Summer Fun & Concert at Memorial Park

The Summer Fun & Concert at the Park on July 14 was an amazing success in reaching out to our community!

With the help of our friends at Big Sky and Kingsland, there were two loud and edgy bands (including the Encounter band), a rock climbing wall for all ages, kids bouncy jumpers, and free cotton candy, snow cones, and popcorn.

Check out all the Summer Countdown photos here.

We saw between 700 to 1000 people come out — which is really awesome considering we had to hold the event during Alive@Five at another park at the very same time! Furthermore, I overheard a lot of great comments from people surprised that a church would do such a thing for FREE.

I mean, we had some great music and everything was free. We probably handed out another 300 flyers for our first Sneak Peek Worship Gathering during the event and there were a number of people asking where and when we meet.

Servolution in Helena 2010

Servolution 2010 is a effort of churches and organizations around the world to "Share God's Love and Change Lives Through Simple Acts of Kindness" from March 26 to April 2.

HOSPITAL ER

Realizing that many ER nurses and doctors work crazy long and exhausting hours, we wanted to thank them, bless them, and let them know God cares. So "Servolution at Encounter" focused on faculty and staff of St. Peter's Hospital Emergency Room.

The gift basket was a big hit in the ER. As we brought in the collected items one nurse said "It's like Christmas!" We we able to collect donations of home-made goodies, mixed snacks, chocolates, energy drinks, waters, lotions, gourmet bread and of course, our signature Tootsie Pops.

EASTER EGG HUNT & CARNIVAL

To take an active part in helping, a group of us from Encounter also volunteered for the largest Easter Egg Hunt & Carnival in the North Helena Valley. In assisting our sponsor church, Big Sky Fellowship, we were there especially setting up the the large and small kids' bouncers. The final report is that nearly 800 people had an awesome time!

HOSPITALITY BASKETS FOR YWCA

To finish off our efforts for Servolution 2010, we delivered more baskets. We've previously put together YWCA Hospitality Baskets for new women staying at the Helena YWCA Home for Women.

This Monday after Easter, we delivered as many additional baskets as we could collect and put together, and the YWCA was very appreciative and stressed how special the baskets have been for their new residents since October!

View the Picasa slideshow here
View the photos on Facebook here

Good Friday FWD at Encounter

Wow, what an amazing night! Our very first Good Friday gathering called Good Friday FWD was both an "impactful" and "meaningful" evening according to those who attended.

The live acoustic-style set featured violin, guitar, and piano with songs like Nothing But The Blood, Love Is Here, and Mighty To Save.

The focus of the evening was the power of forgiveness and cleansing in the blood of Christ. More specifically, we described how the blood of Jesus Christ flowed from seven places.

Jesus bled from His head.

There are thoughts thoughts that we might not want to face up to, because of what we've seen or heard. We asked people to touch the crown of thorns and imagine how His head was beaten. His blood cleanses you of those thoughts.

The blood poured from His back.

There are times when we’ve turned our back and walked away from Jesus. At this station, we asked people to turn their back to the cross on the wall and imagine how Jesus was whipped with shards of bone and metal until His back was raw. His blood covers the times when you've turn your back on Him.

Spikes were driven through the bloody hands of Jesus.

There is stuff that you ought not to have handled and things you ought not to have done. We asked people to place your hands in the red paint and leave their mark on the wall. Imagine the spikes driven through Jesus’ hands and know that His blood cleanses you.

Blood and water poured from Jesus' side.

There are times when you harbor sins such as bitterness and anger in your gut. At this station, We asked that people write a sin, challenge, or struggle on a slip of paper and slide it into the bowl of thick red liquid. Imagine how the spear was thrust into Jesus’ side and give thanks that even our deepest sins are cleansed and forgiven through the blood of Christ.

Jesus bled as the spikes were driven through His feet.

There are paths you ought not have walked and places you ought not have been. At this station, people followed the lighted path outlined on the floor. Knowing that the spikes were driven through Jesus’ feet and into the cross, we can give thanks that He continues to draw us back to His path through forgiveness and grace.

His Body, His Blood, & The Resurrection

The evening included communion – an examination of how Jesus' body was broken and His blood was poured out. And because Encounter will be focusing on "being the church" on Easter instead of gathering for a service, the evening concluded with a look at the resurrection – that Jesus is the Light of the world. We each lit candles and from the Christ candle to represent how Jesus’ light spreads from Him, then to us, and then to all the world.

View the Picasa slideshow here
View all the photos on Facebook here

Serving at God's Love Homeless Shelter

What a great turnout yesterday at God's Love Homeless Shelter! About 12 people arrived to help prepare a Scalloped Macaroni & Ham dish for those staying at God's Love.

It was crowded — a real case of "too many cooks in the kitchen." So several of us found ways to talk to and encourage those stating at the shelter as well as root on our favorite football team (insert Colts or Jets here).

As usual for God's Love, a line began to form about 4pm and we prayed for the meal as a group. We served up around 80 helpings of the Scalloped Macaroni dish and still have some left over to serve another lunch meal this week.

We just want to thank those who came out to help and to make a difference in our community. Thanks to Aaron McNay for heading up the "chef" duties and those that purchased items for the day. We also want to thank Vann's Thriftway for donating near half the food items for the recipe.

You can find all the great photos on Facebook here.
Check out a Picasa slideshow here.

Untamed Truth: Night of Worship & Art

It seems that Untamed Truth: A Night of Worship & Art was a success! The place was packed with over 50 people. It's about all the place will hold so it was standing room only.

Despite that, it was a nice relaxed atmosphere and the band did great. Had a little snafu with sound system so we started a little late, but not a big deal.

There was some awesome poetry readings by Amber Olsson and Andrik Powell. There was also an amazing sketch artist, Andrew Giulio, who created an art piece the whole time. Just met him last week and just found out that he's legally blind and color blind. Wow!

People were also given a chance to create small artistic expressions throughout the night and then post them in a collage by the end of the night. I think people really got a opportunity to connect with one another and encounter God's creativity.

We heard a lot of comments that the music sounded amazing, the environment was so relaxed, people enjoyed themselves, and I hope they took away something about God's life-giving creativity.




You can find all the great photos on Facebook here.
Check out a Picasa slideshow here.

This night was a entry point and kickoff for a regular small to mid group gathering we'll be having every other week called Friday Night FWD. We are already looking for musicians to get involved in one or more gatherings. It starts on December 4, so we could really use your prayer. So many people around here will come to an "event" like a Sunday morning service or a night of worship. But it is much more difficult help people connect for some ongoing spiritual growth.

Untamed Truth: Our God Is A Creative God

There is a deep connection between the creativity we express as humans 
and the creativity of God.

Because our God is a creative God.

And as “image-bearers” of God, as people who are created in His image, we too possess in all of us the ability to be creative.

But here is the problem.

In ancient times people thought of creativity not as something that someone had, but as something someone received from God as inspiration. To allow the creative spirit of God move through you. But we've lost sight of the potential for creativity that God places within us. We've become tamed, we've become civilized, and we've settled for status quo.

But Jesus challenged the status quo. He took Old Testament concepts and unleashed them with New Testament truths. He said this is the way you have been taught, but I offer a better way — a way that leads to an abundant life.

The problem is that we have begun to think of creativity as something that we ourselves possess. We've begun to say that person IS creative, rather than seeing creativity as a gift that flows through us as a vessel or conduit.

And it's unfortunate that we have done the same with our spiritual lives.

We look at good and Godly attributes and we begin to think of them as something we can possess. As something we can create in our personalities, rather than a gift of God that flows through us, as we are surrendered to His Spirit. We have selfishly begun to rely on our own will power to muster up these attributes. We rely in our own ability and we become prideful.

We can't do it on our own.

True creativity, true love, true relationships, and true freedom come through God's working in our life. It comes as we surrender to Jesus and allow His Spirit to create something new in our life — to make a new creation. So if you feel tamed, if you feel caged, if you feel like you've been chained by life as we know it — it's time to stop relying on yourself.

Remember that our God is a creative God.

Jesus specializes in creatively bringing new life from brokenness and helplessness. So lift up your hands and let him unchain you from the things in life you so desperately want to escape. Experience His creativity as He forms you anew from the inside out.