The Big Move, Restore Church & Your Support

There are so many of you that I don't have personal e-mails for or address, but I wanted to update on what's being going on, I figured a blog post would be the next best thing.

I want to bring you up to date on what is happening in my life here in the last few months. It all happened so fast that I have not had the chance to catch, everyone that I’d like to, up on what has been going on. After much prayer and confirmation, I decided to make the move to Jacksonville, FL to be apart of a Church plant on the Northside of Jacksonville called Restore Church. It has been on my heart for some time to move to Florida and begin my full-time ministry career, and so I am beyond thankful for how the Lord has provided an amazing opportunity with Restore.

I have been serving in ministry in different leadership roles (primarily student ministry) for over 8 years. I studied Early Childhood Care and Education/Child Development and graduated in December 2011 from Chattahoochee Technical College. I also hold a Georgia Master of Cosmology license.

I have been working part-time for Jennifer Beckham Ministries for a little over a year now. I met Jennifer at a FCA girls’ conference close to 7 years ago, where she was the keynote speaker. We connected and stayed in touch over the years, and so when I was in need of some extra work on the side she blessed me with the amazing opportunity to work for her and her ministry: Jennifer Beckham Ministries www.jenniferbeckham.org.

But more than a boss she became a mentor. She was no longer just a minister I admired, but a dear friend. She and her husband, Anthony Beckham, are the ones who are starting and will be pastoring the church. After Jennifer shared with me that she and her husband were coming off the road after 18 years of traveling as evangelist to start a church I immediately asked if I could pray about being apart. After many conversations and a lot of prayer I felt the call to come down to Jacksonville to not just help launch Restore Church, but be apart of it. For more info on them and the church vision, beliefs, who we are, more about Anthony and Jennifer you can go to www.myrestorechurch.com

The vision of Restore Church is: We have a vision to see a church that is so much more than a building. We’re a family of friends, united by faith, who come together to LIFT up the name of Jesus, LIVE LIFE to the fullest, LEAN on one another, LAUGH and LEARN together, and to LOVE our neighbor as God loves us. The launch will happen (most likely, depending on growth) in September 2014 or sooner.

Over the next year, I have an unbelievable opportunity to come on full-time with Restore Church. My role at Restore will be a number of things in the beginning: from administrative assistant, helping organize and plan events/Sundays, teaching bible studies & small groups, helping with youth and children, and pretty much you name it, and I’ll most likely have my hands in it in some way shape or form. The goal is for me to eventually head up a girls ministry and help with planning woman and girls’ events (whatever else needs to be done).

Our Church will be involved with outreach all throughout the Jacksonville community. Truth be told, I am both very excited and nervous at the same time about this opportunity. I know my faith will be stretched as I do things I have never done before!

In order to make all this possible, I need to develop a team of ministry partners… a group of people like you who would give to make all this possible, right now. Because we are at the very beginning stages of planting a church, having ministry partners is what will allow for me to do all that I mentioned above and more. As you might imagine raising the necessary funds will be one of my greatest steps of faith in preparation for our fall launch of Restore. I am looking to raise at least a year’s salary. So I’m looking to raise $25,000 ($2,083 a month for 12 months). That would cover: tithe, rent, car payment, utilities (electric, water, Wi-Fi), groceries/toiletries, gas/travel, health insurance, and savings/emergencies.

I am taking a huge leap of faith, but believing that God will provide. Right now I am working at as Pre-K teacher for Primrose School here in Jacksonville, FL. But the goal is for me to be able to work full-time for Restore Church.

We have already begun having meetings and by the end of March will be holding services/meetings at Regal River City on the Northside of Jacksonville. In just the last three weeks alone our attendance has been close to 60 people, and we have not even “officially” launched. God is already moving, and I know that He has so much more in store.

Would you prayerfully consider joining my team by giving a gift of $50 $100, $200, $300 or more? Of course whatever amount the Lord leads you to do is the right amount.

All gifts are tax-deductible and checks should be made out to Restore Church. If you do chose to partner with me over this next year, please know that I will keep you up to date through e-mail, blog, letter, or phone call or even a face-to-face meeting, to let you know how God is using your gift. Also, if you do chose to partner, when you write the check do not write my name on the check, but include a letter stating how you’d like your contribution to be used (ex. Brittney McCook support). Each month (like a paycheck) Restore Church would write me a check from that account. You can mail checks to: 3333 Hickory  Hammock Rd. Jacksonville, FL 32226. 

More than anything I need your prayers as I seek to follow the Lord by participating in this church plant. Our prayer is that in over the next year as God grows restore, as we teach on tithes and offerings, and are obedient to give our own tithes and offerings, so will the members of Restore Church and other supporters, and that God will provide our salaries as a staff for the following year through what He is doing through Restore Church. But hear in the beginning I will need people to partner with me both in prayer and giving to see this dream come to life.

Thank you for considering joining my team to help reach the people of Jacksonville, FL. Again, for more info on Restore Church, our beliefs, visions, values & our Pastors Anthony and Jennifer Beckham you can go to www.myrestorechurch.com. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and prayerfully consider being apart.

Love and Blessings,
Brittney McCook