the new "normal"

I am failing in my pledge to blog more in 2008.

As I was thinking about why, I realized that early on things were so different and strange that every day created exciting stories to share. Lately, however, we have felt very much at home here. Over time, you adapt to a new environment and create new routines and a new "normal" for your family. I believe that has been God blessing us and helping us feel at home here where he has placed us for the time being.

So, in short, here are a few updates as part of our new "normal".
1) we have now had three weeks of video messages with Marco and my fourth week of preaching in the english services. Both have been well received, we have continued to add people each week. This weekend, we had around 280 adults between the three services...including 40 in the english service.
2) As a language update, I have now completed the rosetta stone program and can follow a conversation pretty well. I am also trying to force myself into situations of having to speak the language more...that is usually the last piece that comes. Kaycee is sometimes a little too busy for formal lessons with two little kids right now, but she is learning and practicing with our helper Wendy who now lives with us. Emmy just yesterday spit out her first few un-prompted spanish words that I have heard. She spouted "hola" to Wendy as she saw her in the morning, and was telling me "Ven daddy" to get me to come follow her. The latter of which was not taught by us. Amazing how sharp the 2-year-old mind is.
3) Our message series are now in sync with Community of Faith - Houston and so we are set to begin a series called "One Month to Live" on Feb 16/17 here in Cancun. We are working on marketing the church through this series and hope to bring in new people who are un-churched and do not know Christ. Also, we are planning on new service time schedule starting that weekend to hopefully spread out the crowds a little better between the services and to accommodate growth. We will have a Saturday night spanish service at 7:30, Sunday morning at 9:30 (english), 11:00 (spanish), and 12:30 (spanish). The good thing about our Spanish preacher is he doesn't get tired no matter how many services we do. Please pray that God will bring people to hear His word and experience Him.
4) We are excited to be hosting my mom for a long weekend coming up. "Grammy" is coming to see the grandbabies primarily (without a doubt), but is also bringing a gift for Emmy and the family...a 6-week-old, white, bishon-mix, puppy. We are planning to call him Morpheus since he fits the image so well.

Well, we hope to hear more from you guys as well...we covet your continued prayers.

-NW

First weekend with Marco on video

This Sunday was very well received. Marco's message via video was excellent, but more importantly, God met us there yesterday. At Marco's request, I took some pictures of the new-look worship room.

setup complete

after a crazy-long day, we now have the room ready to go for this weekend's video messages. I spent all day Wednesday with a crew of guys hanging a 7.5' x 10' screen and a projector, then running appropriate cables to the projector to get the room ready. I plan to take some pictures of the action this sunday and post them here. Overall, everything went pretty smooth and it looks really good in there. The quality is very good, so hopefully there are no distractions for people to hear God's message through Marco this week.

This is a big answer to prayer that the school where we meet is letting us hang these as fixtures in that room, because there would be no good way to do that portable every week. I left the school at about 6:30 last night very pumped up after getting to test the look of it.

I can't wait to see what God has for this weekend.

NW

First weekend preaching

Ok, there is no looking back now. Marco and Carina left with their family on Thursday and are now busy getting settled in Houston. This was our first weekend without them here as well as my first weekend preaching. Overall, it went pretty well. (I have yet to hear the audio from my English message to critique myself, but I did get positive response...even from Kaycee). Marco's presence will be missed, but we have been purposing to keep the energy positive in talking about the changes. I think people are still in a wait-and-see mode for the video messages. So pray for us this week as we finish setting that up and begin video messages next weekend.

As a tribute to Marco's leadership over the past five years, there has already been people stepping up and filling in various gaps. Our right hand people are now Luis Garcia and his wife Aleda. (their 3-year-old daughter Renata is Emmy's right hand as well). He has now started in his role as the "face" for the spanish church and she is now leading the children's ministry. They are an awesome young couple and already good friends (thanks more to their english than our spanish).

Tomorrow morning is our first leadership meeting without Marco as well, so I am going to go on to bed to be fresh for that. He may be joining by video eventually, but I don't think he has his internet service set up yet.

We will keep you posted.
-NW

Happy New Year back in Cancun

After a very enjoyable visit with families in Houston for the holidays, we are back in Cancun today...refreshed and ready to get back to work. It was great to see all of you that we were able to.

Along with trunks of Christmas gifts, we brought several things back with us for the church, including a upgraded projector and an acoustic/electric guitar for worship. We are excited about these new tools to help people experience Christ.

We need your prayers because now is when we hit the ground running. Marco and Carina and their family (our strong support system here) are leaving tomorrow for their move to Houston and the final stage of operation "pastor swap". We will miss their friendship and leadership dearly. Pray as we go through another level of adjustment period with culture life and church life.

Part of my new year's resolution is to blog more...so be checking in. That's all for now.

-NW