Archive for December, 2007
A Look Back at 2007
I contemplated writing a really sappy blog entry about this past year. It was a monumental one in the life of our journey together. Then, I saw this video that our staff put together. And, as the old saying goes, a picture (or in this case, a YouTube video) is worth a thousand words.
Here’s a quick look back at 2007.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/v/c9UgaZ3ZRsQ 425 350]
Thank you. And may Jesus, the reason for our joy, empower us to reach our full redemptive potential as a Church.
Grateful,
Jeff
A Christmas Gift for our wonderful volunteers and staff…
How do you shop for the great group of volunteers and staff we have at Buckhead Church? Gift cards? Starbucks? Chick-fil-A calendars? Sure, those are all great ideas but there is one gift they want above all others.
They want stories.
Stories of how God is using the environments at Buckhead to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus. And so, for our incredible team out there, here’s an email I received this week. Thank you so much for your effort, talent and passion. I can’t wait to see what God does through each of you in 2008.
Enjoy this story and Merry Christmas!
Jeff
“I just wanted to say we had an incredible experience at Buckhead Church today.
The host team that guided us into the parking areas were great. Properly identified and friendly. They are the unsung hero’s. We parked in the preschool area. We happened to be near a stairwell, so we chose to enter this way. Surprisingly it was marked with signage to Waumba Land. I should say that the great signage started when we pulled in on the main drive. The signage throughout the building was great.
Waumba Land was great. The greeters and check in process were smooth. Everything was kid friendly. Even the check in counter being at a kids height was a friendly thought. I could tell that our children would be safe and cared for. The themed environment was creative and beautiful. It was simply fun to be there. The service was amazing. The music was perfect. The message was dead on. It was simply a great experience. Everything was tied together seamlessly. I could have easily sat through the same service three times. The videography and band were so good it seemed like you were actually a part of a music video. The sound team was perfect. Audio visual is a nightmare for any church but your guys kept it clean.
All I can say is the buzz I caught from people before the service was contagious. From the workers to the members, they were all excited about what they had just seen and the fact that others were about to experience the same. This was further validated when everyone I met had brought a guest today. People were absolutely excited about being at church. Thank you for setting the stage for a great worship experience.”
Blessings,
Jon Langford
The Results are In
Back in October, our staff started dreaming around a question during the “How to be Rich” series. (If you aren’t familiar with the series, you can watch it on our website.) The question was: “What would happen if we combined the efforts of our three churches (Buckhead, North Point and Browns Bridge) over Christmas to ‘do more and give more’”?
This led to the “Be Rich” initiative where we created giving and serving opportunities locally and globally. The results are in and I can’t wait to share what happened in these four short weeks during tomorrow’s service. The lasting impact is staggering. I’ll share some brief numbers on Sunday but the faithful blog readers will get to hear some of the great stories behind those numbers. Starting now:
When Joe and Laurel Lee Chatham heard of the Be Rich initiative they immediately jumped into action. They decided to host a garage sale and give the proceeds directly to Be Rich. They raised $350. That’s a strong garage sale. However, this story takes on a different perspective when you understand that Laurel Lee is eight years old and her brother Joe is six. They wrote letters to their friends asking them to gather up some toys and bring them over for the toy/garage sale. $350 later the Be Rich initiative was off to a great start.
Thanks Laurel Lee and Joe. Jesus is honored by what you did. And our church is very proud of you both.
Jeff
2008 Book List
As some of you know, I’m a fairly avid reader. It stems from a comment Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-fil-A, once said. “There are two ways to improve yourself. The books you read and the people you interact with.”
Since then, I’ve been very intentional about surrounding myself with people who challenge, inspire and encourage me. I try to do the same with books. I’m currently finishing up my 2008 book list and thought I would check with the Buckhead blog readers to see what recommendations you might have. What books have you read that should be on my list for next year?
I’ll publish my 2008 book list next week. Until then, hit me with your best shot. And yes, the Bible is always on the list!
☺
Animal Church
Sunday, I had a chance to wish the volunteers in Waumba Land a Merry Christmas. These folks, along with our incredible staff (Zilia Glick, Emily Matthews, Laura Roe, and Brenda Eller), create an environment that would make Walt Disney proud. This week, Emily Matthews received an email that I just had to share with you. I can’t possibly express in words how grateful and proud I am of our Waumba Land team, but maybe this letter will show you why.
Hi Emily,
It was so nice to meet you last week. Thank you for making us feel so welcome. As my husband mentioned to you, we live in the Augusta area, but are frequently in Atlanta visiting friends and family. When we are there, we attend Buckhead Church and love it! This month, we’ll be there three Sundays and, lately, our 2-year-old has come to share our feelings about your church.
Since he could talk, he has referred to Waumba Land as “animal church.” Recently, he goes through a few days back at home after our visits asking to go to animal church each morning. On the way there a couple of Sundays ago, we told him that we were going to a different church (than our own). Afterwards, we asked him how it was. He responded, “Mom, it isn’t a different church. It’s a WONDERFUL church!” (We have never heard him use that word before!) My husband kept his composure enough to ask why. “The girl is nice to me and the boy is funny.”
Now, I’m sure that you constantly hear great things about what you are doing there, but please know that we appreciate you for making church a place that our son wants to be DAILY! Even on mornings when he is clingy at first, we return to find him having a blast. We look forward to seeing you all again this weekend and THANK YOU for all that you do for our child. We’re looking forward to our newborn spending time there as well . . . and maybe one day God will move us back to the Atlanta area so that we can join you full-time.
Thanks again!
Bryce & Riki Massey
