Letter of Introduction:
Dear Friends,
Permit me to
introduce myself and, more importantly, the work God has called me and
my wife, Beverlyn, to in the city of Tallahassee. My name is Joe
Elliott and I have lived in Tallahassee for three and a half years, with
my wife Beverlyn and our three children. During our first three years
here, I served on staff as Assistant Pastor at Centerpoint (PCA)
mission. In addition to my duties at Centerpoint, I also began a
Reformed ministry on the campus of Florida A&M University, one of the
largest Historically Black institutions in the country. Two years into
this work, we sensed the Lord’s calling to plant a Reformed work in an
area of Tallahassee that is predominantly black and poor. Beverlyn and
I went to assessment in May of 2005 to see if we were qualified.
Needless to say, it was confirmed that the Lord was calling us to be
leaders in a (PCA) church plant. I say leaders because we have been on
a team with two different (PCA) missions, and both were cross-cultural
plants. Because of the area we are planting in, we asked MNA to give us
a ten year timeline, and they granted that time frame to us. I am now
the organizing Pastor of a new PCA church plant on the south side of
Tallahassee, FL.
Tallahassee’s
demographics are approximately 45% white and 45% black, give or take a
few, with approximately 10% of other nationalities. When you speak of a
city divided by the proverbial tracks, you are speaking of Tallahassee.
The city is literally divided by a railroad crossing. But, no matter
what side of the tracks one may live, it is our belief that Christ died
for all those He will call to Himself. With this truth as our hope, we
pray that God will use Door of Hope to bring many to a right
understanding of the gospel. For the sake of the gospel is why we make
this appeal.
In January of this
year we were able to secure a building in the area where we are
planting. Unfortunately, the property is in dire need of renovation,
and the estimated cost is approximately $121,000.00. This will enable
us to re-roof the 6000 sq. ft. building, put in offices for staff, and
house several ministries that have already agreed to partner with us as
a means of spreading the good news. Several churches in the city have
already committed over $31,000.00. We are asking that you come
alongside us to see the gospel of Christ change lives.
If you would like
to learn more about this mission please visit our web-site at
www.dohctally.com. There you will find our core values, philosophy
of ministry, see pictures of the property, and much more. I am
available to speak to your church about the work God has called us to on
the south side of Tallahassee. My contact information is: office
#850-576-4673, cell #850-567-5631 or you can email me at
joe@dohctally.com.
Living in
Sufficient Grace,
Rev. Joe Elliott
Prayer Update Letter:
Dear Partners,
It brings us great
joy to report to you what the Lord is doing among His people. We are
indeed vessels of His grace. Thank you for your continued prayers and
financial support.
Last week I was
introduced to a pre-teenaged boy in our after school tutoring program
named Michael. Michael received occasional help with his sixth grade
work, but was very good with the younger children. In the apartment
complex where Michael lives, it is very likely that he and many of the
other teenaged boys will become a ward of the state in a different way
by the age of sixteen, if they are fortunate. I invited Michael to a
football game that evening because I learned that he attended the same
school where my youngest son is an eighth grader. During our ride to
the stadium, I learned that Michael had missed two days of school,
because he didn’t have “clean clothes.” After taking Mike home that
evening, I thought about my childhood and that of my children. When was
the last time I missed anything because I didn’t have clean clothes?
When have my children ever missed anything because they did not have
clean clothes?
Sunday June 3,
Door of Hope had its first Sunday Morning worship service. The Lord was
pleased to allow twenty-five people to attend. I told you the story of
Michael not because he is the poster child for poverty. But, to give you
a better picture of the communities in which God has called us to plant
Door of Hope Church. Our calling is to take the gospel of Christ on the
Southside of Tallahassee. Since that first service we have had many
people to attend DOH and many to stay. Two exciting ministries in the
church have developed as a result of us worshipping for two and one half
months on Sunday mornings. Our women meet on Thursday evening for a time
of fellowship, study, and prayer. Attendance is climbing all the time
but, holding steady with at least six women who come regularly. The
other one was our chance to start meeting every Wednesday evening during
the summer with the youth of DOH. We regularly have seven to ten youth
who come ranging from ages 9-15.
We are building
relationships with many people in the complexes in our target area where
the mission is located. We are worshipping temporarily in the Club
House of the Orange Avenue Apartments, a complex owned by the
Tallahassee Housing Authority. The apartment complex where we offer
Support Services to the residents is owned by a private company,
Community Housing Partners. Door of Hope and Community Housing Partners
has an agreement that we can offer all services to the residents to
improve their social, educational, economic and spiritual outlook in
their very nice community center. We have an on-site Coordinator who
makes sure that all the services are carried out on a weekly basis. The
center is open everyday from 3-7 pm, and we offer everything from after
school homework help for the children, to adult literacy. Our on-site
Coordinator, Mrs. Patricia Freeland, is doing a tremendous job arranging
all of the services using primarily church volunteers and some Leon
county service providers.
By our offering
help in the practical areas of the lives of the people in the community,
we are able to share demonstratively and verbally the gospel of Christ.
We see the spirit of God at work in the lives of the people. We also
witness God’s grace to use the means of Support Services, to bring
women, men, girls, and teenage boys to the goal for our being here,
“that they may know Christ.” When was the last time you or some one you
know could not make a date because of no “clean clothes?” After a few
moments of serious brain burglary, I honestly could not remember any
occasion I had missed for a lack of “clean clothes.” However, I could
remember a few occasions I had missed because I did not have the proper
attire, or I did not have what I wanted to wear. The truth is Michael’s
mother didn’t have any money to wash for the week. Saddened by the
thought of anyone having to miss any occasion because they do not have
the sufficient resources, I was soon moved by the goodness and grace of
the Gospel. Because there is one occasion no one will have to miss
because of dirty clothes. That occasion is a relationship with God
through Christ. Our hope is in the clothing that God has provided in
His Son:
“Though your sins
are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red as
crimson, they shall be like wool.”
Please pray that
we will be able to raise the $112,000.00 for the renovation of our
property. Our lease is up in 75 days and we would like to be in the
property DOH is purchasing.
We also
desperately need a van. Each week the number of people we pick up is
growing.
We praise God for
the $32,000.00 we have received from two churches in the area.
Again, thank you
all very much for your continued prayers and financial support. If you,
or anyone you know, would like to give toward any of the needs we face;
please make checks payable to: Door of Hope and in the memo what it is
for. Don’t forget to visit our web-site to keep up with what is going
on at DOH.
Living in
Sufficient Grace,
Joe
