Easter Update

By Steve and Shari - Tucson, AZ 

Wow!  Praise the Lord!  What a great Resurrection Sunday the Lord gave us at Grace Fellowship as we gathered, as you did, to celebrate a living hope in our risen Savior!  The last count that I heard for our attendance was 223. It was a beautiful resurrection Sunday and we saw several people respond to the Gospel.  One of those who prayed to receive Christ was a friend of mine and fellow football coach. Please pray for us as we will be following up with these new believers over the next few weeks.  We also celebrated the ordinance of believer's baptism, which always has special significance on Resurrection Sunday!

Grace Fellowship Buying Land, TSC Gives 10K

Steve Chamblee, Grace Fellowship
www.gracefellowshipaz.org

Greetings from beautiful sunny Vail, AZ!

We are so grateful to be serving Jesus here! He has blessed us in so many ways! He continues to draw people to Himself out here in the desert as we seek to make disciple who make disciples...

God continues to open new doors of ministry here in Vail/Tucson.... On Thanksgiving Day we partnered w/ Old Vail Middle School to feed the community Thanksgiving Dinner. What really jolted my heart was to see our people step up and serve. We had a huge amount of Grace people come out with a desire to bless & serve their community. For me that we so affirming that God really is transforming people's lives.

Most of you know by now that we are in the process of acquiring land.
God has opened the door to purchase 6.2 acres just across the street from where we presently meet at Old Vail Middle School. Our vision is to build a community center whereby the community of Vail, especially children can come and be ministered to in a variety of ways. This facility would also function as our worship center on Sundays. We are asking our prayer partners to really pray that God would provide the funds for this purchase. The cost of the land is $500, 000. Our goal is to bring at least $200, 000 to closing in March. God is blessing...and we have raised aprox $50,000! Would you pray that God would provide the funds in His own way for His own glory? We are absolutely confident that God is going to provide. If it His will...He will provide! We do believe that..but we also want to be faithful on our end to allow you the opportunity to be a part of His process.

I often argue w/ myself about asking for financial help from friends & partners beyond what they are already generously giving. But this is an exciting endeavor and a great cause! When I think about what God has already done in these last two years...and what He is going to do, I can hardly contain myself. I look at that piece of property and envision:

- a facility where kids can literally walk across the street after school and be mentored
- a safe environment for kids to do homework and receive tutoring ( in my city only 1 out of every four children live w/ both parents)
- a facility that will house a community food bank for hurting families
- Kingdom headquarters for Vail, the West and the World!

(Through GOCTW funds, Thompson Station Church is giving $10,000 to help Grace Fellowship buy land in Vail, Arizona. TSC will also be sending two mission teams to partner with Grace in 2011.)

Preschool Team in Africa/Student Team in Tucson

Please be praying this week for Angela Spencer, Sumer Yates, and Alicia Jordan as they go to minister to orphans in Ethiopia and Uganda. One of the many organizations they will be working with over the next week and a half includes Amazima Ministries and Katie Davis. Katie Davis is a 21 year old Brentwood girl and started Amazima Ministries just a couple years ago. I'm attaching a link to her blog because it's just a good read when you have some time...

http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/2009/08/it-is-my-16th-birthday-and-i-am-eating.html

Please also be praying for our Tucson Team led by Pastor TJ and Pastor Jason. TJ and Jason will be working with Grace Fellowship in Tucson this week to put together several outreach opportunities centered around reaching students in the Vail, AZ area. Please pray especially for TJ as he gets to share in the open air in Tucson on New Year's Eve at a block party being put together by our team!

Updates hopefully coming on both of these teams this week!

Update from new Church Plant in Vail, AZ

Greetings from Sunny Vail, AZ!

Its another beautiful day in Southern AZ! The weather is optimal for me! Cool brisk days (upper 50's...low 60's) and crisp cold nights! When you go outside and look to the Northeast, you can see the snow which is now covering the top of Mt Lemmon....beautiful! God's creation shouts His praise here in the desert. Everywhere I look around I'm reminded of Psalm 65: 8, "They who dwell in the ends of the earth stand in awe of Your signs; You make the dawn and the sunset shout for joy."

The sad reality is that many in my city see the wonder and beauty in creation and worship the creation instead of the Creator to which it points. But God is good! And He is granting His favor to us. We continue to see lives changing for His glory. Last Sunday we had just around 90 in attendance at Grace Fellowship...many of which were brand new faces...we continue to see new people every Sunday....its very exciting!

We will be hosting our second "Discovering Grace" class this Sunday for prospective members. Please pray the God would grant direction in the lives of many who are contemplating and praying about making Grace Fellowship their home.

I have to share w/ you what God is doing in J.T.'s life and ministry through Grace Fellowship. As most of you know, Jonathan Taylor (J.T.) has joined us as our worship leader. He is also involved in working with our youth. The Lord has opened a door for J.T. to volunteer coach Freshman Basketball at Cienega H.S., where I coach Freshman football. The other day, they had to travel two hours to Phoenix for a game. After the Freshman game, while watching the varsity, J.T. was looking through some of his discipleship material. A player on the Jr. Varsity was sitting nearby and began to inquire.....Long story short - J.T. had the chance to share the gospel, not only w/ that student, but, with many sitting around listening. There was a group of people in the stands totally oblivious to the game going on - they were honed in on J.T. The following day, upon the request of the player J.T. witnessed to, J.T. gave a Bible, a copy of the Passion Of Christ, and some other materials for the student to read. I believe that God is starting something among the b'ball team...they are beginning to see something in J.T....wouldn't it be awesome to see a move of God happen in Vail that begins in the local public school? Please pray for this b'ball player who is really eager to hear more about Jesus!

Speaking of J.T., we are rejoicing w/ J.T. who today received in the mail from an anonymous friend a brand new lap top computer. It was a real need and it is so cool to watch God do His thing! Whoever you are...if you get this...Thank You!

God is good! He is worthy to be praised! Please pray for the hearts of the people of Tucson/Vail, AZ, that there may be more praise given to His name here!

Blessings,

Steve Chamblee

http://www.gracefellowshipaz.org/