More than Sunday Morning.

The depth of your Encounter Church experience is directly related to the depth of your involvement and investment. Encounter Church is so much more than simply meeting at a Worship Gathering on Sunday mornings. The Sunday morning Worship Gathering is merely the tip of the iceberg. If attending the Sunday morning Worship Gathering is all you're doing then you're really missing out.

Consistently, those individuals whose lives are being changed by the ministry of Encounter Church are those individuals who are willing to roll up their sleeves and get involved outside of the Sunday morning Worship Gathering. God never intended for His Church to simply be focused on what happens on Sunday morning. 

If you’ve struggled to get involved with Encounter Church outside of the Sunday morning, allow me to suggest a handful of ways to increase your involvement and investment. Trust me, you’ll be happy you did! 

Join an Encounter Group – this semester there are 3 Encounter Groups meeting. These groups provide relaxing atmospheres to build relationships and deepen your understanding of God’s Truth. 

Volunteer for the new location build-out – relationships are built through serving together. Give your time this October and November by taking part in this exciting opportunity. It will take all of us getting involved to successfully get the new location ready for our use. Contact Michael Boehm for more details and to sign-up.

Serve within Encounter Church – discover the joy of serving. There are many opportunities available. Contact Mike Grine to get the process started. 

Become an Encounter Church Partner – take your involvement with Encounter Church to the next level by becoming a Partner. Don’t miss the upcoming Partnership Dessert on October 15. Contact Mike Grine to learn more about Partnership. 

Pray for Encounter Church – on the first Sunday evening of every month, a group gathers to pray for Encounter. The next Prayer Gathering is this Sunday evening at 6 PM at the KYANA building. 

Invite your friends – don’t keep Encounter Church a secret! As Encounter Church grows, so does the excitement.

Finally, if we all roll up our sleeves, get involved and invest more...we will become even more effective in engaging our culture with God’s Love and Truth and continue to see lives changed! ~MB

Project: Transform

During the months of October and November, Encounter Church is launching an exciting build-out expansion that will allow us to move into a larger facility geared toward engaging our culture with God’s Love and Truth.

We’re calling it Project: Transform – transforming a building to transform lives.

Over the last several years, Encounter Church has seen lives challenged, relationships restored and family trees changed.

This new facility will provide us with more space to continue to see life transformation take place.

We invite you to be involved in Project: Transform.

If we all roll-up our sleeves and get involved, we believe that Project: Transform can be completed in short order.

So whether you can give a day, a weekend or even a week, your help will be greatly appreciated.

Some of the skill-sets needed: Whether you’re an expert electrician or a novice painter, your skills are needed. Regardless of when you help, we’ll have opportunities for all skill-sets.

- Carpentry – wall framing and finish
- Electrical
- Drywall – hanging and finishing
- Painting 

For our Encounter Church partners and attenders, we need help in providing meals and housing for our out-of-town volunteers! If you would like to be involved in this, be sure to contact Michael Boehm as soon as possible.

When to help: We’re establishing the Thursday-Saturdays of the week as full days of work. These days will start early and end late. Much of our major progress will take place on these days. Our out-of-town volunteers are encouraged to take part on these days.

Of course, the work is not limited to just these 3 days each week. Work will be taking place on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday as well. We’ve just tried to set-up major days to accommodate those taking days off work to help with Project: Transform.

No matter when you can help, we’ll appreciate your time and work.

Pick up your hammer, dust off the paint brush, call up your friends and come and join with us in transforming a building to transform lives. ~MB

Family Camp Details.

The cool mornings and crisp air makes me want to go camping. I’m excited that our annual Encounter Family Campout is near and wanted to give everyone a little more information.

Those who are camping: We can start arriving at Cedar Ridge Camp anytime after 2PM on Friday, Sept 24th. We have an area just for us reserved called Hill Top Area. It has a large pavilion that does have electricity and a refrigerator (not sure how big). The pavilion will bring us closer together to share meals and play games.  A bathroom/bathhouse is close by. (Only tent camping is permitted. No campers or RV's.)

We will not have any organized meals other than the Saturday evening meal (although I am up for making plenty of pancakes Saturday morning for those interested). Maybe someone can bring some bacon. Chadwick has volunteered to bring supplies for S'mores and claims to be the King of S'mores. We’ll see if he’s up for the challenge. 

During the day on Saturday there are no planned events. In past years we've ended up playing corn hole and flag football. Jeremy, no injuries this year please. There are hiking trails and also a small lake for catch and release fishing. You do need to bring your own pole or borrow one. Ray and I will bring some gear to share. You do not need a fishing license. Please bring along a corn hole set or other games. Even if you aren't camping, you are more than welcome to come spend the day with us.

For all: The Saturday shared meal will start at 6PM and the outdoor service will start about 7:30.   Those who signed up to bring a non-perishable food item need to bring it to the Worship Gathering this Sunday, Sept 19, so we can make sure we have everything we need. Encounter will be providing hot dogs and hamburgers. All families are asked to bring a side-dish or something from the sign-up sheet located at the Information Table. 

Directions: Cedar Ridge Camp is located at 4010 Routt Road outside of Louisville, Kentucky. To get there, take the Gene Snyder Freeway (Hwy. 265) to Exit 23 (Taylorsville-Jeffersontown). Go East approximately 2 miles (turn as if going to Taylorsville Lake). At the stoplight, turn right onto highway 155 (Taylorsville Lake Road) and go about one mile. Turn right (will be 1st right) onto highway 1531, also called Routt Road. Go two-tenths of a mile, turn right onto highway 2265 (Old Routt Road). We are one-half mile down the road on the left hand side.

I’m sure I’ve forgotten something, so if you have any questions email me at p.rough@insightbb.com or comment on this blog post. I look forward to seeing everyone there.

P.S. Sorry, but no dogs are allowed at Cedar Ridge. We didn’t know it when we registered. ~PR

Scattering Seed.

Growing up on a farm, I am very familiar with the process of planting seed, cultivating the soil and harvesting the crop. 

Every spring my father would plant the seed. 

Every summer my father would cultivate the soil. 

Every fall my father would harvest the crop. 

My father worked very hard on the farm. 

Even in the midst of the long days of hard work, as a farmer, there was only so much my dad could do to bring in the harvest. 

A farmer is limited to the planting, cultivating and harvesting. 

The actual growth of the seed is outside of the farmer’s control. 

The Bible compares evangelism to the role of a farmer. We find this comparison made in 2 separate passages of the New Testament. 

The first passage is in 1 Corinthians 3:5-6 where we are told…What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 

Then, in Matthew 9:35-38, we see the harvesting… Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." 

As we share the message of Jesus, we must be reminded that, just like we can’t make a seed to sprout and grow, we cannot force someone to follow Jesus. 

There are times when, within evangelism, we think we are responsible for someone’s decision to follow Christ. The truth is, we can’t force someone to receive the message of Jesus. 

No strangleholds. 

No noogies. 

No full nelsons. 

Our only responsibility is to scatter seed, cultivate the soil and to bring in the harvest. 

The question then, is what does this look like in practical terms for us in our daily living? 

What does it look like for us to scatter seed? 

What does it look like to cultivate the soil? 

What does it look like to bring in the harvest? ~MB

Building Update.

The Landlord is hard at work getting Encounter’s new location ready for us to take possession on October 1. Even though we are taking possession on October 1, there is still much we need to do before we actually move in. 

During the month of October we will be building the space out to suit our needs as a church. This means there are walls that will need to be torn down and lots of walls that will need to be built. This build-out will require all of our efforts. Whether you can swing a hammer, use a paint brush or provide snacks…we need you! 

Detailed information will be shared at this Sunday’s Worship Gathering on how you can get involved. Sign-up sheets will be available. 

The blueprints for the layout of the space are in process. If all goes well, there will be a large copy of the prints for you to see this Sunday at our Worship Gathering. These prints will help all of us be able to grasp a better vision for the space. Don’t miss out on this viewing opportunity! 

We believe that, if we push hard and everyone gets involved, there is a good chance we could have our first Worship Gathering in the new space on November 14!

Keep praying that God would helps us to effectively use this new location as a tool for engaging the culture with God's Love and Truth. ~MB

Fall Encounter Groups.

Get ready for the fall semester of Encounter Groups to begin the week of September 19. Listed below are the three Encounter Groups being offered. 

Modern Parables
Topic: The parables of Jesus.

Description: Modern Parables is an original film-based Bible study curriculum on Jesus’ parables. Through the use of short films and an in-depth study, you’ll be driven into a deeper understanding of the Bible and how it applies to your daily life.

Facilitators: John Thurman & Kerris Wright

Day & Time: Mondays from 7:00 to 8:15 PM

Location: John and Lisa Thurman’s home

Phone: 502-263-8225

Childcare: No

Cost: None 

In the Beginning – Part 2

Topic: A study of the Old Testament book of Genesis.
Description: We’ll be traveling back in time…all the way back to the beginning! Last semester we covered the first half of the book of Genesis. This semester we’ll be covering the second half. Our discussion will focus on the life of Joseph. Join in on this group even if you were unable to join with us for the first of the study.
Facilitator: Margo Davis & Michael Boehm
Day & Time: Wednesdays from 7:00 - 8:15 PM.
Location: Ignacio and Marcella Guarin's home
Phone: 502-649-3031
Childcare: Yes
Cost: None

Establishing Order in Your Life
Topic: Organizing your life.
Description: Learn how to bring order to your personal life by inviting God's control over every segment. Through this semester of hands on training, you’ll discover how to live on mission, live according to your roles and giftedness, manage your time wisely and even set-up systems for living that will help you to know where you are headed in the future. While Mike Grine doesn't admit to having it all together, he has had great success in getting his own life ordered and wants to help you to do the same. (This group is limited to 10 participants.)
Facilitator: Mike Grine
Day & Time: Wednesdays from 7:00 - 8:15 PM.
Location: Mike and Jenni Grine’s home
Phone: 502-851-7717
Childcare: No
Cost: None

Growing through August!

What a month August was in the life of Encounter Church! Check out the details...

1) On August 1 we concluded an exciting week of VBS and outreach opportunities with a Community Picnic. This exciting week was led by Kerris Wright, Sharon Neely, David Ayers and a bunch of teenagers from Ebenezer Mennonite Church (Bluffton, OH). Thanks to the Thurmans and Hamiltons for opening up their homes for the teenagers to stay.

2) The month of August was the first month in Encounter Church’s history that we averaged over 100 people in weekly attendance at our Worship Gatherings! This was our largest growth month in over 16 months.

3) The giving for the month of August was up by 11% over August of 2009.

And finally…drum roll please…

4) On August 31 we signed a lease for the available space near the intersection of Galene Dr. and Stonybrook! This new location will provide us with 14,588 sq. feet of ministry space that will serve as a tool for engaging the culture with God’s Love and Truth. If all goes well and the Landlord agrees to our proposed improvements, we will take possession of the space on October 1 to begin the build-out process. There is much to do and many opportunities for you to be involved. Stay tuned to our blog to keep current on the progress.

We are well on our way of reaching our IMPACT130 goal by the end of 2010! (IMPACT130 is the goal of having 130 people in regular weekly attendance and $3,000 in regular weekly offerings.) Be sure to set your phone alarms to 1:30 PM everyday to be reminded to pray for lives to be changed and God’s continued guidance.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, while the numbers and new location are all exciting, the MOST EXCITING news is that lives are being changed! Encounter Church will continue to live out her mission of engaging the culture with God’s Love and Truth. ~MB

Move-Up Sunday

This Sunday is Move-Up Sunday for the Children’s Ministry of Encounter Church. 

What is Move-Up Sunday you ask?

Move-Up Sunday is the Sunday when we promote our children to the next grade level.

One exciting and significant addition to our children’s ministry is the addition of a second elementary class. This second class allows us to make the learning environment even more specific for the various ages. 

At Encounter our children's classes are established based upon the JCPS guidelines. These guidelines are as follows...

2's - 3's Class - the children must be the age of 2 or 3 on or before October 1.  

4's - K Class - the children must be the age of 4 or 5 on or before October 1 or entering Kindergarten this fall. 

1st - 3rd Grade Class – the children must currently be in 1st, 2nd or 3rd grade. (This class will be meeting downstairs.)  

4th - 6th Grade Class – the children must currently be in 4th, 5th or 6th grade. (This class will be meeting in the upstairs classroom. We are asking that the students remain in the auditorium until after the singing portion of the Worship Gathering is complete.)  

Encounter has been blessed with incredible teachers and we are thankful for the important part they play in engaging the younger culture with God’s Love and Truth!