How about you? Head over to signalpatterns.com, then share your results with us by posting them in the comments section. Mine was right on! Special thanks to Sara Fitz for this find.
your personality
This is me:
How about you? Head over to signalpatterns.com, then share your results with us by posting them in the comments section. Mine was right on! Special thanks to Sara Fitz for this find.
How about you? Head over to signalpatterns.com, then share your results with us by posting them in the comments section. Mine was right on! Special thanks to Sara Fitz for this find.
Advent, Christmas Eve, and omg it's almost 2010
For those of you who are still somewhat new to the world of online abbreviations, "omg" stands for "oh my gosh."
Advent Series and Christmas Eve
I am a little scared to look at the last time we posted an update on our blog. Apparently, Christmas happened! Here are some highlights from our Advent Series and our Christmas Eve services:
Lastly, But Most Importantly
Oh... man. What a long post already. But there are a couple of more REALLY IMPORTANT things for you to know and do as 2010 approaches:
Advent Series and Christmas Eve
I am a little scared to look at the last time we posted an update on our blog. Apparently, Christmas happened! Here are some highlights from our Advent Series and our Christmas Eve services:
- The final week of our Advent Series on "Waiting" saw 22 people come to Christ!!! Praise God!!!
- On that same weekend there were many, many more people who came forward for prayer, recommitment, and a desire to take significant steps in their faith. It was an awesome sight to behold.
- Overall, we were blown away by how God worked through this series as a whole. We had to print off more invite cards after week 2!
- Despite the terrible weather on Christmas Eve, we still saw over 2200 people come to our services.
- At the 11 o'clock service, we had a hard time getting people into the Worship Center... simply because they wanted to stay circled in the lobby listening to Ron Morlan, Thomas Creeden, and Zach Elster play some Christmas carols jazz-style... not to mention watch little Max Phares dance in the center!
- We did some pretty creative things at the Christmas Eve services - the aforementioned live jazz combo in the lobby; a blurry beginning with musicians and vocalists being gradually added on stage; some awesome lighting moods and movements; and a video piece that combined video, still photography, live music, and creative lighting.
- Jeremy Ott, our Waterloo Technical Director, called the most significant service that we did all year. Very cool.
P&P Staffing Updates
And even though Christmas has dominated our ministry these past few weeks, it hasn't been the only thing that has been going on. here are some other significant updates that you need to know:
And even though Christmas has dominated our ministry these past few weeks, it hasn't been the only thing that has been going on. here are some other significant updates that you need to know:
- We've hired a new Created Video Director! Matt Miller is going to join our team on January 5th to replace Matt Rittgers. We're excited to have him aboard. You'll hear more about him in a future blog post and at our next All Team Meeting.
- What's next for Matt Rittgers? Well, long story short, we don't know. Matt has felt for some time that there's something next for him and Hilary in the arena of missions, to the point where they have been actively pursuing opportunities. So far, nothing's been solidified. We're gonna continue to pray for them as they pursue what God has for them next. Until then, they are both here, and still a part of our family and ministry.
- Dan Lincoln, the candidate for the Cedar Falls Worship Director position, had a great visit last weekend with his wife Tiffany. Many of you got a chance to meet them both in between the services last Sunday. Although his visit was cut off short due to the weather, it did culminate in a written offer from us for this position. He and Tiffany are going to take some time to think and pray about the opportunity. Please be in prayer yourselves as we try and discern what God has for us next!
Lastly, But Most Importantly
Oh... man. What a long post already. But there are a couple of more REALLY IMPORTANT things for you to know and do as 2010 approaches:
- It's been awhile since our last All Team meeting! Although we did retreat together in November, really, our last regular All Team meeting was back in October! Our next one is coming up on Tuesday, January 12. Be there! We'll be talking about the importance of community... and how we're gonna tackle that as a multi-site church.
- Speaking of multi-site: the Waterloo campus is going to start worshiping together up in the chapel on the weekend of January 30-31! Which means: WE NEED MORE VOLUNTEERS FOR WATERLOO! At this point, you don't have to make the Waterloo campus your home. But, for at least these next six months, we need vocalists, instrumentalists, and technicians to consider serving at our Waterloo location to get that time off and running. Since Shari's about to head down to San Antonio for her son Spencer's wedding, please send an email to Jon Lloyd or Jeremy Ott if you're willing to serve there.
Whew... that was a lot. Thanks for making it through that with us. Hope you all had a Merry Christmas... and have a happy New Year!
why you aren't dead yet
Recently I've begun reading a blog maintained by Michael Hyatt. He is the CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, the largest Christian publishing company in the world. He has some pretty fascinating things to say... especially as it concerns intergenerational relationships and communication.
One thing that keeps hitting me hard in these last few months - and especially since we've made some intentional decisions to expand our ministry to support another site - is just how critical it is for our more seasoned people to take on a different mantle of leadership in our community: to mentor those in our ministry who are newer, younger, and less mature. It's beautiful when it happens... and painfully obvious when it's absent.
Michael Hyatt wrote about this very subject in one of his more recent posts entitled "Why You Aren't Dead Yet." I'd love for all of you to read it, and then share on our blog some of your own personal examples or desires as to how these principles continue to apply to P&P at PLC.
One thing that keeps hitting me hard in these last few months - and especially since we've made some intentional decisions to expand our ministry to support another site - is just how critical it is for our more seasoned people to take on a different mantle of leadership in our community: to mentor those in our ministry who are newer, younger, and less mature. It's beautiful when it happens... and painfully obvious when it's absent.
Michael Hyatt wrote about this very subject in one of his more recent posts entitled "Why You Aren't Dead Yet." I'd love for all of you to read it, and then share on our blog some of your own personal examples or desires as to how these principles continue to apply to P&P at PLC.
the hymn debate
This post is not going to say what you think it's going to say.
Take a look at this video. Let us know if it causes you to view the hymns, music, and art in the church differently. Scroll down to the bottom of this entry to post. (By the way, I changed the settings so that now you don't need an account to post.)
The video is about a series that Mars Hill Church is doing, covering the life of Isaac Watts, the composer of many of the hymns that we still sing today. Thanks to Andy Iehl for coming across this and bringing it to my attention.
Interesting how the same debate that rages on today was being waged 400 years ago... only with a little different twist.
Take a look at this video. Let us know if it causes you to view the hymns, music, and art in the church differently. Scroll down to the bottom of this entry to post. (By the way, I changed the settings so that now you don't need an account to post.)
The video is about a series that Mars Hill Church is doing, covering the life of Isaac Watts, the composer of many of the hymns that we still sing today. Thanks to Andy Iehl for coming across this and bringing it to my attention.
Interesting how the same debate that rages on today was being waged 400 years ago... only with a little different twist.
Worship & the Visitor
Read a great article on the role of worship on the weekends and the life of the visitor. Check it out!
Waterloo Teams
Hey P&P people - we need to know if you're planning on making our upcoming Waterloo campus your church home!
Take a look at the video below for what you need to do:
Here's just a few more things that you need to know as you make your decision:
Take a look at the video below for what you need to do:
Here's just a few more things that you need to know as you make your decision:
- We will be starting incubation services up in the Chapel beginning sometime late January, 2010. What does this mean? Well, it means that if you're planning on making Prairie Lakes Waterloo your new church home, you're gonna start worshiping together up in the chapel on Sundays.
- Translation of the bullet point above: Waterloo attenders in the chapel seats; Waterloo P&P volunteers putting on services - both music and tech.
- Hopefully by now you've met your new leaders. If not, you really should. They're both great guys.
- At this point, we're needing to know if you're going to commit to Waterloo - not if you're willing to serve at either location. Hopefully, all of us fall into the latter camp. But, we need to know who is planning on making the move, so that we can start to craft our teams.
So, per the video, send Shari Ford an email, and let her know if you're going to Waterloo!
Saturday night recap - 11.28
It's hard to believe, but we've found ourselves in the first week of our 2009 Advent Series. The theme this year is "Waiting." Here's what God did through our teams tonight:
-For the first time, we brought to the stage the big Christmas trees that normally reside in the lobby during this time of year. It provided for a great Christmas feel, and some very creative camera shots.
-For a post-Thanksgiving, shortened week, our teams were very focused - maybe because of the rest that the holiday afforded!
-Spencer started our services out with a loop-driven acoustic guitar prelude on the theme from "O Come, O Come, Immanuel." Combined with the look and feel of the stage, it was an amazing way to invite people into the significance of this time of year.
-Shawn Steere ran a camera for us - his first time running a camera on the weekend... though he's done it many times for our KidStuf program on Wednesday nights. He did a great job. It's cool to start seeing those two production environments begin to cross over.
-Cole Matlock stepped in at the last minute to cover for a sick James Roberts. Love the willingness and servant's heart that so many of our volunteers so naturally put on display.
-Mark Lukasievicz jumped back in on keys while he was home on Thanksgiving break from Iowa State. Although we're disappointed that he's not normally in gold and purple, we were glad to have him back!
-Our worship experience was awesome. Spencer arranged "O Come, O Come, Immanuel" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" in a way that really brought us into the tension of the theme, "Waiting." Zach Elster really did an amazing job on the electric providing the overall feel.
-The congregation responded - they were so engaged. The theme was so clear throughout the set, with "Come Thou Fount" and "Hungry" allowing for some Spirit-inspired moments.
-This was the first service during which we did our Strategic Concerns on video. Our production teams made it a seamless experience. This probably reclaimed about 5 minutes from our service, and made for a clear, concise way to get people necessary information.
-Matt Rittgers recapped our "Friends Feeding Families" event via a great video spot which he created. 277 families served at Thanksgiving because of the generosity of the people at Prairie Lakes Church. Another cool way to invite our people into the significance of that initiative.
-John preached a great message on Mary and Joseph, and how they waited through the craziness that was they're first few years of marriage. This provided for a great challenge at the end - to trust God while we wait through difficult circumstances.
-We are building a culture of response - providing space in our services for people to encounter and respond to God... whether through prayer, silence, or connecting with a pastor/elder up front. So many people just sat in their seats and prayed after the services, or came forward for prayer about what they were waiting through. Although the service ended at 6:45, the Worship Center wasn't cleared out until 7:05. This is why we do what we do.
Hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving. Welcome to the Advent season. I'm looking forward to each of you getting a chance to wait together for Christ's birth.
-For the first time, we brought to the stage the big Christmas trees that normally reside in the lobby during this time of year. It provided for a great Christmas feel, and some very creative camera shots.
-For a post-Thanksgiving, shortened week, our teams were very focused - maybe because of the rest that the holiday afforded!
-Spencer started our services out with a loop-driven acoustic guitar prelude on the theme from "O Come, O Come, Immanuel." Combined with the look and feel of the stage, it was an amazing way to invite people into the significance of this time of year.
-Shawn Steere ran a camera for us - his first time running a camera on the weekend... though he's done it many times for our KidStuf program on Wednesday nights. He did a great job. It's cool to start seeing those two production environments begin to cross over.
-Cole Matlock stepped in at the last minute to cover for a sick James Roberts. Love the willingness and servant's heart that so many of our volunteers so naturally put on display.
-Mark Lukasievicz jumped back in on keys while he was home on Thanksgiving break from Iowa State. Although we're disappointed that he's not normally in gold and purple, we were glad to have him back!
-Our worship experience was awesome. Spencer arranged "O Come, O Come, Immanuel" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" in a way that really brought us into the tension of the theme, "Waiting." Zach Elster really did an amazing job on the electric providing the overall feel.
-The congregation responded - they were so engaged. The theme was so clear throughout the set, with "Come Thou Fount" and "Hungry" allowing for some Spirit-inspired moments.
-This was the first service during which we did our Strategic Concerns on video. Our production teams made it a seamless experience. This probably reclaimed about 5 minutes from our service, and made for a clear, concise way to get people necessary information.
-Matt Rittgers recapped our "Friends Feeding Families" event via a great video spot which he created. 277 families served at Thanksgiving because of the generosity of the people at Prairie Lakes Church. Another cool way to invite our people into the significance of that initiative.
-John preached a great message on Mary and Joseph, and how they waited through the craziness that was they're first few years of marriage. This provided for a great challenge at the end - to trust God while we wait through difficult circumstances.
-We are building a culture of response - providing space in our services for people to encounter and respond to God... whether through prayer, silence, or connecting with a pastor/elder up front. So many people just sat in their seats and prayed after the services, or came forward for prayer about what they were waiting through. Although the service ended at 6:45, the Worship Center wasn't cleared out until 7:05. This is why we do what we do.
Hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving. Welcome to the Advent season. I'm looking forward to each of you getting a chance to wait together for Christ's birth.
what's our DNA? (your response needed!)
So... two posts in one evening. That's a special treat for all of you. At least, I like to think so.
Quick set-up for this one:
As we considered going multi-site as a church, one of the things that we as a leadership team had to ask ourselves was this question: "What's our 'DNA'? We had to ask ourselves this question so that we'd know exactly what we had to duplicate at our next site(s). In other words: what are those characteristics that make Prairie Lakes Church what it is? Who are we, and who do we absolutely have to be at each site that is launched?
We came up with 4 things that we think make up the DNA of Prairie Lakes Church:
Quick set-up for this one:
As we considered going multi-site as a church, one of the things that we as a leadership team had to ask ourselves was this question: "What's our 'DNA'? We had to ask ourselves this question so that we'd know exactly what we had to duplicate at our next site(s). In other words: what are those characteristics that make Prairie Lakes Church what it is? Who are we, and who do we absolutely have to be at each site that is launched?
We came up with 4 things that we think make up the DNA of Prairie Lakes Church:
- Simple - we have to be clear, straightforward, and uncomplicated in what we preach and how we invite people to take steps towards God. For example: although putting on a weekend service is a complicated process, the end result is not - we help people to take clear, straightforward steps to encounter and respond to God. Simple.
- Bible - we want people to be in God's word at church and at home. It's the book for our lives, and we want people to know how to read it and use it. The references and page numbers appear on the screen, John walks people through how to find them, Bibles are in the seats, etc.
- Authentic - Prairie Lakes Church is a place where people come as they are, and where there's a premium on being transparent - allowing people to see who you really are, rather than wearing masks or putting on fronts. We don't play church here. We're a group of imperfect people who are simply loved by a gracious God - nothing more, and nothing less.
- Invitational - wherever we go, whatever we do, we are always on the lookout for what God is doing in our neighbors', coworkers', friends', and families' lives. AND, we're looking for how we can invite them into a next step with God - whether it's an invite into our homes, into our lives, into a deeper relationship, into our church on a weekend, into a group, or into a serving opportunity. We are invitational people.
Ok, that's the first part of the set-up. Here's the second:
I'm currently reading this book entitled Multi-site Church Roadtrip: Exploring the New Normal. It's written by the folks at Leadership Network, presenting 10 or so "case studies" from their staff's numerous trips to various multi-site churches. It's really very good - click the link above and buy the book for like twelve bucks.
Chapter 3 explores this question of DNA. This particular chapter profiles Fellowship Church in Little Rock, Arkansas. They had to ask themselves the DNA question the hard way - when they tried to duplicate their children's ministry at their other locations, they found it impossible to do so... because the way they did their children's ministry at their original location was staff-heavy and venue-specific (meaning they had a bunch of tech tools at their original location that they didn't have at all of their other campuses).
Which (finally) gets me to our question:
What do you think is the DNA of our ministry? What is Programming and Production's DNA?
Take a moment to think about this, and post a comment using the link below. Here are some questions to guide your thinking:
- What if our current campus had more than one live worship venue - say, a venue up in the chapel, or down in the cafe? The message is going to be piped in live from the worship center, but we need to provide an artistic experience in those two venues. What does it absolutely need to be? What does it absolutely need to do? Keep in mind: we don't have the same tools in those venues as we do in the worship center.
- What if our next campuses don't have all of the same tech tools and resources that our current campus has? What if they have a group of musicians and vocalists that have a different set of skills or strengths? What if the demographic of their geographical location is markedly different than ours? What does Programming and Production look like there? What does it absolutely have to have in common with our current campus?
- What if one of our campuses ends up ministering to several different cultures all at once? What if the majority culture at one of our campuses isn't a bunch of white people? What does Programming and Production look like at a campus like that? What does it have to share with the way we currently do Programming and Production?
Your thoughts are very much appreciated!
Saturday night recap
Up until this point, I have kind of reserved this blog as a way to keep you up to date with what's going on in our ministry. But, after being exposed to how some other churches use their blogs, I'd like to start offering you my reaction to what we partnered with God to do on a weekend. So, here's a few reactions to this Saturday night's service:
- Over the course of a single service, we sang both Livin' On A Prayer by Bon Jovi and It Is Well With My Soul. How cool is that - that we're able to weave both of those art forms in a meaningful and purposeful way to support God's message?
- This weekend's worship team on stage was comprised of 4 relatively new or completely new faces... some of whom will most likely be leading us in worship in the next few months. God is so faithful to bring us new people to do what we need them to do at just the right time. He's in control.
- Jon Lloyd, our newly hired Waterloo Worship Director, spent his first Saturday night with us. Praise God for sending him and his wife Michelle to us!
- Jeremy Ott, our newly hired Waterloo Tech Director, called the service for us. Again: praise God for sending him and his family to us!
- We had a service that was a little more musically challenging, which means that our tech teams got a little short-changed on some of the opportunities they usually get to practice during warm-up. But, they all pulled together really well.
- Chad Dean, our video director, had the challenge of calling shots on a song like Livin' On A Prayer as well as shots on a team-taught sermon. He did a great job.
- Speaking of which: John and Kay team-taught from stage on "How To Pray." Kay told a story of how God answered one of her prayers for her son Shane just two years ago when he was 16... and she initially prayed that prayer when Shane was five!
- We "blurred the ending" of the service, giving people space to pray before John closed, and giving them more space to pray as well as to come forward and be prayed for by staff and elders as the service ended. Many people took advantage of the opportunity. I got a chance to pray for a mom who's 11-year-old daughter is about to take a step across the faith line, as well as for a guy who accepted Christ and is about to go to prison. And those are just two of the many who came forward. God moves every time we give him space to do so.
- We took some creative risks in how we set the environment for that moment of prayer at the end of the service - no IMAG, par lights and 250's on the two band members praying, and dimly lit room. It was awesome; it worked very well.
Just a lot of great things happened tonight - whether behind the scenes, on stage, or in the congregation. I feel blessed to be a part of it, and grateful for the opportunity to call our attention to just how unique and good Prairie Lakes Church really is. Good job, everyone. Let's do it again a couple times tomorrow morning!
weekly update, 11.13.09
Pretty short update this week. Take a look at the video below:
HIGHLIGHTS:
-P&P Fall Retreat Tonight! - It's finally upon us! Tonight, 6:00 - 10:00 p.m., and then again tomorrow morning from 9:00 a.m. - noon, over at Hartman Reserve right here in Cedar Falls. It's free. There's chili. There'll be times to connect with God, with one another, and with people you don't even know yet. Shoot us an email if you haven't already and you're planning on coming... or just show up!
-Links - Here are some links that I and some of the rest of our P&P staff refer to as we look for inspiration, sources of creativity, devotion, leadership... you get the picture:
HIGHLIGHTS:
-P&P Fall Retreat Tonight! - It's finally upon us! Tonight, 6:00 - 10:00 p.m., and then again tomorrow morning from 9:00 a.m. - noon, over at Hartman Reserve right here in Cedar Falls. It's free. There's chili. There'll be times to connect with God, with one another, and with people you don't even know yet. Shoot us an email if you haven't already and you're planning on coming... or just show up!
-Links - Here are some links that I and some of the rest of our P&P staff refer to as we look for inspiration, sources of creativity, devotion, leadership... you get the picture:
- http://plctech.typepad.com - our very own Dan Olsen's blog
- http://elevation-worship.com/blog/ - the worship blog of Elevation Church
- http://www.worshiphousemedia.com/ - a great source for created videos
- http://buildingchurchleaders.com/ - a leadership resource of Christianity Today
- http://www.vimeo.com/categories/activism/church - huge collection of created videos
- http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/ - blog from one of NorthPoint's worship leaders, Carlos Whittaker
-Christmas 2009 - I know that many of you are wondering about Christmas teams and are trying to make plans. We will be solidifying our teams at the end of this week, and communicating them to you at the beginning of next week. Thanks for your patience
See you at the retreat this weekend!
weekly update, 10.27.09
Hey everyone,
Here's what you need to know for this week:
HIGHLIGHTS:
-No All Team Meeting in November - No all team meeting this November, in lieu of the P&P All Team Retreat on Friday, November 13, 6:00-10:00 p.m., and Saturday, November 14, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at Hartman Reserve in Cedar Falls. Please RSVP to Shari at shari.ford@prairielakeschurch.org
-Christmas Eve Services - Send Shari a note if you're available to be a part of our Christmas Eve services tech and music team. Availability doesn't guarantee you a spot; but we'd like to know who's available before we make our asks. Again, email her at shari.ford@prairielakeschurch.org. Here are the rehearsal and service times:
Here's what you need to know for this week:
HIGHLIGHTS:
-No All Team Meeting in November - No all team meeting this November, in lieu of the P&P All Team Retreat on Friday, November 13, 6:00-10:00 p.m., and Saturday, November 14, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at Hartman Reserve in Cedar Falls. Please RSVP to Shari at shari.ford@prairielakeschurch.org
-Christmas Eve Services - Send Shari a note if you're available to be a part of our Christmas Eve services tech and music team. Availability doesn't guarantee you a spot; but we'd like to know who's available before we make our asks. Again, email her at shari.ford@prairielakeschurch.org. Here are the rehearsal and service times:
- Thursday, December 3, 7:00-9:00 p.m. (music team only)
- Thursday, December 10, 7:00-9:00 p.m. (music team only)
- Thursday, December 17, 7:00-9:00 p.m. (music and tech team - tech first look)
- Monday, December 21, 6:00-10:00 p.m. (music and tech team - tech rehearsal)
- Tuesday, December 22, 6:00-10:00 p.m. (music and tech team - dress rehearsal)
- Christmas Eve - call time at 11:00 a.m. for the services at 1:30, 3:30, 5:30; call time at 10:00 p.m. for the 11:00 p.m. service)
-Worship Night - We will be having about an hour and a half of just straight musical worship on Friday, November 6, 7:00 p.m. Dan Olsen will be asking a few of you to volunteer for that, and Spencer Ford has assembled some music volunteers who have already begun practicing. Just a cool chance to see where we're headed stylistically on the weekends, and to get a chance to engage with God in a little bit more free of an environment. Love it if you would join us!
-No All Team Meeting in December - Because of the holiday season, we'll be taking December off as well from our All Team meetings.
Have a wonderful week!
weekly update, 10.13.09
Hi folks,
Here's the video update for this week:
HIGHLIGHTS:
All Team Meeting Re-cap:
We hit an absolute home run tonight, you guys. You were welcoming and engaging with the new faces, you interacted well with our topic of equipping, you responded as Jesus would have to the opportunity to be equippers... just amazing to witness it and be a part of it. Proud and humbled all at once! We'll be putting up the audio file from the evening, as well as a .pdf file of my notes and a .pdf file of the Inspired magazine so that you can view both online!
Worship Director Candidate Update
We're finishing up 2nd round interviews and proceeding into some 3rd round interviews with candidates here this week and the next, both for the Waterloo and Cedar Falls campuses. Keep on praying about this process; your prayers are really working so far! We have some wonderful candidates, and the decision is going to be difficult in the best of ways. There's a great chance that we might have some of them visiting us here in the next few weeks!
Retreat Reminder
Although we told you about this about a month ago, the time of our upcoming retreat is now approaching. On Friday, November 13th, 6:00 - 10:00 p.m. and Saturday, November 14, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. we'll be holding a P&P retreat at Hartman Reserve right here in Cedar Falls. It's not an overnight, so you don't have to worry about accommodations, and it's right here in town, so no worries about travel time (especially if you're scheduled to serve that weekend!). This is a GREAT opportunity for you to get some time away to worship and connect, especially if you're new to the P&P family. And for you faithful P&P'ers, this is a GREAT chance for you to get to know some of the new faces, and show them how we learn, worship, and have fun together. Mark your calendars. We'll be giving you a few more specifics as they come.
Here's the video update for this week:
HIGHLIGHTS:
All Team Meeting Re-cap:
We hit an absolute home run tonight, you guys. You were welcoming and engaging with the new faces, you interacted well with our topic of equipping, you responded as Jesus would have to the opportunity to be equippers... just amazing to witness it and be a part of it. Proud and humbled all at once! We'll be putting up the audio file from the evening, as well as a .pdf file of my notes and a .pdf file of the Inspired magazine so that you can view both online!
Worship Director Candidate Update
We're finishing up 2nd round interviews and proceeding into some 3rd round interviews with candidates here this week and the next, both for the Waterloo and Cedar Falls campuses. Keep on praying about this process; your prayers are really working so far! We have some wonderful candidates, and the decision is going to be difficult in the best of ways. There's a great chance that we might have some of them visiting us here in the next few weeks!
Retreat Reminder
Although we told you about this about a month ago, the time of our upcoming retreat is now approaching. On Friday, November 13th, 6:00 - 10:00 p.m. and Saturday, November 14, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. we'll be holding a P&P retreat at Hartman Reserve right here in Cedar Falls. It's not an overnight, so you don't have to worry about accommodations, and it's right here in town, so no worries about travel time (especially if you're scheduled to serve that weekend!). This is a GREAT opportunity for you to get some time away to worship and connect, especially if you're new to the P&P family. And for you faithful P&P'ers, this is a GREAT chance for you to get to know some of the new faces, and show them how we learn, worship, and have fun together. Mark your calendars. We'll be giving you a few more specifics as they come.
weekly blog update, 9_29_09
Here's the update for this week folks:
HIGHLIGHTS:
-Multi-Site Update - still working on location; have hired Admin (Kim Stout) and Children's Director (Megan Frandsen); have made it through 1st round phone interviews with Worship Director candidates, both for Cedar Falls and Waterloo campuses.
-All Team Meeting - we've covered the themes of Ownership and Multiplicity these past couple of months; this time we'll be covering the topic of Equipping. Join us in two weeks on Tuesday, October 13, 6:30 p.m.
-Challenge - how are you doing with what we've been talking about? Have you increased your ownership and taken steps to multiply yourself? Need a refresher? Take a listen to our Ownership talk that kicked it all off below:
HIGHLIGHTS:
-Multi-Site Update - still working on location; have hired Admin (Kim Stout) and Children's Director (Megan Frandsen); have made it through 1st round phone interviews with Worship Director candidates, both for Cedar Falls and Waterloo campuses.
-All Team Meeting - we've covered the themes of Ownership and Multiplicity these past couple of months; this time we'll be covering the topic of Equipping. Join us in two weeks on Tuesday, October 13, 6:30 p.m.
-Challenge - how are you doing with what we've been talking about? Have you increased your ownership and taken steps to multiply yourself? Need a refresher? Take a listen to our Ownership talk that kicked it all off below:
weekly update, 9.15.09
Just a few things for you:
HIGHLIGHTS:
-Great Weekend! - This past weekend was one of the most significant that we've had to produce as a ministry - the weekend where we cast the vision for being a church of more than one campus, and asked people to commit to spending a year as a part of the Waterloo Campus. It was absolutely amazing to see people stream towards the stage and grab a brick signifying their commitment. We had close to 200 people decide to go!
-Voluntour - We've asked a few of you to join us at Voluntour this Thursday, September 17 at PLC. Please show up at 5:00 p.m. for instructions; potential/new volunteers will start rolling in at 5:30 p.m. We'll be giving production tours, telling stories of what it's like to serve in P&P, and explaining the different roles and serving opportunities on the weekend. RSVP to Shari if you've been contacted, or if you're interested in being a part of it.
-All Team Food Sign Ups - In an effort share the load of food preparation at our All Team meetings, Shari has put a sign up sheet at both ends of the tunnel. So, on the weekends, sign up for something, will ya?
-Vocal Training - If you're a vocalist on our Alternate list, or are looking to improve your vocal quality, stay after our next All Team meeting on Tuesday, October 13. Beginning at 8:00 p.m., Shari Ford, Renee Tink, and Michelle Fails will be grabbing whoever sticks around and doing an hour's worth of vocal training. This is great if you're needing a benchmark of your ability, tips on where to improve, or polish.
Have a great week!
HIGHLIGHTS:
-Great Weekend! - This past weekend was one of the most significant that we've had to produce as a ministry - the weekend where we cast the vision for being a church of more than one campus, and asked people to commit to spending a year as a part of the Waterloo Campus. It was absolutely amazing to see people stream towards the stage and grab a brick signifying their commitment. We had close to 200 people decide to go!
-Voluntour - We've asked a few of you to join us at Voluntour this Thursday, September 17 at PLC. Please show up at 5:00 p.m. for instructions; potential/new volunteers will start rolling in at 5:30 p.m. We'll be giving production tours, telling stories of what it's like to serve in P&P, and explaining the different roles and serving opportunities on the weekend. RSVP to Shari if you've been contacted, or if you're interested in being a part of it.
-All Team Food Sign Ups - In an effort share the load of food preparation at our All Team meetings, Shari has put a sign up sheet at both ends of the tunnel. So, on the weekends, sign up for something, will ya?
-Vocal Training - If you're a vocalist on our Alternate list, or are looking to improve your vocal quality, stay after our next All Team meeting on Tuesday, October 13. Beginning at 8:00 p.m., Shari Ford, Renee Tink, and Michelle Fails will be grabbing whoever sticks around and doing an hour's worth of vocal training. This is great if you're needing a benchmark of your ability, tips on where to improve, or polish.
Have a great week!
weekly update, 9.2.09
Hey everyone,
Here's the update for this week. Enjoy this great weather!
HIGHLIGHTS:
-All Team Meeting
Expect to be welcoming some new volunteers from our VolunTOUR event at our next All Team meeting this Tuesday, September 8.
-Tech Team Training
After the All Team Meeting this Tuesday, everyone is welcome to stick around for some training at our various tech stations. This week we'll be focusing especially in the video area. It's a great chance for our new volunteers to get some experience, and a great chance for you to be cross-trained in another area of service.
-New Volunteer Integration
In an effort to connect our new volunteers to a spot of service on the weekends, we're contacting some of you and tasking you with the responsibility to invite them to shadow you on the weekend. While we've already made first points of contact with each of them, we're relying on YOU to be the hands and the feet of Programming and Production ministry, and to be a welcoming and affirming presence as they take their first steps towards serving with us and joining our community.
-Yet Another Retreat
First of all: wasn't our retreat awesome? 32 people! Wonderful setting! Great time with God and each other! Ok. So, we thought to ourselves: what better way to keep some of the momentum going, connect some of our new volunteers, and get a holiday party in before it gets crazy than to hold a retreat in November? (By the way, can you believe I just used the word "holidays?)
So, mark your calendars for Friday evening, November 13 and Saturday morning, November 14. We're going to stay right here in Cedar Falls and spend some time at the Hartman Reserve Nature Center. Pretty setting, very cheap, no need for overnight accomodations... but a spot and a space for us to be all together, get connected, welcome new faces, and celebrate the holidays before they get crazy. Love for you to join us then. More info will be provided as the day approaches.
weekly update, 8.20.09
Hey everyone!
Sorry that we missed a week there. Here is the video update for this week:
HIGHLIGHTS:
-P&P Retreat - depart PLC at 7:30 a.m.; return 5:30 p.m. 30 have signed up so far!
-VolunTOUR - huge success! 5 people scheduled to audition for our worship teams; 15 people who want to be connected to our tech teams.
-New Tech Volunteer Integration - we'll be tapping some of you on our tech teams to contact some of these potential volunteers to have them shadow you on the weekends that you are serving. Also, we'll be holding some tech training nights after our All Team meetings for both new volunteer training and cross-training of current volunteers.
-Avioms - We have a new and improved way of helping you to hear what you need to hear when you're serving on one of our worship teams on the weekends. We'll be training you on how to use them on the weekends. Very simple and easy to use, and you get to hear exactly what you want and need!
weekly update, 8.4.09
Hello everyone! Happy August! Hard to believe, isn't it? Summer's almost over, and fall's almost here.
Take a look at the video update for this week. Below it are the highlights from the video.
HIGHLIGHTS:
-All Team Meeting Tuesday, August 11th, 6:30 p.m.
-Need help for food/cafe set-up for All Team Meetings
-Outdoor Service call times for Sunday, August 23rd: 6:00 a.m. for tech, 7:00 a.m. for music
-P&P Retreat Saturday, August 22nd - RSVP to Shari Ford (shari.ford@prairielakeschurch.org)
-Fall Auditions on Tuesday, September 22nd, and Tuesday, September 29th
ONE MORE THING:
If you were in the services this past weekend, you heard about PLC's VolunTOUR event on Thursday, August 13th, from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. We're gonna be asking some of you to help out with that event by simply being a representative from our ministry to all of those who want to check out and be involved in P&P. Dan and Shari will be contacting some of you shortly; but, in the meantime, if you'd like to be a part of it and be someone who can share your experience and answer questions about our ministry to other potential volunteers, let Shari know by either calling her at 319.266.2655 ext. 124 or sending her an email.
weekly update, 7.27.09
Hello! We're updating you a little differently this week! Still using the blog, but instead of a bunch of words, we're trying a video. Just click on the player below!
weekly update, 7.22.09
Hey everyone. Glad to see so many of you turn out for our last All Team meeting just a little over a week ago! Thanks for spending a little extra time with us and taking all of it in. In case you missed it, here are the highlights:
PLANNING CENTER ONLINE - We are now using a web software called Planning Center Online to manage all of our scheduling and rotation teams, as well as to deliver charts and music files for our bands. So far, the report has been good. Hop on to www.planningcenteronline.com and block out dates you're not available. Again, thanks for your cooperation!
A WATERLOO CAMPUS - Beginning February 28, 2010, Prairie Lakes Church will be a church of not one campus, but two! If you missed this announcement and what it means for our teams, send Shari Ford an email at shari.ford@prairielakeschurch.org. She can give you a packet and a copy of the Inspired booklet that were handed out this past Tuesday as resources for you to begin to understand what we're doing and why. Any questions, let Jesse know at jesse.tink@prairielakeschurch.org.
Ok. Here's what we have for you this week:
P&P ALL TEAM RETREAT
Again, the date is Saturday, August 22. We'll meet at the front doors of PLC at 8:00 a.m. and caravan over to Pine Lake Christian camp near Eldora, just 45 minutes away.
What will we be doing? Well, a few of the things that characterize our retreats are good food, a relaxed atmosphere, guided personal times and spaces to be with God, group times of teaching, discussion, and vision, and some intimate worship.
How long will we be staying? Just for the day. We'll be back before suppertime, right around 5:00 p.m.
Will transportation be provided? Kind of. We'll gather at the church together as a group, then see who will be willing to drive to Eldora, and pile into cars so everyone doesn't have to drive.
What will this cost? Just your time.
Why should I come? You'll want to be there with us because God is going to speak to us about what is next. The theme that he's grown up in us for this retreat centers around the story of Israel as they were coming out of Egypt and making their trek towards the Promised Land. They found themselves on the road to freedom, but the road wasn't without challenge.
We're in a similar spot in our ministry during this current season. We've got a destination that God is pushing us towards, and some pretty clear steps to get there. But it won't be without challenge, and we need to be unified, taking steps together in the same direction. The more folks we can get to commit to being together at this retreat, the better off our ministry will be in this next season as we take off after God. That's why you should come.
PLANNING CENTER ONLINE TECH TIPS
If you serve on one of our technical teams, you can use planning center online for more than just scheduling. For example:
if you are video directing, switching, or operating a camera: take a look at the service order and familiarize yourself with what we're doing and where we're going in the service. Download some of the songs to familiarize yourself with the feel and the environment that we're creating. If you do this, you'll walk into a service better prepared to create and to hit cues.
if you are engineering front of house: download the music that we're going to play for the service you're mixing. Listen to it during the week, so that you have a good idea of what instrument is featured at different parts in the song, and what type of feel we're shooting for during moments in the service.
REMINDER: DRESS CODE
If you're on stage, remember these simple rules as you choose your clothes:
1. No extremely bright colors, including white. It makes it too hard for our shaders to manipulate the irises of our cameras for an appropriate brightness on our screens.
2. Limit your stripes. Shirts and tops with a small, repeated striped pattern are difficult for our cameras to display, especially when you move. Your shirt will appear blurry on the screens.
3. Modesty. This one is mainly for our women: things that are cut even a little low or are more form fitting tend to be exaggerated on camera. Generally speaking, we do a very good job at being modest. But, just a gentle reminder to continue to be a little more conservative, especially during these last few summer months.
weekly update. 7.13.09
Hello friends!
Man, did we have a great weekend at PLC or what? If you missed it... well, you missed something amazing. Streams of people coming to Christ. People that we have been praying for, people that met him for the first time, people that were running from him and turned back to him... just unbelievable. Praise God for creating a place like PLC where we have the freedom to create for him and with him!
Here's a couple of things for you:
ALL TEAM MEETING - THIS TUESDAY, JULY 14, 6:30 P.M.
Seriously: good food, good conversation, good people, good environment, good community, good training... you need to be at these every month. But let me say this: you REALLY need to come to our next all team meeting this Tuesday. We'll be exposed to some incredible developments in the life and direction of Prairie Lakes Church... developments that will have a direct impact on our ministry in the very near future. You won't want to miss out on this opportunity to hear it for the first time. So, mark it on your calendars.
Also: at our meeting Dan and I will be giving a Planning Center Online live demonstration--including an overview of its features and a tutorial on how to use it. So, whether you serve on the technical or musical side of our ministry, you'll want to be familiar with how to use this new system.
FACEBOOK
Do you use facebook? Don't give me the "I'm too old" business. You're not. I know every single one of you, and can confidently say that there are people much older than you who use it all the time. So, if you do, you should check out Prairie Lakes Church's facebook page. On it are some of the moments we've created in our services, created videos, and photos of our stage look and feel. Once you're on it, click "Become a Fan," and go back often to check out what our ministry is up to.
RETREAT
Hard to believe that the school year is almost upon us! So, before the busyness of the fall ensues, plan on joining us for our fall P&P retreat at Pine Lake Christian Camp on Saturday, August 22nd. It'll be a one day retreat filled with worship, times of teaching, connection, discussion, and guided spiritual direction. We'd love for you to take advantage of the opportunity to be refreshed and refueled in time for the next season of our ministry.
weekly update, 7.6.09
Hey everyone,
Thanks for your patience with us as we continue to make a few changes to our communication process. We're still trying to make the transition to regularly updating this blog, and delivering information to you that way! We'll send you the link every time we update, so that you can keep current.
ALL TEAM MEETING
We've got some very important information to give you at our next all team meeting on Tuesday, July 14, 6:30-8:00 p.m. in the cafe. Over the last couple of months, God has moved our leaders a little further down the path towards Vision 2018. These new developments will directly affect the way that our teams do ministry in the not-too-distant future. Come and see what we mean.
Also, we'll be holding a tutorial of our new web-based software that we're using to schedule and deliver charts and music to you--planningcenteronline.com. I know that a number of you have had questions about it. Here's your chance to ask them, and to get some training on how to use the software.
So, come and enjoy some food cooked on the grill. See you then.
ALL TEAM RETREAT
Save the date: Saturday, August 22nd! We'll be heading over to Pine Lake Christian Camp for a one-day retreat that Saturday. It's just 45 minutes away, which makes it a convenient location for us to gather off-site without the burden of a long trip. AND, it's the Saturday before our Outdoor Service on August 23rd, so no worries about any conflicts with your team's rotation.
In case you've never been to one of our retreats before, here's what you can expect:
1. Great food in a comfortable, come-as-you-are environment.
2. Intimate, authentic worship.
3. Pointed times of teaching and discussion.
4. Guided individual times with God.
5. Important times of connection with the vision and future of Programming and Production ministry at Prairie Lakes Church.
6. A chance to form relationships with some good people in a way that you normally don't get a chance to.
More specific details are on their way soon. If you decide to join us, you can plan on still having your evening free; we'll be back before supper time. Let us know if you're coming by RSVP'ing to Shari at shari.ford@prairielakeschurch.org.
NEW ROTATIONS
Our current round of rotations for both music and tech teams ends on the weekend of July 18-19. We'll have the new schedule finalized this week. We'll send it to you via email, and also make it available for you to be picked up at our July all team meeting.
PLANNING CENTER ONLINE
Like we already mentioned above, we took another step towards using our web-based software, planningcenteronline.com. We'll be using this site to:
1. Manage our scheduling calendar for both programming and production teams;
2. Deliver charts to our music teams; and
3. Deliver music to our music teams.
Each of you received a welcome email about a month ago from the website which gave you your login information. If you need that email resent to you, just email Shari at shari.ford@prairielakeschurch.org. Once you use that info to log in, you can change your password to something that you can remember.
Thanks in advance for your cooperation and patience with us as we make this transition. In the long run, it'll be much better for our ministry as we continue to grow and get better.
Weekly Info, 5.18.09
CELEBRATE SANDY.
Some of you have been asking: “When will we get a chance to say goodbye to Sandy?” Well, here it is:
Join us for a potluck supper on Tuesday, June 2nd from 6:30 – 8:00 pm in Room 210. Bring two things to share: a dish, and a story. After eating together, we’ll put Sandy in the “hot seat,” and share our stories of what she’s meant to us both personally and to our team during this past leg of the journey here at PLC.
Please R.S.V.P to Shari (shari.ford@prairielakeschurch.org) your attendance and the name of the dish you will be bringing.
AM I ON THIS WEEKEND?
Your PLC Creative Arts staff team has been looking for an easier, more efficient, and simpler way to do scheduling, as well as to disburse all of the information you need to prepare for services. After some research, we’ve decided to make an investment and begin using a web-based software from Planning Center Online (www.planningcenteronline.com).
In the next few days, each of you (yep, both tech and music) will receive an email from Planning Center Online, telling you that you have been added as a user in our group. All you need to do at this point is to enter any personal data that is required (email, phone, etc.).
Eventually, we will be using Planning Center Online to deliver rotation schedules, charts, and even .mp3 music files to you—all via the web. You will be able to log on, download the tech sheets, charts, and music files that you need to practice and prepare. No more trips to the church for you music folks to get charts and CDs! And, you tech folks can get exposed to where we’re going musically in the service, which will go a ways to help you create camera shots, lighting moods, and audio clarity.
We’ll let you know in advance as to when we’re going to officially make the switch, and provide training opportunities for you in how to interact with the website to get what you need over this summer.
ARE YOU STILL IN?
ALL current worship and tech team members need to send Shari an email indicating your intentions about staying on for the next round of rotations, mid July through mid January. Thanks to those of you who have already done so! So, for those of you who have not, you know the drill: shari.ford@prairielakeschurch.org.
AUDITIONS MAY 26th.
It’s that time of year, again! Please invite anyone interested in getting involved with our Music ministry to contact Shari for more information about our latest round of auditions, to be held on May 26th, between 6:30 and 8:00 pm.
JUNE IS REORGANIZING MONTH.
Want to have a clean, comfortable place to wait prior to and during the services? Want to know where everything is for set up, and where everything goes for tear down? Want to walk through the tunnel and backstage in the dark without worrying about dying? Then mark these dates on your calendar:
• Saturday, June 6, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
• Saturday, June 20, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, June 24, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
• Saturday, June 27, time TBA (staging for Outdoor Service)
Dan will be giving us each some projects he’s planned that will get us (and keep us!) out of the clutter. More details about the Outdoor Service set-up date on June 27 as that time approaches.
Again, please RSVP to Shari (shari.ford@prairielakeschurch.org) if you’re planning on attending one or more of those dates. Might even be some refreshments in the mix for ya.
JUST TO BE CLEAR.
From the desk of Jesse Tink:
Because I’ve been asked a couple of times about how the search for Sandy’s replacement is going, I’d like to give you all an update. But first, a few other things in the name of clarity. During this past month, I’ve transitioned into a director role in our Arts Staff Team at PLC. In addition to my continued service on our teams as the Worship Pastor, I’m doing these things:
• working with John Fuller to plan a sermon calendar and clarify sermon ideas
• leading weekly brainstorming session with the Creative Arts staff to craft service orders
• leading weekly team meetings to manage and develop our Creative Arts staff
• leading weekly random brainstorming sessions with our Creative Arts staff to cover other arts interests and initiatives at PLC
• provide direction for our monthly All-Team meetings, including organizing our “Inspired” magazine, and facilitating our discussion times
• acting as the representative of our artistic staff, volunteer community, and ministry goals to the other heads of staff at PLC
• work with our Creative Arts staff team to clarify and move us toward what is next as we develop artistically
So, what will Sandy’s replacement be doing, then? Well, as you can probably already tell, he/she will be in on just about all of those weekly meetings as a contributing member to the planning of our services. In addition, we’ll rely on the producer’s expertise to guide us in several areas:
• work with our Creative Arts staff to develop and execute the service elements that we have brainstormed (created videos, graphics, dramas, experiences, etc.)
• work with all of our volunteer teams to produce the weekend services—providing the “whoosh” factor to the use of mixed media on the weekend
• work with our Tech Director, Dan Olsen, to continue to develop our various technical ministries: video production, live video, sound, lighting, and potential multi-site needs
• additionally, we might rely on this individual to provide direction to our Communication initiatives, including brand/look & feel, graphics, marketing, web, and sub ministry uniformity
So far, the search as going well. We have some exciting prospects whom we are pursuing. I will keep you updated as we make decisions.
Some of you have been asking: “When will we get a chance to say goodbye to Sandy?” Well, here it is:
Join us for a potluck supper on Tuesday, June 2nd from 6:30 – 8:00 pm in Room 210. Bring two things to share: a dish, and a story. After eating together, we’ll put Sandy in the “hot seat,” and share our stories of what she’s meant to us both personally and to our team during this past leg of the journey here at PLC.
Please R.S.V.P to Shari (shari.ford@prairielakeschurch.org) your attendance and the name of the dish you will be bringing.
AM I ON THIS WEEKEND?
Your PLC Creative Arts staff team has been looking for an easier, more efficient, and simpler way to do scheduling, as well as to disburse all of the information you need to prepare for services. After some research, we’ve decided to make an investment and begin using a web-based software from Planning Center Online (www.planningcenteronline.com).
In the next few days, each of you (yep, both tech and music) will receive an email from Planning Center Online, telling you that you have been added as a user in our group. All you need to do at this point is to enter any personal data that is required (email, phone, etc.).
Eventually, we will be using Planning Center Online to deliver rotation schedules, charts, and even .mp3 music files to you—all via the web. You will be able to log on, download the tech sheets, charts, and music files that you need to practice and prepare. No more trips to the church for you music folks to get charts and CDs! And, you tech folks can get exposed to where we’re going musically in the service, which will go a ways to help you create camera shots, lighting moods, and audio clarity.
We’ll let you know in advance as to when we’re going to officially make the switch, and provide training opportunities for you in how to interact with the website to get what you need over this summer.
ARE YOU STILL IN?
ALL current worship and tech team members need to send Shari an email indicating your intentions about staying on for the next round of rotations, mid July through mid January. Thanks to those of you who have already done so! So, for those of you who have not, you know the drill: shari.ford@prairielakeschurch.org.
AUDITIONS MAY 26th.
It’s that time of year, again! Please invite anyone interested in getting involved with our Music ministry to contact Shari for more information about our latest round of auditions, to be held on May 26th, between 6:30 and 8:00 pm.
JUNE IS REORGANIZING MONTH.
Want to have a clean, comfortable place to wait prior to and during the services? Want to know where everything is for set up, and where everything goes for tear down? Want to walk through the tunnel and backstage in the dark without worrying about dying? Then mark these dates on your calendar:
• Saturday, June 6, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
• Saturday, June 20, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, June 24, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
• Saturday, June 27, time TBA (staging for Outdoor Service)
Dan will be giving us each some projects he’s planned that will get us (and keep us!) out of the clutter. More details about the Outdoor Service set-up date on June 27 as that time approaches.
Again, please RSVP to Shari (shari.ford@prairielakeschurch.org) if you’re planning on attending one or more of those dates. Might even be some refreshments in the mix for ya.
JUST TO BE CLEAR.
From the desk of Jesse Tink:
Because I’ve been asked a couple of times about how the search for Sandy’s replacement is going, I’d like to give you all an update. But first, a few other things in the name of clarity. During this past month, I’ve transitioned into a director role in our Arts Staff Team at PLC. In addition to my continued service on our teams as the Worship Pastor, I’m doing these things:
• working with John Fuller to plan a sermon calendar and clarify sermon ideas
• leading weekly brainstorming session with the Creative Arts staff to craft service orders
• leading weekly team meetings to manage and develop our Creative Arts staff
• leading weekly random brainstorming sessions with our Creative Arts staff to cover other arts interests and initiatives at PLC
• provide direction for our monthly All-Team meetings, including organizing our “Inspired” magazine, and facilitating our discussion times
• acting as the representative of our artistic staff, volunteer community, and ministry goals to the other heads of staff at PLC
• work with our Creative Arts staff team to clarify and move us toward what is next as we develop artistically
So, what will Sandy’s replacement be doing, then? Well, as you can probably already tell, he/she will be in on just about all of those weekly meetings as a contributing member to the planning of our services. In addition, we’ll rely on the producer’s expertise to guide us in several areas:
• work with our Creative Arts staff to develop and execute the service elements that we have brainstormed (created videos, graphics, dramas, experiences, etc.)
• work with all of our volunteer teams to produce the weekend services—providing the “whoosh” factor to the use of mixed media on the weekend
• work with our Tech Director, Dan Olsen, to continue to develop our various technical ministries: video production, live video, sound, lighting, and potential multi-site needs
• additionally, we might rely on this individual to provide direction to our Communication initiatives, including brand/look & feel, graphics, marketing, web, and sub ministry uniformity
So far, the search as going well. We have some exciting prospects whom we are pursuing. I will keep you updated as we make decisions.
May All-Team email
ALL TEAM MEETING: MAY 12th.
Join us tomorrow, May 12, 2009 from 6:30 – 8:00 pm in the PLC Café for our May ‘All Team’ meeting. Eat some walking tacos and ice cream sundaes while you reconnect with your team. Afterwards, we’ll start a conversation that will be setting the tone for the rest of this year in our ministry: Owning Inspired Risks.
Remember, NO ALL TEAM MEETING in June, because of the Willow Arts Conference trip.
BUT: we will be meeting in June, on a different date, for a different purpose. Keep on reading.
CELEBRATE SANDY.
Some of you have been asking: “When will we get a chance to say goodbye to Sandy?” Well, here it is:
Join us for a potluck supper on Tuesday, June 2nd from 6:30 – 8:00 pm in Room 210. Bring two things to share: a dish, and a story. After eating together, we’ll put Sandy in the “hot seat,” and share our stories of what she’s meant to us both personally and to our team during this past leg of the journey here at PLC.
Please R.S.V.P to Shari (shari.ford@prairielakeschurch.org) your attendance and the name of the dish you will be bringing.
JUNE IS REORGANIZING MONTH.
Want to have a clean, comfortable place to wait prior to and during the services? Want to know where everything is for set up, and where everything goes for tear down? Want to walk through the tunnel and backstage in the dark without worrying about dying? Then mark these dates on your calendar:
- Saturday, June 6
- Saturday, June 20
- Wednesday, June 24
- Saturday, June 27 (Outdoor Service set-up)
On the first 3 dates, we’ll be meeting at the church from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Dan will be giving us each some projects he’s planned that will get us (and keep us!) out of the clutter. More details about the Outdoor Service set-up date on June 27 as that time approaches.
Again, please RSVP to Shari (shari.ford@prairielakeschurch.org) if you’re planning on attending one or more of those dates. Might even be some refreshments in the mix for ya.
AUDITIONS MAY 26th
It’s that time of year, again! Please invite anyone interested in getting involved with our Programming ministry to contact Shari for more information about our latest round of auditions, to be held on May 26th, between 6:30 and 8:00 pm.
And, as a reminder to current team members, we need to hear from each of you regarding your interest in serving for the next six month rotation. Email Shari at shari.ford@prairielakeschurch.org with your desires so that we can find the place that you best fit in our team rotation.
Thanks all. It’s great—great—to be doing this with you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)