First few weeks up front

This is me the first week i was at church. Brett had me just get up and welcome everybody like i was a regular doing community life announcements and he had these screens playing behind me.





Because of the laid back and light-hearted nature of cession, i feel very welcomed and enjoy the services. Since most of the ministers and leaders at cession are still in or fresh out of seminary, the sermons have a heavy dose of text and teaching which is also fun to learn from.

The Staff and the Plan

The Second night in NZ, me and Rachel Nigro (in the green) received a welcome dinner from the cession staff and their spouses. The staff includes from left to right: Rhett(brown), Melissa(teal), Katie(pink), me, Kristen(white/red) and Brett(stripes)
I am excited to be here and to see all of the potential God has in store for the people and the church and my "ACTIVATOR" side wants to commit and jump into everything, but this is what i have decided the first months focus is for:

1st Month Focus:
-PREPARE
I am visiting people, asking questions, making observations, hopefully attending a few different churches, and avoiding committing. This first month is for forming a schedule and formulating a plan without jumping into and overcommitting to early. I get to look and dream by myself and with people, but feel no obligation to fix or activate. Trying to think longterm here.

-PRAY
This is not an attack on any one person or church, both times i have been here God has laid on me the ABSOLUTE NECESSITY for a CULTURE of PRAYER. I am Studying Daniel & Elijah who i see as men of prayer. I fear that too often prayer means to guys either boring, too much talking and care for other people borderline gossip, just sitting around and not accomplishing anything, or an awkward place of intimacy that we don’t honestly know how to handle or want to deal with.

-PRESS ON
I already have enough commitments between catching up with past friends in New Zealand, getting settled and keeping up with my online Master's classes, so pressing on in excellence in what i am already doing instead of adding is the focus for the beginning.

So this is what i will be reminding myself daily for the next few weeks.

The Jones' Family

Brett is the pastor of the church i am helping so he is my main boss.  The church office is also in their downstairs area so i see him and his family a lot.  All this to say, if you can familiarize yourself with the faces of the Jones family: Reese in my lap, Kristen holding Reagan, and Brett behind the couch and Graeme my roommate (to the right), you will have a good feel for a lot of my life and the people i am spending time with!

Limited internet access

due to limited internet access i can't publish pictures or a lot now, but you can check out my personal site (www.brentdongell.com) for my first few updates.

Traveling

i am on my way. thanks for your prayers in this time of transition.

the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Psalm 121:8