My Watermarke

Wonderful to Hear

2009-07-02T12:03:00.002-04:00

Over the past 4 days, we have received countless (well, not literally, but numerous) emails and calls from people at Watermarke who are stepping up to fund our vision to move to American Heritage Academy. Even more, you seem to be encouraged by our approach and patience more than discouraged with delaying the move. We love that, and want to thank you for your support and generosity. Just wanted to pass that quick note along.

Gavin Adams
Lead Pastor, Watermarke Church

God, Us, and Patience

2009-06-29T11:18:00.000-04:00

On Sunday, we spent some time looking at patience, and we announced that we were going to delay our move to American Heritage Academy for two reasons:

1. Funding - To make this move, we need to have $110,000 in disposable margin. To date, we have raised $60,000. And while we are so excited that we have make this progress, it is clear we hvae a ways to go.

2. Lease - After the financial terms were decided, some ancillary items came to the surface that will require some additional information to ensure we create a situation that provides stability and more permanence in our next location.

And as disappointing as this is for all of us, I am please to hear the feedback I have already received about our decision and our display of faith in and patience with God. Over the next few days and weeks, we will keep everyone at Watermarke updated on our progress (giving and lease), and continue to learn and grow in our patience with God's timing.

For today, here is the thought that I continue to come back to:
Isaiah 64:4; Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.

God is extremely involved in what is happening daily at Watermarke Church, and we are going to continue to allow Him to stay involved through our patience with His timing.

If you missed the message, I highly encourage you to go to www.watermarkechurch.com and click "Message Archive" to listen. And please let me know how this idea of patience is being displayed in your life.

Gavin Adams
Lead Pastor, Watermarke Church

WATERMARKE MOVES TO AMERICAN HERITAGE ACADEMY!

2009-04-30T15:50:00.002-04:00

If you missed Sunday, you missed an announcement that is going to change the future of Watermarke Church. On August 2nd, we will be moving to American Heritage Academy on Sixes Road in Canton. This move will provide us many, many opportunities to lead people into a growing relationships with Jesus Christ.

Here is a preview of what we can expect from this move:

Permanence: We are signing a long-term lease at this location, and the facilities will allow for significant growth. Just the same, as a church, this move allows for us to plant some deep roots in a community and city.
Better Environments: At American Heritage Academy, we have the opportunity to create environments that are more relevant and irresistible.
New Environments and Events: In addition, we now have the opportunity to add new environments like Night of Worship, Christmas Eve service, KidStuf Live, MarriedLife Live, and more.

Of course, to get there, it will require some involvement on our part. There is a huge story taking shape at our church, and we hope that each person at Watermarke can engage in the story and have a front row seat for what God is doing in our community. Here is how we invite you to participate:

Invite Others: We create relevant and irresistible environments for a reason, and you are not the only reason. Our church is created for everyone in our communities, and we need to find ways to engage others at Watermarke.
Serve Together: Relevant and irresistible environments need to be fully staffed, and we need each of you to work together with us as we create environments.
Give Generously: Environments require funding, and we are going to raise $175,000 to make this move, make some initial capital improvents, and make dramatic improvements in our environments.

This is a wonderful time to be a part of Watermarke Church, and there is a lot to be excited about. Please let us know if you have any questions about our move, the funding needs...anything. And thank you in advance for being involved in what is next for our church.

Starting Point begins March 8th

2009-02-23T23:04:00.002-05:00

Where do you go when you have questions? What about when you were exploring faith, God, or Christianity? I see too many people in churches NOT get their questions answered because they have nobody to ask.

At Watermarke, we are launching an environment called Starting Point, which is a conversational environment for people that are:
1. Seekers: people who just have questions about Christianity
2. New Believers: people who are new Christians and want to learn more about God and the Bible
3. Returners: people who are returning to church after a long period

If you are one of the people above, you need to be in Starting Point. Please be sure to attend the Starting Point orientation after either service on Sunday, March 8th. You can read more about Starting Point at www.watermarkechurch.com.

Gavin Adams, Lead Pastor, Watermarke Church

Starting Point: The Series and the Environment

2009-02-13T10:55:00.005-05:00

I am very excited to announce that we are launching a new series and environment called Starting Point at Watermarke Church. More details can be seen below.

New Series: Starting Point

This Sunday, we begin a new series by Andy Stanley called "Starting Point." For the next three weeks, we will look more at our story and talk about how frustrating it can be to try and live the Christian life, how we desire to rebel, and how our life fits in God's story.

New Environment: Starting Point
Starting Point is a 10 week conversational environment where people can explore faith and experience community. Starting Point groups are a safe place for people with questions about faith as well as those who want to learn about the Bible and Christianity. Groups consist of
1. People who are curious and investigating Christianity
2. Those who have recently started a relationship with God
3. Those who are reconnecting with God after being away from church for a while.

Starting Point Orientations will be held on Sunday, March 8th, following each service. If you are in any way interested in joining a Starting Point group, please plan to attend this orientation. Or, you can just skip the orientation and register online at our website.

Gavin Adams, Lead Pastor, Watermarke Church

What occupies your life?

2009-02-09T21:26:00.003-05:00

There is a place that I love. A place that had an incredible impact on my life. A place where I really first experienced God and watched God reach into others hearts. A place where I first sat with a person and led them through a prayer as they accepted God's gift of eternal life.

And now, that same place seems to have changed. The place that was so attractive to everybody and created such an amazing environment for God to do what only he can do is not the same. Now I know...everything changes. Nothing stays the same. And staying the same may be worse than changing, but the questions is HOW are we changing and to WHAT are we evolving?

This idea is extremely important to our church. As we evolve and change, I hope more than anything that we always are more preoccupied with those we can reach rather than focusing on those that we can keep. Not that I want to run the Christians off, but if we have to focus on ONLY one group, I hope we always lean towards those people not sitting in our seats on Sunday mornings. It just drives me nuts to see churches or other Christian organizations intentionally, or more often subconsciously, make decisions that revolved around making insiders happy at the expense of the outsider. And when this happens, the church can quickly become an insider focused organization, also making it an outsider irrelevant organization. I never want to lead or be associated with an organization that looks like that. That sounds like a Christian organization that is very unChristian.

I hope we never become irrelevant or incorrectly focused as a church. Who are the people not sitting at Watermarke on Sunday mornings...let's be sure we are focused on them, not us!

Gavin Adams
Lead Pastor

GroupLink at Watermarke Church

2009-02-02T16:30:00.000-05:00

DON'T MISS GroupLink at WATERMARKE CHURCH
Saturday, February 7th, 7:00 - 9:00 pm
Wellesley Club House in Towne Lake (1000 Wellesley Crest Drive)

This Saturday, many Watermarkers will take a risk and attended our GroupLink event. I say it is a risk because you will show up not knowing who you will meet. For the extroverts, that's called an adventure. For the introverts, like me, that's called a risk.

I just want to thank you in advance for taking that risk. We believe it will be well worth it. And thank you small group leaders for stepping up to lead and helping us create healthy group environments all over our community.

As we just learned in the Five Things God Uses to Grow Your Faith series, "providential relationships" are critical catalysts for spiritual growth. We have been working and praying for these types of relationships to form this weekend. All we now need is you to take a risk.

If you have not yet decided to attend GroupLink, I hope you do, because it will be worth it. To learn more about Community Groups, GroupLink, or Watermarke Church, please visit www.watermarkechurch.com.

If you are planning to attend GroupLink, you need to first register.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR GROUPLINK.

GroupLife Milestone

2009-01-28T15:38:00.003-05:00

I have some exciting news to share. As a lot of you know, we are a part of a larger organization and movement called North Point Ministries (NPM). We have the privilege of partnering with 17 other Churches all over the USA and Canada, with 5 more being planted this year! As an organization, we recently reached a milestone with over 31,000 people within NPM Churches connected into Community Groups. Amazing! Our goal is to see 50,000 people in groups by the end of 2010. The question is, are you experiencing the life changing dynamic of sharing life with other couples or singles in the context of a small group? If not...GroupLink is your next step.

What is GroupLink?
GroupLink is a two-hour, interactive event to connect you with others in your area of town and stage of life to form a Community Group.

After meeting with the other people and finding others like you, we will form groups. And don't worry, our staff and volunteers will walk you through the entire process. Our Lead Pastor will spend some time talking about Community Groups then time will be provided for you to get to know the people in your newly formed group.

If you are planning to attend GroupLink, you need to first register.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR GROUPLINK.

Thank You!

2008-12-17T20:19:00.004-05:00

I love having the opportunity to share what God has been brewing in my soul for weeks or months. This past Sunday, I had just that opportunity and I was so grateful to all of our Watermarke people who came out to hear from my heart. To each of you, thank you for making me feel so welcome and for the continued encouragement. I am very glad to serve along side of you and I look forward to being a part of what God is going to do through us and our church as we create environments that lead all people in our community into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.

How Did God Do It

2008-12-10T10:12:00.006-05:00

The older that I get, and the more I read and learn about God through His word, I am more and more amazed. It is just impossible that this stuff was made up.

My favorite thing to find are verses and scriptures that all relate to each other, but are found throughout the Bible. It is awesome to read something written by Solomon in Proverbs that comes through so clearly in a story of Jesus and his disciples. Just awesome stuff.

I also love it when God reveals those little nuggets of wisdom in a story that we have read many, many times. This week at Watermarke Church, I am excited to share what I have been learning in the past couple of months and how God has become more personal than I can ever remember. Join me this week as we think about this one, powerful piece of scripture that everyone would LOVE to master in our life: Proverbs 3:5-6; 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Gavin Adams, Lead Pastor

gadams@watermarkechurch.com

2008-11-24T22:17:00.004-05:00

Made To Stick Book Study
Our staff is reading a great book, Made to Stick by Dan Heath and Chip Heath. We had a great discussion today about how this book applies to so many aspects of our ministry and church. The most insightful discussion for me was around one idea: The Curse of Knowledge.

In a nutshell (whatever that means), the curse of knowledge is defined as our inability to recognize or remember that others do not know everything that we know. Once we know something, we find it hard to imagine what it was like not to know it.

When I think about this concept, there are many things that quickly come to mind for our church, but one jumps out more than all the others. As a follower of Jesus Christ, it is so difficult to remember what it was like when we were lost. In our community, there are thousands and thousands of people that are far from God and in need of a place and a people like Watermarke Church. If we do not keep every area of our church pointing to that as our target, then we end up forgetting what it feels like to be lost, and our church quickly ceases to stay focused on the core mission of the church.

Have you forgotten what is was like to be lost? Who is the one person or family that you are hoping to invite to Watermarke before the end of the year? We have to remember that we have the message that answers all of life's biggest problems: sin, sorrow, and death. And it is our job as a staff to create relevant and irresistible environments so that you can do your job - invest and invite and be involved. When everything is said and done, our relationship with Jesus (or lack thereof) will be the only thing that matters. Not just for us, but for everybody.

I hope is that Watermarke never becomes a church full of people that have forgotten what is feels like to live separated from Jesus Christ.

What to say???

2008-11-13T23:02:00.002-05:00

As my first Sunday at Watermarke approaches, I continue to catch myself wondering what I should say as I walk onto our stage for the first time. There is so much I want to communicate - vision, personal passion for the unreached, where we are going as a church, what I feel God has in store for us all, ect. I could go on and on, but the tough part is I only have 3 - 4 minutes to say it all. The last thing I want is to hear the band start into the “get off the stage music” like I am at an awards show thanking everyone I have ever known!

So, in my short time on stage, here is what I hope gets communicated:
Watermarke Church is a place designed for people to grow in or establish a relationship with Jesus Christ. As a church, I hope we can always create environments that are relevant and irresistible for everyone, because God's desire is to see the separation that exist between Him and us wiped away. I want Watermarke Church to be a church where people far from God can come and hear the truth in a refreshing, helpful and relevant way. I want Watermarke Church to be a church full of people that have not forgotten what it is like to be lost. I want our church to be more concerned about those that are unreached than any other issue facing our church. I want Watermarke Church to be a place where we can all give and serve together and allow God to change our lives and our surrounding community through us. I could keep going, because that is just the beginning...

Maybe the best way to say it is simply a church where everybody’s invited, everybody’s included, and everybody’s important. I bet that would make a great message serried. This is what I want Watermarke Church to be, and I hope that Sunday is the beginning of something huge at our church.

My First Sunday

2008-11-12T20:38:00.002-05:00

Let me first say, I am very excited and humbled to be a part of Watermarke Church and I cannot wait to see what God has in store for all of us and for our community. Over the next few weeks, I am hoping to meet many of you and let you get to know me, too. And I am glad to have this blog space to help communicate where we are going as a church and what we are thinking about each week. Be sure to check back often.

As the next few weeks go by, we are all going to be very busy. Busy with Thanksgiving, Christmas, family, parties, and such. Some times will be joyous, and others will be stressful. One thing I want to be sure we don't lose site of during this season is the huge number of people in our community, neighborhoods and schools that far from God and need a place exactly like Watermarke. A church that has not forgotten what it was like to be lost or far from God.

In fact, this week we begin new series by Andy Stanley called, "It's Personal." This series is directed to men and women who desire a personal connection with God, but who have genuine questions, doubts, and concerns. Andy makes a case for the fact that adults don't become followers of Christ by getting all their questions answered. In most instances, something happens that shrinks those questions. And that something is always personal. You don't have to understand everything to believe in something. If you or anyone you know has some genuine questions about having a personal connection with God, this is a great 4-week series to attend.

I look forward to seeing everyone on Sunday, and as always, if you have any questions or concerns about Watermarke Church, please don't hesitate to ask.

Gavin Adams, Lead Pastor

gadams@watermarkechurch.com

2008-11-03T14:29:00.002-05:00

Hey there Watermarke Family!

We are so excited to be able to finally introduce you to the new Lead Pastor of Watermarke Church. Just last week Gavin Adams accepted an offer from the Elders of Watermarke for the position of Lead Pastor.

For those not familiar with the beginning of this transition process, please see the details at the very bottom of this email that were sent out to all volunteers earlier in the year.

Gavin comes to us from Southside Church, another North Point Strategic Partner, in Peachtree City, Georgia. He has been on staff there for the past three years, most recently as the Family Ministry Director. Gavin has done an incredible job growing the Family Ministry environments at Southside. Southside Church is one of the most successful Strategic Partner churches, so Gavin is bringing some great experience to generate excitement and momentum at Watermarke.

Gavin's first day at Watermarke will be Sunday, November 16. However, he would love the opportunity to meet many of you prior to that. So you are invited to come to an open house at the Watermarke NEW office location (see below for address and directions) on Tuesday, November 11, between 7 pm and 9 pm. If you don't get the opportunity to attend the open house, then plan on seeing and hearing from Gavin on Sunday, November 16.

This is a very exciting time for Watermarke. The Staff, Elders, members of the Advisory Group and I are all extremely confident that Gavin is going to help Watermarke reach the tremendous potential that it currently has.

Next Sunday (11/9) will be my last Sunday as a part of Watermarke staff. It's been an honor and a privilege to have been a part of Watermarke the last three years. My next steps are not completely clear yet, but I am currently pursuing a couple of opportunities that God has placed in front of me. Sabina and I would appreciate your prayers as we seek to follow God through this transition.

Thanks so much for your patience through this process. God's timing does not usually align with our timing, but His timing is always perfect. Praise God for answered prayer and an amazing new leader for Watermarke Church!

Steve Mazac
Lead Pastor

Watermarke NEW office address and directions:

303 Hickory Ridge Trail
Ste 160
Woodstock, GA 30188

From 575, head east toward Roswell on Hwy 92 (exit 7) for about 2 miles
Make a u-turn at the light by the Jeep/Chrysler/Dodge dealership
Turn right into Hickory Ridge (immediately before the Shell station)
Make your first left, and we're in suite 160 down on the left

*** Previously sent email to all Watermarke volunteers on May 22, 2008 ***

Last fall we began analyzing each staff person to discover their strengths and then try to reposition them into those areas in order to be the best stewards of each person's skills. This led to Wyndi being promoted to Family Ministry Director, leveraging Andy Jones' communication skills in Xtreme and the main service, and using Tara's creative abilities in the Service Programming Department.

This led me to the discovery that I was not playing to my strengths as the Lead Pastor. I brought it up to the staff and mentioned that I felt that Watermarke needs another person as Lead Pastor. Someone who would be playing to their strengths would be much better for the organization. This led to a meeting with the Elders and ultimately the formation of the Watermarke Advisory Group which is made up of the following people:
David McDaniel - Watermarke Elder
Scott Tanksley - Watermarke Elder
Steve Miller - Watermarke Elder
Steve Mazac - Lead Pastor/Watermarke Elder
Donald Wise - Strategic Partnership Director for Watermarke at North Point
Wyndi Beck – Family Ministry Director
Mark Fernandez – Lay leader - Stewardship Team member and Community Group leader
Wes Mitcham – Lay leader - Community Group leader
Aron Schatz – Lay leader - Xtreme small group coach

So far, the Advisory Group has met to determine what the next Lead Pastor should look like as far as characteristics. Here are some of them:
- Vision caster, inspirational
- Connected/invested in Cherokee County
- Strategic thinker/planner
- Ability to challenge staff and leaders
- Clearly decisive

We then created a list of potential candidates from within Watermarke Church, the other Strategic Partnerships, North Point Ministries, and those outside of these organizations. In the last few weeks we have been talking with each candidate to see if they would be interested in being considered for the position of Lead Pastor at Watermarke Church. On May 29, the Advisory Group will be meeting again to see who the candidates are who will begin the screening process. At that point, we will begin the screening/interviewing process. We would like to have the next leader in place by the beginning of August which is typically a time of regrouping for Watermarke and a great time to build momentum. Of course, we realize that as we seek God in this process, His timeline could be different from ours and it could take longer.

Once the interview process is completed, the Advisory Group will make recommendations to the Elders and the Elders will ultimately make the decision on who the next Lead Pastor will be for Watermarke.

A few important points about this process:
* I am not going anywhere until this process is complete and the new Lead Pastor is up to speed in the position. I don’t have a specific end date so I will be here as long as it takes to make sure everything goes well.
* This is a process initiated by me as I looked at what is best for Watermarke Church as an organization.
* This is a great church model to weather this kind of transition as we are not a personality-driven church. We have been through this before and it was quite smooth.
* During the transition and after the new Lead Pastor is in place, we will continue to follow the same model for all our ministry environments because we are still a Strategic Partner of North Point. So, Andy Stanley will continue to be our primary teaching pastor.
* We will still be pursuing the building in Woodstock as a potential home for Watermarke.

The Elders, staff, and leaders involved in the process are very excited about the positive momentum this will create for Watermarke and how it will set us up to lead even more people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.

A Guaranteed Investment

2008-10-23T14:31:00.002-04:00

Some of our staff and volunteers attended the Catalyst Conference a couple weeks ago. During one of the sessions, they interviewed a former Compassion child who is now living in the United States working on her Master's Degree in Communication. Compassion International clearly depends upon donations to sponsor children, and the interviewer asked her what she would say to those who might be hesitant to commit to $32/month now because of tough economic times. I thought her answer had great application for us too:

"Changed lives and raising up future leaders with integrity who know God, and creating environments where children and adults can come to know how much God loves them is a guaranteed investment in all economic times."

Steve Mazac
Lead Pastor

Africa Mission Trip Summary 2 - Small Groups

2008-10-06T14:11:00.010-04:00

One of the most exciting things we did on this trip was develop relationships with the men and women of the community.

As we worked side by side planting trees, moving heavy timber (as well as our mud stuck bus), visited their homes, learned how to cook over their open fire...friendships were born. We helped peel and chop carrots and potatoes with a rather dull knife doing it all "free hand" without a cutting board. They did it with such ease :-)

And then there was our "small" group which consisted of approx. 30 - 35 women from the community as well as nine women from our group as well as an interpreter. We had been told that the women may not feel comfortable sharing at first. Any concerns about that were quickly eliminated after our prayers and introductions when the women immediately began asking questions and a great time of discussion ensued. The women enjoyed sharing so much, we actually stayed an hour or more over the allotted time and decided we needed to schedule another meeting in a few days. Many of the questions involved the difficulties they faced as women in Kwambekenya, especially childbearing. They were surprised to hear that we also faced challenges in America. We encouraged them through scripture, our own testimonies and a commitment to pray for each other. We encouraged them to start small groups that would study God's word together, pray together and support each other. We shared what small groups meant to us and how important they were.

Nick during this time was able to build relationships with some of the men of the community. Especially two young men named David and Aaron who represent the next generation of men in Kwambekenya. It is always an encouragement to have another brother in the Lord to share with.....especially one who came from so far away to help. Nick was called "my brother from another mother" :-). "Bravo" as the children would say...for being brave enough to follow the Lord's calling on this trip even though you were the only male with nine other women!

Please join us in praying for the men and women of Kwambekenya.

Sue Shook

Africa Mission Trip Summary 1 - Preschool Work

2008-10-02T19:52:00.006-04:00

I'm finally getting over the jet lag and missing the precious children and people of Kwambekenya even more. You've seen part of our work at the clinic (No one thought we could move that lumber!) and I've included the latest picture of the clinic's progress. Unfortunately, because of the rain, dead batteries and work, we have few pictures of what we did. Not that it matters..........it's the combination of everyone's work past and future that will bring wonderful changes to the community!

First of all, thank you once again for your support and prayers. The community was amazed and blessed when they heard how the money was raised. They had been praying for our arrival and the amazing answer to prayer encouraged them.

Working side by side with them means a lot to the people of Kwambekenya. "Most people who come to Kenya", they said, "come to see the animals.....but not you.....you came to work with the people and that means so much." Many said when they saw us, our work and our smiles, they saw Christ and His love for them. That joy we had came from the Lord and each of you who helped financially and prayerfully for us to go........each and every one of you were a part of our journey!

So....here's the first entry of one of the great opportunities we had.....working with the preschool!
We came equipped and ready to share the wonderful bible story of Christ feeding the multitude with just 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. Their memory verse was "God can do anything". Through scripture, balloons, bubbles, face paint and pipe cleaners (and an interpreter), we showed them how even the smallest thing can be made into something special........and God can do the same with them. They heard Mandi play the violin while learning hand motions to "Jesus Loves Me". They had a great time repeating their memory verse while running under a parachute...we even attempted to teach them the game of baseball! After three days and three different preschools, we left with an understanding of Christ's words in Mark 10 15: "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."
Oh....and let me not forget to mention that some people of the community were so excited to see us work with the children, they even sat in on our lessons!

To be continued..............

Sue Shook

Andy Stanley's Leadership Podcast

2008-10-01T10:00:00.002-04:00

Andy Stanley now has a podcast focusing specifically on the subject of leadership. As you know, Andy is an incredible communicator. He has so much to share on the topic of leadership so I'm sure you'll find this podcast to be valuable and very practical whether you lead in your family, at school, at work, or at church.

Steve

Night For Africa

2008-09-29T14:21:00.004-04:00

Check out this video about a fun event taking place on October 10, 2008 at 8:00 pm at the Gwinnett Arena.

The 410 Bridge is the organization we partner with when we send teams to our international partner in the community of Kwambekenya in Kenya.

Night For Africa will be a great opportunity to have fun, learn about the needs in Africa, and a chance for you to be a part of the solution. Tickets are only $24 and the proceeds from the night will go towards helping the various communities that 410 Bridge sponsors. Click here to buy tickets.

Hope you can make it!

Steve Mazac
Lead Pastor

Africa Mission Trip Update #5

2008-09-23T09:53:00.007-04:00

Everyone arrived safely home Sunday, thank you for your prayers Watermarke church! Below is a note from our trip coordinator, Sue Shook:

"The trip was fantastic.....it will be hard to put into words.
One of the Kenyan staff from 410 Bridge said he felt we had the most impact on the community then any other team they have had so far! That is truly the Lord. We also received a gift of 2 dozen eggs from the women before we left (quite a gift for them), which was never done before! The preschool classes and small groups were beyond what we expected. It was so great seeing the expressions of children who never heard a violin before or who never saw bubbles......you should have seen them chasing the bubbles!"

More on the trip to come, stay tuned!

Africa Mission Trip Update #4

2008-09-18T18:29:00.001-04:00

Another letter from the 410 folks, hot off the presses!

Brett
the OATBUP

Dear Friends and Family of the Watermarke Service Team,

We got a team update today from our Kenyan staff and the team is doing great! Here is an update and some details about what they have been doing the last couple of days from their Kenya team leader Mercy.

After breakfast at the Panorama hotel on Monday, the team headed to Kwambekenya and went to Kiambariki primary school in Kwambekenya where they shared Bible stories and played with the nursery school kids. After lunch they visited the medical clinic and planted trees with the community.

Wednesday morning it started raining, despite less than ideal weather, the team went ahead and planted more trees with the community and helped in the medical clinic to put up the rafters for setting up the roof of the clinic.

Today (Thursday) the team went and visited the homes of several of the people in the community. This is an honor for community members to host the team in their homes, and the team was able to experience what everyday life is like for our brothers and sisters that live in Kwambekenya. After the home visits the team facilitated another small group meeting with a group of ladies. It was such a wonderful moment for everybody as the ladies really bonded well and encouraged one another. In the evening they held a team debrief after their last day in the community.

Tomorrow, (Friday) they will head to Lake Nakuru for a Safari and to have some time to debrief about their trip. The team has been great and bonded very well with the community. It has been a blessing and encouragement to the people of Kwambekenya to have them come and serve and share life together.

In His grace,

Jennifer Ward
Service Trip Coordinator
jennifer@410bridge.org

Student Impact

2008-09-17T13:37:00.001-04:00

When I was 15 years old, I began helping lead a Wednesday night program for 3rd and 4th graders. That experience was the first in a series of opportunities that taught me the importance of serving others. Those first experiences showed me the value of giving to others and were highly influential in helping me to become the person I am. Every time our family ministry staff talks about what we want a student who graduates our ministry to look like, we talk about wanting to graduate students who understand the importance of personal ministry, and I think back to the opportunities I had to serve as a student. When a student graduates from our ministry, we want serving others to be a way of life for them.

At Watermarke, we encourage students to get involved in one of our ministry areas so that they can grow in their relationships with Jesus Christ by serving others. We use the term “Student Impact” to describe their service. On Sunday mornings, I see so many students carrying out their responsibility that it makes me truly appreciate the impact that our students have each week. Our students rock babies, check children into their classrooms, sing and dance for preschool and elementary children, lead small groups, help with production in the main service, greet people arriving for the main service, and help set up the environments (at 6 am).

Not only have our students served Watermarke, but they have had a global impact. Locally, they have helped sort and distribute clothing for M.U.S.T ministries, led summer camps to teach children about safety, volunteered at hospitals, distributed lunches to needy children, and helped clean up after storms. Internationally, students have participated in missions trips to Africa and Mexico where they taught/modeled Jesus’ love for children living in poverty. In fact, some of our students are in Africa right now, making a difference in our world.

In a culture where it is so easy to be consumed by our own cares, our students are following James’ instructions to the church: “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” As a family ministry, we want to celebrate these students, as they take steps in their relationships with Jesus Christ by serving others. ~ Wyndi Beck, Family Ministry Director

Africa Mission Trip Update #3

2008-09-16T16:13:00.001-04:00

From the folks at 410 Bridge this morning:

Brett
the OATBUP

Dear Family and Friends of the Watermarke Service Team,

I just got off of the phone with our Community Development Manager of Kwambekenya, Andrew. He was with the team this weekend and today. He said that everyone had a great day at church yesterday and the team is doing very well. The team split up in groups to visit different churches yesterday in Kwambekenya, and then met in small groups with some community members after church. Andrew said that the small groups went very well and the community enjoyed the time with the team so much that they met much longer than they had planned for because no one wanted to leave. This is so exciting because small groups are not something that is often done with many congregations in Kenya and it is a great blessing to the people of Kwambekenya for the team to facilitate this time for them to share their lives together and encourage one another in their walk with Christ.

Today the team worked in the nursery schools in the morning, and then on the medical clinic this afternoon. Their time working on the clinic was cut short because it started raining. Nick was not feeling well today, but Andrew called to check on him this evening and said he is doing much better now.

Thank you for all of your prayers and support for this team! Please continue to pray for them... that God would use them in a powerful way as they work alongside and serve the people of Kwambekenya.

In His grace,

Jennifer Ward
Service Trip Coordinator

Africa Mission Trip Update #2

2008-09-15T09:52:00.002-04:00

We heard from the folks at 410 Bridge, and our Watermarke team arrived safe, but tired! They experienced some churches in Kwabekenya yesterday, and today will be working in a nursery school and heading out to the construction site this afternoon. They said our next update should be on Thursday, so check back for more!

Brett
Official Africa Trip Blog Updater Person, or OATBUP

A fun way to serve in the Watermarke Cafe!

2008-09-11T15:45:00.003-04:00

One of the ways we serve our many Sunday morning volunteers is through our Cafe, a room at church where we serve drinks and snacks and give the vols a place to rest their feet and refuel. We have some great, dedicated folks that come in each week to set up this room and keep the coffee warm, but we need some depth on the team! Below is a message from our Cafe Coordinator, Jodi Drinkard.

The Host Team is looking for energetic people to serve as “Baristas” in the Watermarke Café. This is a fun way to get involved with the church, as you’ll meet many of the hard-working volunteers that make Watermarke come alive every Sunday. If you know how to make coffee, arrange fruit in a bowl and keep sodas cool under a pile of ice, this is your opportunity to get involved!! Time commitment is minimal – Sunday mornings beginning at 8:15 a.m. and you’ll still get to attend the service of your choice. (Oh…and all the free donuts you can eat!)

If you think you can help, or would like more details, you can contact me at jdrinkard@watermarkechurch.com.

Africa Mission Trip Update #1

2008-09-11T15:36:00.002-04:00

A group from Watermarke Church is headed to Kwambekenya, Kenya in Africa in about an hour! Look back to this blog for updates over the next 10 days. We will post updates as they come in. Sue wanted you to know their itinerary, as well as a summary of their prayer requests.

9/11 - Leave Atlanta at 4:40

9/12 - Arrive in Nairobi airport at 7:40 pm...staying over night in Nairobi

9/13 - Drive 2 1/2 hours to Kwambekenya. We will be working on the Health Clinic Project....also planting trees and building a fence around the clinic

9/14 - Church in Kwambekenya. We will be going in groups of two to visit several churches. After church, we will be doing games with the kids and small groups with the adults

9/15 - Work on Medical clinic.......part of team in morning will be working in schools presenting a bible story, crafts, songs and games

9//16 - As above but in the afternoon we will be having small groups again as well as visiting homes and helping with chores/housework.

9/17 - The same as 9/15

9/18 - Work on medical clinic and visit homes again in the afternoon.

9/19 - We will be visiting a National Park

9/20 - We will be working at Havilla (home for orphans) . We will be departing for the airport around 5 pm, leaving Nairobi at 9:50 pm.

9/21- Arrive in Amsterdam at 5:30 am with a 5 hour lay over. Leave Amsterdam at 10:20am. Arive in Atlanta at 1:40 pm

9/22 - Sleep :-)

Here are the prayer requests for the trip from trip Director Sue Shook:

That our hearts will be ready to serve the people of Kwambekenya....that we will be Christ like example in all we do.

Safety, health and unity for our group

For the people in Kwambekenya and that we will meet their needs.

That our hearts will be changed....that we will grow in the Lord

Small Group for first time Moms

2008-08-28T16:13:00.003-04:00

Hello Watermarke,

One of our volunteers, Amy McCreary, is starting a short-term small group for moms this fall. I think it will be a great environment for young moms to learn together and get encouragement from one another. Please read below for a message from Amy about this cool new group!

Brett
Group Life Director

__________________________________________________________________

Hey all you first time mommies I am starting a mom's group in the fall and would love for you to join me and learn a little about yourself, your baby and your purpose.

Just to introduce myself.....My name is Amy McCreary and I have been attending Watermarke Church for 2 1/2 years. I am married to my amazing husband Lare and we have three beautiful children.......Lauren-5years, Ian-3years, and Preston-2months.

When I first became a mom the one element that got me through that first year was knowing that I was not alone. It was important that I had other mom's to talk to that were experiencing the same things I was.

So I invite you to come alongside me and learn about our God given purpose as mothers. To enjoy the company of women and offer our experiences so that we can understand more deeply this honor that God has given us as mommies!

We will meet for 6 weeks every Wednesday morning from 9:30-11:00. We will start on October 1st and end November 5th.

I encourage you to sign up quickly for space is limited. Please email me for more information.
I can't wait to meet you!

Amy McCreary
adianemccreary@comcast.net

Africa Update - Praising God for His perfect timing!

2008-08-11T11:38:00.002-04:00

"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time." 1 Peter 5:6

How amazing! As I am writing this, I realize that I will soon be calling 410Bridge and verifying that YES we are going to Kenya and our tickets will be purchased! A little over a month ago, I had to call 410Bridge and tell them that we were not able to send them half of our deposit ($17,000). By God's grace, they extended our deadline. Again, three weeks ago, I had to ask for another extension....we still had $18,000 to raise. Last Friday was our initial FINAL deadline but again it was extended to today........we had approx. $4,000 more to raise. I must admit, from my perspective, it seemed like a huge amount to raise in such a short period of time. But God's timing is not ours. His methods are usually unconventional. But what we can know is that He is faithful to come when we call!
Quite honestly, if we had raised the money according to "our plan", then we would have felt it was aresult of OUR efforts....... now we can only say that HE did it!! It was so exciting to see the body of Christ pull together and give with open hearts......working together as a community. What an impact it will have, not only on us, but on those outside the church who hear the amazing story of how God provided. And yes...it was at the last hour.....when we were still $600 short that someone came up and wrote a check for $1,000!!! God not only gave us 100% but even gave us more which will start a mission fund for our church. Praise God!!!!

THANK YOU for listening to the Lord, for giving so freely. Thank you for being a part of this wonderful opportunity to go as a church and help the people of Kwambekenya. To HIM be the glory!
Asanti Sana!

Sue Shook
Kenya Trip Coordinator

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more then all we ask or imagine" Eph. 3:20

Starting the Year with Family Ministry

2008-08-07T11:15:00.002-04:00

For families of school-age children/students, the start of school is similar to celebrating the New Year. Heading back to school means developing new routines for your family. While you’re developing your family’s routine for the next 10 months, we’d like to help you develop some routines that will help your family have the best experience possible in our family ministry at Watermarke Church.

1. Consistency: Whether you are the parent of a one-year-old or a sophomore in high school, consistency will make a HUGE difference in your child’s church experience. Our family ministry is built on the principle that life change happens in the context of relationships--relationships between leader and child/student, as well as relationships between peers. When a child/student consistently attends their environment, they have a greater opportunity to develop relationships with their leaders. For Waumba Land and UpStreet-aged children, it is also important to attend the same hour each week so that your child will spend time with the same leader. We believe that one thing every child/student needs is another voice in their lives saying the same things that the parents are saying. Consistent attendance helps small group leaders develop that kind of relationship with their small group

2. Activities: For UpStreet, Xtreme, and Inside Out, we have designed activities that give students additional time to spend with their small group leaders outside of Sunday morning. Nothing develops relationships faster than having fun together. In UpStreet we have KidVenture twice a year. Our next KidVenture will be at Woodstock AMF lanes on August 23rd from 10:00 to 11:30 am. You can purchase tickets beginning this week in UpStreet. For Xtreme and Inside Out, Vertical Reality offers students the chance to spend a weekend with their small group leader and be spiritually challenged. Inside Out will attend Vertical Reality October 3rd to 5th, and Xtreme will attend October 10th to 12th. Registration details will be available shortly.

3. Resources: We firmly believe that what happens at home is more important than what happens on Sundays because parents have exponentially more time with their children/students than we have. That’s why we want to resource you so that you can lead your children/students spiritually. In Waumba Land, we send home “Small Talk” cards each week with the memory verse, the bottom line, and a learning activity so that you can continue the learning begun on Sunday morning throughout the week. In UpStreet, the “Refrigerator Door” cards provide parents with the monthly virtue, monthly memory verse, weekly bottom line, and conversation starters. Because we want children to begin to set aside special time to spend with God each day, we also send home “God Time” cards. As motivation to help children begin this habit early, we give each child who returns to UpStreet with a completed “God Time” card an airhead. In middle/high school, it becomes more difficult to send flyers home to parents, so we will use this blog to let parents of students know what we are discussing in Xtreme and Inside Out. Please come back here regularly for updates.

As a family ministry staff, we are excited about what is in store for us this school year. This year, we want to “Live out Loud!”--to show Christ’s love in our actions to one another, to the children/students in our care, to your families, and to the community. We truly hope that these tips will help your families experience an amazing year in the family ministry of Watermarke Church. ~ The Family Ministry Staff

Check out Small Groups on August 24!

2008-08-06T16:02:00.004-04:00

If you’ve ever thought about checking out a community group, this is the time. Community groups are small groups of couples or singles who meet together during the week in someone's home for friendship, prayer and Bible Study.

Coming this August 24th is one of Watermarke’s best events, GroupLink. GroupLink is where we do what we like to do best: get people involved in Community Groups. Groups are where we believe real life change can take place. It’s where people get involved with one another. It’s where they grow and it’s where they empty themselves. It’s a place where you can grow strong and be vulnerable. And, this August 24th, it’s where you get connected.

GroupLink is an interactive, non-threatening environment where we hope to connect people with each other and with God. There is no pressure to join a group at GroupLink, just the opportunity. All new groups have an 8-week starter period. If you decide at the end of 8 weeks that a group is not for you, you can bail, no questions asked!

Hey, at the very least, we feed you some great food, pay for your babysitting and you get to meet some folks you go to church with!

Come join us Sunday August 24th from 5-7pm at Featherstones Grill in Bridgemill. For more details, location and to invite others, see our website at www.watermarkechurch.com/grouplink.

Brett Sharp
Director of Group Life

Family Ministry Kickoff

2008-08-02T20:57:00.002-04:00

This Sunday we will be promoting all of our children and students into their new classrooms and/or areas. In an effort to prepare for that transition to take place we hosted an event called Family Ministry Kickoff on Wednesday night to gather all of our leaders together for encouragement and training. Our staff was blown away at your response. Over 70 leaders met with us on a week night during the last week of summer! I am so excited about what happened at Kickoff and can't wait to start to school year off with some great energy. For those of you that came out, we are pumped that you could be a part of our best training yet. I know many of you couldn't make it out, but if you contact the staff member over your area we will be glad to get you the training resources from the event.

I'm so glad to be able to serve with you and I can't wait to see how God will use each of you this school year. Thanks for giving what you have so that others lives will be changed forever.

Andy Jones

Director of Student Ministry

How To Change The World?

2008-07-29T10:53:00.004-04:00

"He who shall introduce into public affairs the principles of primitive Christianity will change the face of the world."

Benjamin Franklin 1774

Thoughts? Ideas?

Steve

My Summer Vacation (well, not mine, but Andy's)

2008-07-24T16:00:00.001-04:00

Join us this Sunday as Andy Stanley talks about his summer vacation. More importantly, the message has to do with something we've all faced. You've had someone do something against you, I've had someone do something against me.

Essentially we have three options when this happens:
- We can act out of revenge
- We can internalize it and do nothing
- Or, we have another option

As Andy shares the story of his summer vacation, he will tell us what that powerful third option is so we hope to see you Sunday!

Steve Mazac
Lead Pastor

n*Rich

2008-07-23T13:28:00.002-04:00

Monday and Tuesday we were at North Point for the n*Rich Conference. This is an event that North Point does where they bring in all of the Strategic Partners from around the country to share ideas with us and allow us to learn from what the other partnerships are doing.

Andy Stanley spoke to us during the first session on Monday with a talk titled 'Assuming You Are Right' which was based on some content from an article in Harvard Business Review. He talked about how every organization operates from a list of assumptions; some we're aware of and some we're not, some are true and some are not, and some we have simply forgotten. The biggest thought from the article that Andy and his leadership team are wrestling with is this:

"The assumptions a team has held the longest or the most deeply are the likeliest to be its undoing. Some beliefs have come to appear so obvious that they are off limits for debate".

Wow, I think it's amazing that an organization as successful as North Point is willing to put everything on the table and not be afraid to debate anything.

Steve Mazac
Lead Pastor

Oh, The Memories

2008-07-10T19:12:00.002-04:00

Last week, we had the chance to take 25 of our 3rd thru 5th graders to Camp KidJam in Toccoa, GA. As I think back over the week, even now, I can’t help but chuckle at some of the things that happened at camp. As the kids and leaders reminisced about the week, it made me think back to our mission: “Guide each child to experience Christ’s love personally so they will always understand what is really important.” That mission is derived in part from the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15. When the son reached his absolutely lowest point, he sat among the pigs and remembered his father’s house. At UpStreet, we want our children to have such a memorable experience that when they are at their lowest point, that they will remember the Father’s love and know there is a place where they can experience that love and acceptance.

Last week, our campers had the chance to experience God’s love in a memorable way as they listened to some of the stories that Jesus told, including the story of the prodigal son. During each session, they were encouraged to “Take it in, Live it out.” Throughout the week of energetic sessions, fun tracks, and team competitions, our children created memories as they learned to let Jesus words penetrate their hearts and impact their lives.

Our small group leaders sent along a few memories from camp:

My favorite moments were learning the dances with the campers and singing and dancing for the Lord. The campers continued singing the worship songs through Upstreet the following Sunday at church.

I was surprised by how deeply some of my 3rd grade campers thought in regards to the complexity of life and God. One camper asked me why God needs to test people's faith by letting bad things happen. This is a question most young children do not ponder... it is fascinating that they are searching for answers to some age-old questions at such a young age.

One night at dinner, one of our 6th graders was hit by another camper. Although the hit was intended to be playful, it ended up being a lot harder and hurt. Despite the other camper not apologizing, our student made the wise choice to forgive the other person. How awesome is that!

Each day, the children had the opportunity to buy snacks. One day, one of our 4th graders thought that the snack shop had given her too much change and wanted to return it.
Although our children had a great time during the large group sessions and during small groups, there was still a bit of time for fun as well.

One night, we were going to paint our fingernails green to show team spirit for the green team. Somehow that evolved into several of the boys painting their nails a variety of colors. Some even added a little extra pizazz with the flower appliqués.

The 3rd and 4th grade girls played Chubby Bunny one night. Miss Morgan definitely holds the record with 7 marshmallows. I (Wyndi) almost beat her, but the gag reflex kicked in on the 7th marshmallow. No worries, parents, the camp nurse was rooming right next door!

Some of our boys had to attend breakfast in their pajamas after getting locked out of their rooms. I’m sure they won’t be forgetting that adventure any time soon!

All in all, Camp KidJam gave some of our children the opportunity to experience God’s love in a memorable way, which after all is our mission! ~Wyndi Beck, Family Ministry Director

SPOTLIGHT ON: Brett Sharp

2008-07-07T11:57:00.002-04:00

An interview with our Director of Group Life

What are you passionate about?
My family and my friends, who are huge influences in all aspects of my life. I am also passionate about relational ministry, and it's something I've grown up in. Right behind all this would be just being outdoors, and of course coca-cola.

What are you learning right now?
How to be a better dad. The older my kids get, the more I realize what a precious and important opportunity he has given me to teach them how to live in Christ and give them a picture of a Godly family.

What is the one thing that has made your job worth it this year?
Seeing a bunch of Watermarke folks working one Saturday on some land that had been greatly damaged by the tornados.

Favorite TV show?
The Office.

What do you do when your not working?
Play with my kids, mountain bike, and try to carve out date-nights for me and Emily. Emily is my wife you'll be happy to know.

Hobbies?
Mountain biking, hiking when I can (which isn't much), teaching my son to hit a ball and my daughter how to kick one.

What book you are reading? Or favorite book?
I'm about to start The Shack, because 37 people in the last week have told me to read it.

New Series - The Star, The Cross, And The Crescent

2008-06-25T15:33:00.002-04:00

Hey all! We're starting a very cool new series this Sunday called The Star, The Cross, And The Crescent. Here's a quick overview:

Over the last 4,000 years, three major religions have been born. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all acknowledge a common ancestry, tracing their origins to the same man. But are they the same? How are they different? In this four-part message series, Andy Stanley explains the history of these three religions, and two guest speakers tell how they came to faith in Christ. Judy Reamer is a Jewish believer and Afshin Ziafat is a former Muslim who is now a follower of Christ.

See you this Sunday at either 9:30 am or 11:15 am!

Steve Mazac
Lead Pastor

Taste What It's Like To Help

2008-06-17T12:16:00.001-04:00

Did you know that in Africa: every 14 seconds a child is orphaned because of AIDS, 50,000 children will die of AIDS this year, every 3 seconds a child dies of nutrition deprivation/starvation, there are 42,000 deaths every week due to unsafe water and a lack of basic sanitation facilities?

Have you ever wondered what you could do to make a difference?

11 people from Watermarke Church are joining with 410Bridge in September and heading off to Kenya for a week to help build a much needed medical facility. We will be working side by side with our international partner in the community of Kwambekenya; offering them hope in the name of Jesus.

WE NEED YOUR HELP! Each of us needs to raise $3,500 in order to go on the trip and one way we are doing this is by selling bags of kettle corn for $5.00. Yep, you're right....that's a lot of kettle corn we need to sell in order to go!! So please stop by the volunteer room on Sunday to pick up a bag or two. If you’re not sure where it is, just ask a Host Team volunteer or staff member (they’re wearing name tags). By doing so, you can help make this trip possible and get to taste some of the best kettle corn ever!!!

Sue Shook
Mission Trip Leader

Defining Moments

2008-06-13T06:49:00.003-04:00

As many of you know, we took 54 students and leaders to BigStuf camps this past week. Based on experience, I believed that this camp would be life-changing for our students, but it was during one of the leader training sessions that I realized how life-changing BigStuf camps had been for me. When Reggie Joiner asked us to think back on the defining moments of our lives, I thought of a moment that occurred in that same room three years earlier when I met Reggie for the first time. He invited me to be part of the camp that they were developing for elementary students, which would later be named Camp KidJam. Because of that meeting, I connected with Watermarke Church a few months later.

As a result of that defining moment, I have had the opportunity to be part of other defining moments with children, students, and families at Watermarke church. Many of those moments happened this past week at BigStuf camps.

One of my prayers for our middle school students is that they would learn how to freely worship God without worrying about those around them. God answered those prayers in a big way, during session after session as our students raised their hands and voices to worship our great God.

During small groups, the students were able to talk with one another about what God was doing in their lives and changes that they needed to make in order to more clearly broadcast God to the world. It was exciting to hear the stories of small groups who were able to be vulnerable with one another and share what God was doing in their lives. Some of the students had the chance to celebrate communion with each other on the beach.

During one of the sessions, The Daraja Children’s Choir sang for us and shared some of their stories. Though we all know that poverty exists in the world, to hear those who have suffered its effects share with us, gave us a whole new perspective on the issue. Some of our students chose to sponsor children through Compassion International, which is an organization that feeds, educates, and offers health care for children in third-world countries. Others had the chance to catch up with friends they had met in Kenya.

Several of our students took next steps in their relationships with Jesus, one actually chose to begin a relationship with Jesus while we were at camp. On the last night, 5 of our students demonstrated their decision to follow Jesus by being baptized in the ocean. For me, it was an unforgettable experience to watch Andy Jones baptizing our students in the ocean.

I’m certain that these brief anecdotes cannot capture all that God did in our hearts and lives this week. From here I look forward to seeing how BigStuf camps continues to impact our students, their families, and our world. ~ Wyndi Beck, Family Ministry Director

One Of The Best Kept Secrets

2008-06-11T09:31:00.004-04:00

Do you ever find yourself wondering why we do certain things at Watermarke? Or why we do them the way we do? Do you ever wonder why there are things that we don't do?

One of the resources that is often the most eye-opening as I share it with leaders at Watermarke, is a book called the 7 Practices Of Effective Ministry. Almost every time I share these practices with someone, a light goes on and there's a much deeper understanding of what we do as a church. Not only that, people almost always take these 7 Practices and apply them at their jobs, in their businesses, or in their families.

So many great things have come out of sharing these practices that I wanted to make sure more people knew about them. So, here's how you can dive into them:

1 - Buy the book online from the North Point store.
2 - If you are an auditory learner and/or would like the free option, you can listen to the series of 7 mp3s where Andy Stanley, Reggie Joiner, and Lane Jones (half of the 6 founders of North Point Community Church) discuss each of them.

If you've been coming to Watermarke for a while and have some of those questions mentioned above, or if you're brand new and just want to look under the hood to find out more of what we're all about, follow the links in one of the options above and see if things don't make a lot more sense about what we do as a church.

Steve Mazac
Lead Pastor

Looking At Attention And Direction

2008-06-09T13:52:00.004-04:00

We just concluded a four-part series by Andy Stanley called Destinations and I hope you were as challenged as I was. The two questions Andy left us with yesterday as a conclusion are still bouncing around in my brain:

What has captured/grabbed your attention?
What do you need to pay attention to?

Since attention determines direction and direction, not intention, determines our destination, these are great questions to help us see where we might be heading. This really helped me clarify what I need to be paying attention to:

- My relationship with God
- My relationship with Sabina
- My relationship with Eliana

If you missed any of the messages, you can listen to them online or pick up the audio CDs or DVD of the whole series at the Information Table on Sunday.

This Sunday Andy starts a new two-part series that is a sequel to Destinations called Boulevard Of Broken Dreams. See you then!

Steve Mazac
Lead Pastor

LOVE and farewell for now.

2008-06-04T09:13:00.002-04:00

Most of you were at church on Sunday and know that Josh and I will be heading into full time missions in 24 days. We will be traveling to 11 countries over the next 11 months, living in community (with 32 others) and living simply (out of a backpack and sleeping in a tent). We will have the opportunity to work with local ministries, plant churches, minister to AIDS orphans, bring restoration and freedom to victims of child sex trafficking, and bring love and hope to so many. More than that Josh and I will be transformed as our idea of what is "normal" changes, as we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to bring the KINGDOM OF GOD to earth. We long to be vessels of Love and to live out Ghandi's words when he said, "Be the change you wish to see in the world."

So, we rented our home, sold our car, found a new home for Azure (our Siberian Husky), and have given away most of our stuff. We are ready to embark on whatever the adventure ahead holds for us. And, not only am I excited that Josh and I are going on THE WORLD RACE, but I get to share this next year with my brother, Johnny, and his wife, Marissa. Please, share in our journey by reading our stories online. Tara Bruce and Josh Bruce If you would like to communicate with my sign up for skype and you can talk to us for free through the computer - joshandtarabruce

Love you all dearly!
Tara Bruce*

SPOTLIGHT ON: Steve Mazac

2008-06-04T09:04:00.003-04:00

Interview with Lead Pastor Steve Mazac

Tara: What are you passionate about?
Steve: I'm passionate about my family and doing everything I can to make sure they know that their relationships are the number 1 priority for me on this planet.

Tara: What are you learning right now?
Steve: I'm learning to listen to God in everything I do and everywhere I go.

Tara: What is something unusual about yourself?
Steve: My kneecaps are cracked about 60% and have been that way my entire life.

Tara: What is one thing that has made your job worth it this year?
Steve: Taking time to go visit people in Community Groups. I've really enjoyed connecting with so many people and hopefully have helped them feel more connected to Watermarke.

Tara: If you could tell Watermarke one thing what would it be?
Steve: If you're not in a Community Group or haven't invited someone to Watermarke who doesn't go to church, you're really missing what we're all about.

Tara: Fave TV show?
Steve: I really cannot word it any better than Andy Jones did, "The office is the funniest show on TV, period."

Tara: What do you do when you are not working?
Steve: Spend time hanging out with Sabina and 3-month-old Eliana, Apartment Life events, and learning new things.

Tara: Hobbies?
Steve: Reading, learning new things and CrossFit.

Tara: Book you are currently reading? Favorite book?
Steve: I am currently reading Like a Rock by Andy Stanley and my favorite book is Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller.

SPOTLIGHT ON: Kim Hayward

2008-06-04T08:56:00.002-04:00

Interview with Kim Hayward, our new Waumba Land Director.

Tara: What are you passionate about?
Kim: My family and children in general! I love to watch children grow. To be able to come along side their parents and teach them about God's love and how much Jesus loves them is the most amazing opportunity!

Tara: What are you learning right now?
Kim: To trust God and that I am not in control.

Tara: What is something unusual about yourself?
Kim: Hmmmmm, not sure, does an obsession with a good cup of coffee qualify?

Tara: What is the one thing that has made your job worth it this year?
Kim: Hearing feedback from parents on the impact we are making in their children's lives--I have to generalize because there are too many examples --which is a great thing!

Tara: If you could tell Watermarke one thing what would it be?
Kim: To dive in and get involved, it's a great place to be.

Tara: Fave TV show?
Kim: Law and Order, CSI, and all those type of shows!

Tara: What do you do when you are not working?
Kim: Hang out with my daughters as much as possible... I also love to spend time with the amazing friends and family God has put in my life!

Tara: Hobbies?
Kim: Walking, Elliptical, and drinking coffee with friends.

Tara: Favorite book?
Kim: A Thousand Splendid Suns

Spit, Really?!?!?

2008-06-04T08:21:00.007-04:00

At the end of Family Birthday Celebration, where we celebrated seven baptisms, Greg Chatham came up to me to talk. He thanked me so much for the environments we create every Sunday and then shared a little background.

He told me how at their last church, Cael (their youngest, 2nd grade) just really didn't like going on Sundays. It became harder and harder to get him there. But, after coming to Watermarke, Cael is the one waking them up on Sunday morning to get everyone to church.

Greg said, "Now I can now die happy because all three of my children know the Lord." He shared that he felt like we did all of this for just for him and his family. Then he said the best line ever, "Even if you spit on me every Sunday we came to church, we would still come because of how it has affected my children."

Well, that's certainly not something our Host Team will start doing, but wow, that really shows how important every single environment is on a Sunday morning to bringing life change to families like the Chathams!

Steve Mazac
Lead Pastor

Thank You Letter

2008-06-02T12:23:00.005-04:00

Watermarke Church,

Last Saturday we had a visitation of some Angels from your church. What a joy it was to see the Body of Christ at work. I don't know how we would have been able to get all the clean up done without their help. Please pass along our appreciation to your congregation and to the group of Angels that worked so hard to help those in need.

Thank you and God Blessings!
Paul Storey
Director of Christian Outreach Ministries

Family Birthday Celebration

2008-05-30T12:55:00.001-04:00

Family Birthday Celebration is one of my favorite days all year. While getting all the details for the day taken care of can be a daunting task, the reward at the end of the day far outweighs the effort expended to make it possible. I love Family Birthday Celebration because it is the day where we are able to see some of the steps that our children and students have taken in pursuit of their relationships with God.

In Family Ministry, our goal is to help our children/students to take the next steps in their relationships with God, As we talk with leaders and parents, we often use phrases, such as: “Our goal is to partner with parents” – “Every child needs another adult in their lives who is saying the same things that the parents are saying” – “Life change happens in the context of small groups.” During Family Birthday Celebration on May 18th, I watched 5 elementary-aged students, a middle school student, and a parent celebrate their relationships with Jesus Christ through baptism. As Andy Jones, our student pastor, baptized each person, I thought of their stories and realized that these phrases are not just things that we say because they sound nice, but they are becoming an integral part of the Family Ministry at Watermarke Church. These are a few of the memories that brought a smile to my face and tears to my eyes.

• Celebrating as a mother and her son shared the special memory of being baptized together.
• Watching one of the boys run into the arms of his waiting father after he had changed into some dry clothes.
• Seeing a child standing on the porch waiting for his small group leader to arrive because it was important to him for her to see him get baptized.
• Hearing a mother say how special that day was for herself and for her children who were baptized.
• Praying with the family of one of the girls in my small group following her baptism.
• Knowing the personal anxieties of the students/children about making their videos or being in front of people and seeing them overcome those anxieties on the day of their baptisms.

Though week in and week out it’s difficult to measure the impact that we’re having on the lives of our children and students, Family Birthday Celebration reminded me that we are having an impact. It reminded me that it is a tremendous privilege to be able to influence the hearts and lives of the children/families who attend Watermarke Church. ~ Wyndi Beck, Family Ministry Director

What Does It Look Like?

2008-05-28T14:47:00.004-04:00

What does it look like to give what you have? How about giving some time on a Saturday morning to clean up a property that was trashed by the storm last week?

Here's what it looked like for some adults and students from Watermarke to give what they had:

Gee, I Didn't Know About The 'G'

2008-05-22T13:15:00.000-04:00

Andy Stanley is an amazing communicator and he has such a talent for explaining things in the Bible so clearly. Surely, you've had the experience of hearing one of his sermons and thinking, "Wow, that makes sense and I see how I can apply that to my life right now"!

But, maybe you've left a service on Sunday wishing you could dive into that thought or principle a little bit further. Great news! We have a tool that will help you with that. Just go to our website and click on Media Library at the bottom in the middle. Then, simply click the orange block with a 'G' on it which is located to the right of the message you choose. This will provide you with some discussion questions (which are great to use in your small group when you're in between a study), Bible verses, and a challenge for you to apply what was taught.

If you're an introvert like me, take the questions to a nice quiet spot in a park and think through the answers to the questions and challenges. If you're an extrovert, get together with your small group or some friends and talk about them together.

Hope you enjoy the 'G'!

Steve Mazac
Lead Pastor

SPOTLIGHT ON: Andy Jones

2008-05-21T12:11:00.000-04:00

We thought you might like to know a little more about the staff here at Watermarke. So each week we will spotlight a different staff member. This week we will begin with Andy Jones.

Tara Bruce: What are you passionate about?

Andy Jones: My family, loving people, experiencing community the way God created it to be experienced, and seeing people connect with Jesus like never before.

Tara Bruce: What are you learning right now?

Andy Jones: There's more to life that the American Dream, and once you taste what God has to offer everything else pales in comparison.

Tara Bruce: What is something unusual about you?

Andy Jones: I'm 6'5" and left handed. I also secretly aspire to be a ninja.

Tara Bruce: What is the one thing that has made your job worth it this year?

Andy Jones: Well, there are many things that have made my job worth it this year. But, if I had to name just one it would be realizing that God used me to impact a group of teenagers to follow Jesus in a fresh, tangible way that will change the rest of their lives.

Tara Bruce: If you could tell Watermarke Church one thing what would it be?

Andy Jones: Don't ask God to feed someone if you have plenty of food.

Tara Bruce: What is your fave TV show?

Andy Jones: The office is the funniest show on TV, period.

Tara Bruce: What do you do when your not working?

Andy Jones: I spend time with my family, chase my daughter Peyton around the house, chill in the hammock with my son Eli, and talk about what God is up to with my wife Christina.

Tara Bruce: What are your hobbies?

Andy Jones: Discovering how God wants to use me, spending time with the greatest friends a man can ask for, getting in the best shape, reading books that leave me with more questions than answers, mountain biking and playing Rock Band.

Tara Bruce: What book are you currently reading? And, what is your favorite book?

Andy Jones: Book I'm reading now, Jesus for President by Shane Claiborne. Favorite book, The Irresistible Revolution by the same author.

I hope you enjoyed getting to know a little bit more about Andy Jones. Please leave a comment!

New Series This Sunday - Destinations

2008-05-15T17:21:00.001-04:00

Did you have dreams of where you wanted to end up in life?

I dreamed that I would be running a surf camp in Costa Rica one day. I also dreamed that I would be a travel writer seeing different places all over the world and then writing about the experiences. What about you? What dreams did you have?

In this new series, Andy Stanley will be talking about our dreams and the paths we take to reach them. What determines whether we reach our destination or not?

See you Sunday!
Steve Mazac
Lead Pastor

Volunteering and Community Groups

2008-05-13T12:23:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone,

I just thought I'd add a word about connecting into community groups, and how that relates to volunteering at Watermarke. Even though summer gets pretty busy, many folks ask how they can connect into a group in the spring or summer. The two best ways we know of to connect into a group are attending GroupLink (www.watermarkechurch.com/grouplink) and to start a group organically with folks you know who also wish to be in a group. The main trouble with the latter method is that, if you don't know many people at Watermarke, it can be tricky to get to know people. This is where volunteering comes in. The best way to get to know others at our church is to spend some time volunteering in one of the church environments. This is always the first thing I recommend to group seekers when GroupLink is still a few months away. For instance, our next GroupLink is August 24. Lots of people have asked recently about getting into a group. Several have taken me up on the invitation to come and serve. We have folks who have begun to lead small groups for our students, others are new to the parking team and still others are greeting you as you walk into the auditorium on Sundays. In every case, these new volunteers are getting to know the folks they serve with. Several have already made connections with others who want to be in a group and are planning to begin groups together soon. The bottom line is, serving really works! It is a blessing to those you serve, a great way to meet others at church, and an amazing way to see God bless you as you give.

If you have questions about this or anything else (I don't know much about financial investing, but I can at least fake it with most other topics...) then please email me. Can't wait to hear from you!

Brett

Brett Sharp
Director of Groups and Host Team
bsharp@watermarkechurch.com

Building Update

2008-05-08T13:46:00.000-04:00

Are we planning to stay at Palmer Middle School?

Even though the facilities at Palmer Middle School have been amazing, we are planning on finding a building where Watermarke can put down some roots. The search has actually been going on for a while and we really hadn't had any promising leads until recently.

We are currently looking at a building just a short walk from Downtown Woodstock. It's 202 Rope Mill Rd. and is just about in the center of our "search zone." We definitely want to come back to Cherokee county and felt that being close to 575 at either exits 7 or 8 would bring us closer to where we were originally. Also, it would not be too far away from all the new people who joined us from Kennesaw, Acworth, Marietta and other surrounding areas.

Imagine being in a location where we'd have a permanent building and would be well positioned to reach people in Canton, Woodstock, Holly Springs, Kennesaw, Marietta, Acworth, Cartersville, Waleska and Ball Ground who don't have a potential relationship with Jesus! Yes, we already have people coming to Watermarke from all of those areas. And, how great would it be to be in a small group with people in your neighborhood and to have your children in small groups with their friends?

So far the building in Woodstock is looking good and we're moving forward with talking to the property manager about price and terms. We are looking to lease for a number of years so that we can grow to the point where we could afford to buy land and build our own building. There are still more questions to be answered to determine if this is the place God will allow us to settle for a while.

Please join us in praying for God's will in this whole process and that He would lead us to the best building for Watermarke.

Thanks!

Steve Mazac
Lead Pastor

Financial Peace University

2008-05-07T15:32:00.000-04:00

Watermarke Church will be offering Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University beginning in June! Here's some information about it from www.daveramsey.com:

Financial Peace University is a life-changing program that teaches you how to make the right decisions with your money. You'll be empowered with the practical skills and confidence needed to achieve your financial goals and experience true financial peace!

Change the way you think.

Each of the 13 lessons deals with a different topic that will change the way you think about personal finance. Dave teaches about how to save money, live on a budget, communicate about money, eliminate debt, find bargains, and experience the joy of giving.

Proven Success.

Over 500,000 families have completed FPU with amazing success. On average, they pay off $5,300 in debt and save $2,700 in just 13 weeks. That's an $8,000 change in position in just 91 days!

Powerful. Enlightening. Fun.

In FPU, you will meet with your class each week to watch a video lesson and participate in discussion groups that will change how you think about money. Dave explains how money really works in a simple, easy-to-understand style. You'll actually have fun as you learn!

Beat Debt. Build Wealth.

The goal of Financial Peace University is not just information - we're looking for transformation! Financial management is only 20% knowledge and 80% behavior. We help break the bad habits that rob people of true financial success.

Read frequently asked questions about FPU classes.

http://tinyurl.com/488dhu

When?

Every Sunday evening at 6:30 pm for 13 weeks beginning Sunday, June 8th.

Where?

In Woodstock just off of 575. We'll let you know the exact location once you're registered.

How much?

The unique course structure requires that each family must have their own kit to participate. One membership kit costs $99. Watermarke Church does have some scholarships available for families who cannot afford the $99.

How do I register?

Please contact Steve Mazac by Friday, 5/16/08 at smazac@watermarkechurch.com to register.

Thanks!

Steve Mazac
Lead Pastor

Married Life Live

2008-05-07T15:26:00.000-04:00

Have you heard of MarriedLife Live?

If you're looking for a fun date night that will actually help strengthen your marriage, you definitely need to register for MarriedLife Live!

MarriedLife Live is a really cool event for married couples that happens four times a year at all three of the North Point campuses (North Point Community Church, Buckhead Church, and Browns Bridge Community Church). At the event, you can satisfy your sweet tooth with some coffee and dessert, be entertained by the incredible music, and hear a message that will make your marriage stronger.

Sabina and I have been going since we were engaged, and we always learn more about each other and make our already amazing marriage even better. We love going with couples from our small group because it's more fun with friends.

Basically, I can't recommend MarriedLife Live enough. It's coming up May 17 & 18th. Go to http://www.marriedlifeonline.com soon to register because it sells out. Sabina and I will be attending the one at Buckhead Church so we'll see you there!

Steve Mazac
Lead Pastor

Introducing Watermarke's Blogsite

2008-05-01T18:21:00.000-04:00

Hey Watermarke!

One of the things we're tackling this year is improving our communication to you so that you'll have a better idea of what's going on around Watermarke. We also feel like this is a much better way to bring you more updates without clogging up your e-mail.

You'll be able to read and see (through pictures and video) what's going on in every area from Family Ministry, to Community Groups, to Production. You'll also have the opportunity to get to know our staff and volunteers a little better as we're able to share some of the great stories that are coming out of the environments that you are a part of creating each week.

But, we really don't want this to just be one-way communication. We want this to be interactive and would love to hear from you as well. There will be a place for you to post comments, thoughts and questions. What do you say, are you in? Go ahead and post something so that we know you're with us!

Steve Mazac

Lead Pastor