Well it has finally happened we have internet. It turns our that At&t internet was down for the entire area but now I feel like I can breath again. Hello internet friends!
Now that we are officially on the field I will more more forthcoming with information because it does not pertain to further fund raising.
Well last night we finally met all of our neighbors and we are the only ones on our street with small children but of all ten of them we have only met one Christian family. So please pray that we can continue to grow the relationships that we have started and see them all come to know Jesus or at least begin that journey.
Today was a great day. I got up and an extremely early hour to go and pray at the offices of a church here in town. The church is six years old and was planted by the current pastor who also showed up in town with a couple names and a young family. At the prayer meeting was a group of people that are involved in homeless ministry. I sat and listened, praying with them and was struck by their heart for the broken. Afterward I had coffee with the pastor and he shared their journey and the process he used for gathering people. He was very kind and encouraging and if interested in allowing us to team up with them in some of the homeless outreach that they do. I am so thankful that God has placed so many interesting people in our path.
Pray that we are able to reach people for Christ and start building our launch team!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
January 2009 Rhodes Family Church Planting Update
Dear Family and Friends,
GOD DID IT! We have reached our first fundraising goal and moved to
We came up for a day with a list of properties to view and a battle plan. After viewing all the properties and not feeling they would work for us, we stopped and prayed. We not only prayed for a house, but also for the people in
We have been here for a week now and are settled and starting to make connections in the community. We have met a few of our neighbors and are planning to introduce ourselves to everyone on our street. The people two doors down are a wonderful Christian couple who invited us in and have already offered to help us in any way they can. They even have a pool that they have offered to the kids during summer!! They have a church home and we don’t want to take them from that, but it is so nice to have people so close who love God!
Now that we are on the field we really need your prayers! We have a tremendous task ahead of us that we can only do with God’s guidance. We also need you to continue to be faithful in sending in your support. Our financial stability is dependent upon those that have supported us to be faithful in sending in that check every month. If you have not yet started sending us the support you have pledged please start now!
Even though we have reached our first goal the fundraising is not over. After the first year the support we get from Sunergeo decreases by half so we will continue to need the support of those around us. If you have not yet committed to support us and would like to you may do so at www.sunergeo.org/donate. If you have already pledged support to us and would like to sign up for automated debits you may also do so at www.sunergeo.org/donate. We encourage you to do this so that you don’t have to have the pressure of remembering to send a check every month.
We love you all and are so thankful for your faithful prayer and support. We would never have made it to
Blessings!
Jeremy and Elizabeth Rhodes
Monday, January 26, 2009
in Chico
We are in Chico officially church planting. There are more specifics to come.
I write this from a Starbucks hoping that my Internet at home will work soon so that we can get the newsletter out. Sorry for the lack of updates.
We moved here on January 17th and spent all last week unpacking.
We are now ready to rock and roll.
I write this from a Starbucks hoping that my Internet at home will work soon so that we can get the newsletter out. Sorry for the lack of updates.
We moved here on January 17th and spent all last week unpacking.
We are now ready to rock and roll.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Rhodes Family December 2008 Update
Dear Family and Friends,
What a year it has been!! As we come to the close of 2008 we look back and see how much our lives have changed. We began the year in Lodi, CA where Jeremy was on staff full time at Calvary Bible Church. We are now ending the year in Fremont, CA awaiting our next adventure of Church Planting in Chico, CA. It has been a very challenging year for us, but we are glad to say we have come out of it stronger and better than when we went in.
For those of you who don't know, after leaving Calvary Bible Church we decided to begin the adventure of church planting. After going to an assessment center in Wisconsin in July we were approved to plant a church with Converge PacWest. We are very excited to partner with this organization. They are extremely supportive and we are blessed to have found them. For the last several months we have been raising our support so that we can get to Chico and start! We are only $132 short of our monthly goal and biting at the bit to get going! We are hoping to be in Chico by the middle of January.
Elizabeth has been working the past several months at her parents medical practice, while Jeremy has been staying at home with the kids and planning for our future church. We have both learned so much through this experience. Jeremy has been able to walk in Elizabeth's shoes for the last few months and Elizabeth has been able to see how much she loves staying with the kids. We are both anticipating going back to their previous roles, but wouldn't take this time back for anything. God has taught us both so much and we have a better appreciation for each other!
Gabriella turned three at the beginning of this year. She has been a joy (and a frustration at times). She is very smart and compassionate. She loves to sing and dance and play with her baby brother. She is a very good big sister and loves to play mommy with Josiah. Although they do fight her compassionate nature always wins out.
Josiah just turned two at the beginning of this month. He is definitely a boys boy. He loves to growl and pretend to be all sorts of animals. His favorite is an elephant, and he does a great impression of one. He is very independent and can entertain himself very well. He loves to get into things that he shouldn't, but what two year old boy doesn't. He is also very sweet natured and loveable.
We hope this Christmas is filled with much joy and celebration for you all. Hopefully you will be spending wonderful time with family and remembering the birth of our Savior. We are so blessed to have you all in our lives and couldn't do any of this without your prayer and support. If you have pledged support to us, please send in your December support. If you have not and would like to help push us past that goal you may do so at www.sunergeo.com/donate.
Blessings!
Email: pastor.jdr@gmail.com
Amount Left to Raise: $132/ month
What a year it has been!! As we come to the close of 2008 we look back and see how much our lives have changed. We began the year in Lodi, CA where Jeremy was on staff full time at Calvary Bible Church. We are now ending the year in Fremont, CA awaiting our next adventure of Church Planting in Chico, CA. It has been a very challenging year for us, but we are glad to say we have come out of it stronger and better than when we went in.
For those of you who don't know, after leaving Calvary Bible Church we decided to begin the adventure of church planting. After going to an assessment center in Wisconsin in July we were approved to plant a church with Converge PacWest. We are very excited to partner with this organization. They are extremely supportive and we are blessed to have found them. For the last several months we have been raising our support so that we can get to Chico and start! We are only $132 short of our monthly goal and biting at the bit to get going! We are hoping to be in Chico by the middle of January.
Elizabeth has been working the past several months at her parents medical practice, while Jeremy has been staying at home with the kids and planning for our future church. We have both learned so much through this experience. Jeremy has been able to walk in Elizabeth's shoes for the last few months and Elizabeth has been able to see how much she loves staying with the kids. We are both anticipating going back to their previous roles, but wouldn't take this time back for anything. God has taught us both so much and we have a better appreciation for each other!
Gabriella turned three at the beginning of this year. She has been a joy (and a frustration at times). She is very smart and compassionate. She loves to sing and dance and play with her baby brother. She is a very good big sister and loves to play mommy with Josiah. Although they do fight her compassionate nature always wins out.
Josiah just turned two at the beginning of this month. He is definitely a boys boy. He loves to growl and pretend to be all sorts of animals. His favorite is an elephant, and he does a great impression of one. He is very independent and can entertain himself very well. He loves to get into things that he shouldn't, but what two year old boy doesn't. He is also very sweet natured and loveable.
We hope this Christmas is filled with much joy and celebration for you all. Hopefully you will be spending wonderful time with family and remembering the birth of our Savior. We are so blessed to have you all in our lives and couldn't do any of this without your prayer and support. If you have pledged support to us, please send in your December support. If you have not and would like to help push us past that goal you may do so at www.sunergeo.com/donate.
Blessings!
Email: pastor.jdr@gmail.com
Amount Left to Raise: $132/ month
Thursday, November 20, 2008
November 2008 Update
Dear Family and Friends,
We are so close we can almost taste it!! As we enter into this season of Thanksgiving, we have so much to be thankful for. First and foremost we are so thankful for you! Without you we would not be where we are today. We have raised 75% of what we need because of your faithfulness and trust in God. Our partnership has only just begun and we are so excited to see where it is going to go.
We are also so thankful for our family. We have been able to leave Lodi and save money by living with Elizabeth’s parents and we are so blessed. We are thankful that God has sustained us during one of the most challenging times in our life! Our children are thriving and healthy! We haven’t seen a cold yet this year and are so thankful for that. Obviously as we come into this Thanksgiving we won’t have a hard time being thankful. Do you sense a theme?
With that we as always have prayer requests. We are praying that we will be able to move to Chico sometime in January. We need prayer that we will be able to find a house we can rent that we can afford that has the amenities that we need so that we won’t have to make any extra purchases. We are looking for a house instead of an apartment because we will begin meeting in our home with our launch team. We also pray that we will be prepared for what is ahead. We know that we have many challenges ahead of us. This church plant isn’t going to be easy and we need perseverance and courage to allow God to use us.
Thank you all. We appreciate you so much. If you have committed support to us please send in your monthly support for November. Remember you can set up automatic bill pay online at www.sunergeo.com/donate . If you have not yet committed to support us financially and have felt God telling you to do so now is as good a time as any. We know that many people think if they can’t give a large amount it won’t make a difference, but it will make a huge difference to us. We as always appreciate all of your faithful prayers. We hope you have a wonderful time to reflect on all that you are thankful to God for.
Blessings,
Jeremy and Elizabeth Rhodes
Email: pastor.jdr@gmail.com
Total amount to Raise: $2300 /month
Amount Left to Raise: $565/
We are so close we can almost taste it!! As we enter into this season of Thanksgiving, we have so much to be thankful for. First and foremost we are so thankful for you! Without you we would not be where we are today. We have raised 75% of what we need because of your faithfulness and trust in God. Our partnership has only just begun and we are so excited to see where it is going to go.
We are also so thankful for our family. We have been able to leave Lodi and save money by living with Elizabeth’s parents and we are so blessed. We are thankful that God has sustained us during one of the most challenging times in our life! Our children are thriving and healthy! We haven’t seen a cold yet this year and are so thankful for that. Obviously as we come into this Thanksgiving we won’t have a hard time being thankful. Do you sense a theme?
With that we as always have prayer requests. We are praying that we will be able to move to Chico sometime in January. We need prayer that we will be able to find a house we can rent that we can afford that has the amenities that we need so that we won’t have to make any extra purchases. We are looking for a house instead of an apartment because we will begin meeting in our home with our launch team. We also pray that we will be prepared for what is ahead. We know that we have many challenges ahead of us. This church plant isn’t going to be easy and we need perseverance and courage to allow God to use us.
Thank you all. We appreciate you so much. If you have committed support to us please send in your monthly support for November. Remember you can set up automatic bill pay online at www.sunergeo.com/donate . If you have not yet committed to support us financially and have felt God telling you to do so now is as good a time as any. We know that many people think if they can’t give a large amount it won’t make a difference, but it will make a huge difference to us. We as always appreciate all of your faithful prayers. We hope you have a wonderful time to reflect on all that you are thankful to God for.
Blessings,
Jeremy and Elizabeth Rhodes
Email: pastor.jdr@gmail.com
Total amount to Raise: $2300 /month
Amount Left to Raise: $565/
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Nehemiah
Like most Biblical words this one sounds like a virus or disorder. "Oh he has Nehemiah, oh man his family must be devastated."
But this post has nothing to do with entomology, but rather a revelation that came to me in reading Nehemiah chapter 9.
Chapter 9 deals with Israel confessing their sin and reviewing all that God has done for them, a quick history if you will. While I was reading this it hit me like a ton of bricks,a revelation of sorts that has put my life in perspective.
You see we can read the Bible and say "what is with the Israelites? God has given them so much why can't they see it?" We can be stunned by the way that their current situation has made them forget how God has acted in the past. In my moment of revelation I saw myself in their shoes. You see I have been so consumed by the remaining amount of support that we needed I could not see the support that God had already provided. I have found myself so obsessed with the remaining amount of support that I could not be truly thankful to God for what he has already done.
So How does this change your life? Easy, one word, joy. I am so happy and encouraged because I can look back over the past few months and see God's fingerprints everywhere. It also helps that we got a big chunk of support today. Thank you to everyone who has given support. It has meant so much. I remember you in my prayers as I look forward to the our next phase of ministry together. We are getting closer!
But this post has nothing to do with entomology, but rather a revelation that came to me in reading Nehemiah chapter 9.
Chapter 9 deals with Israel confessing their sin and reviewing all that God has done for them, a quick history if you will. While I was reading this it hit me like a ton of bricks,a revelation of sorts that has put my life in perspective.
You see we can read the Bible and say "what is with the Israelites? God has given them so much why can't they see it?" We can be stunned by the way that their current situation has made them forget how God has acted in the past. In my moment of revelation I saw myself in their shoes. You see I have been so consumed by the remaining amount of support that we needed I could not see the support that God had already provided. I have found myself so obsessed with the remaining amount of support that I could not be truly thankful to God for what he has already done.
So How does this change your life? Easy, one word, joy. I am so happy and encouraged because I can look back over the past few months and see God's fingerprints everywhere. It also helps that we got a big chunk of support today. Thank you to everyone who has given support. It has meant so much. I remember you in my prayers as I look forward to the our next phase of ministry together. We are getting closer!
Monday, November 10, 2008
what is next?
So we find ourselves coming upon the holiday season still waiting on the funds to come in so we can move. We are getting closer with each new supporter but the anticipation is getting to me and it reminds me of Christmas.
Remember back when you were a kid... I will wait go ahead... I will not type when you are not looking go ahead. Are you there? OK, remember Christmas time. Counting down the days until Christmas break, the anticipation is a mix of materialism and freedom. You know in days you can stop being good because Santa does not watching you on December 26th he is recuperating. But more than that, you know that on December 25th all of your greatest wishes will be met in a frenzy of wrapping paper and toys. And oh the gift of the days off afterward to spend time with those new gifts. Ah Christmas so much better than summer or any other time of the year! It is the greatest time of the year.(pause for the song to start ringing in your ears)
Doesn't that paint a great picture? This unifying experience brings me to my point. Remember all those feelings? Are they flooding back to you?
That is how I look forward to church planting, I am filled with excitement like a kid looking forward to Christmas. It is not always obvious. I am a bit like a duck on a pond, the surface is calm but underneath those feet are churning a mile a minute or in this case my mind is moving with frenzy. To be honest I am a bit consumed, not with the process but with watching God work in people lives. I look forward to living the call that God has placed on my life... I look forward to God acting in the city of Chico CA... I look forward to what is next!
Remember back when you were a kid... I will wait go ahead... I will not type when you are not looking go ahead. Are you there? OK, remember Christmas time. Counting down the days until Christmas break, the anticipation is a mix of materialism and freedom. You know in days you can stop being good because Santa does not watching you on December 26th he is recuperating. But more than that, you know that on December 25th all of your greatest wishes will be met in a frenzy of wrapping paper and toys. And oh the gift of the days off afterward to spend time with those new gifts. Ah Christmas so much better than summer or any other time of the year! It is the greatest time of the year.(pause for the song to start ringing in your ears)
Doesn't that paint a great picture? This unifying experience brings me to my point. Remember all those feelings? Are they flooding back to you?
That is how I look forward to church planting, I am filled with excitement like a kid looking forward to Christmas. It is not always obvious. I am a bit like a duck on a pond, the surface is calm but underneath those feet are churning a mile a minute or in this case my mind is moving with frenzy. To be honest I am a bit consumed, not with the process but with watching God work in people lives. I look forward to living the call that God has placed on my life... I look forward to God acting in the city of Chico CA... I look forward to what is next!
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