Well, hi there. I’ve been away for a while but am now back on the blogging bandwagon. I’ve got some news to tell you that I’ve been keeping to myself for a while. We learned this past summer that the church I serve at planned to release us at the end of this year. We’ve made lots of new friends, learned some tough life lessons, and enjoyed ministering to a great congregation. But we now have the chance to do something new – something different.
When we heard the news about First Methodist, we had to quickly focus on what we felt like God was leading us to do. We’ve interviewed with some churches far away from South Georgia. But nothing we encountered really “fit” with the vision God was giving us as a couple. So we began to investigate “planting” a new church…and that’s what we are doing. It’s called GraceWorks and it’s a really simple model. The tag line is kinda fun: “No Agendas. No Judgment. No Politics. Just Grace.” As we began to pray about where to go, we felt like God wanted us to start GraceWorks in Tallahassee, Florida – about an hour down the road. While finishing up at First Methodist we have also been making overtures to Tallahassee with bible studies and “meet-and-greet” events. We’ve met in homes and even in an Irish pub. 
There’s still much ground to plow and we are slowing transitioning our family down that way.
So, will this whole church plant thing work? I have no idea. But we feel like that is what we are supposed to do…so we are gonna give it a shot. Feel free to look at the website to get a better idea of what GraceWorks will be about. I’d write more…but I’m off to a GraceWorks gathering right now…
love the name…love the tag line…love the logo…..love you guys too….
Thanks Jane.
I was reading this and hoping the next sentence would say “central Ohio,” because I would totally be in. But alas, it was Tallahassee. It’s been hard to find a vision for me to get behind in these parts. The GraceWorks vision is great. May God bless the next phase of your journey!
Thanks Kyle – it seems for the time being, we are to remain only cyber-friends. Who knows? Maybe Ohio is next? Thanks for your encouragement and please keep us in your prayers.
Sam
p.s. I still laugh when I see your blog name. One of my favorites…
Hi. I don’t know you, but I’ve been reading your blog for about a year now–since a Google search brought up your blog entry on how God disciplines us. Long story short, I’d been sick for a few years and was absolutely beyond discouraged by how often well-meaning Christian friends had suggested it was my fault…for not having enough faith to be healed, for somehow needing to have my character shaped by the awful, awful experiences, etc. (Think Job’s friends.) I had no idea what I might’ve done to bring it on–or what shortcoming(s) the trauma might have been intended to correct–or how to have more faith to be healed. But after hearing those suggestions again and again, I had really started to doubt myself–and I had started wondering if God really would subject someone to such an extreme sort of discipline without giving a clue what the disciplining was for. (And, actually, it was so especially horrible to think about, because the sickness got its start while my immune system was run down during a period of grief over the death of a loved one–so it was almost like suggesting something was so terribly wrong with my character that a loved one had to die to kickstart a lengthy illness to make me a better person.)
So with all those thoughts weighing heavily on me, I decided to do some research and see what I could figure out about how God disciplines people and what I was supposed to be learning through the pain. And that’s when I came across your blog.
It helped me so much to be reminded that God does speak to us about things we need to change (Being charismatic, I probably should’ve thought of it sooner.
) and that God doesn’t embrace the “hurt you to help you” method so many Christians find strangely appealing–and that it’s okay to accept circumstances for what they are without reading some sort of profound, religious message into them.
Anyway, those reminders were like peaceful whispers of grace in the middle of a storm of sickness and judgment and loss. And now that you and your family are starting out on this new adventure and possibly needing encouragement to face the challenges ahead, I wanted to be sure to thank you and to let you know that it is valuable, valuable work you are doing–this brave, bold sharing of grace.
All the best to the Nunnally family and to GraceWorks.
Hi Candace –
Thank you so very much for sharing your story and for the encouragement it gave me. I have found that much of what I say cuts “cross-grain” to many contemporary pastors. It’s encouragement like yours that keeps me putting my thoughts in such a public format. GraceWorks will be the ultimate example of that and I’d be deceptive if I didn’t say we were uncertain about it all. Hearing your story gives Beth and i the courage to move forward.
I am so sorry for the treatment you received at the hands of others during such a difficult time. It makes me so angry to hear how others have treated you – though I think they were doing the best they could to help. Character shaping happens but I refuse to believe that circumstances like yours are ordained by God for this purpose. If anything it’s the character development that occurs before tragedy that helps us through difficult times. So, you must have had strong character and a good relationship with God before tragedy – otherwise you might have chosen to walk away from all of that.
I have some ideas on the “hurt you to help you” we are prone to say – I believe they have to do with our inward sense of shame and unworthiness and that’s why they seem so attractive to us as people. It’s easier to believe we are worthless than to believe that we are precious to God and he desires to be near to us at all times. I plan to blog about shame in the next week or so.
Again, thanks so much for sharing and encouraging us. We do need it…and God is sending people into our life to support in this.
Blessings!
Sam