Downtown Cornerstone Blog
Nov 30
2010

October & November Prayer Update

, Uncategorized | by Pastor Adam Sinnett

Just six months ago we gathered a small group together in a conference room in downtown Seattle to pray about planting a new church. The name was undecided, the values unarticulated, and the exact timeline unknown. Yet, the vision was clear: plant an urban Gospel-centered, Jesus-loving church in the city, for the city. There is little that has not changed since then. God has been gracious to us. These prayer updates are intended to recount God’s grace and invite others to support this new gospel work in prayer. You can read our last prayer update HERE. You can also receive email updates of new blog content by entering your email in the “Subscribe to Updates via Email” box in the right column.

Here are some snapshots of the last two months:

Growing Launch Community

Biblically, the church is a group of people, not a building or institution, who have been forgiven, redeemed, and adopted by God through Jesus Christ. Therefore, churches, though led by pastors, are planted by teams or communities of people who have experienced this true life in Christ. We call this initial community our “launch community”. Church planting is a bit like this video; the real momentum happens as more people follow Jesus’ lead in getting involved. Over the last two months we’ve seen the largest numerical growth in our launch community yet. We are literally holding a moving party every other week as people move into the city. It is very encouraging to see others step out with us, in faith, to see the gospel take root in the heart of Seattle.

First Two Preview Gatherings (Oct 24th & Nov 21st)

This fall we’re hosting three preview gatherings (10/24, 11/21, 12/19), two of which have already occurred. During these gatherings we’re unpacking a short series, The City of God, examining what it means to be a people, rescued by the grace of Jesus, who are sent to love, serve, and challenge this city. Our first two gatherings have gone well. We’ve learned a lot already. We’re leveraging these larger, public gatherings to cast vision, build our communities, continue fundraising and networking, and iron out production/logistic wrinkles. We have one more to go on December 19th and are tentatively planning on moving to a more traditional weekly gathering format on January 16th.

Pumpkin Patch, Bubble Tea, EMP, UGM, etc

Since we first started meeting we’ve had a two-fold strategy that consists of gathering on Sundays (for vision, prayer and worship) and connecting during/throughout the week (for community, mission, and service). It’s been an eventful fall from participating in First Thursday ArtWalks in Pioneer Square to happy hours to Bubble Tea in the International District to serving at the Union Gospel Mission (UGM) to visiting the Experience Music Project. These times help shape us as a newly forming community, while providing many opportunities to invite people in and get to know our city. Follow us here at the blog, under events, to find out what’s happening this week.

Monthly Prayer Meetings

God tells us in the Word that He answers prayer (Mt 6:8; Mt 21:22; Mk 11:24; Lk 11:9-13; James 4:2; 1 John 5:14-15). We believe Him. Prayer is not only an expression of faith, but a cultivator of faith. So, this fall we’ve added a monthly all-church prayer night to our regular rhythm of life together. We always devote significant portions of our time together to prayer. But, these evenings provide extended, focused time to pray for one another, our neighborhoods, and our city. These evenings have already become a vital component of our church planting “strategy” (Pr 16:3; 19:21) and will be for the foreseeable future.

Man Camp 2010 w/ Taproot (Nov 12th-14th)

In September I was invited by Pastor Danny Braga at Taproot Church (Burien, WA) to speak at their Man Camp, Nov 12-14. It was a great opportunity for the men of Downtown Cornerstone and Taproot to spend a weekend together in the woods sharpening one another. I was humbled to be involved. I was also thankful for the opportunity to connect with another Acts 29 church that is several years further down the road than we are. Please take some time to pray for Pastor Danny and Taproot. God is doing some great things through them in the south-end of Seattle.

Relationships and Networking

I continue to meet with as many people as I possibly can to learn about what God is already doing in Seattle. He’s already at work in the city, going before us, and we’re humbled to participate. I’ve met some great people and have grown even more in love with this beautiful city. I believe that God is replanting his church in Seattle in this generation and we are just a small part of that bigger story. If you’re in Seattle and would like to connect, or know someone whom I should connect with, let me know.

Family Update

Honestly, the Sinnett family is doing really well. Macy is enjoying a preschool co-op on Capitol Hill, Carter is finishing his first round of swimming lessons in the Central District and we found out last week we have a baby girl (!) arriving in April. Jen is doing well with the pregnancy. There are, miraculously, no complications. Please pray there will be no bed rest required with this pregnancy as there was with Macy. Macy has also been seizure free. As our schedule has normalized, Jen and I are finally establishing a regular rhythm of weekly date nights. I also wrapped up another course for my Masters degree. We are blessed and very excited to spend the Christmas season in the city.

For December, please pray:

  • We would continue to be a church marked by a deep love for Jesus.
  • Many souls will be saved and lives transformed through this new gospel work.
  • We’d experience favor in Seattle.
  • All of our financial needs will be provided for.
  • Jesus-loving, talented musicians and artists will join this work (!).
  • A central, strategic, well-known, yet inexpensive, gathering location for us would open up for 2011.
  • Seattle would be loved, served, challenged and changed through the gospel.
  • Many Gospel-centered Jesus-loving churches would be planted.
  • 100 people, outside the church, to pray for us daily.

Thank you for your prayers and support!

For the God of this City,
Pastor Adam