It's been a while.
One of you recently shared that this blog was not going live. I'm not sure what happened but I want to see this become "a thing" so I'm going to give it another shot.
As I have said before I want to grow in my communication with you and I think this is a fun way to do that.
It's been a busy new year already!
Emily and I are more and more settled in at our new home in San Antonio and we have already been able to do so much with this great home God has given us.
- We have been able to provide a bed for traveling friends
- Host small groups for the church
- Parties for friends and neighbors
- Host Thanksgiving
- Have people over for dinner
All of this is ministry that we have always felt strongly about.
During our first 6 months in San Antonio I have been able to meet and get to know so many pastors in the area. One thing that has been very encouraging is how welcoming everybody has been.
Me and Emily getting in a game of blowing. ;-)
I have been able to meet up with Matt in person many times since moving. He is the pastor of Tapestry Church, a house church in Austin. He has been a church planting coach for me for a few years now and was one of my overseers with Collision Church.
We have met many times and he is coaching me and helping me learn how to think about church planting in the urban context since most of our ministry was in a very rural area.
Interestingly enough, I have known Kevin for quite some time. Back in 2018 Collision partnered with Marathon Baptist Church to take a group of people down to the coast for a mission trip doing hurricane relief work.
We were welcomed by Coastal Oaks Church in Rockport, Texas where Kevin was the Senior Pastor at during this time. They provided for us all the essentials (shelter, food, showers, etc) for the week.
Since moving to San Antonio I have been able to meet up with Kevin twice and it has been great. He has taken care concern for us during this transition, helped me meet other pastors and been a listening ear.
We joined Redemption Hill Church last fall and it's been a great group of believers to be with. This is a photo of me with Pastor Mike in the parking lot after we met up for lunch. He has been great. I really appreciate how relational he is, not just with me and Emily but with the people of the church. He understands that being a pastor is not just preaching but more. He has been supportive of us needing care during this season and he has been supportive of us wanting to plant again soon.
This is Paul and Emmy and this is us saying good-bye to them. Emily and I hit it off with them really quickly. Even though it was short we really enjoyed the friendship we built with them and it really sucked seeing them off to Colorado. Good-byes are hard even when you only knew them for a little bit. We're excited for the life God has for them in CO though.
Y'all know I like cigars and you should too.
This is Atticus and this is me needing a haircut.
Emily and I hosted a NYE party where we inviting people from church, our neighbors down the street and friends we have from SA (some of which we know from Alpine). With Collision we always taught "Engage your city. Engage your university. Engage your neighborhood. Just because we're no longer church planting in Alpine doesn't mean that stops. Me and Atticus smoked briskets for the party (no need to go in on the details though). Anywya, Atticus is a good dude. From day one he has always been friendly and welcoming.
Here Emily is with Nico and Dafne!
As many of you know, Nico was our worship leader for Collision. Him and Dafne have been married now for one year!
Both of them work in recruiting and admission for Sul Ross State. Emily was able to meet them for lunch and catch up while they were in town recruiting for the university.
Small Group Soon...
As I have shard with you previously, we're going to be hosting a small group soon. We will be starting this month. Please be in pray for us as we start this. We are really excited about the family we are going to be working with on this. We're excited and we think this will be great.
City & University
We are going to be getting out in the city more. We have learned about our corner of the city and we're looking for places to "hang out" and meet people. In Alpine it was easy because you went to 1 or 2 spots. Here, there are endless places. Both of those have their pros and cons, haha.
Jon is going to start going on UTSA to pray and he is wanting to get connected with some of the college ministries too.
Jon's Fam, Emily's Fam
Jon's dad seems to be doing okay. there are still moments of concern but things seem to be calming down. He is scheduled for Surgery on March 7 for his valve. Please continue to pray for his physical health and play for the spiritual for all of his family.
We talk a lot about Jon's family because of his Dad's health but let's not forget about Emily's family. There is a great opportunity to be a good presence for Emily's parents. Please be praying for guidance, wisdom and boldness as we would love to seem them come to the faith as well.
Church Planting
We know there is a season for recuperating. We are members of a health church and a church who has a heart for church-planting. As we continue to get to know our city and our university please be in prayer with us as we seek clarity for what it looks like to church plant in this city. We still have a heart for church planting and we still have a heart for churches who excite for their city and their university.
We are seeking wisdom and guidance while also trying to be a patient people.
Thank you!
We love you and we are thankful for you!
We are so grateful to have a group of friends who have been in it with us for so long and have been so good and generous to us! You really are important in this journey and we are truly thankful for your prayers, conversations, and generosity towards us.
Thank you so much for sticking by us!