Looking forward to Thanksgiving

Most of the 14 years Melissa & I have been married we've spent Thanksgiving with the Wallenmeyer's. Her sister Marcie married one of our classmates named Michael from Moody Bible Institute and voila...we're family. Last year the entire Holman crew got together in West Virginia at a huge cabin in the woods. That's their family pic. from the weekend.
I look forward to seeing them partly b/c we have so much history together and partly b/c Michael is so stink'n funny. His funny is the dry type of humor. The kind where he can tell a joke or say something really funny and not even crack a smile himself. I think to most people Michael comes off initially as a more serious and studious guy but he's a real cut up. Anyway, they're coming here in 12 days and I can't wait.

Orphan Sunday follow-up and next week

Here's a couple things to note from this past Sunday's service:

*Sheila Persall spoke about God's heart for the orphan and updated us on the needs in Cruz Blanca, Guatemala for child sponsorship

*eight more children were chosen to be sponsored by Encounter Church people bringing our number 23

*Laurie Elsass let everyone know about our mission trip to Guatemala next July 20-27

*many people signed up for it

This coming Sunday we're back to our series in the book of Proverbs called, "Making Life Work". This week is titled, "Choose Friends Wisely".

We will also be commissioning our missionaries Mike & Emily McCaman to go to Mexico City. They are joining a team of people committed to planting churches in Mexico, and Central & South America.

These last few weeks have been quite exciting on Sunday mornings. Checkout the website for messages on loving people, being generous, and God's heart about orphans.

Orphan Sunday

Tomorrow is Orphan Sunday, a day to be challenged about what we as Christ followers are doing to defend and care for orphans.
During the service Sheila Persall is going to share about the children our people have already sponsored in the village of Cruz Blanca, Guatemala and others that still need sponsorship. Then Laurie Elsass is announcing the mission trip opportunity for next summer with VisionTrust. My good friend Matt Storer is the president of Vision Trust and preached at Encounter this past June. He sent a video greeting to our church this week while in Liberia. I'll be showing it and one or two other videos during the service.

Encounter Church gives

In yesterdays blog entry I said I'd tell you what our November 1st offering was b/c we're giving it all away to Grace Brethren International Missions (GBIM).

Before I tell you I wanted to let you know how the morning went. As I told you yesterday my friend Rob Comfort was going to co-preach with me. As it turns out when we connected this morning before the service I saw how much he had prepared and felt like I should just hand over most of the service to him. So I opened the morning up with some verses out of Proverbs and some general statements about being generous and then brought Rob up to interview him. After five questions I sat down and Rob spoke humbly from his heart about how essential biblical giving is. You did a great job Rob! If you'd like to hear the message CLICK HERE.

Now before I tell you this amount I'd like to preface it with this:

*I'm not telling you to brag about how great Encounter Church is

*I'm not telling you so you can figure out how much our new church is bringing in weekly

*I'm not telling you so other partnering churches can feel better or worse depending on what they gave

I am telling you so that you can celebrate what God is doing through His people at Encounter.

To God's glory we are sending a check for $5,863.00 to GBIM.

OSU Football Baby!

Some one called me yesterday and generously offered me two tickets to the OSU vs. NMU game. Their suggestion was for me to take my son Zach and that's exactly what I did. We got to sit up in "C Deck" seven rows from the highest row in the stadium and loved it. It was a blowout game with OSU winning 45-0. Last night we had rain but not at all for the game. It was windy but we came prepared for that. I think they announced that there was 104,719 people in attendance. Zach and I got to the stadium in time to see the band enter and perform the famous "Script O-H-I-O", and see the huge flag raised while we sang the National Anthem.

Hanging with the boy was really fun.

Speaking of people doing generous things...tomorrow is the Day of Generosity for Encounter Church. I'm excited to co-preach with my friend Rob Comfort and see what God's people have decided to do in building HIS Kingdom in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America through their financial gifts.

I'll let you know tomorrow what the total offerings are.

Family fun with the Artrips

Well it's that time of year again...time when I send out my children to get me candy from the neighbors who for some reason are handing it out to anyone that comes to their door:-) The Artips came by to hang as well. Melissa and Kristin stayed in and chatted whilst Mark and I hit the road with Malachi and Rachel. For the first three homes Abby and Sara stayed with us but Artrip's kid was too much of an anchor and the twins cut us loose.

For all of you who know me well you know I make it my habit to pilfer through my children's candy bags when they are sleeping. I know, I know you'd never do a thing like that. But when I came into the house after connecting with my next door neighbors, my three girls had each donated some of their candy to me. They had left a small pile on the floor of my bedroom with a note that said, "Surprise, surprise daddy". So after I prayed with them I told them I wouldn't take any of their candy this year. Lesson learned.

Fun @ the Blue Jackets game

I haven't been to a Columbus Blue Jackets hockey game in years but last night four of us went and had a blast. Mike Arena's (the small dark handsome one) company has four season passes and the seats are great! We were seated right where the zamboni's enter to resurface the ice.
Last week I ran into one of my son's old classmates dad. His name is Greg Murray and he is the "voice of the Blue Jackets". He's announced every home game they've ever played minus the first two. That's over 300 games without being absent! Anyway, Greg said after the game we could come down to the ice and take few a pics. That's him in the gray jacket.
Also during the game a cameraman put Kyle and I on the big screens (I suspect Greg had something to do with that) and one of Dalan's firemen buddy's brought us each a hockey puck.
All in all it was a really fun night hanging out with some buds.

My administrative assistant Adam

Sometimes it's hard to find good help. God in His loving kindness has surrounded me and Encounter Church with some really, really sharp people.

One such individual is Adam Koloff. An engineer by trade (not the train driver) but the guy is totally ministry-minded. He also happens to be a detail guy which I like and he has initiative which I like even better. Oh and did I mention he also drives a Jeep Wrangler?:-)

I can only wonder what God may choose to do through this young man's life and the lives of many others at Encounter.

Daniel Wallace speaks @ Encounter

B/c of the leadership retreat this weekend I asked my good friend Daniel Wallace to speak this morning in the service. He is the director of Gull Lake Ministries, an excellent family camp in Hickory Corners, Michigan about four hours from Dublin.
Our family has enjoyed being there two different summers and will be going again July 10-16, 2010. (Week #4)
The winter before going to Gull Lake for the first time our family went to Disney for a week. After that first time at camp we asked our children where they would prefer to go they unanimously said, "Gull Lake!". It's that's good.
Anyway, this Sunday's message was given by Daniel and it was excellent. He is a fun, energetic speaker who is very authentic and persuasive. Through his explanation of God's Word you know he has studied it and has allowed it to first convict and change him.
Thank-you Daniel. I loved seeing you again bro. Until next summer.

Great discussion with Encounter Leaders @ Retreat

I've gotta say I just love spending time with the leadership of Encounter Church! It energizes me.
This past Friday night from 6-10pm and Saturday 10am-4pm was our first leadership retreat. Our Ministry Coaches and Apprentice Coaches as well as our Small Group Leaders and Apprentice Leaders were all together to discuss four main topics: 1) Membership and Assimilation 2) Appointing Elders 3) the 2010 preaching schedule and 4) the 2010 calendar.
Prayer was sprinkled throughout the days and we ate two meals together. There's plenty of follow-up action that needs to take place but our time together was both bonding and productive.
Thanks team for making ministry at Encounter a joy!