This past year we have continued living out our rhythms of communion (oneness), community (togetherness), and mission (otherness) as a group of missionaries doing our best to live out the Kingdom on a daily basis and learn explore what “church” can look like in our context. I recently shared at a vision dessert in our home that sometimes I think of what we are doing in Santa Cruz as our own Research and Development department of the church.
For myself this year in ministry has been marked by mentorship and coaching. In addition to some great mentors that God has brought into my like who are like-minded and able to help Rachel and I process are faith journey, I have been able to spend most of the year receiving one on one coaching from Matt Smay, co-author of Tangible Kingdom. It has been invaluable being able to hear more about the beginnings of their community, study some materials to help guide our story, and get some direction from Matt to continue propelling us forward.
This past year we have had numerous exciting and faith filled experiences:
- Helping revitalize a historic cemetery at a downtown park
- Eater brunch and egg hunt at the Boys & Girls club
- Multiple potlucks throughout Santa Cruz County
- Volunteering to help pull weeds at a local state park
- Encouraging each other in our faith and praying for one another
- Painting a 1917 Steam Engine for the city at that same downtown park
- Various conversations about Jesus with friends and neighbors
- A vision dessert, inviting in some more local partners in finances and mission
- Guys and girls meeting together for spiritual formation
We want to say thank you SO much for partnering with us and being a part of God’s mission here in Santa Cruz.
God has continued to astound us with his faithfulness and direction. Â He is constantly teaching us and changing our paradigms for what ministry looks like and how he is building this particular expression of faith.
Having spent a lot of time in the last couple years learning to be on mission and investing in the lives of those around us, I sense we’re moving into a season of building the structure of the ministry in the coming year. Â We are excited to see what that looks like as we launch into 2013 with dreams of how we can join God in the work He is already doing in Santa Cruz. Â Thanks again for being a part of making it all possible and we can’t wait to take you on the journey with us even more in 2013.
God Bless.
Bobby Marchessault and Missio Dei Community