Let me take a few minutes to recap the past few days and getting ready for the next few days, weeks, months. Part of the reason that I started to blog was for me to journal what happens in the journey that we started some 18 months ago so here we go…

The Cockrell Tribe went off to Allegany State Park down in Northern PA this past weekend and what a great time we had! It was beautiful – we stayed in a very cool log cabin that had enough of the “essentials” to make a non-camper like me happy! The cabin over-looked the river where we spent a lot of time swimming in. We took a 2 and 1/2  hour tubing trip down the river – it was spectacular – perfect weather, we had a blast floating down the river like we were Tom and Huck!

I heard that Pastor Jerry of course knocked it out of the park Sunday morning! I knew that he would and I am so appreciative of him coming down and hanging with us as we get ready for not only Commitment Sunday but the next two years and more!  Love Revolution in our lives, our city, our state, our nation and our world is worth living our life for Elmwood!

Here are a few things that I want to put on everybody’s radar screen.

This Sunday we are going to have an OPEN HOUSE at St Florian. The buildings will be opened for everybody to walk through from 10:30 – 12:30! This will give everybody a chance to walk through and actually see what God is giving to us to use to accomplish His plan.

This Sunday is going to be a great time at least for me, my dad is going to be with us and sharing with us some really key principles that have been tested for over 40 years as he has been a pastor in the Midwest, Southeast, and now in the Northeast. It has not mattered one bit where – God is always there and His principles are good for EVERBODY.  We are about to embark on an adventure the likes that none of us have experienced – here is the cool thing, it is a God ordained and initiated adventure that He is offering us to get in on! I know for me and my house we are ready!

Our school supply drive is going great – we have had to redirect our efforts toward another school in the city due to some administration changes at the one school we were partnering with but that is ok – we want to bless those who want to be blessed!

It looks like our closing date for St Florian is September 26, be praying that we have no delays!

Many of you have put your name on our Transition Team list – this is the group of skilled and non-skilled laborers that have volunteered to help us once we get the keys to help renovate and get the new building ready to move in – if you have not done that (everybody can help do something) than I invite you to do so this week. 

This week's weather has been FABULOUS here in Buffalo! We went to the Drive-In last night with the kidos and watched Star Wars the new animated movie - decent movie but the night was spectacular - at one point Canon looks up and says dad, all the stars our out tonight! I said yep - look at'em all! 

It has been a fast summer can't believe that it is quickly drawing to an end - Labor day is really early @#$%^! This school year is a BIG one in the Cockrell family - our "little" Canon is headed for Kindergarten! (i can't even spell it!) It is going to be an emotional day - that first day off to school for both MOM and Dad! He is going to have the same teacher that both Carlee and Caleb had so we know that it is going to be off the hook good but still...

So this weekend we are going off for an extended weekend to go "camping" down in PA somewhere, Gloria has the directions so we will be gone Sunday but Elmwood you are in for a HUGE blessing because my Pastor, Jerry Gillis is coming down all the way from Getzvile NY to hang out with us! We were in Chicago a few months back with a bunch of other pastors from around the country and Jerry gave this incredible "vision-casting" message to all of us as it pertained to reaching every man, woman and child not only in our cities but in our nation and around the world! It moved and compelled me that day and has resonated deep within me ever since and so he is going to share that with us at Elmwood Sunday so don't miss it!

If you have been tracking with me on this blog for a while you might remember that last year while coming back from vacation in NC I received the tragic news that my former Pastor's wife had been killed in a car wreck. I have since put his blog on my blog roll - Ed Litton - to allow people to follow his journey. Over this past incredibly painful year he has blogged his way through the journey. I have followed it all year, there have been times where my heart has broken for him and his 3 beautiful children, the pain, loneliness, despair, frustration, disappointment, hope... it has been an incredible journey that has just passed the one year mark. There are many questions that we will never be able to answer this side of eternity but Ed has allowed all of us to see some things through his life that might help us through our circumstances both good and bad. 

I know this, life is fragile - love God today with your whole heart and "love the one's your with!" 

Have a GREAT FRIDAY

Wow what a day it was in Buffalo - it was the perfect day

I was over at St Florian for a little bit today and got to meet one of the local business owners - The GlassMan - always cool to get a little more history about the area. Speaking of learning - yesterday Nick and I did a quick video for Sunday at ST Florian and as we were leaving I swung by to say hi to Frida a long time resident and super nice lady that lives on St Florian. She asked me if were going to be moving in and I told her it looked like were...hopefully sometime in the fall so then she asked what we were going to name the church! 

Well we have been kicking around some names for a couple of weeks - asking ourselves all the questions like can we keep it Elmwood if we don't actually "live" on Elmwood. I named it Elmwood as much for the area/community/vibe as did for the actual street. Do you give up all that we have worked for to get name recognition in our city - so people know we exist - and then start all over???

I shared with Frida some of the names that we had been thinking about - one is The Chapel at Black Rock - which I like but she immediately informed me that St Florian was NOT in Black Rock so I learned a little something new with that conversation.

Speaking of names - what do you think? Do we change it, does it really matter, does keeping it Elmwood give us some history to how and where we started? Remember we will be planting new congregations in the months and years to come all over the city so does the name need to help people identify where it is...?

Here are a few names possibilites

The Chapel at Elmwood, The Chapel at Hertel, The Northwest Community Chapel, The Chapel by the Lake (just kiddin) The Chapel at St Florian, The Chapel at Black Rock, The Chapel off Elmwood, The ChapeloffElmwoodonHertelatStFlorian!

Whadoyouthink? 

I was having a hard time getting to sleep tonight so I grabbed the new book from Mark Batterson called Wild Goose Chase. Mark is the pastor at National Community Church in Washington DC. Mark has had a huge impact on me and on us at Elmwood. It was through a conversation I had with Mark that gave me the idea and the contact person to pursue the launching of Elmwood at the Regal Theater. We have visited him and the NCC crew several times - he has opened up for our staff to sit in on their staff meetings and they were the ones that helped us figure out how to do church in a theater since they have been meeting in theaters for over ten years now! WOW!

Mark wrote a great book called In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day last year and it was a huge blessing and is still having an impact today. (I would definitely get it if you have not yet!) So I was pumped to hear he was writing again. I got the book last week - it is being released nationally today so I thought I would help a brother out (we have ordered a case of 24 to sell at the resource table so you can be some of the first to get it!) and post a review.

I read the first chapter and in fact we used the first chapter as part of our GroupLife Leadership Retreat this past weekend anywho - getting back to not being able to fall asleep so I thought I would read it and then hopefully fall asleep - WRONG! It's really late or I should say really early Tuesday morning now and I am fired up. Everybody who calls Elmwood home (and anybody else for that matter) needs to read this book. What a great challenge to those who have answered the call to follow Jesus Christ. It is especially timely for us at Elmwood in light of our Love Revolution Campaign and all that we have been talking ab out these past 7 weeks and where we are going in the months ahead. Of course God's Word is our foundation that we build everything on and from - but I think the theme of this book could be our mantra and guide as we pursue the mission of God to reach every man woman and child - "Chase the Goose!"

Get the book - quick read it and see what Chase the Goose is all about!

What a great weekend we have had! We had over 40 leaders meeting together at our first GroupLife Leadership Retreat and it was really good!  John Stickle who was with us today downloaded some great principles that we all benefited from and I think will really help us advance our GroupLife Ministry in the year to come.

So proud of the team from Craig and Jen Jackson who volunteer their time to organize and champion GroupLife but also Earl, Michelle, Nick and Sean who set everything up and created a great environment for all of us to experience a great weekend – thanks you guys!

This mornings Gathering was a great time of celebration through our worship – loved hearing the band again (it had been 3 weeks) I love the band – their talent – their heart…!

John did a great job of communicating to us why we need each other - who is carrying your "mat" and whose "mat" are you carrying?! Great stuff!

We had some friends visiting with us today from Dade City Florida – Robert and Suzie – it is always great to reconnect with friends that God has brought across the path of Life. They were some of my best ever youth workers – they were very understanding with me and they always worked really hard to cover my mistakes! Gloria and I have been so blessed to have made friends with so many great people along the way – it has made our life very rich!

Well we are headed toward the most significant day in our short history as a congregation – our Love Revolution Commitment Sunday – September 7!  I want to encourage all of us to begin praying and asking God what He wants us to do over the next 2 years when it comes to our giving as individuals and as a Church Family.

I know for many that committing to a specific percentage of giving on a regular consistent basis is completely new and completely scary (or crazy!) but God’s Word is packed full of stories of ordinary people being obedient in their giving and God showing Himself faithful in all kinds of ways – in fact God tells us to try Him out – to try to see if you can out give Him – it won’t happen!

Gloria and I have not done it all the right way in our 16 years of marriage but in this one area of our marriage we determined from day one to make giving a high priority and because of that I believe God has blessed us in so many ways we may never know the full extent until we get to heaven. I can say without an ounce of doubt that God will not disappoint and He will honor those who honor Him with the treasures of their lives.

Last night on the corner of Bird and Hoyt we experienced what "partnering with" really looks, smells, feels like. Peace of the City put on their first ever Arts Festival all based around what the kids of PotC did this summer. They displayed and were selling all of their art, jewlery, t-shirts... they also wanted to take it to the streets of their neighborhood in order to get to know more of their neighbors and to let the community in on the "secret" of PotC. So Megan the Director of the Arts program asked us if we (Elmwood) would like to partner with them to put on a Block Party and of course it is hard for us to say no to a party - right Elmwood?!

It was AWESOME! We had 40-50 people show up to help and Elmwood you guys rocked it out! From set up to working booths for 3 straight hours to breaking it all down you blew me (and everybody else) away. Can't tell you how proud and inspired I felt just watching everybody get their work on!

Here is why partnering matters - Peace of the City alone could not have created that kind of environment - just to much work not enought help - Elmwood we could not have impacted and drawn that many people out into the streets because we have not invested the emotional, physical work of pouring into that community like PotC! Each one of us could have pulled something off but Together we were BETTER!

What's the result - bridge building - building a bridge of hope, love, passion, enthusiasm... the GOSPEL was spread last night on the corner of Bird and Hoyt because a bunch of people decided to partner together for a greater cause other than their own, now that's what I call a LOVE REVOLUTION!

Thanks everybody that came out - love and appreciate you!

I am hanging out a little bit this morning at 4bucks as my friend Alex calls it - though I only by the non-fufu stuff!

Anywho I am reading Francis Chan's new book called Crazy Love Overwhelmed by a Relentless God - I have one word to describe it - WOW! I would encourage any and all to get a copy and use it as a devotional. It is crammed full of scripture that he helps the reader rethink - reconsider - reorder our steps and thoughts which just between us I NEED! Here is a scripture that he uses to describe the reality of each of us and then ask the question Are You Ready?

It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for DEATH is the DESTINY of everyone; the living should take this to heart.    

Words of Solomon in Ecclesiastes 7:2

Are you ready to live the life that God wants us to live TODAY?

A.W. Tozer once said 

"A man by his sin may waste himself, which is to waste that which on earth is most like God. This is man's greatest tragedy and God's heaviest grief."

Headed out to help set up for the Peace of the City's Art Festival - so excited to see so many sign up to come and help - Byrd and Hoyt is gonna rock tonight!

Are You ready for what God's wants to do today in you and through you?

Don't Waste today!

Hey everybody Gloria and I flew back home this afternoon - very happy to be back. We had to make 2 connections to get back I hate it when that happens! 

I heard from several that Mark did a GREAT job communicating on the issue of spreading the Love Revolution throughout our city. Can't wait to hear it on the podcast this week.

So good to know that Elmwood is not dependent on any one person but that we have incredibly gifted and talented people that carry the load week in and week out - thanks everybody for doing a great job of going after the Mission and Strategy that God has given us at Elmwood!

I spent the last leg of out trip just looking through and writing down things that we are going to have to do over the next few weeks as we begin a major transition from being portable to permanent! 

Elmwood let's stay on our knees before God as we ask Him to show us what we need to do to make this happen!

Gloria and I flew into Kansas City yesterday - I am here for my 2... HS reunion go class of 81! Anybody who knows me just a little knows that I love mexican food and my favorite mexican restaurant is in downtown KC at a hole in the wall place called Las Corals. So we went back last night with some of my family who still live in the area and i got the Combination plate that I always used to get ad guess what? It was better than ever! Sweet momma was it good! May have to go back one more time!

Hey just got some really good news - the contract is signed for St Florian - looks like we got ourselves a building a new place to hang our hat! Thank You Father You are so good!

I am off to go see some people that I have not seen in 27 years - at least I got a beautiful date and I still have hair on my head! I will let you know how it goes!

I love to learn from people who have been down the road further than I have travelled (not necessarily by age) and one of my mentors is Mark Beeson the founding pastor at Granger Community Church. I follow his blog as much as do anybodies because I get so much out of it - here was his post from a few days ago! 

Five Questions 
(pivotally important for a congregation considering radical outreach)

1.  Do we want to know them?  
Most of our Christians do not fraternize with really unchurched people.

2.  Are we willing to go where they are?
Most churches avoid their city’s gathering places, where people engage in conversation and look for Life, lest believers be offended, or even tempted.

3.  Are we willing to spend time with them?   
Outreach ministry involves scheduled time, and sweat equity.

4.  Do we want secular and outside-the-establishment people in our churches?   
At least 80% of our churches fail ever to reach out to two groups of people:
(1)  people who are not “refined” enough to feel comfortable in church; people who have never acquired a “church etiquette” need not apply; 
(2) people whose lifestyles are too different from ours, or whose lives are too “

5.  Are we willing for our church to become their church too? 
A missionary context requires, in at least some services and ministries, that we adapt to the style, the language, the aesthetics and (yes) the music of the people we are called to reach.

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 -  "Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized—whoever. I didn't take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I've become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn't just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!"