The conference ended with an amazing Saturday night full of comissioning all of us to go out to serve and lay down our lives in whatever occupation we might find ourselves in. There were also wonderful testimonies of the work of God through ordinary lives.
This morning Otter Creek was packed. It was standing room only. It was fun to have the extended ZOE team up there. The morning was such a great way to put a cap on the week and weekend together.
After church several of our friends came over for lunch...several meaning 20. It was such a blast! Amy Boone, Stephen and Stephanie Bailey, Gina Lewis, Mom, Hainey Price, Katey Earles, Sheryl's parents, Bob and Ernestine, Gail and Chris (Fajita), Canaan and Sierra, Sally Gary, Julie Danley, and our family all celebrated the ending of a powerful weekend. Katey made some AMAZING brisket, like only a good Texan could do. Mom brought fried chicken and we all ate to our hearts' delight! Bit by bit, segments of our group left to head to the airport. Stephen, Stephanie, and Hainey stayed til around 4pm. It was so fun to spend time talking to everyone without having to think about what session or class was about to happen. I loved getting to see Stephanie's pregnant self! What an answer to prayer upon prayer upon prayer! Sally brought stuffed pigs for Sam and pig books for the girls. (long story). So cute!
I don't feel like I had nearly enough time with Chris and Gail. Weekends like this are always so amazing and yet seeing people in passing is such a tease.
Tonight we're getting ready to fall into bed. We've had 11 people sleeping in our house. I get to spend one more night on the floor in the girls' room, but I know I will be sleeping soundly.
I feel so thankful for all God did. I'm anxious to hear feedback. I agree with some of Cope's thoughts about the leadership conference (with maybe another one or two ideas about the worship times there). Overall, I loved the new format. I would have loved to have heard some of the speakers a little more than just bits and pieces here and there. There will be time for serious discussions and evaluations. But, tonight, I'm basking in the goodness of the Lord for all the answered prayers. It was a great weekend of fellowship and deep spiritual growth. I pray that it's something that will lead to action in me. In all of us.
It was great to see all of you bloggers! My the Lord bless you with peace and safe travels home.
Sunday, October 09, 2005
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Chronology of my Zoe experience:
Excitment.
Loud.
Distracted.
singing
worship?
Unwinding.
Ironing boards?
Laughter...
Wow.
Conviction.
Guilt.
Tight Stomach.
Tears.
love.
Love
Singing.
worship
WORSHIP!
Joy.
Exaustion.
Commission.
Vision.
Peace.
bc
How I wish I could have been there. In hindsight, it is a good thing I did not plan to be there. Rita payed us a visit and we have been in a state of zombie for two weeks now. Maybe next year.
I finally received my CD. Thanks for sending it. It took a while to get, probably because of Katrina first and then Rita second! But I got it the second day we began to receive mail again!
We survived Rita with minimal damage. Fences down, trees down and some water damage on a kitchen floor. Very minimal, thank you Lord!
I am catching up on my blogs and I am very envious of your gathering both at the Zoe Conference and your home. My best friend Gina will tell me all about it and it is great to learn you also know Sally. She lived here for a short time and I found great wisdom in our short time with her.
Next year!
Peggy in Texas
Winner of the baby Sam pool! Again, thanks for the CD, it is great!
I only made it to the worship conference. I was hesitant after coming straight from the Catalyst conference in ATL. After Hybels, Stanley, Giglio, McManus, Miller and an incredible worship band from Northpoint, I did not know how my senses would react. But the great news is the God is the center of worship and I was able to pick right up in Nashville where I left off in ATL.
I am not sure what I could offer to as an evaluation. But I am grateful for this conference. It means so much to so many. I could probably come up with a list of things that could help the environment, beef up the learning tracks, or attract the ADD postmoderns. But what it all comes down to is keep God at the center and Zoe will be exactly what it is supposed to be.
Brandon, I'm grateful for you and your leadership. Saturday night and then Sunday 8:30 at the Creek were very special times for me personally. I appreciate your transparent leadership in worship.
Grace & peace...
jon (the one from ATL)
BC-
Cool comment. Almost like a writer. What? You write music or something?
PS: Our Saturday night conversation has burned in my heart. Praying thankfully for you and DC!
Hi Brandon.
We brought 10 people from our church for the entire conference. The collective opinion of our group was that the worship times were fantastic. It is the type of worship that we want to bring to our home church in Florida. We certainly appreciate all of your efforts to bring us into the presence of God during the worship times.
The one over-riding negative comment revolved around the format and content of the classes on Thursday and Friday. Our group fanned out in all directions to take advantage of the different “affinity” groups. We all came back with the same observation. The affinity groups were wanting for information that we came desperately seeking on the various tracks that were offered. As for the “discerning groups,” we felt that the cost of purchasing 10 airline tickets along with hotel accommodations (not to mention the cost of the conference) didn’t match up with the amount of information gleamed from sitting in groups discussing our various churches.
O.K., enough negativity, here’s a possible solution. Perhaps if you took the tracks that were offered on Saturday (and their information) and spread that out from Thursday through Saturday, this would make the Leadership Conference more meaningful? Especially keep in mind those of us who come from churches who do not presently use a “praise team” but would like to start the process.
Again, thank you Brandon for all that you do for our brotherhood and the wonderful gift of praise that you and the Zoe Group are brining to our fellowship.
where to begin?
The Lord is good. Look what He has done for us.
I think that is all I have to say right now.
Thank you thank you thank you! I loved the times of worship, Mike and Jeff and everything in the great hall! Fantastic.
I was a little disappointed (and some in my group were very disappointed) in the Tracks this year. The speakers/teachers in the past years have had more to offer/offered more. I spend the break times and meal times in the kind of disussion that was offered in so many of the tracks.
Victoria
Incredible times!!! Zoe lifted my spirits & grounded me at the same time!
I enjoyed the speakers at the Discerning Communities tracks, however, I had nothing new to offer my group when we got back together because they all heard the same things too. Maybe there is some way to present that info. in the Great Hall? I liked the idea of breaking into small groups with people from other churches though - maybe just play with the format a bit. The content was great.
I enjoyed meeting you! Thanks again for the healing power of your ministry (and to ALL in Zoe too) I cannot even describe how I feel right now except that I came to Zoe a caterpillar & left being a butterfly! Praise God!
Okay...different opinion here. I loved the new format. This was my 8th year...I think...and I loved the discerning communities. Some small groups were better than others and I loved that those brilliant men gave us tidbits and then let us move to the next thought. I think the theme was what made me love it this year...I always love it...but this year I have come home with renewed hope that we are on the right track. The time we spend in corporate worship is important but cannot be vibrant and joyful if we are not being missional....it that joy doesn't come as an extension of the lives we are living. I feel you are on the kingdom road and I don't want you to go back.
Loved seeing you and your family Brandon. Love your mom!
grace and peace to you, Julie
What an amazing weekend. This was my 5th year at Zoe and I really appreciated the new format. I continue to be amazed at how God is working through you Brandon and through the entire conference to shape my life and the life of my church.
I've got a LOT on my heart right now and I really can't put most of it in words right now, but I will soon. Checout my blog in the next day or so if you want the scoop. For now, all I can say is this:
I will never be the same again
I can neveer return
I've closed the door
I will walk the path
I'll run the race
And I will never be the same again.
No, I will never be the same again.
God Bless You Brandon! Go take a nap. Now!!!
I enjoyed the new format of the leadership conf as well, but I'm a big talker (as you know) and it was great to hear many other perspectives and stories.
I can see why some people would not get as much out of that though. Maybe finding some kind of balance.
I didn't go to Michael Card at all, so I can't really speak to that. But I thought the track offerings that I went to were good over all.
It's difficult for me to have an unbiased opinion because my thoughts are clouded by how proud I am of you BST. It was wonderful to see you and nice to leave knowing it will only be a few weeks until we get to visit again. Steph and I had a wonderful time of renewel. Praise Gos and thank you.
Having said all that, the BEST part of the conference is praising with the interpreter for the deaf. I don't actually sing that much at Zoe conferences because if I look at you, I tear up and if I watch her I cry like a baby. I watched her a lot this year. I cried a lot this year. She is a HUGE blessing. I will see visions of her whenever I sing! WOW!
That's praise G-O-D and thank you. Gos is not a new idol I'm worshipping. No worries.
BST,
Thanks for all that you do. I really enjoyed my time at Zoe this year. It was all positive to me, God blessed me beyond my imagination, isn't it amazing how he does that? I really enjoyed our first discerning community and being in group with your mom, what a great lady! Wow! Thanks again my brother!
What a treat it was to be at the conference. It has taken the edge off of my spiritual malaise. I guess that's good. Thanks for your hospitality. It is always, always great to be to stay with you all.
Donna Hester gets 5 stars. Michael Card gets 4.5 stars. Walling as a Jew was really good, even though he stole some of his material. Cope's sermon on the mount remix was true to the spirit of the sermon, I believe. The worship time was refreshing and penetrating. Larry B's missional dive was, well...interesting for me since the homeless guy I found refused my food and money offers.
Thanks for the work you put into this thing. IT IS WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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