Back from Guatemala

Yesterday, our team of 22 people from Encounter got back on US soil from our week long trip to Guatemala. It was a fantastic time of deepening relationships with the children and Vision Trust staff in Cruz Blanca. This Sunday we will be sharing testimonies in the service about it.
If you would like to see pictures from the trip click on this link to my FB page.
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3774704000725.222049.1070553470&type=3

Orphan Sunday 2011

This Sunday we are remembering and praying for orphans all around the world and more specifically in Cruz Blanca, Guatemala, where Encounter people have 36 children sponsored.

My good friend and president of Vision Trust International, Matt Storer, is speaking and bringing with him more children for our people to sponsor.

Next summer, Lord willing, we will return to Guatemala and I'm excited Matt is able to make it to our first planning meeting this Saturday night. He is also planning on being on our July 10-17 trip with his daughter Olivia.

Fun time Hosting Real Life

Last night was a blast hosting Real Life down at OSU! Our congregation did a great job making dozens of cookies and veggie trays for us to offer the students as they entered Independence Hall.

As you can see, Brutus the Buckeye showed up to join in the fun:-) Karen Arena and Angie Kelly couldn't help themselves. I know their husbands must be jealeous that Brutus hugged their wives.
Even my good buddy, Bacho Bordjadze, CRU's director at OSU, and I got a pic with Brutus.
Eleven of us from Encounter were there greeting at the doors and I was able to get up in front of the students to tell them a little about our church plant.

I also challenged Bacho to an arm wrestling contest...he won and then I gave him a gift. Yesterday was his birthday:-)

A Very Special Sunday

This morning, December 19th, marked a mile stone for Encounter Church: the 100th church service.

At the beginning of our church plant I told the congregation which Sunday it was for the first 15 weeks. Then I told them I wouldn't say it again until the 100th service. It was fun for me to end my message early and invite all the Ekids, Impact teens and their teachers to join us in the service. There were three congratulation videos shown: one from each of our missionaries, Matt Storer of VisionTrust International and Ryan Janosko of Campus Crusade for Christ and also one from Pastor Rick Nuzum, lead pastor of our mother church, Grace Church. I had also asked our 1st Impressions Coach, Jen Hill, to order a few cakes for the celebration and her hubby Phil to take the picture below as a memory of the day.

All praise be to God for the people He has brought to Encounter.

Matt Storer preaches @ Encounter

This morning our Guatemala team got to share about our experiences from this past weeks trip as well as showed pictures and video.

As a team we really felt like the congregation was behind us in prayer and their finances made it possible for some to go on the trip.

I was also glad to have Matt Storer take us through both Old Testament and New Testament passages that highlighted the need for God's people to care for the poor, neglected, and widows.

Mike McCaman does a bang up job!

Yesterdays service was great! Nate young and Jennifer Painter led us in worship, I got to do announcements and Mike & Emily spoke during the testimony time about their future ministry in Mexico City. Mike's parents, Gary & Linda McCaman, were in attendance as well. Matthew 13:24-30 & 36-39 were the main texts Mike preached from about Christ followers being like seeds the Lord has placed in the world for His purpose. You can listen to Mike's message or any other from the past when you CLICK HERE.

Mike and Emily McCaman in the house!

This Sunday Encounter Church has Mike & Emily McCaman and baby Noah visiting. The two of them will talk about their present and future adventures church planting in Mexico City. Mike will also be preaching the message.
They along with Matt & Cheryl Storer are our two officially sponsored missionaries. Rather than our little church body trying to help and get to know a dozen or more missionary families, we've decided for now, to have just two. That way we can give more and deepen our relationships with just a few. Months ago it was decided to provide each of these two families with 5% of our Sunday morning offerings. Another 5% is put aside for benevolence and still another 5% for a future church plant to come out of Encounter. This adds up to 20% of our gross offerings marked for Give Away. This is one of the ways Encounter lives out the vision statement: "Seeking HIS Kingdom First".
I sorta joked with both families about not being able to give them a set amount of money monthly but that they should pray for numerical growth at Encounter. The more people attending, the more finances given, the more quickly their needs will be met:-)

From what I remember the only thing holding the McCaman's back from being in Mexico City right now is finances. They speak the language, have been trained, have their passports & paperwork in order and have a team of people waiting for their arrival. Checkout their blog to learn more about them or go to our website for their contact info. and call them yourselves.

Vision Trust BBQ and Sunday Service

Yesterday and today there were great events for those of Encounter Church with Matt & Cheryl Storer of Vision Trust International. Saturday was the BBQ in Coffman Park promoting the ministry and a time for the Storer's to connect with new and long time supporters.

There were a number of our people there helping set-up and later tear down. We couldn't have done it without them. Thanks Adam, Michael, Chuck, Luke & Beth, Bill & Janetta, and Melissa:-)

The beef brisket was prepared and served by Art Yoho, a local chef who's been in the business of making great food since 1983. Matt Benefiel with GFS also was involved in donating much of the food for the event.

Then this morning at Encounter Church Matt was given the entire service and spoke to us about the great need to care for orphans around the world. He laid out many different statistics, but most importantly he took us to Scripture and showed us God's heart for those who cannot defend or speak up for themselves. I believe many people were touched by what they heard and some responded by sponsoring a child.

I'm sure I'll speak of it more in future posting, but we've decided to make Guatemala our main focus when partnering with Vision Trust. Lord willing, we may even go there in the summer of 2010.

Dessert Night

Tonight we had a meet and greet dessert night for one of Encounter's missionary families: Matt & Cheryl Storer.

It was held at the home of Rex & Laurie Elsass in the heart of Tartan Fields. About 15 of our people were there to hear the Storer's journey from corporate America to full time missionaries needing to raise support.

Here is a short description of Encounter's philosophy on missions: our leadership team decided months ago to have only two missionary families to support through prayer, finances and relationship. Each family is receiving 5% of our church's gross offerings. We are choosing to be different than many other churches in that we want to give much to a few rather than little to a lot. Until we reach our goal of providing the lions share of these two missionary families needed support, we won't officially give to another family. That's not to say that individuals in the church or small groups on their own couldn't give to another family. But for this next year the Storer and McCaman families are who we are supporting directly out of the church's budget.

Tomorrow there is a BBQ to promote VisionTrust to people in Coffman Park from 4-7pm. There will be fun stuff for the kids, live music and really good beef brisket!

Then Sunday Matt is preaching in Encounter's church service at 10:00am at Eli Pinney Elementary School in Tartan Fields, Dublin.