Encounters

The Power of Persuasion

2011-07-03T12:19:00.000-07:00

Which Wordle do you prefer?

Encounters Featurette Video

2010-08-22T13:23:00.000-07:00

Here is the longer version of the teaser video. We are still looking for feedback on these two videos. Let us know what you think!

New Preview video

2010-08-22T13:08:00.000-07:00

We are in the process of completing a number of videos for use on the web and on a DVD to give to new guests. Here is one for Encounters. It is a teaser that will be used in conjunction with other pieces to form an overall introductory video for the United Methodist Temple.

Check it out and leave us some feed back in the comments section below!

To see other videos for the church, check out the UMT blog by clicking here.

Russell and Forest in Tyler News

2010-08-06T10:03:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, Forest and I recently went to Tyler, Texas to finish our training for Mustard Seed Ministries. While we were there, the Tyler branch of Mustard Seed Ministries was interviewed about their ministry. Considering that we were expanding this ministry to Port Arthur, the news crew also interviewed me and got some video of Forest and I. The video has been included below for anyone that missed the link on Facebook! Check out the plug that Encounters gets by Joe and Forest wearing their Encounters T-shirts.

An Evening With Shaun Groves

2010-04-05T10:56:00.001-07:00

Here is another look at the needs that Compassion International addresses. After watching the video, please make plans to attend our evening with Shaun Groves on April 17th. You can check out our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/encounters for more information.

Compassion International

2010-03-22T18:16:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, April 17th, Shaun Groves is coming to Encounters to lead worship, share a message of hope, and talk to us about his partnership with Compassion International.

Over the next month, in preparation for Shaun's visit with us, we will be sharing about both Shaun and Compassion International here on the Encounters blog.

If you want to get more details about the event, check us out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/encounters and while you are there, become a fan and see what else is happening at Encounters.

You can also get the information at Shaun's website at the tour tab by clicking here...be sure and check out his music and writings while you are there getting tour info!

To get things started, here is one of several Compassion Videos we will be sharing with you:

This Saturday at Encounters

2010-01-20T21:16:00.000-08:00

We want to invite you to join us for a unique worship experience this coming Saturday (January 23, 2010) as we gather at the United Methodist Temple for Encounters worship.

This week we will be continuing our discussion of what it means to be a biblical community. So far we have talked about knowing one another and loving one another. This week, our focus will be on service. Join us as we talk about what it means to serve and be served.

This week's service is special because during the middle of the service, all of those gathered are going to participate in a hands on service project that will impact the lives of hundreds in Haiti!

As you know, the last few days have been wrought with devastation in the form of earthquakes repeatedly hitting Haiti. Friends, loved ones, coworkers, sponsored children, missionaries, and a host of others remain in our prayers as search and rescue efforts continue.

Throughout the search and rescue efforts, it has been discovered that Rev. Sam W. Dixon Jr. and Rev. Clinton Rabb did not survive the devastation of the quake in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Sam was the director of UMCOR and Rev. Rabb was involved with the Mission Volunteers Program. In honor of these pastors and in response to the great need in Haiti, we are acting to help in every way that we can.

UMCOR is currently helping to provide clean water in Haiti, in addition to sending health kits to distribute to those affected by the earthquakes. Our stateside warehouses are incredibly low on inventory and expect to be depleted by Haiti's need in the coming weeks. UMCOR and the United Methodist Church have asked that we help in two distinct ways:

First, you can donate financially directly to the recovery efforts happening on the ground in Haiti by sending in a check to our offices. These checks should have Haiti Emergency, UMCOR Advance #418325 written in the memo line. Our office staff is aware of the special advance and will be distributing the funds as they come in to the appropriate UMCOR offices.

Second, you can help by assembling health kits that we can get to Sager Brown (one of UMCOR's warehouse depos in nearby Louisiana). Officials say that there are more than 3,000,000 people in need after the earthquakes in Haiti and that UMCOR is going to continue to send health kits and other relief supplies to our workers on the ground in Haiti to distribute to those in need.

That brings us to the special part of our service this Saturday. As a part of our worship, we are going to assemble more than 300 health kits for this cause. You don't need to bring anything to service with you (we have already been shopping for supplies). We simply invite you to come and worship with us and help us assemble these much needed supplies.

Come join us for coffee and fellowship. Come experience God's grace in your life. And come to participate in being vessels of grace in the lives of those in Haiti!

Again, service this Saturday (January 23rd, 2010) begins at 5:30 p.m. at the United Methodist Temple (4101 Highway 73, Port Arthur, Texas) We look forward to seeing you there!

Getting Plugged In - Week of December 7th

2009-12-07T00:01:00.000-08:00

As we approach our launch date of weekly worship and ministry here at Encounters, we want to invite you to get plugged in and volunteer on one of our ministry teams. Each week there are dozens of people that help make Encounters come to life. Here are just a few of the places that we have service needs:

Creative Arts Team - we believe that people receive information in a variety of ways. Therefore, each week we use a variety of media and other creative arts to support the message that we present. If you would like to help make our messages come to life through dance, painting, acting, or any other creative medium, then this may be the ministry team for you!

Technical Arts Team - the use of sound, video, screen projection, Media Shout, etc. requires a lot of help. We have been blessed with a number of people that help in this area, but because of schedules, they are not always available. We would like to grow this team to where those participating on the Technical Arts Team can work on a rotation basis.

Hospitality Team - This team works to welcome all that come through our doors and make them feel at home. From offering assistance to those asking questions to preparing our spaces (with food, drink, brochures, decorations, etc) for worship, study and small group activities; this team is vital to the life of our community.

Worship Team - This team is responsible for leading our larger gatherings in worship. If you love to sing or play musical instruments, we are always excited to welcome folks to this team.

For these and other ministry opportunities here at Encounters, please contact Russell Hall at acts242@hotmail.com or call the church office at 409-962-5762.

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble!

2009-12-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday, November 25th, almost 30 people gathered to spend a few hours preparing a Thanksgiving meal for those that needed a safe place to eat or were too far away from family to go and visit.

It was a time of laughter and fun as worked hard to get as much prepared as we could before Thanksgiving Day.

On Thursday, 20 people gathered to finish preparing the meal, serve and clean up. We had 40 people that ate at the UMT facility (including folks from the recovery community, the police department, the fire department and more). We delivered 54 meals to those that were either homebound or were working and unable to be with their families (ER staff at St. Mary's and dispatchers for the Port Arthur Police Department). Finally, we took all of the remaining food and fed an additional 100 people by delivering the food to the Port Cities Rescue Mission. All in all, we prepared and served about 200 meals on Thanksgiving Day.

For more pictures from this event, or to see what events are scheduled next, check us out on our Facebook page by clicking here.

Kerri Crocker and Shelly Wilson in Concert

2009-12-05T08:25:00.000-08:00

We had a good turnout on November 15th as Kerri Crocker and Shelly Wilson joined the Encounters Worship Team for an incredible evening worship. It was amazing to watch God at work as the Spirit moved us from a concert to full blown worship!

We want to thank Kerri Crocker, Shelly Wilson, and the Encounters Worship Team for an evening of passionate worship.

We also gave out dozens of prizes from books and home accessories to autographed CDs and pictures. We would like to thank all of those local companies in Groves that helped sponsor our worship event.

You can see a few of the pictures from our evening of worship to the left. To see more pictures from this event, check out our photos on our Facebook page here.

Getting Plugged In - Week of November 9, 2009

2009-11-13T10:33:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for a place to serve in the next couple of weeks, we have a huge opportunity for you!

On Wednesday, November 25th, we will meet at the church at 9:00 a.m. to cook Thanksgiving Dinner. Everything from green bean casseroles to dressing will be prepared in advance for Thanksgiving Day.

On Thanksgiving Day (November 26th) we will open the doors of our church at 11:00 a.m. to serve a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner (ham, turkey, and all the trimmings) to anyone that wants to join us between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

This meal is specifically designed to offer a place to those who are far away from their families, have no family to be with, or have no other safe place to go and have a meal on Thanksgiving Day.

When the meal is over at the church, we will make meals out of the remaining prepared food and deliver them to folks that are unable to get out to join us.

If you would like to help in the cooking, serving, or delivery of meals, we invite you to contact Russell at acts242@hotmail.com or call the church at 409-962-5762.

Eating Disorders and Recovery Support

2009-11-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

We are passionate about recovery here at Encounters! While our worship services are designed to be open to everyone, we spend a great deal of our time between worship services working in the recovery community as one of our many outreaches. Many are becoming familiar with our Midweek Encounters (that looks at the 12 steps from the perspective of the scriptures) and our Came to Believe meetings (our Christ centered 12 step meeting on Saturday nights at 7:00 p.m.). God has done some amazing things in these groups and meetings to date; and we anticipate even more great things.

One of the things that people sometimes don't get about us, is that we are working in all kinds of recovery communities; not just in relation to drug and alcohol addictions. We work with those recovering from self abuse (cutting, etc), shopping addictions, debt, gambling, sex addiction, pornography addiction, codependence, and eating disorders, just to name a few. Our program is not designed to take the place of well established recovery programs, but rather to supplement those programs with a deeper connection to Christ.

As such, when we discover a really good program that is fruitful, we do everything we can to partner with them and to refer folks their way. This keeps us from re-inventing the wheel and allows us to better care for the resources that are given to us.

A couple of months ago, I ran across a great support network and program for those struggling with eating disorders. It all started by reconnecting to an old friend through Facebook of all places! Shannon Cutts is the friend I am referring to. Shannon is a "compassionate advocate of our right to feel good about ourselves, our bodies, and our lives. As a popular speaker, writer, and award-winning songwriter, she travels year-round, sharing her powerful message that yes, recovery from eating disorders is possible!"

She has written a book called Beating Ana, a book about how the author overcame her own 15 year battle with both anorexia and bulimia. She has also started a global online support network called MentorCONNECT.

If you or someone you know is struggling with one of a number of eating disorders, I want to encourage you to check out MentorCONNECT for yourself.

You can take the virtual tour of everything they have to offer by clicking here.

And you can take a virtual tour of the community forums by clicking here.

If you would like to find out more about Shannon, you can check out her blog here.

And finally, if you want some more general info, publications and educational things related to eating disorders, you can click here.

If you have ever wrestled with an eating disorder, you are painfully aware of just how few resources are available. After treatment, the person wrestling with these types of disorders is pretty much thrown back into normal life with little to no support and accountability. We offer these resources to you not to replace your treatment plan or the program you have in place, but rather as an additional tool in your recovery arsenal.

Keep checking back as we are planning on having Shannon join us shortly after the first of the year for an afternoon of education and discussion involving eating disorders and how to get help.

Getting Plugged In - Week of November 2nd

2009-11-02T19:12:00.001-08:00

We are starting a new series here at the Encounters' blog entitled Getting Plugged In. This series is designed to help you get plugged into the things we do here at Encounters. Every week we will post opportunities for you to serve along with all of the information you need to contact the right people to get plugged in.

Here are some of the opportunities for service that we currently have available:

Bus Driver - we have a 22 passenger mini-bus that is available to use to pick up folks for Saturday services and meetings. The folks that we will be picking up reside at various treatment facilities and shelters. Drivers for our mini-bus need to have a CDL license with a passenger endorsement on it. We currently have two drivers, but would like to add a few more. With four or more drivers, each driver would only have to commit to one Saturday a month. If this is something that you are interested in, please contact Russell at acts242@hotmail.com

Worship Team/Band Members - do you have musical gifts? Do you sing or play an instrument? The Encounters Worship Team is looking for new members to help flesh out our current worship team. The team currently meets on Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. in the sanctuary for rehearsal and arrives at 4:30 on Saturdays to prepare for and lead worship at 5:30. If this is something that interests you, please contact Kevin Watts at kev081801@yahoo.com for more information.

The Good Book - this is our church bookstore and we would like to make it available to folks on Saturday evenings as they come to worship. We are going to be adding some great titles to the store that relate to recovery and there are already a lot of great books and resources for our journeys in the Christian faith. If you would be interested in serving at The Good Book, please contact Ray Cline at rjcline@hotmail.com

The Hospitality Team - This team takes care of the refreshments for our weekly meetings and services, as well as planning and working our special events. Whether you have a little time or a lot of time, the Hospitality Team can use your gifts of hospitality and compassion. For more information, please contact Donna Graham at graham.donna1@gmail.com

Please be sure and check back weekly as we will be updating the opportunities for service.

Upcoming Concert

2009-11-02T10:04:00.001-08:00

Hello family,

I wanted to take a moment to remind everyone that we have another big event coming up at our church. On Saturday, November 14th, Kerri Crocker and Shelly Wilson will be in concert in our sanctuary. Many of you know Kerri from previous visits and Kerri and Shelly have been ministering together with their music for a number of years.

This concert is absolutely free (CD's will be available for purchase). The concert begins at 5:00 p.m. with the Encounters Worship Team doing a short opening set. Then Kerri and Shelly will take over until about 6:30 p.m.

One of the things that I have been most impressed with when these two have come to do an event is how they are able to connect to a variety of age groups. They will cover some golden oldies and will have some fresh stuff from their latest CDs. It will surely be a concert that you won't want to miss!

If you would like to find out more about Kerri and Shelly and to listen to some of their music before the concert, I invite you to visit their websites listed below:
www.kerricrocker.com
www.shellywilson.com

If you have any questions or would like more information, please feel free to contact me at acts242@hotmail.com.

Remember, the best is yet to come!

Russell

Trunk or Treat

2009-10-31T20:28:00.001-07:00

Today we had the privilege to participate with the larger church in our annual Trunk or Treat event. During our time together, we saw lots of great costumes, consumed everything from sno-cones to hot dogs and candy to popcorn, handed out frisbees with the Encounters logo and Facebook page address on them, and invited folks to come worship with us next Saturday night.

At the end of the afternoon, we had given out 500 frisbees, 550 worship invitations, and more than a dozen bags of candy!

Here are a few of the pictures from today's event:

To see more pictures from this event, go to our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/encounters and while you are there, leave a comment and become a fan!

Random Acts of Kindness

2009-09-26T21:19:00.000-07:00

Today we got together as a community of faith (representing not just Encounters, but all three services at UMT) and served in our community. We did a number of tasks on the home of 2 pastors in our area. We hung doors, hung waterproof backing in a shower to make it functional, fixed 17 cabinet door latches, replaced child safety latches, repaired a garage door remote, spackled and hung doors on 5 closets. It was a good and productive day.

While we got a lot accomplished, there is more that needs to be done. We are going to get together again on Saturday, October 10th to attempt to complete the work we have begun. We believe that these little Random Acts of Kindness are just one of the many ways that we can share the love of Christ with the world around us.

If you would like to join us in these activities, we invite you to contact us at the church office or via email at acts242@hotmail.com.

Worship at Encounters

2009-09-23T21:07:00.000-07:00

Many people have been asking a lot of questions about Encounters, especially our worship services. We wanted to take this opportunity to describe these services in a little more detail.

First, our community is a mosaic of people. Some are from the recovery community, but many are not. You do not have to be in recovery to attend this worship service. This service is for anyone looking to grow in their relationship with Christ. We are comprised of folks with a wide array of faith experiences and we gather together to seek to encounter one another and to encounter God in deep and meaningful ways. Here is what you can expect at worship:

Expect to Come As You Are
We gather together to worship in everything from shorts and t-shirts to work uniforms to business casual attire. We are convinced that it is not how we are dressed that is important, but how our hearts are that matters to God.

Expect Current Music
When we gather to worship, we will sing songs that have been written by artists like Third Day, Kutless, David Crowder Band, Chris Tomlin, 7 Day Slumber, Skillet, Toby Mac, Brandon Heath, and many, many more. Our music is very contemporary in orientation (and tends towards the rock or edgier side of the scale).

Expect Top Quality Multimedia Engagement
Utilizing the best of current technology and multimedia resources, we seek to engage multiple senses and multiple means of both receiving and retaining the messages of our biblical teachings during worship.

Expect Other Forms of Engagement
In addition to a message given orally every time we gather for worship, we also bring our messages to life through faith journeys (where members share portions of their stories and how those stories are intersecting God's story in our midst), dance, skits, and other forms of visual and performing arts.

Expect to Pray
We have opportunities to share our prayer concerns by writing them on prayer cards and depositing them into one of our carpenters boxes during the service (a team of people pray for those concerns every day of the week following the service). We also have opportunities to pray or be prayed for during each of our services.

Expect Communion
Known as the Lord's Supper, the Eucharist, and by a number of other names, we believe that communion is a means of grace and that we should attend to this sacrament regularly as the church. Currently, we are participating in communion on the first Saturday of every month.

Expect Great Coffee and Snacks
Both before and after the service, you are invited to join us for coffee and snacks in our coffee bar area just outside of our worship space.

There is much more to expect when you join us at Encounters, but the best way to know what to expect is to come check us out for yourselves. Our next two worship services will be held October 3rd and October 17th at 5:30 p.m. We meet in the sanctuary of the United Methodist Temple located at 4101 Highway 73, Port Arthur, Texas.

For more information please contact Russell at acts242@hotmail.com

2009-09-20T14:08:00.000-07:00

Last night we gathered together to worship for the first time as a community here at Encounters. This morning, as I was tooling around the church, there was a lot of buzz about the service. People were talking about their experience and sharing with one another about who they could invite to our next service. We want to thank all of our volunteers (those we could see and those who were behind the scenes) who helped make the service come alive.

I want to personally invite you to join us for worship on Saturday, October 3rd at 5:30 p.m. You are invited to come as you are (shorts and flip flops, jeans and t-shirts, whatever makes you happy) and join us for an evening of worship.

Here is just a glimpse of what you can expect:
-contemporary Christian music (we are covering artists like Casting Crowns, Third Day, Kutless, David Crowder, Chris Tomlin and many, many more)
-relevant Biblical preaching (next time we will be talking about James and what he says about the power of our tongues and the words we use)
-top quality media integrated all throughout the service (ask some of the folks about the opening and closing videos from this week's service!)
-great hospitality
-lively fellowship
-a free nursery
-Kidz Encounters for children K-5th Grade
-and much more!

For more information about Encounters and the activities that we are a part of, check us out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/encounters or email us at acts242@hotmail.com

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Shalom,

Russell

Opportunities to Serve

2009-09-08T12:00:00.000-07:00

We are growing here at Encounters at an exponential rate! Our outreach events, small groups, worshiping and prayer life are all off the ground and running at varying levels and paces. With so much momentum going, there are always opportunities to serve.

To date we have about two dozen volunteers that are actively involved in the mission and ministry of Encounters. To continue to fulfill our mission and ministry, however, we are in need of your help.

We want to invite you to serve with us. Here are just a few of the opportunities that are currently available:

Bus Driver - we need a CDL licensed driver to drive our 22 passenger bus to help get men and women in treatment facilities and shelters to our meetings and worship on Saturdays.

Prayer Partners - we are in need of people to be on our prayer team to pray for the prayer concerns we receive every week. Additionally, we need people who would be willing to pray with those who come forward for prayer at the end of our services.

Book Store - We need folks to assist with running the book store before and after services (both for Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings).

Hospitality Team - we are looking for people to join this team that can help with the hospitality for our events, worship and classes.

Technical and Creative Arts teams - if you enjoy working the computer or would like to learn how to work the lights and sound, we want to invite you to join the technical arts team. Our creative arts team is also looking for folks that are willing to bring their gifts and graces to help present the gospel in new and creative ways.

Worship Team - we are still looking for folks to join the worship team. If you play guitar, sing, play the keyboard, or other instruments and would be interested in leading worship with us, you are invited to check us out and join the team.

There is always something to do, from missions projects to worship experiences, and we would love for you to partner with us in mission and ministry.

To find out about these and other opportunities for service, please contact acts242@hotmail.com.

What a great day!

2009-09-07T18:18:00.001-07:00

Today we had our first ever Family Fun day. We had hot dogs, chips, cake, cookies, and the like for food. We gave away 2 Ipod Shuffles, $50 gift card to Walmart, $75 massage and facial combo, a couple of crosses and candles, and a lot of other goodies.

For fun we played in a Steve McQueen bounce house, slid down a 20' super slide, played with hoola hoops, had washer competitions, played ping-pong, dominoes, cards, and made crafts...it was a great day!

Here are a couple of photos from the day:

To see even more pictures and get more information about us, check us out on our Facebook Page at www.Facebook.com/Encounters.

Labor Day Celebration!

2009-09-05T12:25:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for something to do on Monday, September 7th!?!

We have just the thing. You are invited to come join us as we open our doors to the community for a Labor Day Family Fun Day. Check out the flyer below for all the details:

In addition to the bounce house we will have a 20' high superslide and lots of fun and games for both adults and children. Don't forget to register to win discounts on manicures and pedicures or a $50.00 gift card or 1 gig Ipod Shuffle or much, much more!

Celebrating a Successful School Supply Drive!

2009-08-23T13:15:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month, you were invited to participate in a hands on missions opportunity right here in Port Arthur. Encounters (along with the entire family of faith at UMT) and UMW collected school supplies for two different projects. When we heard that all of the bags for United Methodist Women were taken and filled, we were elated. But it didn't stop there.

With the entire family of faith here at UMT working together, we gathered more than 17 tubs of school supplies. In addition to these supplies, hundreds of dollars were donated to our little project. When it was all said and done, hundreds of folders, pens, pencils, spiral notebooks, packs of paper, highlighters, scissors, erasers, markers, map pencils, Kleenex, hand sanitizers, and the like were gathered together.

On Thursday, August 20th, Ken Burke and Russell Hall gathered with other Rotary Club members and Cedar Ridge staff to fill and hand out 72 back packs to families with financial need. The children helped ranged from Kindergarten to 5th grade. But we're not done yet.

This coming Wednesday, the remaining supplies will be taken to Sam Houston Elementary School and will help more than 150 teachers and students get the school year started on the right foot.

So we are celebrating a successful school supply drive! Your one simple Random Act of Kindness will impact more than 200 lives.

Thank you for your continued faithfulness and support.

We are already planning for future Random Acts of Kindness. Keep an eye out here for other opportunities to continue to live out of the overflow of God's grace.

Remember, the best is yet to come!

Russell

Midweek Encounters

2009-08-15T13:46:00.000-07:00

We are just 12 short days away from launching our first round of Midweek Encounters. Here is the 411:

What is it? - a 13 week study that looks at the twelve steps of recovery from a biblical perspective. It will be a time of worship, prayer, testimony, Bible study and growth.

When is it? - Thursday evenings beginning at 6:00 p.m.

Where is it? - The United Methodist Temple, 4101 Highway 73, in the Life Lessons room.

Who can come? - Absolutely anyone. Whether you are just curious about the workings of the 12 steps and how they relate to the Bible or are looking to grow in your own journey of recovery, all are invited to come.

Additional info:

-Childcare is being provided free of charge
-A sandwich dinner is being provided free of charge
-All materials are being provided free of charge

Please RSVP to the church office or by emailing acts242@hotmail.com if you are planning on attending to where we can have enough food and materials for everyone.

Look forward to seeing you there!

Worship Team Update

2009-08-07T21:47:00.000-07:00

Last night was an incredible time for me in the life of this new ministry. From a number of walks of life and from a variety of denominational backgrounds, a group of a dozen or so of us got together for the first time as a worship team.

There was a lot of laughter, a time of communion and prayer together, and some incredible jamming! For a group that had pretty much not met one another before last night, it was amazing to witness what God was/is busy doing in our midst. We have in our midst, a couple of extraordinary guitarists, a strong male and female set of vocals, an incredible drummer, and a great support crew of back up singers, encouragers, and sound and media folks. The creativity and imagination of those present is nothing short of invigorating.

Stoked is an understatement. As I sit on the front row and watch what is unfolding, I sit in awe of God's presence and the movement of the Spirit in this place. There is no doubt about it, this group (and the others that we feel God is calling to this place) will lead us in worship...and I can't wait!

This team will be meeting again on Monday evening, August 10th, at 6:00 p.m. If you are in the area and want to stop by, you are welcome to do so. If you are a musician, vocalist, or have gifts and graces involving media or other creative worship arts, you are invited to come and check out our team and see if it is a place you feel led to serve in.

Come join us as we encounter God and one another!

Oh, by the way, mark your calendars...our first worship experience together will take place Saturday, September 19th at 5:30 p.m.! You won't want to miss it!

School Supply Drive

2009-07-30T19:22:00.000-07:00

While many are looking forward to our upcoming worship services, fun activities and learning opportunities; we wanted to take time to tell you about an important hands on missions project that we are currently involved with. We like to call these smaller projects Random Acts of Kindness (RAK).

Our very first RAK is being done in partnership with the Rotary Club. Every year, Rotary provides families in need with backpacks for their children's return to school. This year, we are partnering with them by providing some of the necessary supplies to fill those backpacks.

Below you will find a list of the school supplies that we are collecting. We are inviting you to explore the list of items below, pick up a few on your next shopping trip, and deposit them in one of the tubs in the Narthex at the UM Temple. In a couple of weeks, we will take the collected supplies, place them in the backpacks that the Rotary Club is providing, and help them distribute the filled backpacks.

Here is the list of items we are looking for:

24 count crayons

10 count washable markers

pocket folders with brads

#2 pencils

10 count map pencils

Kleenex

hand sanitizer

wide rule paper

red pens

black or blue pens

highlighters

pink pearl erasers

wide rule spirals- 1 subject

4x6 lined index cards for middle and high school

Glue sticks

scissors

Our goal is to fill and help distribute all 200 backpacks that the Rotary Club is providing. Thanks in advance for your support!

If you would like to be a part of the team that helps with the distribution, you are invited to contact Russell in the church office (409-962-5762).

Prayer - Continuing the Conversation

2009-07-28T22:00:00.001-07:00

I have been thinking a lot lately about the power of prayer and the need for conversation in relationships.

In our personal lives, to have a relationship with someone means that we will be in communication - in conversation - with them. A friendship, marriage or acquaintance cannot survive without the gift of communication. In healthy relationships we volley back and forth between listening and speaking. It is the avenue through which our relationships deepen and strengthen.

Our relationship with God is no different. For almost 7 months now, I have been posting daily prayers on my personal blog - prayers that have been and continue to be - vital to my spiritual growth; vital to my relationship with Christ. These prayers run the gamut from confession to thanksgiving and adoration to intercession. But these are not the only prayers that need to be prayed; they are but a beginning.

When Encounters was first discerned and conceived, I set out to first establish a team of prayer warriors. These folks have prayed (and continue to pray) for the mission and ministry that is unfolding here in Port Arthur. These folks have committed to pray for us through our launch in January of next year. Much of what is happening in our midst, I attribute to God who has heard the prayers of these faithful intercessors.

As you may imagine, every week that goes by, every new relationship and connection brings forth another opportunity to pray. It is time that we take a step as a community faith (with an online presence) to deepen and strengthen our prayer lives. While the launch prayer teams will continue to pray for our ministry, I want to invite you to join me in praying for those that we serve and for each other. I believe that in praying for one another (and our varying relationships and connections) we will strengthen not only our relationships with each other, but also our relationships with God.

To that end, we are launching a new feature on our Facebook page (which you can find here). On the Discussions tab, we are going to host an ongoing thread for prayer concerns and praise updates. I want to invite you to pray for the concerns as you read them. I want us to celebrate the things that God is doing in the lives of people.

If you have a prayer request, write it in the thread and we will pray for you. If you have a praise report, write it in the thread and we will celebrate with you with prayers of thanksgiving.

I have only one request. To help us stay true (maintain our authenticity and integrity), I ask that you only post prayer requests and praise reports in this thread of the discussions tab. We don't want some people receiving comments about folks praying for them in the comments section of this thread and others to receive none. If you notice someone you know that you are praying for, send them a personal note of encouragement rather than posting them in the comments section of this discussion thread. This will encourage community and a deepening of your relationship with them. Additionally, this will keep folks from feeling left out if they were to get fewer or even no comments about their particular prayer requests.

I thank you in advance for your faithfulness and for the way that this ministry will take us another step closer to the healing and wholeness that we find in Christ Jesus.

Shalom,

Russell

A Sneak Peak to Upcoming Events

2009-07-24T07:39:00.000-07:00

One of the questions that we get most often goes something along the lines of, "when are you going to be worshiping," or "what kinds of things are happening between now and the launch of weekly worship?" Here's what's happening over the next couple of months:

Every Saturday at 7:00 p.m.:

Came to Believe - A Christian 12 step group meeting

August 13th (6:00 p.m.):

3rd Launch Team Meeting - This meeting is open to anyone that wants to partner with us in mission and ministry. During this meeting we will be discussing upcoming events, getting team updates and completing some final tasks relating to those events. Whether you are seeking more information about Encounters, or wish to participate in one of the 7 ministry teams that are already up and running, you are welcome to attend.

The week of August 17th:

Random Acts of Kindness - we will be partnering with one of the local Rotary Clubs to distribute 200 backpacks to families with children that are unable to afford school supplies. The Rotary Club will be providing the backpacks and we will be filling them with some of the necessary supplies for school.

Thursdays, Beginning August 27th (running through November 19)

Midweek Encounters - Join us for a time of worship, prayer and study. We will be looking at the 12 steps of recovery from a biblical perspective and how they relate to all of life's pains and pressures.

September 7th:

Labor Day Family Fun - join us for a time of fellowship, laughter and games as we gather to eat and play on Labor Day. The hours will be from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. There will be free food, a bounce house, and much, much more!

September 12th:

Random Acts of Kindness - join us as we deliver care packages of drinks, snacks and reading material to the local ICU and emergency waiting rooms for families with loved ones in the hospital.

September 15th:

4th Launch Team Meeting

September 19th:

Preview Service - Come worship with us at 5:30 p.m. This service will give us and you the opportunity to worship together as a community.

More details will be available here and on Facebook as we get closer to these events. As always, you can contact Russell at acts242@hotmail.com for more information!

Encountering Others

2009-07-22T19:15:00.000-07:00

Having a heart for others is at the core of what it means to be a part of the Encounters community. It is simply a part of our DNA. As a community of faith, we seek to do the stuff of life in ways that enriches our faith and deepens our relationships (both with God and with the people around us).

One of the ways that this takes place is through our Encountering Others ministries. These are the teams and ministries that are reaching out beyond our walls bringing hope to people and places of brokenness in the world. Encountering Others includes the following teams:

Van Ministry Team - This is a group of men and women that travel to local shelters, treatment facilities, half way houses, and the like to pick up those folks that don't have their own transportation, but want to come to a recovery meeting or to worship.

Local/Regional Missions Team - This team will work towards transforming the communities that we live in through hands on service projects involving construction, repair, distributing food, school supplies, and clothing. Partnerships with local missions agencies and Partners in Mission (PIM)are just some of the ways we envision this happening.

National/Global Missions Team - This team will work to aid communities across the country and in other parts of the world with necessary supplies, construction help, educational supplies, and medical aid. Partnering with UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) and the Nothing But Nets campaign are just couple of the goals we have for this team.

Special Events Team - This team works to unify our surrounding communities bringing them together to play, worship, and serve within our region. Special events will include block parties, concerts, faith in action days, and a lot of other exciting opportunities.

Random Acts of Kindness - This is another team that is already up and running. Because we value an encounter with each other and with God so much, this team reaches out to bring encouragement, comfort, fellowship, and resources to our immediate area. We do this through care packages for those with loved ones in the hospital, taking meals and fellowshipping with folks in treatment or transitional living facilities, and many other ways.

Several of these teams are already up and running, while others are in their formative stages.

If making a difference in the lives of others is something you feel called to, we invite you to explore these opportunities for Encountering Others. Please feel free to contact Russell at the church office for more information or to get connected to one of these teams.

The 12 Steps from a Christian Perspective

2009-07-18T12:29:00.000-07:00

Came to Believe is the name of our Christian 12 step group, and we just wanted to take a moment to tell you a little more about it:

This meeting utilizes the 12 steps, principles, and promises that are a part of other 12 step organizations (that were originally birthed out of a Christian organization known as the Oxford Group), but recognizes that the God of our understanding is found in the triune God whose face is Jesus Christ.

This group is open to all regardless of what the issue is that we wrestle with. This is because although we have found that our behaviors of choice may manifest themselves in a variety of ways (codependence, alcoholism, drug addiction, food issues, sex, gambling, cutting, relationship issues, and so on), we have discovered that the underlying causes of these issues are quite similar. Additionally, we have discovered that there is but one solution - a growing relationship with Christ.

If you or someone you know is looking for a safe place to process and work through these various issues, we invite you to join us for Came to Believe!

Here's the 411:

CAME TO BELIEVE

What:

A Christian 12 step meeting focused not on the differences of our dependencies, but rather on the healing and wholeness that is offered to us through Jesus Christ.

Who:

For anyone looking to strengthen their relationship with Jesus Christ while journeying the 12 steps of recovery.

When:

Saturday evenings at 7:00 p.m.

Where:

The United Methodist Temple
4101 Highway 73

Meeting will be held in the Life Lessons Room

For more information (including directions to our facility) contact Russell at the church at (409) 962-5762.

Following Encounters

2009-07-17T20:59:00.001-07:00

Many people have asked me recently, "how can we keep up with and be notified of events and other things happening in the life of the Encounters community?" There are two ways that we currently have to do this and a third one that is on the way.

First, you can follow us on the Encounters blog right here at http://encounters-umtemple.blogspot.com/
You can add us to your favorites list, your Google reader, your Feed Burner or any other RSS feed service. We will continue to post updates here several times a week to help keep our growing community informed of all of the opportunities available at Encounters.

Second, if you are a fan of social media and would like to follow us on Facebook, you can become a fan of our Facebook page. Simply login to Facebook and look for Encounters UMT or click here to go directly to our fan page. Once you are logged into your Facebook account, you can become a fan. As a fan you will be able to interact with other folks in our community and will be notified of all upcoming events and important news releases.

Those are the best ways to currently follow us here at Encounters. The third option that I mentioned above is a brand new website that is currently in the design phase that we anticipate launching in the near future. As soon as that resource is available, we will post that information both here and on our Facebook page to let you know.

We look forward to sharing Encounters with you!

Exciting News

2009-07-17T20:31:00.000-07:00

Encounters is a community of folks seeking to do life deeply together, driven by a desire to be a reflection of Christ to people and places of brokenness, so that they may encounter the grace of God and experience wholeness. It is a community being built on prayer, missional outreach, and intentional relationships.

We are currently building teams and beginning our outreach to the communities around us.

In the past few weeks God has raised up individuals to participate in our worship team, our hospitality team, our event planning team, our children's ministry team, our communications team, our Christian 12 step ministry, our creative arts team, sound and technical arts team, our transportation team, and many people have come saying that they would help in any way that they can. It is an amazing thing to be a part of.

If you are looking for a place to serve, we would love to have you join one of our many dynamic ministry teams. You can contact Russell via email at acts242@hotmail.com for more information.

A couple of weeks ago we launched our weekly Christian 12 step meetings called "Came to Believe". They are meeting on Saturday evenings at 7:00 p.m. in the Life Lessons room of the United Methodist Temple. If you or someone you know is wrestling with the pains and pressures of life - including drug and alcohol addiction, food addictions, shopping addictions, gambling addictions, codependency, or other hurts and hangups - we invite you to come join us for an hour of fellowship, sharing and solution living at "Came to Believe".

We will be launching our Midweek Encounters program (a 13 week Bible based 12 step step study complete with times of worship, teaching, praying and fellowship)in late August. Stay tuned for more information in the very near future.

Random Acts of Kindness are things that we do in the community to reach out in both love and service. Stay tuned for our next Random Act of Kindness in August, where we will be partnering with the local Rotary Club to hand out backpacks and school supplies to families in need in the Port Arthur area.

Do you like parties? Then mark your calendars now for a huge family Labor Day blow out on the grounds of the United Methodist Temple on September 7th.

These are just a few of the things that we have planned over the next couple of months (but there will be so much more, including concerts and worship services!).

Please keep checking back as we will keep you updated regularly!

Launch Team Meeting Reminder

2009-07-12T18:46:00.000-07:00

Don't forget that this Thursday (July 16th) is our next scheduled Encounters launch team meeting!

Come join us for coffee and exciting updates on what is happening with this new ministry!

This week we will be discussing the upcoming events that we are planning, looking at the overall schedule, reviewing the teams that are beginning to take shape, and taking some next steps to stay on schedule for our January 9th, 2010 launch.

If you're coming to the meeting, be sure and bring a friend!

Who We Are

2009-07-12T17:48:00.001-07:00

This is who we are:

Stay tuned...more coming real soon!