And now for something completely different: How are you?
Enough heavy theological lifting for a while; let's head in a different, more personal direction: how are you? What's new, what's happening? One purpose for our blog is to help us stay in touch with one another in between actually being together, so let's invest some posting-and-commenting into relational things. No need to argue a point or defend a position here, just let us know "how's by you?"
posted by Brian Emmet @ 5:28 AM
18 Comments:
I'm well; thanks for asking! As I may have already written, Kathy and I have a (for us) busy travel season. She flies out this AM for DEN to do some house-hunting with our daughter Amy, who will relocate to DEN to begin her pediatric residency in June. Kath and I head to Durham NC for both our girls' graduations from grad school in mid-May. Then, back again to Durham in early June for our Katie's wedding, followed by Pete's weddding on July 14. Kath and I celebrate our 30th anniversary on May 21!
I think our church is doing well; we're in a kind of "sending season." Two of our high schoolers took a year between high school and college--one went to a YWAM discipleship training school in Perth, Australia; the other went to work in an AIDS orphanage/schol in Hyderabad, India. Her parents went to visit her in India, and are now seriously praying about making a long-term commitment to that work in India. Another couple went on a World Vision tour to Armenia and Georgia, and still another recently returned from Kenya. Another man in the church, grieved over the violence in Boston, is praying/planning about the possibility of starting a summer camp in/for the city. So that feels like some fruit-bearing, or at least seed-sowing.
Oh, our worship team is about to release a CD of their original music, which we have been singing in church. I will afflict each of you with a personal copy soon!
Brian, how exciting that your church is in a sending season. That tends to be life changing, and good for the sending church. Yeah, Amy. We've talked about our kids before...how proud we are!
Judy and I are enjoying ourselves, experiencing a freedom we haven't known in years. We are definitely not in a sending mode, but trying to build as solid foundation as we possibly can...concentrating now on vision and mission statements. It's been fairly slow, but profitable. Robert, in the near future, I will be sending you a copy of what we are coming up with.
WellSpring has also received a nice amount of financial blessing that could not have come at a better time...yeah, God!
For the sake of time...Erin is doing wonderfully out at Bethel's School of Ministry, and plans to attend 2nd year. Jon and Joanna have been indespensible in helping our church get off the ground. He is still looking for a job, is at peace, and may hear soon (today) about a job he interviewed for recently.
Judy and I have not been in such a place of rest for many years. Life is good, vision is stronger than ever, and we are smelling the roses! Blessings, as always!
Good to hear both of your updates. I was just wondering exactly what you were up to, John.
We are doing well in Costa Rica even though I am writing this from the airport in San Jose as I prepare to board a plane to do a bit of a tour of this blog!
I will be with the Woodruffs through Sunday, have a bit of time in Atlanta with John Duke's group and then drive up to Gatlinburg. (How many of you all will be at Gatlinburg? I am excited to see you!)
Finally, I will head up to see the Thompsons in Canada before heading back here to Kathy and the kids on April 30th.
We are right about in the middle of adding on two rooms and a bathroom to each side of the duplex we both live in and use as a dorm/office. It is starting to take shape and helping us justify the uncomfortability of the process.
All of the kids are doing really well. Josh even got to perform as a drummer with the high school band for Costa Rica's president last night! Nina is developing into a young woman and getting to be quite a flamenco dancer. Joey is a creative, boisterous delight.
Kathy continues to grow and was even corralled into sharing at Hugo Zelaya's church's women's meeting last Sunday. She feels about how Dudley feels about public speaking but it went well.
Above all, I miss you guys. Life is going fast and Kathy and I seem to be realizing more and more how blessed we are that Robert invited us into being a part of you.
We love you and look forward to seeing each of you.
Thanks Brian for keeping this side of bloggsville alive and shifting to personals. It is interesting to note that this is normally the time of the year we get together for some "face" time...previously in Colorado...now in cybespace. Better than nothing but not the same. I do miss the sound of voices, singing, sharing a meal, updating, praying, sharing a tear and the mystery of His presence that supersedes agendas. Just reflecting on valuable times past...blogs are great...they don't replace touch.
There is something deeply sigjnificant and deeply mysterious about being embodied, isn't there? Christ is risen!
Folks...I will be somewhat...maybe even more than that absent this week. I head to an AMiA meeting Tuesday, Gatlinburg Thursday, back to Denver on Saturday...in between, I need to get ready to preach on Sunday. Thanks for your prayers...
Kathy returned from Denver, and had a successful trip: she was out there with Amy, house-hunting, and Amy and her classmate found a really nice condo and closed the deal. Classmate will be the owner, and Amy will board there until Ben's return from Iraq (hopefully by next Feb or March).
Had a nice steak and cigar dinner with Pete last night. Boy, is that great, being with my son more and more as friends and brothers!
Sorry to miss G'burg, and hope it's a great time.
Am I still allowed to visit here from time to time? Hope I did not wear out my welcome.
I'm doing well...just turned in my 3 final papers and a recorded presentation. Finished my TA work on Saturday night, just before my big b-day party. Paul arrived Sunday and left this morning.
My blood pressure has been better, but shot up to 180/97 today while I was running around turning in the papers.
I survived my first year of full-time TA work and PhD studies, but I've got to find a less stressful way to cope next year. Otherwise, I may never make it to the end of the marathon. We are off to Gatlinburg tomorrow morning. Thanks for asking!
Anyone is welcome, as long as he or she behaves him or herself! (wink, wink, smile, smile)
Congratulations on a successful first year, and prayers and encouragements towards finding a "better way" for years 2--??
Lovely Saturday here in New England. Our school's annual jogathon fundraiser is next Saturday, so I had my last long-ish training run today--7 miles. And then I had to go straight to bed for two hours! What a wuss I'm becoming!
Kath and I are looking forward to being with our daughters next weekend in NC for their grad school graduations. We'll fly down Friday and return Monday morning. I know, I know, I'm boasting way too much about this, but we're really happy and proud.
Judy and I throughly enjoyed our time in Gatlinburg. It was great seeing everyone, the teaching was excellent, the worship is getting better each year...far cry from the past. We are flying out to Redding May 20th to surprise Erin as she graduates as a first year student in the Bethel School of Ministry. She will also attend the 2nd year. What a gal!
Please pray we find a suitable facility to meet in....sooner the better. Blessings
Thanks, John--if you have some time, fill us in a bit more on the details of how your new church is going/growing.
Brian, thanks for asking. Wellspring Fellowship is completely off the ground. So much of what we've had to do is satisfying the state and federal requirements for a new corporation (church). We have just completed our Vision Statement and Mission Statement (why do we exist?). We have compiled some sections to flesh out our statements.
We will be working on our by-laws for a good period of time. We want to get it right. We are meeting in houses right now, but looking for a facility that will allow us to breathe. Our worship is wonderful, our sharing has been good, more and more a sense of mission together. I have longed to be a part of a body who is on the same page. Right now, we are.
The challenge of being small is always before us. I am still VP of World Vision Albany...a great opportunity to touch the poor.
A generous amount of money given to the church is keeping us fairly strong in the short term. There is so much more I could expand on, but I don't won't to wear you out.
Would enjoy hearing how others are doing. Blessings!
Happy for you, John! Sounds like there is a very fruitful season ahead. What would you say are the key distinctives of your Vision adn Mission Statements--I'm not asking for the whole load, just a summary that captures what particularly is capturing your own heart. Thanks!
This is a test!
Thanks, John! I apologize to you and the other brothers who darken the door of this blog for not responding sooner. It has been about a month since Brian made this post. I actually wrote a lengthy report on Saturday, but my blog had timed out, and I lost everything! I know that you men know how frustrating that can be!
We are doing well. Life has more or less returned to normal after a very busy, but very good season. What is "normal" by the way? I have been trying to figure that out for years! Perhaps, I should reread the Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee!
The season of activity was punctuated by our daughter, Michelle's, wedding which went outstandingly well! They are a wonderful couple and Michelle seems most suited for the role of a wife and homemaker. She is LOVING it! The following week, Robert came our way and joined us for a couple days and our annual Men's Retreat. That weekend was followed by the Easter week . . . Passover Seder (~ 65 folks), Good Friday Service, and our Easter Pageant. . . all outstanding! Easter dinner included our family and a couple folks from the church, who don't have family in the area. We lingered around the table from about 4:00 until 8:00 that evening, love it!
Eric returns from California, today, where he has been since January with his work. Amy is doing well, and still seeking her special niche in God's Kingdom. She did a powerful monologue at our Good Friday Service . . . Mary at the cross of Jesus. Joy graduates at the end of this month. She applied to four colleges and was accepted by all four; however, only two are offering big bucks, so it looks like she will be attending the Univ. of the Arts in Philly which sweetened the pot with a $18,000 scholarship/grant/etc. financial package. Kyle is completing his junior year and not playing any sports this spring. Both he and Joy will be life-guarding this summer. Joy, in fact, will be a pool manager.
Linda is doing really well. She is working part-time three days a week, which she LOVES. It has regarded some adjustments on our end, but it has all been very positive. I am awed at the way she is interfacing with a number of women who don't yet know Him. I am excited (jealous?) about her witness in the marketplace. Linda and I are more in love than ever! We will be celebrating #34, June 10.
I don't think that I will be making any big trips overseas this year. However, am seriously considering (spelled, praying!) abut traveling to Indonesia in January. Also, Fred and I attended the ARC Conference in Ohio a weekend ago. It was excellent. Greatly enjoyed and appreciated the time.
Guess that's it for now. ERR
Randy, how exciting about Michelle! I know you are a proud papa. I was also thinking how you endured those years of working out the blending of two churches into one. How God has blessed you.
Briefly, Our Vision for Wellspring Fellowship states we are committed to extending the life and power of God's Kingdom in every realm of life throughout Albany and other national and international areas we serve.
Our Mission states we will accomplish our vision in the following way: 1. Through spreading the Good News in power to those outside the church.
2. Through the building of healthy, biblically sound families. 3. Through effective prayer by drawing close to God.
4. Through fostering unity with other believers and churches as a visible sign of our love for one another and our compassion for the Albany area. 5. Through strengthening, encouraging, and educating members of Wellspring Fellowship in their journey of faith so each will be equipped and released to extend God's Kingdom into every sphere of life.
6. Through the establishment of WellSpring Ministries International for the purpose of digging wells of revival all over the world. We have fleshed out each of these six in other documents.
We are obviously ambitious on paper, may we have the will to do it! Love to all....
Thanks, John, and congratulations, Randy and Linda! I appreciated the updates and news from you both. John, may God pour out the Spirit upon Wellspring, that you might be faithful to all that he is entrusting to you!
I ran in my 16th Covenant School jogathon yesterday, and was still good for 30 laps ( = 7.5 miles) in the hour. It's one of those plcaes in life where just keeping even actually feels like making progress!
Post a Comment
<< Home