freedom to dream

1983 The Chapel begins having services at the Holiday Inn in Newport News as it becomes an established independent church.

1989 The Chapel moves into rented commercial space located in Warwick Center in the Hilton area of Newport News. The space had previously been a movie theater and a fitness center. Here we learn more about how to grow new ministry, how to cope with adversity through two fires, and how to view a facility as a ministry tool.

why dreams?

God’s people have always dreamed. They dreamed of a Promised Land. Of return from exile. Of the Messiah. And when the Messiah came some recognized that in Him the ultimate dream had begun: the restoration of all things through His work on the cross. That is the dream Peter has in mind when he explains Joel’s prophecy in Acts 2:17. He states that the restoration, centered on Christ as Lord of the universe, will be prophesied, envisioned, and dreamed by all God’s people. It begins to be experienced by anyone calling on His name at any time, from any place. But those same people then become part of the dream. They become agents of restoration themselves. You see, this is a dream that captures the whole of who we are.

“We are in a kairos* moment in which evangelicals have the opportunity to provide Biblical answers to society’s toughest questions.” - Mark Shaw, PCC missionary and professor at Africa International University/former CNU professor One of the dreams God is calling us to explore is the establishment of a Christian Study Center (CSC) at Christopher Newport University in Newport News. As CNU continues to grow and draw more students to the Peninsula, there will be an increasing need for Biblical answers to the tough questions they will encounter in the classroom. A CSC would help answer those questions. Unlike traditional campus ministries which are primarily relational, a CSC uses relationships and hospitality to direct students towards Christian thought. A CSC’s primary goal is to help students reconcile their Christian faith with their academic studies. As one UVA student described his experience with a CSC, “No studies escape the truth of the Gospel. The Study Center really helps support students to go out into their studies with that vision.” With that mission in mind, instead of competing with current campus ministries which already exist, a CSC would be a neutral meeting place and training ground for student leaders. Eric Gambardella, the staff worker for CNU’s chapter of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship told us, “A CSC would definitely meet a need at CNU.” What would a CSC look like? God-willing, it would be a house or storefront near campus where students could come for hospitality, meeting space, a theological library, study groups, and seminary-level Christian worldview training and lectures/forums (organized in conjunction with existing campus ministries) focused on Biblical answers to current academic and cultural issues. Beyond that, the sky is the limit for our dreams of what a CSC could be. We as a church have been called to know His joy and change His world. Establishing a CSC would help us engage in that on an entirely new level. To find out more about existing Christian Study Centers, visit www.studycenter.net or www.studycentersonline.org.

*Ancient Greek word meaning “right or opportune time”

Poverty, unemployable men, broken families, despair. These are hallmarks of a fallen world in need of restoration. Since 1993 the Chapel has tutored students, coached athletes, and in 2010 planted a church in East End, Newport News, and we want to continue our investment in this area through outreach to men. Men experiencing restoration are essential to an urban church that can itself dream. Providing a halfway house would introduce men to the only Lord who can restore what sin has taken away. It would also equip them to enter the workforce and become responsible leaders of homes and churches. Chris Williams, pastor of our plant Peninsula East End Church, has experience running such a home. While he will not be directing this home, his insight will help shape the ministry. Chris is convinced that apart from the cross no lasting change will occur in the East End. Counseling, substance abuse recovery, job training, and General Education programs will be offered to all in the name of Christ and with the cross as the foundation.

1986

Three years later we move to the Ramada Inn on Rt. 17 , meet in a banquet room or the Inn Place bar, and have baptisms in the hot tub. The core group solidifies and experiences growth.

2000 Finally, the Chapel moves into a facility that it owns, that was designed for ministry, which leads to rapid growth and ever- expanding ministries.

2007 In 2007, extra parking is added along with modular classrooms and planning begins for Phase 2 of construction.

2010 In 2010, Phase 2 is completed with additional classroom space and a gymnasium.

Steps are underway. Imagine what could happen if part of our current mortgage was funding such a house and the staff to run it.

Peninsula Community Chapel was originally a church plant in 1983. Tabernacle Church of Norfolk had a vision to plant a church on the Peninsula which would share a view of solid, broadly evangelical theology married to a passionate commitment to missions and local outreach. And that’s what they have done; in fact, Tab Church has planted six churches throughout Hampton Roads. We have received a valuable heritage that has allowed us to grow from modest beginnings to a healthy, vibrant, burgeoning community of faith. And as we have been blessed, we would like to now be a similar blessing to others. Gloucester is a large, primarily rural county on the north side of the York River. Over the last three decades it has experienced explosive growth as a bedroom community, now numbering 37,000 people. PCC has a home group in the county that has a heart to reach out to neighbors. That presence can be the beginning of a church plant in the county. That’s how PCC began – a Tab Church Home Group of seven people meeting in Newport News. We at PCC want to dream big. We have a vision for planting a church in Gloucester that will be a place where people can find a strong, supportive community of faith to which they can belong. A place that has solid, cross-centered teaching and preaching; a place sold out to the idea of taking the Gospel to their neighbors as well as around the world. A place that will one day plant a church that will be a next generation of the wonderful family in which God has placed us. How exciting to be a part of a dream that will touch lives in increasing locations over increasing years and into forever.

In a way, children are the results of dreams and they make us think of the future. Will they dream the dreams God has for them? Or will they settle for too little? One of the dreams we have is to challenge our children with the Gospel so that they are eager to take it where it has not been heard. We dream that this generation will introduce the Lord of hope to the hopeless, whether in the slums of Nairobi or the office towers of Manhattan. We have seen God use students through short term missions trips, both in the U.S. as well as around the world, and we dream to expand the opportunities to include more youth. Our dreams for youth and children include expansion at PCC. One aspect of this dream is to have paid staff for each level of a child's development. Hiring specific staff for 5th/6th grade and 7th/8th grade students would be the initial step, but we would benefit in many ways from having staff positions for every area of youth and children's ministry. Increasing our staff will become necessary in order to care for and invest in new families that God brings through our doors. Eventually there will be a need for more space, and we dream of new technology and equipment that can be used to reach this specific generation. We dream of hosting major events with experts in parenting to equip families at PCC and to use as an outreach to families on the Peninsula.

why give for what is only a dream?

Glad you asked. One reason is that God seems to delight in dreams that season over time. He has wired us to dream and pray for periods of time so He can purify our dreams and make them about Him, not us. He also uses the period of dreaming to bring aboard more folks who share the dream and will spend themselves for it. As Randy Alcorn puts it, “My heart [read “dreams”] always go where I put God’s money.” In a sense, all of our giving is for a dream. The dream of His loving lordship over all peoples and places.

(continued on back)

» Daydream a bit. Think about the four dreams and let them capture your imagination. Have the thought, You know, it would be cool if…

» Realize what God says about you and money. Randy Alcorn also writes, “God owns everything. I’m His money manager.” What does the Owner want you to do with His money?

» Eyeball what you have. Take some time to analyze what God has given you. If you are like most of us, you have a lot more than you think. Find help creating a budget if you don’t have one. You can’t give what you don’t have. What do you have?

» Ask for faith. Pray. Use A Giver’s ABCs to help you identify faith-based giving. That sweet spot of what to give will be found just the other side of faith-based sacrifice. If married, do this with your spouse. God intends this commitment to enrich your relationship. Talking and praying over this decision can bring you closer than you might have thought. If you’re single, bring a good friend in on the discussion. Be sure to talk as much about dreams as dollars.

» Make a commitment. On Sunday, November 18, 2012, we’ll incorporate our commitments into our worship service. Why commit? Because faith-based (as opposed to “left over”) giving requires commitment. You will be tempted to lose the joy of the dreams and to lose the joy of investment. Your commitment not only assures our lending institution; it serves as a reminder to you that the Lord did indeed give you guidance to give that which He will now provide. We look forward to dreaming together.

Date Activity / Time / Location Sunday, September 30 Leadership Launch / 6:30PM / PCC Tuesday, October 16 Staff Day of Prayer / 9AM / Fort Monroe Sunday, October 21 Challenge Phase begins with sermons Monday, October 22 CNU Christian Study Center Dream Event / 7PM / McMurran Hall at CNU Saturday, October 27 Gloucester Church Planting Dream Event / 7PM / Waterman's Museum in Yorktown Sunday, October 28 Membership Meeting / 6PM / PCC Sunday, November 4 Youth & Children’s Ministry Dream Event / 6:30PM / PCC Wednesday, November 7 Day of Prayer & Fasting with Dreams Focus Virtual Prayer Event Thursday, November 8 Leadership Commitment Event / 7PM / PCC Saturday, November 10 East End Halfway House Dream Event / 8AM / Boys & Girls Club Sunday, November 11 Leadership results announced in worship service Sunday, November 11 Dreams Prayer Event / 6:30PM / PCC Saturday, November 17 Men’s Breakfast / 7:30AM / PCC Sunday, November 18 Commitment Sunday & First Fruits Offering / 10:30AM / PCC Tuesday, November 20 Commitment Sunday results letter goes out to congregation

4209 Big Bethel Road // Yorktown, VA 23693 // www.pencomchap.com // 757.867.8530