TH3 WATERS: An Experimental United Methodist Network of Organic Gatherings

Third Organic Gathering

2007-02-02T01:45:00.000-05:00

Hello Friends,
The 3rd organic Gathering is meeting tomorrow at 2 p.m. for the very first time. Woo hoo. That is really awesome news. Please pray for the leader, Ben, and all of the new OGers. They are meeting on campus at the college where they attend.

Th3 Waters blog has moved....

2006-12-15T00:00:00.000-05:00

Well what are you waiting for...delete this blog from your RSS reader and go to:

http://www.th3waters.com/blog

And then just wait until the website is up....it will blow you away! God is moving in Th3 Waters...come on in us gets wrinkly! :)

Th3 Waters & God

2006-12-07T14:03:00.000-05:00

God is moving in th3 Waters: this last weekend we had th3 Waters Core Leadership Team monthy meeting, and I wish that everyone could be there for these times of visioning and prayer. The folks on this team could definitely use your prayers, as they are the 'core' of the leadership for Th3 waters:
D.G.
Tiffany
Barry
Kathy Lee
Courtney
Brian

We had a half a day to share about our dreams for this amazing experiment called Th3 Waters. How people's lives are being changed one at a time. How God is moving us each to do 'be' different because we've been a part of this experiment.

One of the things that we talked about was prayer strategies and I (Tiffany) shared how this blog is a definite thing that I had felt God leading me to do for the prayers of th3 Waters. I really do think that God is positioning people to really buckle down and pray for this ministry as we begin the next chapter in this rollercoaster, or should I say tidal wave! So I want all of you cyber prayer warriors, that you may never know the impact of your prayers, but that God IS at work and your prayers are a huge part of His work. Blessings.

Blessed Thanksgiving and God bless us everyone!

2006-11-23T01:44:00.000-05:00

Thank you all for your support, love, and prayers! Th3 Waters would not be anything with out you all! Thank you and God bless yall!

Prayer guide for Th3 Waters

2006-11-22T19:28:00.000-05:00

OK, for those of you who are praying for the Organic Gatherings, here are the names of the folks in the Monday night Gathering that meets at the Pub in Crestview:

Sean
Matt
Andrea
Christian
Allison
Drew
Bella
(and a few others who have visited)

OH, and pray for Alicia, the Organic Discussion leader for this group. Actually, to be more precise, she is the FIRST Organic Discussion leader to lead a group!!!! This is really really exciting. Please be in prayer for her and this awesome Gathering.

What is going on around here?

2006-11-21T17:10:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone let me give yall a short explanation.

Ok So I realized that I was allowing this blog to consume my thoughts and worry! I was worring so much about updating a blog that I was not gettig the other work that I needed to do done...so I decided that I would just take a break here and get some work done...and it has worked...almost too well, heh...so much so that this place has not been updated by me in a long time...and for that I apologize! But here is the good news.... Th3 Waters is going so very well! Things are happening fast and slow in other areas...but the main thing is that they ARE HAPPENING and for that we are so thankful to God for all the blessing he showers upon us especially in this season of thanks! Both the first and second OGs are going great and it looks like we might be starting our first OG in a different geographical location soon around the campus of KY Western University! Also, there are 2-3 OGs in the works that will be primarily made up of people within thew walls of Florence UMC. This ministry it seems might be causing ripples back into the church that is supporting Th3 Waters!!1 this is wonderful news...but Florence UMC while supporting us in prayer and financial ways has not got to experience it and for that to happen we must give them opportunities to experience this amazing ministry! Please keep all of these in your prayers.

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Also, the website is almost up and going...and you will know when it is because when you type in http://www.th3waters.com it will send you there, heh.... for now we are just going to put up a non-moving site that will be fully functional...and then slowly as they get the movement up and going will be inserted into the site to make it even more amazing that it already might be....so.... please pray for The guys doing the site and you will know when it is up and going!

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Who is that person putting up posts on here that is not D.G.? Ha Ha Ha....well that is my wife and fellow sojourner Tiffany Hollums! Tiffany is on the Core Leadership Team for Th3 Waters and she has graciously decided to join me in putting up blog posts here to update yall on the prayer needs for Th3 Waters...so leave her a comment of two letting her know your thanks...but even more please pray for the things she posts!

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We are also looking at starting a few prayer cell groups to meet on a regular basis that will gather specifically for praying for Th3 Waters and Florence UMC! How cool is that...so...please pray for the praying people, ha ha ha ha.....

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Well until then please know how much we love you for reading this blog and praying and supporting Th3 Waters! You are blessing the Kingdom of God more than you will ever know! (Well maybe someday you will know, heh)

In the between times of updates to this blog (I will attempt monthly updates...not including Tiffany's updates) please visit D.G.'s personal blog for humor, and general craziness! Until the next time God bless yall, thank you sooooo much, and KUTPs!!!

Th3 Waters prayer update

2006-11-14T00:17:00.000-05:00

Hello faithful Waters friends! This week we are asking you to pray for the first Organic Gathering folks who have been meeting for a little over a year at Rookwood Starbucks. God is really working in amazing ways and true community is forming more and more each week. Here are the names to be praying for:
John and Sylvia
Kim and Steve
Michelle and John
Brandon and Kelli
D.G. and Tiffany
Courtney and Kelly
John
Randi
Matt

and continue to pray for the visitors who have come a few times and those who are yet to come to this organic gathering.

Update on Th3 Waters

2006-10-27T17:09:00.001-04:00

Hello Th3 Waters Friends: this is Tiffany and I am going to post regular prayer needs and updates for Th3 Waters.

Please be in prayer for the Core Leadership Team as we continue to develop the general strategy and direction for Th3 Waters. The Core Leadership team meets once a month. We met last night and talked about the prayer strategy for Th3 Waters and I was very convicted that we need to let all of you Th3 Waters cyber-prayer warriors know how to pray.

Wow work is fun...but there sure is a lot of it....

2006-09-19T13:24:00.000-04:00

(image that came up when I typed in "organic gathering" in Goggle's image search, heh heh)

Well, the official next OG has started. We first met in Hooters, but now we have moved to The Pub @ Crestview Hills. We have changed about a few of the people that we started with..but the first of the seven weeks has started last night...and I must say it went wonderful!! Very very cool!!! I wish everyone could be a fly on the wall listening to our discussion, seeing everyone's head in agreement that they are excited to finally attempt to have a real authentic community that they can call their own and invite others to be a part of it! It was and is gong to be awesome!!!

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The website is going very well, and I think we are done with the static image stuff and now DD is going to start the flash programming to see if the final product can look like the sample still images they have created for us to get the right look before they start the heavy lifting of coding in flash. Anyway...it looks great and we are all excited!

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The Core leadership team has now had two meetings and they have come up with a covenant between each other, Th3 Waters, and God that we will all folow to the best of our ability! Over the course of the next year they will be taking the base Ministry Action Plan (M.A.P.) that I have developed of the last year and make any changes so that this ministry is not just from me...but from God's people in community!!! And I am so happy to see their excitement for God and Th3 Waters! It was so funny everyone showed up tired and warned us all that they might fall asleep, and we proceeded to watch a 30 min. TV clip and discussed it and everyone left happy and excited....not more sleepy!!! God is good!

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I ask for prayer for the Pastor Core Team...because we are starting to sense a need for a few changes to make it what God desires for it to be...so please pray for us to be listening to God and following his direction for this team....nothing is wrong...just needs to be a little different, and so we are listening and desiring to follow God's leading!

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Well, not much else other than Th3 Waters is going wonderful! It might not have the number of OGs that I would desire to have...but sometimes God has different ways of working than what I may have! (and the opportunity to have others is still available...so we are just loving to live and living to love!

Yall have a wonderful day/week/ etc.... And thank you all so much for your prayers!

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"Isolde: Know that I love you Tristan. Wherever you go, whatever you see. I'll be there with you.
[His Last Words]
Tristan: You were right. I don't know if life is greater than death. But love was more than either."

Tristan & Isolde

This quote make me think of another quote from Erwin McManus, "Grief is proof that love is stronger than death"...because even after death love remains...and remains stronger! Heard it another way too...:

12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Cor. 13:12-13

Long time no see...

2006-09-05T14:06:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone:

Sorry I have been so bad about updating, but life is just crazy as of late! We have officially started the second organic Gathering. We have had our first two gatherings/parties @ Hooters, and now we have officially decided to meet @ The Pub in Crestview Hills! The reason is that one of the guy's wife did not like the fact we were meeting in Hooters. She understood why, but is much happier that we are meeting at the Pub. That way some of the guys and still drink and smoke, but we don't have to put up with Monday night football at a sports bar anymore. And yes, I did say they drink and smoke and that is exactly the kind of people that are attending this Organic Gathering!!! This is so amazing and wonderful!!! So anyway that is going and our first discussion gathering in this Monday night so please be in prayer for that!

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Our website is slowly coming together! Man oh man I wish I could show yall the process they have gone through and the look of the site...but I can almost say without any doubt that it will be different than anything you have ever seen when it comes to websites! Yeah it is going to be that good. anyway....Please keep all the guys @ Design District in your prayers as they continue work on the site. I know they appreciate it!

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the first OG is going great and we are slowly getting people to return from the summer on a regular basis...and we all had a great cook-out @ one of their houses on Sunday night! And man when it comes to Cornhole my game is either really good or really bad...oh well!

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I am also working on a relationship with a worker 2 Starbucks in Crestview Hills to see if he would like to start an OG with me with some of his friends and co-workers...so keep that in your prayers as well!

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Well, I am sure there is so much more I am forgetting, but I must go...take care and God bless yall! Thank you even more so for the prayers!!! They are greatly appreciated and this ministry would be nothing without them! Thank you and God bless!

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Zee: Whatever issue you guys have, I'm sure it has letters and they make pills for it.

Monster House

I loved this movie and I must tell you that it might be too scary for small children...but what a great show! When it comes out on DVD (it is not out yet!) I highly recommend it...

Isn't it funny how when things are wrong in the world that it is the way of the world to just go let a Dr. look at it and fix it? I believe that the pastors of the past have become the Doctors of today. Funny how we as a culture have become more fearful of death than of God. Chew on that thought food!

Second OG still happening...just a little later, 3rd OG's 1st party next Monday, and website coming along....

2006-08-14T13:48:00.000-04:00

Well, the 2nd OG is dealing with last minute vacations and family time until the summer ends...so they still desire to meet and experience the experiment, just on their own time...and that is great....they are supposed to happen naturally and organically...so no big deal....

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The 3rd OG 1st party will be happening this coming Monday night...so I am excited to be able to report next week how that went...please be in prayer that everyone invited can come! Even a few people that I have just met this week might be coming to it!

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I have had a few emails from the guys doing the website and they are very excited about the way the site is coming along....

(side note....It is always a good thing when when the guys designing your website are excited about it)

Most web design people have to do what companies tell them to do...and most companies are not knowledgeable about design...and then the design companies sometimes would not even want to pt their name of the site they created...because it is so bad...but here is my philosophy when it comes to hiring website professionals to do work for you (this might be all across the board...and I am guess it is):

LET THEM DO THEIR JOB! What makes a CEO or a group of people think that they know design better than the company that does it for a living? They have gone to school for it. They continued the read the magazines and books on the subject...so let them have fun!

I have told them (DD Inc.) over and over again...as soon as this becomes work then drop it and come back to it. I want them to have fun designing and working on the site....sure I want them to be challenged, but not with having to deal with me...but challenged to make them better at what they do. I am telling you IMHO (in my honest opinion) if they can pull off the looks that I have seen so far in a live website...then they really should be nominated for a Webby Award...it is going to be that cool and functional. Very exciting!!!

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Well, that is about all for now...

other than that I am reading books galore to get a grasp on worship, communion, and where Th3 Waters fits into the history and practices of the UMC!

PLEASE keep up the prayers! Thank you and God bless you!

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Ricky Bobby: Dear Lord Baby Jesus, I want to thank you for this wonderful meal, my two beautiful son's, Walker and Texas Ranger, and my Red-Hot Smokin' Wife, Carley
Carley Bobby: [raises hands] Woo!
Cal Naughton, Jr.: Mhmm!
Walker: [Along with Texas Ranger] Ow.

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

I really liked this movie..but this prayer time was a running joke about Ricky Bobby only praying to baby Jesus because that was his favorite Jesus.... it just cracks me up. I was reading The Emerging church by Dan Kimball and talking with John Choi Friday and I was reminded of the consumeristic church of today. So many churches have become consumeristic. They feel like they must compete with the world around them and so it becomes about how good the worship service is to those attending, instead of how good it was to God? Decisions are based upon what the congregation would like or want...when in reality it should be about God and that is where we should put our time and effort in designing worship to make the worship of God the key and how can we provide time and space to allow for that worship to occur at the core of people's lives? Baby Jesus indeed....because they might be some things in the life of Christ that you migt not like...but those are things that challege us and convict us...and invite us into a deeper relationship with God and with others. How is your worship of God?

Did someone press the pause button?

2006-08-09T00:09:00.000-04:00

I know some pastors that would say that their greatest enemy is people's priorities, but I say it is just time and life. When churches and pastors plan, most set up dates and times for events to happen....but most never plan on life or a lack of time getting in the way.... well, we planned on filming the first few videos for Th3 Waters a few weeks ago and life and time got in the way...so now we are waiting on one more person to get the first filming date set and ready to go!

and.... when I thought we would be birthing the first OG by the end of this month, it looks like the summer has taken its toll on the birthing time... we have had several people tell us that they loved the OG and just have not been able to come back since they came the first time. So, we are very happy with this, because it really has given us a lot more time to think through the process of how to birth and allow the process to occur. So, what would seem to most people as a "set-back" is really God's way to taken care of it all!

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We are planning on having our first Core Leadership Team (CLT) Aug. 24th! This will be a meeting that Bryan Sims will come in and get us started with a year long process that will be a modified incubator that SLI and the Kentucky Annual Conference has been doing for years! I explain the CLT as the same as a board of directors if Th3 Waters was a non-profit organization (it is of course, but a church, as well). The buck will stop here when it comes to Th3 Waters, to a certain extent...because ultimately it will stop with Florence UMC, of course. Anyway this is a huge step to make sure Th3 Waters is a ministry that will go on way before we are "go"!

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It looks like we will be have a second party for another OG sometime this next week...so please be in prayer for all those that will be invited to this OG...

It also looks like a third OG will be starting their first OG parties this month (August 21st)! So tons of prayer is needed for the leaders, and all of those that will be invited... pray that they too will have enough time and life to come in and experience community that we all so desperately need. This OG (of all the OGs so far) looks to be shaping up to be attended mostly be normal people! So there is some very cool stuff going on...but desperately needs prayer!

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Other than that I would appreciate prayers for me. Anytime anyone does something new and different they automatically are sticking their neck out. Yes, I am sticking my head out and yes I am leading people into places and thoughts that they have never known...all for the sake of following God...but....the thoughts of failure still creep in and affect me every-now-and-then. There is so much that I get excited about and can not believe that is happening already and tons of amazing things that I never dreamed could happen in the UMC...much less the universal church...but there are times and days that time and life get in my way too, and when that happens doubt creeps in as well.

That is why it is so important to surround yourself with people (Community) that are willing to suffer and sacrifice with you to accomplish what God has in store for the future! I think God each day for people that are willing to join me in sticking out their heads for their God whom they not only believe in, but would join Christ and be willing to suffer humiliation and what seems to most to be failure...all for the price of following God with all of who we are! Thank you everyone for joining me in this experiment....from the other pastors, my wife, and especially those who are helping become the leadership of Th3 Waters to those who attend Th3 Waters....you are truly a blessing more than anyone could ever imagine to ask for....but alas....there is nothing that will stop me from giving God all that I am for the purpose to glorify him, and bring people into a relationship with Christ....it is worth the risk...and it is worth my life! Love to live, and live to love! Form, Shower, Flood!

...being blown away by God in words, time, and life! God bless yall!

In Trinity, D.G.

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Cleveland Heep: When I saw your faces, they reminded me of God...
-- Lady in The Water

Wow life is full!

2006-07-23T10:30:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone! Th3 Waters is going and going well!

We are planning on birthing the 1st OG sometime in the next month (if summer allows for everyone's schedual to start calming down). We thought that we would have to birth earlier...but summer has taken it toll on regular attendace for that OG...so it has given us more time to work out how it will all happen!

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Also we had our first OG party for another new OG in Crestview Hills (Northern KY)!!!!! woo hoo! We had at least 10 show up and several could not make it...so it was wonderful to get to knw several new people and friends, as well! We are hopeing that we can have the next party in 1-2 weeks and then invite everyone for the experiment to start on a weekly basis for the first 7 weeks! Great news!

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Other than that the website guys are very hard at work! It should not be too much longer until we have a basic site up and going and then it will just be a matter of filling it all in with info!

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We have just this week transistioned the "2nd OG" into Th3 Waters Discussion Leaders Training meetings once a month! So that will free up a little of my Saturdays to be able to plan and prepare stuff! There are several people that attended the "2nd OG" that are slowly becoming leaders of thier own OGs!!! So they all desperatly need your prayers and support!

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We also start filming Th3 Waters OG lessons this Saturday!!! So, needless to say we have a lot of work this week to write the scripts and get all the shots in and then to edit them all! We are hopeing to find out how long it will take to do all of this and to see if one month in advance will be enough time...or if we could make it shorter or need to make it longer.....

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Lastly, we will be having our first Core Leadership Team meeting in August! This is the equilevant of a board of directors if we were a non-profit org...and since we are not...tey are going to be a rep. of the church that will listen to God and lead Th3 Waters in sacrifice, love, and prayer! Please pray for this group and for Bryan @ SLI....who will be the consultant organization that will be leading the group!

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WE NEED YOUR PRAYER! Tell it one the montian top and the depths of the valley...that we need your prayers and the prayers of anyone else that desires to witness and be a part of the movement of God!
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intel: You don't even know how to read!
Ragetti: It's the Bible, you get credit for trying!

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

The 1st official Organic Gathering (Tuesday the 18th) from the people out of Florence UMC starts!

2006-07-11T09:39:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone. I have a special blog update to report this day. As many of you know the Th3 Waters is a tribe extension of Florence UMC, and even though we have started an Official Organic Gathering (OG) already, but no one that attends it fis rom Florence UMC. This OG was created to be the experiment of the experiment called Th3 Waters, heh... and now that 1st OG will be birthing at the end of the summer, so that means that we are probablty on to something here, and it is worth attempting to repeat it....(all part of our plan for world domination, ha ha (insert minaical laughter here)............(insert D.G.'s wife giving him a dirty look here)....Ok Ok so we are not interested in world domination...but we are interested in covering the world with love, grace, peace, forgiveness, all all the other good stuff of existing in The Kingdom, heh...

So....... now that it has been sucessful in one plce with one group of peple...we are excited to tell you all that on Tuesday the 18th a new OG will be throwing the first party to see if people would be interested in a social experiement of authentic community! We will be meeitng at another Starbucks...and I am very excited! Most of the people intived are being invited by one person from Florence UMC...but that just goes to show you how potientially powerful relationship sare in our lives! So....I beg of you all please be in prayer for Th3 Waters that tonight..and know that I love you all sooo much!

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Oh and I forgot to tell yall...that even though I do not have any photos to show yall....the website is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am telling yall that if Design District can pull off the ideas that we have together...then this website will be amazing design..and great navigation! Seriously.... I really think they will be able to win a few awards for the website they are creating with Flash! I can't wait to see the end result! And I can't wait to show it to yall!...pray for them as well!

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Imperius: I fully expect to meet you at the pearly gates little thief, and don't you dare disappoint me.
Phillipe: I'll meet you there father, even if I have to pick the lock.

Man I love this movie, and what a wonderful last line in the film. There is room in heaven, for thiefs, drunks, sex addicts, me, and even you too!! Praise to God!

Long time no post...but, heh....

2006-06-26T23:32:00.000-04:00

Well, hello everyone that cares about Th3 Waters! The summer has come and even though I have been extremely busy with getting ordained and speaking at a youth camp all last week, I am back and I am even more excited about Th3 Waters than I ever have been! Sure the summer is a hard time to get regular attendence to anything..but so be it...bring it on... I am so excited about what is going on...and we are about to attempt to do something that the typical church plant could never do: plant a church, start and develop a core leadership team , and train future OG leaders all in the......SUMMER!

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OK where to start...well how about the latest? I got off the phone with Design District the guys making our website! Needless to say...the first two screens that they produced to give us all an idea of what will be the design of the website...are simply AMAZING!!!!

I wish I could show them to you...but oh well, I hope to be able to show all the work someday on the website to show yall what all went into the design and creation of a logo, website, ect... almost like a making of DVD for a website... I might give lots of people a good idea about what goes into the creation...but also the amount of hard work DD has put into the website...and I talked with them that maybe in the future we can continue to make the website updated and continue the big dreams of what the site could be the way we all would love to see it...but I am telling yall you will be blown away with the end result! I am meeting with them next week to go over the content requirements and then they can start to really pull together the design and the content.

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We have now officially started inviting the members of the core leadership team for Th3 Waters! This is great news and most of the people that I have talked too are very excited about it all...I will spend some time with really understanding what will be asked of each invited person so they can really make a serious covenant to Th3 Waters and what God is doing in this ministry! so that will be going on soon and we hope to have our first meetings in July!

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We will be officially starting up 2-3 OGs from Florence contacts soon! So, there is lots of prep work involved, and lots of personal meetings with the potential OG discussion leaders! please be in prayer for this one...

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also, I will be contacting the video filming guys soon to start filming the 1st OG intro movies in July! I am very excited about this and to see if it is even going to be feasible to pull them off on a weekly basis! I am still learning the video editing program on the Mac! it is going slow...but just like any computer program it always starts out slow and gets much faster the most time you spend!

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Things are going great...and I am so excited about it all! Also, Gary the Sr. Pastor @ Florence UMC preach about Th3 Waters Sunday before last...and he got a ton of comments about how they understood Th3 Waters and we excited about it!!! Very needed and much appreciated!

Please Please Please KUTPs!!!!!!!!!

"Superman: You wrote that the world doesn't need a savior, but everyday I hear people crying for one."

Superman Returns

Elder and Deacon Hollums!

2006-06-14T11:54:00.000-04:00

Well, I will have a much better update for everyone soon, but until then this is what we have been up to the last two weeks. Th3 Waters is going good even with a few little snags here and there...but all is well and I hope everyone is doing good!@ Take care and know there will be a much deeper update on Th3 Waters soon.

Houston we have a problem...but it is a good problem...

2006-05-31T13:12:00.000-04:00

Hello! Th3 Waters is going great! (I had to get that out of the way so no one freaks out, heh) But the first OG is going so well, that we are slowly becoming too large for really good discussion....so....we are going through the growing pains of birthing another OG! While each week we remind each other that we are not in existance for ourselves and that our purpose is to invite others to this community so that we will some day birth another OG....it is still hard. It is human nature to desire to continue to be with friends, but it is the nature of God to share this good news with this world as well. And the great news is that hopefully 1 or 2 times a month we will all get together every now and then do do some form of living out loud (IEEE mission work). So we will not always be apart!

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The website guys are finishing Th3 Waters' logos. I know I know...yes they are finished...but they will be sending me an entire booklet with the regulations on how it is to be used and they will give us some black and white versions...etc.... And they will also be starting to send me a few possible web design possibilities for the website soon! woo hoo! I can't wait!

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Apple just released a new update for the video editing software for the new laptop....GREAT news!!! So............ that means that I get to spend tons of time learning a new program and all the technical wording to do what I want the program to be able to do... I was just telling the staff I wish there was a basic video/filming class I could take around here (for free) to learn the basics and then go from there)...but I have plenty of friends that can teach me...it is just a matter of time to find out when I can meet with everyone!

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Our huge Th3 Waters meeting is this Sunday 4th @ Florence UMC in the sanctuary from 3:00 pm til 4:30 pm. We hope that this will be a time that everyone in Florence can ask questions, but more importantly really start to get involved in Th3 Waters! The participation at this meeting will be a huge impact on Th3 Waters....so I can not express to yall enough the need for prayer for this meeting...and participation and support form Florence! The OG that we will start to plan and form at this meeting will be the future of Th3 Waters!

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We have a new leader for Our prayer Ministry for Th3 Waters!!!!! Kathy Lee will be taking over for Val the Prayer Waves ministry! The Prayer Waves is a weekly email sent out to anyone who desires to be in prayer for Th3 Waters! KathyLee will be reading this blog and calling me to get weekly email updates out to anyone who desires to be in prayer for Th3 Waters! This transitions will be happening soon so if you want to be put on that list please just send me an email and I will be more than happy to put you on it! (dg@florenceumc.com) Thank you!

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Well other than that I will be gone next week in Texas. (Tiffany and I are being ordained in full connection with the United Methodist Church!!!!) It will happen on the evening of the 9th...so we are excited about it..but also a little stressed out because of how import the summer is to Th3 Waters because that is when we are starting to throw the parties for the OGs....I know that my presence is never needed for God to work...but it is still a prayer concern on the back of my mind...and to top it all off....we will be gone again two weeks after next week! So I will only be here for around the total amount of 2 weeks in June! So...Needless to say it will be fun...getting back into the swing of things! So...lots of prayer needed there for my part as well!

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Thank you all so much for your care and support and prayer for Th3 Waters! I can not tell you how much I love and cherish each and every one of yall! Take care, God bless, and KUTPs!!!!

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Nanny McPhee: How's the reading coming along?
Evangeline: Oh... alright. I still haven't gotten to the end of the story, though.
Nanny McPhee: There's no need. You are the end of the story.

Funny how this could be true of each of our lives with The Bible! Is it your story? Are you a part of the story of God in this world? Why not live your life as if you are?! There is no telling how your life can change this world for God...might as well try and enjoy the ride!

new logo!

2006-05-23T19:02:00.000-04:00

Here is the final logo for Th3 Waters! The first one is the main logo...and the second one will be used if there is a need for the logo to be increased in it's length instead of it's height. Here you go 4 months in the making:

and the second one:

And all of this means that yes....the website is coming next! KUTPs!!!

A few pictures, logo almost done, and mark your calendars June 4th 3-4:30 pm!!!!!

2006-05-20T09:22:00.000-04:00

Well, this week has been a good week for Th3 Waters!

The logo is almost done...And it looks GREAT! I really wish I could show it to you..but the Design District Inc. guys told me that they want to do just a few more touch-ups and then it will be ready for viewing! I am serious....I really want to show it off. It has been in the making for three months now and they even showed me a few samples of what it might look like with the text on the side of the logo instead of underneath it..and it just looks great! The side text will just give us more options to be able to use the logo in different ways...for example the normal logo will be everywhere, website, videos, etc...but the text "Th3 Waters" and maybe a little more will be on the side of the logo when you need more room, for example like on letter head or envelopes, etc... I showed the almost final logo to 2-3 OG people last night (Friday night) and they loved it! So I am getting more and more excited about showing the logo off and getting started on the website! Look for it soon!

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I wanted to take a few pictures of the 1st OG and show them to you....but the best photographer Scott could not make it last night...so I used my little tiny camera...and it works OK, but in the dark or in artificial light it tends to be a little grain filled and dark...but I think it is important to show yall a little of the blast that is worship with Th3 Waters at an OG....And if I can remember I will take a few pictures today with the 2nd OG as well...but for now here are last night's pictures:

Well, there is not much more to tell you about other than we are gearing up for the big meeting this June 4th from 3:00 pm - 4:30pm @ Florence UMC. Everyone who desires to know more about Th3 Waters really needs to come and see where we are, where we have come from so far, and where we are heading into the future...so if you are reading this and care at all about Th3 Waters....please plan to come!

Until next time KUTPs!!!!

What's up Doc?

2006-05-17T12:29:00.000-04:00

Well, Th3 Waters has just been having tons of fun! I have great news...the final logo for Th3 Waters will be finished probably within the week (not sure, but we have finalized the logo to the picture, and the text...now it is just a little fixing here and there and it will be ready for the world...or in our case the blog and maybe my business cards, heh. Soon it will be plastered all over the videos we will create, the website, and if we ever need to do envelopes and stationary, then there too! it is nice to get the logo taken care of because it will fuel the design and work of the website...that has already started! Thanks to Design District Inc. it will be coming and hopefully finished by the end of the summer. We are kind of shooting for the website to be ready to go by the middle or end of August.

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I will be attending a Vineyard Central Leadership training meeting this Saturday afternoon! I hope to be able to talk to several people and get a feel about how they have over the past 10 years formed their leadership and grown their house churches. I am really looking forward to this so we can take the next steps and really flesh out how we will be doing our leadership development once the other OGs start in August.

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I am also planning on taking a trip to the West Ohio Conference to talk to a few people on how to bring the "emergent Discussion" into the UMC. My good friend, my professor, District Superintendent Dr. Tom Tumblin has invited me so we are working gout the dates for that time of discussion. I am very excited about this meeting. I believe with all of my heart that what Th3 Waters is being has implications for the entire UMC. I have been told that by several people, but what we are doing just feels and looks right from the core of my being and through the logic (Spock like) mind of mine. It just makes sense, is natural, and bringing God into the very cultural of the world! It is filled with a humble excitement that is about to flood this world with hope, grace, and love found in authentic community! We are so blessed and honored to be the hands and feet of God through Th3 Waters! Please continue t keep all of this in your prayers!

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I am also attempting to look for continuing education opportunities. There are tons of conferences out there for church planting, church growth, creative worship planning, multi-site church development...but I have not found anything yet that is existing the way that we feel led by God to be. So I am wondering if I can find churches out there that I could spend part of a week @ getting to know the pastors and communities and searching them for application for Th3 Waters. I hope to talk to a few authors of books that I appreciate and see if they have suggestions on who to visit, so please be in prayer about that.

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Other than that we have a huge meeting Sunday June 4th that we are inviting the entire Florence UMC to attend if they are at all interested in Th3 Waters. We will get to have some time to answer questions and allow for me and maybe a few others to tell them what Th3 Waters has meant to them. I am hoping to send out more information to those who attended the last big meeting we had so they can be notified of the event and it is our desire to really get people serious about attending some parties that will eventually develop into OGs. This will be a very important meeting to let Florence know what we have done and what we are doing in the near future...and to ~~beg~~...uh I mean invite them to help Th3 Waters to become what God desires for it to be! Please be in prayer for this event!

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Also Sunday 28th in both services Eric McAlister will be sharing about Th3 Waters and where we are headed and hopefully peak people's interest to desire to make it to the June 4th meeting! The more people we can have at this meeting the better! So pray for a good response from Florence UMC!!

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Well, that is all that is coming to mind right now. There are so many things I am doing that I have a hard time sitting down to share them....(and I have a hard time each week even finding time to post them on this blog, ha ha) but I hope and pray that this blog is allowing you to better be in prayer for Th3 Waters and the work the God is doing through us! Transforming lives in authentic community so that the Kingdom of God is unleashed! Amen!

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Red: [narrating] I must admit I didn't think much of Andy first time I laid eyes on him; looked like a stiff breeze would blow him over. That was my first impression of the man.

-- The Shawshank Redemption

What are people's first impressions of you or your Christ community? Do they see you, or do they see Christ? Join us on working out in our lives and communities the second option when it comes to impressions!

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

2006-05-11T11:39:00.000-04:00

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.

Sermon from last week and update coming....

2006-04-29T09:01:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone I wanted to give yall the link to the sermon I preaching last week @ Asbury Theological Seminary:

Here is the paper (Adobe) form of the sermon...

and Here are the links to the audio of the sermon (QuickTime format):

High Quality
and
Low Quality

(the only reason you would use low quality is if you have a slow internet connection)

(for the audio you will need to scroll down to the date I preached and then you can click on a low or high quality version of the worship service that I participated in......and it would do you god to hear the entire service and not just skip to the sermon...the music guy is awesome! I hope yall enjoy it and I will be back with a larger update soon!

Thank you all for your prayers sooo much! KUTPs!!!!!

(The links work now!!!!) Coloring pages, mazes, and word puzzles for kids!!!

2006-04-20T14:54:00.000-04:00

Sylvia Choi is one of the people who attend the first OG! She is an amazing teacher (just like the other teachers in the 1st OG) and we asked her to create some stuff for kids to do so they could join in the discussion with the adults, and these are what she came up with for the first 8 weeks of each OG!!!

Lazarus Coloring Page
Word Puzzle
Maze

I just finished scanning all these in and had to show everyone! BTW...you will need Adobe Reader to view them and they are still decent big files, so only download them if you have high speed internet, or have lots of time, heh heh!

Bye bye have a great weekend and God bless ya! KUTPs!!!

Take care and enjoy!

Preaching, IOGs, and moving on....

2006-04-18T11:15:00.000-04:00

Well, this weeks post is short. I am writing a sermon to preach @ the Wednesday chapel of Asbury Theological Seminary. This is such an honor that I had every intention to say, "no",because I was so humbled at being asked for such an opportunity. I kept praying to God telling him that this was a place that was reserved for "real" preachers and people who have written books....lots of books, heh....but then after praying with my wife, her only question was, "So why are you still thinking, 'no'?"

The only reason I could come up with was that I was not wise or distinguished enough to preach to the very people who taught me. And then my wife reminded me how that excuse was no where never being good enough, so I immediately called J.D. Walt and Peg back and told them how honored I would be to share my life with ATS.

So needless to say my life has been busy as of late and I am taking a little bit of a break from the sermon to write this blog post...but I am begging you all please be praying for me as God uses me in this way! I pray that my life and God's word and mingle together into one bold life example that helps the Holy Spirit to transform lives of anyone who hears God's words from my mouth and mind......Preaching is still such a mystery to me.

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The 1st OG (Organic Gathering) has just finished up their 1st 8 weeks last Friday and all of them have decided to continue to keep meeting on a weekly basis! The next few weeks they will be going through some basics of Th3 Waters and get to know the ministry a little more intimately. We will cover the basics of our theology and we will start our hands on experiences of living out what we discuss each week. They have moved from an inquiring OG to an OG in full connection (I borrowed some UM terms there, heh)

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The 2nd inquiring OG is meeting this Saturday @ a McDonalds. This IOG (Inquiring Organic Gathering) is made up mostly of Florence UMC active participants who are discerning if God desires for them to possibly be a future OG Discussion Leader? They will go through the first 8 weeks just like all IOGs will do so they can get a feel for what we are and doing. They we will start to form them into the Core Leadership Team, and they will represent Th3 Waters Leadership. So I am very excited about how this OG enjoys the worship and discussion we will be inviting them into.

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Oh and one last thing.... Sylvia Choi is one of the people who make up the 1st OG and Sunday she created coloring pages, word puzzles, etc... for children to be able to work on during each OG at least for the first 8 weeks!!!! They are amazing! I plan on scanning them in and then printing them off for children so that the children can participate in each OG with their parents if any of the future OGs would like to use them! They are great and I will have to show yall some of her artwork for children as soon as I scan them in.....(after the sermon is done)....I told her that she really should consider doing these on the side for publishers. I mean she created stuff for all of the 8 weeks in about 2 hours! It was amazing...Anyway can't wait to show yall! and Thank you Sylvia if you read this!)

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Buzz: To infinity, and beyond!
-Toy Story

What a great Church motto!

He is Risen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2006-04-16T06:04:00.000-04:00