Wednesday, September 30, 2009 Dream Team Gathering: Casting the Anchor of Tradition - Oct 2

If you are a part of the Encounter Church movement, want to be, or just want to find out more...you need join us this Friday for great discussion, worship, and FREE pizza!

We will be continuing to discuss building a faith community that engages culture by becoming more fluid. This time we'll be looking at Casting the Anchor of Tradition.

• Worship to some great songs!
• Hear about Connection Tour highlights!
• Talk about the next steps to launch the Encounter worship gathering!
  
• Eat some FREE pizza! (please RSVP for pizza ordering)
  

If you wanna find out how to get involved and make a difference in Helena or if you just want to check us out, you can join us for some spiritual discussion, worship, and pizza. Also, we'll have games and videos for the kids during the meeting. We hope to see you this Friday!

WHAT: Dream Team Meeting
WHO: Those who dare to dream
WHEN: Friday, October 2 @ 6:30pm
WHERE: Powell Home [map/directions]

Please RSVP or attend the Facebook Event to let us know how much pizza to order.

Sunday, September 27, 2009 Connections Tour: Connecting With People and Churches

As this week has flown by, we've driven nearly 1,000 miles across Southern California while bracing temperatures up to 110 degrees. From Manhattan Beach to Pasadena, from Riverside to Rialto, the last half of the week has been about connecting with people and churches.

SUNRISE CHURCH

On Thursday morning, I met with Jim Coyle, the missions guy at Sunrise Church in Rialto. Andrea and I attended and served on Worship Team there years ago. Sunrise is a now a thriving, multi-ethnic church in the heart of the Rialto area. We just wanted the opportunity to reconnect and share a little about Encounter.

PENINSULA COMMUNITY CHURCH

Thursday afternoon was an opportunity to connect with my friend Martin Allen who is the president of Worship Foundations, and the worship leader at Peninsula Community Church in Rancho Palos Verdes.

Martin brought Les Sheckman who works with missions there, and we met for lunch at the LA Food Show in Manhattan Beach. Again, I shared what God is doing through Encounter in Helena and we had some great conversation. At the same time, Andrea and the kids snuck off to jump into the ocean nearby.

MOSAIC CHURCH

Andrea and I spent half of the day Friday with Mosaic Church at the Pasadena Campus. After talking with Eric Bryant last week about connecting, he suggested we sit in on an Immersion meeting as part of the Mosaic Alliance church planting emphasis. Steve Sacconi led a discussion about Relational Intelligence. Really great stuff!

SANDALS CHURCH

Early Sunday morning, we met with some of the guys from Sandals Church in Riverside. They have an awesome, vibrant ministry that is very similar to Encounter. Dan Crowley and Andrew Boganwright both focus on small groups there and we had an awesome conversation about what's working at Sandals and why. If course, we also shared all about Encounter in Helena as well.

FELLOWSHIP BAPTIST CHURCH

Finally, we worshiped with our old friends at Fellowship Baptist Church in Riverside. I was serving at the Worship Leader at FBC over 5 years ago when we were called to Helena, Montana. During worship, we had the opportunity to share some music, a little of our journey, and our Encounter Church Intro video. We also had a great lunch at SuperMex after the service.

FRIENDS AND PARTNERS

In addition to all these churches and the universities earlier in the week, we also had the opportunity to meet with some old friends, prayer partners, and financial supporters this week. It is so great to see how God is also moving in their lives and we were excited to get a chance to say thank you face-to-face. Thank you, guys!

HEADING BACK TO HELENA

It's been a eventful week and also a bit of a whirlwind. We've been praying that the connections we have made will resonate throughout God's Kingdom. We pray that God will be speaking to the individuals and organizations we've connected with, be orchestrating the support we need, and leading some individuals to join the Encounter team as interns, missions teams, or as permanent team members.

Tomorrow morning we begin the 1,200 mile drive back to Helena knowing that God is able to do far more than we can either ask or imagine. If we have not connected with you yet, I encourage you to contact us.

We'd love to hear your feedback, answer your questions, and encourage you to step out of the boat. Become uncomfortable with the status quo and get personally involved in what God is already doing in Helena through Encounter Church.

Read more here to find out how to get personally involved in helping launch Encounter Church.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009 Connections Tour: Connecting With SoCal University Students

Wow, the last few days have been amazing! While we've been battling traffic and hot weather all over Southern California, the last two days have been focused on universities.

HOPE INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

Yesterday and today I was privileged to speak to seven different classes of ministry students at my graduate school, Hope International University.

I shared about what Encounter is doing in Helena and invited students to consider coming to Montana through an internship, practicum semester, or relocating here as a permanent team member. Through our times of questions and answers, it was clear that these were sharp students that Hope is preparing.

It was also rewarding to finally meet the professors I have been emailing back and forth with over the last month. They have a great hearts to prepare students to make an impact in this world for Jesus.

CALIFORNIA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY

I was also able to meet and share with the Dean of Church Ministries at California Baptist University. Dr. Dan Wilson is great guy with a heart for students and I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation about their internship program at Cal Baptist.

From our meeting, I am optimistic that some great partnerships can be formed to benefit both students who want to gain firsthand experience in ministry and churches in Montana that offer some excellent opportunities.

EXISTING ENCOUNTER PARTNERS

In addition to the university connections, we also met with several individuals who are financial and prayer partners for Encounter. We were happy to be able to share with them firsthand the awesome things God is doing through Encounter and to thank them for both their prayers and support.

PLACING MONTANA ON THE RADAR

One purpose has emerged as we've begun this Connections Tour, as we share about Encounter we are hear to place Montana on people's "radar." Quite simply, people just don't think about Montana. They've heard of it, but never really considered the spiritual needs that exist here.

CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR US THIS WEEK

We've completed our appointments with students and universities and will be focusing the rest of our week on meeting and sharing with friends and churches. Please continue to pray for us as we make more connections. Pray also that God would allow growth in the relationships we are forming so that these connections would soon become partnerships.

Read more here to find out how to get personally involved in helping launch Encounter Church.

Thursday, September 17, 2009 Serving Helena Food Share - Be The Change

This last Wednesday, September 16, a group of us from Encounter Church gathered to serve the Helena Food Share and support the awesome difference they make in our community.

There was something for everyone to do. We took on whatever projects they assigned our group including washing carts and baskets, filling and labeling 150 bags of oats, and organizing potatoes, eggs, and plastic bags.

I've recently seen the Food Share in action and they are a blessing to the many neighbors here in Helena who need a helping hand when it comes to being able to put food on the table.

We were eager to serve because we see it as just another way to share God's love in tangible way by "being the change" in Helena.

What an awesome way to make a difference, demonstrate God's crazy love in action, and engage our culture! We invite you to to Be The Change in Helena and join us in our next project at Encounter Church.

Great photos of the effort are on Facebook here.
View a full screen Picasa slideshow here.

You or your group can volunteer too. Just contact Dan Anderson at 443-3663. He's the volunteer coordinator at the Helena Food Share and he will get you hooked up.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009 Connections Tour: Let's Get Together

We've only talked a little about the upcoming Encounter Connections Tour, so we wanted to tell you more. Basically, we're going out on the road looking to connect with individuals and organizations to share about this new church plant called Encounter Church.

We're praying that we can also explore partnership possibilities and essentially make a connection with whatever ministry you are involved with. We would love the opportunity to present our vision and how we are working with God to change the spiritual landscape of Helena.

EXPLORING PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

First of all, please do not let the word partnership frighten you. By partnership, we simply mean a way of working together toward a common goal to glorify God and make Jesus known. We are praying that during this Connections Tour we will be able to form one or more of the following partnerships:

1) PRAYER
We are building a strong Prayer Partner Team to intercede for Encounter. We regularly send out specific prayer requests in email and would love to have your leadership team and congregation praying for us. [More here]

2) PEOPLE
We are still gathering Launch Team Members to join us in this work and prepare for the public launch of the Encounter worship gathering. While on our tour, we are praying for God to lead us to people who are willing to follow Him and relocate to Helena, Montana. There are also many short-term Missions & Internship opportunities with Encounter. [More here]

3) FINANCIAL
We are seeking ongoing monthly support and one-time gifts from individuals and churches to help with staffing needs and our startup costs. See the brochure or website about our Thousand Campaign. [More here]

Currently, there are few churches in Helena that are effectively reaching the younger generation and those far from God. With your help, we at Encounter can “do church differently” in order to fill the gap that exists in Helena.

Give us a call today or email us so we can get together!

Connections Tour: Spiritual Considerations for Partners

We've only talked a little about the upcoming Encounter Connections Tour, so we wanted to tell you more. Basically, we're going out on the road looking to connect with individuals and organizations to share about this new church plant called Encounter Church.

We're praying that we can also explore partnership possibilities and essentially make a connection with whatever ministry you are involved with. We would love the opportunity to present our vision and how we are working with God to change the spiritual landscape of Helena.

Here are some spiritual considerations to think about as you consider how and why you might partner with Encounter in some way:

• Partnering with a church plant is a benefit to the partner as well as the church plant. Many partner churches experience a positive, re-energizing transformation.
• People’s burden for the lost grows as they pray and see fruit from their supportive efforts. Their faith in God is strengthened as they participate in reaching a previously un-reached population.
• Some may even be called to a deeper level of commitment in the partner church as they see how people can be reached when God's people respond.

One of the challenges in partnering with a church plant is the feeling that through such an endeavor the partner church will lose something in funds, people, and resources. It is true that the partner will be affected — and it should be. That's part of the growth process.

As Luke 6:38 says, "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over..." If we really believe God’s Word, then when we give away resources to start a new church, it will be given back to us until our cup is running over.

Currently, there are few churches in Helena that are effectively reaching the younger generation and those far from God. With your help, we at Encounter can “do church differently” in order to fill the gap that exists in Helena.

Give us a call today or email us so we can get together!

Connections Tour: More Details About SoCal

We've only talked a little about the upcoming Encounter Connections Tour, so we wanted to tell you more. Basically, we're going out on the road looking to connect with individuals and organizations to share about Encounter Church.

For this first part of the tour, we will be visiting our friends and current partners in California. We want to thank them for their help as we're starting up Encounter Church here in Helena and encourage them to continue to pray for us.

We've also been working hard to explore some new connections in the the last three weeks and are excited about the possibilities. Next week in Southern California, we'll be traveling from Riverside to Palos Verdes, from Pasadena to San Diego, and from Fullerton to Fontana. Just take a look at our schedule here!

• We're speaking to students at Hope International University. I'm also working to get set up as a Field Practicum Mentor — it's a lot like an internship relationship, but the focus is on learning more than just working.
• I'll also be meeting with the Dean of School of Christian Ministries at Cal Baptist University. We're already hooked up with their online ministry job board there. Now we're looking forward to making a connection and exploring other possible partnership opportunities.
  
• We've got an appointment to talk more about getting involved with Mosaic Alliance — a church planting initiative though Erwin McManus' Mosaic Church in Los Angeles. We'll be attending an event there called Immersion to exchange strategies with other church planters.
• The awesome crew at Sandals Church, is going to show us around and show us how they get things done. They've got a thriving, portable, and relevant ministry in Riverside.
  
• We've also been talking with the missions representative from Sunrise Church in Rialto, a dynamic and multi-ethinic church where we used to attend and serve on worship team. Again, we just want to reconnect and share our journey from Rialto to Helena.
• Also, we have a great friend and partner that serves on staff at The Vine Church in Rancho Cucamonga. The Vine is a vibrant and growing church plant that is absolutely exploding. We're looking forward to the opportunity to find out more about his experiences there.
• Finally, we are excited to be sharing with our previous congregation in Riverside, Fellowship Baptist Church. We'll be sharing featured music and a small video presentation during the service, and then a more detailed presentation after the worship gathering.

PLEASE PRAY

If you have been involved with Encounter in some way, we encourage you to be praying for us during the tour. We're praying for God to help make the connections we need to publicly launch Encounter Church with the full launch team and equipment we need to impact this generation. We're also praying for opportunities to make themselves known and that He would give us wisdom to pursue these opportunities.

To find out more about how to sign up as a prayer partner and receive regular email updates, click here.

YWCA Hospitality Baskets: You Can Help!

As we posted before, Encounter is partnering with the Helena YWCA to help make each new woman's stay at the YWCA easier by giving her a hospitality basket.

PARTNERING TOGETHER

Since we began this effort in August, All Souls Community Church, has jumped on board with us to help. I'm sure the YWCA would love if you or your church wanted to help as well. Together, we want to make a difference in the lives of these women by providing materials and assembling these baskets.

THE GOALS

Our long-term goal is to assemble a total of 25 baskets which should supply the YWCA for about a year. Our short-term goal is to provide 10 baskets by the end of September — and we are well on our way.

WHAT WE STILL NEED FOR THE FIRST 10

We've had a few individuals supply items, but now we are looking to complete the first 10 baskets with a few more "substantial" gifts. Here an update on what we need. Please seriously consider "being the change" by contributing some of the remaining items from the following list:

• Shampoo	• Hand or Body Lotions
• Conditioners	• Journal or Daily Planner
• Soap	• Gift Cards ($5, $10)
• Body Wash or Bath Gels	• Taxi Vouchers
• Deodorant

Contact us soon and let us know how you can help.

Saturday, September 12, 2009 Game Night: International Style!

For the next few Tuesdays, we're taking a break from the usual Encounter Discussion at the Ox. This Tuesday, September 15 at 6:30pm, we're going international! We invite you to join us!

It'll be an opportunity to meet new people, get to know each other, and get some "game on" with friendly competitions of your favorite board/card games (i.e. Killer Bunnies, Ticket to Ride, Apples to Apples, etc.).

BRING A FOOD DISH OR SNACK

Bring an international food dish or snack from sushi, to spaghetti, to nachos (if this a stretch, bring something American).

BRING YOUR FAVORITE GAME

We're gonna play some board and card games, so bring your favorite game(s). As an added twist, you could bring your favorite "international" game like Parcheesi.

BRING A FRIEND

Yep, this is a great week to invite a friend to hang out. The fun of the night will be meeting new people and getting to know each other better, so definitely invite some friends for those "party games" you'll be bringing. If you've wanted to check us out, this is your opportunity to come and just have some fun.

WHAT: International Game Night
WHO: Everyone Welcome (games for all ages)
WHEN: Tuesday, September 15 @ 6:30pm
WHERE: Powell Home [map/directions]

Check out and/or RSVP for the Facebook event here.
Read more about Fun & Game Nights here.

Friday, September 11, 2009 Join Us For Combined Worship – September 13

Although we have not yet launched our public worship gatherings, you are invited to join us for a combined worship gathering with our Helena sponsor church, Big Sky Fellowship [map/directions].

A group of us from Encounter will be leading worship there tomorrow on Sunday, September 13 @ 9:30am.

There will be coffee, juice, and donuts waiting. Dress comfortably and bring the whole family.

Check out and/or RSVP for the Facebook event here.

Sunday, September 6, 2009 Dream Team Meeting: Studying Our Compass - Sept 11

If you are a part of the Encounter Church movement, want to be, or just want to find out more...you need join us this Friday!

We will be continuing to discuss building a faith community that engages culture by becoming more fluid. We talked about Orienting By The North Star in our last meeting. This time we'll be looking at what it means to Study Our Compass.

• Worship to some great songs!
• Hear about upcoming news!
• Learn more about what we're doing to launch Encounter!
  
• Eat some FREE pizza! (please RSVP for pizza ordering)
  

If you wanna find out how to get involved and make a difference in Helena or if you just want to check us out, you can join us for some discussion, training, worship, and pizza. Also, we'll have games and videos for the kids during the meeting. We hope to see you this Friday!

WHAT: Dream Team Meeting
WHO: Those who dare to dream
WHEN: Friday, September 11 @ 6:30pm
WHERE: Powell Home [map/directions]

Please RSVP or attend the Facebook Event to let us know how much pizza to order.

Thursday, September 3, 2009 36 Parables Discussion on September 9: Gnobody's Gnome

Our Encounter Discussions are about getting out into public spaces and creating a dialogue. They are an intentional way to meet new friends, build relationship, and engage our community in a casual environment. More than that, you'll have some great conversation about life and faith.

ABOUT 36 PARABLES

This discussion series is based on a selection of 36 short films depicting Jesus' parables in real life and modern settings. Considering that Jesus told these stories so that we could relate them to our everyday lives, we believe that Jesus reveals himself through such common experiences, and we can encounter Him in the most unlikely places.

We challenge you to step beyond safe and routine faith and discover for yourself the deep spiritual truths of these often ordinary stories.

THIS WEEK: GNOBODY'S GNOME

What 'debts' are most difficult for you to forgive? Can you see others' needs over yours?

This week we're examining the short film "Gnobody's Gnome" based on the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant in Matthew 18:15-35. Don't miss this week's discussion at the Staggering Ox this Tuesday, September 8 @ 6:30pm.

JOIN US AND BRING A FRIEND

Each of the five discussions in this series stands on it's own. So even if you're just curious, drop by and bring a friend. Arrive early at 6:00pm and grab a sandwich with us.

Check out the 36 Parables Discussion introduction here.
Check out the Facebook event here.