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FRAN’SCORNERBEING AMOM OFTWOCHILDRENAND ALSO ASTAY ATHOME MOMHAS GIVENME MORECHANCES TO GET TOKNOW OTHER MOMS ANDI’M STARTING TO FEELCONNECTED WITHFAMILIES IN OURNEIGHBORHOOD. ANEXAMPLE OF THIS IS ONTHURSDAY NIGHTS ATTHE FARMERS MARKET.THIS IS ONE OF MYFAVORITE TIMES OF THEWEEK. WE GO DOWN TOTHE PARK TO PLAY ANDSEE ANYWHERE FROM3-10 FAMILIES FOR ACOUPLE OF HOURS. OURCHILDREN PLAYTOGETHER AND PARENTSGET TO TALK. IT IS AGOOD TIME OF SHARINGWHAT IS HAPPENINGAND FOR DEVELOPINGRELATIONSHIPS. THESERELATIONSHIPS ARESTARTING TO BE MORETHAN JUST SURFACELEVEL, AND WE AREBEGINNING TO BEINVITED TO MORE ANDMORE THINGS. WE HAVEWORKED OUR WAY INTO AGREAT GROUP OFFAMILIES.The Fall MenuMomentum is continuing to build here in Providence. Our Bible Study now has sevenregular participants, with several others who come in and out a bit. Anna has moved into thecity and is already doing well meeting new people. We should have another family with usaround the holidays, moving from elsewhere. In January we plan on running another AlphaCourse, which should lead to expansion of our core.Part of this growth process is diversifying the things that The Feast does. Thus far we havetried to be focused on a few things that we do really well. Our focus has been mostly on theinformal work of relationship building, not the formal events of a church. This is becomingless the case. This fall we have a slate of events all meant to diversify and expand what TheFeast does and looks like.When we talk about the pathways to discipleship at The Feast, we talk about it as a menu.Each course is part of a balanced spiritual meal. Our courses are, REFRESH-service andblessing the community, TASTE-outreach events, like Alpha Course, NOURISH-Bible Study,SAVOR-worship. We have events in each of these categories happening at least once this fall.Please be prayerful as we go about these new things. Pray that we will see new peoplebecome involved as we broaden the entry points to the community. Also pray that theincreased commitments that we are asking our people for help them to become betterdisciples, not encourage them to pull back. Finally, pray for us as we are changing the natureand pace of life we are growing into.SermonsAvailableFrom time to time Caleb preaches at theBlackstone Valley CofC. Generally he tries todo so with some thought toward preaching notjust to believers, but also speaking to thoselacking belief. If you ever want to hear one ofhis sermons, you can click here. Put “Caleb”into the search field and it will pull up all theavailable sermons from Caleb.Mid-South TourThe end of <strong>September</strong> and beginning ofOctober we will be traveling between Nashvilleand Searcy. We have already packed theschedule with many good things. If you are inthose areas and would like to see us, feel freeto drop us a note. Here are the more publicvenues we will be in:Sept. 29-Attending worship at the Church ofChrist at White Station in Memphis, TN.Oct. 1-Caleb giving a keynote lecture atHarding University Bible Lectureships inSearcy, AR.Oct. 2-Caleb speaking at CCSC in Russellville,AR.Oct. 6-Caleb preaching at the HermitageChurch of Christ in Nashville, TNAnna’s HereCaleb’s sister has arrived in Providence!We introduced you to Anna a newsletter ortwo ago (you can check the archives if youmissed it). For Anna, her journey with TheFeast is about growing in ministrycompetence and experience. She does nothave definite plans for the future, but likelywill be here at least until we launch worshipservices. Anna has found a great littleapartment in the heart of downtown. She isalso virtually living on the campuses ofBrown University and RISD. Already Annahas been doing a wonderful job connectingwith new people and sharing vision for TheFeast. Pray for Anna as she continues tosettle into a new job and apartment. Alsopray that many of the conversations she ishaving will result in people coming to knowChrist through The Feast.
A THEOLOGICAL THOUGHT FROM CALEBGOD THE SHEPHERD“11 For this is what the SovereignLord says: I myself will search formy sheep and look after them. 12 Asa shepherd looks after his scatteredflock when he is with them, so will Ilook after my sheep. I will rescuethem from all the places where theywere scattered on a day of cloudsand darkness. 13 I will bring themout from the nations and gatherthem from the countries, and I willbring them into their own land. I willpasture them on the mountains ofIsrael, in the ravines and in all thesettlements in the land. 14 I willtend them in a good pasture, and themountain heights of Israel will betheir grazing land. There they willlie down in good grazing land, andthere they will feed in a rich pastureon the mountains of Israel. 15 Imyself will tend my sheep and havethem lie down, declares theSovereign Lord. 16 I will search forthe lost and bring back the strays. Iwill bind up the injured andstrengthen the weak, but the sleekand the strong I will destroy. I willshepherd the flock with justice.”Ezekiel 34:11-16.TRANSITIONSPart of planting a church is tolisten carefully to the Lord. WhereTO CONTACT CALEB AND FRANE-mail: cab647@gmail.com fwborchers@gmail.comPhone: 248-736-7750 248-736-8442Address: 139 Chapin Ave. Providence, RI 20909Twitter: www.twitter.com/franandcalebis God trying to take us? What doesthat look like for our ministry?What do we need to change or shift?Our obvious priority so far hasbeen evangelism. We consume muchof our time with new people anddeepening relationship withunchurched people. But as a smallcore has formed, we have seen Godcall us into more intense pastoralwork, far earlier than we expected.This shift has happened in a coupleof ways. First, my sister Anna hasmoved into town. While Anna doesvery well on her own, there arefrequent times where we can giveher help navigating something new,or debriefing with her aboutexperiences that she has had.Second, the members of our BibleStudy are becoming a bit more openabout their personal struggles. Weare being let into parts of people’slives that are personal. Third, as webuild toward teammates movingfrom other places we have somepastoral responsibilities to prayingfor them in their transitions.As I said, all of this has come a bitunexpectedly. It is an awkwardsituation in some ways. When youare bringing new people to the tableof God you end up having so manydifferent hats. You start merely as afriend, a peer. As that friendshipgrows and you share the Gospel youslowly become a teacher. When thetrust in the relationship deepensyou then become something of apastor. When you first met thatperson, had you said, “I want to besomeone who knows about yoursecrets and difficulties and gives youGodly consul sometime in the next2-5 years” they would have flippedout. But that is the reality of whatwill happen if all goes well. It is aconstant balance to provide peoplewhat they need, but also to not forcea relationship that is not there yet. Ithink the lack of formality in theearly days of a church plant makesthis all the more difficult.HOW WILL WE PASTOR?In an effort to “do Bible things inBible ways using Bible words”churches of Christ have refrainedfrom using the title Pastor for ourpreachers. I appreciate thatdistinction, and don’t ever introducemyself as a pastor. I don’t think itwould be wrong, but I also just feelweird with that title. Regardless ofthe words we use, we all know thatpreachers do pastoral work. Paul,even when he writes as anevangelist, obviously is leading aflock. We expect that the people wehire in ministry roles will bepastorally guiding the congregation.So the question for Fran and I is“How will we pastor?” How do wegrow into this new, awesomeresponsibility? Certainly pastoralwarmth is not my personal strongsuit. Ezekiel seems to be a goodstarting point. You recognize thatsome people are blind to certaindangers and need help protectingthemselves from them. You givethem good food to eat. You putemphasis on those hurting. MayGod help all of us called to leadingothers to shepherd as he does.BORCHERS BULLETINIssue 5Volume 4If you would like to send financial support please:Go to https://kairoschurchplanting.secure.force.com/onlinegiftChoose a donation amount.Choose whether or not you want this to be arecurring donation.Select “Providence Church-Caleb Borchers”
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September

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