UPDATED NEWS FROM NORM DUNCAN, CHURCH PLANTER, TRUE LIFE CHURCH, WICHITA, KANSAS:

LATEST: MAY 20, 2010

            Hey Partners,   I just wanted to send you a quick update to let you know how our info dinner went tonight.   We had about 85 people show up for the event. About 20 of them are people that have made a decision to be a part of our launch team. (A family of 6 was not able to attend!)   You all would have been blown away at the TLC group as they ministered to these families. Aaron dug deep and recruited several old friends to come out. Bethany seemed to organize the chaos. Chris jump in and connected with the ladies. Todd and Andrea filled the gaps and kept it running smooth. And Jason, well, let's just say that events like this is where he shines. Every person left tonight knowing his name. Better than that, they knew he truly cared about them. (You guys are a great team and Kim and I are so proud of you guys!!!!)  

             I wanted to tell you about one the guests that came. Her name is Jennifer and she came with two of her children.   As I was walking past her tonight, I told her I was glad she came, and she motioned for me to set down beside her. She said, "I know you."  I said, "How is that?" She said, "I am a waitress at Jimmy's Egg and you came in and gave me your business card.  I still have it." I remembered the experience (I had only been to that particular location once) She continued, "I wasn't supposed to be here tonight, but one of my son's friends invited us." (She told us that she did not even know it was a church event). I asked, "Are you looking for a church?" She looked down and said, "I will be honest with you, we have never been to church in our life.  We are not who you are looking for." I responded, "Jennifer, you are exactly who we are looking for."

            I explained that I did not attend church until I became a Christian at the age of 19. I told her that at True Life, we "Life transfromation is a journey rather than an event, and that we treasure the journey, regardless of where people are at." She said, "Right now, the only church thing we do is allow the Jehovah's Witnesses come over once a week to talk." She was embarrassed to say that her son asked if Jesus' walking on water was magic, but she did not know the answer." She wants to get her family in an environment where her children can learn about morality. I assured her that at TLC, we would love to be a group where her family could experience what it means to know and follow God. Then, I found Christian Thorton (our women's leader) and Kim and connected her with them.  

            Please pray from Jennifer, her boyfriend, and their 4 kids. Pray that our ladies can meet with her and explain the gospel clearly to her so that she and her family can know the love of the Father through Jesus Christ.   This is only the start of the exciting things that God is going to do through True Life. If you would like to know how you can be a part of making True Life happen, email me or call me 316.708.2126. We have one week left open for a mission team in August and it is the most critical week; it leads up to our Jammin' @ Jabara event. Beyond that, we need everything a church needs to have services (except a sound board thanks to Journey the Way!!!). Also, tonight cost almost $700.  We need partnerships to help with ministry events until we can become self-sustaining.   Most importantly, we need your prayers.

For the Joy of Him, Norm Mark 8:35b    

 

 

 

 

 From: Norm Duncan [normkduncan@gmail.com]

 Tuesday, May 11, 2010 11:11 AM

 Hello Partners,      

        We are preparing for an exciting summer that will lead up to an "intense X-perience!"   This weekend, we have a mission team coming from Cabot, AR(FBC) to help us finish out our basement to help us prepare for the interns that will be staying with us this summer.  They will be finishing two bedrooms and installing a kitchenette for them. 

       We will have three college students from Madison, MS (Ridgecrest Baptist) and one high school student.  Two of our core group families will have a high school student staying with them.   The last week of May, the TLC leadership will be attending a church planting conference in Denver, CO.    As soon as we return home, we will have our first mission team arriving on the field. 

     This summer, we are hosting 10 weeks of  Awesome  Rockin' Jam Camps.  We are targeting 10 different areas of Northeast Wichita and will hold 3-day camps each week.  The ARJC  will be Tuesday through Thursday and end with a block party.  The only week that we will not have a camp this summer is the first week of July.  This will be expensive, so pray that funding comes in for these camps.     Also, throughout the summer we will have some preview services.  We are having a Father's Day event on June 20th.  We are having a preview services on July 18th and August 15th.  We hope to use the school where we will be meeting weekly in the fall, but they do not want to rent it in the summer.     Pray that they will allow us to meet there.     All of our events and the first two previews lead up to "Jammin @ Jabara" on August 14th.  This is a block party at a local airport.  We will be offering free airplane rides around Wichita, as well as games, food, music, and family activities.     This will also require much funding as well as up to 100 volunteers, pray for funding and help.      Our hope is that people will come from the event on the 14th to our preview on the 15th.  We will host a final preview on the 29th.   

      We are going to launch on September 12th and the theme will be "Joy Ride"  This will be a four week series that will introduce people to the vision of True Life.      But this is not the best thing yet.  All of this leads up to 10/10/10.  On October 10th, we will begin our series on "Intense X-perience."This will be a six week series on people's intense experiences with Christ.  We will be holding a contest all summer where people can upload a video of their intense experience.  This will be a lot of fun, but we pray that the series is a transorming encounter for them as well.   

       Here is how to pray (Love):

Pray for more people to join our core team (core team meetings begin in June).

Pray for more teams to come up here and help (the end of summer is still open).

Pray for more funding (right now, our expenses are about $1000-$2000 a month, we expect that to go up dramatically as we move toward launch.  BTW, stewardship will be our third series in the fall and will lead up to Christmas.)

Pray for equipment for the church (we need everything you have to do church. We have been told of a church that has a sound board for us)

      Here is how to serve (Live):

Come here on a mission trip (even if you show up for a preview service, that is one more way to help serve our community)

Move here and join us on mission.

      Here is how to fund (Give):

Consider becoming a monthly partner (Kim and I have had partners that sent $20/month.  Every partnership helps expand the Kindom)

Send a one time gift to help out with a particular event or ministry (you can give to our preview service or our children's ministy)

Send your VBS offering to help our VBS's

     

Thank you so much for your prayers, encouragement, and support.If we can do anything to help you spead the word of True Life, please let us know.