Dear Friends,
We hope this letter finds you thriving in these interesting times. We would like to share with you a few aspects of our journey and glorify God for His faithfulness to guide us all these years. Then we have some exciting news about our future plans.
As many of you know, we have spent the last 22 years pastoring in the Northwest. In July of 1999 we returned from 16 years of overseas mission work to place our daughter, Hope, in college. We anticipated a quick return abroad to the mission field by January 2000. However, Diane’s mother had a difficult surgery and needed home care. We decided to close our apartment Hong Kong and stay home a little longer..
“Man makes plans, but the Lord directs his steps.” When the season at home became longer than we expected, we were stirred to start a church in Olympia. With no money, no building and no people, we stepped out in faith and launched Rivers of Grace Church with a 4th of July picnic at Millersylvania State Park. The following Sunday we gathered to worship at Madison Elementary School on Legion Way and continued to do so for 12 1/2 years!
In October of 2013, we moved our congregation to a new location. The Free Methodist Church on the east side offered their space to us! We were delighted to move Children’s Church from a hallway at the school to a room and use a fully-equipped kitchen with fellowship hall! Needless to say we settled into ‘space’ that allowed us to host weekly services, annual garage sales, and to support Gethsemane ministries discipleship and recovery program.
Because of pandemic restrictions, the Methodist Church closed their facility and we no longer had a venue to gather. A small building at 620 SE Legion Way became available. Some of you may remember this as the location of Glory House.
For one year, we saw God bring in those who had no place to worship, including folks from the street. Just as we were planning to return to a normal routine in the spring of 2021, a fire destroyed part of the building. We temporarily held services at Camp Grace in Union, WA.
During the eight months it took for the insurance company to repair the building, we negotiated the purchase of another building. After some time all of our offers were declined.
In December, 2021 I was asking the Lord if we should resume meeting at 620 now that it was repaired. He clearly said, “Set it up and give it away.” In January He indicated to give it away in six months. Therefore we resumed worship at the building on Legion Way in February, 2022.
We awaited God’s next direction knowing He would bring the right person at the right time to fulfill the word He had spoken to us. Pastor Brian Hellenthal felt the Lord was directing him to this aspect of ministry. Some of you may recall our close affiliation with Pastor Brian and our support of Gethsemane for many years.
On July 31, 2022 we “gave it away” transitioning Rivers of Grace Sunday worship from our responsibility to Pastor Brian and his team.
What does this mean for Diane and I? We are being re-commissioned! We anticipate spreading some fire to the churches and friends who have supported our mission work all these years. Our passion for international missions has never wavered. Every year until the pandemic we made at least three trips overseas. The students we support and these missions were funded through Mission Concepts partners, not our local church missions. We hope to soon visit the nations again to bring encouragement and the Word of God.
Our calling is to spread the Holy Spirit’s refreshing through preaching the good news, Bible teaching, retreats and conferences, writing materials, and sponsoring underprivileged children’s education.
We appreciate all the love, prayers, and support you have shown over the years. We will continue to be a part of the Rivers of Grace community and would love to see you. We also serve the men and women at Gethsemane ministries who are breaking free from their drug and alcohol addiction through the power of Christ.
If you’d like to support us or if you don’t have a missions giving plan at your church, please consider partnering with us through “Mission Concepts”, our mission entity since 1983. We are now available to meet with you or to speak at your church. Call us at (360) 432-0658 or my cell (360) 701-8212.
We look forward to connecting with you, Dennis and Diane Teague
email: denteague@gmail.com and dianedancing@gmail.com Send tax deductible donations through the website or checks to Mission Concepts at PO Box 44, Shelton, WA 98584 Give us a call for other options.
Dear Friends,
We hope this letter finds you thriving in these interesting times. We would like to share with you a few aspects of our journey and glorify God for His faithfulness to guide us all these years. Then we have some exciting news about our future plans.
As many of you know, we have spent the last 22 years pastoring in the Northwest. In July of 1999 we returned from 16 years of overseas mission work to place our daughter, Hope, in college. We anticipated a quick return abroad to the mission field by January 2000. However, Diane’s mother had a difficult surgery and needed home care. We decided to close our apartment Hong Kong and stay home a little longer..
“Man makes plans, but the Lord directs his steps.” When the season at home became longer than we expected, we were stirred to start a church in Olympia. With no money, no building and no people, we stepped out in faith and launched Rivers of Grace Church with a 4th of July picnic at Millersylvania State Park. The following Sunday we gathered to worship at Madison Elementary School on Legion Way and continued to do so for 12 1/2 years!
In October of 2013, we moved our congregation to a new location. The Free Methodist Church on the east side offered their space to us! We were delighted to move Children’s Church from a hallway at the school to a room and use a fully-equipped kitchen with fellowship hall! Needless to say we settled into ‘space’ that allowed us to host weekly services, annual garage sales, and to support Gethsemane ministries discipleship and recovery program.
Because of pandemic restrictions, the Methodist Church closed their facility and we no longer had a venue to gather. A small building at 620 SE Legion Way became available. Some of you may remember this as the location of Glory House.
For one year, we saw God bring in those who had no place to worship, including folks from the street. Just as we were planning to return to a normal routine in the spring of 2021, a fire destroyed part of the building. We temporarily held services at Camp Grace in Union, WA.
During the eight months it took for the insurance company to repair the building, we negotiated the purchase of another building. After some time all of our offers were declined.
In December, 2021 I was asking the Lord if we should resume meeting at 620 now that it was repaired. He clearly said, “Set it up and give it away.” In January He indicated to give it away in six months. Therefore we resumed worship at the building on Legion Way in February, 2022.
We awaited God’s next direction knowing He would bring the right person at the right time to fulfill the word He had spoken to us. Pastor Brian Hellenthal felt the Lord was directing him to this aspect of ministry. Some of you may recall our close affiliation with Pastor Brian and our support of Gethsemane for many years.
On July 31, 2022 we “gave it away” transitioning Rivers of Grace Sunday worship from our responsibility to Pastor Brian and his team.
What does this mean for Diane and I? We are being re-commissioned! We anticipate spreading some fire to the churches and friends who have supported our mission work all these years. Our passion for international missions has never wavered. Every year until the pandemic we made at least three trips overseas. The students we support and these missions were funded through Mission Concepts partners, not our local church missions. We hope to soon visit the nations again to bring encouragement and the Word of God.
Our calling is to spread the Holy Spirit’s refreshing through preaching the good news, Bible teaching, retreats and conferences, writing materials, and sponsoring underprivileged children’s education.
We appreciate all the love, prayers, and support you have shown over the years. We will continue to be a part of the Rivers of Grace community and would love to see you. We also serve the men and women at Gethsemane ministries who are breaking free from their drug and alcohol addiction through the power of Christ.
If you’d like to support us or if you don’t have a missions giving plan at your church, please consider partnering with us through “Mission Concepts”, our mission entity since 1983. We are now available to meet with you or to speak at your church. Call us at (360) 432-0658 or my cell (360) 701-8212.
We look forward to connecting with you, Dennis and Diane Teague
email: denteague@gmail.com and dianedancing@gmail.com
Send tax deductible donations through the website or checks to Mission Concepts at PO Box 44, Shelton, WA 98584 Give us a call for other options.