“Falling” Into A Busy Schedule.

New Relationships and Ministries.

The beginning of the school year for families always hums with excitement and busyness.  There is the newness of different classes, teachers or schools, but the routine is also familiar and comforting.  This autumn, SACCPhilly experienced a mix of the return to a routine and the introduction of new friends and programs.

All year, we talk about and wait expectantly for World Communion Sunday, celebrated around the world on the first Sunday of October.  It is the primary occasion that brings the SACCPhilly congregations together and we are thrilled to celebrate our cultural diversity and our unity in Christ.  This year six of our congregations were represented.  Pastors and leaders read Scripture and prayed in their native languages and four congregations presented musical offerings.  It reminded us of Pentecost, when the Gospel was preached in many tongues, unifying different people groups in Christ.  Our guest preacher, Mike McKeever, former missionary to Cameroon and current recruiter for Encompass Missions, reminded us not to be afraid to preach the Gospel because God is moving among the nations of the world.  

It’s not an autumn gathering without a harvest feast and the people of our congregations serving up delectable ethnic dishes after our World Communion Sunday Service.  We ate and laughed together but also celebrated an important milestone.  Pastor Dave and Lisa Grainge have served at SACCPhilly for 10 years!  We would need another newsletter to recount how God has used them to bless our church and community but a short list would include welcoming more ethnic congregations to SACCPhilly, multiple building projects, the Food Pantry, Refugee Ministry, Kids Club and loving service to SACC’s congregation.  Thank you, Dave and Lisa, for leading and inspiring us.

One of our dearest and newest relationships is with Tasker Street Missionary Baptist Church, a traditionally African American church in South Philadelphia.  We were invited to worship with them in September and a strong bond of friendship and mutual support was formed.  Pastor Bagudekia preached, our Swahili choir sang three pieces and Pastor Dave led the Communion Service.  The love we experienced reminded us that we are not alone in our Kingdom work in South Philadelphia and it is beautiful when Christian brothers and sisters of different backgrounds are unified in worship and purpose.  We look forward to hosting Tasker’s congregation at SACC in December.

Kids Club finished strong in Mifflin Square Park and moved back into SACC’s building for their Harvest Festival in September.  Since then, at least 25 kids have been in attendance and even parents are staying for the program.  Every week includes dinner, games, worship and dance, a Bible lesson, and related activity.  Pastor Dave and Marie Snyder (the leader of Kids Club) then visit with families during the week to deepen relationships and share the Gospel.  

Photos Below: Marie shares the Gospel during the Harvest Party and Pastor Dave meets with a Food Pantry client at our weekly Prayer Station, a new outreach ministry.

We believe that SACC is the best kept secret in South Philadelphia. When people hear for the first time about a church that hosts seven congregations in seven different language and ethnic groups, while hosting a Kids Club for the neighborhood immigrant population and a weekly food pantry that serves even more ethnic populations, they are amazed. So the seven congregations pooled our resources and decided to publicly celebrate what the Lord is doing INSIDE our church building by installing colorful banners OUTSIDE the building – one for each congregation in both English and their respective language. We hope that people seeking Christ of many languages and cultures will see the banners and join us in worship and Kingdom-building work.

Please partner with us to reach the lost and serve the refugee/immigrant populations in our community.   Visit our website to see details on ways you can specifically partner with us as we seek to be the ‘hands and feet’ of Jesus (Rom. 12:13): https://www.saccphilly.org/partner-with-us

If you are able, please consider supporting SACC financially.  We’re a small refugee church supporting other refugee congregations with many important ministries to the community in a very old building and we depend on God’s provision from outside sources.

Thank you!  May the Lord Bless and Keep you and Make His Face Shine Upon You!