C3 Prayer Partners

March 30th

2011-03-30T12:08:00.000-07:00

Ed Winegar is an elder at our sister church, Current, and one of our Trustees at C3, which means he has poured himself into a lot of the decisions that have we have made so far in this planting adventure. I just received word that Ed's father passed away last night- I hope you'll join me in praying for this family as they deal with the pain that comes from loss and separation.

Thank you so much,

Jeff

2010-10-21T14:00:00.000-07:00

Hey there!

I know- it's been a LONG time! The gang at C3 have been keeping busy over the past few months with new stuff for Kids Crossing, our very first family camp, and 3 new small groups!

But elaborating on those things will have to wait for another post. My reason for writing today is to ask you to pray for the co-worker of one of our great volunteers, Judi. This is her request:

My colleague, Jack Parker, was rushed to the hospital this morning and was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis. He is in very critical condition. Jack is one of those guys that you just can't help but love. He is near and dear to everyone at Legacy. Please pray for his recovery. The next 24-48 hours are critical. Also pray for all of us who have been in contact with him over the past week.

I will update when I get news. In the meantime, thank you for praying!

In Him,

Jeff

March 9th

2010-03-09T06:50:00.000-08:00

Thank you all so much for praying for our friends who are adopting four beautiful children from Haiti. Rose, Wally, Steve and Lily are all at home in Findlay, OH with Mark and Kim now! Even more amazing, all the children who were waiting to be processed at the embassy have been cleared and are with their adoptive families. What an amazing praise!

On a different note, I hope you will join us in praying for some of our good friends from Grace Christian Church- Danny and Betty Reed. Danny's health has been deteriorating and Betty is his primary care giver. Please pray with us that strength and peace will continue to flood the Reed house.

And finally, we are rejoicing that as Easter Sunday approaches, C3 will be celebrating our first birthday since we held our "public launch"! We are all very excited about this milestone in our young church's history, and look forward to where our great God is taking us from here. We would be honored if you would join us in praising Him for bringing us this far, and pray with us that Convergence Christian Church will continue to follow in His steps.

Thank you so very much for partnering with us in prayer!

In Him We Live,

Jeff

Feb. 1st

2010-02-01T06:23:00.001-08:00

Hey there!

Just a quick note to update you on the progress of our friends, Mark and Kim Kintner.

I mentioned in our Jan. 20th post that for the last three years, they have been in the process of adopting four children from Haiti. Not long after the earthquake, Kim was able to get into the country to help at the orphanage where the children are. This was welcomed assistance, as many of the regular workers are Haitian, and left after the quake to search for their families.

In the midst of the multiple aftershocks, many of the buildings in the orphanage and at the Lashbrook mission were damaged beyond repair. They have been forced to demolish both the school and the church building, so continued prayer is needed as they seek to rebuild. The damage to dwellings also meant that the children were living outside under tarps.

At the time of the earthquake, there were 41 children who were in various stages of the adoption process at the orphanage. These children, along with the adoptive parents like Kim who were able to make the trip, traveled 150 miles by bus on Jan. 30th to the embassy in Haiti to have all their paperwork processed for the trip to the U.S. The trip was very long, but they arrived and were able to set up camp inside the embassy grounds, which is a much safer environment than the rest of Port Au Prince is currently experiencing.

At this point, I know that five of the children have been processed and released to be reunited with there adoptive parents in the states. Mark, who has been working tirelessly stateside filing papers and fighting for their release, traveled to Miami today to await what he is praying will be a timely reunion with Kim, Steve, Lily, Wally, and Rose.

Please join us in praying that the prime minister will be moved to expedience in signing the papers that will officially allow all 36 children who remain at the embassy permission to come home. And please join us in praying for the Lashbrook family, who remain in Haiti, ministering with the people there, and for the other children. The 41 kids who may be united with new families soon represent just a part of the group who live at the orphanage- they all need families.

Thank you for partnering with us in prayer- God is faithful, and can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine!

In Him we live,

Jeff

Jan. 20th

2010-01-20T06:21:00.000-08:00

Prayer partners,

Thanks for stopping in! As we begin this week, Haiti is a central focus of prayer for everyone who believes that God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.

I'd also like to ask you to join us in praying for the sale of Randy's house. It has been empty for a while, which has attracted the attention of some vandals. Thus far, all damage has been repairable, but he would really like to see it become a home again to someone.

I often have prayer requests shared with me that are of a more private nature. This week, I have two such requests, and I hope you will join me in praying for God's will to be done in the lives of these people. One of the amazing and wonderful aspects of prayer is that we don't need to have details in order to bring something to our Creator- He knows already!

Finally, please join us in praying for Mark and Kim. They are good friends from Ohio who have been in the process of adopting 4 beautiful children from Haiti for the past three years. In the aftermath of the recent earthquake, governments have made some decisions that may very well allow Mark and Kim to finally bring their kids home. Kim works with a university campus house in Ohio that is sending herself and a team to Haiti to bring supplies and support to the mission/orphanage while Mark continues to fight state-side to secure all the appropriate approvals to bring the children into the U.S. Please pray for safety and for open doors!

Thank you for partnering with us in prayer!

In Him we live,

Jeff

Jan. 12th

2010-01-12T08:50:00.000-08:00

Hey there!

Thanks for stopping by! Things at C3 have been pretty busy for the past month or so, and I would like to catch you up on some of the "love, live, serve" news:

Memorial Parkway Jr. High has turned out to be a fantastic place to meet- the school district has been extremely gracious hosts and having a space like their "mini" auditorium has allowed us room to grow while still being able to maintain a more cozy atmosphere than a typical school "cafetorium" setup allows. I am always hesitant to throw out numbers, because they don't give the whole story, but I will say that Convergence has experienced what I think would be considered healthy numerical growth since our move into the school. Our Christmas Eve gathering was the most folks we've so far assembled together for corporate worship, and it was a wonderful time! I hope you'll join us in praising God for this blessing, because it's all about what He's done!

But growth happens in more ways than numbers, and one of the most exciting things we've gotten to see this Fall has been the beginning of Taste of Community groups for both our adults and our high schoolers. The goal is to provide more opportunities for people to get to know each other, grow and live in community. Our format is a twist on the traditional idea of home groups, and frankly I wasn't sure how folks would respond to this "experiment," but so far the response has been very positive. Currently we have about 60% of our adults participating in a T.O.C. group, and hope to introduce new options by Spring.

The most consistently unexpected and amazing part of C3 has been our children's ministry, Kids Crossing. Keeping up with the needs of this group on Sunday mornings has been a challenge, because we consistently have almost as many kiddos as adults! But what a reason to praise God! He has taken care of us and has provided some great organizational leadership in Kerri, and a crew of amazing servant-volunteers.

I hope you will join us in praising God for what He's already done, and praying with us that we will be attentive and open to His leading for Convergence Christian Church in 2010.

Thank you, thank you, for partnering in prayer with us!

In Him we live,

Jeff

December 1st

2009-12-01T06:36:00.000-08:00

Halloooo! Glad you stopped by!

First, many thanks for your prayers for me as I preached at Memorial C.C. a few weeks ago- we had a great time together unpacking God's Word!

This past week, C3 had our first "Family Sunday," and it was a blast! Our kiddos stayed with us the whole time as we sang, read a great story (thanks Kerri!) partnered up for a group activity and looked at why Isaiah called Jesus "Wonderful Counselor." It was a treat to see what can happen when we are together all morning as a multi-generational community. Our next Family Sunday will be the on December 27th- Please join us in praying about it!

One of our other big praises this past month was the completion of another fence project. This one was for a single mom who has two younger children. Her home backs up to a "greenbelt," which is essentially a long, open strip of undeveloped land that often facilitates utilities or drainage for a neighborhood. Although the majority of her far back fence was missing, there were new posts already set. This made it possible for us to finish the entire fencing repair in a just a couple of hours.

Jobs like this aren't complicated, but they are labor-intensive and can seem overwhelming if you are facing them by yourself. There are many people in our communities that feel like they don't have anyone to turn to for help. As His people, we all have amazing opportunities to show the love of Christ in practical ways. I hope you will pray with us for new openings to serve the world!

Finally, please pray for our friend, Kim P. She is in the hospital as the doctors try to deal with excessive fluid around her heart. These terrific doctors need the wisdom of the Great Physician.

In Him we live,

Jeff

2009-11-01T19:05:00.000-08:00

From Brenda - please pray:

1. is our HS Choir director, was in the hospital for sever chest pains...we have a major concert on Friday...Mr. D.

2. A board member/choir dad, Joe S. fell down a flight of stairs in Austin, he had to have surgery to releave pressure on his brain...could be perminant damage.

3. My co-worker Maira...went in for a follow up appt for possible breast cancer.

October 27

2009-10-27T19:30:00.000-07:00

Hey gang

This week I've been preaching a revival in the evenings at Memorial Christian Church here in Houston. Tomorrow is the final night of the revival and I have a favor to ask of you: will you join me in praying for tomorrow night's gathering? I really want to get out of the way and let God speak. Please pray for everyone who will be there, that they will have ears to hear what He has to say to them.

I'm so grateful for your partnership in prayer!

In Him we live,

Jeff

October 20

2009-10-20T12:05:00.001-07:00

Things are scooting right along at C3, and I'm grateful you've stopped in to pray with us!

First, I want to follow up the last post with an update on our children's ministry, Kids Crossing: As I mentioned last time, we've had to expand things to handle the influx of kiddos over the last few months (this is a great problem to have!) and I asked you to pray about our volunteer situation. I'm happy to report that our ministry director, Kerri, just finished a new schedule that successfully places volunteers in all the most needed positions! Prayer is still needed for a few more volunteers to get us to the ideal number of workers each week, but we no longer have "holes" in the area of lead teachers each week.

I'm also excited to let you know that two new families, the Queen's and the Potter's, have recently joined C3. It's awesome to have them on this journey, and I suppose the greatest praise for me is that they felt so welcome. I hope you'll join us in praying that Convergence continues to be a group that feels like family and a place that feels like home to people that are searching.

Another one of our friends who recently came to C3 is Randy. He has asked us to pray for a single mom named Sherry, as well as for her kids. God is big enough to know what they need without any details here- please join us in praying for them.

Finally, I always appreciate your prayers for myself and the other leaders at Convergence as we strive to make decisions and live in a way that consistently honors Christ. On a personal note, I will be preaching four nights across town next week at Memorial Christian Church starting on Sunday evening the 25th through Wednesday evening the 28th, and I would be grateful if you would pray for those gatherings!

Thank you for partnering with us in prayer!

In Him we live,

Jeff

September 28

2009-09-28T06:15:00.000-07:00

Hey there!

September has been a great month for Convergence!

In my last update, I mentioned that we opened up an area for little ones and had a "test drive." Since that time, we've had to expand Kids Crossing to include an area for younger kiddos each week. Right now we would be delighted if you would pray about volunteers- it's a great problem when you have as many kids as adults, but we still need to make sure we have enough workers!

Overall, C3 has seen steady growth for the months of August and September, which is a terrific praise. I am always hesitant to publish numbers, but I will say that we now have on average about 15 more people coming each Sunday than we had from March-July. If you want a more specific update, please feel free to email me: jeffh@loveliveserve.org

The combination of this growth has also required us to purchase additional equipment, which means that we finally needed a trailer! The fact that we were able to get along so well without one for this long is a testimony to the dedication of our core team, who faithfully stored and transported stuff each week for months- those guys are awesome!

Finally, Prayer Partners: Thank you for your faithful partnership with C3! Nothing that has happened in the life of Convergence Christian Church has happened without prayer. Your support has been amazing, and beyond value!

In Him We Live,

Jeff

Aug. 16th

2009-08-16T19:02:00.000-07:00

Thanks for praying for Convergence!

In my last update, I asked everyone to pray for our event called "Flight Night," and it was an amazing evening! We actually had over 40 people show up to throw Frisbees (and an Aerobie that went a LONG way!), footballs, boomerangs and several gliders while others launched air-powered rockets and took turns flying kites and an r.c. helicopter. We had a picnic together, and then had the Diet Coke/ Mentos extravaganza, which was probably the all-around favorite part of the event. The weather was gorgeous, and people hung out until dark. Much fun!

I also wanted to let everyone know that Chris Woods' uncle Ed lost his battle a few weeks ago. Please keep on praying for the whole family as they grieve their loss. Your prayers matter!

Finally, I wanted to share a little about our August 9th worship gathering. It was a pretty exciting day for us because we needed to open an area for toddlers. The kiddos were visiting from a bit of a distance (don't worry- they didn't come by themselves), so we knew it would only be last week, but it gave us a great opportunity to "test drive" what that ministry will look like when we need to offer it on a regular basis- good stuff.

In all, we had 13 first time visitors on the 9th, which was also a great adventure! Pleas keep on lifting us up to the Father- He is doing some really great things at C3 and I'm stoked to be a part of it!

In Him We Live,

Jeff

July 17th

2009-07-17T17:44:00.000-07:00

Hi there!

I hope your week has gone well! We've been keeping busy and getting ready for our first annual "Flight Night" coming up this Sunday, July 19th. Everyone is invited to join us in the open field located at the corner of Lariat Canyon and Fry Rd. in Katy, starting at 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Bring a picnic supper, some friends, and anything that flies. We'll hang out together, play a bit, and celebrate our "launch" as a new church! I really hope you'll join us!

While we are looking forward to sharing a fun night together, the C3 family also continues to pray for Chris Woods' uncle Ed and his family. He is coming to the end of a long fight with cancer and is currently home with hospice care. Please join us in praying for God's love, peace and Truth to saturate their lives, and for Jason and Chris as they reach out as His hands and feet.

I'd also ask that you join us in praying for peace and comfort for our good friend J.D. Cox and his family as they mourn the passing of his father. We love you guys.

Thanks so much for partnering with us in prayer. Life is hard, but God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.

In Him,

Jeff

July 8th

2009-07-08T13:09:00.000-07:00

Hallooo Prayer Partners!

It's been almost three months since C3 held our "official launch," and every week is still an adventure! There have definitely been challenges. But there have also been amazing moments that reveal lives changing. I have to confess: I'm more than a little biased toward the really great moments, and have seen a few challenges that I'd like to forget. But I won't forget them- and I shouldn't.

Because God is working in both.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." -Romans 8:28

We aren't promised that every moment spent after we become Christ followers will be happy and painless. But we are promised that in every one of those moments, our amazing Creator and Redeemer God is working, with our ultimate good in mind.

Like I said, every week is an adventure!

This week, I'd like to ask you to join us in praying for a community-building event that we call "Flight Night." Everyone is invited to join us in the field down the street from the Graham's home (email me at jeffh@loveliveserve.org for directions) on Sunday night, July 19th- time will be arranged this week. Bring a picnic for you and any guests that will be joining you, and bring anything that flies! Kites, balls, Frisbees, boomerangs, R.C. planes and helicopters- you name it! We're gathering just to hang out and spend time together. Oh, and we're going to do some very cool flight-related things with Diet Coke and Mentos, too.

Please also join us in praying for our overpass ministry. I got to meet a new gentlemen this last week, and am hoping for the opportunity to build a relationship with him- I would really appreciate you focusing some prayer time on this!

Finally, one of our close friends and C3 family member and trustee, Charlie Patchett, lost his father this week. While we are celebrating that he went home to be with his Savior, we are mourning the loss and separation that Charlie, Connie, and the whole family face. Please join us in praying for peace and comfort for the Patchett family.

In Him We Live,

Jeff

June 30th

2009-06-30T13:58:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

I'm sorry for such a gap in updates. I made some changes to my weekly schedule a little over a month ago that have overall been very positive, but the process has left me needing to resolve a few areas- one of which is a regular time for posting on this blog. Thank you for hanging in there with us!

Several great things have happened in the last month, so I'd like to take this opportunity to catch you up:

Organization of our refreshment ministry has recently been assumed by Teeya Huf. This is a bigger step for us than it might seem on the surface, because the refreshment ministry was the last of our initial launch ministries still being cared for by interim leadership.
Kids Crossing continues to be the surprise story of C3. To respond to the growing challenges of having 1/3 or higher of our attendance made up of kids each week, the leadership has brought Kerri Graham on part time as the director of our Children's ministry. She brings over a decade of teaching experience and will develop curriculum, train volunteers, and just love on the kids! We were excited to be able to send nine of our kiddos along with Kerri and her husband Joe to camp a few weeks ago, and they all had a blast!
Our website is VERY close to being complete, pending some text I am currently working on and some animation refinements that Dorothea is finishing. I will let you know as soon as the site is up and running!

This week, please join us in praying for opportunities to build real relationships with the folks that are coming to visit us each week, and for the chance to help them connect to our incredible God! Also, please pray with us for some resolution to the issue of climate control in the school we are renting. The school district is working diligently to get the right zones cooled off for us on Sunday's, but with a big building and changing weather, this has become an ongoing challenge.

Thank you so much for partnering with C3 in prayer! We are grateful for you!

In Him We Live,

Jeff

May 18th

2009-05-18T19:11:00.000-07:00

Hi there!

Friend and C3-er Susie just called me to ask us all to pray for her mother-in-law, who will be going into the hospital on Tuesday morning (5/19) for exploratory surgery.

Please pray that God will guide the doctors to find the answers they are seeking, for her healing, and for peace and comfort for Rick and Susie and the whole family.

Thank you so much.

In Him We Live,

Jeff

April 30th

2009-04-30T10:02:00.000-07:00

Prayer Partners,

I just received an email from Chris, who is a part of the C3 family. Her uncle Ed has been battling cancer for quite some time, and she just informed me that his one kidney has failed, requiring dialysis.

Please join me in praying for comfort, peace and healing for Ed (as well as comfort an peace for Chris and the rest of his family). We must never be afraid to "approach the throne of Grace with confidence," like Hebrews 4 tells us.

Thank you for praying!

Jeff

April 28th

2009-04-28T12:48:00.000-07:00

Susie is a part of the C3 fam here in Houston. Her nephew lives several states away, and is really facing some hard stuff.

Would you please join me in praying that our amazing God would bring healing and comfort to this young man in a tangible way?

I hope you will also pray for C3 this week- for each visitor that has joined us, and for each person who plays a part in the church's leadership.

Thank you so very much!

In Him We Live,

Jeff

April 21st

2009-04-21T06:39:00.000-07:00

It's Tuesday morning as I sit down to write this little update. We've have had our first "post-launch" worship gathering, it's 66 degrees outside and my yard is finally mowed again.

But before I fill you in on what has been happening recently, I want to say thank you. Thank you for continuing to partner with us in prayer over the last ten months (or longer for some) as we have planned and prepared as best we could for this amazing adventure. God hears the prayers of His people, and I am confident that those prayers have deeply impacted every area of this new church start.

Now that things are settling back into more of a "normal routine" (if there really is such a thing) I hope you will continue on with us. So often, church plants put so much into the launch that it makes that event seem like the climax of the adventure. But in reality, it is only the beginning; we need your partnership in prayer now as much as we ever have. You are an invaluable part of this church!

--------------------------------------------

Now, on to the update:

This past Sunday was just amazing! I knew that at least one of our key volunteers would be out of town, and I had no idea if any of our first time visitors might return. But as odd as this might sound, I just wasn't concerned about it. Don't misunderstand me- I truly want people to feel welcomed at C3, and I hope that we become home to many folks who are still just exploring who Jesus is, as well as people who feel like they've "fallen through the cracks" in other churches. But I refuse to be consumed by the pursuit of some random attendance number. Just think about how much courage it takes each time someone walks into a building where a church meets for the first time (or the second). It is a privilege for us when anyone does this, and those people should be welcomed into a place that focuses on and celebrates the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We only have one "number" we need to focus on: One more.

With that freedom in mind, I can honestly say that it was such a blessing to see several first time visitors return, and to again have close to 40 folks come together for worship. I hope you will pray this week for each of those visitors (several of which are kiddos), that they will continue to experience the love of Christ in a tangible way through C3, and will continue their journey toward a close, abiding connection with Him as Savior.

I would also like to ask that you pray for a friend of ours from Grace Christian Church. Kathy Vogel is preparing for back surgery, which can be a really scary thing. Please pray for wisdom and guidance for the doctors, and for healing and comfort for Kathy.

Don't forget- if you would like us to pray for you, you can send us a note in the comment section of this blog, or send me an email at: jeffh@loveliveserve.org.

In Him We Live,

Jeff

p.s.- My fellow blogger and pastor Jason had a similiar experience this last week, and what he wrote about it is just awesome. If you'd like to check it out, click here.

2009-04-18T09:33:00.000-07:00

Prayer partners,

Please join us in praying for a young lady named Jessica. She has just been diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma, in stage II. Jessica loves horses, and her greatest hope is to be able to continue to ride during her chemo.

Thank you so much for praying with us for her!

In Him We Live,

Jeff

April 13th

2009-04-13T09:07:00.000-07:00

Hey there- thanks for stopping in!

Well, it rained pretty hard on the Katy area Sunday morning, but that didn't stop over 40 people from coming to the official launch of Convergence Christian Church!

I couldn't be more happy with all that happened yesterday! The core group once again worked side by side to bring together all of our ministry areas in an incredible way, and helped everyone who walked in the door feel like a part of things. With the exception of one tiny little glitch that was corrected quickly, all of our "technical" stuff worked, and amazingly, I managed to keep my message brief!

But seriously, to whom do we credit with making all of this possible besides our great God? He alone is worthy of all glory and honor and praise.

I hope you will join us this week in thanking God for the way He's blessed C3, and ask him to continue to extend His Kingdom through us.

If you'd like us to pray with you about anything, please feel free to drop me a note!

In Him We Live,

Jeff

April 8th

2009-04-08T14:25:00.000-07:00

Hallloooo!

Wow- it's been a busy week so far! Great things are happening with our "Overpass" ministry, which is now focusing on one particular gentleman. Please pray this week that he will be able to get replacement documents of his social security card and birth certificate, as well as a new Texas i.d. card. Please also pray with us for wisdom concerning the "next step" in his journey from homelessness to a life off the streets. Please also pray for his journey with Christ, which is at a critical crossroads.

Please also join us in praying for everything surrounding our worship gathering this coming Sunday. Not only is it Easter, but it's also the "official" launch of Convergence Christian Church! We couldn't be much more excited about the opportunity to be a part of C3's birth!

There are many details that people are continuing to work on to prepare for this week's new start, but the big picture is clear to us: glorify the risen Christ and proclaim the Good News of His life, death, and resurrection! What an amazing privilege it is to be able to share the greatest gift the world will ever be given!

Thank you so much for continuing to journey with us- your partnership in prayer is an amazing gift to which I simply can't ascribe a value!

In Him We Live,

Jeff

2009-03-28T20:00:00.000-07:00

Tonight I'm posting just to ask you to pray for the Haas family. My family and I have known Bud and Judy for over ten years, and they are very dear to us. Their son Anthony and his wife Holly were made aware part way through their pregnancy that their unborn child had a condition that would keep her from fully developing. The precious baby, Carleigh, was stillborn at 3:49 Saturday morning.

Please pray for our great God's peace, strength and comfort to wrap them up like a warm blanket and hold them tight as they grieve.

Guys, no words are appropriate; we love you and grieve with you.

Jeff

2009-03-20T14:07:00.000-07:00

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1

Hi!

Well, our first "practice" service is behind us. To be sure, there were a few "bugs" that we're working out this week, but overall, it was a blast! Thank you so much for praying- we now have both liability insurance- and after trying things out this week- a regular "place" to meet! Please keep praying- it's the most powerful thing any of us can do!

Kathy has asked that we join together in praying for her friend Jason's church (Breakthrough) in Juneau, Alaska as they re-launch on Easter Sunday- exciting stuff! (That's a day that should be easy for all of us to focus on!)

And while we're talking about Easter Sunday, I hope you'll be praying for us that day as well because it will be the official launch date for C3! After completing our first Sunday in Memorial Parkway Jr. High, it was clear that the time is right. The facility is really well-suited for our needs, and our core group is ready to take this step. So, we are ordering signs and banners to let folks know where we are, and will be working over the next two weeks to put the finishing touches on all of our essential ministries.

It's time for us to move on faith.

In Him We Live,

Jeff

march 12th

2009-03-12T06:25:00.000-07:00

Hi there, thanks for stopping by!

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind as we are preparing to take another big step as a church.

Beginning this Sunday, C3 will hold 2 "practice" services in a public venue. This week's will be a "working Sunday." Here's what I mean: We will worship together as usual. Afterwards, the kids will go to have their regular teaching/communion time. The adults will share communion, and then I'll have a short devotional. Afterwards, we'll take a look at our new space, talk about the other ministry areas that we need to put in place, and pray over each area.

I suppose it could be described as part worship service, part ministry fair (if that imagery helps).

We are really excited about this step, because we will soon be able to have an "official" grand opening! With that in mind, here are some things to pray about this week:

Meeting in a public location will necessitate us being much more "portable" than we have been so far. Please pray for this transition, and for wisdom as we purchase new equipment to help facilitate this change and learn how best to pack and transport everything.
Please pray for the core group as we adjust to a new way of "doing church." This larger location will give us opportunities to begin new ministries, and more people places to serve. Please pray that everyone finds their "fit."
Please pray for people in our area who do not yet know the incredible love of Christ, or have a church home. Pray that as we move ahead in the next few weeks, C3 will have opportunities to connect with these folks, begin to build lasting relationships, and share the grace and Truth of the gospel.
Finally, please pray for each leader at C3; that we will make godly decisions, that our lives will be pure before God, and that as we continue to grow as His disciples, we are able to encourage others to come with us.

Thank you so much for choosing to be a Convergence prayer partner! If we can pray for you in any way, please let us know- either here in the comments, or via email at: jeffh@loveliveserve.org .

In Him We Live,

Jeff

Thursday, Feb. 26th

2009-02-26T12:37:00.000-08:00

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Matthew 7: 7-11

I believe that God answers prayer. Now, I don't believe the Scripture above promises that He will give us anything we want, anytime we want it. That wouldn't be giving gifts to His children; it would be spoiling them.

I tend to think Jesus was saying, "we made you and we love you; why wouldn't we want to take care of you?"

I hope you will join us as we lift these things to God this week:

We are looking for liability insurance for the church. This must be in place before we move into any public facility. An insurance broker is working hard for us, but some insurance companies have placed a moratorium on any new policies within the county that we would like to meet, which has slowed down the process. Please pray that C3 will find and secure affordable insurance so we can begin to meet publicly.
Pending the securing of insurance, we have placed a request with a local school district to rent a Jr. High. Please pray that this request meets with approval.
All of our friends who are homeless need to find transitional housing, but one in particular is in immediate need of longer-term transitional housing. We're doing our best to help, but it is a very arduous process. Please join us in praying that he will be granted acceptance into one of the facilities that we are currently contacting.
Several of our core group peeps are facing, or have made decisions that may affect them financially. Some are seeking wisdom concerning careers. Some are making changes and seeking to down-size in response to these coming changes. I have seen them all face their decisions with faith, and I'm asking that you will pray for strength as they continue to trust Him.

Thank you so much for partnering with us in prayer!

In Him We Live,

Jeff

2009-02-20T11:31:00.000-08:00

Back in October, I asked everyone to please join us in praying for Kyle, a teenager who is battling cancer.

Kyle has made some amazing progress in the last few months, including a successful surgery that removed one of his knees and a portion of his leg.

But Kyle still needs the healing power of our Great God, and I hope you'll again join us in praying for him as he faces another round of chemotherapy this week.

Please pray that his blood levels return to normal after this round of chemo.
Please pray for peace and continued courage and faith- for both Kyle and his Mom, Cindy.\
Please pray for God to heal Kyle.

Again, thanks so much for being a C3 prayer partner! Talk to you soon!

In Him We Live,

Jeff

Feb. 17th

2009-02-17T14:18:00.000-08:00

Hi!

We'll begin this week with several prayer requests from our core group:

Joe and Kerri- Asking for prayer concerning the sale of an extra vehicle. They also ask for prayer for two of their kiddos in dealing with some testing concerns at school.

Judi- Asked us to pray for her father's (86 years of age) knee replacement surgery.

We are also praying for our friend Nathan, for a new job and for the next steps in his walk with Christ.

Thank you so much for praying!

In Him We Live,

Jeff

Jan. 27th

2009-01-27T15:57:00.000-08:00

Hi! Thanks for stopping by.

Shaun is part of our core team at C3, and as we begin the week, please pray for recovery and healing for Shaun's step-Dad. He was experiencing some shortness of breath on Sunday, and yesterday he had an angiogram, and had a stent put in.

Please also pray for one of the men that we have been able to get to know over the past month or so who is homeless. He did something today that took a lot of courage and trust- more than I can possibly explain. It is a reality that we can find complete forgiveness in Christ. It is also a reality that sometimes our decisions and actions have negative consequences that cannot be avoided.

You know, sometimes helping someone do the right thing makes you weep.

Blessed be the Name of the Lord,

Jeff

Jan. 22

2009-01-22T07:00:00.000-08:00

I am so grateful that God lets me do this.

Seriously, I love what I do. I get to spend my life involved in some really awesome stuff.

-I get to meet and build relationships with lots of people.

-I get to help build community with many of those peeps.

-I get to play great worship music with some really talented musicians who are also my friends.

-I get to teach and share the Gospel with people in all kinds of situations- some are "normal", some are crazy; but they are all amazing.

-I get to use what God has given me to serve Him and His kids.

-I get to be a part of starting a brand new church. (This is so cool, I can't find the words.)

-I get to share this adventure with my incredible wife and daughters. (This is also way too cool for words.)

-I get to be the hands and feet of God to some of His creation.

-I get to be His messenger by sharing His Word. (This puts the "awe" in awesome)

-I get to love God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) every single day, and cultivate an abiding connection with Him, that will carry on into eternity.

Do bad things ever happen? Well, sure they do. I suppose I could make a list of those things, too. But why? I mean, we don't exaclty need to be reminded of the bad stuff in our lives, do we? It seems to me that it's the good stuff that can be so easily overlooked.

And I guess that's my point: We get to choose what we focus on.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

-Philippians 4:4-7

This Scripture doesn't say "pretend things are good," or "change your life by thinking happy thoughts." It is reminding us that God has given us the ability to choose joy- even in difficulty. That our Mighty God is ready to hear our requests, and take up our cause. That He can give us a peace that goes beyond any one's ability to comprehend, and that-even in difficulty-we can be thankful.

So what do you have to be thankful for? My life is in no way trouble-free. But those things I listed above really are amazing to me, and I get to be a part of them all the time!

I'm not telling you that you have to make a list like mine. But an exercise like that sure can put things into perspective.

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory

that will be revealed in us. -Romans 8:18

Thanks for praying for C3! Please join us this week in thanking our Great God for all He has done and is doing in His church!

In Him We Live,

Jeff

Jan. 14th

2009-01-14T07:56:00.000-08:00

This week it's actually cold here in Houston. It rarely drops below freezing here, so I know I have nothing to complain about! But I mention the temperature for another reason.

Recently, many of us at C3 have begun to get to know a couple of guys who are living on the streets near an I-10 overpass. Yesterday during lunch, I offered to get them to a place where they'd be out of the cold, but they were hesitant. Why? I'm not sure. Fear, skepticism, pride, doubt- these things don't disappear when you become homeless. When we finished with lunch, it was incredibly hard to say goodbye and drive away. We've tried to make sure they have warm clothes and sleeping bags.

It was below 28 degrees last night here, and they were outside.

We cannot make a decision for anyone else (Christ-followers should truly understand this), but we can certainly pray that God will softly speak to their hearts.

Ironically, I was able to share the Gospel at length with them yesterday, and they were eager to talk (the conversation was driven by their questions, which was great). But the Good News of Jesus Christ goes beyond talking. When we say we love Him, it only makes sense that our words would be followed with action.

Please pray that we are showing the Gospel every bit as loudly as we speak it. And please pray for our new friends.

Thanks!

In Him We Live,

Jeff

Jan. 7th

2009-01-07T07:44:00.000-08:00

What a cool and crazy holiday season!

C3 had our first worship gathering "out of the house" on Christmas Eve. Although many of our core group were travelling etc., we still had a great turnout! The facility we rented was pretty ideal for our adults, but since it has only one room, we are still looking for a space that will give our children's ministry the space they need, too. Please continue with us to pray that God will help us find the right place. We don't want to "lock in" to a long lease, or make a purchase too quickly, so we will be perfectly content to rent on a weekly basis right now.

While I'm excited about Christmas Eve, our biggest news comes in the area of "Serve the world."

In early December, I met a couple of great guys who were living under one of the overpasses at an I-10 intersection. From this meeting, some of our core group have begun what we are (for the time being) calling "the overpass ministry."

I know, creative.

Anyway, the name isn't the important part. What is important, are the ways we are getting to know some great folks who don't have a place to live, or sometimes anything to eat. This is not "charity" work, or a handout. This is the Kingdom of God. When we serve someone that might be regarded by some as "the least of these," we are serving Christ Himself. Please join us in praying that our great God will lead us where He wants us to go with this opportunity.

Thanks so much for praying!

In Him We Live,

Jeff

Dec. 24th

2008-12-24T07:51:00.001-08:00

Merry CHRISTmas!

Tonight, Convergence will hold our first service outside a home! We'll be meeting in the Creekstone community clubhouse for our Christmas Eve service, tonight at 6:00. Our long- term prospects here are unlikely, since there is only one room, and our regular Sunday gatherings need space for our children's ministry as well. But it is a wonderful facility and will be great for tonight's service, with seating for almost 50, a kitchenette and restrooms.

Please join us in praying for tonight's worship gathering. It looks like we may have several guests with us for the first time, and we want to share the light of the Gospel of Christ clearly, and with love.

I hope this Christmas season is a blessing to you, and hope you will be used by our Mighty God to be a blessing to someone else!

In Him We Live,

Jeff

Dec. 16th

2008-12-16T12:12:00.000-08:00

Howdy!

Christmas is approaching, and C3 is hoping to have our first service "out of the house" on Christmas Eve. We are working now to secure a local community clubhouse for this "family-style" gathering, and hope to get a feel for how this location might work for us in the future. Please join us in praying for this gathering!

C3 also just had our first "official" gathering devoted entirely to prayer. It was a great time, and will be a regular part of our schedule. From that gathering, I'd like to share some requests from a few of the people who were there:

Wisdom concerning a job situation.
Wisdom for financial guidance during the holidays and into the new year.
To see people the way Christ sees them, and to love them as He loves.
A home for C3. A facility that will grow with us; that fits our "DNA." And that in all things we seek God's guidance first, and then continually throughout.

"Nothing tends more to cement the hearts of Christians than praying together. Never do they love one another so well as when they witness the outpouring of each other's hearts in prayer."
~ Charles Finney

In Him We Live,

Jeff

Nov. 29th

2008-11-29T14:01:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

Our internet connection has been down at home this week (since Tuesday night or maybe Wednesday morning), so I've had limited access over the past few days. Since I've been given the opportunity to "borrow" a connection for a few hours today, I do want to take this chance to ask for your prayers concerning a few special folks this week:

J.D. is a very good friend to many of us at C3. Though now making their home in Alaska, we still consider he and his family a part of ours. With that in mind, J.D.'s mom is recovering from surgery in Austin this week, and I hope you will join us in praying for her recovery, as well as peace for J.D. as he can't be there with her.
There is a little girl, just a few weeks old now, named Alexis Hocanson, who is recovering from some fairly serious heart work in a hospital in Columbus, OH. The most recent development involves potential temporary paralysis of some of her cranial nerves. Please pray that the Great Physician will restore this beautiful little girl to full health and allow her to be home in Findlay with her whole family for Christmas.
Our search for a temporary new location for C3 continues. Pleas continue to pray with us, as we are needing to get into a larger place soon. Our gatherings lately have been possible, but very "cozy!"

Thank you for praying for these needs, and for continuing to partner with Convergence Christian Church!

In Him We Live,

Jeff

Nov. 20th

2008-11-20T14:06:00.000-08:00

Hallloooo!

This week, we'd like to ask you to continue praying for some of C3's friends, who are serving our great God in other parts of His Kingdom, as well as some folks close to home:

Beth is a part of Healing Pointe Community Church in Terre Haute, IN. Please pray for God's peace and encouragement as she faces some tough times.
Mare is working in Nigeria with Global Christian Ministries and recently had to get all of her co-workers out of jail. Needless to say, they are struggling against both flesh-and-blood and spiritual forces there. Please pray for strength, protection, boldness, and daily bread.
Please pray for a family member of one of our core team. God knows who it is and what is needed.
Please pray that I (Jeff) will honor our God through this ministry- that my example would reflect Jesus and my will would be yielded to HIS.

Thank you for praying!

In Him We Live,

Jeff

Nov. 13th

2008-11-13T14:53:00.000-08:00

Hi Prayer Partners!

Thanks so much for choosing to lock arms with C3 and join us in this incredible adventure for the glory and the fame of our great God, the I AM! What an honor to be able to "...approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16)." It is really kind of amazing when you stop and think about the reality of wide-open communication with the Creator of everything.

As we begin, here are a couple of updates:

This past weekend, I was able to meet with our trustees, Ed, Charlie, and Ron, and it was fantastic! We got to spend a good deal of time in prayer, and in discussion concerning what is next for C3. Thank you for praying for us- we were able to cover some significant ground that will be very helpful to us as we navigate the next 3-4 months.
There has been some progress in our search for a place to meet, although any details would still be premature. Please continue to pray that we find a good location at a reasonable cost.
Our second week of meeting outdoors went very well, with another sunny Sunday! Please continue to pray that we can use this alternative as much as possible over the next few weeks.

As you pray this week, please also remember the following:

Dorothea (who helped create "Zeke") was in an auto accident earlier this week. Although she was not hurt, their vehicle didn't fair as well. It would be much better for them to get the car repaired, rather than having the insurance company declare it to be "totalled." Please pray that the vehicle with be declared repairable.
Please also pray for Jessica's nephew. Jessica is a friend of Chris, who is a part of C3. Jessica's nephew is in the hospital being treated for severe dehydration, and seems to be fighting a virus that hasn't yet been identified. Several other members of his family are also sick.
Finally, please pray for Cliff and Destiny's daughter, Claire. Cliff is a good friend of Ron, one of C3's great servant-leaders. Claire is battling an illness called Aplastic Anemia and will be having a complete bone marrow transplant tonight at 9:00. Please pray that her body will accept the transplant, and that her now completely depleted immune system will be restored over the next few weeks.

Again, thank you! Our God is attentive to the prayers of His children!

In Him We Live,

Jeff

Nov. 4th

2008-11-04T07:15:00.000-08:00

Greetings Prayer partners!

This week, I'd like to ask you to pray for some folks who are serving our great God in other parts of the world. These people come to us through Kathy, who is a part of C3's core team:

Please pray for Beth who is part of a church plant in Terre Haute, Indiana,
Also for Mare, who is in Nigeria working with Global Christian Ministries teaching AIDS/HIV awareness.

Please join us in praying for these two fellow servants- we don't have the specifics, but we know that God does!

Please also pray for Convergence this week in the following ways:

I will be joined by our trustees, Ed, Charlie, and Ron this weekend to evaluate the last 3 months and to make some important decisions about C3's official launch and location. These are very exciting, but also big decisions- please pray for God's wisdom in these matters.
As we search for a more permanent public location, the beautiful Fall weather here has given us the opportunity to meet outside. We have done this once, and it was a tremendous success. The whole group met together for the first part of our worship time, as we sang and celebrated communion. Afterward, our children's workers took the kiddos into the house where they got to use the "big" room just for them- it was great! It feels a little funny asking you to pray that the weather stays nice, but the longer it does, the more opportunities it gives us to maximize our current space- so I'll go ahead and ask you to pray for sunny Sundays!
On that note, we have some new location possibilities that I am pursuing. Please pray for the right place to be both available and affordable.

I'll end this week's update with the elephant in the room, because there's a donkey there too. Today is election day in the U.S. A quick browse through your "friend updates" on Facebook should easily paint a picture of how important most people feel this election is. I certainly have an opinion about it, and I imagine you do as well, so I hope you voted if you are able.

There is much talk about "God's will" on a day such as this. I find it interesting that, on either side of this decision, there will be people who will say the outcome was "God's will"- usually when their candidate wins. I would just like to point out that, to humanity, God has given the gift of free will, and a day such as this is really an overwhelming example of that.

I am NOT telling you to cease praying for this country, or for the selection of its leaders. Jesus instructed the disciples to pray "your kingdom come, your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10)

What I am asking, is that you focus a substantial amount of your prayer time on how you and the body of believers that you fellowship with can have the most impact for Christ on your families, and friends, and community, and the world- no matter what happens.

Regardless of who is elected, the King remains on the throne.

In HIM We Live,

Jeff

Oct. 20th

2008-10-20T16:14:00.000-07:00

Hi there!

For this post, I'd like to break things into 2 parts. Part one includes ongoing prayer needs that directly affect the physical "launch" of this new church. Part two will be specific notes from members of C3 who are asking for prayer.

Part 1:

Please pray for our first leadership retreat, scheduled for November 7-8. I will be joined by the C3 trustees, Ron, Ed, and Charlie, and we will be evaluating the past few months, as well as tackling some very important issues for the future.
On that note, please pray that God will show us the very best possible location in which to meet. Our last few months have revealed some very interesting things, both demographically and geographically, and we want to respond to God's leading.

Part 2- Please pray for:

Shaun's job situation. Also, for a colleague of his who is in prison, as well as this man's family.
Healing for Kyle, who is 15 and battling cancer. Also for our great God's strength for his mom Cindy, as she guides him through this as well as the other challenges of being a single parent. We are rejoicing though, that a spot on Kyle's lung was determined to NOT be cancerous!
Healing for Natalie, who is coming to the end of basic training, but may have a stress fracture in her hip.
A neighbor of one of our C3 families, who has been wrestling with where he is spiritually, as well as with the death of a close friend.

Thank you so very much for praying!

Jeff

Monday, Oct. 6th

2008-10-06T14:10:00.000-07:00

Things are moving right along as C3 heads toward an "official" launch in January. Things in Houston are beginning to return to normal (if there really is such a thing), and in our area, you could hardly tell that we had such a horrendous storm.

As we begin the week, I would like to share some exciting news: yesterday C3 had our first two baptisms! Earlier in the week I was able to visit with Jessie and Patrick. Their mom, Judi, is already a Christ follower and it was great to chat with them and hear about why they believe they need Jesus to be their Savior. So, after our morning gathering, most of us headed over to Grace and borrowed their baptistery- special thank to Darren and company for making everything so available to us, and to Eli for staying and making sure it all went smoothly!

As the month progresses, we will be looking in earnest for a place to meet when we launch. We will also begin to make some of our larger one-time purchases, such as sound equipment. Please be in prayer for these important areas as we continue to seek God's will for Convergence Christian Church.

Thank you so very much for being a C3 prayer partner- your contribution cannot be adequately quantified!

In Him We Live,

Jeff

Sept. 16th

2008-09-16T21:23:00.000-07:00

Hi!

I'm sorry this post is coming so late- I know some of you are wondering what impact hurricane Ike had on C3 and our area.

For a small group (around thirty of us currently) we are actually a bit spread out, with folks living from Cy-Fair to Stafford, and several points in-between. Despite our various locations, I am very happy to share that no one was hurt, and we as a group sustained very little damage.

On behalf of everyone involved in the Convergence Church plant, thank you for praying!

This week, please join us in praying for the people who have sustained heavy losses from the storm. Please also pray for us as we help our neighbors clean up and make repairs, and as we explore more ways to serve the community.

Again, thanks so much for praying!

Love, Live, Serve,

Jeff

Sept. 12th

2008-09-12T09:44:00.000-07:00

Although we only have clouds right now, it looks like our area is going to get hammered in a few hours from hurricane Ike. If you are a part of the C3 community locally and you feel that your home may not be safe, please contact me as soon as possible, and we will find a safer place for you to ride out this storm.

For our prayer partners outside of Houston- our area needs your intercession. It's likely that we will lose power/phone for a while, so don't be alarmed if you can't reach us. I'll update you on the situation as soon as I am able. This is a huge storm, but God is bigger.

In Him We Live,

Jeff

Sept. 11th

2008-09-11T13:21:00.000-07:00

The sky is blue and the weather is absolutely beautiful today.

Which makes it that much more surreal as I see a few of my neighbors putting up plywood over their windows as if preparing for a riot. Everyone is getting ready (as best anyone can) for the arrival of hurricane Ike sometime between Friday night and Saturday morning. Our part of Houston isn't close enough to the coastline to be in any danger of storm surge, but we may see some fairly strong winds. Everyone here at C3 would very much appreciate you lifting us up in prayer as the storm approaches- we believe that prayer is powerful.

Some other things to pray for this week:

- Our friend Iris has a niece who was bitten on the face and leg by a dog a few days ago. Her name is Calli. Although the injuries are not life threatening, please pray that there is minimal scarring- both on her face and on her emotionally from this event.

- Our friend Susie sent me a note sharing this request: "Can you guys please be praying for the family of the man and 3-1/2 boy who drowned in their backyard pool yesterday afternoon (on our street). They just lived a few houses down, in the cul-de-sac. I hadn’t even met them, cuz they’d only been living there for a couple of weeks. I don’t even know their names. He leaves behind a young wife and two other children, one about a year old and I’m not sure about the other, possibly of preschool age as well. It’s just such a sad, sad deal."

Thanks for being a C3 prayer partner!

In Him We Live,

Jeff

More than a p.s.-

Seven years later, it's still hard to write (or type) the date that went into the title of this post. Please join us in praying for the families of those who lost their lives in the events of September 11th, 2001 and for the families of the soldiers who have given their lives in the years following those events.

If you are an American, today is also a good day to remember how this one event has dramatically re-shaped our culture, as we consider so many people around the world who live in places where terrorism is a regular occurrence.

Today, join us in praying for peace. And a revolution of God's love.

Sept. 8th

2008-09-08T08:15:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!

Fall is a great season in Houston. Although the weather doesn't change very much (and the trees don't really change at all!), there are a lot of great opportunities to get out, see things, and meet people.

As we start off the week, I hope you'll join us in praying for opportunities for Convergence to begin to introduce ourselves to the community. This could happen in a number of ways, but I'm asking that you will pray for us to go where HE leads.

Some ongoing things we would appreciate you bringing before our Father are:

- A location to meet in when we launch in January.
- Our search for a second staff person.

Thank you so very much for praying with us! Following Christ certainly leads to action on our part. But prayer remains the most powerful action anyone can take.

In Him We Live,

Jeff

Sept. 3rd

2008-09-03T14:07:00.000-07:00

Hello Prayer Partners!

It's Wednesday, and I am still smiling from a great weekend! We had a full house at both Sunday a.m. and p.m. gatherings, with rooms alive with celebration and great discussion (and some tasty food, too!). Monday, we invited anyone who didn't already have plans for Labor Day over for a cookout, and we ended up with quite a crowd!

We really did have a great time, but what got me the most excited was seeing the interaction among our core group- it was a front-row seat to the building of community.

I hope you will continue to pray for C3 this week- for our search for a location to meet when we launch, and for us to joyfully follow His lead into our community in any way He wants us to go.

But I also hope you will join us in praising God and saying "thank-you!" for the things He is already doing in the life of Convergence.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." -James 1:17

Talk to you soon!

Jeff

Aug. 25th

2008-08-25T08:08:00.000-07:00

Hello!

As we start out the week, there are a few individuals in the C3 community that need prayer.

-Our friend Iris was involved in an auto accident last week and has whiplash, as well as re-injuring a shoulder. Please pray for God's healing.

-Our friend Shaun has had a back injury flair-up, and has been in a lot of discomfort. Again, please pray for permanent healing.

-Our friend Natalie shipped out last week for basic training. Please pray for her time at basic, and for strength and boldness as she seeks out Christ and begins this new chapter in her life.

-School starts this week here- please join us in praying for all these kiddos who are also beginning a new chapter!

Thanks so much for continuing on as a prayer partner with Convergence!

In Him We Live,

Jeff

Aug. 20th

2008-08-18T11:33:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody!

Over the last several weeks, C3 has been discussing what it means to live in community- with God, and with each other. You may be asking yourself, "why talk about it, when you should be doing it?" The best answer I can give, is to simply say that both are happening. Certainly each time we meet together, we are building community. But a church is so much more than the sum of its corporate gatherings; some of my favorite parts of being a community happen as you simply live life together.

I'm talking about the everyday stuff that brings people together: going to someones home; a trip to the park; seeing a ball game; sharing a meal; playing music together (there's a lot of musician's in our group). But it's also the everyday stuff that we don't always think about: running an errand for someone else; watching someones kids; helping with a home or car repair; just being there. Sometimes the best way community is built is by serving.

So why not just "live it? Why "talk" about it too?" Primarily because our society has slowly been redefining what community is and as a result, we too often end up settling for something that encourages "proximity," but not necessarily involvement. In other words, we have lots of opportunities to be around people, but not so many opportunities to actually share life. That may seem safer- to keep us insulated and minimize risk- but ultimately, real community involves a level of closeness, and that means risk. I doubt anyone ever wants hurt or pain. But without the risk, we can never really find healing; friendship; love. Without risk, we aren't living; we're just existing.

So, we talk about community at C3 because we want it to be real and tangible- an authentic expression of our life together. And we want it to flow out of us so that people will not merely "feel welcome" when they visit; wherever we are, we want our very lives to be the welcome .

Will you join us in praying for that this week? It's a prayer for all of us who follow Christ!

In Him We Live,

Jeff

August 13th

2008-08-13T08:23:00.000-07:00

I am updating today to give special attention to some specific prayer needs within the C3 core team. Here they are:

-Susie asked that we pray for her sister-in-law Chris, and her brother Don. Chris was recently diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing treatments.

-Please also pray for our friend Natalie, who has made the decision to go into the Army. She leaves for Basic Training soon.

-Finally, please pray for the family of Thuy. Thuy lost her life in the tragic bus accident in Dallas last week. She was a co-worker of our friend Teeya.

Each of these people represents so much more than the immediate needs that are presented here. Some need peace; some direction; some are still exploring who Jesus really is.

Thank you for being a prayer partner for C3. Let's all remember that our God will do "immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine(Ephesians 3:20)." He is amazing, and He is faithful!

Jeff

August 12th

2008-08-12T08:57:00.000-07:00

C3 enjoyed another great weekend together- thanks so much for praying and being an extension of our community!

We are continuing to lay the groundwork for our launch in January through the development of our core team. We have been discussing what it really means for our church to love God, live in community, and serve the world. Currently, we're examining the "live in community" side of things, and have been talking about what it means to have an "abiding" connection with the one true God; how we belong to Him, how that belonging changes our identity, and how it all affects how we approach the connection we have with one another.

I hope you'll pray this week specifically about the formation of community at C3. This prayer is not only for those who are a part of the core team right now. It is also for everyone with whom we have contact, and for those we don't even know- yet. Our prayer is that Convergence Christian Church will become a group and a place of belonging for anyone who questions whether God would want them; for anyone who has felt as if they were "slipping through the cracks" of life. For anyone. Period.

In Him We Live,

Jeff

August 6th

2008-08-06T14:31:00.000-07:00

Halllooo prayer partners!

Thank you so much for praying for Convergence. We had a great weekend, and the glory all goes to our incredible God! Both the meetings were well attended, and we were able to begin an organized time specifically (and separate) for kids during the morning gathering. Everyone seemed to enjoy this new format, and we again have a little room to grow! I hope you'll join us this week in thanking God for answering our prayers in such an incredible way.

Please pray this week for everyone (adults and kids) who together form C3's "core group." Pray that we will grow as Christ followers, and as a community.

I'd also like to ask you to pray for me and my role as a leader at C3. My heart's desire is to honor Christ; to follow Him and yield to His will as He begins to form this brand new church.

Finally, as we look to the future, please pray with us for the following:
-An additional staff person
-A larger venue for Sunday gatherings
-The finances to meet those needs

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." -Ephesians 3:20-21

In Him We Live,

Jeff

July 30th

2008-07-30T07:03:00.000-07:00

This week, we've been working on some of the challenges associated with our weekly gatherings, and I have some changes to share that I'd like you to pray about. Starting Sunday, Convergence will meet in two places, at two different times.

On Sunday mornings at 10:30, we will meet at the Richards' home. This time will include a gathering designed especially for kiddos, 5th grade and under.

On Sunday evenings at 6:30, we will meet at our (Jeff and Tamara's) home. This gathering will relieve some of the congestion we've been experiencing with one big gathering, and will allow some of our friends who are currently serving at Grace the opportunity to finish with those ministries as Convergence begins.

As a church, we are still in the most preliminary of stages, so this may be a temporary change. But for now it is an option that gives us a little room to grow. Not only that, but it will be a great environment for talking about small groups, discipleship, and other things associated with "living in community."

I'm really jazzed about the things God is doing- I hope you'll join me this week in praying that we will follow HIS lead.

In Him We Live,

Jeff

July 24th

2008-07-24T08:58:00.000-07:00

Hi there!

Thanks for praying for Convergence Christian Church! I can't adequately express how powerful a gift I believe prayer to be.

When Jesus talked to His disciples about faith He said, "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." -Mark 11:23-25

Do you notice the link with prayer/forgiveness/faith? This isn't Jesus saying, "Make a shopping list and I'll give it to you- just like Santa!" He is indicating that, as we grow in our relationship with Him, our faith and trust increase, which will give us confidence as we pray.

However, part of our growth comes from seeing things more like He sees them. Hence, we begin to forgive others, but not because they have done something to deserve it. Instead, we do it because it reflects that we realize how God has treated us and that we want to be like Him.

If we strive to see things more like God sees them, it not only affects how we forgive; it affects how we pray. Our prayers are less likely to be influenced by a "shopping list" mentality and more likely to be influenced by a seeking of His will. When we seek His will, we can pray and be confident that He will answer.

As the week continues, please keep praying with us as we look for a place to meet. We certainly don't need anything huge, but our group has grown past the point of being comfortably full in a home. We still have several months to go before our "official" public start date, so we are looking for a sort of "in between" location; something that could fit around fifty people total, and have a good space for our kids/youth.

In the meantime, we will keep meeting in homes, and I would appreciate your prayers for those meetings as well, since things are a little crowded right now.

May you be confident as you pray.

In Him We Live,

Jeff

July 21st

2008-07-21T14:54:00.000-07:00

Hi there!

Wow- our big move is over, and we have been working to get things unpacked and in their "place" in our new digs. Tomorrow, we will finally get phone and Internet installed at the house- something for which I am very grateful! It's been about 3 weeks since I had easy access to an Internet connection, and in that time I have been relying on "borrowed" wi-fi from our friends Ron and Kathy while visiting with them, or public access points like the one I'm using today at Starbucks.

Yesterday, several of the Convergence "core" joined my family and I at Crossbridge Christian Church in the Cypress-Fairbanks area of Houston, where I got to share the morning message. It was a blast, and I really appreciated the opportunity. (If you would like a copy of the message, just let me know, and I'll do my best to get one to you.)

Outside of yesterday's "special" circumstances, our group has gathered together two other times in July. This brings me to our most pressing need this week. As we made plans for this time in the life of Convergence, I projected that we would be of a size that allowed us to meet in one home or another for a few months. However, we have had more folks coming than I originally anticipated. This is a wonderful situation, and it's given us yet another reason to praise our great God (because this is all about what He has done), but it also presents us with the need to find some sort of temporary location in which we can meet for a few months.

I'm asking that you pray this week about this need- that we will be able to quickly locate a venue that serve as our temporary "home,"- and that this location will be affordable for our young church.

Thanks so much for being a C3 prayer partner!

In Him We Live,

Jeff

Monday, June 30th

2008-06-29T23:33:00.000-07:00

Howdy!

Today I will travel back to Ohio after spending the better part of a month in Houston. On June 2nd, as I prepared to start this trip, I asked you to pray for several things:
- For my trip
- For our family- especially Quinn and Kyra- while I was away.
- For our housing situation
- For the people that will be involved in the core group at Convergence.
- For the right place to rent when we begin to hold public services.

Here's how God has answered those prayers:

- My trip was safe and uneventful, for the most part. (I'll have to tell you that story on the other blog soon.)
- Our family has made it through the last several weeks of being apart, though we all missed each other very much and can't wait to see one another again later today!
- We now have a house, and it will be a great place to welcome new friends.
- Our cookout on Saturday was a blast! The house was full of adults and kids, and everyone was eager to begin meeting together regularly, which we will begin doing on July 13th.
- Our number one choice for a meeting place is still an unknown. The realtor has been difficult to reach- slightly discouraging. However, the building remains empty, so we remain hopeful!

God's power is infinite; it has no limits. This is the power which is accessed with every prayer.

This week we will finish packing, and hope to load the moving truck on Saturday. Unfortunately, I'll not have much in the way of Internet access for the next several days, so this may be my only opportunity for an update this week. Please pray for the "big" move, and continue to pray for God to use us.

Have a great week!

In Him We Live,

Jeff

P.S.- After being away from my family for almost a month, I am reminded of just one of the incredible sacrifices that are made by soldiers and their families- long term separation. If you know someone in one of those roles, please thank them this week. And please, pass on my deepest gratitude as well.

Tuesday, June 24th

2008-06-24T21:43:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

Thank you so very much for continuing to pray for Convergence Christian Church! I am less than a week away from my return trip to Ohio. After about a week's stay (enough time to help finish packing), we will take off on the "big" move to Texas! Tam and the girls are very excited to see their new home, and we're all excited to see each other again after almost a month apart. We'll be leaving Ohio Sunday afternoon, July 6th and driving to St. Louis to see my family for 2 days and then heading to Texas. We plan on being back to Houston and ready to unload by Friday, July 11th, and would really appreciate your prayers for all that will go into this major relocation!

Please also continue to pray for all the great people that God is bringing to us as we begin to form our core team. We will be meeting this coming Saturday, June 28th for a cookout and will soon be meeting regularly every week! Please pray that as we lay the foundation for this new Body of Christ, our focus will remain on Christ and His Kingdom.

As always, I would ask that you pray that my example would reflect Christ, and that my leadership would clearly show that I am His follower.

In Him We Live,

Jeff

Thursday, June 19th

2008-06-18T22:59:00.000-07:00

A big thank you to all who have been praying about our family's housing situation. In a turn of events that can only be credited to God, we were able to get a house and closed on Monday! We feel blessed to have this home- please pray that our lives would make an impact for Christ in our neighborhood.

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." -Hebrews 10:23-24

In Him We Live,

Jeff

Monday, June 16th

2008-06-15T21:36:00.000-07:00

Today we close on a house! Please pray that the whole process goes smoothly, and that I would reflect Christ in all I do and say. Please also pray for the family that is selling the house- for a safe move to Dallas and a smooth closing on their new home.

As we begin the week, please pray for our core group. I have been able to meet with several people over the past few days, and have received confirmation of their commitment to the new church. As we begin to meet together informally over the next several weeks, please pray that each of these individuals will begin to discover the unique place they are to have as a part of C3.

Thanks!

Jeff

Tuesday, June 10th

2008-06-10T12:14:00.000-07:00

Hallloooo!

Thanks for continuing to pray for Convergence!

-I have several meetings this week and next with people who are interested in partnering with the new church. Some individuals are interested in being "scaffolding" (volunteers from other churches, who will serve temporarily alongside us to train leaders and help staff areas on Sunday mornings as we begin). Others have indicated that they want to be a part of the "core" group, and are exploring where they will serve. Still others represent churches, who desire to help us see that Convergence becomes a new outpost in God's Kingdom. Please pray for these meetings, and especially for the Holy Spirit to guide every conversation.

-My family has found a house, and we would really appreciate your prayers for a smooth closing, and for God's blessing to be on the family that is selling to relocate.

In Him We Live,

Jeff

Saturday, June 7th

2008-06-07T00:55:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who prayed for me as I travelled this week. I am now in Houston, and am happy to report that my trip was pretty uneventful.

I would like to ask that you pray for a family that I met on my drive through Arkansas (interesting things always seem to happen to me in Arkansas, but most are stories to save for the Convergence244 blog). They were also heading to Texas- possibly to relocate- but to someplace other than Houston. Please pray that God will bless their socks off during the remainder of their trip, and that He will guide them to where they need to be.

Please continue to pray for my family and I as we are apart for the next several weeks.

Thank you for serving in this way!

In Him We Live,

Jeff

Monday, June 2nd

2008-06-02T07:38:00.000-07:00

Thanks for visiting the C3 prayer partner's blog!

This week (on Tues.), I am heading down to Houston to get thing ready for our "big" move, and get some more preliminary stuff done.

-I'd be grateful if you would pray for my trip (I'll be driving this time, to take our car down), and also for our family- especially Quinn and Kyra- while I am away from them.

-Please keep praying for our housing situation- God is doing some really cool things in that area! I'm looking forward to telling you how it all works out.

-As always, please pray for the people that will be involved in the core group at Convergence.

- Please continue to pray with us for the right place to rent when we begin to hold public services.

Thanks again!

In Him We Live,

Jeff

Friday, May 30th

2008-05-30T18:00:00.000-07:00

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
-Romans 15:13

"There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful, than that of a continual conversation with God; those only can comprehend it who practice and experience it."
-Brother Lawrence

Thursday, May 29th

2008-05-29T06:50:00.000-07:00

This is my final Sunday here in Findlay with our Parkview church family. We are incredibly grateful to God for the opportunity to spend time again with this fantastic group of Christ followers.

- Since I am going down to Houston for a few weeks prior to our "big" move, I am asking that you pray for our family while we are apart, and for my initial travels.

- Although we are still a few months from needing the space, please pray for God to help us find the right place to rent/meet as a church.

- Please pray for the people that are a part of our core group, and for those that will join us over the next few months.

- Please pray for the men who are providing accountability for me, and additional guidance for C3: Ron Richards; Charlie Patchett; Ed Winegar.

- As always, I would be grateful for you to pray that my example is Christ-honoring and authentic.

Thank you!

In Him We Live,

Jeff

Monday, May 26th

2008-05-26T09:34:00.000-07:00

What a great weekend! Here are some updates on things you have been praying for- we are really celebrating what God is doing!

- Our coffee house event at Springs of Life went really well! Seating was pretty much at capacity most of the evening, and we were able to share lots of great information about Convergence in between music sets from the band. Most individuals took a partner card with them, as well as a bookmark with this blog address on it, so we are praying for more partners to join us in the coming weeks. We also had one individual return a card that night to join us as a prayer partner, and several left small gifts which will completely offset the costs of the material we brought to the event, plus some.

- In the area of our family's relocation: We made an offer on a house last week, and the sellers accepted the offer on Saturday night! Needless to say, we are very excited to have found a place to live! Please keep praying with us for all the remaining elements associated with closing on a house.

Thanks so much for bringing these things to God- I hope you'll join us today in thanking Him!

Saturday, May 24

2008-05-24T13:43:00.000-07:00

In just a few hours, we will be at the Springs of Life Coffee House in Findlay for the C3 worship/information event.

Please pray that we will be able to lead people in worship, and that I (Jeff) can communicate the vision of Convergence Church clearly and authentically.

Please pray for those that will attend. Our hope is that people will only respond to our invitation to become C3 partners if there is a genuine interest- it's not about guilt or "obligation"!

Thanks so much for praying!

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

Wednesday, May 21st

2008-05-21T06:01:00.000-07:00

With just a little over 2 weeks until my move, I would like to ask you to pray for my family. I will be in Houston for about 3 weeks or so before our "big move," while the girls finish up school and Tam finishes up her job. I don't like to be away from my family very long, and this will be tough for all of us.

Please continue praying for the event coming up this Saturday at the Springs of Life coffee house here in Findlay. As I've mentioned, it will be part music, and part informational meeting about the new church. Last night's rehearsal went really well, and we are grateful for the amazing friends we have at the Parkview church who have stepped up to help us get things ready.

We are still in the middle of making some pretty big housing decisions. Please keep praying that we will have the wisdom to make the most God-honoring choice.

Thanks for being a C3 prayer partner!

Monday, May 19th

2008-05-19T07:10:00.000-07:00

As we start off a new week, here are some ongoing needs that we would be privileged to have you pray about:

- Our focus: Christ. Before anything else, please pray that every leader and core member will clearly show that our love for Christ is what compels us to live each day, and to be a part of planting a new church. I (Jeff) would especially ask that you pray for me- that in my leadership, it is clear that I submit to Jesus and His leadership.

- Our core group. Please pray for everyone who will come along at the beginning of this adventure. (Being a part of a church plant at the beginning is exciting, but it is also a lot of work and a real commitment.)

- New people. This request is HUGE! Even before we have our first "official" meeting in January, we will meet in small groups and serve in the community. Please pray with us that these elements, and things like them, will give us opportunities to connect with people and build real friendships- and hopefully show people something that makes them really curious about us!

Thanks so very much for being a C3 prayer partner! Your ministry is vital to this new church!

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." -Colossians 4:2

Thursday, May 15

2008-05-15T05:50:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, I mentioned that I had been invited to organize an event at a local bookstore/coffee house that will include worship music and information about the Convergence church plant. That date has been set for May 24th, and a great team of our friends and musicians from the Parkview church have agreed to help us. What a praise!

Please continue to pray with us that this event will glorify God and allow us to share about Convergence with people who may become our partners in this Kingdom work!

We also have major opportunities that are in the works regarding where we will live. Please pray that God's will is done in this area.

Thanks!

Wednesday, May14

2008-05-14T06:45:00.000-07:00

Lots of things could be happening today in the area of housing for our family. Please join us in praying for wisdom and direction from our great God! Thanks so much!

In Him We Live,

Jeff

Sunday, May 11

2008-05-11T11:44:00.000-07:00

As we begin this journey through prayer, please allow me to begin by thanking you. There aren't words to adequately express how grateful I am that you have chosen to partner with us in this most important way. Your decision to pray for C3 is enormous!

- Please pray for Ron this week as he continues to take the lead on important legal issues, such as our non-profit and tax exempt status.

- Pray for the healthy formation of a strong core group over the next few months, and for strength, boldness and conviction for each individual and family that commits to joining this adventure.

- Please join Tamara and I as we pray for wisdom concerning where specifically in the area our family will live.

- I (Jeff) have been invited to organize an event at a local coffee house in Findlay that will be part worship service, part informational meeting about the new church. Please pray that God is glorified and that I can communicate the mission of the new church to people who may become our long-distance partners in the journey!

Again, thanks so much for partnering with us in prayer!