Settling

Vanessa and I arrived in Elgin, IL on Tuesday night to the sight of several Harvest guys and one Dallas college student (now attending Wheaton) ready to help us unload.  It was great.  We've spent the last days getting things organized in our apartment and meeting all the awesome people at Harvest.  Yesterday was the welcome ceremony for me and the other church planting residents.  It was a great time.  We have met a handful of people who either have lived in Raleigh and loved it or know people who live there who might want to get involved!  People here really have a passion for the Lord's work and discipline themselves to abstain from distractions. 

Tonight is our first worship service at Harvest (other than when we interviewed) and tomorrow morning, I'll be serving while others worship so that I can learn the ropes of church functions in children's ministry, new membership, small groups, etc.  Should be really good.

Tuesday morning, me and the other fellas plus our leaders leave for Porcupine National Forest for 4 nights of camping in order to really bond with one another.  Each of us is leading a devotion on the "one anothers" in the New Testament (there are 33 of them!).  My choice was "confess your sins to one another" - something the church generally is afraid to do because we are too reputation based rather than gospel based.  How's that for a kick in the pants?

Love you guys!  I'll be writing more as the days progress! 

mike