Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Volunteers’ Category

11 Baptisms in 2 Months at Graystone’s First Expansion Campus

Posted in Graystone Church, Stewardship, Volunteers on May 6, 2013 | 2 Comments »

Josh batizing neighborI absolutely loved being at Graystone Walton (BTW, Joelan and I affectionately call it Loganstone.) Campus yesterday.  The LHS auditorium was packed, and 11 people crashed the waters of baptism.  Are you kidding me?  We launched Graystone Walton 2 months ago (03.03.13), and 11 people’s lives have already been changed for all eternity.  I loved watching Carolyn (Children’s Pastor), Elliott (Campus Pastor) and Josh Clark (Small Group Leader) baptize each one.  Josh had the opportunity to baptize 3 of his neighbors, who starting coming to Graystone on 03.03.13 when we launched the new campus.

I’m so proud of our Graystone Walton Team.  EVERYONE who serves at Walton (set up and tear down, parking, signs, coffee bar, tech, band, children’s, guest services, greeters, admin, behind the scenes, etc.) played a role in seeing God impact lives for all eternity.  And guess what?  We are only 2 months in.  The best is yet to come!

And EVERYONE who gave to our 2012 End of the Year Offering at Graystone Ozora has contributed to lives being changed at Graystone Walton.  It has been a total team effort.  Thanks EVERYONE who has been a part of Graystone Walton through giving, serving and praying.    I will share more in my next blog post (maybe later today), but God is orchestrating an incredible master plan to DOMINATE our community with the love of Jesus Christ.  God is GREAT!

Read Full Post »

1 Minute Video: Graystone Church’s 20,000 Egg Helicopter Drop

Posted in Graystone Church, Missions/Outreach, Volunteers on April 11, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

The 20,000 egg helicopter drop was the largest event in Graystone Church history.  There were 3000 kids with wristbands, so we are estimating between 6000-7000 people counting parents, siblings and other attendees.  It actually seemed like 100,000 people with highway 78 backed up from Loganville High School to the Kroger shopping center at highway 81.

A big THANK YOU goes out to Katie, Brie, Carolyn and the entire Graystone Kids Team for pulling off such an incredible event.  All of you are AMAZING!  BTW, Jessie, our 4 year old “grandchild”, had a blast!

Here’s a 1 minute highlight video:

Read Full Post »

Easter is a great opportunity for personal spiritual growth and eternal impact.

Posted in Discipleship/Spiritual Growth, Graystone Church, Missions/Outreach, Volunteers on March 26, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

new-egg-drop-web 5 ways to grow spiritually and impact others this Easter:

1.  Hopefully, you are following the daily devotional plan focusing on the last week of Jesus’ life.  There is no better way to grow spiritually than spending time alone with God in prayer and studying His word.  We become like the people we spend time with.

2.  The elders and some of the Graystone staff members are fasting 3 days this week.  Most are fasting Friday-Sunday to coincide with Jesus’ time in the tomb.  We are thanking God for His sacrifice and trusting Him to change many lives through our Easter services.  We’ll break the fast at lunch on Easter Sunday.

3.  After the Egg Drop on Friday night, we’ll have Prayer Walks around both Graystone campuses.  We will be praying for every man, woman and child who will attend one of our Easter services.  We’ll be praying for God to draw people to Himself and change lives for all eternity.

4. Reach out to a friend or family member and invite him/her to church.  Better yet, BRING THEM WITH YOU.  Easter Sunday is the best opportunity of the year to invite someone to church.  Let me encourage you to take a step of faith, get out of your comfort zone, and bring someone to church on Easter Sunday.  Many people are wanting to go to church on Easter Sunday, and they are just waiting for someone to invite them.  Your simple invitation could change someone’s life for all eternity.

5. If you come to the Graystone Ozora campus, please make a small sacrifice and attend either the 9:00AM or the 12:00PM Easter service.  The 10:30AM is the most popular service time, and we want to make as much room as possible for new people and folks who have not been in a while.  Again, your small sacrifice could be the key to someone having a great experience on Easter Sunday, and his/her life could change for all eternity.  If you normally attend the 10:30 service and come at 9:00AM or 12:00PM, I will be sure and give you a fist bump or a side hug.

“Look at the nations and watch—
and be utterly amazed.
For I am going to do something in your days
that you would not believe,
even if you were told.” Habakkuk 1:5

Read Full Post »

First-time Guests at Graystone Church

Posted in Graystone Church, Missions/Outreach, Volunteers on March 5, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

CCLast Sunday (03.03.13), we had over 50 first-time families fill out communication cards at Graystone Church.  We know there are several visitors who did not fill out the card.  Most of our first-time guests attended our brand new Walton Campus.  Praise God!

Thank you so much to EVERYONE who invited your friends and family.  Thank you to EVERYONE who worked so hard behind the scenes, especially our cleaning team at the Ozora Campus and our set up and tear down team at the Walton Campus. ALL OF YOU are rock stars for the kingdom of God.  I want to thank EVERYONE for making it a priority to reach out to new people and welcome them with grace.  Also, thank you to EVERYONE serving in our children’s area.  Several kids went in “kicking and screaming” and left wanting to come back next week.  I love our church!

Let’s continue to pray for God to draw people to Himself and to use us to DOMINATE our community with the love of Jesus Christ!  Let’s pray for God to do it again this Sunday.  ”Lord, surprise us!”

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21

Read Full Post »

Graystone Walton: A Successful Set Up Sunday

Posted in Graystone Church, Leadership, Missions/Outreach, Vision, Volunteers, tagged , on February 11, 2013 | 1 Comment »

Around 50 folks from our Graystone Walton Set Up Team met at 8:00AM Sunday at Loganville High School.  They set up the children’s area, lobby with Guest Services and Coffee Bar, and the stage/sound system.  It took approximately 1 hour.

I hear it was very organized and the set up and tear down went smooth.  And from what I saw in the pictures, it looked incredible.  I am so proud of our amazing staff and volunteers, and I know God is going to use the Graystone Walton Team to impact hundreds of lives for all eternity!

Here are a few pictures:

lobby

Guest servicesBabieschildren's roomchild room 2child room 3drumsunloading trailer

child dividers

push carts

Read Full Post »

Friday 5: Brad Paisley, Bulldozer, Walton, Vision Night, & Hyperbaric Chamber

Posted in Graystone Church, Missions/Outreach, Random, Sports, Vision, Volunteers, tagged , , , , , on February 8, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

Dozer

1.  Last Sunday, Graystone’s band played Brad Paisley’s song, Online.  We had to change the lyrics a little.  It was the perfect feature song for our new message series, Identity.

2.  This Sunday at Graystone, we will show video footage of me driving a bulldozer.  It was a blast, and I think I may have missed my calling in life.  Not really.  I’ll explain Sunday.

3. Graystone Walton launches in 22 days (03.03.13).  Our incredible Walton staff and set up team will be setting up EVERYTHING this Sunday at 8:00AM at Loganville High School.

  • This Sunday we will set everything up: parking signs, coffee bar, guest services, sound system, drums/instruments, children’s area, etc.
  • Next Sunday, February 17, we’ll have a practice service at 10:30am.
  • Then, Sunday, February 24 will be our Preview Service where I will be speaking live at 10:30am.  I’m so pumped about this.
  • Then, the grand opening is March 3, 2013 (03.03.13) at 10:30am.

Who do you know in Walton County that you can invite?

4.  Vision Night is Wednesday, February 13 at 7:00PM.  If you are part of Graystone Church locally, please make it a priority to attend.  This is one of our favorite nights of the year.  In 2012, we held hands around the entire outside of the building (Prayer circle) and from the roof, I prayed for our church and community.  It was freezing cold but AWESOME.  I can’t tell you what we’re doing this year, because Heath likes to keep things a surprise.  You don’t want to miss it.  It only happens once a year.

5.  I’m looking to barter for a hyperbaric chamber.  I would like to use it for our Graystone Basketball Team.  If you haven’t heard, we are the best church basketball team in the universe.  We are getting a little old, so I need an edge to help my players recover quicker from injuries and sore muscles.  If you have any leads, please let me know.  We have an awesome set of woodworking tools that I would like to trade.

Read Full Post »

Do you see what I see?

Posted in Graystone Church, Missions/Outreach, Volunteers, tagged , on February 7, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

ball field

I see a ball field full of hundreds of kids who will be impacted for all eternity by the love of Jesus Christ.

Can you see it?

A big THANK YOU goes out to Casey Cagle for donated thousands of dollars of time, labor and equipment to clear the land and move dirt.  We’re hoping to lay sod next week.  The multi-purpose field will be ready in plenty of time before Sports Camp.

Also, Casey gave me a quick operating lesson and let me drive the bulldozer.  You will get to see video footage of this adventure on Sunday at Graystone.  I didn’t realize operating heavy construction equipment could be so much fun.

Dozer2

Read Full Post »

“I’d take a group of ordinary people devoted to an extraordinary God…”

Posted in Leadership, Missions/Outreach, Volunteers, tagged , , , , on January 31, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

hmacd198-1Brian Houston, Founding and Senior Pastor of Hillsong Church, wrote a recent post: 10 Principles of Church Planting and Expanding.  All 10 principles are golden but #8 seemed to truly resonnate with me:

8. AVOID THE PERILS OF SHORTCUTS, OR INDIVIDUALS WHO PROMISE THE WORLD:

Church planting is TEAMWORK, which means building a leadership team who are there for the long haul. My experience is that often the people who promise the most, don’t always come through with the most. Great churches are built with people who are faithful in the little things. I’d take a group of ordinary people devoted to an extraordinary God, over a charismatic someone that talks a big game, but hasn’t proven faithful in the ‘day of small beginnings’. (Underline added by me)

We have had some amazing miracles with land and buildings in our history, but we have also said no to numbers of opportunities and partnerships because there were ‘strings attached’. If it looks too good to be true, it probably…………………..!”

Read Full Post »

Promo video: Graystone Walton Campus

Posted in Graystone Church, Missions/Outreach, Prayer, Stewardship, Vision, Volunteers, tagged , on November 5, 2012 | 1 Comment »

We need EVERYONE to help us launch Graystone Walton. Please pray about the part God is leading you to play.  Also, please pass this video on to friends and family who you think would be interested.  Thanks.

There are 5 ways to get involved:

  1. Join the core team
  2. Serve on the launch team (6 month commitment)
  3. Pray
  4. Give toward the start up costs
  5. Invite folks who live in Walton County

Our next Graystone Walton Info Meeting is Sunday, November 18 at 12:00PM in the Student Room.

Read Full Post »

Friday 5: New Series, Snake Handling, and Middle Schoolers

Posted in Graystone Church, Random, Volunteers on October 19, 2012 | Leave a Comment »

1. This Sunday at Graystone we begin a new message series, Phobia (What do you fear?).  We did a series by the same title 4.5 years ago in the warehouse but all the messages are new and fresh (I.e. like a freshly shaved chrome dome or like fresh fruit you might find at a farmer’s market).  Also, please pray for many new visitors to come from the 35,000 mailers that went out the homes closest to Graystone.  As you know, ANYONE and EVERYONE are welcome at Graystone Church.  This would be a good Sunday to invite a friend.  Just saying.

2.  There may be some snake handling this Sunday at Graystone.  It will not be done by me (I hate snakes.), and it will not be live.  This is where we can ALL agree on video technology.

3. The tables and chairs that appeared out of nowhere on Graystone’s front patio were donated by Starbucks.  I’m am not getting paid to tell you this but am simply letting you know.  BTW, we are looking for a volunteer or two who could sand, stain and seal the wood planks on the seats of the outdoor chairs. If you would love to do this or feel guilted into doing it by this post, please talk to elliott@graystonechurch.com.

4. In case you missed it, middle school is combining into one service at 10:30.  It all kicks off this Sunday.  We have rearranged the Student Room to create more space and a better atmosphere.  The most exciting thing is that all the middle schoolers will worship together, which will create for fun, excitement and stronger friendships.  You can hear more about it by watching this video.

5.  This Sunday, I will be announcing the physical location for our first expansion campus, Graystone Walton.   And it will not be in Caleb Cooper’s bedroom at his parent’s house (sorry for the inside joke but the original Graystone Core Team will get it).  Speaking of, we are in the process of pulling together a Walton Campus Core Team and a Launch Team (6 month commitment).  Please pray about serving on one of these teams.  The new campus begins on March 3, 2013 (03.03.13)…T-minus 135 days!  I cannot wait.  In fact, I just high 5′d myself.  It ended up just being a loud clap.  But I’m pumped!

Read Full Post »

Older Posts »

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 1,801 other followers