Here's my April prayer letter for supporters of the ministry. It's a longer one this time, so make sure you don't give up before the end!
'With only two ‘regular’ h2o services left (April 23rd & 30th), it definitely feels like the end of the year is upon us. But as with many endings (which of course are really only beginnings of other things), the activity seems to exponentially increase right up to crossing that finish line, like a runner’s last burst of speed at the end of a long race. In other words, it’s a busy season around here and we want to go out with a bang!
Some of the upcoming events: tomorrow (Thursday the 20th), we are hosting at Billy’s house perhaps my favorite few hours of the year. It’s the annual Passover Seder dinner, and it’s grown so popular that this year we’ve had to limit attendance to ‘invitation-only’ due to space constraints. We set up low tables, as close as we can simulate to a traditional Jewish setting, down in a lower room in the house, light candles, and have people gather ‘round on pillows. Lamb is served of course, along with any other ‘kosher’ dish (meaning no yeast, no dairy products, and a number of other restrictions). We are led through the significance of each part of the meal by an awesome guy, Jerry Haynes, who is a friend of ours and who leads Seders all over the country (and he says Morgantown is one of his favorite places to do it!). It’s truly a remarkable experience, and it greatly increases one’s knowledge of Jewish history AND how Christ fulfilled all the prophecies about himself, ultimately as becoming the Passover lamb. I’m greatly looking forward to this special night.
The following day, Friday the 21st, our next-to-last ‘regular’ open mic of the year will take place at the Waterhouse, and I’m particularly excited about this one because I’m debuting a few songs I co-wrote with my friend Ryan Huffman. Ryan is an artist as well as a ‘lyrical poet,’ and he’s put together two booklets of his ‘lyrics’ or poems that he has graciously let me read, and I’ve been putting a few of them to music. I’ve mentioned Ryan before as a great friend and leader, and now I want to let you know that he also has come on staff with GCM as a part-time intern as he finishes school. So please pray for him as he raises support and continues to serve in our faith community.
Also on Friday is my friend J. Nicholson’s CD release concert at Chestnut Ridge Church. I make note of it because, for one, he’s my friend and I’m proud of him (he hired a producer in Nashville and recorded the tracks professionally down there over the last year) and also because he’s the first recording artist in our fellowship to put out a CD under the name ‘Deepwater Media Group.’ DMG is a project of Chestnut Ridge and h2o that has been in the works for years and is now taking shape through things like J.’s CD and monthly gatherings called genesisarts community where artists in various fields have discussions and workshops. I’ve written a little about Deepwater Media in my latest blog (kingfriend.blogspot.com), in previous prayer letters, and I’m sure I’ll write more on it in the future. I’m thrilled to use my songwriting in community this way. I may get to offer a few songs for J.’s next CD! Please pray for Deepwater Media as we grow and seek to utilize the arts to express God’s amazing story of which we’re all a part.
Okay, so we’re up to Saturday, the 22nd! Some of the h2o worship band and I are going to Alderson Broaddus College in Philippi, WV to lead worship for Omega, a West Virginia American Baptist day-event for youth from all over the state. My sister Colleen is on the Youth Ministry Planning Team responsible for such events, and when she asked us to do this I was so happy to be a part of it in this way (I used to go to Omega every year in high school and then was on the planning team my senior year just like my sister!). Please pray for our safe travel and that we inspire the youth to experience God in rich, authentic worship.
When we get back Saturday evening, many of us will go to Billy’s house for the Mustache Bash, h2o’s spring party. Last year we did the Napoleon Dynamite party, which turned out to be quite a hit because of all the thought put into the themed decorations and activities. We’re hoping this will be just as fun. (If you’re wondering, basically the Mustache Bash is just an excuse to get together, eat and have fun. The ‘plus’ is that we’ve been encouraging guys to grow facial hair to reveal some crazy mustache that night, and for anybody else, including gals, to come up with some creative way to wear a mustache. There will be prizes in many different categories.) Please pray for the leadership team as we get everything together to make this happen, and pray for the students who attend h2o to invite people out to a positive environment where it’s okay to be a little silly. J
Then of course we have the last 2 h2os, this Sunday and next, and we really want them to be memorable and full of energy (which can be tough when your leadership team is already tired from writing end-of-semester papers and studying for final exams!). So please pray that we end on a high note; these last services are usually some of the best-attended of the semester. We will actually continue h2o into the summer for the first time ever this year, so praise God! The summer services will be more like our ‘h2o unplugged’ services we sometimes have due to lower attendance, but there is a team of people who will be here over the break and so I’m glad for continuity’s sake that we’re doing this. Pray that whoever is in town will continue the fellowship with this community during this time and that we can plan some great things for the fall semester.
Some of the upcoming events: tomorrow (Thursday the 20th), we are hosting at Billy’s house perhaps my favorite few hours of the year. It’s the annual Passover Seder dinner, and it’s grown so popular that this year we’ve had to limit attendance to ‘invitation-only’ due to space constraints. We set up low tables, as close as we can simulate to a traditional Jewish setting, down in a lower room in the house, light candles, and have people gather ‘round on pillows. Lamb is served of course, along with any other ‘kosher’ dish (meaning no yeast, no dairy products, and a number of other restrictions). We are led through the significance of each part of the meal by an awesome guy, Jerry Haynes, who is a friend of ours and who leads Seders all over the country (and he says Morgantown is one of his favorite places to do it!). It’s truly a remarkable experience, and it greatly increases one’s knowledge of Jewish history AND how Christ fulfilled all the prophecies about himself, ultimately as becoming the Passover lamb. I’m greatly looking forward to this special night.
The following day, Friday the 21st, our next-to-last ‘regular’ open mic of the year will take place at the Waterhouse, and I’m particularly excited about this one because I’m debuting a few songs I co-wrote with my friend Ryan Huffman. Ryan is an artist as well as a ‘lyrical poet,’ and he’s put together two booklets of his ‘lyrics’ or poems that he has graciously let me read, and I’ve been putting a few of them to music. I’ve mentioned Ryan before as a great friend and leader, and now I want to let you know that he also has come on staff with GCM as a part-time intern as he finishes school. So please pray for him as he raises support and continues to serve in our faith community.
Also on Friday is my friend J. Nicholson’s CD release concert at Chestnut Ridge Church. I make note of it because, for one, he’s my friend and I’m proud of him (he hired a producer in Nashville and recorded the tracks professionally down there over the last year) and also because he’s the first recording artist in our fellowship to put out a CD under the name ‘Deepwater Media Group.’ DMG is a project of Chestnut Ridge and h2o that has been in the works for years and is now taking shape through things like J.’s CD and monthly gatherings called genesisarts community where artists in various fields have discussions and workshops. I’ve written a little about Deepwater Media in my latest blog (kingfriend.blogspot.com), in previous prayer letters, and I’m sure I’ll write more on it in the future. I’m thrilled to use my songwriting in community this way. I may get to offer a few songs for J.’s next CD! Please pray for Deepwater Media as we grow and seek to utilize the arts to express God’s amazing story of which we’re all a part.
Okay, so we’re up to Saturday, the 22nd! Some of the h2o worship band and I are going to Alderson Broaddus College in Philippi, WV to lead worship for Omega, a West Virginia American Baptist day-event for youth from all over the state. My sister Colleen is on the Youth Ministry Planning Team responsible for such events, and when she asked us to do this I was so happy to be a part of it in this way (I used to go to Omega every year in high school and then was on the planning team my senior year just like my sister!). Please pray for our safe travel and that we inspire the youth to experience God in rich, authentic worship.
When we get back Saturday evening, many of us will go to Billy’s house for the Mustache Bash, h2o’s spring party. Last year we did the Napoleon Dynamite party, which turned out to be quite a hit because of all the thought put into the themed decorations and activities. We’re hoping this will be just as fun. (If you’re wondering, basically the Mustache Bash is just an excuse to get together, eat and have fun. The ‘plus’ is that we’ve been encouraging guys to grow facial hair to reveal some crazy mustache that night, and for anybody else, including gals, to come up with some creative way to wear a mustache. There will be prizes in many different categories.) Please pray for the leadership team as we get everything together to make this happen, and pray for the students who attend h2o to invite people out to a positive environment where it’s okay to be a little silly. J
Then of course we have the last 2 h2os, this Sunday and next, and we really want them to be memorable and full of energy (which can be tough when your leadership team is already tired from writing end-of-semester papers and studying for final exams!). So please pray that we end on a high note; these last services are usually some of the best-attended of the semester. We will actually continue h2o into the summer for the first time ever this year, so praise God! The summer services will be more like our ‘h2o unplugged’ services we sometimes have due to lower attendance, but there is a team of people who will be here over the break and so I’m glad for continuity’s sake that we’re doing this. Pray that whoever is in town will continue the fellowship with this community during this time and that we can plan some great things for the fall semester.
Speaking of summer, as I mentioned last time, my (and Sarah’s) summer will be spent in Wilmington, NC at GCM’s ‘Leadership Training’ or LT. We have a few students from WVU and Fairmont State attending it, so we’re pumped about that! So what is LT? Well, basically it’s 10 weeks of intense fellowship and faith-stretching training. It very much reflects some of the values of which I’ve written before: ‘soul connection’ and ‘faith ventures.’ Students will get jobs in Wilmington, either at hotels and grocery stores or something in their major. They will live in apartment buildings together and meet in small groups through the week. They will receive training in the Word and evangelism, among other church leadership qualities. They will have many opportunities to share their faith and grow in their walks with Christ. Sarah and I will help facilitate the program in any we can, whether it’s listening to and ‘counseling’ students through their experiences, leading worship times, or just offering an encouraging word. I’ve seen students come back from LT with a fire and passion they didn’t previously have, and so I’m so excited to be a part of this life-change.
As I close this letter, I have a special request for each of you who support GCM for my staff position or have supported in the past: I need to raise funds for the cost of the program as well as living expenses for Sarah’s and my participation in LT. It comes to between two and three thousand dollars. I would like each of you to consider sending in an additional gift to GCM in May, beyond what you already give or have given. If you give monthly, consider giving a double amount in May. If you give with some other frequency, please consider how much you may be able to send in during May. If all of you who read/receive this letter give something, this need will easily be met. Thank you for your faithfulness and generosity! Contact me by e-mail, letter or phone if you have any questions.
As I close this letter, I have a special request for each of you who support GCM for my staff position or have supported in the past: I need to raise funds for the cost of the program as well as living expenses for Sarah’s and my participation in LT. It comes to between two and three thousand dollars. I would like each of you to consider sending in an additional gift to GCM in May, beyond what you already give or have given. If you give monthly, consider giving a double amount in May. If you give with some other frequency, please consider how much you may be able to send in during May. If all of you who read/receive this letter give something, this need will easily be met. Thank you for your faithfulness and generosity! Contact me by e-mail, letter or phone if you have any questions.
In Christ,
Cameron'
2 comments:
camkins...you should post about the night commute.
Okay. Colkins.
Post a Comment