29 April 2010
Blessings, beloved friends and family of Echo Christian Fellowship! Most of you know about our building project here in Lake Orion. It’s been a long road, with more miles to go, but we’ve finally come to a place where we must ask for help! Read on to see how His story is unfolding…
It started with an unseasonably warm day in January or February of 2009, when melted snow got trapped and caused some damage to the walls. As we began repairs we found… eww, bats!!! We didn’t mind them so much as their, uh, way of tithing :-/ We were going to try to clean out the guano ourselves, but wisdom prevailed and we looked into having the job done professionally. The cost? MUCH more than we could come up with! So now what? We told the Lord, “If You want us to have a building, You’re going to have to do something!”
Well, as it turns out, our insurance policy covers bat removal! Go figure!
Blessings, beloved friends and family of Echo Christian Fellowship! Most of you know about our building project here in Lake Orion. It’s been a long road, with more miles to go, but we’ve finally come to a place where we must ask for help! Read on to see how His story is unfolding…
It started with an unseasonably warm day in January or February of 2009, when melted snow got trapped and caused some damage to the walls. As we began repairs we found… eww, bats!!! We didn’t mind them so much as their, uh, way of tithing :-/ We were going to try to clean out the guano ourselves, but wisdom prevailed and we looked into having the job done professionally. The cost? MUCH more than we could come up with! So now what? We told the Lord, “If You want us to have a building, You’re going to have to do something!”
Well, as it turns out, our insurance policy covers bat removal! Go figure!
So the bats were evicted and the sanctuary was cleaned, and with the water-damage claim we had enough for a desperately-needed roof! Tim Fix and his crew did a beautiful job!
But the project was far from over. With the ceiling exposed, we were able to see a number of broken trusses! Doh! Add to that the crazily leaning walls that had never been right since a roof collapse years ago… and the engineer from the insurance company just shook his head, saying, “Tear it down!”
Yikes!
When I heard that, though, something in me leapt for joy. There is something spiritually exciting about the idea of tearing down old walls to rebuild on a solid foundation, don’t you think? Amy King and I stayed up late that night at camp, all excited as He stirred in us the words of Isaiah the prophet:
"Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins;
You will raise up the age-old foundations;
And you will be called the repairer of the breach,
The restorer of the streets in which to dwell.” Is 58:12
Our response: “AWESOME!” So…”
Yikes!
When I heard that, though, something in me leapt for joy. There is something spiritually exciting about the idea of tearing down old walls to rebuild on a solid foundation, don’t you think? Amy King and I stayed up late that night at camp, all excited as He stirred in us the words of Isaiah the prophet:
"Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins;
You will raise up the age-old foundations;
And you will be called the repairer of the breach,
The restorer of the streets in which to dwell.” Is 58:12
Our response: “AWESOME!” So…”
THE WALLS CAME TUMBLING DOWN!”
We were all quite happy to see those old walls go down to make way for the new!
We even had Tim tear down the mold-factory, that scary old hallway and storage room between the two sides of the building.
Yay!!!
We even had Tim tear down the mold-factory, that scary old hallway and storage room between the two sides of the building.
Yay!!!
The new walls went up quickly, including new siding, additional windows, and a BEAUTIFUL new interior!
Jeff really likes the “echo” in the new room.
That was last fall … and here we are, more than six months later… still meeting in the fellowship hall!!
Huh?
Well, many of you know that as Tim was finishing up the work in the sanctuary, he discovered some issues in and under the floor… water damage, more mold, and oh look, broken-up asbestos tile, too! Oh my!
Apparently when the Spirit was whispering to us about foundations, He meant He wanted us to LITERALLY go down to the foundation, not just the floor! Well, OK, GOD! And so the work continues…
We believe this next phase is critical for us as a body, physically and spiritually. Many of you have prayed for us and encouraged us in the past. Now, more than ever, we ask you to cover us in prayer as the ground is exposed, and, spiritually, our fellowship is more vulnerable than it’s ever been.
And yes, we also need money! After paying for everything in the pictures above, our insurance company is covering nearly the entire floor project. They are not able to accept responsibility for all of the floor damage, so now, at long last, we are appealing to you for help for the remaining $5,000.
We do not plan to begin work until we have enough in the bank to cover the entire project. We feel strongly about not incurring any new debt, and we have been working hard to pay off our current debt. As we take this step of faith in asking for help, casting a net on “the other side of the boat,” we believe He will provide not only for the floor, but also for other areas that need attention. And guess what? Once funds are in the bank for the other projects, we can get nearly-free labor in 2011 from an Assemblies of God group called Mission America Placement Service (MAPS). Neat, huh?
There’s one more thing I’d like to share. Last summer, I was reading from the story of Elisha…
Then the men of the city said to Elisha, "Behold now, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad and the land is unfruitful." He said, "Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it." So they brought it to him. He went out to the spring of water and threw salt in it and said, "Thus says the LORD, 'I have purified (healed) these waters; there shall not be from there death or unfruitfulness any longer.'" So the waters have been purified to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.
2 Kings 2:19-22
My eyes were drawn to the words I’ve underlined above, and I heard Him speak into my heart: “The spiritual water of Lake Orion is bad, and My ministry here has not been as fruitful as I desire. I will pour out salt from new jars to heal these waters, and the land will bring forth much fruit.”
I believe Echo is to be one of these “new jars,” sharing in this pouring out. I also believe our natural “re-birth” in this location is a picture of the spiritual revival that He is getting ready to release here.
The journey continues. Are you with us?
