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CB Northwest NEWSLETTER

Lafayette Community Soon to Open Doors

Dwane Shockley
Executive Director, CB Northwest E-mail: dwanes@cbnw.org

In 1998 church extension personnel began praying that our churches would catch the vision to plant churches, whether on their own, as a joint venture with another CB church or in a partnership with CBNW church extension.
God answered last January, as Prairie City launched Cornerstone Christian Fellowship in John Day. They began public services on Mother’s Day. They are progressing well with several conver- sions, baptisms and spiritual victories. In August, Bethel, McMinnville and FBC, Newberg jointly sponsored The Gathering in Sherwood. This church is growing a “Core Group” and plans to go public Easter Sunday. Three Tree Community in Seattle, begun in November 1991, is helping launch New Direction Christian Fel- lowship in West Seattle, their second Puget Sound church plant in five years.
Bethel Baptist now takes a second step as they launch Lafayette Community Church two miles north of McMinnville. The exciting story adds another chapter in the life of Bethel Baptist, McMinnville and CBNW as we enter a new venture in church planting.
Jim Peterson writes: I have served the Lord on staff at Bethel Baptist in McMinnville for the past ten years. In the past 8 months my wife and I have organized and administered as more than 230 of our church mem- bers have gone through the Experiencing God Bible study. Through this study we have been encouraged as a church to expand our outreach by planting churches.
As we thought over these things and questioned God’s will for our lives, Pastor Marshall was approached and presented us with an idea that set our lives on a course of personally experiencing God, His abilities and grace. He asked what we thought of starting a church in Lafayette as a ministry of Bethel. Sally and I drove through Lafayette praying for the Lord’s direction. We saw the growth and young families and couldn’t help but get excited about the possibilities. Lafayette is a community of over 2,145, has only one church and is the fastest growing town in Yamhill County.
There are too many blessings to count. As we’ve moved ahead, the doors have begun opening so rapidly, we can’t keep up. A Bible study for new Christians, and a men’s study in a local cafe have started. The City Coun- cil has offered a community center as a meeting place with our first service on Easter Sunday, beginning with breakfast offered to the whole town.
God has orchestrated the planning for this new church with Jim & Sally Peterson being part of the plan along with Bethel Baptist. They covet the prayers of the CBNW family. Let’s join Jim and Sally Peterson as they “catch the flight,”
launching Lafayette Community Church on Easter Sunday.

from day one we grew..