Vacation!!

So, we got back a couple of weeks ago from a much needed vacation! We haven’t done anything like this since before we moved to Rochester, so it was nice. We hung out in Florida at the New Smyrna Beach (just below Daytona) in a house that we rented with Josh and Kara.

I ended up sitting around and reading through two books ( I highly recommend both, by the way): Leaving Church by Barbara Brown Taylor and Sex God by Rob Bell. Barbara has slways been one of my favorite authors since reading her book The Preaching Life in college. She is truly a master of words, because she doesn't just write, she paints grand tapestries with her stories. Anyone who hasn't read her books should go out and pick up anything she's written. You won't be disappointed! So, I’m now on the search to pick up some new reading before the final Harry Potter comes out- any recommendations?

We also watched the entire second season of The Office! It has become one of my favorite shows. (like I need another one) So if you don't need another show, then don't watch it. You'll be hooked!!!

Also, a couple of interesting things happened on this trip. First, Genna began crawling! As you can see from the previous video, she’s still a little shaky, but has now realized that she can grab that toy, even though it is across the room. This is a bittersweet milestone for her parents, for it is a signal that she is learning and growing up which is exciting, as well as fear that she can get into all sorts of things that she couldn’t before. I’m thinking of investing in one of those prison ankle tracking bracelets . . . .

And Genna also knows her first word! She now proudly greets everyone around her with an emphatic “Hi” while waving her arms around wildly. As much as I would’ve liked her first word to be “dada”, it’s incredibly cute.

More to come. . .

Genna at the beach!

Genna had just learned to crawl only a day or two before this video. She's discovering the sand! I promise, something serious to read will be coming soon!

Day at the Zoo

Genna's first trip to the Zoo. Don't let her face fool you . . . she had a great time! And so did Mommy and Daddy.

She didn't mind the snakes . . .

or a conversation with a lion . . . .

But her favorite animal was Grandpa!

INDULGE ME PART 2

Just a few random pictures of Genna and her not-so-normal family . . .

Easter Sunday

This year, Easter was truly inspired! It was, so far, a highlight of worship at the Rochester Church of Christ.

Something that has become a new tradition for us here at Rochester is bringing flowers to place on the crosses during worship. We place two crosses wrapped in chicken wire at the front of the stage. During communion, families and members come forward and place a flower into the cross. It's incredible to see the cross, a symbol of death, be transformed into a symbol of new life! Families take pictures together next to the newly-decorated crosses.

Next, we had a special guest from Jinja, Uganda. Her name is Ida and is a native of Jinja, a leader at the church there, and friends with many of our missionaries who live or used to live there. She and Sara Barton re-read the story of the resurrection from the Gospel of John. But all of the dialog between Jesus, Mary, and the disciples were translated and read in Ida's native language Lusoga. To hear it read in such a way really communicated that the resurrection was a universal event!

And instead of an 8 member praise team, we had 20 member choir. The sound was just awesome! we sang songs like "The Power of the Cross", "For All You've Done", "In Chrsit Alone" and "Worthy Is The Lamb", but they took on a whole new meaning when sung with a choir. It was off the charts!

I thank all who were involved. We couldn't have done it without all who sacrificed and worked to make it such a blessed day. I still get overwhelmingly positive comments about that Sunday! I know that He was blessed!

-chris

Catching up!

I need to catch up! A LOT has gone on in the last month or so! But to keep all my thoughts organized, I'll post them separately!

First of all, Watershed finally released the new praise and worship album "I Know You Love Me". It is a collection of some of our most requested songs along with a few new ones. I love to the way Everyday turned out! It makes the perfect opener for this album! Another one I'm excited about is "At the Cross" from Hillsong. Darlene Zschech and Reuben Morgan know how to write a song! It is the inspiration behind the title of the album. The lyrics say, "Even when I fail You . . . .In every season . . . . I KNOW YOU LOVE ME". WOW!!But its the bridge is what really gets me in the song . . . "You tore the veil, You made a way, when You said that it is done."

Anyway, if you haven't heard it yet, go to Watershed's Myspace or Shoutlife to hear a couple of the tracks. They are also available for purchase at our webstore at www.watershedworship.com.

Check it out and tell me what you think!

-chris

Megachurches are Desegregating on Sunday Mornings

We just got back from a youth rally in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It was a great weekend! As we led worship at the churc on sunday, us guys noticed two men in booths in the balcony. we asked later about what those guys were doing there (the sound and video was in a booth on the main floor). The church said that have two translators for their worship gatherings: one for Spanish and one for Chinese! Members whose first language isn't English can pick up a headset and hear what is being said and/or sung via these translators. In my opinion, this is a HUGE step in reaching out and becoming a church that knows no borders. It goes beyond language and race and states that the good news of the kingdom is for everyone!

As I was thinking about this today, I stumbled upon this article on Yahoo. Now, you can deride megachurches all you want, but new research shows that they're more racially diverse, finally beginning to overturn the assertion that Sunday morning is the most segregated hour of the week. In one-third of megachurches minorities make up 20% or more of the congregation. It's a small start, but a welcome one.

To read more, click here.

Link

or just copy and paste it: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070220/ap_on_re_us/megachurches_race