seattle pi article on church merger

Goodness, these people work quick.  Here’s the article [huge front cover of the Local Section] from the Seattle Post Intelligencer on the Quest/Interbay merger and their observations from yesterday’s service. 

I tell this to every pastor that I encounter:  People are watching your church community more than you will ever now.  We have visitors that share about how they’ve been watching, following, and observing for months or even for years before they make their first visit.

Here’s the video we showed to honor the “Interbay community” at yesterday’s service and the ONE CHURCH newsletter [pdf].   UPDATE: here’s another article from the Covenant Wire.

Time to come up for some air.  It’s been a very BUSY past few months; a little more pushing in the next three months to pound out some “minor” building renovations in August and then a chance to rest in the Fall.  Transitions are very tough and through these transitions, trying our best to make sure that people [both from quest and the interbay community] don’t get lost in the transition and translation.

The article: 

Only a parking lot separates Interbay Covenant Church and Quest Church, but the neighboring Seattle congregations hardly seem alike on the surface. Interbay’s roots stretch back to 1942. Half the worshippers filling its pews are 50 and older. The brick church building features soaring curved beams, amber windows, beige walls and a red curtain covering a baptistery.

Quest started in 2001 in a living room with eight people and now attracts hundreds of 20-somethings. They meet in a renovated warehouse that doubles as a coffeehouse and concert venue, with gallery artwork displayed on walls painted burgundy, taupe and mustard.

The traditional and the hip melded Sunday when Interbay joined Quest for their first service as a combined, multi-generational congregation.

The expanded Quest Church resulted from an unlikely offer. After months of discussion and prayer, Interbay members voted in April to give their multimillion-dollar property to Quest and fold into their larger neighbor on 15th Avenue West. [read full article]