We’ve been sharing some stories of how the initial phase of planting Mars Hill Phoenix has been moving along. Yesterday, the church launched its first core group gathering, marking the fifth state to have a Mars Hill church in it.
Volunteers showed up at 6 a.m. to begin setting up, and by 8:30, the empty brick building was transformed to have a place for Mars Hill Kids, a production booth, and a fully set up stage with audio, visual, lighting, and band equipment.
Before volunteer setup
And after
Lead Pastor Ryan Welsh preached from Acts 4 covering the boldness of Peter and John preaching the word and standing before the council. The sermon focused on Jesus’ mission and what happens when his name is proclaimed. The intentionality here is to build a core group who is on mission for Jesus.
379 people came to worship for this first gathering and a total of 47 volunteers helped make it happen. Other highlights of the day include:
- Someone giving a $1,000 check on their first visit,
- The band, Debtors, from Mars Hill Downtown Seattle came down and led worship,
- A local police officer ran security for our Mars Hill Kids,
- And a sign language interpreter served eight Christians who are deaf and came to worship with us.
We’re so excited for this new outpost for gospel in Phoenix. Please pray for Pastor Ryan and the church as they continue on Jesus’ mission. Set your calendars for the grand opening on January 12, 2014, which marks a big date for Mars Hill Church as Tacoma, Olympia, and Everett will also move into their new buildings that day.
If you’re interested in getting involved with Mars Hill Phoenix, please don’t hesitate to touch base by emailing phoenix@marshill.com. You can also find out upcoming events and church info the Mars Hill Phoenix webpage.
