Emergent Brethren

Over the last 8 weeks, since we officially launched Veritas back on September 13, there have been so many things that have been exciting. The launch day, people visiting, new people becoming part of Veritas, alot of interest from various places, and the freedom to pursue missional kingdom life in a new way. One of the upcoming things that has me super excited is our Advent series called Advent Conspiracy.

Last year at Hempfield COB, I wrote an article for their newsletter about Advent Conspiracy. I knew then that our first Advent as Veritas, the church plant, that we would undertake our own Advent Conspiracy. And now that Advent will be here in a few short weeks, we are working on various plans for how Veritas will live out its own Advent Conspiracy.

Some of the ways we are going to live it out include:

Worship Gatherings: Over the course of 4 weeks (November 29-December 20) we will be covering 4 themes. The four themes are Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More, Love All. Next week a few of us are getting together to plan our worship gatherings for those 4 sundays and I trust that this group will come up with awesome ideas to make our worship times interactive, experiential, visual, and meaningful.

Offering: The other week during our Leadership Team meeting our group decided that we will be giving 100% of our offerings for the 4 weeks to 2 different organizations: one local and one international. So each organization will receive 50% of our offerings from 4 weeks. The international ministry that we will be supporting is Living Water International (www.water.cc) and works on getting clean water for villages in third world countries. The local organization is still being decided but will either be Music For Everyone or possibly The Gathering Place, a local HIV/AIDS ministry in downtown Lancaster.

Interview: Just yesterday I received an e-mail from a reporter from CNN wanting to talk with me about Advent Conspiracy and what we as a church plant will be doing during those 4 weeks. I’m not sure where she got my information, but I am super-excited to talk with her about Veritas and our Advent Conspiracy plans. I called her this morning, and am waiting a return call. So if something happens with an article on CNN.com, I will post it here for all to read.

Anyway, may we all live out the Conspiracy to take Advent/Christmas back from the consumer holiday it has become and put it back to focusing on the infant King Jesus, who says, “Why do you go into debt to celebrate my birthday?”

I’m so excited about what God is and has been doing in and through Veritas the last few weeks. He has done exceedingly more than we can even dream or hope. I feel so blessed to be able to be involved in this new adventure in faith, mission, service, and worship. Here are some of the things that have me excited…

1. This past Sunday we had an amazing turn-out. Now we aren’t all about numbers…but it is awesome to see people coming and having interest. We had 41 people there and when you subtract a friend who brought her small church (I think there were 7 there), and 2 “friends” of Veritas….you get 32 people (including kids). Some of the 32 have been there all 3 weeks, some for 2 weeks, and about 8-10 visited for the first time this past Sunday. Two of the ones who have been there all 3 weeks are F&M college students and they are amazing. I met the one for lunch on Thursday and had a great conversation and I am meeting the other one tonight for coffee (and probably dinner for her). Another who has been there every week is an amazing artist, poet, and overall great person who gets what we are all about and probably travels 30 minutes or so to be with us each week.

2. The visitors who came on Sunday is another reason that I am excited. A couple came with their two children. The father is a friend from years back and is a drummer. He spied the Djembe sitting up front and asked if anyone was playing it… I said I normally did but he would be more than welcome. So he got up and played Djembe during the 1st musical worship set. They have been looking for a missional church to be involved with, and will be returning this Sunday. Another couple came because of our presence at Purple Door. This couple blew me away (the wife’s name is Trinity…instant connection). He is ex-Amish (which is a story I would love to hear) and she is an amazing artist. We have connected via Facebook and it looks like they will join us this coming Sunday.

3. Last evening we had our second worship planning session with 4 of us there. The ideas were flowing last night around our next series entitled “We have questions, do did they”. The thoughts, ideas, and comments that flew around the table last night was amazing. The synergy was evident and electric. I’m excited about the next sermon series.

4. This Sunday is Service Sunday where we go out into the community to seek to be a blessing. At this point we plan to walk through Marietta and pick up trash in various places (streets, parks, etc..) I will be calling the borough office tomorrow to see if there is anything we could do for them.

Anyway I am so excited about what is going on and the future of Veritas. And that’s why I had to write this because I am excited and I just can’t hide it….

Ryan Braught is a church planter who’s put many posts on this website. The church that he is planting, Veritas, is holding its first regular worship service this Sunday!

Here’s what Ryan wrote a few days ago for prayer requests:

1. Launch Sunday: Pray that God would be drawing people to come to the Launch Sunday. Pray that all the various details that need to be done this week will get done. Pray that everything would come together and that Sunday morning at 10:45 AM would be an amazing experience. Pray for those who come who are “true prospects” that they would feel welcomed, loved, and experience God and that they would want to return.

This week is exciting and there is a lot to do (write a sermon, get a bunch of stuff, set up, finish painting the Veritots room, etc… Pray that I won’t be so busy that I forget to stop and pray and seek God’s guidance.

If you’re not on Ryan’s prayer list, I would invite you to join with many who are praying for these requests. Let’s pray for God to do a mighty work through Ryan and the people that God has called to partner with Ryan in this effort!

Blessings to you all,
Jeff Glass

For those not on my Veritas prayer list, I thought I would take this space to share some prayer requests with the Emergent Brethren community (btw…have a great time at Annual Conference….have some great conversation at the Emergent discussion…wish I could join it). If you want to be on the Veritas prayer list…please drop me a note.

1. Purple Door Arts and Music Festival: Every August at Ski Roundtop a great music festival is held that brings the best alternative music, great speakers, and art in all forms. The Purple Door Arts and Music Festival takes place August 14-15. We thought it would be a great place to promote Veritas. So we sent out a registration form and a deposit for a booth, and this weekend heard that we were accepted. So Praise God. We’ll have a booth where we’ll be giving out literature about Veritas, a CD with original music from various people within our Community, Coffee Mugs, chocolate, and other random stuff. Pray that God would bring people by the booth, that we would have great conversation with people, and that many will check out the booth, and Veritas as well. Praise God for the opportunity to be involved at Purple Door.

2. English Presbyterian Church: It is now official. We will be officially meeting at English Presbyterian Church in Marietta for our Sunday gatherings (10:45-12:45) starting on September 13. Pray that this relationship would be a blessing to both parties involved, that we can bless English Pres by our presence, and that God would be honored/glorified by this arrangement. Praise that this part of the details in planting Veritas is officially done.

3. Core Group Development: We have been having lots of people over for dinner and dessert the last few weeks…and its been fun…my wife is an amazing woman. Anyway….we had a great meeting with Chris and Carmella Tress and look forward to having them check out our Core Group sometime in the near future. Also on Saturday we met with Tobias and Amanda and will be looking forward to having them check out our Core Group this coming week. I am excited about these two couples and what God is doing in their lives, and what they can offer to Veritas and the Kingdom. Pray that they would connect with others in our community and that they would feel God’s call to join Veritas. Pray for our Core Group nights on Sunday nights as we worship, pray, study, and share together.

4. Finances: Our Finances are coming together slowly but surely. This weekend Lampeter COB sent a check for Veritas..so praise God for that. We are also going to be sending out support letters in the very near future. Pray that God would take care of the finances that we need, that the letters would be well received, and that God would bless those who receive the letters. Pray for wisdom and discernment when it comes to finances.

5. Job: Continue to pray for me as I seek to find a part-time job (I really haven’t done any looking but will be in July). Pray that I would find one that would connect with what I am doing with Veritas. Pray for a flexible job. I truly believe that we can make it work by being part-time Church Planter/part time other. (Instead of part time planter/full time other…which is good). Pray that God would guide me to the right one.

6. Missional Opportunities: Pray for us as we work on some outreach events including a FREE Car Wash (Saturday’s was a wash out…God washed everyones cars…) and a Block Party on August 29. Pray that we can connect with people, share the love of Jesus in real and practical ways, and pray that we can also share a little bit about the mission, vision, and dreams of Veritas.

Thanks so much for your prayers and friendship..they mean the world to me….

Things seem to moving forward with Veritas as we work towards our September 13 launch. Here are a few exciting things that we are experiencing right now.

1. We have signed a lease for one year with English Presbyterian Church in Marietta for only 400 dollars a month. I believe this will be an amazing partnership with English as we begin and develop and grow. I still feel that in the future we would love to inhabit a place where we can develop a third space (whether business or not..I’m not sure…) much like a previous post.

2. We are having many conversations with people about joining our Core Group. I had a meeting on Monday night with a great couple that we connected with through setting up a time to go visit a church in Bucks County called The Well. I also have a dinner with a couple on Saturday night.

3. The Pastor of the Well also let us know of someone else in Lancaster county who was part of the Well and is now in Lancaster county…we’ll see where that leads.

4. Finances are slowly coming together…to a point that I think we can make a go at this on a part-time level, and I won’t need to work full-time and work on the church plant as well.

5. Saturday morning we are doing a FREE Car Wash to bless the community.

6. Monday night we are having dinner with Jonny and Jenny Baker from Grace in the UK while they are here teaching at Lancaster Theological Seminary. I met Jonny when he was here 2 years ago, and then again when I went over to London 2 years ago. I am looking forward to that.

7. Visiting the Well on July 5 and looking forward to the experience and talking with the Pastor.

All in all I am really excited about the journey that we are on, and what God will do in the future in and through us. That doesn’t mean I don’t get nervous, scared and worried at times, but I do know that God is in control and he will take care of us.