. We need your prayers now more than ever.
During the week, much is happening in the way of meaningful relationships. Fellowship and discipleship are fostered during these intentional times. Those called to be a part of one of the Downtown Hope communities know that they must be intentional about making time to be on mission. It is thrilling to see God use simple times of fellowship for spiritual purposes. What a joy to witness a group of midshipmen spending time on a Friday night praying for their school! What a joy to know that Ray and several St. John’s students spent time this past week walking around the campus praying. These times matter, and we can’t wait to see what the Lord will do as the entire body of Christ in Annapolis joins hands and begins to pray! Greater things are coming!
We love you and we thank God for you!
Kathryn Leight
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
What is Missions?
Wondering just what Missions is? Well look here over the next few weeks and months as Nicole Picciotto explores that question based on her experiences from several short-term missions trips. Here is the first installment:
Mission trips:
What do you normally think of when you hear “Missions” or “Missionaries”? I would imagine most people think of people like the Pierces ( David and Annelise, Naomi and Quinn). Full time/Long-term missionaries, Those who have made a commitment to God to serve Him in a remote area for several years. But Missions means more than just the long-term trips.
Short term trips are also used by God to spread the message of Jesus Christ. I've been on several short term trips and it can be hard to feel as though you've made an impact on anyone's life.
Some trips are mostly or purely social. Most of the people who go on these trips are people who enjoy engaging people in conversation which leads to the sharing of the word of God. And then there are those who embark on these trips wondering “What on earth am I doing?”. People like me who faced with the opportunity to speak to strangers, run and hide. So for me I've always questioned my part in going. The disheartening part of these trips is they are really short (a week or less in some cases) you don't really form a strong bond with any one person you meet, which in some cultures in vital to leading a person to Christ. Even when you get the contact information life gets back to normal and you find yourself not keeping in touch like you imagined you would.
So then, why would God send you on such a trip? Well I have found in my experience is that God sends you to serve the Missionaries he has placed in the location you are visiting. Its a little awkward sometimes, when you go to Russia and visit the local church you support (Alexei Kotchan and family) or as Matt and I did when we went to The Dominican Republic to visit missionaries we support (Hugo and Sarah Liborio), and all the missionaries seem to want to do is show you around. You start to think “How am I going to serve God like this, playing tourist?”. Well you are.... but not the way you might think. You are spending time with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Just spending time with them, showing them you care and that they are not alone is just as important as spreading the word of God.
Many of the full time missionaries live on a spiritual battlefield, as where back home if you are well connected to a church its more like being at a home base, where supplies, fellowship and encouragement are all around you. So I'm sure you can get the picture of a soldier (missionary) out in the battlefield and you the “short-term missionary” are like a support troop. You may take no ground from the enemy, or witness someone come to Christ etc. But you are serving God by bringing supplies, fellowship, and encouragement to your brother/sister. In short that is what God has taught me. I'm not saying that is the only purpose God has in sending you on a short-term missions trip, but it is one lesson I have learned.
God gifts us uniquely and we must seek to serve Him in a way our gifts best enable us.
--Nicole Picciotto
Mission trips:
What do you normally think of when you hear “Missions” or “Missionaries”? I would imagine most people think of people like the Pierces ( David and Annelise, Naomi and Quinn). Full time/Long-term missionaries, Those who have made a commitment to God to serve Him in a remote area for several years. But Missions means more than just the long-term trips.
Short term trips are also used by God to spread the message of Jesus Christ. I've been on several short term trips and it can be hard to feel as though you've made an impact on anyone's life.
Some trips are mostly or purely social. Most of the people who go on these trips are people who enjoy engaging people in conversation which leads to the sharing of the word of God. And then there are those who embark on these trips wondering “What on earth am I doing?”. People like me who faced with the opportunity to speak to strangers, run and hide. So for me I've always questioned my part in going. The disheartening part of these trips is they are really short (a week or less in some cases) you don't really form a strong bond with any one person you meet, which in some cultures in vital to leading a person to Christ. Even when you get the contact information life gets back to normal and you find yourself not keeping in touch like you imagined you would.
So then, why would God send you on such a trip? Well I have found in my experience is that God sends you to serve the Missionaries he has placed in the location you are visiting. Its a little awkward sometimes, when you go to Russia and visit the local church you support (Alexei Kotchan and family) or as Matt and I did when we went to The Dominican Republic to visit missionaries we support (Hugo and Sarah Liborio), and all the missionaries seem to want to do is show you around. You start to think “How am I going to serve God like this, playing tourist?”. Well you are.... but not the way you might think. You are spending time with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Just spending time with them, showing them you care and that they are not alone is just as important as spreading the word of God.
Many of the full time missionaries live on a spiritual battlefield, as where back home if you are well connected to a church its more like being at a home base, where supplies, fellowship and encouragement are all around you. So I'm sure you can get the picture of a soldier (missionary) out in the battlefield and you the “short-term missionary” are like a support troop. You may take no ground from the enemy, or witness someone come to Christ etc. But you are serving God by bringing supplies, fellowship, and encouragement to your brother/sister. In short that is what God has taught me. I'm not saying that is the only purpose God has in sending you on a short-term missions trip, but it is one lesson I have learned.
God gifts us uniquely and we must seek to serve Him in a way our gifts best enable us.
--Nicole Picciotto
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