Cold and Gray

The sun broke through the clouds yesterday for awhile, but today it is back to cold, windy and rainy. The last few months have been miserable. The constant cold rain has added several inches of water to our once nice basement floor. Everybody tends to get sick in this kind of weather too. However, another moment of light breaking through the gray was that yesterday I finished all my written exams for ordination and soon will face my oral trials. Now it is time to relax for a few days for Christmas. The birth of Jesus--the incarnation of God himself, of course, being the greatest light shining into the darkness...check out Isaiah 9:2-7, and John 1:1-14. Merry Christmas everyone!

Student Once Again

I've been studying church history for weeks now to take another Ordination test this afternoon. Then I will only have 1 written exam left (Greek). Can you identify these important men from the Reformation?

Back Home

This Sunday I am preaching at Christ Liberation Fellowship whose pastor (Lance Lewis) is a friend from many years ago. We served/attended this church seen above (New City Fellowship of Fredericksburg, VA) and carpooled to seminary classes together. Although, back then we did not have this lovely building. The Sunday after next I will be back at New City to give friends and supporters an update about our efforts here in East Delco. It is always a privilege to be back in my home-town and visiting the church that helped me so very much in discovering and developing my calling as well as help me flesh-out a fuller understanding of the gospel.

Great Location

Boy, what a great potential building for a church right on Baltimore Pike...only 1 mile from my house and right between Springfield and Clifton Heights. It has an iconic tower for the area that would catch all kinds of attention if painted. Perhaps in many years, when I hope to have a thriving group of saints, Burlington will have moved out. I can dream can't I? Don't be afraid to ask God for big things...one never knows.

Soccer Team

Here is the pee-wee Aldan Boys Club "red team." We played our last game of the season this morning. I enjoyed coaching and met lots of people in Aldan this way. Soon I will have the team (and their families) over to our house for marshmallows over the fire or something like that.

Fall Days

Now here are pictures of our favorite park during the best time of year. It is called Crowell Park and it is only a mile or two away. It has a soccer/football field, baseball diamond, tennis courts, basketball courts, hockey rink, playground, walking/jogging path, a hill for winter sledding, and many beautiful views. Now all I need are some friends who will play disc golf with me after I make up a course! I study here often and also try to meet people in the community. Our Jack Russel Terrier, Linus, particularly loves it here since you will see 5-6 squirrels at one time :)

Quiet Places

These are the last green pics I took before Fall hit and the leaves changed color. The creek is not too far from our home and is a beautiful place where you can forget that you are in such an urban environment. Many people fish in the various creeks and rivers around here...and I have even heard of some large falls within a few miles...but that will be a post for a later date. The parks are great places to refresh yourself and the children. We've been going to a park I find particularly beautiful (this ain't it) that has a hockey rink. The boys are enjoying some floor hockey while I study and Elena swings with Mama. More pics coming soon.

Transitions

And the wheels keep on turning. I'm thinking about getting some new rims for my beat-up grand caravan and cruisin around with the windows down saying, "hey, you like my minivan? (My wife thinks that's a bad idea.) Seriously though, I could use a new hubcap. It is slow getting to know people here...mostly since we are so busy trying to make our own transitions. Thankfully we have begun to invite people over to the house and show some hospitality. I am pushing to be fully settled by the end of the year and ready to dedicate mass amounts of time to evangelism and hospitality. Please pray for this with us.

Southwest Philly

We live 2 miles from the city line of Southwest Philadelphia. Most of the entire city is very dense row-housing. There are over 50 thousand African immigrants and refugees living in SW Philly. More and more people are overflowing into east Delco as the entire region continues to diversify.

We Love Pizza

This is a pizza place just a few blocks from our house. It has a model train and ferris wheel which are hits with the children.

Family Adjustment

My family is doing pretty well with our transition. The children have neighborhood friends and are now beginning to play soccer with the Aldan Boy's Club. We have been careful to spend adequate time with them investigating our new world. We have gone to playgrounds, churches, stores, the zoo, the neighborhood pool, and Valley Forge National Park. They are saying less and less about missing their old house, but still miss Lynchburg friends--which I entirely understand and relate. They are starting back to home-schooling preschool and might join a cyber preschool soon. They love to learn...(especially since after certain milestones they are rewarded with making cookies!) Come to think of it...I really like it when they learn too!!

Public Transportation

There are all kinds of public transportation options here. My house is 1 block from the trolley car and only 3-4 blocks from the train station. Chip and I love to go to center city Philly, and soon we will need to test the tracks!

Catholic Presence

Much of the North-East has a heavy Catholic presence, East Delco is no exception. Although steeples are all around, the need for deep relationship with God and belief in the gospel presides.
My 11 year old neighbor has discovered that I am a "priest" in a different church. (She better not start calling me "Father Dave!" I feel old enough already.)

Diversity of Homes

Row-houses.
Duplex (above), town-homes (below)
Here are examples of the majority of the housing options in East-Delco, including apartment complexes. Remember there are 300 thousand people in this part of Delaware County.

Diversity of Homes

There is a true diversity of living arrangements in East Delco. Here are some nice houses mixed in and around apartment complexes, row-houses, and duplex homes. The sizes and yard space vary everywhere in-between. Some are fixed up to perfection and others are in disrepair--right next to each other. Some lots are up to 2 acres, but most are less than .2 and tons are even as small as .08 acre.

Baltimore Pike

Here is a look at Baltimore Pike facing away from the city. It has the vast majority of shopping, restaurants and entertainment for the bulk of our surrounding community (including areas inside the city limits.) It is sometimes referred to as the "golden mile" since it has such a wide variety of stores (despite the fact that the commercially developed section is actually longer than a mile.) As you can see it is a heavily traveled road and serves as a major artery from downtown, through West Philly and East Delco, through the "hip" little town of Media, and out into the more expensive burbs.

City view

Here is a glimpse of downtown Philadelphia from our local pizza hut parking lot along Baltimore Pike (a major road for East Delco and an ideal location for a future church.)

Big Picture

The Baggetts have been called by the Philadelphia Metro West Presbytery to plant a multi-ethnic church just outside of West Philadelphia in Eastern Delaware County, AKA, "East Delco." This is an increasingly diverse area with dense populations, many physical needs, and few reformed churches. Please read the vision of the church at the top of the blog. This vision and aspects of the location will be further addressed as new posts about the progress of this church plant are added. Only by God's grace and the support of his people will any of these things be accomplished. Thank you for partnering with us and remember to book-mark this page if you have interest in our progress.