05/17/2026
Friends,
Last Sunday under the domed, wood-slatted roof of Franconia District Park shelter A, as we continued in our series on Exodus Move: Following God into Whatever's Next, we imagined together Israel standing in the open (no walls, just sky, wind and sand)—no longer in Egypt but not yet in the promised land: simply in between. That’s where we are as a church right now.
The in‑between is not easy. We've formalized the lease, voted, packed up the trailer one last time, honored core volunteers, and now we're ready to move in, get settled, make the place collaboratively ours, and have a front door we can walk through and say, "This is home."
We had hoped we'd be moved in already and training volunteers this Sunday; but, unfortunately, over these last few weeks the building's approval for pre-occupancy was delayed due to A/V and security/data installation. So we're now in the in-between.
And yet this season is also deeply who we are. From the beginning, the Kingstowne Communion has been mobile, adaptable, nimble, scrappy—in the best ways. God has used schools, parks, garden centers, libraries, restaurants, government centers and more over these last ten years to form us into a people who can find God anywhere. We've been so beautifully shaped to weather—perhaps even find joy and meaning in—this season together.
While we wait for the fire marshal's re-inspection and pre-occupancy approval, we want our Sundays to feel as steady, simple, and sustainable as possible; therefore, this Sunday, May 17 (tomorrow) & any subsequent Sundays we are delayed, we have planned the following:
📍 ALTERNATE LOCATION UNTIL MOVE-IN:
Until we can move into our new building and home with Virginia Hills, we'll host worship, children's church and nursery care, in the first floor community rooms 117, 120 and 105** at the {brand new} Franconia Governmental Center & Kingstowne Regional Library (7130 Silver Lake Blvd) that just opened in April, next to Lane Elementary off Beulah St and behind Walgreens off Manchester Lakes Blvd.
Park in the parking garage or along the street and enter through the main entrance off Silver Lake (look for Kingstowne Communion signs).
** These rooms are free for us to use—a quiet gift in this season—as we prepare for our first rent payments to Virginia Hills Church once we move in. **
🕥 BEGIN WORSHIPPING AT {NEW} 9:30AM WORSHIP TIME:
For the very first time and from now on, we will begin worshipping at and getting used to gathering at what will be our new 9:30am worship time slot, which our congregation agreed to in both April 2024 and April 2026 in Church Conference when we decided to move to Virginia Hills Church. We’re shifting to 9:30am now as one step of growth toward our rhythm of life in our new space.
☕ COFFEE & DONUTS PROVIDED:
Tomorrow and any upcoming Sunday we're here, we’ll provide the coffee and donuts to get you through as you let this new rhythm settle in with some gentleness, warmth, and grace. New rhythms require intention, so let's commit to be intentional about showing up together.
🚫 NO MORE TRAILER-HAULING:
At the end of April, we said a real and heartfelt goodbye to mobile, trailer-hauling ministry and thanked our long-time set-up volunteers who carried that load for years. We meant it. The community rooms at the new Franconia Governmental Center & Kingstowne Regional Library are equipped with sound, and we’ve created a small kit of essentials for worship and children’s ministry, giving us all we need for season.
Our focus in these weeks will be being together, getting used to the new 9:30 a.m. worship time, and letting our set-up be as light and sustainable as we can make it.
Meanwhile, here’s where things stand with our new building:
A few weeks ago, the fire marshal came to complete the final inspection for pre-occupancy, but approval was not granted that day—not because of any issues with the building itself, but because two outside systems were still unfinished: final audio/visual installation and final security and data installation (which left certain electrical access points exposed).
Since then, our A/V company, Kingdom Technology Partners, has completed their work. The security/data contractor has been in the building all this week and was scheduled to finish their remaining work by this Tuesday, in time for the fire marshal's return and re-inspection. With a passed inspection, Virginia Hills will file for pre-occupancy with the county, which will, once approved, allow us to move in furniture and equipment, bring over all our belongings and worship supplies, set up the worship, children’s ministry, and office spaces, and train volunteers and ministry teams. We are, truly, very close.
As we walk this stretch together, let's cling to the three truths of the in-between—of the season of "moving through"—that God has for us to learn through the Exodus story (especially chapters 15-17)—that:
👉🏽 The in-between is never a mistake; it’s a place of formation—it's a classroom. It's in these seasons that God always shapes a people—teaching us how to be free, how to depend, and how to listen.
👉🏽 God can handle our honest frustration and, in the midst of our grumbling, always still provides. If you are disappointed that we’re not in the new building yet, or weary of one more temporary space, bring that honestly to God. Your honesty does not cancel God's care.
👉🏽 The in-between is where God teaches us “manna-time," reminding us of what is enough for today. We don’t have every date in hand yet; but we do have what we need for now: a place to gather, a time to gather, a church family to gather with, and the trust that the next piece will come.
We have moved out. We have not yet moved in. And in this “through” space, God has given us a church that is uniquely equipped for the journey: adaptable and stubbornly hopeful. So Kingstowne.
Thank you for the ways you keep showing up—with your presence, your prayers, your patience, and your humor. I so look forward to the day, soon, when we will step into our new home carrying not only our belongings, but all that God has grown in us along the way.
❤️ With love and hope,
Pastor Michelle
