A Time For Everything...Ends and Beginnings

Our little church home, Iglesia Emmanuel, has closed. We've waited to even type these words and openly communicate about this end. You see, our hearts were tender in the transition as any end comes with questions, grief and the need for time to process. 

Our family camped out in the truth from Ecclesiastes 3 - There is a time for everything; a time for death and a time for new life. We prayed with our dear friend, the pastor, from our small tribal church about closing the church doors. We cried with him, waited with him and ultimately agreed with him when the church life ended. 

As you can imagine we were a bit overwhelmed after 3 years serving with the members of Iglesia Emmanuel - to all of the sudden be searching for a new home. But man-oh-man did God show up in this journey! We visited new churches and shook new hands. We prayed together as a family and finally settled on our new church home, Kairos Baptist Church. 

Prayer time for our new pastor at Kairos

This decision was made for many reasons (i.e. our teen girlies had to sign off on our new home!) but ultimately our decision was made because of the church's slogan, "Somos una iglesia misionera." ("We are a missions church.") This may be a common statement in the US church but here in Ecuador the local church is just beginning to engage in missions and thinking outside of their chapel doors; seeing local needs and desiring to be the hands and feet of Christ. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to come alongside this church leadership in a servant leadership role - cheering them on, coaching, and being a faithful presence as they own their role more and more. What an encouragement.

We've also heard many times that the church's desires to build unity in the Body of Christ - to cooperate amongst churches and denominations. This, as you know, is a drum we beat often and look forward to the opportunity to be catalytic to see this desire lived out in day-to-day realities. 

Our little church - beautiful and simple

Leaving our little church - tin roof, wooden benches - and joining the Kairos family - electric guitar, projector, beautiful sanctuary (pictured above) - has been a major shift. But we march forward, hopeful and expectant because we know He who leads us is faithful to provide and work, in and through us, every step of the way.