hello from Pastor Bill and Cynthia, along with our children Khloe and Lukas! We are honored to share our journey with you as we answer God's call to start a new, life-giving church in Nutley, New Jersey.
God placed a dream in our hearts to begin a new work, but we did not know what that would look like. After serving for 18 years in our church home in various roles, including as Executive Pastors, we sensed that God was saying the time was now to leave all that we knew to follow where He would lead us. Our first priority was to pause from ministry and rest. To abide in the Lord, spend intentional time with our family, and discern His will for us. During a time of prayer, the name Solace came to our hearts, inspired by 2 Corinthians 1:3-4: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” This scripture has shaped our vision for Solace Church—a place of healing, hope, and transformation. Over the past four months, we have been blessed to gather with about 25 individuals in Bible study pop-ups. In these intimate settings, we have witnessed the power of God at work as hearts have been opened and lives have been touched. A few weeks into these studies, something incredible happened: our vision for Solace became a tangible reality. After Bible study sessions, people lingered in conversation, sharing stories of deep grief and loss: a family mourning the tragic loss of their young child, a young woman grieving the recent passing of her mother, another navigating the aftermath of a painful divorce, and yet another sharing the profound impact of losing a brother to gun violence. We shared that our own family experienced grief in leaving our church home to follow God's call into the unknown. It was at this moment that we looked at each other and knew—this is it. Solace Church was born before our eyes that day. We are now fully committed to the first stage of planting Solace Church, and we invite you to be a part of all that God is doing by partnering with us in prayer, generosity, and joining our launch team. Your support will help us establish a place where families can encounter Jesus, experience healing, and discover their purpose.
Would you prayerfully consider partnering with Solace Church?
Here are a few ways you can be a part of what God is doing in Nutley: Pray: Lift up Solace Church, asking for God's will to be done in Nutley as it isand for wisdom in gathering His people. Spread the Word: Share about Solace Church on social media, with your friends, co-workers, and family, inviting them to join us. Join the Launch Team: Are you in transition? Consider joining our launch team and becoming part of this exciting journey to impact lives for Christ. Give Cheerfully: Your financial support will provide the resources and equipment needed to bring God’s vision for Solace Church to reality. Together, we can make a difference and bring hope to our community. We're thrilled to share that Solace Church is set to launch in fall 2024! Reflecting on Zechariah 4:10b, we are reminded: "the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.” Thank you for considering partnering with us. We eagerly anticipate seeing how God will use Solace Church to transform lives and glorify His name in Nutley and beyond.