Pastor Dustin Nimmo has shared this prayer request:

 

I’m asking the church to pray.

Christ the King Mt. Washington officially launched January 12 of this year. Our plan for meeting space was to move into the gym of the Rec Center as we outgrew our current meeting room. Some rules have changed within the organization that runs the Rec Center which now prevents us from ever moving into the gym. We found this out two months before Easter Sunday, which prevented us from canvassing the Mt. Washington neighborhood to invite people to our church gathering. Our room is fire coded for 91 people and really only has room for about 80 chairs, which means any influx of people could leave us turning people away. This was really frustrating for me, as the last thing you want to do as a new church is not invite people to your church.

I ask you to pray for a way forward. We’ve sought many leads and two potential ways forward have risen to the top. Mt. Washington Elementary School is an ideal location, but has not been an option because a lack of custodial availability. I’ve asked them to reconsider and got word two weeks ago that it’s not going to be possible. The second way forward is leasing a former pool hall in the Mt. Washington business district. The lease price is pretty good, but it will cost us somewhere between $60,000-$100,000 to ready the building for our use. It would be great to have a more permanent foot print in the community. More and more I am seeing a need for this in order to serve our community well.

After much consideration by the Elders of Christ the King Church, we’ve decided it is not wise financially to pursue this option. Our best option moving forward is simply to pray. It is the only option on the table. Every door we’ve tried to open has been closed. In light of the text from our last week of Colossians, I and the other Elders have felt compelled to invite all of us to begin to pray in the way the Scriptures have commanded us to pray:

“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ” (Colossians 4:2-3 ESV)

  1. Pray with thanksgiving. It’s very easy to focus on what we don’t have and lose sight of what we do have. God has blessed our church in so many ways. The 60-70 people meeting in Mt. Washington are an answer to prayer. When the church was just Jamie and I starting out, I knew that God had a people he wanted to gather, but I had no idea who that would be. What seemed insurmountable then has now become a reality, and there are many more people he is pursuing that will be a part of our church family in the future. He’s provided financially through yours and others sacrificial giving. He’s given us a great space and location to meet in currently. He’s provided good relationships with our church and the Mt. Washington community. And the list goes on and on.
  2. Pray for an open door. Literally pray for an open door to a new space that can accommodate more people. I have exhausted every option in Mt .Washington. My guess is that when you read this you’ll immediately begin to think of new options and possibilities…..but I’m asking you to pray first, and trust that when I say the options have been exhausted, they really have. Pray for a major financial gift. Pray that the owners of the former billiards hall would be willing to give us an amazing deal (there is a meeting occurring this Friday at 2pm).  Pray for the situation to change at the school. Pray for the rules to change at the Rec Center. Pray for a place that hasn’t been available previously to fall into our laps. Pray more than anything that God would open the door and we would be ready to respond  in obedience.
  3. Pray that we won’t lose sight of the mission he has called us to. Pray that we continue to proclaim the mystery of Christ with our whole lives. Pray that we would walk in humility under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Pray that we would seek to make Christ known no matter our circumstances. Pray that as we make much of God as his body and bride that he would draw those who do not know him to himself.

I invite you to pray and fast over these things.

Dustin Nimmo, Pastor
Christ the King – Mt. Washington