The sounds of praise and worship will be filling the air in Pollard Sunday as a new ministry begins services for the first time.
Pat and Twilight Carden, co-pastors of the new mission, will hold their first official services for the Grace Covenant International Church.
The non-denominational church began after the couple felt a call on their lives.
“I didn’t decide to do this,” Pat said. “The Lord did. We had left a church we were attending and I began to pray ‘Lord, where do you want us?’ and this was the result of that prayer.”
Twilight said the decision to begin the ministry is one that has been filled with prayer and a hard look at a much bigger picture.
“We are believing that this ministry will end up with churches overseas,” Twilight said. “That is part of the vision we have for this ministry.”
Working as co-pastors, the Cardens have fashioned a mission statement with the help and input of more than a dozen founding members.
“Our mission statement is to win the lost with the love of Christ,” Twilight said. “That is the most important part of what we have planned. We will also connect believers to the church family so they can have something to hold on to. It is our mission to establish and equip the saints with God’s word; release them to minister the gospel; and reach their highest calling in Christ and fulfill their divine destiny.”
With that idea of leadership and ministry training, Pat said the focus will be on growing ministers from within the body of Christ.
“In my vision, I saw there is a lacking of leadership teaching a lot of times,” Pat said. “We need to train ministers and leaders so there are more workers in ministering. A pastor cannot carry the whole load. There have to be more people ready and prepared to take some of the load off the pastor.”
Twilight said the training of ministers will provide more ability from church members to carry on and sow outside of the church walls.
“The only way to reach out to others in the community is to not train people to work with us, but to train others to work in the ministry and keep it going and flowing out,” Twilight said. “We plan to welcome everyone with love and love each other as Christ has loved.”
The church is located at 1064 Misella St. in Pollard near the railroad tracks. Services are planned for 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Sunday at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.