Miamisburg, Centerville OH Churches Merge

From the Tri-State Fellowship blog:

July 1, 2009

Two Churches Become One

Cornerstone Grace, which was meeting in Miamisburg, Ohio, for the last 3-4 years,
and Centerville Grace, have merged effective July 1st to become one combined church. Cornerstone Grace was hit especially hard with the economy and about 70% of their families were transferred out of the area. Through this rather rapid decline, they sensed God's leading to look for other ministry opportunities, rather than trying to rebuild on their own with the small group of families that remained.

Through the months of April, May and June, the leadership of Cornerstone Grace and Centerville Grace were meeting, and praying that God might use them together as a new church, to be stronger and more vibrant than the original two churches were individually. Effective July 1, both churches approved merging together at the Centerville Grace facility, and approved a budget for four pastoral staff:

Dave Holmes as lead pastor
Ned Denlinger and Tim Nixon as Associates
Matt Trego as Associate of Worship Arts

The two churches are now one, and are enjoying getting to know each other better, and discovering how each member's gifts might be used to begin ministering to the Centerville community. Five to ten years from now, we want the Centerville/Miamisburg community to be transformed through the grace of the Lord Jesus as we are obedient in loving our neighbors.

Forero Examined, Licensed in Florida

Word comes from Jesus Munoz in Florida that Javier Forero, who is a pastor at Iglesia Comunal La Esperanza, a Grace Brethren church in Valrico, Fla., has been examined by the Florida-Caribbean District of Grace Brethren Churches and has been recommended for licensure. At right, Javier shows members of the La Esperanza congregation around the property that the church purchased in January.