Welcome to the new and improved Powerhouse blog!  Feel free to poke around some and click on the links.  I promise you won’t be disappointed.  I guess now is as good a time as any to re-assert the purpose of this blog.  As stated before, this blog is designed to keep you (parents, visitors and volunteers) up-to-date with the happens of C3′s elementary children’s ministry.  It’s also meant to give our volunteers easy access to important information.

 In other news, we’re heading into week 8 of Winter Extreme.  It’s the last competiton for Rock and Scooter.  If you were there last week you saw how upset and disappointed Rock was with Scooter because he couldn’t seem to find time for his friends.  Let’s hope that Scooter and Rock can work it out and get back into first place.  Be sure to bring your dancing shoes and loud voices as we look to close out Winter Extreme with a bang!

We’ve been using this blog for a little while now and it’s fitting our needs nicely. What I’d like to do is add some pictures, update the banner and maybe change the theme around. Now, this is where YOU come in. I need pictures. No, not pictures from your last vacation or of your new car. I would like some Powerhouse pictures! Please don’t send me 1,234,637,568,454,234,268,832 megabytes of pictures into my email address. Instead, upload them to a photobucket of flickr account and give me some linkage.Also… I need to know what I’m missing… why is everyone switching to WordPress? What’s the big deal… please… someone let me in on the secret….

This Sunday was another great one in Powerhouse. Rock and Scooter discussed how God gives us all different gifts and talents! They did a great job and the kids loved it. We had many new kids and it was great to see them so engaged!! Here is a picture from Sunday! 

Disciples of Jesus use their gifts to help others.

We live in the “me” generation. Now, more then ever, society and more specifically our kids are drawn into the “what’s in it for me” attitude. Of course, Jesus talks about this. He tells us time and time again to focus on the needs of others above yourself. God has given us all such amazing talents. “But with great power comes great responsibility” (sorry, couldn’t resist). Seriously though, He’s given all of us some sort of “talent” that we can use for His glory. Here at C3 I get to witness that all the time. Ordinary people with the only bond being their desire to help, willingness to serve and living in the same community come together at 6:00AM EVERY SUNDAY (I’m still convinced that God is still sleeping) and put together an amazing set for our children. What a humbling example of using your gifts to help others. What a perfect lesson to learn as we offically launch C3 in the theater.

I can’t wait to see y’all in Powerhouse this week! If you don’t know, we’re in theater 5. Just follow the music.

That sums it up pretty good.

Powerhouse was better then I ever thought it could be. We only managed to fry one minor piece of equipment and once I used the correct cable to hook up the lights, we were crack-a-lackin! Seeing the lyrics and video media up on the big screen was so stinkin cool. We mananged to take up the entire screen with our slides. The music was rockin! I walked out just to hear how far away they could hear us and we were definately heard out by the check-in stations. WOO HOO!!! Maybe next week they’ll hear us in the main service. Maybe.

PCI was better then I ever thought it could be. Those guys really know their stuff and really know how to make a portable church, well, portable. The fact that they crammed ALL that staging for main service, Powerhouse, Play House, First Look and the connections crew stuff into 3 trailers is perplexing. I’m pretty sure they’re using some sort of space/time bending to make it all happen.

Our barbarians, er… volunteers were better then I ever thought they could be. They were EVERYWHERE!!! They were singing. They were dancing. They were (are) so C3 (to steal a phrase ).

Monica has some pictures and video of Sunday.

Barry has probably one of the best write ups about Sunday.

Byron, Angie, Darrell, Andrea, Joshand even Travis have all writen about the experience that was our first service. Go ahead, click a link. I dare you. I triple dog dare you.

So today we had our very first Powerhouse at Regal Cinemas…and it was phenomenal. I can’t even describe how much better the theaters fit Powerhouse rather than our old buildings. We had so many volunteers and I was so excited to be able to break up the small groups by individual grade. A HUGE thanks to all our volunteers for all they did to help make this morning a success. The kids enjoyed it so much and were rockin along with the singers and cheering along with the actors!!

Check out some pictures:

We are quickly coming up to our first preview service at Regal Cinema on January 6th. This will be an unbelievable time as we continue onto the next leg of our journey as a body of Christ.
 
These days leading up to January 6th are anything but quiet. We’re finalizing schedules. Praying. Preparing sets. Praying. Testing technical equipment. Did I mention praying? I’d be lying if I said that this didn’t feel a little bit overwhelming. But God is good all the time and through our prayers and sweat we’ll be ready. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to help with every aspect of Powerhouse. Whether it’s acting, tech, teaching, set-up, tear down or something in between; know that you are loved and appreciated.

Finally, be looking towards your emails the next few days. We’ll be sending out the Powerhouse schedule for both the 9:00 and 10:30 services.

You know when you go through life, just kinda going through the motions, you can miss so many things that God has for you. This is true for this week for all our kids. It’s the Sunday before Christmas - you know, that weekend when everyone (including myself) will be out shopping. How many times have you stood in line at a checkout and thought to yourself, “Wow, that guy in front of me is a real jerk.” Maybe, the person behind you was saying that.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the me part of Christmas. “I need to hurry up and finish my shopping.” “I hope I get what I asked for for Christmas.” “That was MY parking space.” “This is taking too long, I’m in a hurry.”

This week, we’ll be talking (and by the time you probably read this the tense will change to we have talked) about how to treat the people around you.

“Disciples of Jesus show kindness to others, even if they don’t deserve it”

How should you treat others?

How do you treat those that are mean/unkind/rotten towards you?

This week is not so much about “me” as it is about how you can effect the community around you. Simply by showing kindness to others can impact peoples lives in ways you may never know.

Make kindness contagious the next few days; this is a great weekend to show God’s love!

Hey Powerhouse people! Don’t forget about the children’s ministry training this Sunday right after church. It will only last for an hour and make sure you RSVP to Verna! They will be discussing vital information for our upcoming move to the theater…you won’t want to miss it! Also, those interested in volunteering with the Children’s Ministry are encouraged to attend. Again, just make sure you RSVP to Verna by calling the church office or e-mailing her: Verna@c3orlando.com

I can’t wait for this Sunday to see the new Winter Extreme (I was in service last week so it’s new to me!)

See you all there!!

Okay, so I can’t take credit for that, I heard it this past Sunday from Byron and I think he gave credit to his bride. But it fits and it made me laugh. This Sunday marks week 1 for the next 8 weeks, Extreme Winter! Rock Steadfast and Scooter O’Donnell will be with teaching us some pretty amazing things.

Disciples of Jesus Listen and Obey!
Disciples of Jesus Help Others, Even If It Costs Us!
Disciples of Jesus Show Mercy!

That’s just a sneak preview of some of the main points we’ll be going over with your kids!

Now, about the changes… we are adding more exciting actors to the stage. These guys and gal (singular on purpose ) are all top shelf barbarians that really have a heart for teaching your children. It’s people like these that makes working in Powerhouse feel so good!

Don’t forget about the Children’s Ministry meeting on December 16th. From what I hear, Darrell will be changing diapers for us!