God’s Work in Lexington, Kentucky
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.
Matthew 5:14,15
God calls all of us to reach out to those around us. We are called to serve our brothers and sisters in Christ, and to point others toward Him. Sometimes He also calls us to go out to new places and meet new people. This can be as simple as volunteering your time in a new way, or as difficult as packing up your entire family and moving to another location—new jobs, new neighbors, new church, new everything.
When both UCO and the Sword of the Spirit felt prompted to plant a new community and chapter in a new location, it was obvious that some people would need to make some of these more difficult changes. But who, and where would they be going?
Wanting to be close enough to receive support from the Michigan communities, but distant enough to make sure the community plant would be distinct from them, the team visited college towns in Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Kentucky. They spent time talking to people and learning about the schools and towns. After prayer and consideration, it was clear that Lexington, Kentucky was the place to begin. In addition to being a good location to ask people to move to for many practical reasons, the church leaders the team spoke to in Lexington welcomed the idea enthusiastically.
Recruitment for the community plant took place over the next year. Couples, families, and singles who felt the Lord might be asking them to move to Lexington spent time in prayer and discernment. Most eventually decided that God still wanted them where they already were, but some committed to moving. And intentional recruitment by the team wasn’t the only way God provided people for the outreach. A few people moved to the area for other reasons, some even before the location was chosen.
In the summer of 2022, a core of 10 adults moved to Lexington and began establishing a new community, while the UCO chapter began working with students at the University of Kentucky that August. The small community was able to meet in the Murrays’ home at first. In addition to prayer and worship, these meetings typically included a potluck meal, allowing the community members, many of whom did not yet know each other well, to spend time developing their relationships. Once the group outgrew that space, they began meeting at a local church.
The UCO began with a Bible study, slowly forming a core of students and were able to hold a Fan into Flame retreat during the second school year. This retreat was incredibly successful, as all of the twenty participants continued through the whole retreat and were baptized in the Holy Spirit. The following school year they were able to begin formation with fourteen students, and held a joint retreat with the community.
Resources are still tight for the small community. Limited numbers of people, all already serving as they are able, means there is also no one to run badly needed programs like a Young Professionals group or age-appropriate activities for the wide age range of children. Despite this, both the community and UCO have been growing, and the Lord is blessing the outreach.
Although not everyone from the original group is still in Lexington, there are now eighteen adult members of the community. The UCO chapter is also doing well, with around twenty-five consistent participants. Both have ecumenical membership, with the community being around half and half Catholic and Protestant, and the UCO majority Protestant in membership.
Please keep the Lexington community and UCO in your prayers, and support them as you are able. God is doing great things there, with so much more to come!
