Hind sight is 20/20 ever wonder what we have been doing for the last year?

First off in this post I would like to share with everyone what we have accomplished so far...so here goes:

• We have completed the Culture Scan to find that our scan of culture is different than most church plants and that we must put our focus on the friends, family, and co-workers of those attending Florence UMC instead of a general demographics study of a particular localized geographic region. We have found that since the focus is on relationships, the geographic region is less of a concern than the already formed relationships of those who attend and worship at Florence UMC. (see the M.A.P. For more information)

• We have completed the Prayer strategy found in the M.A.P. This includes forming a prayer team @ Florence UMC that focuses on specific prayers for Th3 Waters. They meet once a month to pray for Th3 Waters and there is a weekly email sent to anyone in the Florence UMC that is interested in praying for Th3 Waters. This group is led by one individual that in turn is developing a similar mentoring relationship with someone in this prayer group and they in turn will birth another prayer group to be in prayer for Th3 Waters. Currently this one group is meeting once a month and sending out prayer emails (prayer waves) Also in each of the Organic Gatherings we support one another with prayer and care.

• We started the 1st Organic Gathering (OG) in Jan. ‘06 with 4 couples. Since we started we have grown to 14 and two children) all of these people have been invited to the OG and are natural friends or co-workers of those who started the OG from the start. One of the individuals who has started to join us came from us meeting in a Starbucks and he was @ the Starbucks for other reasons, and overheard us discussing the bible and asked if he could join us. (Of course we welcomed him, and proved the theory of purposefully meeting in public spaces not only for encouraging lifestyle worship, but also to be invitational as a community to the world!) So far only one couple are what we would consider “normal”, but this will increase as we continue to invite others to join the OG. We are currently praying for almost two dozen ‘normal’ people to invite to the Organic Gathering.

• Grooming future Organic Gathering leaders from this first Organic Gathering through personal relationship and mentoring.

• We started our second OG March ‘06. This OG is made-up of potential OG Discussion Leaders from Florence UMC. We have 12 people so far and 4-5 children. This is wonderful to help us deal with children in Worship, and everyone so far has seemed to really love the discussion. This OG has been even more active online with their discussion throughout the week then the 1st OG. It is expected that this OG will eventually become OG Discussion Leaders of join Th3 Waters Core leadership team.

• We have developed a Leadership Growth Strategy through a relationship with SLI and have formed a coaching relationship with SLI and Bryan Sims, including working with a website called iteamwork.com to develop a performance plan that is dynamic and ever changing to always stay on track and focused on the next steps of Th3 Waters. I drive to Lexington to meet with Bryan Sims monthly for personal coaching. SLI will begin meeting with us in the summer to develop the core leadership team.

• We have developed a logo and the deeper work of a website is in the process. This is extremely important for Th3 Waters, because the central hub of the ministry will be the Website. I have been meeting with Design District Inc. to create this integral part of Th3Waters.

• Each OG has their own blog to continue the discussion each week after the OG. I create the discussion questions and facilitate the discussion.

• I sent out weekly emails of prayer requests (What is up with your life), announcements, lists of Normals, and invitation to the blog to each Organic Gathering member.

• We are possibly forming an all men’s OG to be launched when they can begin.

• We are setting up summer parties for this summer to start the official OG’s with the normal friends, family, and co-workers of Florence UMC members, with the expectation of starting the first 8 week commitment of these OGs in Aug ‘06.

• We have completed the written curriculum for the first 16 weeks of each OG and even have children’s activities for each OG.

• We are in the development stage for videos to introduce each organic gathering discussion. The filming and editing of these videos will happen in the summer and will be available via video Ipod for the launch of the organic Gatherings in August.

• The developed OG curriculum is developed each week meeting with a core pastoral team each Friday morning. We meet for about 4 hours each Friday to discuss the scripture and discussion questions.

• I have stared and developed a strong relationship with other “emerging” church ministries in Cincinnati that is serious about supporting Th3 waters any way they can. (Vineyard Central Church).

• Continue to develop strong relationships with Florence UMC members to make sure they have continued opportunities to support Th3 Waters financially, word, and work.
  

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Ok, it is just nice to think about what we have done over the course of one year...so ion the next post I will tell yall what is going on this and last week....it might be tomorrow, heh...(or later, heh heh)

Thank you all for your prayers and thoughts during this last year!!! These are the fruits of all of our labor, prayer, and passion for following Christ! God has chosen us to create a new comunity of Christ in this world.. what an asweome responsibility (not many people can ever say that they were a part of join God in birthing a new community for Christ!!!!)...and blast to live out into this world...and we had only just begun!!! Please stay faithful..spread the word of God's movement in Th3 Waters and Florence UMC.... God is doing so much...so lets continue to take our faithfullness to new levels and consider the importance of the covenant we have all made with God! Love yall and thank you for your pssionate following of God! Thank you thank you thank you!

In Trinity,
D.G.