Too short of a visit...

Our good friends Matt and Ashley Johnson came over this past Sunday. They went to church, ate lunch and played with the kids. It was really good to see them. Along this journey, Corrie and I have been truly blessed to have amazing Jesus friends. These are some of the best. And just for shameless plug reasons...lol. Ashley is an amazing photographer (they were in Georgetown, IL doing a wedding last weekend), so check out their website, come over to see the "gallery" at my house, and give them some business:)

Wisconsin Reflections...

Hi everyone...
Most of you know that I spent the week in Green Lake Wisconsin. It was really a good week for my heart and energy for the Kingdom of God. On the way up there, I had the pleasure of running into my old friend Jeff Mayfield at a Culvers... so funny and totally a God-moment. We only got lost once which was good. What a beautiful setting Green Lake is, even though it rained all week. The only thing that would've made it better would've been if my wife would have had time to make it (but she got really sick while I was gone, so it was good for her to be home). I really appreciated the times of worship, prophecy and teaching. It was good to get a "crash-course" on introductions to the Champaign Vineyard and Danville Vineyard staffs as well. There are quite a few of them that I can already see being "life-long" friends and partners in this journey.

I came into the week with passions to pursue God's heart on exactly where Corrie and I might plant and pressing in on all kinds of details surrounding that intention. As I prayed, had some time to really reflect (like a 5 hour car ride home) and have spoken some with my wife, those things are still there but a whole lot less important right now to my heart. For instance, we are till interested in the Bloomington-Normal area, but are really free to go wherever the Holy Spirit may lead us. Also, we are leaning more towards planting than a multi-site campus.

These are the things that I really felt God speaking into my heart the longer I encountered His presence this week & the more I listened to the conversations around me:
(A) I am a guy that really embraces his evangelistic calling & is ready to exercise that gift as fully as possible during my time in Champaign...so I'd better be ready as soon as I get back to Illinois.
(B) the Father has called us back to Champaign not just to plant, but to be NEEDED servants during our time there, so we need to be patient with the planting/the plant process and serve our butt off while the Spirit's got us at the Champaign Vineyard.
(C) The Spirit has plans for me to be an agent of healing/understanding to pastors/leaders from other denominations who are seeking out service within the Vineyard.
(D) when we do start with the plant process, it won't just be one church but probably many that God will use us to be influential in.

I know this was short, but I'm still in the reflection phase. Thank you everyone for your prayers for travel. Please, keep praying for Corrie's recovery and for our efforts in the Kingdom here. Love you,
adam

Family Update

happy Monday friends and family,
Corrie, the kids and I are settling into life in Illinois. It's nice to see family and make new friends, but we really miss our Ohio friends a lot. It was nice to Skype last week with both the Martins and the Johnsons, but we long to see everyone face to face. Matt and Ashley are going to be our first visitors this next weekend (25th) and we're pretty excited about it. We wanted to write today and let you know a few things that are going on in our world, plus some matters of prayer.
First, we are slowly getting acclimated to church-life at the Champaign Vineyard (http://www.thevineyardchurch.us/). We attended a "newcomer" lunch last week. Adam has had meetings with the lead pastor (Happy Lehman), the executive pastor (Ben Hoerr) and the small group pastor (Jim Egli). Slowly but surely getting to know everyone. Corrie has been speaking with the children's department and may become one of their preschool "Coordinators" very soon as they need some help (don't all churches no matter how big or small...lol) at the 9:15am service. Finally, Adam is GOING TO WISCONSIN this week (October 20-22) for a Pastor's Retreat at Greet Lake. Please, keep Adam and the group in your prayers. Plus, pray for Corrie as she single-mom's it up this week.

Second, we always need prayers. Here are some of the things that Corrie and I are pressing in on and we'd like to have you join us...

(1)Our target city for the plant. Our thoughts are on Bloomington/Normal, IL but we are leaving the door open for the Spirit to move us.

(2)Our house sale is still NOT finalized in Ohio.

(3)We will be visiting 2 small groups. This week (Corrie) and the week I get back from Wisconsin. Please, pray we find some intimate faith community during our time in Champaign.

(4)Adam is waiting on an answer to financial aide to finish his MA up at LCU (http://www.lincolnchristian.edu/) starting this January.

(5)Inexpensive childcare has been hard to find. Pray God opens up that door VERY soon.

Third, we wanted to share some pics of our Saturday in Indiana (October 17th). We will post quite a few on FACEBOOK LATER (http://www.facebook.com/), but here are a few to get you started. My family has been going to the Covered Bridge Festival since before I was born (probably 40 years). We were unable to attend last year, but basically we drive 2 hours to see lots of pretty scenery and eat and eat and eat wonderful food.

Love you friends!

Adam

Good news came again to our porch today!

Another gift of support came in today of $150!!! It's so much fun to go out to our porch and open up the mailbox. You never know the blessings that God will send. We are just grateful and excited that God is moving in this arena. If the Holy Spirit is tugging at your heart to JOIN THE ADVENTURE. Please don't hesitate to email us: pastoradamwaters@yahoo.com or just put a gift in the mail (see our new address on the right hand column). For an update on everything that has come in so far, check the BLUE COLUMN on the right half of the blog. THANKS AGAIN friends and family.

One time gift!

THANK YOU!
Another awesome contribution was made yesterday. We received a very nice card and a one-time $50 donation to the ADVENTURE on Sunday. Blessings are popping up everywhere. Keep going God and keep praying friends. We can't wait to see what's next.

Just got word that another one-time gift is coming in today! Yea. Go God!

net-WORK-ing

What is Adam doing right now?
Besides spending as much time as possible helping the family get settled into a new life in Illinois, I am networking like crazy.
(1) I just finished a new support letter (WANNA BE ON THE MAILING LIST FOR SUPPORT? Email me at pastoradamwaters@yahoo.com) that will be mailed out this week.

(2) I am learning my way around the new church and the way things are run here.

(3) We changed our traditionally family website (don't worry friends there will still be lots of pics of the kids...lol) to an internet hub for our new work here in Central Illinois.

(4) Emailing and FaceBook-ing friends to ask for prayer and financial support.

(5) Looking into graduate work with Lincoln Christian University (www.lincolnchristian.edu) to get my Master's in leadership.

(6) Praying a lot about our future team, location and plan.

(7) Reading a lot of Scripture and Vineyard books.

Come by and see us in the new place if you're in Illinois and call us for a weekend visit if you are more than an hour away (like you OH peoples).

Love you friends,
Adam

A farewell to Hillsdowne...

Hey everyone! On my last night in Ohio, I took out my phone and recorded a little video farewell for everyone. Unfortunately, my phone only records a few seconds of video, so it's in two parts as I walked through the house. We love you OHIO friends and we will definitely miss you all lots. It was a great 10 years there and a great 7+ years in our home on Hillsdowne. We hope that everyone there knows that we are keeping you all in our prayers and thoughts on a daily basis. My next post will have some pics of the move/new house probably. Also, I have found a local coffeehouse to get free wi-fi, which is good for me:)
Love you friends!
Adam

Online Fundraiser October 1st - 23rd!

Thanks to one of our great customers (Sonya) at Grinders Coffeehouse in Ohio, we have our first major fundraiser. She is donating all profits made at our online party to the Illinois church plant. Praise God!

So, check out what TS has to offer at their website (www.tastefullysimple.com) and then email me at pastoradamwaters@yahoo.com and we'll give you an official invite for your online order. JUST REMEMBER to order in the next couple of weeks!

Thanks friends and thanks Sonya!

Adam and Corrie and family

JOIN THE ADVENTURE!!!