We are ONE CHURCH in many locations, multi-cultural and multi-generational, spreading the truth, the love, and the joy of the Gospel of Jesus until everyONE hears.
Hi family! First and foremost, there hasn’t been one day, since the pandemic started, that Kristen and I haven’t missed you and prayed for you. However this year has looked like for you and your family, we are standing with you knowing God’s best is ahead of you.
We are writing to you to both celebrate and inform you of some exciting things happening in our church. Over a year ago, God started a conversation with one of our overseeing pastors that we believe He has used to help us make the next best move for our church family. After counsel from our overseers, board, prayer, and fasting, we feel God has called us as a church to merge and come together with another church called Grace Church. The impact of COVID took a toll on the local church at large. With our school and HISD continuing to be closed for the remainder of this year we are thankful for the answered prayer of Grace.
Grace is led by Senior Pastors Scott and Melanie Jones who have been overseers of Elevate from the beginning and in our lives for over 12 years. Grace has an incredible legacy of 55 years as a church family in Houston. It is one church with many campuses, and the campus we will be merging with is the city campus, Garden Oaks. Pastors Scott and Melanie blessed our church this year to be able to record at Garden Oaks on Tuesday nights for our Sunday services. So if you have watched online services with us this year, you already know of it.
Our prayer has always been that Elevate People was more than a name, but who we are. The best way to describe the merger is: New Name, Same Vision, Bigger Family. We know you may have many questions and are here to help answer those. Some common questions and answers include:
Will Pastors Brandon and Kristen still be our Pastors?
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Yes! We will be joining the Pastoral team of Grace and be at the Garden Oaks Campus preaching and leading. The beautiful thing about a bigger family is we come together with many other great pastors that our church family will love and learn from.
Grace Church has asked us to bring our ministry and voice, not only to Garden Oaks, but to the entire family of campuses. Additionally, we will also take over leadership of the Dream Center - an outreach effort for the greater Houston area and beyond.
Will we still be called Elevate People Church?
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No,we will not. We will now be called Grace Church. The best way to say it is: It's a new name, same family. THIS IS FAMILY.
We believe this is an opportunity given by God and leadership, and for that we are thankful. Our prayers for you and our church family as you pray about this change. First, is that you would be as convinced as we are that we are better together than we would ever be apart. Second is that, in coming together, we would experience a level of community that we’ve never had with other groups before. Our third prayer is that you personally would be fulfilled in ministry, reach the full potential of your gifts and experience a fruitfulness in your life that has been unseen. Fourth, our prayer is that you will embrace the change for a more impactful future together.
Transition Sunday is May 2, 2021 at 10 am. It will be a day of celebration as we honor Grace Church’s 55th birthday and the new chapter of Elevate People. We hope you can join the team and help volunteer to continue to reach our city and love every person that walks in the doors. In preparation, our team day training is April 24 at 9am. (Sign Up Here)
All information and videos are available on our website. We are praying for you as you pray about the move with our church. More than anything our hearts are that we keep reaching our city and loving people to Jesus together. We love you and believe in you!
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Brandon and Kristen