Multi-Site Church Planting

The elders of Grace Fellowship Church and Astoria Community Church have agreed to pursue becoming one church that meets in different locations. This approach to church planting is called the 'multi-site approach.'

This would mean that both churches would be incorporated under a name that reflects its mission to the borough of Queens, perhaps something like 'Queensboro Presbyterian Church.' This one church with multiple sites would be aligned with the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). As part of the PCA this multi-site church would be aligned with other PCA churches like Redeemer both here in the city and around the world.

This multi-site church would be one church whose members worship and serve in various neighborhoods. Each congregation would bear a name that reflects its mission to a particular neighborhood. Each neighborhood congregation would have a site pastor for preaching and leadership at the local level. Each site pastor would regularly meet with the other site pastors for prayer, training, coaching, encouragement and missional strategizing under direction of lead pastor.

This unified church meeting in multiple sites would be governed by one session of elders that meets quarterly to pray for and oversee multi-site movement. This session would be divided into commissions of elders drawn from each local congregation, in charge of shepherding and oversight of their respective local congregations.

This one church of multiple congregations would share administrative resources such as office, finances, equipment, and other resources. This new multi-site church would come together occasionally for regional gatherings, seminars, retreats, youth groups, community outreaches, etc. This church would work together to promote the formation of new congregations throughout Queens and in supporting a global missions program. Both GFC and ACC benefit by this union and, even more so, the kingdom purposes of Christ are advanced.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10a: 9Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow.