Dear LWWC Church Family and Friends,
I sincerely greet you in the precious name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
For those who may not be aware, I want to share with you some important news that was just voted at our 2023 Year-end Church Family Meeting (business meeting) on Sunday, January 28, 2024.
After some time of discussion and earnest seeking of the Lord’s direction, our church voted to initiate discussions with our sister church, Southern Worship Center of Seventh-day Adventists in Arlington, TX, about the possibility of merging our two church fellowships. Likewise, Southern Worship Center held a church business meeting on Sunday morning and voted to do the same. This agreement between the two churches, at least at this point, has been wholly orchestrated by the Holy Spirit of God. Neither Pastor Spencer Anderson of Southern Worship Center, nor myself, nor the leadership or members of our respective churches, can lay claim solely to this development.
Exactly one year ago, at our 2022 Year-end Church Family meeting in January 2023, Living Waters Worship Center discussed the idea of initiating conversations with Southern Worship Center about a possible merger. After considerable discussion, it was finally voted not to pursue discussions at that time. Recently, however, the seed of this thought was revived, and has now sprouted the seedling of such a possibility.
I want to be clear—neither vote from Living Waters Worship Center or Southern Worship Center was an actual vote to merge at this time. Our respective decisions represent nothing more than a desire to enter into formal discussions about the possibility of such an endeavor. I might add, the decisions from both churches were overwhelmingly approved by our respective church bodies.
The question remains, where do we go from here? Over the next few days, Pastor Anderson and I will seek the counsel of the Texas Conference administration in assisting us to establish the process of communication between the two churches. Soon after, we will arrange an occasion for members of the two churches to come together in the spirit of Christian fellowship and conversation. When the time is appropriate, you can expect to receive clear directions as to the time and place for our joint fellowship.
I’m sure you can sense the importance of this endeavor. Please join me in fervent prayer and fasting as we continue to seek the Lord’s leading.
“When a believing person prays, great things happen.” ~James 5:16, New Century Version
Yours in pastoral love and service,
Marlon T. Perkins, Sr.