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!!

===============

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

It is finished!

2006-04-15T09:52:00.000-04:00

OK I think that I am a little weird....

2006-04-10T17:53:00.000-04:00

I know that most of you already know this fact, but I think I am a little weird! I think that last week was one of the most productive weeks in my life. Why? Well, the only thing I can think that was different was that I am now using a laptop! And of course when I might have used the excuse in the past of I have no computer to work on...and now no longer an excuse...heh heh... I have got a ton of work done, because I am now working everywhere I go, Barnes and Noble, Starbucks, Panera Bread Co., you name it I can now work! And I just discovered that the Starbucks that I am in right now has free wi-fi!!! Woohoo!!! Now I can enjoy snassy Jazz music and get lots of work done, heh. And the only time I am not getting work done, I am talking with normal people and getting to know them and develop relationships with them and possibly down the road invite them to be a part of Th3 Waters! oh yeah that is just dang cool! I love my life and I live to love!

So let me tell yall what I got done last week....

Well, I would post it online, but it is all still just in its basic stages so I really don't want to post the stuff, because it is still be formed and developed, but I have finalized a beta versions of the mission, vision, and strategy (basic and leadership) of Th3 Waters!
I have had them in my head for a long time and the more times I got to share it the better it has formed...but now that I have done the heavy lifting (thinking) in my own head it is now ready to take to the newly forming future core leadership team for them to chew on what I have written so far and see what they would say or do differently! This will allow them to take ownership of Th3 Waters as well as bring more input into this awesome ministry of God! So those things have finally made it to paper (well, computer memory, heh heh) and I have been wanting to get it out some way and I finally did it! woo hoo! So... good news there!

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Also, I think that the final logo for Th3 Waters is probably only 2-3 weeks away! It has been an extremely interesting process, and for an inspiring graphic/website designer and cinematographer like me it is a blast to be a part of!!!

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Last Thursday the 1st OG had an attempted Seder Meal together @ our house and a great time was had by all, even if we were missing three people! The Lamb was amazing and the company was even better! We learned a lot from our resident Jewish expert, and will all be better at growing remembrance in community when we meet each week! Here is a picture of us all:

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Well, that is all I can think of right now..but please keep Th3 Waters in your prayers I am meeting with new people that are excited about being a part of Th3 Waters every week and sometimes 2-3 people/couples a week that are interested!!!! So keep the prayers coming! Thank you! KUTPs!!!

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Bob Porter: Looks like you've been missing a lot of work lately.
Peter Gibbons: Well, I wouldn't exactly say I've been *missing* it, Bob.

-Office Space

Spring Break = fun work = purpose

2006-04-04T12:24:00.000-04:00

I am trying to live out what the purposes of Th3 Waters is in my everyday live all the time...and one of the things we are attempting to be/do is to bring our relationship with Christ into our everyday lives, for example, finding and living our Christ relationship @ work, in play time, with families, @ church, etc. so I am finding that yes I am a Pasotr, but even a Pastor does things that are not too spiritual in nature and seem sometimes like just paper work...but I am finding that this week I am having fun while I do my paper work. I am being impassioned by God as I do the boring paper work...and I believe that it is possible to do the same in any job/work environment. So this week even though all the schools are out for Spring Break, I am working and working hard...but living every second of it because I am relating to Christ in what I am doing and being! Man I love relationship!

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Well, on the logo/website front...

Design District is amazing...have I said that before? heh...well they are and the logos they are coming up with are very cool! We have narrowed it down to two and now we are taking those logos and really trying to think about how they will be used (color most of the time...and probably more often with video than print) so we are taking all of that into consideration and going from there. I would put a link to it to this blog...but I am not sure about all the copyright stuff and so I will just let yall see the final logo when they/we finish it.

Also, I have contacted a good friend of mine that lives and works in Nashville to see if he could possibly come up with some possible intro/closing music for each of the OG videos we will be shooting/editing and maybe even music to go along with the logo...although I am still excited about what Design District might come up for the music/sound effects piece of the logo.

So lots of cool stuff happening there.

One bad part of news is that the software that we purchased for the Apple to do our editing does not work on the newest mac laptops (the one we bought) yet...but they are working on an update to get it working and hopefully will have one by this summer when we will be starting to shoot the videos. I called Apple and they have given us a $50 reimbursement for our problems and that will probably make the upgrade free for us when they eventually bring it out!!!

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Speaking about the new computer this is the first post on the blog with the new laptop and even though it is Apple...and I am having to learn a few new things with it is really not too bad and I think that I have enough knowledge about it now that I can maneuver well, not all I need to do is set up a time to visit the Video editing dept. on the Asbury Seminary Campus to start to learn the Final Cut Pro edition of the software that we are waiting for an upgrade for to work on this computer. But other than that I am enjoying the laptop, and have already had several youth come into my office telling me how cool the computer is...now that to me says we got a great computer, heh.

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I finally have several meetings down on the calendar to meet with several people. Some are possible OG future leaders, and others are people that might be interested in starting a third Organic Gathering. It is exciting, but just like anything else I want to make sure that everyone has the same first experiences with Th3 Waters and once we have trained (or in the process of trained) leaders then I will not be solely leading several OGs by myself and others will take over the lead. I do not mind leading OGs and in reality I love it! but I also must make sure that I know my limit and make sure that we equip future leaders to make this experiment an effective one!

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Not much else to say other than I feel very good about the direction God is pointing us into and I am very excited about bringing the Kingdom into this world in a new and different way!

Please take care and God bless yall!

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Paul Edgecomb: On the day of my judgment, when I stand before God, and He asks me why did I kill one of his true miracles, what am I gonna say? That is was my job? My job?
John Coffey: You tell God the Father it was a kindness you done. I know you hurtin' and worryin', I can feel it on you, but you oughta quit on it now. Because I want it over and done. I do. I'm tired, boss. Tired of bein' on the road, lonely as a sparrow in the rain. Tired of not ever having me a buddy to be with, or tell me where we's coming from or going to, or why. Mostly I'm tired of people being ugly to each other. I'm tired of all the pain I feel and hear in the world everyday. There's too much of it. It's like pieces of glass in my head all the time. Can you understand?
Paul Edgecomb: Yes, John. I think I can.

--The Green Mile

Meetings meetings meetings....(& I love them! heh)

2006-03-27T16:14:00.000-05:00

Unleash the flood of The Waters!

Well, it looks like this week is sure off to a good start. We plan on receiving the new Laptop this Wednesday...which means I will be spending lots of time learning the thing and to start the process of learning how to use the video editing software. I am se that I will be spending lots of my time with friends that actually know how to use it and once I get the basics then I know that I will then start to play around enough to really get decent at it. I am excited (because I am a computer nerd, but I am also not looking forward to the loss of sleep that I know is coming, heh)

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I am now starting to meet with the people that will be having the parties in the summer and getting them all organized to throw a party and to invite some normal people to the parties! It is amazing to see how it is al coming together. Just the other day @ our 1st OG we had a guy listen in to the scripture discussion and he came back last week!!1 the way that we envisioned with God with how the OG's could possibly work is working! Not that we thought that they would not work...but it sure is god to see that something is happening how we thought it might!

We also had a new couple join us last week and I hope that they will come back soon too!

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Well, I am now planning out all my meetings to meet with various people with-in two weeks, so my calendar is filling up left ad right all over the place. It is a great thing, but if I take it al in sure is stressful...but I have God and my wife to remind me about reality and that it is only as big as I make it out to be....I love meeting with people and I look forward to meeting with all these people it is just sometimes I have a tendency to look at the entire year and se what we need to get done and then in my mind assume that it has to get done by tomorrow, heh... It is very funny to type it out...but I know that I do that a lot (and I am sure that I am not alone out there!) Come to think of it I think that I have mentioned this habit before on the blog, but oh well. heh heh.....

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I plan on also attending a leader's gathering of Vineyard Central, to kind of see how they "do" the leadership thing and see if we can get any good ideas and thoughts from them. I will be meeting with Aaron this week to find out the best one to attend. I am excited about it and look forward to see what we might look like in a few years!

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Not much else to say other than I do need t put all the files from my current work computer to a flash drive to transfer them over to the mac. Then my current computer can be made into the computer for the A/V booth in the church and then that computer can be used to upgrade the computer in Kay’s office! I think that this laptop deal is making a lot of people happy in Florence...and it will further the kingdom in many different ways! Thank you again to the LARGE $ donor for the purchase of this new laptop! I hope to create a basic video with it and put it up here for everyone to download...but we will have to see where and how I could be able to do it, heh.

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I do ask that you all continue to be in prayer for The Waters! We are really hitting hard the development of the Leadership growth steps and this is a vital area that must be done well for The Waters to keep our head above it (wow...OK that was bad....I will leave the jokes to the mistakes I make in service each week, heh)

Well, thank you all so much for your thoughts and prayers for The Waters and please KUTPs!!!! God bless yall!

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Fozzie: You can come with us.
Gonzo: Where are you going?
Fozzie: We're following our dreams!
Gonzo: Really? I have a dream, too.
Fozzie: What?
Gonzo: You might think it's stupid.
Fozzie: No.
Gonzo: Well, I want to go to Bombay, India to become a movie star.
Fozzie: You don't go to Bombay to become a movie star. You go where we're going, Hollywood.
Gonzo: Well, sure, if you want to do it the *easy* way.

--The Muppet Movie

--Funny how most of the time God has a "simple" dream for us...but we tend to try and make it more complicated, heh heh.

Another week and more excitement!

2006-03-21T14:51:00.000-05:00

Have you ever felt like you are trying to cause a river to flow and then realize that you are on a boat flowing with it? Seeing that there is very little need to paddle and you can relax and just be amazed at how it is all happening around you while you are not having to be creating the flow?

Well, that is exactly how I am feeling with The Waters right now. It is just so crazy to see how God is working things out left ad right and it just seems like when you thought God gave you a role of leadership, He helps you realize that he is the one leading, and sometimes you just have to keep up. Ha ha ha...

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Well, not too much has changed, but it is amazing how yesterday when I was meeting with Bryan Sims (my and The Waters' ministry coach/partner) how all these things that we need to do are already done it is just a matter of getting them down somewhere and some how so that others can see the beginnings of the vision for/of The Waters. The vision and mission are already alive and living and in most cases something that would normally be painful and agonized over the course of months just comes nature with me and al those a part of The Waters and the OGs. Brian was asking me about the vision and I shared with him how I saw it so far and he said that is exactly what it should e and then I shared the working mission and he said the same.... It is almost as if when we are truly passionately following God we just speak what we are experiencing with God and it becomes who we are and exactly what God has intended for us to be.

I think I tend to think that it has got to be harder than this or that I am not putting in enough time with figuring this stuff out...but God then shows me that the only way it will be realized and known is to be closer in relationship with God and then it just becomes who you are individually and in community. Then it is the life you live that becomes the perfect vision and mission for what God is creating you to be! It is just awesome, and we are so blessed to be a part of it!

Not much is new on the The Waters front (ha ha ha)...other then a lot of the what i would call busy work is slowly getting done and it actually tons of fun doing it!

So I guess just keep praying how yall are praying because The Waters is really starting to come into fruition!

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In the 1st OG last week we met and the Cinci deaf community surrounded us in Starbucks! It was a little distracting for us, but it was just amazing to see an entire community gather just like us to enjoy one another and to speak with their hands and to listen with their eyes. Something I think we should all learn from! But we knew that this night no one would give us dirty looks if we got to loud with our laughter, heh heh....and another amazing part of what happened was John (some guy that was listening to our conversation) was interested in our discussion and listened in for a while and even joined in the discussion! We are starting to see some proof of the experiment possibly working and being what we felt God desired to be for the world. John hopes to join us in a few weeks when he can!

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The 2nd OG (made up mostly of Florence UMC people and that will most likely become the possible future OG discussion leadership) met for their second party last Saturday and we had a great time and we even allow the children to participate and that part of the experiment seemed to work excellent, as well! We got to know one another much better and the majority of them decided to start the normal OG 1st 8 weeks weekly commitment starting the Saturday after Easter!

So we are still on schedule to probably throw a few parties in the summer and then have them start their 8 weeks around August!

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I have also found a ton of individuals that have experience with Apple computers and especially with the software and camera work needed to film the OG scripture discussion intros...so that is a ton of help! I know that I am the type of person that will spend weeks working on the computer and forget to do other really important stuff, heh. So great news and once again God just keeps providing all of the time!

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Thank you all for your prayers and thoughts. We need them all and are very excited about what God may have in store with us all! Until next time..... KUTPs!

===========

"Phillipe: I know I promised, Lord, never again. But I also know that YOU know what a weak-willed person I am."
-Ladyhawke

"weak-willed" could sum up a lot of us, huh? ;)

Sorry about last week and we have started the parties of a 2nd OG!!!

2006-03-13T14:15:00.000-05:00

Well, last week for some reason the blogger website would not allow me to post a post on the blog....so here is a summary for what last weeks post would have said:

I have been spending the last few days researching the purchase of an AppleLaptop for The Waters. The only reason we are looking into Apple is because we eventually will be creating and editing digital video to show at each Organic Gathering in the future, so we will need a laptop that will allow me to be portable, as well as, for its capabilities of video editing! In all the Information Technology circles I contacted, every one of them suggested Apple for the software called Final Cut (in total this is an expensive purchase, but one individual @ Florence UMC as already graciously given $2000 for this purchase! God is good!
I am also planning meetings with experts in the fields of worship, biblical theology of worship, and United Methodist tradition of worship, to make sure that what we are doing with The Waters is biblical, Wesleyan, and UM! (and in reality...we would just like to have the support of all of these and talking with experts in the field will help us support what The Waters is experimenting to be!
I am still developing the MAP (Ministry Action Plan) for The Waters.
The possible future OG discussion leaders will be eating breakfast @ Bob Evans this Saturday and I hope to have lots of people there to share with them how they could be involved and to answer any questions they may have. I also hope to see if they could help the future developing OG parties and eventual maybe potentially lead the discussion of the OG’s at the end of this year.

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Now, let me sum of what is going on now and in the near future:

The potential future OG leader's OG party @ Bob Evans went great! And some people were very excited about the possibilities of The Waters! We immediately set up our next party that will meet this Saturday @ Panera Bread, so we can get to know each other a little better and after they have a week to think about what I shared last Saturday they can ask me any questions about the Waters experiment. I will even close this blog post out with a poem/song that one of the attendees wrote from being inspired by God and what God will be doing with The Waters!!!!

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I have purchased the Apple Laptop, with the Digital Video Editing software, and a case to carry it around with! With a little help from the church and the generous donation of a FUMC member we will hopefully be getting it sometime by the end of this month in the mail! And I have found several friends that I have have worked with this software for several years and are willing to teach me the program for free and might possibly help out with filming the short videos for each of the OG's each week! Very good news and once again God is blessing us all over the place!

And we also have a few people @ Florence UMC that do digital video filiming/editing for a living, and I am having lunch with one of them this Thursday to talk about the basics and what we might need to do to prepare for the filming.

------------

I am still working with the potential future house hosts of the OG parties in the summer, and hope to have talked to them together within the next 2 weeks.

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The first OG that meets on Friday night is still going GREAT! Everyone loves it and they are even continuing the scripture discussion online during the next week after we meet! Everyone loves it and everyone is also still trying to invite others to be a part of their OG!

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All in all, I am so blessed and excited to be a part of The Waters! It is amazing to see how people’s lives (including my own) have already been blessed by this ministry! I hope and pray that you who read this blog continue to keep The Waters in your prayers and thoughts, and that you too are blessed by your involvement in The Waters!

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Here is a song/poem that Ben wrote while inspired by the excitement of God's working through The Waters. I will leave you all with this blessing and please never forget to KUTPs!:

Water is an ever living, moving, changing entity.
Full of energy, life giving, and all around us.
The Waters surrounds its members in love,
struggling alongside them in good and bad,
and gives them new life.
Jesus is alive through us all,
moving in and around our lives,
changing, changing, changing...
The best part,
is that water is a mighty force to be reckoned with.
With momentum, and the love from its first offspring,
the waters will keep moving,
keep loving,
and never stop.
We can't stop, because we live and we love.
God is with us, God is with us.
"It's such a good feeling, a very good feeling."

paper work....

2006-02-28T08:39:00.000-05:00

Sometimes we get bogged down by all the paper work. It seems like there is a little excitement about something that is going on at work and the buzz is alive and everyone gets excited about it and then the heavy lifting kicks in and tons of paper work starts needing to be filled out and all of the sudden what once was excitement turns into frustration, despair, and frankly "work". What happened to the passion and excitement that once was? What happened to the reason that we fell in love with it in the first place? Did life happen? Did time happen? Or was it a lack of remembrance?

We see this kind of thing happen in work, relationships (marriages), involvement in church, spending time with God, etc.... I wonder if it is a part of every human being's make-up? (And yes even the guys who don't wear make-up)

We find this kind of problem in the Bible all over the place, from the Church in Ephesus in Revelation who lost their first love to all the many times that God's people rebelled and chose a different path than what God was carving out for them.

Have you lost your first love? When as the last time you loved what you were doing right before reading this blog and what you will do right after it? When was the last time you loved waking up on the first day you had to go back to work?

Well, in a way the honeymoon has been over for a while now with The Waters. The excitement is not as glowing from everyone I talk to, but people still say they are excited, and then add a "but" after that statement. And to tell you the truth, even if we all know fully that this was going to be a long term commitment and it would not be easy, it is still bogging down sometimes, and so that is why I constantly am reminding people to make sure that serving God in The Waters is fun!

WARNING AHEAD:

If reading this blog becomes an obligation, or serving God in The Waters ever becomes something you have to do instead of get to do, or if helping with this ministry stops being "fun", then let’s talk.

I (and Jesus for that matter) never said it would be easy, but even the junk times of it can be survived as long as we remember that God is with us and we remember the reason why we were excited in the first place.

We need to remember the anticipation and excitement that it is to serve and give!

Ma, I love you, and this amazing experiment of ministry! It is already transforming lives as you read this and that is exciting...and tons of fun! :)

------------------

Yesterday I met with Bryan (my "coach" for The Waters) I have known Bryan for several years and he is a great friend and accountability partner, and he works with several other wonderful people @ Spiritual Leadership. They are helping several United Methodist Conferences all over the US and coaching not only the Bishops and District Superintendents, but also pastors and congregations as well. Bryan has agreed to come aboard and coach me in leadership’s roles and also come alongside the possible future OG discussion leaders and help us form a core leadership team for The Waters. Yesterday we met and talked about "the paper work". Heh.... even though I have never been the type of person who enjoys paper work or even typing anything. I am actually excited about dog this because what I will be doing is helping me become better organized and focused about who we are becoming and the direction God is leading me to lead others! So this is exciting times to be doing the heavy lifting. They say the hardest part is just starting and it should either start rolling or at the very least move one rock out of the way to prepare for the roll, heh heh.

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The website guys @ Design District have told me they will have several logos up and ready for us to give them our idea of what we like best and once that is done then we ca go from there and get a better idea about The Waters' website! So that will be very exciting. And I will let you all know about that as soon as I know.

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I have been invited to be a part of another blog that is all about the emerging discussion in worship in the United Methodist Church as a whole. And I must tell you...it has been a wonderful way to discuss what we are doing and getting a wonderful Biblical viewpoint of what we are looking at and doing. These are really amazing discussions and everyone is getting excited about what God is doing differently and re-shaping how we worship God! It really does consume a lot of my time thinking about and dreaming about The Waters and its place in universal church's traditions and the Biblical theology of it as well! Of course we thought about these things, but I hope the discussion never stops and we continue to form and be shaped by God's moving among us!

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It is my hope that I can spend more time developing relationships with those who are tribe less. As I do my paper work. (Ma, I wish I had a laptop) It is funny how Tiffany and I were talking about how we really do not like the terms that people have come up with for non-Christ followers. They either build up an "us/them" (i.e. "seeker", pre-Christian, etc...) mentality that really could hurt the possibility of developing a relationship with "them", or they are negative in nature (i.e. "non", "not", "un", etc...). I did like Jim Henderson's phrase, "people Jesus misses most", but that is just too long to say in conversation.

So, I asked Bryan yesterday and he loved what Leonard Sweet calls "non- Christ followers"........."Normal". Ha HA HA....oh man I love that and think it is right on! It not only pokes fun at the lie that Christians are perfect; it also is never looking down at people who are different that Christians. It is a very good term to use in conversation with normal people and can help open up the dialogue of discussion where relationships can form and love, hope, grace, and community can be experienced!

So, therefore, I will intentionally attempt to start using this term "normal" when talking about anyone that is other than "Christian". This is making me desire to read Leonard Sweet's stuff.

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Also, we are going to have our second Organic Gathering made up of those interested in possibly becoming OG Discussion leaders on the 11th! We will have our "party" as breakfast and then start into the 8 week commitment, and then we will invite Bryan to come in and grow us even deeper in community and leaders, and help us form what could possibly be a core team of supporters and lovers of The Waters!

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Well, a lot is going on @ The Waters! Our first OG had its fist of the 8 week gatherings and the discussion is still going from last Friday online! This discussion is exactly what we desired to happen in the lives of those joining the gatherings, so it is very exciting to be a part of The Waters!

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Also, Gary and I were interviewed by the Cinci Enquirer to possibly do a story about Florence UMC and The Waters. And the reporter said that she might stop by our Friday night OG to take some pictures and interview a few of us! It is good and exciting and I hope that the reporter has fun as well! The only thing is that for these to be organic that we really desire for her to not print where we meet, even though several people might recognize the place, of well, it sounds funny to tell a newspaper to not give us free advertising, but for each of these gatherings to be organic and natural when it comes to relationships, it just would not work...but I am sure we can develop some in a quick time, heh....Thanks be!

So until next weeks update...God bless yall, take care, and KUTPs!
=============

The Book: Vogons. They are one of the most unpleasant races in the galaxy. Not actually evil, but bad-tempered, bureaucratic, officious, and callous. They wouldn't even lift a finger to save their own grandmothers from the ravenous Bug-Blatter Beast of Traal without orders signed in triplicate, sent in, sent back, lost, found again, queried, subjected to public inquiry, lost and finally buried in soft peat for three months and recycled as firelighter.
--The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

This is a quote that was talking about a race of people that were the galaxy's government, poking fun at anyone who is in government...but sometimes it is so true of anything that is polity oriented, or sometimes just paper work. ha ha ha.

What-up my OG?

2006-02-20T11:09:00.000-05:00

set- 1 word with 50 different meanings!

Isn't it funny how important language is? It ultimately boils down to communication, but I surprise myself all the time, as of late to how important it has become to me. I find myself sitting down and actually thinking about what to call things and how it could be interrupted. And yes, I know from how I speak most people would not have ever thought that I actually thought about what comes out of my mouth, heh...but communication and meaning are so very important to how perception is developed in this world. That is why it takes businesses and movie executives years to come up with a name that they think will best communicate the intended perception of what they are developing.

Well, 2 weeks ago I was sitting with my Thursday Cultural Architects discussion group (btw I just did the whole think about what words I should use, heh) and was sharing with him about the vision for The Waters. And he mentioned to me that there was a woman in or around Seattle, WA that is doing something similar to The Waters and that she does something interesting with her use of words when it comes to describing who they are. When she talks to Christians or church attending people she uses different words to explain what she is doing and being and then to non-Christians she has a different language. My fellow Cultural Architect Aaron then told me that he wondered if I might need to do the same with The Waters. I then started to run down the road of word meanings and how important it was to everyone when perceiving The Waters.

In a perfect world it would be great to come up with words that could be understood and perceived by both Christians and non-Christians alike. And to tel you the truth, I believe that it is a sad state that non-Christians in the world would not understand the words and language of most Christians. I think that is a sad state of affairs that the church has lost so much contact with the world (that it should be developing relationships with) that it has a difficult time talk to the very world that it should be listening to and loving, and communicating with.

So, I invite everyone who reads this blog and knows about the Waters to join the word/meaning discussion. What do you think The Waters is trying to "be"? Do you think that you can explain it to your Christian friends or what about for your non-Christian friends? Would we use different words for explanation in the south than we would in the north, or west and east? Or are you a little like me and believe that there is power in mystery when it comes to words, because mystery causes discussion and with discussion comes relationship?

Something to ponder and I invite all of you to comment your thoughts about it all. Thanks!

---------------------------
Well, This Friday will be the start of the first 8 week commitment from the first OG (Organic Gathering). We are all very excited about how it will go and hope that the community will continue to grow in relationship and maybe find a few new insights into what this book called The Bible (specifically the writer called John) is saying about the guy called Jesus and his miraculous signs. So needless to say, we might all be turned into wine after tonight (ha ha get it...The Waters into wine, ha ha...Ok sorry I had to say it even if it was a bad pun)

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Also soon I will be meeting with two of the wonderful people who have mentioned that they are interested in opening up their houses to a few parties in the summer, so please be in prayer for them. It is amazing how busy the "church" makes so many people that when we ask them to throw a party that they get stressed about how it will happen and forget to have fun serving God....(what serving God is supposed to be fun? your kidding right? nope...as a matter of fact the one requirement of all of The Waters is that the parties in their planning and implementation must be fun...if it stops being fun...then a reminder will have to be made or the pause button will be pressed, heh heh)

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Lastly please be in prayer for the people who are a part of Florence United Methodist Church who are supporting The Waters. From the praying people to the cooks, life seems to be forcing a lot of people to shove The Waters into the stress pot called life, and the last thing God desires is for a ministry for him to be another stress in people’s life. "Free us for joyful obedience" is what UM's say in communion, and that is exactly what we desire for The Waters to be joyful serving God in all that we are and do. So, please keep us all in your prayers!

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Your love and prayers matter to us and that is why we pray for anyone who reads this blog to be blessed as well, so go live your life today at the very least knowing that we are praying blessings on you, so that you in turn can be blessings to others!

=================

Donald Sinclair: I can do whatever I want. I'm eccentric. Grrrrrrrr!!!
-Rat Race

I love this movie and that quote is so short, but tons of meaning and "perception". heh.

The first mission project of The Waters.....

2006-02-13T10:05:00.000-05:00

We all have said from the very first time we were conceiving The Waters that we desired for lives to be transformed from the inside out. We believe that for this to occur then we must live al parts of our lives Christ-like. So, even through we meet together and share about God and with God and with each other if our actions are not changed then we have not truly allowed God to transform our lives. So, that is why we desire for actually living sacrifice filed lives to occur we must have many opportunities to be the hands and feet of Christ in this world we live in! So, we will encourage every OG (Organic Gathering) to every now and then go out and "do" something for others in this world to put our Christ centered community into action.

Well, in our first OG, Steve works at a MHMR center on the north side of Cinci. They had a Valentine Day dance and Steve and his wife Kim invited all of us to go to the dance! Whither they knew it or not God offered up our first OG mission trip, heh.

We knew that some couples and other people from the OG could not make it...but those of us who could make it ate dinner @ John and Sylvia's home (thank you so much Sylvia and John) and then headed out for one of the best nights of our lives! We had a blast and I must tell you that God was in our midst! There is nothing quite like loving people who in their very nature is love! They are a people that our society tends to shun and ignore because they are different and time consuming to deal with....but this world could learn so much about Godly love if they would just spend some time dancing with them in their lives!

Needless to say, just like any God inspired mission trip, we were blessed more than we blessed them! So much joy and love in one room! It rocked our socks off!

If anyone would like to see some pictures of the dance then you can find them at my personal blog here.

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Well, next weekend the 1st OG will not meet because of the long weekend most of us will be out of town so we will be starting our 8 week commitment the following Friday (the 24th). The core pastoral team is excited to see if all the hard work we have put into developing the Biblical discussions will be effective at bringing able life transformation from the Word and community! So, start your prayer engines now!

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We have also set the 2nd OG breakfast party to be on Saturday morning March 11th. This OG is made up of people who have said that they are interested in being possible OG leaders somewhere down the road. This OG ideally will be the future core leadership team of The Waters network, but for now we will go through the exact same 8 week commitment that the 1st OG will be doing. Just so they get a feel of the OG and will have already gone through he first 8 weeks so if/when they lead their own OG they will have already experienced it and know a little bit about what is happening and help with discussion.

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I had another phone meeting with the web guys and they are doing a great job at keeping me on track. I am the type of guy that loves to talk about creativity and cool design..and while they are that way too...they are also telling me that they need content and it is holding me accountable to make sure that The Waters can truly be represented via our web presence in words on the screen. And me being a vocal guy putting anything on paper that reads well and is speeelled correctly is a challenge....as if any of you who actually read these blogs don't already know that. I truly believe that Paul and I would get along great, because we have no idea what a run on sentence looks like nor do we care, because we are so excited and passionate about what we are talking about that grammar goes out the window....heh heh....oh well thank you all for your patience and care...and for all of you will be proof reading the website stuff, heh....

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I am also continuing my work with the KY UMC Conference NCCD (New Church congregational Development team) As I have told you all before that I am part of an incubator team made up of other pastor who are excited about bringing new churches/ministries into the KY Conference and we are working through our Ministry Action Plans (MAPs) In each MAP it includes a plan for developing anew church/ ministry including things like prayer strategy, core values, mission, vision, etc... all of these will help focus The Waters and help provide content for the website as well as help others to grasp The Waters and invite them to be a part of it!

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Well, that is about all I can think about right now. I appreciate any prayers you send on our behalf, and please know that they are all being answered in God's time and God's way! We are so blessed to be a blessing! Thank you!

===============

Pumbaa: It's our motto.
Young Simba: What's a motto?
Timon: Nothing. What's a motto with you?
-- The Lion King

funny this is how I feel when it comes to working with a group when they are trying to come up with a mission/vision/core values statement, heh.... What is in a mission Statement? Who are we writing this for? What words should we use? What's a motto with you? heh heh....

Cold weather forces warm community...

2006-02-07T12:39:00.000-05:00

I just ran outside this morning and man it was cold...and it looks to be even colder on Thursday morning. And as I ran this morning I noted that the only way that I would have ever come out of my bed early and drive to a track and run in the morning in 27 degree weather would be because I had a community that would meet me there. If John and Brian would not have been there to meet me I would not have gotten out there...I know myself well enough to know that this would be the case...and honestly I think that that is true of a lot of people in this world. When life gets a little cold..Sometimes the best thing in the world is a nice big warm cup of steaming community! That is exactly what we desire for The Waters to be in the lives of people! A Christ centered community that helps when life gets cold and hard, we surround each other in true community and grow warm together and constantly be inviting others into the community gatherings.

----------------------------

The Waters update is not huge...but we do have a few changes in our immediate future:

1. Roseanna is having a few life difficulties during this part of the year, so she has graciously let me know that she will not be as available to coordinate the parties. So please be praying for her... she has done so much work already for the Waters and we can not ever express our appreciation and love for what she has already done for God and his Waters.) Roseanna if you read this we love you and thank you sooooo much for all your help and you and yours are all in our prayers and love!)

2. I plan on meeting with two of the host home owners sometime soon to finalize a few dates and brainstorm or pick a few party themes...so that is going great!

3. We are hoping that once people experience the fun and ease of the parties that others will start to desire to throw a few more so please be in prayer about that.

4. It is slowly becoming our goal to be able to start the 8 week commitment with each organic gathering in August...and in a perfect world we could have 4-5 OGs meeting on a regular weekly basis sometime around August...because it just seems natural as summer is drawing to a close and lives are starting to settle down that it would make sense for families to set up a weekly OG to be a part of and get it down in their calendars.

5. The OG that is currently meeting will start our 8 week weekly gathering Jan. 24th...so we would love prayer for that amazing time of God's love and grace to see The Waters begin to flow at least in one OG for the time being!!!!

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So, with all that said......we are so blessed to be a part of The Waters and sing praises each day for the blessings God showers upon us!

I have met with the Website guys, and they have already started designing a "logo" and begun the work for the website...we are looking at lots of cool websites for inspiration and here are just a few of them if you would like to play around on them and see how other people have designed a few websites that are functional and cool at the same time:
Interone
8 The Project
Vodafone <--my mom would love this one and to think this is a cell phone site in the UK, heh. Digitally Branded
Jars of Clay
Pixel Gasoline

just to name a few....Please be praying for these guys...because they are very amazing..and they love to pray about us and for The Waters before they start each day...so they need our prayers so they can create a creative and innovative experience for the visitors and regular attendees to The Waters website!

Thank yall for your prayers and please keep the coming....and we could always use prayer for God to lead anyone in Florence UMC to help out with this amazing ministry for God!

KUTPs!!!!!!

=======================

Harry Burns: It is so nice when you can sit with someone and not have to talk.
-- When Harry Met Sally

I bet that is good warm community! Funny when you invite God in the community I believe that this could happen! God bless yall!

The Matrix of a Crash....

2006-01-31T11:38:00.000-05:00

a Matrix

(preface: If you do not know or can't remember what a "crash" is then I would invite you to check out one of the first blog posts of The Waters right here...and it will explain what a crash is. towards the end of the post...look for The Barbarian Way link.)

Does anyone know what a "Matrix" is? My Sr. Pastor (Gary) asked me this question....and, of course, I loved the Matrix movies (yes...even the second and third one even though for a long time I did not until Aaron Klienfelter told me his view of it and changed my entire mind about the movie...and gave it better marks in my book, ha ha....but anyway.....) and so I was immediately interested in what he was about to say. He told me the definition...but then I ask Bill Enns during the same meeting Aaron told me about the 3rd matrix movie...and he told me where the word came from.

matrix

n 1: a rectangular array of elements (or entries) set out by rows and columns

2: an enclosure within which something originates or develops
(from the Latin for womb)

Bill's definition was the second one...(and honestly it is funny how the true historical meaning of a word has become the second meaning, heh...but any way I need to focus).... isn't that cool that the term Matrix comes from the Latin word for "womb". It is an environment where something is developed! So, Gary was looking at that word for a Florence Statement (i.e. mission, vision, purpose...one of those statements, heh) and it got me to thinking.

What if we created a Matrix for a Crash to form! What if we created an environment where Christianity once again became a movement and not just a religion? That is exactly what The Waters is experimenting to be! That we allow lives to be transformed and changed so that the very world we live in will recognize and either join or move out of the way of the movement called Christianity!

Kind of cool huh? Well, at least I thought it was, heh.......Ok where we are at:

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We had our second party with the first organic Gathering and it went great! We had a ton of fun and we will be having one more to invite more people to and then I plan on inviting them to my house for a Superbowl party this Sunday! So, that is going great and we will probably be starting our "normal" meetings the Friday after the Superbowl!

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I met with Bryan Sims yesterday and we had a great talk to find out what SLI (Spiritual Leadership Inc.) can do for The Waters and for me in promoting leadership within The Waters! Bryan through the SLI network will be coaching me and the lead team of The Waters over the next year) It is exciting to have Bryan to be a part of us and we are blessed to have SLI's experience and passion behind The Waters!

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I am also meeting with Ben and Dave from Design District Inc. to talk about the Website for The Waters, and I have to be honest....I am very excited about working with these guys! They are top notch and are some of the most creative people I have met in a long time (click on the WORK tab on their website to see examples of their work) ...and I consider myself to enjoy creativity, heh heh..... I will let you all know how that meeting went.

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We have two dates down for meetings of one of our host homes to throw parties and we are waiting for a few more and then we start the task of getting the dates out there for everyone to start inviting their friends and such to the parties. We are excited about these parties and hope that once one or two of the parties happen, people will start to get excited about throwing them and realize how much fun ministry can be!

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Well, that is about it for now....I hope to really have a chunk of my MAP (Ministry Action Plan) mapped out (ha ha pun intended) and ready to go for my Wednesday incubator meeting! I have not had time as of late to get that better formed and typed out because of the ordination stuff...but that is now done and I ca put my focus back where it should be!

Other than that...I can't tell you all enough how much I love and appreciate your prayers and support for the Waters! It is impossible to explain to you how I see your prayers lifting up The Waters and me on a daily basis! So PLEASE never forget to KUTPs!!! and please leave comments if you have any thoughts, suggestions, or comments for The Waters that I might be able to address!

======================

[Upon opening the Well of the Souls and peering down into it]
Sallah: Indy, why does the floor move?
Indiana: Give me your torch.
[Sallah does, and Indy drops it in]
Indiana: Snakes. Why'd it have to be snakes?
Sallah: Asps. Very dangerous. You go first.

--Raiders of The Lost Ark

----Isn't it funny how we are all so afraid of risk? But we serve a God who lives the example of risk all throughout the Bible...and expects the same from those who follow in God's footsteps! How well are you at risk for God and the Kingdom? Would you be willing to host a party, or invite a stranger to a Organic Gathering! I thin that if the risk is for God...it is worth it every time! Rise up mushroom eaters and risk with experiment! --D.G.

Welcome to The Waters...Again...heh....

2006-01-27T15:37:00.000-05:00

I must tell you all how much fun it is serving God. It is crazy yes...and a little insane...but it sure is fun. I am finding out that sometimes you think you are doing what God desires and then when He changes it, It is OK to allow for the change and differences in what you do...but the fun part comes in sharing the changes with everyone else and having to re-tell the story of who and why we are...so let me just remind everyone what The Waters is and why we are! Then I will tell you where we are at now.....

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What is The Waters?

The Waters: An Experimental United Methodist Network of Organic Gatherings .

Experimental: I cannot find any UM church in the US that is doing or attempting to “be” what we are. Therefore, this entire ministry is an experiment in the UM church, as a whole.

United Methodist: just that, UM! This entire Network will be United Methodist (first and foremost Christian, of course) in theology and beliefs mainly because it is led by Christians who are of the Wesley flavor.

Network: This will be a single organism. So if one takes a larger picture of The Waters they will will realize that each Organic Gathering will be connected to one large network. This network’s hub will be the online presence of The Waters in the form of the use of the web. (i.e. bogs, website, and video iPod. (website is being developed)

Organic: Organic is just another word for natural. We desire for these gatherings of people to be natural in their formation and especially in their multiplying. The Organic Gatherings (OG) will consist of people who naturally know one another from work, friends, or family, and they will continue to always be praying for the next person they would like to invite to each gathering.

Gathering: We desire to promote relationships and community. The community's relationship as a whole, as well as, with God. Each gathering will be these people’s “church”. They will worship (as a lifestyle), share with one another, care for one another, and discuss the Bible for the purpose of life transformation. Each gathering will also include missional aspects within the community and possibly work with other gatherings in the network on mission projects (i.e. building a habit house, etc...).

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So, now that this is clear as mud.....if you don't understand anything all you have to do is leave a comment and I will answer you!..... Let me tell you where we are to date:

Well, our First Gathering went great! Tons of fun and extreamly enjoyable....We did have lots of people not be able to make it due to scheduals, and that is just fine that is why the gatherings are ORGANIC in nature, heh....we want them to naturally happen when people can come...so we are haivig another party tonight (Friday) and people are already inviting more friends to come and enjoy developeing relationships and community. so we are very excited about that!

We are also planning on starting a second Organic Gathering after this first one gets going of the people in Florence UMc that have hinted that they might be interested in being a Organinc Gathering possible discussion leader. So that willbe very good to have and they are currently getting back to me via email what wold be the best dayfor all of them o meet on a weekly basis.

The party we had for those people that we need to throw parties for thier frirends went great! We all had a great time even thought most of the time was spent explaining what the Waters is and how it has been reshaped by God since the last time we met...but the food was amazing and everyone loved the time...at least from what I could tell, heh. So, we (i.e. Roseanna that is ...and BTW you rock!!!!) are meetinjg with those people who would lik eto help have te parties at thier houses to give us dates so we can start inviting our friends, families, and co-workers to these parties, as well. We are hopeing to have around 3-4 parties (or more) with the people they invite to build up the community and relationships, and it will be ou desire if possible to start having weekly gathering in August when everyone is planning thier average weeks with school starting back up and such.

Oh, and I am going to meet with the guys who will be designing and creating our website on Thursday so I am very excited to hear about thier plans and ideas for what they would like to do and see with this ministry!

So....needless to say we are all in full swing @ The Waters and so very blessed and excited to be apart of this ministry! So, you can assume that every ounce of prayers is greatly appreciated and never stop KUTPs!!!!!!
Until we meet again (or I remember to write again...hopefully this time it actually will be on Monday, heh) may Grace and Peace be with you all!

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Councillor Dillard: Commander, do you think that we have any chance of survivng?
Lock: If I were you Councilor, I wouldn't ask me that question.
[looks to Morpheus]
Lock: I would ask him.
Councillor Dillard: Why?
Lock: Because *he's* the one that believes in miracles.

--The Matrix Revolutions

("maybe it is those who believe in miracles that others might need to look upon to find strength!" -- D.G. Hollums)

"When your faith is hard to find....you can borrow mine." --"Borrow Mine" song by Bebo Norman

I know....I know I have been a bad boy with the weekly update....

2006-01-16T16:18:00.000-05:00

Well, it has been a very long time since I have posted a blog post about The Waters! I have a wonderful Christmas and New Year...and when I got back I hit the ground running and it has been a blur since I got back home. Everything is going well, and even trough a few small changes have been made it is still the greatest ride of my life to be a part of The Waters, and I hope that you can join me in this ride, no matter if you are in prayer support, leadership, or attending...I promise God will bless your service! Thank you everyone for all you do and are!

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Well, we have pushed back the first Waters Gathering to this Friday night @ Joseph-Beth @ 7:00 pm and we hope to have a fun time of getting to know each other and sharing what we would love to be as a community and as a gathering. Or friends are being invited this week and it is all a green light to have the very first one. I hope to have a picture of it if I can remember and if everyone can make it. We hope to get to know one another, share what the purpose of The Waters is, and set a time and commitment each week for 8 weeks to see if everyone likes what we will do and go from there. So...needless to say....huge prayer need!

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The next part of The Waters is taking current attendees of Florence UMC and training them on how to throw a party and the empower the servants to throw parties to start developing relationships with people who they think will benefit from these gathering communities. So This Saturday (yep that's right the day after the 1st Gathering, we will be throwing a party for all those who have let us know they are interested in helping throw the parties for everyone's friends. We think that some miss communication has gone out and we hope to gathering as many people as we can to invite them to a sample (and it will be a real party) @ Roseanna's house to give them a fine example of how much fun we can have and still get everyone together for a second time to answer any questions and help them make these parties a reality so we can have a base of natural relationships to invite to other organic gatherings. So please be in prayer for that!

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After the first gathering this Friday I hope to have the night of the week that that gathering desires to meet so that I can form a second gathering made up of leaders to give the future (possible) leaders a chance to experience what will be going on in a gathering and for 8 weeks see if they can start to multiply and grow in the direction God would like to go, or lead several different gatherings made up of a few friends each. Either way it is very exciting times for The Waters and prayer is probably the most important aspect that we could have at this point...Well, and good communication, ha ha ha....

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Well, I am preaching this coming Sunday and I am trying to finish all of my ordination requirements to become a Elder in full connection in the UM church so needless to say my days and time are very limited this week and I must squeeze out every ounce of time each day....So, Great times deserve great prayer and sacrifice...Thank you for all of yours!

KUTPs!!!!

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Funny.....some times I can see glimpses of Romans chapter one in this movie quote...the problem of Evil and sin understood well from a very funny movie:

Chandler Jarrell: Tell me about the Golden Child.
Kala: Every thousand generations, a perfect child is born, a Golden Child. He has come to rescue us.
Chandler Jarrell: Rescue us from what?
Kala: From ourselves.
Chandler Jarrell: Ah.
Kala: He is the bringer of compassion. If he dies, compassion will die with him.
Chandler Jarrell: So, if something happens to the kid, the whole world goes to hell?
Kala: The world will become hell.

-----The Golden Child talks about the results of sin (i.e. Missing the mark of God's desires).

Merry Christmas.....

2005-12-22T14:13:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas everyone! It is our prayer that you all have a blessed and wonderful remembering of the birth of Christ in this world!

There is a lot of stuff going on here stirring in The Waters, but it all happens after the new year...so I will just share a little stuff and then let you al get back to your holiday celebrating!

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1st off, it has been happening over a long time, but we have now shifted our focus away from a geographic understanding putting our focus solely in Union, KY, when now that we are putting our focus on relationships! So the challenge that we have within the Florence UMC is that we now are not only desiring to have those who live in Union be involved in The Waters but it is a ministry that EVERYONE who is a active participant @ Florence UMC be involved in this experimental ministry! So, as God shifts our focus we now have to shift the focus of everyone who knows about The Waters. So, please keep in your prayers all those who are in Florence UMC to realize that the parties we are throwing, and then entire ministry of The Waters is open for EVERYONE to be a part of this new look to the body of Christ!

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We have also decided that we are going to start two different organic gatherings in January. One group will be those people who I have naturally (organically) develop while living in the area, and that group will be meeting the second Friday of Jan. (And it is full at least for the first party/meeting) BUT instead of inviting possible Organic discussion directors of the future groups to that one gathering, we have decided to start another organic gathering made up of the possible leaders and anyone a part of the 1st Start Dev. Team to experience and be a part of another Organic gathering! They will probably be going through the same lessons/scripture that the first group will be doing, but maybe a week behind. This should allow s to have two groups that would be more organic in nature and better like minded in the way they developed. So it will take up another night out of my life...but in the long run will be worth all of the sacrifice that we all give to this effort.

Now with these two groups it is our hope to continue to throw the 15-20 parties in Jan., Feb, and March and depending on the group that organically forms will start when those involved would desire to start...but probably looking towards when school starts up again in '06.

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Everything is on track and we are slowly receiving the list of people that the party planning meeting were asked to develop! And are also on track with getting with the host houses and finding out when the parties can start happening in the homes in Jan. So that is wonderful news!

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I don't think that I have mentioned Roseanna Keohler yet here on the blog. Roseanna is my right hand woman when it comes to allowing God to make these parties happen! So, at the very least pray for her because she has accepted her call from God to actually work with me! And, please pray for her to deal with so many people who all can help with the parties in the different ways and make sure communication is smooth and clear to all involved! Thank you Roseanna!

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With all that said.......Merry Christmas! God bless all of you, and please know you all are in my prayers! Please never forget to KUTPs!!!!

p.s. Due to the Holidays I will be home in TX and NM from Christmas Day through Jan 4th...look for the next post after this date! Merry Christmas!

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Little Elf Judy: Seeing isn't believing. Believing is seeing.
---The Santa Clause

Christmas, time, money, and the lack of all three....

2005-12-12T12:47:00.000-05:00

Well, Advent/Christmas is in full swing over here and I am blown away with how crazy this time is in the world (at least it is in the U.S.). I personally have had lots of personal things that keep popping up (ordination requirements, gifts, holiday parties, finances) that put on hold the other things I desire to do/start/finish...and then just when I sit down to work on those things something else pops up, ha ha.... I wonder if anyone else feels the same way I do, ha ha.... Of course, there are! We all feel that way sometime during work, home, play, and juggling it all together during this time of the year...but it is very important to me and to God that we stay focused and keep our dreams in the clouds, and a feet on the road...we must find a happy medium for both dreaming and putting the rubber to the road. We must keep doing and being everything that will allow God's dreams to become reality! The Waters is happening and it will happen...but we will be The Waters with God!

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I continue to have great discussions with almost everyone I meet. People are starting to get the idea behind what we are doing and the people that are going to be a part of the first Organic Gathering of The Waters, and meeting people and starting to think if they should invite them to it! It is great news to see how God puts his plan not only in my mind, but in several others in the world around you! So that meeting is happening and fast! I know before I know it or not Jan 13th 7:00 pm will be here and we must have a good understanding of what God desires to do/be through us so that we can give a good idea as to what The Waters is, God's purpose for it, and what the people a part of it can expect. We know all these things right now..but it is just making sure that the core leadership people are on the same page and know what direction we are going.

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I am in the process of writing an email and letter for those who have no email to all those who attending the party planning event to let them know we officially have their information and what the next steps are and a little clarification from the meeting we had in November.... currently the party planning coordinator and myself meet on a weekly basis and she is finding out from the host homes a few dates for each one of them we can put on the calendar and then start putting the right servants in the right place to make the parties happen and go smoothly!

In addition, to this I have now created email lists of al the servant leaders who are desiring to help with the parties and now we can contact a specific group at a time with email and letter! So hopefully information and communication will be a nice smooth process as the parties progress!

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About the only thing we would like to get back from the servant leadership who attended the party planning event...is a list of all the people that they are prayerfully considering to invite to the parties. These people are the "ocean" that God has placed in their lives that they already have acquaintances with for example, friends, co-workers, family, etc...that they could invite to the parties....these lists of the servant leaders with then be divided among The Waters prayer team and prayed for by name and of course those doing the inviting. This can show all those who we invite (probably down the road) that they have been prayed for by people that have no idea who they are over the past how many ever weeks or months! That is very powerful message that there is a community of people who love and care for others without direct personal contact!
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So as you can see The Waters is still flowing into this world sometimes one drop at a time and others the flood gates are open...but no matter how it happens God is seeing us and directs us into the world that desperately needs community and relationship with God and others!

So please always KUTPs!!!!! and know God loves you...so return the favor and love someone with him!

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Viola de Lesseps: [as Thomas Kent] Tell me how you love her, Will.
William Shakespeare: Like a sickness and its cure together.
--Shakespeare In Love

Do you love God with the same love? Are you "in love" with God? Surely, our love for God can be greater than that of Shakespeare. Right?

Relationship, relationship, relationship.....

2005-12-06T07:40:00.000-05:00

It is funny how when you do something different how your whole way of thinking has to change. For example, in the typical mind of a "normal" pastor (ha ha ha I use that term loosely, heh) most of your time is spent in your office "doing" work because it is expected of you from the church and probably by yourself that just in case if anyone needs you that you can be reached immediately and they know where to go.....but then you have God leading you into a network or Organic gatherings/churches called The Waters. And this ministry is solely based on relationships with those who do not go to church or if they do it is only at Easter or Christmas, and how in the world would they know that you love and care for them if you sit in your office all day long in a building that they have no idea where it is, and if they did know where it is That most of them would shrug it off or be fearful of the judgment that lies inside of one.....so I try to make my office "in the world" coffee shops, the Mall, Panarea Bread Co. (because they have free wireless internet, heh) And even thought sometimes I may not look up from the (Tiffany's borrowed from Asbury UMC) laptop, people still notice me and people still talk to me and relationships form and slowly over time develop! And eventually God is discussed and glorified and the Kingdom is brought into existence through one more person. That is why I am "different" I live my life for God and others. (sure I take care of my family and my life) but my focus is one God and love living this life and living to love! Please, find your love and live it, and I want you to know that I pray that your life is in Christ!

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Well, I have started a weekly meeting with Aaron Klinefelter who is one of the house church pastors in the VC it is a network of house churches and doing exactly what we feel God calling us to do and be for around 7-9 years now and they are doing exactly what we have felt God calling us to do, it really is amazing what they do and how we have thought up some of the same basic ideas before knowing that they are already doing them. I am meeting with Aaron and Bill Enns on Thursday afternoons. Bill is the Sr. intrum pastor at one of the largest Presb. churches in Cincy. He is getting his Dr. in leadership and I believe has a lot for us to learn from, as well as, us "younger" pastors are teaching and helping him to relate in how to minister to the future leaders within the church. Markus will be joining us probably as well!

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I also am meeting on a weekly basis with Markus Watson who is the associate Pastor of the Presb. church in Union as we meet weekly to pray for one another's ministries and talk about this model for ministry and how it would look for each of us and even the far remote possibility that we could possibly "being" this network together and bridge some lines between the denominations. Amazing to me how god pulls his church around in ways that no one would ever expect and the very culture we live in has the possibility to be transformed! I still can not wrap y mind around that thought...and yet I have a very clear sense that God is doing indeed a new thing in this world and that he is blessing us to join him in this amazing kingdom work!

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Also, I am now meeting weekly with Roseanna who is one of two (the second one has not come forward or to mind yet...but we sure could use them!...please help us with this one prayer team, heh) people who will be organizing (along with me) the parties that we are throwing to start developing relationships with others who could be possible attenders of these organic gatherings some time next year. So, the parties will start happening as soon as we can start to contact everyone and find out when and where they were thinking about throwing a few of them. The meeting I had with her went well and we are going to send out a general letter to let eveyone know that we received thier responses and to get the ball rolling! It is exciting times..but lots of work to be done...so please keep the prayers flowing in this area!

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I am preaching this Sunday so if anyone would like to come hear a Christmas sermon from the book of Revelation (yeah that is right) the I would encourage you to come and enjoy a new way of looking @ Christmas! @ Florence UMC 9am and 11am this Sunday! heh heh....

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Also, it is my privilege to tell you all that the first Organic gathering will be the 2nd Friday of Jan. 13th Joseph-Beth @ 7:00 pm and we will be meeting and enjoying some time together and talk about when we will start the weekly gatherings and take this organic gathering thing out for a ride around the town, heh.....

We are in the process of making sure everyone who is invited marks it down on their calendars and can make it to the gathering! We are very excited about it and can't wait to find out what God desires for us to be! Look out world we are about to unleash our existence in Christ upon you! ha ha.... and for those of you with an over active imagination...that unleashing will be love, and grace, and maybe a little sprinkle of forgiveness and reconciliation, heh....

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Until next week, I beg you to enjoy the presence of God on your knees sometime this week, it is amazing how great my time with God is when I just get on the floor and play with him, talk with him, and sometimes even fall asleep in his arms! Enjoy your life this week and be blessed so that you can in turn be a blessing to others!

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Peter: Forget them, Wendy. Forget them all. Come with me where you'll never, never have to worry about grown up things again.
Wendy: Never is an awfully long time.
--Peter Pan

When is the last time you did not worry about grown up things and sat down with God like a child and played? I think you might need to play with God more often just like I need to. Believe me He has really cool toys! God bless yall and please KUTPs!

We're having parties, and a specialy party I went to....

2005-11-29T09:57:00.000-05:00

First off I would like to apologies for not posting anything last week. With Thanksgiving my birthday(Nov 20^th), and now my wife's birthday tomorrow(Nov. 30^th). I am a little swamped and to top it all of I am attempting to finish all of the requirements for ordination in the United Methodist church as well!

OK enough excuses and down to the update....

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Well, Friday before last (i think that is right) I went to a gathering of the Vineyard Central network of house churches...that my good friend (becoming better each day) Aaron Klinefelter invited me to go to. It was made up of tons of people that were all friends and have the same passions that The Waters has for growing Christ centered community with each other but most importantly with those in the world that do not know Christ. The food was wonderful...and my wife loved the chocolate fondue flowing fountain! (I wonder if The Waters should invest in several of these as an Evangelism tool, heh heh just kidding…kind of, ha ha) But it was amazing to greet and get to know lots of people from all over the US and of course Cincy. that have the same passions and are actually doing what we are on the very starting end of birthing. I did not get to ask all the questions that I really would loved to ask these "bigwigs" but my wife and I could not stay long, but introductions were made with lots of people and I will be keeping in contact wit several of them to get any insights and thoughts they may have. A Special thanks to Aaron who's calling in life is to connect those people who need to be connected for the continued growth of the Kingdom! lots of great people doing lots of really cool and innovative stuff in this world! Wonderful time wonderful...... I think the closest thing I could call it would be a church picnic of great friends that also just happened to be a part of a house church network, heh.... Aaron has posted a little about it on his blog and given you a chance to read about others blog accounts of the party too!

two people/websites that I got out of the whole thing were these:

Bill Bean: Bill runs a website that sells books! He is just as cheap most of the time as Amazon...but where he can really help out is in bulk book buys....This is what he does for a living (as much as I could gather from talking to him...sorry if I am wrong Bill) And so I can not encourage you enough to buy your books from Bill in the future so you can support a great guy, instead of Amazon and growing the money piles they already make!

Bean Books

The next guy I did not get to talk to much (but I wish I had) was Jim Henderson Jim just finished a book called A.K.A. Lost Jim's website Off The Map (OTM) has been a huge blessing in my life...finally I found a group that thinks and lives like I do...it is so refreshing to find those people in the world that are a lot like you...to remind you that you are not alone and that God indeed is ding something among his people...not just among his one single lonely person, heh... (I know that is not the case with The Waters with all the support from FUMC...but finding your own kind is nice. I would encourage you to go to Off The Map below....it will give you all great insight into why The Waters is in existence and how we see this organic network of churches reaching the "A.K.A. lost". please go to the site and watch an interview!

Off The Map
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And as if that was not a perfect tie-in to the next update about The Waters parties I don't know what is. You see, when I went to the party the only reason I went was because of my relationship with Aaron. I trusted Aaron and he let me know what to expect before i came...and yes, it took a little bit of me jumping out of my comfort zone and especially tiffany (she had not met anyone before this party...and just had to trust me)...but I went, and I had a great time and I got to know lots of great and wonderful people! I joined for one night a community of people who gathered in the name of Trinity, to enjoy fellowship and Christ-centered-community.

This is exactly what our desire is for The Waters parties. We want to throw 20 parties by the end of March '06...so that we can start the process of developing Christ centered communities and organic churches that enjoy fellowship, communion, and discussion (not preaching) about what The Bible says about humanity, God, and relationship!

so, we had a party planning meeting and we had at the very least 25 show up to hear why and how they can be involved in throwing these parties to start developing relationships with acquaintances and such and see over time if they would be interested in weekly gatherings where community is grown and shared with the world. During this "meeting" we found out lots of great ideas for party themes, found out the level of support that these people were willing to support The Waters with, and started the thinking of people who in their lives could they invited to these parties that might not be Christ followers or church goers who possibly would enjoy a supportive, loving, and growing community in thier lives and in the life of their family!

So, needless to say.......now is the crunch time for the prayer!

I am currently in the process of gathering all the support data and forming out with one of the party coordinators where to start and who to contact for what to get the parties started! So, great news on that front....

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Well, that is about it for now...... I am preaching on Sunday 11th @ FUMC...if any of you would like to come hear a sermon about Advent from Revelation....it should be interesting and fun! heh heh.... until next time I give you my full gratitude and love for your support of The Waters and ask your continued support of it to allow it to become the movement the Christianity was meant to be all along!

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Oh, and I got harassed for typing long blog posts at the VC party I went too. I took the suggestions to heart...but man that is hard...... I love to talk.....and more often than not...I talk too much...so lets just say in the future i will try to be shorter in my posts...or I might look for some way to making it look smaller, heh..... until next post...God bless yall and please KUTPs!!!!!!!

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William Wallace: "There's a difference between us. You think the people of this land exist to provide you with position. I think your position exists to provide those people with freedom. And I go to make sure that they have it."
--Braveheart

UMC Young Adult Summit conference and The Waters parties planning meeting.....

2005-11-15T12:53:00.000-05:00

Each day that passes is another step closer to watching God unfold the vision of The Waters making this ministry a reality! It is such a privilege to be a part of the Florence UMC and watching the members of that tribe come alive and catch the flood of passion that I and others have for working with God to see The Waters become a reality...and unleashing the movement that Christianity was meant to be! I thought I would share a few of the insights I gained from the first ever Young Adult Summit of the entire UM Church in Nashville that I just got back from on Saturday. Then I will share a little from the parties planning meeting that was held on Sunday....

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This summit was put on by the General Board of Discipleship of the United Methodist Church. That is a big list of words that just means that they tried to have at least three people from every conference in the US represented at this summit to discuss and learn how to better do/be ministry to young adults. And I am one of those "Young Adults" so I though that I might have something to say and so did the KY conference director of Y.A.'s too since he invited me to come it was a privilege to represent the conference I serve in and lots of fun to meet and see how other conferences ad churches were ministering to YAs across the nation! Here are a few of the things that I really got out of the conference....(but I must admit w/o being cocky, I sometimes found myself teaching at it more than learning from it..but that was part of why we came together is to learn from each other) So here are a few insights I got from the conference:

The Wesley Project rocks! The Wesley Project is one that several people a part of Emerge are using the words of Charles and John Wesley's hymns and giving them new life with new music. It was wonderful...and much better than the recordings on the web...but they give you a good look into what they are doing.
Post-Modern Worship can be a little weird...and a little bit fun..and a little bit deep...but all still good and can be extremely meaningful to several different people!
Young Adult Ministry must not be broken down into age categories..but in life transitions: 1. Graduate from High School, 2. Graduate from College, 3. Enter into the working world, 4. Marriage, 5. Children.
Here are a few things that the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the UMC have learned about ministering to YAs:

YA ministry is not about having a meeting, planning events, or being trained to serve on a church committee.
YA ministry is about engaging the culture of YA life. The church must be willing to tackle the hard questions, the tough issues and the real world matters.
YA ministry is contextual. It is a ministry that is born out of the needs and lie of the YAs in question.
YA ministry is a ministry of God going into the neighborhood and meeting YAs where they are and help them to discover who God wants them to be.
YA ministry is a ministry of trail and error. Some things work and some things don't.
YA ministry is a holistic ministry that operates better in a church that is holistically healthy.
YA ministry is a ministry that must change about evey 2 years as new young adults emerge.
YA ministry is a tool that can help the entire church be relevant.
YAs often feel that they are not taken seriously or appreciated.
YAs can teach a congregation by example to overcome church conflict.

(isn't it funny how everyone of those statements could and should be speaking about ministry of any church to all people not only young adults? These are what The Waters is attempting to be with the help of God!)

YAs are a generation that desires customization..and personalization
3 Myths of YA ministry: 1. YAs leave the church after High School and then come back to the same church they left in their 30's, 2. To minister to the YAs you must have a budget and staff to reach them, 3. Your church needs t develop a contemporary worship service to get them to come! (man this is one of my most disliked myths, heh)
The needs of YAs are:

A Place that is Authentic: they want more than saying that an experience is real, they desire TRUE reflection of self and that that is a welcomed aspect to be in community. That authenticty is so much more deep than numbers to show case to adults the "health" of a church. When did we ever come up with the fact that having large numbers meant that we were a healthy church? Do we care if those attending are truly having life transformation from the presence of Christ in their lives and in their community? How do we judge effectiveness by how well the people in the church are growing into deeper disciples and are (with God) making disciple-making disciples?
A Place that is Relevant and reflects the culture around them: They have not compartmentalized their lives. Barriers do not exist...so God, work, family, etc...is all one part of a sing life lived...not different areas in their lives...God is seen in their family life, and work, and passions, and recreation, etc...
A Place for wrestling: They desire to have a safe and non-judgmental space for allowing them to wrestle with meaning and application and growth! They do not desire to have spiritual truths and neatly packaged Biblical answers shoved in their mouths. They are not looking to be told the answers...they need and desire to find them on their own...or in community...but that the community is wrestling together...not one person giving the answers.

A Parents faith is no longer enough to allow them to hold on to their own faith..they need to wrestle with it.
We must never under estimate the power and effectiveness of stories. The Biblical Narrative and our own personal stories...and this will help bridge the gap of generations...because stories are universal...but they must be shared in a supportive community...and the presentation is key.
Questions about God and the bible are OK and should be encouraged! God can be found in them!
So in summary Churches who desire to reach YAs must:

Create spaces where YAs feel comfortable in pushing the envelope, asking hard questions, and seeking God as an Authentic and relevant part of their lives and life stories!

The Summit was very good considering that I went to it thinking that I was not going to focus The Waters on Young Adults, but that the Young Adults would be reach through this ministry and I found out that this ministry will be perfect for Young Adults as well as anyone else who might not fit the age group for "young adults". heh...

it was also during this conference that I (and probably more likely God) challenged me/myself to understood just want I meant what I said this statement, "I desire for The Waters to become a movement of Christianity, that eventually it would be the one creating culture and this culture would be Christ centered." I then took that to the ultimate extreme and thought to myself,

"Wait a second we must be in the world and not of it!, Can (and would it even be a good thing) for the church to be the culture creator? Would that be going back to the problems that a forced Christian culture has caused in the past? I love the culture in this world...ask anyone I can't get enough of it! If the church was the creator of the culture would it look like one big huge commune? Even a movement needs to move! But does it need to move into? Over to? Out of? etc..."

Yeah it is scary in their that crazy mind of mine...but all that thinking came to this...I think it would be better to say that we desire for The Waters to be not creating the culture that we live in...but to transform it...or recreate it into the image (i.e. grace, fun, creative, forgiveness, loving, etc...) of Christ! A movement of transformation of lives, culture, and the very world we live in. (and I realize that will probably take more than a week or two..but it sure will be fun!!! heh heh....

(please understand these are not exact quotes...I have elaborated to them as I added into them mostly my own thoughts and insights.)
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The Waters Party Planning Meeting

We had a planning meeting @ FUMC last night and it was a huge success! we had a great turn out and I was very please at the support and general acceptance of what our first thoughts of The Waters can start to be. I ca never remember what I have shared here on the blog and what I have not...but we desire t throw parties in homes so that we can start to grow into deeper relationships with those that we love and care about that might enjoy true community and friendship, and eventually possibly be willing to join a weekly group that talks about the Bible and the community they have found themselves in. So we thought a great way for people to get to know each other and to start to form deeper relationships and a community is for us to throw parties to start the development of relationships with co-workers, family, friends, etc...that might not go to church or have a supportive community. So this meeting was to share once again the purpose of The Waters and to share the excitement of what we are "being", and to allow people to show their support by choosing to serve in several different ways at these parties, and to join together in coming up with ideas for themes for the parties and general ways that would be help in inviting others to come to the parties and to start to develop the friendships and community that we eventually desire to build.

We found a ton of support from everyone that attended the meetings and a good wide rage of support for each area that we needed servants to help with! It was a huge blessing, and I believe that hopefully they left the meeting more blessed and excited about The Waters and God's moving us into being the church to those who need God and community!

A special thank you for all of those who attended the planning meeting and we will be in touch will all of them as we compile the information and start the development to the parties of the course of the next few months.

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Well, I continue to make friendships with those who live in Cinci, and Northern KY who are interested and willing to be a supportive structure for The Waters and I will keep those meetings up and going through this week with one on Thursday and another one on Friday night!

Other than this I am trying to finish my ordination process questions, bible study, and sermon to send back to the New Mexico Annual Conference so that hopefully I can become an Ordained Elder in full connection in May/June of '06.... So needless to say everyone please KUTPs for The Waters and everyone involved, heh.....

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"Albus Dumbledore: Dark and difficult times lie ahead, Harry. Soon we must all face the choice between what is right... and what is easy"
--Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Greenhouse and growth of an organic church (this is a LONG ONE!).....

2005-11-06T18:39:00.000-05:00

Well, I finally get to share the insights from the Greenhouse intensive conference that I went to last weekend. There is a lot to share and I am not sure if I can or will fit it all into one post, but I really want to try to do that so that all the info can be found in one place. And I will not be able to share all of the information because I think that would not be honorable to those who put the Greenhouse conference together. So my advice is for anyone who is considering organic churches to attend a greenhouse event and even though I did not totally agree with the theology that was mentioned...I loved the presenters Neil Cole and Paul Kaak and 90% of what was shared I believe to be spot on and I agreed with and can be found in Neil's book Organic Church, Growing Faith Where Life Happens! So, with no further adieu:

What you need to start an Organic/Simple church: 1. Drink Coffee, 2. Play chess and Checkers, 3. Listen to and love people! (I love this understanding!)
"The Gospel says, 'Go,' but our church buildings say, 'Stay.' The gospel says, 'Seek the lost,' but our churches say, 'let the lost seek the church.'" --Howard Snyder from Radical Renewal: The Problem of Wineskins Today.
Luke 19:10 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." So if this is true then it is God that is the seeker not the lost.....I wonder how this would change the term "seeker service"?
Their working description of what "church" is: "The presence of Jesus among His people called out as a spiritual family to pursue his mission on this planet."
The DNA of every church should be the same: D: Divine Truth (the dynamic and living presence of Christ in His Word) N: Nurturing Relationships (love for one another is to be a constant pursuit of the family of God. This is the most basic of Christ's commands.) A: Apostolic Mission (our mission is to go into the world and disciple the nations for their good and God's glory.)
you can not have one of these without the others, it should be found in every cell of church life, it provides a pattern for diagnosing the health of a church's life and practice
In most US churches these parts of DNA have become compartmentalized, for example, this is a missions committee and a nurture/growth committee, etc....
Mark 4:1-32 is a huge insight into the Kingdom and what Christ's church should be!
You have to start with a sower in the field, you have to start with the right seed (and that seed must be the Word of God), you have to start with the right soil!
The one ground that produces good fruit makes all the other 3 bad soils worth the effort, 30x's, 60x's, and 100x's
How it grows (Mark 4:26-29) shows how it grows...God does the growing!
Paul Kaak in his simple/organic church uses the following questions for the discussion time of the Scripture reading in their "services" A. What did you like best about what you read? B. What did you not like? C. What did you not understand? D. What new things did you learn about God or his kingdom? E. What Idea or phrase do you want to take with you this week? F. What are you going to do about it?
Neil in the first few weeks of starting a simple/organic church has those attending to commit to 7 weeks and each week he reads one of the seven signs of Jesus in John's gospel (2:1-11; 4:46-54; 5:1-18; 6:1-14; 6:15-25; 9:1-41; 11:1-46) and then at each gathering he asks these questions, 1. What does this story tell us about the way people are (or about human nature)? 2. What does this story tell us about what people need? What does this story tell us about Jesus?
A church planting movement is: 1. simple reproducible strategies that release common Christians for uncommon work, 2. Witness and multiplication that is nature and spontaneous (i.e. no need to persuade people to witness to others...they do it naturally), 3. Reproduction occurring at every level and in every unit of the church life, 4. Interdependence among the churches, not unhealthy dependence nor self-centeredness interdependence, 5. The churches must be self-perpetuating (will continue to live with out the need of outside infusion of resources)and self-propagating(she will naturally start birthing new groups that will in turn do the same and birth new simple/organic churches.
Their highest goal is not to plant a singe plant/church, or a single fruit-bearing plant/church, or even a field full of fruit-bearing plants/churches, But their highest goal IS the health and fertility of the land so that it will produce generation after generation of fruit=bearing plants/churches! And of course the highest goal is that Jesus would reign as King in al the Earth!
some contrasts between institutional approaches and organic approaches to church planting:

Institutional approach--------Organic approach
seating: rows only-----------circle(s)
Environment: Anonymous--------Intimate
Leader Source: from institutions of higher learning-----from the harvest
Cost: Expensive----------Inexpensive
Goal: Deeper knowledge------deeper relationships
Church Posture: "Yall come!"-----"We go!"

Lost people are not dirt or dirty....they are soil!
Oikos Witness (Oikos is a Greek term that includes the meanings of a house or household, and many places in the Bible it refers to the fundamental natural unit of society...one's family, friends, neighbors, and associates (Acts 10:11; Philippians 4:22)
God has places us in particular oikos contexts to that we might find him (Acts 17:26,27)
For every Christian, mission begins with those who god has put in their lives (oikos) it is our stewardship and responsibility to grow it)
The keys to growing your Oikos and eventually sharing Christ in it are: 1. time and availability, 2. A life that is open and being renewed day by day, 3. Hospitality, 4. Spiritual Intuition, 5. Generosity 9this has two sides thought...while you are busy inviting them into your home...make sure that you allow them to invite you into their home! (i.e. Zacchaeus story)
The key to spreading the gospel may not be in your "Christian" oikos, and it is more likely to experience expansion through the oikos of a new believer!
Where can you find good soil: bad people, poverty, young people, those searching for God, uneducated, etc...."Bad people make the best soil...because they have a lot of fertilizer!" <--one of their saying, heh.
But you can even find good soil in the bad soil, by some of these examples: go on a ride along with a police officer, and ask them where the most domestic abuse occurs, or what neighborhood or restaurants have the most calls, check the local paper for bankruptcies or foreclosures and call them to let them know you care and pray for them, look up the 12 steps recovery programs and help them anyway you can...and you can find better soil if you go to the ones that smoking is allowed, heh.
2 kinds of lost people: moths and cockroaches. Moths will be drawn to the light and cockroaches will run from the light! Just show up with the presence of Christ in you and you will see who is before you. Our significant is most shown in the darkness!) I love this saying...because it is very true in my life...I "feel" God's presence much more when I am living in and around non-Christians!
The busier we become the less compassionate we become
The church must be conceived in heaven before it is birth on earth!
So.....the bride must woo the groom to give birth to a new church...so spend time in prayer wooing the groom!
Jesus’ missional methodology POP: Practice Of Prayer (Matt 9:37-38) The workers came from the harvest!, Pockets Of People (Luke 10:1) Identify these pockets of people for example, places like, cheers, or the coffee house in Friends (the TV shows), Power Of Presence (Matt 10:7-8) Where you go the king goes and where the King goes people bow!...watch the end of the last Lord Of The Rings Movie and you will see the kind of bowing I think they are talking about), Person Of Peace(Luke 10:7-8), and a People Of Purpose. (Matt. 10:11-13)
Person Of Peace explanation: Read Luke 10:-8---"When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' 6 If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay in that house...Do not move around from house to house. 8 "When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you." This is the key person in birthing new organic/simple churches! This person is: 1. Responsive to the Word of God and is very interested in it for their lives, 2. has Relational Influence and are well connected to others, 3. and have a reputation (god or bad it does not matter when God get a hold of their lives if they have a good or bad rep...both will glorify God) Biblical examples of Persons of Peace: Matthew, Zacchaeus, Lydia, Woman @ the well, Gerasene demoniac, Ethiopian Eunuch, Cornelius, Philippian Jailer, etc...
Assume that everyone has their own Oikos and will continue the Kingdom through it!
Don't plant churches, plant the Gospel...and God will do the rest!
How to share Christ in a relationship in your Oikos: the example of Christ: Jesus did three things when meeting lost people: Commendation, Confrontation, and Comfort! So lets take the woman at the well, Commendation (Jesus gave her the gift of conversation when no one else would), Confrontation (Where is your husband?), and Comfort (He gives living Water and tells her worship will occur not only here or only there...but anywhere!)
if you don't acre then don't share
If we want to grow relationship with others for God, then the key to it all is to LISTEN!
Lost people do not want to be preached to; they want to be listened to!
Listen for their pain, passions, and purpose, and in the midst of these find connection and develop relationship with them!
Don't force anything onto the organic/simple churches....Let it happen indigenously with in that culture!
Make the Kingdom be about Jesus...not a model...allow the organic/simple churches t have their own flavor...but stay in it's roots the same nature (i.e. Water, ha ha ha)
We need to spend more time scattering the seed and reaping the harvest, not on the growth...read Mark 4:26-29 again...the growth happens because God does that part the worker does the other two...what would Christian book stores look like if we spent more time scattering and reaping than of growth?
Life grows in stages so do not force the reaping of the harvest...we must think in phases and a process!
96% of churches in America today will never birth a daughter church........most Christians hear this statement ad agree sadly and it is sad...but what if you turned on the news today and heard Katie and Matt say, "96% of all women in the US can not reproduce as of today!" We would all be freaking out! We would be asking, 1. This is not natural to not be able to give birth what is going on here? And 2. What will happen to the human race?....these are the same questions the church should be asking....and it should be just as shocking!
Lost people are not drawn to our churches, we have lost our relevancy, and so church shopping has become the way life for most Christians! So....we start selling our churches and start the sells job, we have the best, sermons, children's program, music, etc... (there is not much different between church goers and non-church goers
We need to lower the bar of "church" and raise the bar/standard of what it means to be a disciple!
A strong church is made up of strong disciples(2 Tim. 2:1), a motivated church is made up of motivated disciples (2 Tim. 2:3-13), and a reproducing church is made up of reproducing disciple making disciples (2 Tim, 2:2) (italics added by me)
the best context for growing a disciple is in community (2 Tim. 2:22, 23)
Te challenge of 2 Tim. is that we need to influence that expands: in space (beyond the driving distance from your church) and expands in time (beyond your life span "to the end of the age".....so for us to expand these areas...WE MUST INVEST IN PEOPLE!
As a part of all of the Organic/Simple churches everyone is highly encouraged to be a part of a LTG: Life Transformation Group. These groups are made up of 2-3 same gender groups who read the bible together, hold one another accountable, and prayer for each other and those people in their Oikos that do not have a relationship with Christ. The LTG is the embryo of a Simple/Organic Church...it is the discipleship making component.
LTG often last around a year and should constantly be reproducing and forming new LTGs.
Reminders for getting new Organic/simple churches started: 1. Make it your goal to embed the DNA in the community from the very beginning, 2. Don't wait to get people connected into LTGs, 3. Keep the leadership that is modeled simple and reproducible, 4. Identify the emerging leaders to begin to invest in as soon as possible, 5. Don't worry about getting it "perfect"...........maybe for a long time!

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Ok, how’s is that for an intensive weekend recap? heh.... I know there is a lot of stuff in there and I know that most of you will not ever read it all and see if it will soak in...So I encourage you to attend a greenhouse event near you....you can find out more about greenhouses in your area and buy resources from www.CMAResources.org and like I said almost everything from the greenhouse is in Neil's book Organic Church, and I would recommend it to anyone who is thinking about these ways of being church.

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Currently I am deep into the planning of the block party planning meeting this Sunday (13th) @ 6:00 pm. We hope to get a lot of input and find out the amount of support and commitment that people are willing to give towards The Waters and a very important meeting for everyone who is interested in to attend! It should be lots of fun and hopefully, not just another meeting to go to...I am trying to make it be well worth everyone's time and energy.

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The first ever The Waters' budget will be turned into the finance committee of Florence UMC and I hope and pray that it will be passed and supported and then t will be the job of the stewardship committee and ultimately the church to meet the increased needed budget for the 2006 year to support The Waters1 Tons of prayer will always be needed for this endeavor!

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I am also leaving this Thursday to attend the Young Adult Summit in Nashville to find out how I can give some input into what would be effective ways to minister to and reach young adults as an entire UM church...so that should be interesting and I hope to share a little more about what we are doing here and see if we can find any others that might have the same passions and desires for what God is doing here and how we can help the United Methodists to do the same in their own communities and lives!

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I hope to discuss more soon. I have lots of other meetings with lots of other people that I am forming relationships with and joining their network/Oikos...it is exciting and fun to top it all off...but I have been felt lately that I need to spend more time in the Pockets of People places around here and perhaps develop a LTG-type of group. So please pray that God shows me where that place is.

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OK...well, I have spent an extremely long time developing this post and I am sure that several of you will not even get through it all, or will have to read over it over the course of a week, or even need to print it out and read it that way...what ever the case...please read this information and see if you can apply it to your ministry settings, and even in your own life? Who is in your Oikos? When is the last time you listened to them...and then commended them, challenged them, and comforted them? Are you looking for new people to be a part of your Oikos? Thank you for your prayers and please keep them all coming! And know that I am praying for you too! (Who ever reads this blog, heh)

May you experience love, grace, and peace flowing from the arms that Christ has wrapped around you!

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"Hub: Sometimes the things that may or may not be true are the things a man needs to believe in the most. That people are basically good; that honor, courage, and virtue mean everything; that power and money, money and power mean nothing; that good always triumphs over evil; and I want you to remember this, that love... true love never dies. You remember that, boy. You remember that. Doesn't matter if it's true or not. You see, a man should believe in those things, because those are the things worth believing in."
--Secondhand Lions

The excitement builds...with a nervous level head of course....

2005-11-01T00:18:00.000-05:00

Well, I have been to so many conferences as of late that I am having a hard time digesting them and applying them to The Waters. As soon as I have some time I plan on going over everything that was taught and really creatively attempt to bring the best of all that we have learned so far to further the vision and purpose of The Waters. I still need to share the second day of the Multi-Site Conference with you all and the three day intensive Greenhouse Story 1 conference I attended this weekend. So at the end of this post look for day 2 of the Multi-Site conference wrap-up.

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I continue to make several contacts that are living and growing organic cell churches in this world. I met with several people @ the Greenhouse conference that most were not in the United Methodist Church, but there was a laity couple that were there...but very frustrated with how to bring the organic/simple church model into the United Methodist Church. And while it is a challenge I do not see that it is an impossibility, but a challenge that could really be a a true benefit to the United Methodist church bringing it back to it's Wesleyan roots of Bands. But it will take a lot of discernment from several players with-in the UM church. I think it is very exciting..but I also am running into people that are frustrated with the polity of the UM church and how it has dealt with risk taking leaders and churches especially with church models that might not fit exactly into the traditional (traditional in the sense of the last 100 years) understanding of "church". This is not a problem...but a challenge to grow a re-newed understanding of "church" from the fist century model to the original Wesleyan model. So, we will be looking for creative ways to bring this organic way of being and doing church into the world that we live in.

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I also have continued to meet with more people in the Vineyard Central network of churches in the Cinci. area...as well as a new pastor from that network that is trying to get something started in the eastern part of Northern KY! So, great contacts to have and grow. And besides even though I have only met most of them one time...I feel some great friendships coming on, heh....Check out the VC's website and you can get a small glimpse of what a possible way The Waters could look similar to:

www.vineyardcentral.com

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I also got a phone call today from Bryan Sims (a leader in Spiritual Leadership Inc. That will probably start a coaching relationship with me and The Waters this upcoming year to promote leadership, spiritual, and "the starting process" development of The Waters! Bryan teaches Incubator groups all over the country with SLI and remembered that there was another UM pastor in West Virginia that had the same passions and vision for a Organic/Cell church and wanted to put me in contact with him! Well, excited to know that there might actually be another United Methodist in this world that might be looking at the model and challenges of doing these kinds of ministries with-in the United Methodist Church polity, and discipline. Well, needless to say we met over the phone and were both encouraged beyond anyway we could imagine! He old me that there is only one other women in Seattle that is looking at the same ideas we are looking into for the Organic church way of being church. So, we will continue this relationship and grow together in prayer, and help formulate each others vision for what God desires in both of our regions. Great great great!

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Oh, and after going to the Greenhouse Conference I realized the importance of leadership developing out of each of the Organic church attendees. So, there is a huge challenge of how to meet the UM polity standards of the leadership with in a network of Organic/cell churches....and then I thought about how my brother was excited at one time about the Lay Minister certification that the General Conference of the UM just passed this last General Conference...I really believe that this certification will allow this primary understanding or leadership development to occur...so I have put some phone calls into those responsible of the development of the Lay Minister certification..so please be in prayer for how we can use this new form of minister/pastor in the UM church to allow this vision we have to be brought into development! Great news...that needs a lot of prayer!

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Today I sent a letter to all those whose names are on the map to invite them to the November 13th planning block party meeting @ 6:00 pm in the sanctuary...so next is a sending of an email to as many of these people as well and then a phone call the week of to make sure we cover as many ways as possible to contact everyone, and give everyone an opportunity to make sure they show up so that we can start to form the parties in the Union area and start developing the relationships and friendships that will become the basis for the Organic churches with the purpose of promoting Christ centered community in this area!

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This week will also be the week that the Waters 2006 purposed budget will formed to be brought to t he Florence UMC budget on November 11th. This is extremely important that we are following God's desires and leading for the financial support needed for The Waters to become a reality, and to give the existing Florence UMC the opportunity to financially support God's dreams and desires to reach everyone who needs a supportive Christ centered community in their lives to transform them into lives with significance! Please poor prayer into that other aspect of The Waters!

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OK second day of Multi-Site Conference wrap-up....

I thought that since I am so very tired right now that I would share the two breakout session insights with you and then a few more thoughts from a few of the main speakers. Please know that this stuff is from the Multi-Site Conference and not the Greenhouse conference..that will have to come later...Thanks for understanding.....

Here are a few insights to be able to creatively communicate creativity:

Going through the way they develop the worship experience for each week:

The Message -- the central place of creativity
The Meeting -- the place where the teaching team leads everyone else into what the possibilities could be for use in the worship experience!
The Moment -- The one moment in the worship experience that is the goal and everyone will leave knowing this
The Method -- This is when the support team tells everyone everything that they will do for the worship experience from lighting, to songs, to sermon manuscript...via email and blog
The Mode -- This just explains the way how they get this info out to all of the multi-sites, and the key to to keep it really simple for everyone involved!
Then they
Render -- which a term that graphic artists do to make sure the entire worship experience is finalized and actually happens!
Review It -- Go over how the worship experience an find out what and how they could make any changes before Sunday morning.
Redo it -- start the process all over again!

the second break out session I went to was all about marketing or in other words 5 Ways to Spread The Word:

Word of Mouth: This is the best form of marketing..and what The Waters is totally based upon!
Word of Mouse: Use the computer to spread the word via blogs (sound familiar, heh?) email, E-invite cards, etc...
Word of Mail: This is a great idea, and one we plan on putting to use with The Waters...in this idea they actually create a personal invitation that the existing church members to take write a personal note to people they may know in the area of the multi-site church, and they even put a stamp on the envelope of the personal note to make it as easy as possible...very useful for a ministry idea like our that will be key to developed relationships
Word of Mouth 2: This time it is not talking about getting the word out...but this time it is talking abut feeding people and then talking to them to get the word out..for example throw parties and feed people and then develop relationships with others.....hmmmm once again I think that maybe we are going in the right direction? hmmm heh heh....
Word of Mass: This is mass mailings, or TV ads, or Radio Ads...and these are by far the most expensive, and least effective...sadly (that word "sadly" was their word so don't think I am saying this...but I totally agree with them, heh)
Signs: This last one was added from a former CEO that had joined their church and he told them they they can never underestimate the power of signs. So they spend tons of money on reality signs that they put up the day of the worship services and then they take them immediately down because they were being stolen...now this might be applicable to any of the Organic Churches that might be meeting in homes to put the sign up and down each day that the worship at that house, but of course this would not work for those Organic churches that would meet in a Starbucks, or Barnes N Noble, etc.....and besides if these organic churches are developed through relationships then signs would not be the key to our "marketing" and our "marketing" would be relationships and friendships!
Other: And they also talked about how important it was to be active in the community and of course put up signs and the community events, heh....

Ok main talks:

Don't do "membership classes" do "fellowship classes"
2 Questions every asks when visiting a church: Who is in charge? & Who can answer my questions? and the campus pastor is that role.

two great things that Greg Surratt @ Seacost Church told us about were how they decide what they are going to put their time and energy into through this simple matrix:

I can not draw on this so it might be a little hard but I will try:

(side note...Ok well, the drawing did not workout so I will have to draw it for yall larer and then put it up for everyone!) thanks for understanding!)

1. Add a multisite worship at our current location
2. Add a multisite within 10 mins of our current location
3. Add a multisite in another country
etc...

Now they write up all the things that they have been brainstorming for what they know they feel God leading them to do and they look for the one that is High impact and low regret! And so after placing them all on the chart they want to do the ones that are Easy and have a big payoff for the Kingdom, they want to do a few that are hard and big payoffs for the Kingdom, and of course the others. So I thought it was a great resource to deciding anything in a church!

The other useful tool that Greg taught was how to help develop leadership qualities with-in every Christian and especially the leadership of the multi-sites and small group leaders:

the next one I will not be able to draw but I will try to describe it. He would draw a circle on a piece of paper and he would explain that everything inside this circle was their Christian life and everything outside was on the outside was the parts of their life that were not Christ-like. Then he would read to them John 14:6 "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." so he would put a small circle in the center of the other circle and explain to him that this is the life every Christian strives to live, because that is the true life...i.e. Jesus. So he would mark six sections between the small circle and the outside circle, and ask where this person felt he was in his life in the following 6 questions:

Are you worshiping weekly in community?
Are you connecting regularly?
Are you growing daily?
Are you Serving unselfishly?
Are you sharing your faith effectively?
Are you giving Generously?

So how are you who are reading this post doing in these areas? Do you need to work on some of these areas? I invite you to look deep in your life and answer them honestly between you and God, and share them with someone who can help remind you to keep all these areas as close as you can to Jesus in the center of your life!

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OK, I need to go to sleep, so please please please, KUTPs!!!! And, spread the word for The Waters!

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Maximus: What we do in life echoes in eternity.
--Gladiator

Too many conferences...but well worth it!

2005-10-29T22:15:00.000-04:00

I know that by now I should have posted about the second day of the Multi-site conference, but through some reading I found out that Neil Cole who wrote the Organic Church book is teaching an intensive conference on Organic Churches here near Dayton...so guess what? yep, I went from a two day conference near Chicago Monday and Tuesday...and then at the end of this week I drover here near Dayton and I have been meeting and learning from the author who wrote the book on Organic Churches...and this one is excellent...Still not exactly what we are looking at, but extremely close and lots of wonderful biblical backing for what we are sensing God desiring for us to be and do...so I am excited about what I am learning and I hopefully will be able to put up the best insights I have gained while here right here on The Waters blog! This is a wonderful conference and very great to hear that what we are thinking about is extremely effective and I believe very possible in a Tribe Extension model, but also in a United Methodist understanding. So, needless to say even though what we are dreaming with God to do is a very real challenge and some different thinking...it is still amazing to see how God is bringing us into a better understanding of what an unleashing of the Kingdom of God looks like and how we can join the passion of Christ for those who need a relationship with Christ! What a privilege, and an honor. I am so tired I will have to wait and share the insights of this conference and the second day of the multi-site conference with you later on. Thank you for your understanding and more importantly....Thank you for your love and prayers! KUTPs!

The Multi-Site Church Conference first day...

2005-10-24T22:16:00.000-04:00

Well, today Gary and I arrived to Naperville, IL at a church named
Community Christian Church in the

"yellow box"

ready to learn more from the Multi-Site Conference put on by the Leadership Network. We registered, attended a preliminary main discussion talk that was a huge Q&A with the Sr. Pastors of the three churches that are putting on this event. It is interesting, and nice to hear the questions that others are asking about multi-site church models. Then Gary and I went to two different breakout sessions and Gary went to one that was titled "getting started with multi-site", and I went to one titled, "Building Distance Campuses".

The three churches and the Sr. Pastors that are putting this stuff on are:

Community Christian Church
North Coast Church
Seacoast Church

The Sr. Pastors

It just so happened that Gary had the Sr. Pastor of North Coast Church an d I had the support staff from the same church...and they both talked about similar things, heh.... but I think my got a little more specific info...but it was good for both of us...now what they are doing might not be directly applicable to what God is laying on our hearts..but this is still a lot of things we can take from them and apply them to The Waters and Florence UMC.

Some specifics that I can share:

Every multi-site must be flexible and willing to change. The church from the get go and in the very DNA must be flexible to change any way necessary to make sure that the ministry will be effective. (i.e. restructure staffing, worship, leadership development, etc...)
There is a central support system from the "mother church" to all of the campuses, that would provide curriculum, seminars, etc...
They would not launch another campus unless they had a full time Sr. Pastor, part-time worship leader, and part-time admin assistant.
They really believe that the different campuses must be regional in their focus.
They encourage worship at al the locations of the church...so that they all understand they are the same church...just on different campuses.
Some mistakes they made were that if the campus is more the 20 mins drive from the mother church that it takes a lot more time to develop and launch a a church and that they treat it more like a church plant.
The risk of going into the red for a little bit of time to get into the black can be worth the risk if you know that the method will work.
The Campus Pastor is KEY!
Small groups and community are KEY!
They use video feeds of the Sr. Pastor preaching at all their locations except the main location (which is recorded live Saturday evening and fed at the same time to three other locations, and then shown via DVD on Sunday mornings for all of their worship services and different locations.
They use an amazing video series for their children's ministry called KidMo check this stuff out...it is amazing!!!

The last main sessions had a few good quotes:

"Leaders like it big.....but people like it small" <--a great challenge for all churches and church leaders.
The new Neighborhood is no longer where people lie it is: 1. Their Job, 2. Their passion (i.e. sports, children's sports, etc...) and 3. Station in Life (i.e. parent, single, grandparent, child, youth, college, etc...) The church must learn to be in the new neighborhood.
Quality is no longer a luxury....it is an expectation.
Quality = good enough....NOT excellence! (i.e. if you worship excellence, ten you will miss empowerment of others! When we make excellence key, we stop raising up leaders and start recruiting leaders....good enough will allow for leaders to rise up out of the church and continue a grow of the church instead of the programs. The story he told was that when we make excellence the key we strat to think that bigger is better and we start to have to hire out from all over the nation to fill a role of ministry (i.e. worship leader that can lead 4,000 in worship, instead of giving opportunities for leaders to emerge from the fellowship and lead 40 peopl ein worship and will grow them up! (probably did not do justice on this one..but it made sense, heh.
Never aim at an age group demographic! Only aim at a mind set of people!
People can fully allow and express differences and still love each other!
Worship can be at a different: time, day, style, and location....and it still be the same church! Just do it for a few weeks and everyone will see the truth!

The funny thing is that so far I have not talked to anyone who is looking at doing what we are talking about doing! That is exciting and full of faith. I did talk to one of the directors of the multi-site church aspect of the Leadership Network and he gave me a few names so I hope to find these people and see what they are doing and if we can learn from them...so I am sure you will read more about them in the future....(I think if these are good contacts that this info would be worth the price of admission right there....heh)

Well, Gary is already in bed and I am here typing up this daily recount on this blog...so I need to get some sleep for a VERY long day tomorrow of lectures, Q&A, and then a very long and tiring drive back home! Please KUTPs!!! and know that we love and appreciate all of you!

Hopefully more this week from what we heard tomorrow!

================

sorry no movie quote this time...I am so tired, heh!...well OK here is one I have never seen but the quote sure fits well, heh....

Emma Peel: It's late, I'm tired, and I want to go to bed.
Strange Young Man: In that case, how would you like me to tuck you up?
Emma Peel: In that case, how would you like me to break your arm.

-"The Advengers" TV Series 1961-1969

Th3 waters.com, meeting follow-ups and work.....

2005-10-18T11:17:00.000-04:00

With a name....comes.....a domain name.

It is common in the world of the internet for a company to have one name in the real world, but then their identity on the internet is different than the business. For example, Almost every average size town in the United States has a First United Methodist Church, and when you attempt to buy your domain name (i.e. the name you will have on the internet that you type in to get to a website) a lot of times people have already bought your name...so for example look where you go if you type in www.fumc.com (btw: I have been in this church several times, heh), and www.fumc.org, and www.fumc.net.....These are all FUMC churches...but each one is a difference site. So when I went looking for a domain name that is the same as the tribe extension name I found that all of the decent ones were taken...so then you have to start getting creative...with names like www.thewaters.net you get long term care facilities. And so you have to be creative on what your online name will be like dawaters.com or theH2Os.com and they are either taken and not being used or are so far from being a name that people could remember that it would not make a good name.....so we had to be creative and we came up with

th3waters.com.

It is common place now-a-days for a younger generation (including me) to exchange numbers for letters when they are typing...it means nothing different (just looks different) but can get a little confusing for those who do not know how to read it...but basically some numbers look like letters (for example, 3 and E, 7 and T, 5 and S)and several people are using them like that....so....the "e" in the word "the" has been changed to "3". Now this might be a little confusing at first...but this was the closest thing we could get that was not already taken...plus there are some wonderful theological implications to this number in the middle of the word, as well. (not to mention that in Hebrew all the numbers were letters..and just look at the Roman Numerals they are all letters) For example, Water comes in 3 different forms (liquid (water), gas (clouds/vapor), and solid (ice, snow)) and so does God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)...so I kind of like the hidden meaning involved in the name...so long story short:

You can now get to the The Waters blog (previously known as the Tribe Extension blog) by typing in any of the following domain names:

www.th3waters.com
www.th3waters.org
www.th3waters.net

th3waters.com will also be the location of our website when ever we develop one to go along with the ministry! (yep...we are looking down the road with faith!)

=============================

Well, the amount of work is starting to pile up and up around me and it is kind of nice to tell yall the truth, heh... ask anyone in retail "busy" means "time goes by fast and they get off work at a time that seems faster than the normal day"...but this time it just means to me that we will get to start seeing some fruition from all the hard work that has been done up to this point and will have something visible to see for it. Not that we need something visual..but it does help motivate every one.

===========================

That visual aspect I am talking about are the house parties that we are planning. Sunday November the 13th we are planning on having a large group meeting with all of the people who's names are on "the map" and anyone else who would like to help with The Waters. At that meeting we want to share why we are having the parties, give them all opportunities to participate in The Waters in these parties, let everyone know the expected outcome of the parties, teach people how to invite their neighbors to the parties, and probably most importantly allow them to ask questions, and hopefully get them excited about The Waters and take some ownership!

I am currently in the process of developing what will be in this meeting and how to keep it all around 1 hour. This is an important meeting because in this meeting will be another opportunity to share what The Waters is and what we hope to give God through our service in it! It has the possibility to really gather people to be on board with this ministry or possibly have people not see what and why we are following the Great Commission and Great Commandment in this new and different way of living Christianity. So you can see that we need to make this meeting a successful one that shares the heart of God to be church and not just "do" church.

So, all of you who can make it please be at this meeting 6:00 pm Sunday Novermber 13th in the sanctuary of Florence UMC.

=======================

The meetings I spoke of in the previous post went very well, and I continue to make and create relationships (and in reality) it is God providing us a network of support and mentorship with those I meet.

the first person was Aaron Klinefelter. Aaron is part of a house/cell church network in Cinci. called Vineyard Central. He was wonderful to talk to and to get to know and has put me in contact with several people and websites that would be interested in what we are doing and I will be able to see how they grew a few organic churches in Cinci. (and elsewhere) and then we can bring into that mix a UM understanding using Scripture, Tradition, Reason, and Experience. (not that they don't have these as well, but bring a UM view into the emergent discussion. Something worth a discussion on many levels...and who knows then we really would be going onto limbs that have never been climbed before) (you know I wonder how high this tree really goes...I know I would much rather climb a tree that go down a rabbit hole, heh heh.)

Aaron is a great guy so go check out his blog linked above and read some great deep thoughts.

=========================

Meeting with the Associate Pastor of Union Pres (Markus) was great we got to meet his wife and his wonderful little boy! We talked a little more about the possibilities of us supplementing each other and supporting each other! I can tell it is going to be a friendship that will be a close and growing one between us. Love you Markus....in the most mainly, heterosexual, Christian way possible!

=========================

I am now reading an amazing book that speaks wonderfully to my heart and (so far) I really agree with it...and I have only read the first two chapters, heh. The book is called

Organic Church: Growing Faith Where Life Happens

This book (so far) is summing up exactly what we are thinking with The Waters. This concept is not new to the church world in general (not to mention that it was very effective in the Early Church and then in the Methodist movement in England), but sadly most of the people who make up existing churches (including FUMC) these are radical new thoughts and ideas on what/who "church" is, and the question becomes not, "How do we "do" church?"...but, "How doe we "become" church? This is a great book and I encourage everyone to read it just like The Barbarian Way.

===========================

The next steps that we are talking about are the block/subdivision parties and the meeting on November 13th that we need to develop, organize, and start getting he word out about it.

Gary has given us an important opportunity to share to the church during both services This coming Sunday the 23rd to share for 7-10 mins where we are with The Waters and what is coming down the road. All of us are greatly needing your prayer this Sunday so that everyone can be as close as can be "on board" with our desire and passion for The Waters...and most importantly that they can allow this ministry to be a ministry that is dear and passionate in their own hearts and not just the "pastor's hearts". Please keep us all in your prayers!

May you all experience love, grace, and peace flowing from the arms Christ has wrapped around you!

==================================
Bruce Wayne: It's not who I am underneath, but what I *do* that defines me.
--Batman Begins

Baby steps into the elevator....(oh and WE HAVE NAMED THIS TRIBE EXTENSION!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2005-10-10T13:49:00.000-04:00

Since the last post we have gathered all the names and houses in on the map of individuals that are active participants in the Florence UM Tribe and we are in the process of developing a contact list of households in two different groups the first group are those that live in the 5 quadrants that we have specified and then into subdivision groups that logically place the quadrants into subdivisions or street groups.

the next step is to have one large group meeting in the sanctuary sometime in early November to share what the purpose of the block parties are for, to get a judge on and offer different involvement levels of support for this next step to define the culture of Union by throwing parties to find out the needs of the community and to see if we can meets those needs.

So, we are finding a good date for a Sunday afternoon meetings and developing the contact lists in the correct divisions currently...and after this one large meeting we could have smaller quadrant meetings or even subdivision meetings.

This will also allow those individuals who love to entertain others to share ideas that they have done or could be effective in making these parties effective in the residence's involvement. (i.e. suggest what kinds or types of parties that we can offer and what kind of planning would be involved and implemented.

---------------------------

I have my first full day incubator gathering this Wednesday...and I hope to start to develop a good strong supportive relationship with others who are currently doing similar ways of tribe experimentation or planning on them in the near future. It should be an excellent arena for support, accountability, and brainstorming development. I am looking for to the meeting...even if it is going to be the entire day, ha ha ha.....

--------------------------

I also have a second meeting with the Associate Pastor of the Union Pres. Church who is interested in possibly partnering in this ministry tribe extension...and he just got back from a conference that he would be talking about and discussing with others who have the same passions and are or have been a part of something similar so I hope to have a great talk with him this weekend.

--------------------------

I also have planned a meeting date for a leader in the cell (house) church community in Cinci. He has a background in the UM and was very excited about talking to me and interested in this being an idea of an extension of an existing tribe. I am very excited about this opportunity as well.

-------------------------

I have been in talks with a creative marketing agency in Wilmore KY called Cre8tive Group....who is interested (and it is mutual) in forming a partnering relationship with us for the first 2 years of the tribe extension. they would basically be our marketing department for these years and would offer a huge needed option of marketing consulting work as well as the possibility of web development, print media...and what ever would be effective in a marketing understanding of the tribe extension. This costs money though...and that brings me to the next item.....

-----------------------

After speaking with our Sr. Pastor of the Florence UM Tribe..... the need for start-up costs is great...and the most logical place for the money to come from is a joint effort of the conference, district...and primarily the Florence UM Tribe! So...I am looking at the possible and attempting to foresee the future needs and costs of The Tribe Extension and developing a proposal to the Finance committee of the Florence UM Tribe to raise the current budget of the existing faith community to fund the ministry costs of the Tribe Extension. This is something new for me...and will probably involve even more fund raising from other areas than just Florence, the Conference, and the District....fun to dream with God and challenging to provide the opportunity of service and financial offering toward the Tribe Extension....lots of prayer needed in this area.....

-----------------

One other thing I would love for yall to read for this post is a write-up from the Barna Group.... It is describing a new book that Barna is coming out with titled: Revolution. I would encourage all of you to read this article that I will link to below and leave your comments about your thoughts on what is being said...and especially the challenges that are ahead of ministries like the tribe extension that we are living out. It sounds to be a great book and I look forward to reading it when it arrives on bookstore shelves.

Revolution write-up

(1st Start development Team this is the article I would like for you to read for our next meeting)

=======================

WE HAVE A NAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know lots of you might love to know that we actually have a name for the tribe extension and will very happy that I don't have to keep calling the ministry by what it is rather now by its name....

A little history:

When I first arrived to Northern KY....I started desiring to have a name for the tribe extension....Gary (the Sr. Pastor wanted it just to make communication easier...and so I started on the task....a few of the names I came up with were:

The Seedling (Isaiah 30:23)
Connection
Release
Significance
Trinity
The Catalyst
Revolution
Illuminate
Alive
Synthesis
Fusion
Union Fusion
Paradox
Crosswise

These are all really cool words that I love and I thought would be a great name to find one's foundation in....but after a few meetings with Gary...he suggested that the name be something that is very visual...he believes (and I believe rightly so) that we live in an extremely visual society...and that what ever the name is that it needs to be visual PLUS he wanted it to be inclusive to all people (not just something that would include only Christians or that only Christians would understand...and that would relate to all people beyond race, gender, country of origin, etc.......so I went back to the brainstorming table:

Living Water
Saturate
Saturation
Drinking fountain
washing basin

see a theme coming into view here, hew...... Well, I kept at it knowing and feeling that water was going to be an important theme and went looking for a specific verse that would use water and help me out.....

The Story
The Narrative
Rain
Cleaning Snow
Pure

And then it hit me....I knew how important it would need to be for it to include an entire biblical view of God's desired community of believers...and something that was visual...and so I did a word study for water in the Bible....and wow....I guess I never knew it...but water in one of the most important "objects" in the bible through out the entire biblical narrative...it is weaved in and out of so many stories and has an integral role in the development of a right relationship between God and his creation (i.e. the waters of the deep in creation, the Red Sea, The water from the rock, crossing over rivers all over the place into promised land, Baptism, living water at the well, washing feet, even flowing from the Tree of Life in Revelation....water is everywhere.....(and it did help that I have been fascinated with water my entire life...there is just something about it...heh heh)

So I took the name of the Tribe Extension to Gary and asked for prayer...he loved it.....
So I took the name to the leader of the prayer team and asked for prayer.....she loved it....
I told it to everyone that I cared about their opinion and asked for prayer....they loved it....
I then as the last step asked for the prayer team to pray about the name to make sure that they agreed with God and us that it is a good and right name to sum up the foundation of the Tribe Extension...and it would relation to the Christian and non-Christian alike....and the name became a reality that came from Biblical study, fervant prayer, and communal discussion....and so it came to pass that the Tribe Extension: an experimental United Methodist Gathering shall now be named:

The Waters!

Thank you all for your prayer and I invite you to join us in seeking out the Biblical stories that water plays a key role in them and share with us your favorite or if you like it as well. Please also read the article and tell us what you think....and lastly...please continue to support us in prayer! Thank yall and God bless ya!

=====================

Bob Wiley: ...baby steps get on the elevator... baby steps get on the elevator... Ah, I'm on the elevator.
[Doors close]
Bob Wiley: AHHHHHHHHHHHH!

--Bill Murray in What About Bob?

Where is my hat?

2005-10-04T08:37:00.000-04:00

When I first started down this road of tribe extension and creating brand spanking new community for Christ...I had no idea that the wisdom of Barry Carpenter would be as spot on as it was at the time... I ask Barry who has lots of experience as a coach of other "planters" told e that the greatest difficulty I will run into is a lack of FOCUS. His words have been true ever since the start of this process through to today and I have a feeling will always be the case.

My role is primarily to help form and develop a new Christ centered culture and community in and around the Union community as an extension of ministries from FUMC...but I also have specific roles in FUMC that are a whole other hat that I must wear at specific points. And to top it all off....it is becoming a wonderfully exciting and challenging task of sifting through al of the amazing opportunities that God is placing before us...and through prayer discerning what direction f all the possibilities we should pursue and which others we should allow others to meet and grow in.

It is a challenge to know that this ministry extension that I am leading is and will always be an extension and never separate from the heart of the extension FUMC. and that my roles are in each place. (And they should and need to be) But I must not ever to forget how to keep my FOCUS and somehow form two hats into one. It is a unique challenge, and one that sure is fun...so to make a long story short...please keep the prayers for me and God's leading of the tribe extension and FUMC in these important times.

-------------------------------

Well, I need to take the time this week to decide how many houses and groups will need to be formed in the Union area (and possibly elsewhere down the road) with the current active families/individuals in FUMC and start the meetings with each group soon. This should not take long...but then the tedious work of forming a meeting and developing the meeting agenda will be my next big tackle.

--------------------------------

I am meeting with John Choi this Friday a good friend of mine for several years now who is currently getting his Doctorate in Hebrew Studies to start forming what we feel is a basic understanding of what is effective in reaching non-Christians in a transformational community. What would the feel of the group be? How will it look? Where should it meet? How would it form? How will it birth or such communities? How will it be structured if it even should be? How will it promote life transformation for Christ...and not simply weekly participation of one hour and then a new hat is put on after a gathering?

It is a challenge and one that is exciting...I hope to have a small glimpse of what questions we should ask and then start the first steps in sending the personal invitations to the friends we both have developed and see if we can start allowing God to guide our discussion and passion towards his desires for this world and our lives. Exciting yes...but in serious need of discernment and FOCUS.

----------------------------

I also plan on meeting sometime next week with a few people that have been "doing" house cell "church" for several years now and hope to hear some struggles and achievements for God so that it could possibly help our FOCUS to be on God and others. Very excited about this opportunity and hope to share more with you all in the near future.

---------------------------

I am also developing a God sized relationship with the Associate Pastor of Union Pres. and it really is looking as if God desires for us to do some bridging beyond denominations and develop a ministry extension of each tribe (FUMC ad Union Pres.) that is unified in passionately reaching non-Christians and growing effective life transforming communities with both Christ followers and non-Christians alike.

It is amazing when you honestly and prayerfully tell God that you ask for him to give you no expectations and allow him to guide you into a place that is so far beyond any box that we could ever place God in how he can show you glimpses of something so amazing that there is no way that it would ever be able to come from on of us. I guess one could look a what God is doing and say, "wow....that is so big that I am dwarfed by what is need to bring it to fruition" and then shut down....but then there are those crazy people like me and John The Baptist, and a few others in the bible (please don't misunderstand me I am not considering me equal to J. the B. but I do know there is a part of me that is crazy and insane or I would not have the feelings that I have) that would say, "Wow...this is crazy......OK you want what to happen and you want me to do it....well what the heck why not....if I die then at least I know that I will die having the time of my life and living every ounce of my being for God and for others!"

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I ran across a blog the other day and I think it is very interesting...the question that was asked by Rob Webber is this:

"...do you view God as the object of your worship or the subject of worship?"

I am interested in your thoughts...so please fell free to give your answer in the comments. I look forward to reading your view point. and please follow the link to the question where he talks more about it.

-----------------------

Well, thank you all again for your prayers and thoughts...and please never stop and remember you yes you are just crazy enough to join in this God sized dream of ministry extension...find your place and be barbaric in your following of God in his dream!

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"Buttercup: Farm boy, polish my horse's saddle. I want to see my face shining in it by morning.
Westley: As you wish.
Grandpa: [narrating] "As you wish" was all he ever said to her.
Buttercup: Farm boy, fill these with water - please.
Westley: As you wish.
Grandpa: [narrating] That day, she was amazed to discover that when he was saying "As you wish", what he meant was, "I love you." And even more amazing was the day she realized she truly loved him back.""

----The Princes Bride

(funny how the words "As you wish" sound a lot like "Thy Will be Done")

Meetings, and lots of work to be done....

2005-09-28T12:53:00.000-04:00

This is not the typical Monday/Tuesday blog update because I wanted to get two meetings in this post that I had with two different people. So let me start with a summary of the interview/meetings that I had had:

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Brian Wells:// teaching pastor @ Crossroads Community Church in Cinci.

The last blog post I was running off to go meet with Brian and the talk/interview went very good. I shared with him who I was and how I got to KY/Cinci. and a little about what we are attempting to accomplish in the tribe extension. And then he basically shared the history of their church and I would but in and ask questions that might be related to what we are doing and see if I can gain some insights.

basically the history of Crossroads is 11 people that most or all of them worked in P&G in Cinci. and were are attending different churches and had a single Bible study going on. Eventually the Bible study turned into about 150 people attending a Bible study and one of the men involved asked another one who was Brian (in Marketing and a Preacher's Kid) if they should just start a new church instead of just doing the Bible study. Bryan having no idea what to do...assumed that you had to get permission or a grant or something just prayed about it and eventually they decided that may be that was what God was desiring for them to do. So 11 of the core team went to a Willow Creek seminar and found out that even though some of the stuff they were doing was cheesy that maybe it did have lots of power in it and possible could actually reach their friends that did not know Christ. So in March of '96 those 11 guys after gaining the blessing of the pastors in the churches they were attending decided to put their 6 figure tithes into the new "church" and put a want ad in a Willow Creek publication. Well, they got around 40 responses and finally found the current Sr. Pastor of the church.

And with-in one direct mailing and the current average 150 in attendance already they had around 400 in attendance right off the bat. They purchased a old Home Depot competors warehouse building and created the church in that building. I have no idea how many are in average worship but lets just say it is a lot. The advice he gave me when it came to planting a church was: The thing that most suprised him was the amount of conflict. The number of people who what worship and the church to be exactly what THEY want instead of keeping to the vision to what God desired for the church. I summed that advise up as EXPECTATIONS. I personally believe the great difficulty that everyone deals with are expectations. expectations of what the church should look like, and how children should act, and what should happen in each worship service, and how everyone should dress including the pastors...Expectations....and how our own expectations might not be the same as those of God.

He also in looking back said that he really wished that the development of small groups would have been a natural progression and an organic ministry growth of small groups......instead of making small groups a "launched program".

The church was created for the purpose of reaching people who are not Christians. So a lot of the conflict that they had to address was Christians looking for a cool church to attend but wanted that church to be just like the church they think is good...but some of those things are not effective at reaching non-Christians. So they would have to turn down large sums of money in the form of a tithe...because those people could not see that this church exists for those who do not know Christ....not those who do.

So.....this church is very open and up front about reaching the 30 year old male. This is the one group of people that you rarely find in large numbers in church...and actually it is the greatest challenge to all marketing firms. the 30 year old male. So this church will always try to cater to the lifestyle and mentality of the 30 year old male. If they build a building then it will be attractive to a 30 year old male....they they use language then our language will be their language. Music is their music, etc..... He example was that the church has become very feminine. For example...he says...when is the last time you heard a male gangster in a movie that is sitting around his gang members and turns to one of his friends and says, "Hey Guido, SHARE with us how you jacked that Lincoln and stripped it". So, they focus on trying to reach the non-Christian 30 year old male.

He also says that when it came to finding servants to be in charge of ministries that they had to learn over time that they had to value character over competency. There are several competent people out there....but if they did not have the character of Christ then it would get them into major problems.

He believes that they are, and always will be in the battle to make sure the church continues to be a revolution verses an institution.

Then lastly I asked if he had any books that he would consider would be helpful to us and he suggested:

Repenting of Religion by Greg Boyd

Why Men Hate Going to Church by David Murrow

I guess I can add these to the list of 100 that I need to read.

------------------------

The next meeting

Bryan Sims:// Leadership Coach with SLI:

Bryan is a personal friend of mine and I actually am meeting with him first and foremost as a personal prayer and accountability fellow tribesman.

But, we played catch-up and Bryan considering what he does for a living offered support and guidance as much as he could and of course in his support we are considering bring Bryan along side us to help with the strategic understanding with the Tribe Extension as well as help develop and form a second 1st start development team that would be made up of people that will make the commitment that they will start and stay on board the entire time and allow this new ministry to be their new home after it is officially "launched" (please notice the emphasis on the quote marks!). I believe this team would be extremely beneficial and would include members of the already formed prayer team, current 1st Start development team, the possible starting "sample" home church, and maybe even possibly one or two from the Florence UMC FOCUS team.... This idea is no where but in the conception understanding of its life...and this is different then the first thoughts of starting the 1st start Dev. Team and eventually finding new members to form a team like I am suggesting...but current the 1st Start Dev. Team is primarily consisting of a report time and time and energy accountability of me (which is greatly needed and a must have in the process)....But, they are not part of a team that is helping developing vision and living out the actual ministry (one or two are, but the meetings are currently not set up to be that way). Anyway, the meeting was very beneficial to me to my personal growth of course to include prayers for one another, but also for the possible future relationship of the Tribe Extension and SLI.

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the next meeting:

Markus:// Associate Pastor of Union Pres. Church in Union

This was a very exciting meeting with Markus! I had previously met with the Sr. Pastor there and during the entire meeting the Sr. Pastor kept reminding me to meet with his associate and that we would have lots in common to talk about. Other than the fact that we both have a lot in common individually, love movies, worship, etc....) we found that we both had a desire to reach non-Christians and that we were both disappointed in how the majority of both of our denominations have attempted to develop relationships with non-Christians. He told me that he was brought on board there @ that church to start a contemporary worship service for the people in Union and of course just like all churches (that I have talked to except one) their understanding of Associate Pastor also includes Youth Ministry......so, when he heard what we are doing and our immediate plans for the future (i.e. block parties to find out the needs of the people in Union) he was very excited and so was I . I offered that we could some how develop a relationship that would go beyond denomination's walls and was focused on people's lives and would be centered on Christ focused transformational community relationship he was excited about the chance to dream with God. So, right now he is trying to see if I can come and share the current vision for Union to his A-Team of the contemporary worship service...and we are seeing how God might be bale to bring our hearts together to reach deeper relationships with the people in Union. Great meeting!!!

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Well, the prayer team met for the first time last Sunday and they are going to start out meeting on a monthly basis for now, and hopefully when they meet again they will return with the acceptance of the name of the ministry, as well, as how often they feel from God that they should be meeting and forming some kind of covenant between them and God. The meeting was wonderful and the people who make up this group are wonderful and excited prayer warriors for God's desires for this ministry! A wonderful praise indeed!

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Now that the Union map is full of house locations that have been pinpointed this week I plan on developing a contact list in geographical groups that I can start to call and have local house meetings with the possible supporters of the block parties and determine the amount of support they would be willing to give and who might possible offer their house as a possible block party location....Please be in prayer for their support and to catch the exciting vision of this possible new ministry.

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Please continue your prayers for God to keep sending us people who can grow with us in this ministry and our relationship with each other and God.

Next steps:
1. Develop the geographic specific phone and contact list of houses in Union
2. Work with FUMC outreach team to start a recurring consistant Living Out Loud Ministry to train relational evangelism for existing members of FUMC.
3. Set-up meeting with Markus and Union Pres. Contemporary Worship Team.
4. Continue to red and finish the books I am reading:
Organic Church by Cole
The Naked Christian by Borlase

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"Y'all got on this boat for different reasons, but y'all comin' to the same place. So now I'm asking more of you, than I have before. Sure as I know anything, I know this. I aim to misbehave."
--Capt. Malcolm Reynolds in the new movie Serenity

Another week and another joy....

2005-09-19T10:52:00.000-04:00

Times are good and I am please with the process...but as with anything I believe it is normal to always look back and forward and continue to ask God if you are going in the right direction, need to slow down, speed up, or be open for new areas and directions for what He desires. And the more and more I am thinking about it the more and more I am told to be patience and listen or in other words...be still and know that I am God...or perhaps better yet I am because I AM. heh heh.....

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So far the map of union is finished with all the names of the existing membership of FUMC and this Sunday we even had those who attended worship to come by and make sure that the arrow was indeed pointing at their house. There were a few that we did not have on the list that I was given and a few moves of the arrow were made....over all I was impressed on how well Google Earth pinpointed the member's houses on the street. There were a few that it was wrong...and there were a few that the members changed where their house was originally pinpointed and then after close inspection changed it back to where I put it, ha ha ha....oh well, not many of us know where we live from a map satellite view....(when was the last time you flew home from work to your drive way? heh)

Now that the map is finished I think I might allow for one more Sunday of worship attendees to check the house marking and then I will start o group the existing membership into geographical groups to find out who I need to contact and call to start having our geo-cluster house meetings for me to share the vision for what we are doing and to find out the level of commitment they would be willing to provide for the near future house block parties.

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We are still in line to start the parties in November/December/January and hope to have a few of them to reach as many neighbors as possible and get to now them and find out what needs they may have for us to add their needs into the demographical pot and see if we can listen to God and find out what need we can focus on and meet that need in the Union community and invite those people who needs are being met into a tribe extension.

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The prayer team will be meeting for the first time this coming Sunday between services to finalize the specifics as to how often to meet, where to meet, and other basics and then I plan on giving them the purposed name of the Tribe extension and ask them to put then name into their prayer lives and if their hearts reflect the same as ours after prayer then I will officially share the name of the Tribe Extension and I will be able to call it by name!!! (I am looking forward to that!)

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I am still in search of finding or searching out someone with a background or currently deals with marketing and branding. After the talks we had with Linda it seemed that that is an area that would be of benefit of us in offering a few minds that market and brand companies or people for a living to allow their creative minds to have a shot at taking the name of the tribe extension and playing around with a logo, slogan, etc.... besides I love doing that kind of stuff and I would love to sit around a table of very creative people and watch their minds have fun with this.

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We had a wonder concert this past Saturday evening. The music was just amazing...Will is really talented. The coffee and desserts were amazing as always! The turn out was not exactly what we would have wanted, but the artist Will Solomon was happy with the CD sales (Will said he has had 75 people come to a concert before and only sold 12 CDs and Saturday night even though only 9 people showed up (including children) he sold 6-7 CD's) considering the low turn out. And the owners of Sterling Manor Coffee Shop seemed pleased to know that we are very interested in working with them for the block parties and that we care about them. So, the purpose of the concert was accomplished and the Joy that is developing new and lasting relationships was and still is celebrated! Here is a picture of the concert!

Free Will Solomon Concert @ Sterling Manor!

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Well, on to the next steps. Today I am meeting with the teaching pastor @ Crossroads Community Church in Cinci. This is a major church in the Cinci. area that is providing an amazing ministry to the city of Cinci. and one that looks like it may have a lot of insight for us to gain from. I hope to find out about how they do Small Groups and if they were, are, or plan to do any other campus ministries. So, I am very excited about this opportunity!

I also plan on contacting a church planter in Santa Fe (Christ Church) that has a good history of these block parties and I hope to gain any more insights and suggestions for how to makes these an authentic way of allowing those who come to these parties to know that we honestly care about them and desire to help them anyway we can.

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Please pray for our continued focus on God and his direction for this ministry and also, pray for a possible new opportunity that might involve a small sample of what we are thinking about that would be a real life example of true community and in a creative way that could be a real possibility! And I will share more as it gets fleshed out.

Thank you again for all your prayers and YHWH bless!!!

====================

"I know *exactly* what you mean. Let me tell you why you're here. You're here because you know something. What you know you can't explain, but you feel it. You've felt it your entire life, that there's something wrong with the world. You don't know what it is, but it's there, like a splinter in your mind, driving you mad. It is this feeling that has brought you to me. Do you know what I'm talking about?"
--Morpheus in The Matrix

The map is up and I have two more pages of addresses to go....

2005-09-13T21:59:00.000-04:00

Well, not too much has happened since I last posted (probably in reality EVERYTHING has happened since I last posted, but one week goes by and you can forget what you have done), but times are just as much fun and it seems that even though the work has seemed to come to a normal flow...it is still just as exciting and fun as it has ever been.

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The "younger" Associate Pastor @ the Presb. Church in Union has contacted me (said that he was intrigued by my title, heh) and I him and we hope to get together sometime soon to discuss God's desires for Union and to see if any of them are similar and how we can both support one another in God's vision and direction for the people of Union. I hope to meet with him soon....just a matter of getting a hold of each other and not voice mail, heh....

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I am still processing the information we gained from our meeting with Linda. I also have finally finished the first Erwin McManus book (An Unstoppable Force: Daring to Become the Church God Had in Mind) I started reading a year ago this week....and I think I need to just go ahead and start reading it again, heh....it is one of those books for me that I can not just read...I discuss in my reading and it is not uncommon at all to have me form a discussion with the author's words over 30 mins per page...but it is very good and now that Gary is reading the same book maybe we can have some discussions, as well.

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Great news!!! The Union map has been cut, laminated, and it now currently up on the wall in our offices! It is huge...but there is a part of me that wanted it that way...not only is it extremely useful to be that large..but it symbolically reminds me and everyone who walks past it that the task before us is impossible to do on our own and that we are constantly going to need God's help and direction for this Tribe Extension. You can see the pictures below. Basically what I will do is place an indicator arrow at each home that is a current member of FUMC and then I can start to contact these homes to share the vision and God's leading and find out how much help they could provide in support and time and even possibly the opening up of their house to the block parties we would like to sponsor with area businesses. At first I was going to meet with each home and family/individual separately...but then I cam e to my senses and have decided to set cluster meetings of each area of houses. If you look close to the pictures (and you can zoom them a little if you click on the picture) you will be able to see the arrow stickers that are marking the current membership of FUMC in the Union area.

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The biggest event that we are focusing on right now is our:

Free Concert @ Sterling Manor Coffee Shop this Saturday night (17th)
from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.

(need directions?)

This is a concert that we are helping put together to promote the coffee shop and to help out a friend of ours that is moving to Nashville to see if he can follow God's leading and possibly join the music industry. His Name is Will Solomon and please feel free to check out his website and get a taste of his music.

So as a reminder...please come by and bring a friend to this free concert @ Sterling Manor Coffee Shop (take the Richwood Exit off of I-75/I-71 and the Coffee Shop is behind the McDonald's) The coffee is amazing...and the music will not disappoint...and it even has free wi-fi access...so if nothing else you can come by and check your email, heh heh

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Here is me in front of the huge Union map...(and BTW it is between the office doors of the Sr. Pastor and the other Associate pastor...it is not what most interior decorators would choose...but it is a wonderful reminder of a need for prayer and support of the ministry God is doing!

And here is a close up of a very small part of the map. Crazy huh? It is huge! And you can see a few arrow stickers that we have placed on the map that show where the current FUMC members live so I will know who to call for a cluster meeting to find out how they can support the Tribe Extension.

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Please KUTPs and pray that God continues to lead us (not us God) and that we stay focused....I am finding out that even I am having preconceived ideas of what this tribe extension might look like...and I am dealing with those....it is a good thing that I am dealing with them with God...but it is a constant challenge to make sure that I stay focused in prayer along with you!

Oh and the prayer team should be meeting some time this month so that is great news! Thank you all so much for your thoughts and prayers, and please keep them coming!

+++++++++++++

Organic Culture Forming: The development of a way of living in relationship through a natural means.

The wonderful world of relationships...

2005-09-07T17:22:00.000-04:00

I finally met with the Sr. Pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Union…and he was very supportive of what we are doing and even offered his church as a space to meet if we needed to do so…apparently they have a history of doing these things for the Catholic church and a few other churches….even ones that have tried to do ministry there in Union and failed (still looking to try to find those that attempted that plant and failed so I can find out the previous mistakes they made). So that meeting was a good one….and I also found out that they are trying to have a contemporary Worship service on Wednesday nights once a month and hopes to make it twice a month soon and eventually a weekly worship service…and their new younger Associate Pastor is heading up that worship service aimed primarily at young couples. Both ministers will be wonderful relationships to have!

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I also made first contact with the owner of Double Decker Sandwich Shop in the hopes to develop a relationship with them for the block parties….and I need to do the same with a Chinese restaurant in Union that I hear has Christian owners. The owner seemed excited about the proposal and wanted to talk more when the parties came closer. I still don’t think that the owner understands what I am talking about yet…(his thought is we just order a to-go platter….but I want to offer him the chance to develop relationships with his customers…and us! The more we talk to them more I have a feeling he will understand.

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I also finally got the maps from the Boone County Planning commission office and I cut the maps down so that they can now be laminated and then put on the wall for us to be pin-pointing the current FUMC families who live in Union and I can start a few 1-2 weekly meetings with homes in the area to share the vision, develop deeper relationships, and find out the level of support they would be willing to offer towards the ministry.

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I am also starting the Relational Evangelism training called “Living Out Loud” Sunday 25th after Church to offer a look into how to share Christ by developing relationships with others first and then over time sharing Christ. We will open it up for all the church to be a part of and then go from there….we already have a lot of people excited about this opportunity.

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I also helped pack and prepare the supplies that we took to the Conference office for hurricane Katrina relief. And I have a feeling that this new ministry will really need to focus on missional opportunities like this one and promote a culture of creative relationships with each other, God, and those that need them!
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I also just got back from visiting the Master Gardener @ The Garden "a Blossom of St. Luke's UMC ". Gary and I went there today to ask Linda questions about their tribe extension of 10 years this Saturday. Meeting with Linda was extremely informative and very helpful. It is nice to talk to someone who has done what we feel God is desiring to do through us...and we are discussing a coaching relationship between us. Gary and I feel very strongly about not reinventing the wheel, but being creative with God in what we do to provide new and exciting relationships with the people of Union....so Linda and others like her are going to be a key element in dreaming with God and the creative passionate movement of this specific tribe extension that we are accomplishing through Christ's help!!

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So, with all that said.....KUTPs!!!! God bless each one of you and rest this week in God's green thumb and hands.

RELATIONSHIPS!!!! <-----can you see the theme here?)

What a full couple of weeks...

2005-08-31T15:53:00.000-04:00

Well, I have been busy doing several things these past couple of weeks..and it is amazing how in your mind you have time lines figured out and everything is right on schedule...and then life happens and things start to back up. Well, that is what has happened.

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OK, on the Prayer ministry front...I have wonderful news!!!!! The basic prayer team has formed..and we now how agreements with several current members of FUMC to be vital active prayer team servants to form the foundation of the ministery that God desires to have with t he people in and around Union. The team plans for their first meeting to be in the first to middle of September, and they will decided how often they feel they need to meet and what ways they are going to lay the foundation of prayer of the community of Union. (I have heard they may do some prayer walking, and prayer driving, lots of time praying over the maps we have and all kinds of other things especially listening to God's direction and leading for the entire ministry.

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Speaking of maps.... It turns out the maps that we purchased did not match up side-by-side so I had to get them to redo the maps so they would fit together...and they have done that now...and I spent the afternoon in Kinkos cutting the maps for our Sr. Pastor to take to his wife to laminate them and then finally....we will be able to put the maps up on the wall and start pin-pointing the current FUMC member locations of the map...And start the one-on-one meetings with individual homes of at least a few homes at one time to let them know of our next steps and see if they could help this ministry continue to grow in the right direction.

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I have been spending the last two Sundays (and I hope to continue to do until finished) meeting with FUMC Sunday school classes to share a little built about me and what I have done since I have been here and what the near future plans are shaping up to look like. It is a great time...but I am still learning how to share everything and not use up too much of the Sunday School hour to allow for questions. I hope that everyone will feel welcome to ask me questions anytime (and any staff member for that matter). I truly feel the better the communication we have in FUMC of what God is doing in this Tribe Extension the better and greater the support will be for God!

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I have formed a very basic a preliminary time line for the next few months and it really is me just testing if any form of basic timeline will be effective....I have found that God's watch does not look at all like my watch and the same goes for my calendar! So I would ask for prayers of leading from Holy Spirit to guide us all in this process of holding each other accountable in the work that we each do for Christ while also not have expectations in the time that WE think that everything should be done.

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I wanted to touch on a few terms with yall so you will know and remotely understand what I talk about when I mention a few terms when talking about the tribe extension.... The first two terms are those that I defined for everyone in the first post Cultural Architect. This is the title that I have borrowed from Erwin McManus and I feel it does a better job of explaining what the "church" should be about...God has called us as God's people to join God in forming a new Christ centered culture that is know for its words of hope, its selfless giving of love, its transformational creativity, and its showering of grace in this world. I am and invite everyone to join me in becoming a transformational Culture Architect!

Another group of words I wanted to share I will just copy from my personal blog that talks about what a Crash and a tribe extension is (that will also explain why there is a group of Rhinos as the picture in the upper right of this blog)(those of you who have already read my personal blog can skip this and read the end of the blog post):

Why Tribe Extension? (some of you may ask) or What in the world is a Tribe Extension? (a few more may ask) or even What the? Honey....I think this guy has gone insane! (as a few of you very special people out there who actually know me might say, heh)

Well, let me explain.

"Extension" is self explanatory...Whatever "tribe" means it is an extension of an existing tribe. and I can say that most people could and probably will use the term "tribe" synonymously with the term "church"...but I have more reasons to use the term "tribe".

1. All too often the term church has lots of baggage with it when people hear the term...and to people who are not Christians I have a feeling that the term is not all that positive in their minds. The same would go for the terms "evangelical"(no offense, but this is the first picture that Google brings up), "conservative"(notice the image name), and even "Christian" (I have had a run-in with these people sadly...and man they give Christian a misunderstood understanding)" for that matter...and tribe forces people to think of what "church" is (and I believe should be) in a different and new way.
2. Tribe carries a better understanding of a group of people more so that the term "church"...which to the average non-Christian...and even average Christian can come to mean a building where a group of people who worship together meet. Tribe emphasizes the people and the community not a building, place or location.
3. The "Church" has always meant to have the meaning of "the people of God" and the community that is formed when Christ is the center of their community.
4. Tribe is just cool! heh heh....

So, what I am doing is providing a atmosphere where a gathering can form to make a tribe for Christ! This tribe will be known as a tribe, community, gathering of people who seek relationship with God and each other and can walk into a journey of unknown, growth, and kinship. This will be a place that discussion is emphasized, creativity is encouraged, and Christ is glorified by honesty and real lives truly seeking for relationship and community.

Peter put it this way:

NLT 1 Peter 2:9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests, God's holy nation, his very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 10 "Once you were not a people; now you are the people of God. Once you received none of God's mercy; now you have received his mercy."

This allows us to all be different and not walk in the same line that is "expected" but that we are all still part of the same tribe and all walking at least in the same direction.

(this stuff sounds like it is coming from a Cultural Architect? heh heh)

Oh, and "why a "Crash" you may be asking? Why a group of Rhinos in the picture up top? Well, Erwin McManus puts it this way:

"Rhinos moving together at full speed (30 mph) are known as a crash (because they can not see past thirty-one feet..but they run at full speed a lot of the time because of the big horn in front). Even when they are just hanging around enjoying the watershed, they're called a crash because of their potential. You've got to love that.....That is what happens when we become barbarians (a Tribe) and shake free of domestication and civility. The church becomes a crash. We become an unstoppable force. We don't have to pretend we know the future. Who cares that we can see only thirty feet ahead? Whatever's at thirty-one feet needs to care that we're coming and better get out of the way......there is a future to be created, a humanity to be liberated. We need to stop wasting our time and stop being afraid of what we cannot see and do not know. We need to move forward full force because of what and who we do know." (Erwin McManus, The Barbarian Way, 2005, page 138) (the Bold I added.)

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Ok well that is plenty for you to chew on for now...but please in encourage anyone to promote discussion on the comments of each blog post and talk about your thoughts and feelings on these new terms and please express your prayer support for the Tribe Extension....what would you like to see? How could you be more active in helping God make this Christ centered transforming creative culture a reality?
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Thank you all for your prayers and never forget the (I believe better) translation of Philippians 4:13:

"I can endure all things through him who strengthens me."

Chapter 1: Where are we?

2005-08-16T15:00:00.000-04:00

I started writing a space here to be about my background...but I really see that this blog should be able the church so lets start with when I got here and what have we done so far....(if you want to know about me...just go to my blog...or believe it or not...I have a phone number that you can call me at, ha ha ha)

When I got here I had no job description, an excited church who wanted to "do"something, and a Sr. Pastor that had worked so hard to allow a congregation to see the need of the people in Union to have an amazing relationship with God.

I am part of a 1st Start Development Team made up of members of the current congregation I am appointed to...as well as, the Sr. Pastor, Associate Pastor, District Superintendent, and the team leader of the NCCD team of the KY UM Conference. (basically, some church members and some big wigs). This team is in place to meet with me on a regular basis and help hold me accountable, and keep me on track and to bounce ideas off of and provide a support structure for me and the lead in this new ministry opportunity. Our first meeting consisted of a understanding of who they were as a team and what their responsibilities were and a little it of Q & A.

The general process that the KY conference has layed out for doing this sort of thing (in somewhat order) is:

-->Prayer Strategy, Culture Scan, Ministry Audit, Values Formation, Vision development, Mission development, Strategy, Timeline, Structure, Evaluation.

out of this very basic ladder of steps we start to form a ministry action plan.

So, using this as a basic guideline we started to work.

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The prayer strategy aspect of the new ministry is and I believe has to be the foundation of anything we do for/with God. It allows what we do for God to be with God. So as of a few days ago we now have a team leader to support and develop a prayer team that will specifically focus prayer and listening to God about this new ministry opportunity. They will decide how often they meet, and what will each meeting prayer time look like...but this ministry is underway and the foundation is being formed.

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While the prayer team was forming I spent the next few weeks right after I first arrive...not only unpacking our house (my oh my am I sick of boxes, heh heh) I also started to form meetings with people who understood and could find demographic information of the community of Union, KY. These are all number demographics, but these were extremely useful. For example, we found out that the average household income in a 2 mile radius of the geographic center of Union is around $100,000/year, over 85% of the houses were two or more child families, and one of the most interesting facts we found were that around 90% of the people who live in Boone County work in Boone county! Extremely interesting being a county who borders one of the 50 largest cities in the U.S.

There is tons of other Data that was found in different areas...but this was a first and important step in finding out where we were and who God desired for us to minister too.

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I then started meeting with those that were knowledgeable about the future growth of the Union area and where they saw the grow happening next. I met with people like the Boone County Planning Commissionwho showed me and told me where they saw the next big grow areas happening in Union and gave us an idea of what the developers were interested in doing and where they wanted to develop.

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I then started to meet with area churches to get their take on what they saw were the needs of the people living in and around Union and to also let them know what we were praying about and invite them to be a part of this ministry. I am still contacting pastors and meeting with them (man ministers are so hard to actually get a hold of, heh heh). Most have been helpful and supportive...but nothing beyond that. But I continue to meet with others and to develop relationships with them.

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I have purchased a few maps from the planning commission office so we can start to pinpoint out where the current church members of FUMC live and see if we have a current good representation on the city of Union from a geographical stand point. Once we can see the places where people live....I plan on contacting all of the current church members of Florence UMC to get to know them and find out from them if they could sum up and share what they perceive are the needs of the Union community and share the vision of offering to meet those needs in some way in a new ministry for the people of Union.

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So, that is where we are at currently and I will attempt to update you on the progress of this new ministry extension so that you can be a part of this ministry in presence, prayers, gifts, and service. Look for more to come on what is happening next.

Sometime soon I hope to share the meaning of the use of new terms to express what we are doing and why we are doing things differently. Hope to hear from you then! Until that time.....KUTPs!!!! (Keep Up The Prayers)

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Cultural:
adj 1: of or relating to the arts and manners that a group favors; "cultural events"; "a person of broad cultural interests"
2: denoting or deriving from or distinctive of the ways of living built up by a group of people; "influenced by ethnic and cultural ties"- J.F.Kennedy; "ethnic food" [syn: ethnic, ethnical]
3: of or relating to the shared knowledge and values of a society; "cultural roots"
4: relating to the raising of plants or animals; "a cultural variety"

Architect:
n. 1. One who designs and supervises the construction of buildings or other large structures.
2. One that plans or devises: a country considered to be the chief architect of war in the Middle East.

The first of many....(Genesis)

2005-08-10T17:31:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the first blog post that will hopefully walk you through the conception, birth, and maturation of a new experimental tribe extension. This will be a place that I (the Cultural Architect of this process, and I hope eventually others) will attempt to record and share how God will lead and develop this creative ministry. This blog came into view from a dicussion with my wife who suggested that it might be beneficial to have a record of the events of this undertaking, supply prayer needs, and a place to have an open place to talk about this ministry with all of the ups, downs, and spin-arounds that will come from doing something new, exciting, and possibly experimental for God and the people in and around Union! So, welcome and join us for the journey as the Fellowship of the Tribe Extension begins!

The first few blog posts will be the history up until now and then I will try to update the blog at least once a week or after special turning points occur. So let me play a little historical "tomato based condiment"(ketchup) and get us up to date. Thank you for your interest and may this blog be a blessing and a resource to bring worship into a lifestyle, relationships with God and each other closer, and a culture shifted into something beyond any dream!

"Waaaaahooooo!"
-Albert Einstein riding on a Motorcycle for the first time in the movie I.Q.