Northview Gift & Conference

Hello everyone!
I just wanted you to know that the NV Elders agreed to give The Well $20K in startup costs, with the possibility for another large gift in the future. $20K is all I asked for, for now, and I appreciated that they agreed to fund my requests 100%.

One of the items within this request was the full expense (conference, gas, lodging) for all of us to attend the Mars Hill conference. So...if money was going to keep anybody from going, you no longer have to worry about that. The only expense you'll have to cover on your own will be food. Obviously, I think this would be a valuable experience for all of us, so I certainly hope you'll make every effort to come along.

They extended the $100 rate until December 4, so you have until next Monday. After that, it will go up to $125.

Take care everyone! See you soon...
Ryan

Update November 22

Hello everyone!
There were a few things I didn't get to mention the other night at dinner that I wanted to keep you informed of.

First, just a reminder that Shannon and I are planning to visit Northeast Community Church this Sunday morning at 10:45. This will give us a chance to see the facility "in action." We would love for you guys to join us, so let us know if we should save you a seat!

OK, I also wanted to make you aware that I meet again with the NV Elders next Tuesday night. I'll be giving them all the updates, but also making the formal request for financial support. Because we won't have significant startup costs, I plan to ask them to consider giving to "The Well" in stages. My first request will be for $20K based on the startup expenses that I've come up with so far.

Finally, here's the copy of my email from the other day that is open for discussion: "Oh…I changed the “tag line” to read, “A missional community of Christ followers.” We may need to dialogue more about this, but Shannon reminded me last night that we probably need some kind of tag that defines us as a church—without calling it a church (per our discussion last night). She suggested that maybe transformational was redundant. Maybe it is—although I think it’s still a value (and you’ll see that reflected as a core value—I borrowed this from NV’s core values—which I’m still a very big fan of). Transformational may be a bit difficult for most people to wrap their heads around. Although I think missional might have the same effect. Solomon’s Porch has the following tag line: “A holistic, missional, Christian community.”

That's all for now, I think. I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving!
Ryan

well...

It was great getting together last night, all. Speaking on behalf of Crystal and myself, we feel so refreshed to have identity to proceed along this journey and really begin being salt & light to those in our community through this vision. -- Proving that by faith the size of a mustard seed, God can use imperfect beings to harvest a perfect message of Love and Hope through The Well.

Speaking of The Well...check these out:

The Well - following Jesus. blessing the world.
The Well - A Christian Community
The Well Church - ordinary people whose lives have been changed by an extraordinary God
The Well Community Church - a place of Grace
Jacob's Well
Jacob's Well Church - are you thirsty?
The Well Church and Coffeehouse

Relevant Magazine's "Beliefs"

I'm not sure how many of you are familiar with Relevant Magazine or not. If you aren't, check it out. If you are, then you know how they think. More specifically, here are their beliefs. I like what's here and think it's fairly in line with our ongoing discussion. Simply wanted to share because I just came across the page while perusing during my lunch here at the office.

Mars Hill Conference

Hello everyone! I wanted to make you aware of a conference that I'd LOVE for all of us to go to. I realize that it's unlikely that everyone can go, but...I can always hope, right!?

This is a Mars Hill (Rob Bell) conference. To my knowledge, they've never done this before. It's on Monday and Tuesday, January 22 & 23. I'd like to drive up on Sunday, the 21st and attend the 6:00 service at Mars Hill. Then, we could return on Tuesday evening. Visit http://www.mhbcmi.org and click on the box at the bottom of the screen to get the conference details. It's only $100 to attend, but the price goes up $25 after next Monday. If you register, just type in Northview as the church name--that's what I did.

Anyway, this could be a great time of deepening relationships with one another as well as learning lots of great stuff to implement in our new church. I've learned that conferences are always better when you have a team of people to talk and dream with. Give it some thought and prayer and let me know if you can go! Thanks everyone!
Ryan

Dinner at the Rush house

Hey everybody,
It looks like we are shooting to reschedule dinner at our house for next monday night the 20th. Hope everyone gets to feeling better soon. If it would work out better to do the meeting then opposed to friday or saturday that would be fine with us, or if we want to just use this time to hang out that is cool too. I just wanted to open it up as an option. Hope everyone has a good week!
_chris

Since Kevin works until 7pm on Friday...Sunday evening the 19th would work best for us...He gets off at 6pm Sundays. Let us know.
The Hudsons

giving letter

Ryan, do you have some sort of formal letter to approach people to give financially? If so could I get a copy. I am thinking of approaching my employer, as a Christ centered company this maybe a possibility. I am guessing the donation would come from an individual(s) rather than from a company.

-Kevin

More Updates--Nov. 8

Hey everyone!
First, thanks to Micah for blogging the names that have been proposed, so far. Be sure you read his blog and get caught up on that part of the Saturday discussion at the Hudson's. "The Well" was the newest name to be introduced. We need to meet again soon to make a decision on the name. The name is only thing keeping us from being able to complete the incorporation process. How does Friday night, November 17 or Sunday afternoon / evening, November 19 work for everyone? Please respond ASAP so we can all get it on our schedules.

Here are a few other updates:
1. At the meeting last Saturday, we did agree to begin as a Saturday afternoon / evening church. This may change over time, but it will save us a lot of set up time, and equipment expense in the startup phase. I'll be meeting with Fred Bays soon to discuss a partnership with his church, Northeast--located at 126th & Cumberland Road. We'll pay for the use of their facility and equipment on Saturdays. I'll keep you posted on that.

2. I'd like everyone to check out the site, www.kidmo.com This children's curriculum was suggested to me by Jeff Smith, who had it recommended to him by Steve Gill. I believe Steve is using it at his new church. This simplifies the preparation for children's ministry without compromising excellence, relational intentionality with kids, or spiritual depth.

3. I met with Ryan Foust on Monday and he has offered to take care of all of the tax and legal prep (including incorporation stuff) absolutely free. Basically, he just saved us $2500 in attorney's fees. He said it won't take more than a week or two for everything to be finalized, so all he is waiting on is a name and an address. I'll set up a PO Box within the next couple of weeks.

4. Northview is going to be doing an article about the new church in its Jan/Feb edition of the Northview Connection Newsletter. As the interim Communications Director, I'll be writing the article. Our first bit of publicity will get mailed out to 8,000 homes! How exciting!

5. I'd really like for all of you to consider people you know who might be potential donors to the new church. While I'm definitely on the capital campaign trail to get the new church funded, I know that you each have relational connections with givers that I do not have. I'd be happy to go with you to meet with potential donors. Think and pray about that, and let me know if you have somebody in mind. FYI--Northview has made it possible for people to give to the new church online. Go to www.nvcl.org and click on 'online giving.' Follow the next step to see the list of designations that include, "Emerging Church Plant" and "Ryan and Shannon Support."

Umm, that's probably enough for now. Don't forget to post your availability on the 2 dates I proposed above. We've got to get this name thing nailed down.

Thanks everyone!
Ryan

Time to Name!

So here are the options so far. So please respond with your thoughts, so we can finalize discussions and choose a name. If it helps, place this tagline along with the names. Thanks folks! Have a great day!

A transformational, missional community of Christ followers
________________________

The Well

Salt & Light

ReFresh

Journey

Mustard Seed
________________________

If you think of anything based off these names, feel free to add them to the hopper:

Field

Harvest

Seed

Updates

Hello everyone! Just wanted to give you a few additional updates...

1. Northview has established a fund so that anyone who would like to give to the church plant may contribute before the end of '06. This fund will temporarily serve as the pool for all donations to the Poe family for '07, and it will also be a place that people can give to the church. I had someone approach me Sunday morning and ask if we had something set up because their business / corporation wanted to make a donation. Pretty cool, huh!? Anyway, I would advise you all to continue tithing to Northview through the end of the year, but if you (or anyone you know) would like to make a contribution to the church plant, just write the check out to Northview and be sure that "Ryan's church plant" is in the memo line. Donations to Shannon and I will be kept separate and monitored by Sue Brodhead at NV.

2. Kevin and Kathy Rowe have decided not to join us. Kevin explained that it was a "stage of life" issue for them with Kathy and all their kids deeply involved at North Beach. I was pretty bummed when he told me about this, and I'm still disappointed...but not discouraged. I told Kevin that I was going to pray that he (or God) would change his mind.

3. I just want to remind everyone to be making plans to simplify your schedules by January 1. I think it's very important that everybody who is in leadership with the new church (haven't we got a name yet??) be willing to disconnect from ministry activities at NV so that we can fully engage in this new experiment together. I know that's asking a lot, but I think we're all going to see how God rewards our commitment to this new vision.

4. I've been given the green light by the elders to approach the Musgrave's and the Foust's. So, I'll be moving forward with that in the next week. I need a phone number for the Musgrave's. Anybody know it?

Lastly, I'd like to hear from everybody about a meeting on Saturday morning. I put that in my previous post, but so far only the Hudsons have responded. If not Saturday, then suggestions for an alternate time are welcome. It may be impossible to get all of us together at any given time, and that's OK, but we really do need to make some decisions about the Saturday thing and a name very soon...preferably before next week. Everybody sound off and let's get something on our schedules. Cool!? Thanks everyone!
Ryan