SUMMER 2022 UPDATES
Thanks for taking some time to understand where we are headed as a church. Our purpose here at Grace Church is to ignite a Gospel-centered movement. We want to help explain the next part of our journey at the Medina East Campus.
Right now, we have some truly unique opportunities to make a greater Gospel impact as a church. We believe God has given us tremendous influence, and that this influence is a matter of stewardship. God has opened four key areas of opportunity: Campusing, Children & Students, Leadership Development, and Outreach (both locally and globally).
The start of 2020 marked the beginning of this leg of our journey. Over the next decade, we want to come together, dream together, and work together as we pursue this vision…HERE WE GO!
Yes, I want to join the journey. Count me in!
AUGUST 2021 UPDATES
Week One: The Journey So Far
Week Two: Campusing
Week Three: Outreach
Week Four: Leadership Development
Week Five: Children and Students
Grace Church is a catalyst for a gospel-centered movement. It is our vision to plant 30 churches in 30 years. We are unashamed to invest heavily into this vision with the knowledge that with every new campus comes the potential for exponential gospel impact. 2021 marks the 9th year of this vision with 8 campuses – Norton, Bath, Medina East, Barberton, Akron East and County Line in Ohio, Town Center campus in Georgia, and Gathering Point in South Carolia. Each campus is designed to one day multiply.
In December 2020, the Medina East Campus turned 8 years old. We continue to prayerfully and strategically consider our part in this movement. We are asking God for wisdom and seeking where he will open a door for the next campus. During the next three years, we want to intentionally prepare to campus and extend our reach to the unchurched in our neighborhoods. We are excited to embark together on the next leg of this journey!
We believe now is the time for Medina East to set clear and active goals towards planting another campus.
With an increasing “wave” of children and students coming to the Medina East Campus, we realize the great opportunity to influence young people towards a God-centered worldview during their prime developmental years. Influence is a matter of stewardship – it’s our desire to both partner with parents and to also create exciting, fun, and safe spaces for children and students which communicates our commitment and creates community inroads.
Our heart beats with the psalmist in Psalm 78:4 – “We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done.”
POWER Kids
Student Ministries
At Grace, we are committed to investing in leadership development. The greatest need to fuel and sustain the movement of the church is not more money or people, but more and more equipped and engaged workers and leaders. During the next three years, we intend to direct substantial energy and resources to the continued growth and development of the Equipping Division and Grace Church’s Internship/Resident Program. We also plan to launch a 360 Internship Program designed to energize and equip our high school and college-aged students to be on mission for Christ.
DJ Douglass – Student Ministries Manager
I feel incredibly blessed for the opportunity to lead the Medina East Student Ministry through the 30in30 vision while pursuing a master’s degree at Grace Seminary. Whether it is connecting with parents, investing in students, or creating new ways to make Jesus known to the students of Medina East, there is always exciting work to be done. My hope is that we all may share in the joy of being part of this Gospel-centered movement.
Collin Paich – Young Adult Ministry Manager
“I didn’t know pursuing full-time ministry was an option until I heard about the incredible opportunity I had at Grace Church. I couldn’t pass up the chance to work alongside this awesome team, pursue formal biblical education, and learn from Grace’s leaders. It is such a blessing to be able to fully immerse myself in ministry to equip others to love and make Jesus known.”
Jordan Shufelt – Weekend Environments Resident
“I’m thankful to have been given the opportunity to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies at Grace College while getting practical ministry experience. It’s a two-fold component that we believe go hand in hand as we passionately follow God while loving and serving the people that he has placed right in front of us. I love that Grace leaders are resolved in making disciples and, empowering people to know it, live it, and give it away. It being the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
We actively seek ministry partnerships. We work to maximize impact for God’s Kingdom through strategic partners. Grace Church cannot go it alone, and we will leverage strengths of diverse organizations and churches to pursue the movement to which God has called us. We recognize that we exist not for ourselves, but for our community and the world. At Medina East, it’s our desire to come alongside these organizations to further propel the movement of the gospel. That’s why 10% of dollars committed during the campaign will go to strengthen our global and local partnerships and advance the gospel worldwide.
GLOBAL (Reached)
GLOBAL (Un-Reached)
MAZATLAN (Mexico)
Shoulder to Shoulder has a vision to equip churches to become a lighthouse by impacting and reaching their community for Christ.
SANYUKA (Uganda)
Sanyuka Children Ministries seeks to exercise the love of Jesus Christ and change lives in Uganda by giving the neediest children a family, a home, and an education in an environment that is self-sustaining.
FRANCE
The Château is a hospitality and outreach ministry of Encompass World Partners. We partner to engage French youth and immigrants with the gospel alongside the Château and churches of France.
JAPAN
Currently exploring opportunities with Encompass World Partners.
LOCAL
CUPS CAFE
Cups is a non-profit community cafe serving teens and families in Medina by offering a place to go where people will listen.
LOVE INC.
Love INC of Medina assists residents of Medina County who are in need of physical, emotional, spiritual and financial support.
OASIS OF HOPE
Oasis of Hope affirms the sanctity of human life. They offer support and services to meet the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of pregnant, parenting, post-abortive and other individuals and families searching for hope.
SAFE FAMILIES
Fueled by compassion to keep children safe and families intact, Host Families, Family Friends, and Family Coaches temporarily host children and provide a network of support to families in crisis while they get back on their feet.
In February 2020, the Medina East Campus gathered together and made three-year financial commitments to Here We Go. These commitments were prayerfully and carefully considered. If you recently became a part of the Medina East Campus family and have not yet connected to Here We Go., we invite you in this same way to prayerfully consider joining us on this journey.
GIVE ONLINE TODAY!
IN SERVICE
Fill out an offering envelope during service (specify HERE WE GO.) and drop it in the white boxes when you exit the Auditorium.
For checks, please be sure to specify HERE WE GO. on the memo line.
STOCKS & MORE
If you are interested in exploring alternative giving options (such as stock donations or matching gifts), our finance department can help make the arrangements.
Contact Monika Kirbawy at mkirbawy@graceohio.org.
WHEN WILL WE LAUNCH THE NEXT CAMPUS AND WHERE WILL IT BE LOCATED?
Many factors will determine when and where we launch the next campus, but we are preparing to launch during Phase Two, 2023-2026. A likely location is where we have a core group of people and where we believe the gospel isn’t accessible.
HOW MUCH MONEY ARE WE TRYING TO RAISE?
Our goal was to raise $2.8 million to fully fund the four areas in HERE WE GO.
After our commitment weekend in February of 2020, we had a little over $2.9 million pledged to HERE WE GO.
We are currently 75% through our three-year commitments, with a little over $2.2 million given, meaning that as of May 2022 have received 80% of our campaign goal.
WHAT IF WE RAISE MORE OR LESS THAN OUR GOAL?
Each of our areas can be scaled according to the generosity of the church. If we raise more, we will be able to allocate more to each area. Likewise, the projects can be scaled down to be good stewards of our resources.
WILL WE ALWAYS NEED TO RAISE MONEY FOR INTERNS AND RESIDENTS?
Just as a portion of every campaign will go to launch and fund new campuses, a portion also helps to fund our intern and resident program. Investing in future leaders will always be a priority in our vision to plant 30 campuses in 30 years.
HOW MUCH MONEY WILL BE ALLOCATED TO OUTREACH?
Ten percent of dollars committed.
We hope you’ll find that Grace is somewhere that you can feel comfortable to explore faith, ask questions, grow spiritually, and connect with others. And most importantly, of course, we hope you connect with God!
OHIO
SOUTH CAROLINA