New Chapter
Posted on October 24, 2010 by Dave Gerhart
I’ve always had two great loves: music technology and music ministry. In my senior year of college, however, I was at a crossroads. Either I pursue technology and recording or pursue music ministry through seminary training. In the end, I chose the former and spent the last decade in the recording studio recording and producing albums. I was livin’ the dream!
The last two years have been extremely difficult for the music industry. With the proliferation of home recording studios coupled with an extremely poor economic climate, there has been less and less work. Amy and I soon realized that we wouldn’t be able to support our growing family with two part-time incomes. We had to make some tough decisions; Amy went back to work full time and I left the music world to be a stay-at-home-Dad. The transition was really difficult, and we weren’t sure how it would work, but we steeped out in fath knowing that God would catch us.
God knew the desires of our hearts and revealed a plan far better than we could have imagined! For Amy, he provided a family-friendly job that challenges her every day, and she loves it! Then, an invitation was extended for me to join the family at BranchCreek, where I’ve been serving as a volunteer for over 7 years. God affirmed every step of the process, so I knew that this was where He wanted me to be! I accepted and became the Associate Worship Director under the guidance of my friend, Dave Detwiler. This, to me, was real treat as we’ve cultivated a friendship over the years; now I can call my mentor my colleague!
This new role allows me to continue to provide leadership for the Encounter community that I love dearly as well as chart the course for the new Family worship service. And it’s no accident that He chose a guy with three small children to lead a service about worshipping together with your family. God truly is in the details!
Some might say that I chose the wrong path at that crossroads back in college. Or perhaps I took a 10 year detour in finding my true calling in music ministry. But I know that God was preparing me for exactly this season in my life; He knew that I would draw from my past experience for my leadership role at BranchCreek. I’m really excited about this new chapter that God is penning in my life and in the history of BranchCreek!
Encounter By The Numbers
Posted on October 22, 2010 by Jared Byas
Here are the highlights from the Encounter survey we took several weeks ago:
Our average age is 40
55% are married
28% are single
17% are single again
There are 91 kids living at home in the Encounter community.
Far and away the top answers to “one thing people find most meaningful about Encounter”: Music, Teaching, and Sense of Community. These have been the same answers for several years.
When we took the survey, this is how people were connected to Encounter:
2% were first time guests
4% were second time guests
8% have attended Encounter for less than a year
14% have attended Encounter for 1-2 years
20% have attended Encounter for 2-4 years
48% have attended Encounter for 4-7 years
Do you feel moving to the other auditorium is a good decision for Encounter?
Yes: 69%
No: 13%
Unsure: 14%
Would you continue to attend Encounter if it were held on Sunday at the time best for you?
Yes: 62%
No: 25%
Unsure: 8%
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If you would like to receive a pdf of the entire survey with its responses please let me know and I would be happy to send them to you.
If you would like to participate in the discussion about moving to Sunday nights, please join us this Saturday night at 7:45pm in Rooms 405/406.
Venues Upcoming
Posted on October 15, 2010 by Jared Byas
Hello all – I know Dave posted his “visual” of what is upcoming a while ago, but Mike A, our communications director, just released the “mostly” offical rendering of the new logos. We’ll all be getting cards this weekend with these graphics to help us understand these new gatherings.
Survey Results
Posted on October 14, 2010 by Jared Byas
Hello all – I apologize for the lack of posting lately. We have a lot of exciting changes coming up for Encounter and my attention has undividedly been with those changes as of late. But the responses from the Encounter survey are in. We will be posting them next week for everyone to look at. But we did want to send a special invitiation for anyone concerned with moving Encounter to Sunday nights. As we consider this possibility we want your input. If you have concerns, or even if you are decidedly for a move to Sunday night, please come to Room 405, at 7:45pm after Encounter next week, October 23. We will speak as candidly as possible about the possibility and hopefully have a healthy dialogue.
Thanks everyone.
Family Service: I’m All Ears!!
Posted on September 29, 2010 by Dave Gerhart
Julia Spencer’s comment in the last post made me realize that we have the invaluable opportunity to get your input as we’re designing the family service. So with that in mind, what are you looking for in a family worship service? Here’s the rough draft that we’ve sketched out thus far:
The first 20 minutes would involve music, dance, sketch comedy, art, puppets, or other forms of experiential worship and would vary from week to week. It’s designed to be interactive and enjoyable for parents and children alike. The kids would be dismissed just before the message, which is recorded from the 9:00 Sunday main service and played back on DVD for the family service. Finally, we’d have an offering and response time during which we’d have more live music to respond to the message.
As always, your thoughts or comments would be greatly appreciated as we move forward in this Family Worship experiment.
Introducing BranchCreek Venues
Posted on September 28, 2010 by Dave Gerhart
I’m a visual person, and when first presented with the new offerings at BranchCreek, I had to see it to wrap my mind around it. Maybe you’re like me and need to see the changes that Jared proposed on Saturday. I created the image above to illustrate the new service offerings.
What’s exciting about this new direction for BranchCreek is that we’re offering four distinctly different services each of which has the potential to reach very different audiences. It makes the church even more accessible to even more people!
The Face of Encounter Worship
Posted on September 25, 2010 by Dave Gerhart
Tonight marks the end on an era. Tonight at Encounter, Aaron Bishop will bless us one last time with his heartfelt worship.
I’ve had the honor or working with Aaron pretty much from the beginning; we’ve been trading off Encounter worship duties for as long as I can remember. I’ve worked at a number of churches over the years and have never met anyone that “gets it” as much as Aaron…myself included! Aaron continually raised the bar and challenged me to seek the Heart of worship; to be transparent and let all the cares of the day fall away. When Aaron leads, his authenticity is unmistakable. You know that he has a deep love and conviction for Christ that is evidenced in his playing and singing. I joke with him that he has a repertoire all his own like “Sweet Holy Spirit” and “The Wonderful Cross”…songs that he gravitates toward as a worship leader. It’s during these “Aaron Songs” that we see the true joy that corporate worship brings to him. That joy fills the sanctuary, penetrating the even the coldest of hearts. Its’ that joy that I’ve found so inspiring and has driven me to bee the kind of worship leader that Aaron is.
Aaron & Lisa, Nora & Ian will be missed by the Encounter community, but we’re excited about this new chapter God is penning in their story.
God is Love – Michael Gungor Band
Posted on September 21, 2010 by Jared Byas
I usually reserve my thoughts until after I have seen everyone’s comments but I thought this was a good message and a well-done video. If you disagree…then I will label you evil, call you names, misrepresent your view points, talk about you behind your back, and hopefully cause other people not to associate with you as well. Oh wait…
New Arrival!!
Posted on September 12, 2010 by Dave Gerhart
Amy and I are elated to announce the early arrival of
Asher Daniel Gerhart, born Wednesday, Sept. 8th at 12:58 pm at Lehigh Valley Hospital. He was born 10 weeks early and weighed in at 3lbs 3oz, so he’s officially smaller than Annie (if you can believe that!)
Amy was discharged Friday and Asher will be staying in the NICU for about 6 weeks. Pray for Asher’s continued growth and that the Father will give him peace and comfort in his unfamiliar surroundings. He’s doing really well, we just can’t wait to bring him home and complete our little family!
So, You Wanna Be In the Band?
Posted on September 7, 2010 by Dave Gerhart
Just read a really good article from Don Potter on worship…
Check it out here
