Did you know May 29, 2008

• This past weekend at NewSpring there were over 60 first time guests that we know of.
• Paint is going on the walls at the Greenville Campus.
• NewSpring has 4,826 members.
• Dunkin Donuts is coming to 81. Yea!!!
• NewSpring has 2,447 people in ministry.
• There is a lot more that goes into footings for a building than I realized.  Very large wire cookie rack looking things are involved.
• We just added two awesome interns to the volunteer ministry area for the summer. Lia Schendel and Allie Howell, welcome to the team.
• There are more than 30 construction workers on the sight outside my window today, over 21 different dirt movin, hole diggin, pipe movin, crane looking things in view, and blue skies.
• “The most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony.” Colossians 3:14
• “Yellow and blue make green” said my three year old son, Jaden, as he used the potty in the blue toilet water.
• God is at work here and we get to be a part of it!

The Moorhead Kids May 27, 2008

The Moorhead Kids, originally uploaded by sherry.moorhead.

After feeding the ducks from the top of the picnic table – those ducks will attack you for some bread – I got them all to be still for two seconds to get a picture. Kids are such a blessing and they grow up so fast.
Hope is almost 4 months now and is doing awesome. She get’s lots of love from her older brother and sisters.

Making a difference May 27, 2008

I got this e-mail today.  We are making a difference together, all of us.  We should never take for granted the opportunities we have to make such a difference in the thousands of lives here at NewSpring.  Check this out.

I wanted to send you guys a quick note to say THANKS!! I have watched your services online for some time now. Yesterday, however, I was able to bring 6 graduating seniors from our youth worship team to your 6:45 service. We were amazed at how welcome we felt. From the time we pulled into the parking lot and someone met us at our car, until the time we left, we were made to feel like we were the most important people at your service. Trevor Cox gave us an awesome tour and we even got coffee at the end for the 4 hour drive home.

I believe that people take for granted, many times, all of the volunteers that they have helping make things a success. So, I just wanted to take this time to let you know that ALL of the volunteers and staff made a difference to us yesterday. We were inspired to come home and pitch in even more than we already do. It is so evident that God is doing amazing things in and through your church. Thanks for letting us be a part of that last night!!

Thank you all for being a part of the NewSpring team that is making a difference.

Randomness May 14, 2008

• There is a new dirt pile outside my window. Some days it seem that all they are doing on the construction site are moving and creating dirt piles. I’m sure there is so much more to building buildings than I could know. Sometimes life seems like a bunch of dirt piles. The thing is we often just look at the surface of the project. God knows more than we can imagine.
• Why do they hang those square things with two wheels way up in the air by the crane? Is it so no one will steal it? Would anyone actually steal the square thing with two wheels? Maybe there is more to that square thing than I know.
• Our newest addition to our family, baby Hope, is doing wonderful. She is such a blessing. She’s up to about 11 lbs. now. I will post some more recent pictures soon.
• NewSpring Greenville Campus will be launching soon. How awesome is that? NewSpring church in two locations. Twice the fun and twice the Jesus freaks. Double the volunteers that get to experience the joys and love of serving others as one body. It’s so cool to think about how God has built this church, this body, and will now extend this body to other towns. Through Bill who parks cars, the elbow, and Michelle who checks in kids, the hand, and Dale who cleans the restrooms, the foot, and all of the other parts of this body, NewSpring is making an Impact. I know that you will hear “well done my good and faithful servant”. Thank you.
• “Under His direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.” Ephesians 4:16
• I need another cup of whimpy coffee. I did not get my Dunkin Donuts large coffee today. I’m not bitter.
• 8,410 people attended NewSpring this past Sunday. 1,631 kids heard about Jesus on a level that they can understand. WOW!

Romans 12:6-11 May 13, 2008

How cool is it that there is always movement and excitement in each day at NewSpring and in our spiritual walks? I remember the days when life always seemed to be the same old, same old, day in and day out. That was before NewSpring, of course. Now every day holds something new and another growth opportunity. As you know, NewSpring Church is about seeing people meet Jesus and seeing lives transformed as people pursue their purpose of making an eternal impact. You are one of 2,500 volunteers who influence over 8,000 people face-to-face on Sundays and hundreds of thousands through the internet. So many of these faces are brand new to NewSpring every week. Your ministry is what keeps them coming and learning about Jesus.

Big things are coming our way.  As we head into the summer months remember that even though the norm for most churches is to stop growing, that’s not the case for NewSpring. Last summer, even though the college students went back home and vacations pulled people away, we still grew by over 1,000 attenders. God will continue to bring new and seeking faces to NewSpring, and we will continue to see life change. I challenge you to stay in the game. I know that you will have vacations that will take you away every once in a while. So, go ahead and let us know when you will not be here so that we can fill in for you. As you all know, you make NewSpring happen each week. You’re missed when you’re not here.

Also take the opportunity during these summer months to invite someone to serve with you. Share the joy of doing ministry with your loved ones and friends. There are opportunities all over this church to do ministry and illustrate Christ.

If there is anything we can ever do for you please let us know. We want you to love what you do in ministry so that God can use you to the fullest. This is just the beginning of what God wants to do through you and NewSpring. I look forward to serving alongside you and seeing you experience a walk with Christ like never before. See you Sunday!

Romans 12:6-11

We Fit in May 7, 2008

Here is another story I just received of a family that was impacted in a huge way when they visited for the first time.  I love the last line.  You guys rock!

“Thank you so much for writing me! We had already decided to come back to your church this weekend. Our whole family was very impressed, and that says alot with two teenage boys. For once, they actually ENJOYED going and LEARNED something that they could take home with them once they left. I asked my one son what he remembered from the service we attended the previous week at another church and he couldn’t remember one thing that stuck in his brain. However, once we had gotten home that Sunday, I had turned on the website sermon from your church that was recommended to me from one of my friends that is currently attending your church too and I didn’t even realize the kids were listening as my husband and I watched several sermons. Again, after talking with my oldest, I asked him if he remembered anything from the website sermon and HE DID. Being there live this past Sunday was awesome though!!! It wasn’t that warm, fuzzy feeling…it was like a feeling that we fit in and had been there dozens of times but in reality. it was our first time.”

Sharing Life Change May 6, 2008

This is from a prisoner at Century Correctional Institution in Century, Florida!

“Hello NewSpring, I hope this letter finds all of you doing well. We watch NewSpring every Tuesday morning and it’s always a blessing. Lee McDerment and the rest of the guys rock. We are convinced the one gal who sings (the brunette) is the woman from the group Watermark. Please tell them we have had our “faces melted off!”

Today, due to some crazy weather, we had to improvise our afternoon chapel service. We showed week two of the illuminate series, you preached on, “nailing it down”, putting Jesus into our heart and receiving Christ. When you gave the call to stand up six men in our chapel stood up and received Christ. It was amazing!

I am chapel clerk (kind of like a deacon, only I don’t smoke or curse). It is moments like the one today that makes me love my job. I look forward to continuing in a similar position when I am released. It’s all about Jesus!”

Be encouraged that NewSpring is going to places and going farther than we could ever imagine…a prison in Florida, where people are getting saved!!!  What we do is IMPORTANT and we should all be THANKFUL we get to serve at a place that is having a HUGE impact for the Kingdom of Jesus Christ!  Keep rocking it out!!!!!