Immanuel (Lafayette, Ind.) RPC

Organized: Feb. 2, 2007
Communicant Members: 42
Baptized Members: 42
Pastor: Jared Olivetti
Web Site: http://ImmanuelRPC.com

We are a church plant of the Lafayette, Ind., RPC. A core group of 13 families began meeting weekly in Jan. 2006 for a time of studying the nature and role of the church, evangelism training, planning, brainstorming, and prayer. Jared Olivetti, then associate pastor of the Lafayette RPC, and Graeme Hart, a pastoral intern from RPC Australia, led these studies. At this time the name, Immanuel RPC, was chosen, inspired by Isaiah 7:14. Immanuel means “God with us.”

We were organized on Feb. 2, 2007, calling Jared Olivetti as our pastor and David Carr and Ben Larson as our elders. Morning and evening services began Feb. 4 at the Seventh Day Adventist church building.

This was an exciting time. We thought through our convictions on worship and organized our worship to reflect those convictions. We thought through our convictions on Bible education and designed our Sabbath school and Scripture memory programs accordingly. People volunteered their time and gifts to the various ministries of the church. We had communion monthly. We enjoyed monthly fellowship dinners after the evening service. This was especially nice in the summer when we could eat outdoors and watch the children play on the playground. We had various small groups each quarter to encourage growth, including a group especially for kids. We grew together as a family of families.

In 2009 God blessed us with our own building. Deacon Eric Bibby happened to learn that an Apostolic Christian Church (ACC) congregation was interested in selling their old building. This was a well-kept building on property that included trails through a wooded ravine, a great delight to the kids. God blessed us with many monetary gifts and help from the denomination. We bought the building. We shared it with the ACC congregation until their new building was completed, giving us an opportunity to build a relationship with another branch of Christ’s church.

The new building has given us a visible presence in the community. We can invite people for various activities, such as an annual Thanksgiving service, rummage sale, men’s meetings, cultural engagement activities (i.e. movie nights) and even a fireworks show. Pastor Olivetti has encouraged us to use the building to bless others, such as providing a meeting place for a homeschool drama troupe. Ministries outside the building include hosting a welcome picnic for international students coming to Purdue University, ministry to Purdue graduate students, a summer book club at the pastor’s home, and a new ministry planned for the nearby Indiana Veterans Home.

What are we like as a congregation? We have lots of kids, who enjoy playing on the playground, walking the trails (with supervision), and shooting baskets with the graduate students. We still enjoy monthly fellowship dinners. This summer two of our young people went on an RP mission trip to Uganda. We pray for member Audrey Joseph to get the support she needs to go to India this fall to work in a home for children of lepers. We are challenged by Pastor Olivetti’s teaching to live out our convictions that Jesus Christ is active in our lives, and that the gospel is the center of all we do.

Ministries

Our outreach committee keeps us focused in both personal and congregational outreach. We regularly host events designed to welcome guests; some of these are gospel-focused, like our Thanksgiving Eve worship service, while others are simply designed to build relationships, like fireworks and our upcoming fall party. Our next project is to develop ways to make visitors to our worship services more comfortable and informed.

Little-Known Facts

• Largest families: Pfeiffer and Saunders families both have 8 children
• Newest married couple: Ben and Avery Mann Brame
• Longest married couple: Larry and Eileen Falk (40 years)
• Member living farthest away: Ben Roberts (East Asia)
• Four families have an adopted child
• Most families do not have an RP heritage

Prayer Items

• Pray that we live out our conviction that Jesus Christ is alive, active in our lives, and the center of everything we do.
• Pray that Christ’s indwelling us as individuals and as a congregation will reveal His glory to our community.
• Pray for the new nursing-home outreach.
• Pray for Audrey Joseph to get the support she needs to go to India in October.