Off The Ground!

Launch went well on January 25^th! We had 90 in attendance. It was a great celebration; our Team did great; all the pistons fired. Just prior to Launch, we…

Prayed—a LOT! Wilson had set a goal of twenty-five hours on his knees in January. He made it to 17.5 hours praying for our Launch. J

Invited our friends and acquaintances personally, including everyone who attends our Financial Peace University Classes (Many of them came!)

Sent out a bulk mailer to over 8,000 addresses

Paid a Sherwood Pizza place$500.00 in exchange for their help: The first 100 pizza orders on Friday evening received a $5.00 discount, and our Launch postcard attached to the top of their box with a note telling that we paid $5.00 of their order.

Picked up the entire beverage tab at a local coffee shop Saturday the 24^th, handing invitations to whoever showed interest (cost us about $500.00)

Handed out over 100 bags of microwave popcorn with our postcard attached outside a video store Saturday afternoon.

Of course, our Launch attendance included a number of family members and some Kairos people. That is normal and is to be expected. Church plants typically experience a 40-50% drop in attendance from Launch Sunday to the next Sunday. We will consider ourselves enormously blessed if we hit between 40-50 this coming Sunday.

Now we, as a former Launch Team, are working on our “Corban Covenant” as I have dubbed it (the particulars are below, in case you want to read all about it) and preparing to launch Alpha Small Group courses February 22^nd.

It is a start. Not the end of the journey, but a very good start. We are thankful for God blessing us thus far!

Corban Covenant

As we anticipate Launch next weekend, we cease being a Launch Team and will need to alter our language.

So I call upon us to make a Corban Covenant.

What does that mean?

It means your Launch Team Covenant remains intact, but becomes at this point a “Missional Member” covenant instead.

It means that we all agree that that all we have contributed thus far is “A Gift Devoted to God.” When that gift is laid on the altar, it is burned up, and the heat and smoke and flame rises up to Heaven. God receives it. There is nothing left for you or I to parade around, brag about, or wear as a laurel or a badge of honor.

Making a Corban Covenant precludes (rules out) any possibility of:

Comparing the commitment and/or contribution of one to another

Inappropriate language/attitude: “other people were slackers…I did most of the heavy lifting

Having a sense of entitlement (I am owed something) connected to the fact that you are a “Charter Member,” or “have been here since before we launched,” etc. No one is owed…

A place of leadership when it comes time to appoint a church board or elder board for SCCOC

Special recognition at some future date.

Etc.

Slacking off when new people come because it is their turn to do the heavy lifting.

Let’s work together to change our language and keep our hearts in check. Only by making such a covenant can we open the circle wide enough to receive God’s blessings as a much larger community of faith.

The Next Salvo: A Christmas Eve Encouragement

Dearest Launch Team:

(Electrical power service has been restored. So a note I wanted to send days ago I now can send you.)

It is Christmas Eve, and the snow is just beginning to show signs of…melting. J The sentiment around our neighborhood is “the novelty has worn off.” No one can remember this much snow for this many days with temperatures this low—EVER—in Western Oregon. Wow.

Guys we have been hard-at this church planting adventure for ½ a year now and I want you to know I welcome Christmas with thanksgiving in my heart for all God has done. Let me just offer a few “Fun Facts” to remind and encourage you:

We have grown closer to each other. Before a seed sprout breaks the surface, the tap root goes down. That has happened and is happening among us as we learn more and more how to love each other—how to “Do Life Better Together.”

Six of us volunteered at the Robinhood Festival, signaling to the “movers and shakers” of Sherwood that we were serious about serving this community. The relationships built through that act of service continue to bless us. Here is an example: The Executive Director of the Sherwood Chamber of Commerce called upon me to be one of seven Christmas Tree Lights judges (cruising around town, giving awards to homeowners for their decorations. Though cancelled due to the weather, it spoke volumes to me about our church’s impact up-on this community ALREADY!

Families At Play continues to connect moms and build relationships. It is a “long haul” ministry that will more and more reap a harvest for Christ. GREAT STUFF!

We now have several Community Gatherings where discipleship is taking place, and the prospect of adding several more in the next few weeks and months. In fact, the next e-mail you receive from me will be our plan for implementing ALPHA in a meaningful way to reach this community!

We have let the Spirit flow creatively and we are learning from everything we do.
I can’t wait until this Summer, for example, when free water at two Music on the Green events will morph into renting a booth for the whole seven weeks and offering free custom-labeled water and free face-painting for the kids!

Free coffee for a day was an incredible way of getting the word out in a playful way that made people feel really good! Jackie (the owner of Coffee Central) almost doubled her “beverage take” last Thursday, and—for just $435.00—we served hundreds of people! Jackie was out more outspoken than we were! Every time she told a customer their beverage was paid for, she pointed to our sign, pointed at us, told the customer we were a new church start-up in town, and told them we meet at Middleton Elementary School. She was incredible!
4,000 Sherwood homes received a door hangar inviting them to our event. Sure, the event was cancelled (along with every other school and church holiday event in the Tualatin Valley). But we still got the word out about us in a positive way!

We marched in the Christmas Parade and Hope came to church—and wants to come again!
We are offering Financial Peace University and the Clark family intends to connect with our church!

Ashley’s friend is in a Bible study with us now!

We had our first annual Christmas Party at the Barfield home and there was a great turn-out, including neighbor Becky who has been faithful to the Barfield Home Community, and Joel’s co-worker and her husband!

Our website is getting better and better and will soon have a five-minute audio presentation synced to a PowerPoint!

I am sorry. I am leaving things out. There is just so much to tell. There are so many things that every one of you has been doing—sacrifices that each of you have been making—to get us this far. Every one of you is a valuable member of this Launch Team. Every one of you is making a vital contribution.

Every one of you is a precious gift I treasure this Christmas.

It has been tough going! Like the disciples in Mark 6:45-50, the wind is against us as we attempt a midnight crossing. But Jesus is praying for us. And Jesus sees us. And Jesus comes to us. Take courage, Team! We have made more progress than we realize!

Thankful for all of you,

Wilson

Our Hope

Sunday night was a toughy for me going in. I was kind of a ball of nerves, saddled with the weight of this entire undertaking all in one moment.

When we sat down for our ten minute prayer at 4:30 (set up begins at 4:40), I noticed Tristan was back. And that was certainly a good sign and something to celebrate! Not only was she sitting there next to her dear friend, Ashley. But she was here in time to pray with us, and then assist with the set-up. And assist she did--in a big way!

Tristan presence represented a victory. Still, I was tense, feeling the frustration of staring square in the face of a Preview Worship Gathering, and wondering if anyone else besides Tristan and the Launch Team was going to show up.

Others were tense too. Moms were tense about how kids were behaving, the tech guys were tense because something was going haywire with the computer set-up for PowerPoint.

Some now-unremembered straw broke the proverbial camel's back and I left the cafeteria, headed into the library, and made a b-line for the far corner. I sat down in one of those little chairs, and simply prayed...

God, please--tonight--send this little church plant...hope.

Then I rose, and went back to the cafeteria.

5:15. Ushers to the front door.

5:30. time to start. Tech problem almost solved. A bit of a late start.

In came Michael and his mom, Juliana, and Juliana's friend, Dana (Dana for the first time!). As always, the Helwig presence lifted our spirits. Especially with the news that Dana and Michael had been baptized that morning!

Before Chris began the first worship song, he reminded us that Sundays are not what this church does; Sundays are a celebration of how we live church throughout the week. Then he called upon us to share how God had been present and at work all week.

So, when the worship songs had been sung (and my spirits were further lifted), I followed Chris' lead. I gave a "vision peptalk." I reminded everyone what we are about, what it all means, and how everything we are doing fits together.

A visitor walked in. A woman in her twenties. This one was totally unexpected. As the evening unfolded we learned that she had been the recipient of one of our 500 candy canes (with church invitation attached) which we had handed out the previous day as we marched in the Sherwood Christmas Parade. So that was a boost. But wait! There's more!

She had walked. The distance is around two miles.

She got lost. She still persisted. She arrived right on time.

We enjoyed meeting here, enjoyed hearing her say she felt welcome and "definitely" wanted to come back again. We arranged a ride home for her.

After the trailer was all packed up, someone handed me the Friendship Communication Cards. Realizing I had not yet heard our newcomer's name, I thumbed through them and found hers.

Her name is Hope.

The Count

I asked Joel how many were at our pre-Thanksgiving Worship. He said, 32 was the count... not including the janitor :) (and Riley was in the car)

That's a new record!

New Record

Had record attendance last Sunday, November 23, 2008 at our eve3ning, Pre-Launch Worship:

32!

That included a lot of extended families, visiting for the Holidays, but two things make it a significant night:

1. We were able to experience "critical mass." and respond to it.
2. Two of our visitors were from the Sherwood community, and had responded to an invitation by a Launch Team Member!

Like a hurd of turtles. but even turtles eventually get where they are going!

A Promise Kept (On A Busy Day)

If I hadn't honored my commitment to my kids it might never have happened.

Yesterday. Friday. The desk was a mess, the immediate "next step" on the task list unclear. My mind a jumble, I heard Kristen yell upstairs that my lunch was ready to take to the school for lunch with my kids in the cafeteria. I would have to run errands after that, and we had to leave by 3:00 for a photo shoot.

Could I skip today?

Glad I didn't. Bradley's teacher told me he talked about it all morning--about how Dad had been in Seattle LAST fwiday, but was NOT in Seattle this Fwiday and would be coming to lunch like he ALWAYS likes to do on Fwiday. (his teacher likes his accent as much as I do, apparently.)

One hour, and two lunches (the fourth grade daugher at 11:05 and the first-grade son at 11:40) later, I was off to Target and then to the bank. Just a check to deposit; shouldn't take long.

The Teller was one I had never met before, named Lisa. "Why do you have two checking accounts?"

"One is for our rental."

"Did you know our Business checking is now free--just like regular checking?"

"How long will it take to make the change?"

"Minutes."

Sitting there between the customer service reps, I wondered, Will it be Anne? I have been praying for Anne. It was Anne.

To make a long story...even longer, the conversation with Anne went from business checking...to how I wound up with a rental...to how our "renter demographic" are usually divorced women and their kids starting over. Then it went from there to when Anne took her son and left her "ex" and was that "renter demographic" and had, in fact, rented a townhouse for a while...to how we all have a checkered past full of mistakes...to some of MY collosal missteps. Before I knew it, it was about her religious upbringing and how she left that behind at 15. Right before she went up to the counter to transfer my funds, she said, "anyway, one day I will look for a church."

When she came back, I said, "Anne, I should warn you: Telling a guy like me that you might look for a church one day is like offering cake to a starving dieter."

The conversation went well from there. I was able to tell Anne how her input in a new church would help shape it--that she would be one we would rely upon--who keeps us honest in making the church work for people who had not been in church for a long while--if ever. I left with permission to send Anne some information, and to talk with her more about our church.

Leaving the desk--and even the time on my knees--for a while turned into a "God-Moment;" as in my best-yet conversation with one of those people "out there" for whom I am praying and with whom I am developing a relationship.

Only God could accomplish that.

Praise God for my kids, and the promises I have made, and the power of Christ to keep them.

A Vision Further Refined

“[insert child’s name here], what is our church’s ‘Wannabe?’”

“Ours is a journey of Connecting and Celebrating—learning to ‘do life’ better together.”

If Ethan can say it, and Bradley, and Mary-Adele, and Alaina, and Ari, and even Riley, then it is a Vision Statement we can all remember and share.




Dear Launch Team,

Sunday Night was just great, wasn’t it?! I was so encouraged by everything that happened—every conversation, every prayer, and the fact that there were no traces of mold in my fruit-of-the-vine. :-)

My class at GFES continues to bless this church. Yesterday Dr. Morse chewed up and spit out several “Vision Statements” that didn’t make the cut. Apparently, "It has to be memorable—even a little catchy...." It has to be something you are, AND something you want to be in five years, all wrapped up in a short, catchy, memorable phrase.

I was so glad I was not early getting my Homework in!

So here it is, Folks. Our catchy phrase, based on this shared Vision.

And Hey! It is time for some memory work, OK?




Please quiz each other, and teach your children (I want Clarissa and Caleb and Riley reciting this by this Sunday!) our Vision Statement. Here it is:

“Ours is a journey of Connecting and Celebrating—learning to ‘do life’ better together.”

(wow…right after I wrote that, there was this huge peal of thunder! I think maybe God likes it!)

That is all the little ones have to learn. Here is the rest for you:

Our Mission Statement:

SCCOC …A people journeying prayerfully together as devoted followers of Jesus Christ, calling and helping others in SW Portland to join them.

Our Wannabe (Vision):

Ours is a journey of Connecting and Celebrating—learning to “do life” better together.

Unpacking that for you:

Connecting with people through “Short Excursions”

An SCCOC Excursion is Anything from running to relaxing, as long as we are using it as a time to connect with each other as SCCOC, and connect others to SCCOC. As long as our faith community comes up in the conversation at some point, it is an “official” SCCOC Excursion.

Our goal is to live a lifestyle where we do this intentionally at least once a week. Does the activity have to be official? Nope; can be though. What do you enjoy doing? Dinner with friends? Movies? Board games? Bike riding? Wudevuh! Just do it and make Christ a part of it!

Connecting with God through “Long Expeditions”

Thus far at SCCOC discipleship is happening at two Breakfast Bible Studies, two Evening Home Communities, and a Women’s Bible Study Thursday mornings. Three things make it a “God connecting event:” time in the Word, time in prayer, and time sharing what is going right, and not so right, in our lives. And all three don’t have to happen every time!

Our goal is to live a lifestyle where we do this intentionally once a week, learning to live life better together. What will work best for you? Early morning over breakfast at Shari’s, or after we all eat dinner together in the Family Room of one of our homes? Wudevuh! Just do it and make Christ a part of it!

Celebrating Along the way through Sunday Celebrations

At SCCOC, we are dedicated to the proposition that church doesn’t happen on Sundays. Sundays is when the church gets together to celebrate what God has been doing in our lives together all week long, remember the Savior we are following, worship the God to whom we are journeying closer, and encourage each other to continue the journey with and toward Christ. Join the celebration!