Dear Friends,
In the last newsletter, I began sharing the values that will shape Newark Grace. We started with Scripture because God’s Word is the foundation of everything we believe and do. If you missed that, you can read it here.

Our second value is prayer.

Church planting comes with a long list of things to do: finding a meeting space, buying equipment, forming small groups, planning outreach, and building a team. These responsibilities matter. But none of them can give spiritual life to a dead heart, sustain a weary Christian, or form a group of people into a healthy church. Only God can do those things.

That is why prayer must be part of our foundation. As we say in our prospectus, we believe the church is sustained by the power and presence of God. Prayer is how we depend upon the Spirit, seek God’s direction, intercede for others, and bring our hearts into line with his will.

When We Gather
Acts 2:42 says that the first Christians “devoted themselves” to prayer. Prayer was woven into the ordinary life of the church.

When we gather, we will praise God, confess our sins, thank him for his grace, and bring our needs before him. We also want our prayers to stretch beyond our own congregation.

One Sunday each month, we plan to focus on a particular person, place, or gospel need. We may pray for a missionary by name, a school in Newark, an unreached people group, or another local church.

Specific prayer forms specific love. As we pray for a school, we grow in concern for its students and families. As we pray for missionaries, we remember the needs of the nations. As we pray for other churches, we learn to rejoice in what Christ is doing through them. These prayers remind us that his kingdom is far larger than Newark Grace.

Beyond Sunday
We want prayer to shape our ordinary relationships too.

In small groups, we will make time to share real needs and pray for one another by name. When we read Scripture together, we will ask God to help us believe and obey it. When someone is grieving, fighting sin, or facing a difficult decision, we want prayer to become a natural part of how we care for them.

I hope we learn to pray together around kitchen tables, in hospital rooms, over the phone, and in the church parking lot. Instead of only saying, “I’ll pray for you,” I want us to become comfortable saying, “Can we pray about that right now?”

Prayer will also shape our evangelism. We want to pray regularly for neighbors, relatives, coworkers, and friends who do not know Christ. We will ask God for open doors and clear words—and then invite someone for coffee, welcome a neighbor into our home, offer to read a Gospel together, or explain the hope we have in Jesus.

We pray because only God can save. We speak because God brings people to faith through the good news of Christ.

I do not want Newark Grace merely to call itself a praying church. I want our dependence upon God to be visible in our gatherings, decisions, relationships, and mission. Please pray that this dependence would begin with me and take root in us from our earliest days.

Would you ask God to make Newark Grace a church devoted to prayer?

Josh

P.S. Is there something specific we can be praying about for you? Let us know by responding to this email or filling out our prayer form here.

Thank you for continuing to pray for Newark Grace. Here are a few specific ways you can pray with us this week:

Fruit from the Chocolate Walk. Last Friday, our team gave out around 200 chocolate-covered pretzels, invitation cards, and Jesus Loves Newark bracelets at the Downtown Newark Chocolate Walk. We were encouraged by the interest people expressed in a new church downtown. Please ask God to use those brief conversations and simple invitations to draw people to Christ and connect them with a faithful local church.

Rest for our family. On Saturday, Jen, Willow, and I will leave for a vacation with my parents. Please pray for safe travel, patience during Willow’s first long car ride, and unhurried time together as a family. The coming months will be full, so I am asking the Lord to use this week to renew me for the work ahead.

Our launch team. Several members of our team are walking through significant transitions—leaving their sending church, navigating changes within their families, finishing school, and carrying difficult personal concerns. Please pray that God would sustain them, deepen our unity, and keep our joy rooted in Christ. Ask him to help us care for one another well as we prepare to serve together.

Healthy partnerships. God has given us growing relationships with churches in our fellowship, other congregations, and community partners in Newark. We are also working with a local organization on a community event this December. Please pray for humility, trust, and clear communication. We want to listen well, serve our neighbors thoughtfully, and build relationships that will strengthen gospel ministry in Newark for years to come.

Practical preparations. We are still working through the details of opening Newark Grace’s bank account and selecting sound equipment that is clear, affordable, and portable. These tasks may seem ordinary, but faithful ministry requires wise stewardship in ordinary things. Please pray for patience with the paperwork, good counsel, and sound decisions that will serve the church well.

We’re looking forward to a full season of gathering, serving, and connecting throughout Newark. Whether you’re interested in learning more about Newark Grace or simply want to serve alongside us, we would love to see you at one—or several—of these events.

Pastor Josh Preaching at Pataskala Grace
Sunday, October 18

Join us as Pastor Josh returns to preach at our sending church, Pataskala Grace, and shares more about what God is doing through Newark Grace.

Trick-or-Treat on the Square
Friday, October 30 • 5:00–6:30 PM

Newark Grace will have a booth in Downtown Newark, where we’ll hand out treats and spend time with families from across the community. If you would like to serve with us, this is a simple and enjoyable opportunity to meet our neighbors and help us be a warm presence downtown.

Preview Services at Pataskala Grace
Sundays, November 8, 15, and 29; December 6 • 5:00 PM
3517 Headleys Mill Road SW, Pataskala, OH 43062

We’ll gather in the main auditorium at Pataskala Grace for four preview services. These evenings will allow our launch team to begin worshiping and serving together as we practice the rhythms that will shape our Sunday gatherings: singing, prayer, Scripture reading, preaching, and fellowship. Guests are welcome, so come meet the team and learn more about Newark Grace.

Christmas Carols and Hot Cocoa on the Square
December • Date and Time TBA

We’re working with a local community partner to plan an evening of Christmas carols and hot cocoa on the Square in Downtown Newark. We hope this will be a warm, welcoming opportunity to celebrate Christmas, serve our city, and spend time with our neighbors. We’ll share more details as our plans come together.

Preview Services in Downtown Newark
Sundays, December 13, 20, and 27; January 3 • 10:00 AM
DoubleTree by Hilton, 50 N. 2nd Street, Newark, OH 43055

These will be our first Sunday services in Downtown Newark. Each gathering will include singing, prayer, Scripture reading, biblical preaching, and time to connect with one another. The preview services will help our team become familiar with the space and prepare to welcome our community before our official launch. Whether you are considering joining Newark Grace or simply want to encourage us during these early weeks, we would be glad to have you with us.

Launch Sunday
Sunday, January 10 • 10:00 AM
DoubleTree by Hilton, 50 N. 2nd Street, Newark, OH 43055

On Launch Sunday, Newark Grace will begin gathering weekly for public worship in Downtown Newark. We have been praying and preparing for this day for a long time, and we would love for you to celebrate with us. Come worship Christ, meet the people of Newark Grace, and hear more about our desire to help people place Jesus at the center of everything.

Dear Friends,
As Newark Grace takes shape, I want to share the five values that I pray will shape us as a church The first is Scripture.

Acts 2:42 tells us that the early believers "devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching." They listened together to the message of the risen Christ, and what they heard shaped their worship and their lives together. I want us to be a people who listen that way.

Why We're Planting
Jesus commanded his church to make disciples, baptize them, and teach them to obey all he commanded (Matthew 28:18-20). In Acts, we see the gospel preached, disciples strengthened, and elders appointed to care for the local church (Acts 14:21-23). That patten helps explain why we're planting in Newark. We want our neighbors to hear the good news of Jesus, trust him, be baptized, and grow within a congregation where they are taught and cared for. We thank God for the faithful churches already serving this city, and we pray Newark Grace will serve alongside them.

When We Gather
On an ordinary Sunday, Scripture should be heard throughout the service. We'll look at scripture as a Call to Worship. We will read the Bible aloud, pray in light of what God has said, and sing truths his Word teaches us. When I preach, I want to explain the passage in its context, show how it brings us to Christ, and help us see what trusting and obeying him looks like this week. When we baptize or share the Lord's Supper, we will open Scripture to understand what Jesus has given his church.

With Our Neighbors
God's Word gives us the message we carry. At a community event, over coffee, or in a conversation on The Square, we can learn someone's name and listen to their story. As a relationship grows, we can invite them to read a Gospel with us, speak plainly about Jesus' death and resurrection, and welcome them to worship with us. I want us to pray for particular folks by name and keep showing up in their lives with patience and love.

As We Make Disciples
After a sermon, we can ask what we heard and where we need help putting it into practice. Our small groups will look at scripture together and help each other understand what it means. Mature believers can read scripture with new believers. A parent can talk through a passage with a child, even helping them to memorize scripture. A friend can pray through God's promises with someone who is grieving or struggling with sin. We want people to learn to read the Bible for themselves and to have others walk beside them as they follow Jesus.

Scripture will also shape how we handle hard things together: speaking truth, confessing sin, forgiving one another, and bearing burdens. It should guide our leaders as we decide how to use our time and resources. In all of this, my prayer is that Newark Grace will be a church eager to hear God's Word and willing to live by it.

Would you pray for that with me? We long to help people place Jesus as the center of everything. Week after week, scripture brings us to Him.

Josh

We have a few specific ways you can pray with us this week:

Small groups. We hope to begin small groups in January. Please pray that God would raise up leaders who love his Word and love people—leaders ready to guide discussion, pray with others, and care for the people in their groups throughout the week. Pray also for a welcoming, reliable space in downtown Newark where these groups can gather.

Downtown Chocolate Walk. This Friday, Newark Grace will give out handmade chocolate-covered pretzels and invitation cards for our January 10 launch service. Pray for good conversations as we meet our neighbors, and for opportunities to follow up with those interested in learning more about the church.

Community partnership. We’re working with a local partner to host a community event in Newark this December. Please pray for trust and good communication as we plan together, and for us to listen well to what would serve our neighbors. We want to be present in the life of this city and eager to work alongside others for its good. Pray that the event will be welcoming and that this relationship will continue to grow.

A church bank account. Right now, our sending church, Pataskala Grace, processes all of our giving. We’re grateful for their help as we work through the paperwork to open a checking account for Newark Grace. Please pray for patience, accuracy, and a smooth process so we can steward every gift well.

Sound equipment. We’re working with a company to determine what equipment will help people hear clearly during worship, fit our budget, and be practical to transport and set up each week. I’m learning a great deal as we go. Pray that we ask good questions, receive wise counsel, and choose a system our team can use faithfully.

We're excited for a full fall of gathering, serving, and connecting throughout Newark. Whether you're interested in learning more about Newark Grace or simply want to serve alongside us, we'd love to see you at one (or several!) of these events.

Downtown Newark Chocolate Walk
This Friday • 4:00–7:00 PM
We'll be participating in this Downtown Newark Association event, giving away chocolate and connecting with our community. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased here: Downtown Newark Chocolate Walk Tickets.

Pastor Josh Preaching at Pataskala Grace
Sunday, October 18
Join us as Pastor Josh returns to preach at our sending church, Pataskala Grace, and share what God is continuing to do through Newark Grace.

Trick-or-Treat on the Square
Friday, October 30 • 5:00–6:30 PM
We'll once again have a booth in Downtown Newark, handing out treats to children and adults while serving our community during this family-friendly event.

Preview Services at Pataskala Grace
Sunday, November 8, 15, 29; December 6 • 5:00 PM

Preview Services in Downtown Newark
Sunday, December 13, 20, 27; January 3 • 10:00 AM

Dear Friends,
Today is a special day for me.
For the past year, I’ve been slowly transitioning out of my role at Pataskala Grace Church and giving more and more of my time to the work God has called us to in Newark. Today, September 1, that transition becomes official.
Today is my first day serving full-time as the lead pastor of Newark Grace Church.
That sentence feels a little strange to type.
For years, Newark Grace existed mostly as a prayer, then as a conversation, then as a plan scribbled into notebooks and discussed over countless cups of coffee. Slowly, God began turning those prayers and plans into something tangible. People joined us. Churches partnered with us. Doors opened. And now, by God’s kindness, I get to wake up each morning and give myself fully to the work of planting this church.
God has been very kind to me.
He has been kind through the pastors, churches, friends, and partners who have encouraged us along the way. He has been kind through Pataskala Grace, which has loved our family and helped prepare and send us for this work. He has been kind through every person who has prayed, given, asked questions, shared our posts, attended a meeting, or simply told us, “We’re excited about what God is doing in Newark.”
And He continues to give us opportunities to love the city long before we ever hold our first Sunday morning service.
Friday night was another one of those opportunities.
We were back downtown for the Downtown Newark Association’s Final Friday on the Square. A couple thousand people came out on a beautiful evening to see the Budweiser Clydesdales and participate in an event that honored and celebrated our first responders.
Before the evening was over, a few hundred people had stopped by our Newark Grace booth.
We gave away all 200 Newark Grace frisbees, around 130 compasses, and roughly 30 Bibles. More importantly, we got to meet people.
We don’t want Newark Grace to suddenly appear in January and announce that we are here to serve a city we’ve barely bothered to know.
We want to show up now.
We want to be present at community events. We want to meet our neighbors. We want to listen. We want to learn what people love about Newark and where they see needs. We want our city to know, long before our first service, that we are here and we love them.
The church is not primarily an event we host once a week. The church is a people redeemed by Jesus and sent by Jesus to make disciples, love their neighbors, care for one another, and bear witness to the gospel.
That begins before January.
And this Sunday is another important step.
This Sunday, September 6, we’re hosting our first Open House at Newark Station from 5–7 PM.
I’ll admit there is a particular kind of pastoral anxiety attached to hosting something called an “Open House.”
You spend weeks planning it, talking about it, inviting people, preparing the room, and then somewhere in the back of your mind is the very spiritual question:
What if nobody comes?
Church planting provides many wonderful opportunities to grow in faith.
It also provides opportunities to repeatedly check an RSVP list.
But the Lord has been reminding me that our responsibility is faithfulness. We prepare. We invite. We pray. We open the doors. And then we trust God with who walks through them.
We don’t need the biggest crowd.
We want the people God intends to bring.
So would you pray with us that the Lord would do exactly that Sunday evening?
And I’d also love for you to come.
Some of you reading this are already committed to Newark Grace. Some are praying about whether God might be leading you to join us. Some are supporting us from other churches. Some are pastors and ministry partners. Some are simply friends who have encouraged us throughout this journey.
You are all welcome.
Even if you have absolutely no intention of attending Newark Grace when we launch, come spend some time with us Sunday evening. Come see what God is doing. Meet some of the people who are becoming part of this church. Pray with us. Encourage us.
We’d genuinely love to see you.
And after Sunday, another milestone is coming quickly.
In November, we will begin gathering for preview services on Sunday evenings at Pataskala Grace.
These evenings will give us our first opportunities to begin worshiping together as Newark Grace Church.
We’ll sing together. We’ll open God’s Word together. We’ll pray together. We’ll begin learning what it means to actually function as a church family rather than simply a group of people preparing to launch one.
There is something wonderfully strange about planting a church. You spend months talking about the church that will be.
In November, Lord willing, we begin to gather as the church God is already forming.
Then, in January, we move into Newark and begin our regular Sunday gatherings.
I can’t wait.
There is still plenty we don’t know.
There are still decisions to make, people to meet, support to raise, details to work through, and probably a few things we haven’t even realized we’re supposed to be worried about yet.
But today, I’m grateful.
Grateful for the church that is sending us.
Grateful for the people walking with us.
Grateful for a city we are growing to love more every week.
And most of all, grateful for the Savior who promised, “I will build my church.”
That promise allows us to work hard without pretending the outcome depends on us.
Christ builds His church.
Jesus is the center of everything,

Josh

Give thanks for God’s provision. Over the past month, Newark Grace has received several incredibly generous gifts. We are deeply grateful for every person and church that has chosen to invest in this work. Church planting requires resources, and again and again the Lord has provided what we need at the right time. Please join us in thanking God for His kindness and for the generosity of His people.

Pray for healthy transitions. Over the coming weeks, many of the people who will be part of Newark Grace will begin transitioning out of roles and responsibilities at their current churches. For some, these are churches they have loved and served for many years. Pray that these transitions would be marked by humility, gratitude, and grace. We want to leave well, honor the churches that have invested in us, and preserve relationships that matter deeply to us.

Pray for a meeting place. We continue to explore several possibilities for where Newark Grace will gather when we launch in January. There have been encouraging conversations, and there have also been doors that closed much more quickly than we expected.

As I write this, we are waiting to hear back from both a church and a hotel about the possibility of using their space. Would you pray that God would make His direction clear? Pray that He would open the right door, close the wrong ones, and provide a space that allows us to faithfully gather, worship, and serve the Newark community.

Pray for our team. As we move closer to launch, we are continuing to build our team and identify people to serve in important roles throughout the church. Pray that God would raise up the right people with the right gifts and hearts for ministry. Pray especially for wisdom as we organize teams, develop leaders, and make sure we are prepared to care well for the people God brings to us.

Thank you for praying with us. We really do believe that one of the most important ways you can partner with Newark Grace right now is by bringing these needs before the Lord.

We're excited for a full fall of gathering, serving, and connecting throughout Newark. Whether you're interested in learning more about Newark Grace or simply want to serve alongside us, we'd love to see you at one (or several!) of these events.

Open House Interest Meeting
This Sunday • 5:00–7:00 PM
Join us at Newark Station for an evening of vision, fellowship, and conversation as we continue preparing to launch Newark Grace.

Downtown Newark Chocolate Walk
Friday, September 25 • 4:00–7:00 PM
We'll be participating in this Downtown Newark Association event, giving away chocolate and connecting with our community.

Pastor Josh Preaching at Pataskala Grace
Sunday, October 18
Join us as Pastor Josh returns to preach at our sending church, Pataskala Grace, and share what God is continuing to do through Newark Grace.

Trick-or-Treat on the Square
Friday, October 30 • 5:00–6:30 PM
We'll once again have a booth in Downtown Newark, handing out treats to children and adults while serving our community during this family-friendly event.

Preview Services at Pataskala Grace
November 8, 15, 29
December 6, 13, 20, 27
5:00 PM
We're launching preview services on Sunday, November 8 in the Main Auditorium at Pataskala Grace Church. We'd love for you to join us for these special evenings as we meet to worship, pray, and open the word together.