April Newsletter

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
​Romans 6:4-5

​This month, as we reflect back on Easter, we are reminded that it is the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Jesus that makes what Missio Dei is doing worthwhile. We are reminded of 1 Corinthians 15:14, which reads, “And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.” But, since Christ has risen from the dead and remains seated at the right hand of God, we can boldly preach the Gospel to the perishing. We are thankful for this.
We are also incredibly thankful for those of you who have been supporting us through your prayers, words of encouragement, and even your resources. We cannot do this without you. 

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​Making the Trip

On March 9-11, 2018, we had the opportunity to bring 23 people with us to Pittsburgh on a vision tour. This was an exciting time as we cast vision for the plant, invited our group to fall in love with our city, check out our possible future meeting location, and meet other church planters in Pittsburgh.

If you are interested in participating in a vision tour to Pittsburgh, feel free to email Donald Files at donald@missiodeicc.com.

Celebrating New Partners

• Grove Church in Richmond

We are excited to announce that Grove Church in Richmond, VA has decided to partner with us as we seek to plant a 

​diverse, gospel-centered, multiplying church in Pittsburgh, PA. We are thankful for the relationships that we have built with Dr. Mark Becton and Ken Winter. They have been an inspiration and encouragement to us.

If you are in the Richmond area on June 10th, Cody will be at Grove Church for their Sunday morning service as well as a luncheon afterwards. We’d love for you to join us.
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Pray for Grove Church as they seek to plant 150 churches over the next 20 years. They are asking God to raise up men who will lead these churches and people who would be willing to move their lives to serve at these plants. 
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• Pillar Church

Pillar Church is our sending Church. We have been blessed beyond belief by the leadership and direction of our pastors and support from our church. Pillar Church is committed to do whatever it takes to see Missio Dei Community Church planted in Pittsburgh, PA.

Recently, we had the opportunity to sit down with one of their youth leaders. It is their desire to send a mission team to support our ministry in Pittsburgh during the Summer of 2019. It is likely that they will help us serve our community through a sports camp. This will be a great opportunity to serve and engage our community. We are looking to use the Monroeville Community Park for this event, which is located across the street from where we will likely be meeting for Sunday morning services.
If you are interested in learning more about sending mission teams to Pittsburgh to support the Ministry of Missio Dei, please email us at info@missiodeicc.com.

• Fellowship Baptist Church

This Sunday at Fellowship Baptist Church in Ocala, FL, they will be showing a video about Missio Dei to their congregation as part of an effort to emphasize and engage in missions.  We are thankful for their willingness to pray for and encourage us. Fellowship is a small church with a big heart. We look forward to a continued partnership with them.

Coming Up
Ordination
On June 3rd, both Cody and Donald will be ordained by Pillar Church for the work of the ministry. This is an important step, as the elders of Pillar Church will be formally recognizing our call into ministry and confirming our qualifications for eldership.
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Commissioning
Also on June 3rd, Pillar Church will be commissioning the Missio Dei team. We would like to invite all who can to join us at Pillar Church on June 3rd for this service. For more information about the services at Pillar, visit pillardumfries.com.
 
Prayer Requests

• Pray for our team as they make final preparations for their move to Pittsburgh.
• Pray for Donald and Cody as they prepare for their ordination.
• Pray for continued unity on our team.
• Pray that God would begin to stir the hearts of the people in Pittsburgh.
• Pray that the Lord would send us people who can lead worship.
• Pray that the Lord would send us older people to join our team.
• Pray that the Lord would send more married couples to join our team.
• Pray that the Lord would provide for the financial needs of Missio Dei.

Spring into Action

Is God Calling you to Pittsburgh?
We are looking for a diverse group of godly men and women to join us in Pittsburgh. We are literally asking you to drop what you are doing and move your life into the unknown with us in a new city. The truth is, you can be that Gospel light in the workplace that someone would never have without you. You can be a gospel light to neighbors we will never meet.

If you think God might be calling you to move your life to Pittsburgh with us, I’d encourage you to visit https://www.missiodeicc.com/join-our-launch-team.html.

Become a Bridge Partner
We are seeking 446 people to become the backbone of our support here in Pittsburgh. With only the change you would use to buy a few cups of coffee, the 446 of us can raise over $100,000 each year! This money will support our missions efforts in Pittsburgh and help Cody and Donald be full time missionaries there.

If you have $20 to spare each month and would love to partner with us to reach Pittsburgh, I’d invite you to become a Bridge Partner by signing up at https://www.missiodeicc.com/about.html. ​​