A Watermelon Story
by Erin Hoy
Colonial HC, a Kettering-area house church, has had several opportunities this summer to engage neighborhoods with Watermelon Parties. Watermelon Parties are designed to reach kids with the love of Jesus through songs, games, crafts, snacks (including watermelon!), and a gospel presentation.
The house church took time off of their regularly scheduled meeting time to prepare for and host the parties. Using resources provided by Apex, the church passed out fliers and personally invited their neighbors to the parties.
Approximately twenty kids showed up to one of their events, most of whom were non-believers. The kids were attentive during the gospel presentation and asked questions throughout. At the end of the presentation, three kids invited Jesus into their lives. Members of the house church had conversations with those kids after the event. The idea is that house church members will follow up with the families of those who accepted Christ and continue developing the relationships that were started at the party.
One of the Colonial HC members, Scott, was able to teach for another HC’s watermelon party as well. It attracted a large number of people from India. Interestingly, at this party, the adults were very alert to what was being said.
In addition to being an outreach opportunity, these parties served to build community within the house church. Shared experiences and working together as a team foster healthy interdependence and help us to see the value that each person contributes to the body as a whole.
God knows the level of impact that these and other events have on people’s hearts. It is up to us to be faithful to the work that He calls us to do! Let us all be praying for the eyes to see the opportunities that God gives us each day to be His ambassadors in our spheres of influence.
songs from the weekend of August 28/29, 2010
- No Not One written by Brandon Heath & Christy Nockels
- Breathless written by our own Duke Boles
- Lead Me to the Cross written by Brooke Fraser – you can hear our version of this song on the Apex LIVE cd
- Beautiful written by Phil Wickham / The Anthem written by Seeley, Hunt, & Webber – we tagged The Anthem onto the end of Beautiful – you can hear our version of Beautiful on the Apex LIVE cd as well.
- Love is Here written by Middleton, Ingram, Jamison, Donehey, & LaRue – our version of this song can also be heard on the Apex LIVE cd.
songs from the weekend of August 21/22 2010
- Everlasting God written by Brenton Brown
- Safe written by Phil Wickham
- Your Love Never Fails written by Skinner & McClarney – our arrangement was based on the version by Jesus Culture
- Desert Song written by Brooke Fraser
- Revelation Song written by Jennie Lee Riddle
Our Story: Kevin and Julie Hall
by Jennifer Osterday
At the end of August, Kevin and Julie Hall will celebrate their 21st wedding anniversary. The two will agree, however, that it was only by the grace of God that their marriage has lasted for this long.
When the two met more than 20 years ago, they became best friends. The friendship led to dating, and when Kevin eventually popped the question, it seemed right for them to marry. They moved to Louisville for Kevin to begin culinary school. The friendship that had brought them together seemed to disintegrate while they lived in Louisville.
“During that time, our relationship as husband and wife, nobody would know that we were married except by our wedding bands,” Julie said. “The way he talked to me and the way I reacted out in my own resentful way…it really was the beginning of what could have been the end.” Read More
The Horlacher HC Partners with Keynote for Concert Outreach
written by Jonelle Utt
The band was set. The hot dogs were cooking. We were praying that God would bring the right people.
Of course He did.
At the end of July, many Apex house churches united together with Chris Brownleigh & the Horlacher house church in Region 3. Their house church has been tutoring and mentoring the kids from the nearby St. Vincent de Paul’s Kettering Commons apartments. This complex is a permanent supportive housing program for families who have been homeless.
God orchestrated details so that the Horlacher house church was connected with Tony and Jonelle Utt of the WestCarrollsBurgWood Forest HC in Region 4. The Utts are raising support to work with the creative arts ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ, Keynote. Keynote’s mission is to strategically help evangelistic ministries make the gospel readily understandable to their own target audience by providing innovative and creative resources, such as performing arts, film, and communication training.
After some planning, the house churches decided to put together a free picnic for the apartment residents, including a concert by a Keynote band. About 75 people came to the show – on a day where the heat index was over 100 degrees!
Everyone had a great time dancing to music by Sara Bareilles, Paramore, Owl City, Switchfoot, and more. In between songs, some band members shared stories from Read More
songs from the weekend of August 14/15, 2010
- Take it All written by Crocker, Ligertwood, & Sampson
- When a Heart Skips a Beat written by Chad Osborne & Phil Wing – you can hear this one on the Apex Band’s “LIVE” cd.
- Everlasting God written by Glenn Packiam – this is a new song from New Life Church, not to be confused with the popular one by Lincoln Brewster or Chris Tomlin. The backbone of this song stayed similar to the New Life version, but all the orchestra parts were replaced with ambient electric guitar layers.
- Kingdom and a King written by Robbie Seay
- Be Thou My Vision – The writer is unknown although it can be traced to ancient Ireland. Translated & Versified by Byrne & Hull. Our version of this song started out with the arrangement by Jars of Clay…then as we practiced, it kinda turned into something different and unique. Whatever it was, it was enjoyable to play.
songs from the weekend of August 7/8, 2010
- You’ll Come written by Brooke Fraser
- Marvelous Light written by Charlie Hall
- None but Jesus written by Brooke Fraser – We came up with our own arrangement of this one. It was more electric guitar driven – still slow, but more “up” feeling from the drums. Think Sigur Ros meets Hillsong. :)
- There is No One written by Jason Morant – you can hear this one on the Apex Band’s “Connections” cd.
- Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus written by Helen Lemmel – we took the chorus of this song, slowed it down, put it in 4/4 instead of 3/4, and added it to the end of There Is No One.
- To Know Your Name written by Matt Crocker
Apex Kids: Kindergarten Registration
Summer’s almost over and the new school year is just around the corner! If you have a child who will be entering Kindergarten in the fall of 2010, please VISIT THIS LINK to to register your child. We need your help to ensure we have them in the appropriate class so they can get the most out of their time with us on the weekends. Thanks so much!
Region 3 Partnering with Mike and Su Keator on Mission in India
In the past two weeks, the leadership team in Region 3 has begun a partnership with Mike and Su Keator on mission in India. You may have heard Mike and Su share in the gatherings just a couple of weekends ago. Below is the message that the R3 leadership team shared with their region about this partnership:
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Brothers and sisters in the HC’s of Region 3 (and others who may read this)…
Two weekends ago, if you were in the Apex gatherings, you heard from Mike and Su Keator about their ministry in Northern India developing disciples and planting house churches. Obviously, a ministry that shares our vision at Apex.
As a result of the Keator’s friendship with Rennes Bowers and recent time spent with some of our own Region 3 elders (Jim Schindler, Bob Thomson, and Rick Gouge) our region 3 leadership team is pleased to report that God will be blessing the Keators with an SUV through our region 3 missions funds. It’s such an exciting thing to be able to bless this ministry! The SUV is a great need to their ministry as they transport people and training materials out to remote villages in Northern India, and the Keators have listed this as a need of theirs. We have already been in contact with the Keators about this gift, and they want to express their thankfulness! The Region 3 elders also want to thank all of you, the house churches of region 3, as these funds come directly from your giving at Apex gatherings or any funds that you designate specifically to our region.
Now, our elders would also like to present you the challenge to continue your support of the Keators long term…
The SUV will be a blessing to their ministry, no doubt. However, there are ongoing ways that we would love to see our house churches support the Keators long term. Mike and Su and our regional elders would ask you to prayerfully consider supporting them financially, visiting them on a short term trip, signing up for email updates, and joining their prayer team. (We have included one of their pamphlets to learn more about their ministry.) We would love to see HC’s support individual church planters that Mike is training, pay tuition for church planters to attend training, purchase new testaments and other evangelistic materials, etc.
As you may know, we have few international mission partners… but we do ask you to especially consider the Keators because of the fruit of their ministry, our elders personal evaluation and recommendation, and their ministry philosophy which is so harmonious with our own! If you and your HC are willing to support the Keators, please reply to this topic [on The City], and we will help you connect with them and learn how you can best support them.
Praise God for His work in India!
Xenia HCs Partner with AIA for Community Sports Camp
written by Erin Hoy
The Kinsey Road house church in Xenia has had recent opportunities to build relationships not only with their local community but also with a neighboring house church.
In July, this house church partnered with Athletes in Action (AIA) to host a free sports camp in their neighborhood. Over the course of three days, approximately thirty kids from Xenia attended the camp.
Each day, the kids were divided into age-specific groups and then rotated through various sports stations. Athletes in Action interns taught volleyball, basketball, baseball, and soccer skills. The evenings ended with a snack and devotional, which included challenges on integrity and character related to sports skills.
The children’s parents were invited to stay, which provided opportunities to build relationships, have spiritual conversations, and expand interest in the house church. The event also Read More