Praise Him for His faithfulness

As some of you may have heard, I have been invited to join the staff at The Journey!

I am the new "Venue Producer/Tower Grove Production Lead."  

As if that weren't enough, God has also blessed us with a job for Rachel ... at The Journey!

She is the new Tower Grove Campus Administrator. 

We are so grateful to be continuing our ministry in St. Louis.  A ministry that would not have been possible apart from God's provision through your loving prayers and financial support.  Thank you so much for investing in my internship, an opportunity that has been truly beneficial.

In my new role, I will continue my present work at our main campus and also receive more responsibility surrounding the other campus's stage aesthetic as well as sermon graphic presentation and distribution.  

This new role casts me in a position to lead and shepherd a new production intern.  Please be praying for me as I seek to clearly manage his expectations and encourage his development.  And pray for Wes and his wife Sarah as they enter The Journey internship program as Rachel and I did but a year ago.  

Rachel will be serving on the same campus but in a different department (in other words, though we will be working together, we won't be working together).  She starts out with 30 hours per week, with potential to go full-time in the fall.  She is breathing easy, in peace about this transition and excited about her new work.  This has been the smoothest occupational transition that we have experienced together; no doubt another answer to prayers.

Again, we are blessed to be working in a local church that cares for nothing more than God and His kingdom, a place that values leadership as they care for the staff, a place that pursues excellence with collective responsibility in love and service to the city of Saint Louis.  

Please continue to keep us and The Journey in your prayers.  

And should you like to continue giving financially to The Journey and their ministry, I will no longer be collecting your generous gifts. 

Thank you again and let our story be a reflection of God's faithful provision.

Hope:Fully.

Adam

April Showers Bring May Flowers

Should I apologize for the missing showers or should I spin this blog as a May flower?
(it's rhetorical)

So habits is not my strong suit.
As you can no doubt observe from my long vacations from blogging, I'm not successful at follow-up nor am I disciplined with habits.  Please pray for me, that I may grow in my disciplines.

Now for the news:
When God says He is a lamp unto our feet, and not a lighthouse for the boat, He is telling the truth.  I have been praying for direction and He has answered my prayers ... but only for about one foot-candle forward down the path.


I was very disillusioned through the month of April.  I was wondering what was next and as I tossed in the waves of ambiguity, I was losing my grasp on what I am passionate about.  I found myself obsessing over the future and the accomplishment and neglecting the here and now.  Finally, about two weeks ago, the storm calmed for a bit.  I took a fresh look at what is consistent about my desires, and I was able to see them being lived out in my present.

I want to be working for the local church.
I want to be working in the theatre.
I want to be growing in leadership and management.
I want to partner all of the above, living a life that glorifies God.

And I'm doing all of the above.  No longer do I need to worry about MFA's, MDIV's, or MBA's.  In time, He might direct me there.  But for now, I am learning what I need to learn, in fields where I can flourish happily.  Praise the Lord for His sovereign knowledge of what I need and when I need it.

I continue to lead the volunteers on the Production Team at Tower Grove.  This opportunity has not been without it's hard moments and difficult conversations; all of which strengthen me for further leadership.

I have been cast in a show and await my Saint Louis theatrical debut.  It's a very small production, a staged-reading of a musical, but it's what I love to do and it's what God has trained me to do.  I've since had three call-backs for other productions, and been cast in a leading role with Mustard Seed Theatre for this fall.  I'm so blessed to be free to continue me work in the theater; and there is promise for more training and more opportunities at Mustard Seed.

I continue to meet with a campus pastor once a week, as he mentors me and encourages me in my work.  His guidance through hard conversations has been helpful and I know that God is using him to mold me. 

Thank you for your support and your love.
Thank you for encouraging us.

I'm reminded of a song, that I will post here to encourage you.


"Your Love is Strong"

March Madness

A crazy month.

It's half over and yet so much has happened since last I posted.


First of all, Rachel was hired to be a stylist at Ann Taylor at the Galleria.  It's a fun job that gives her a few more hours per week.  Although she still working at the Bakery, she doesn't find it as satisfying as she may have hoped.  God provided an immediate job for her; we were blessed to not go long without work.  And, we're still praying for the right job, the right number of hours, the right atmosphere, the right ministry for her.

As He does, God's continued to bless me here in St. Louis.  Two posts ago, I mentioned Mustard Seed Theatre.  Well, in addition to beginning the high school workshop April 10th-May8th, I have been asked to lead a social media marketing campaign on their behalf.  This past year, I've read quite a few blogs on social media and relational/community marketing.  Deanna Jent noticed and ask me to serve their company in this way.  Plus they will pay me a modest hourly wage.  Praise the Lord!

And, there is a conference at the end of March for artists that are interested in using the arts for social change.  Although secular, it sounds very similar to the mission of Mustard Seed and my passion to use arts in ministry.  I was thinking about attending and paying the large registration fee, when I got a email from Deanna Jent asking if I would be interested in attending with Mustard Seed folks.  Talk about God's blessings!

She has also asked me to read a play that she will direct this fall, in the event Rachel and I find work to keep us here.  After reading "The Chosen," the fire in my heart for auditioning was rekindled.  I'm very interested in the roles that suite me in "The Chosen" and I've been looking for other companies to audition for.  Two auditions I'm considering include: "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown" and "West Side Story."  They are in April, so there's time to prepare.

Two weeks ago, I had a meeting at the Center of Creative Arts.  It's a large arts organization that provides after school classes for children, primarily ages 6-11.  They are huge!  And yet their theater department is small.  In other words, God has again placed me in the right place at the right time.  They are launching a number of initiatives that would interest me from Interchange (taking the arts to troubled classrooms and using the medium to collaborate with the teacher - TFA meets ART), Urban Arts (providing after school and special programs to give children artistic outlets in their schools), and a corporate program to use theater (as well as other art forms) to train business professionals.

Since my pleasant interview, I filled out the necessary paperwork yesterday to be an Adjunct Theater Artist.  I'm joining the short list of theater artists to teach a few of the many classes and summer camps that are offered.  Also, it being short, the list of available substitute teachers will provide me with additional work, provided I can attend the class that needs a teacher.  My first "contract" includes teaching a STAR WARS half day camp in June.  (Most interesting: COCA has more boys involved in the arts than girls.)

Don't worry.  I'm still interning at The Journey.
I hosted and led a party for the Production Team on the Tower Grove campus.  We celebrated the growth and vision of the Team, showing utmost appreciation for our volunteers.  Without them, our churches growth wouldn't have been possible. 

Some cool stats:
3 years ago we had 2 sound operators at Tower Grove and three Media operators (for two campuses).  We currently have 75 production volunteers across four campuses (9 services); of which, I am leading 35 at Tower Grove.  I have recruited and helped train nine new production volunteers since I arrived in August (by God's grace).

And, as an indication that The Journey is pleased with my work and wanting to continue to invest in me, they have paid for my registration (travel and food) for the Technical Director and myself to attend the National Association of Broadcasters - a convention for the digital media industry (video, audio, lights, etc.).  I'm blessed to be able to attend, and I'm so excited to learn more about production systems and equipment.  My internship has shown me the true importance and value of this kind of education.  Brian is married with two boys; please pray for our safety on this trip and for our wives at home (we'll be away for four days).


God is teaching Rachel and me to more fully rely on Him every day.
We have had to make sacrifices and we have had to press on, often without fulling seeing what God's plan is for us.  We're growing closer to one another, and closer to God.

Thank you for supporting and assisting us on this spiritual journey. 

Hope.  Fully.

Adam

Training Camp Videos

The Creative/Production Team is very proud of our efforts with this short film project.  It was exciting and difficult.  It took discipline.  And when God is for you, who can be against you?

Training Camp Sermon Series:



Week #1 

Week # 2 

Week # 3

Week # 4

Week # 5


Thank you for all of your support.  Please pray that Rachel and I hold our plans with an open hand, without trying to control them.  We want to rely on God's will, He knows what's best anyway.

Hope.

Adam

News

Brief Headlines

• Community Group is off to a great start.  Please keep all 14 of us in your prayers.
  
• Bittersweet Bakery is the newest employer of Ms. Rachel Moskal 
• She's no longer working with Teach For America and hopes to find another career, perhaps in counseling.  I'll leave out the details for now; feel free to ask her.
  
• Mustard Seed Theatre - a non-profit, professional Christian theater in St. Louis
• We went to see "Fires in the Mirror" this past weekend, and it was excellent.
• Many of you know, I have high standards; and yet, I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
• Deanna Jent, the artistic director, has invited me to work with Mustard Seed on a few upcoming projects.
1. To conduct Saturday morning Theater Classes for high school students, starting in March.
2. To co-lead/direct/manage the Dijon Discussion series: staged and seated readings of plays, with moderated discussion to follow, in conjunction with the next season's main productions. 
   
• Rachel has begun training for the "Lay Counselor's Program" and the Karis House
• It's free.  She will offer free Christian counseling at the Karis House after completing her training.  And she will get a true taste of counseling as a profession, without the heightened stress that is the St. Louis city school district.
  
• I have attended my first "Fusion Arts" meeting
• Fusion Arts is basically a community group of Christian artists at The Journey that meets once a month to encourage pursuing one's "art" from and with the theological perspective.  Not many performance artists were in attendance, but I hope to invite and build a network of performing artists to do similar projects and offer Christ-centered community for them as well.
  
• I'm working out!
• My mom and dad will tell you this is an act of God.  But I've started the acclaimed "P90X" workout.  I figured I should wait til my second week before I openly share this information, in case I backed out early.  On the contrary, I'm enjoying it because it's fast paced and constantly changing.  Plus, I feel healthier (and it's only been 9 of 90 days).

Like I said, these were just the headlines.  If you want more information regarding any of the above "goings-on" please email Rachel or myself and we'll be glad to be in touch with you.

Or simply comment here on the blog.


Thanks again for your prayers.  God is doing some remarkable things in both of our lives.  Without your support, we wouldn't be where we are today.  God is powerfully using you, your love, your prayers, your financial support, for our personal growth and our impact on this church.

Thank you.
Hope. Fully.

Adam

I'm an external processor

Over the past six months, (by the way, my internship year is half over) I have learned a lot about myself.  I'm sure much of it is a direct result of my first year of marriage, living with another person as one.  That'll teach.  Specifically, it has taught me how I process information.

Being extroverted has never surprised me.  But what I didn't know was how important it was (is) for me to think out loud.  As I hear myself speak, the audio is then played back in my head so that I might correct any errors or unintended malice.  Some of you know that my mouth has gotten me into much trouble as I grew up; so this editorial skill has been practiced many times over.

Recently, I've come to rely on this "skill" to think through options and ideas.  Whereas most daydreamers keep to themselves, I fantasize outloud.  Somehow, it makes it more real to me and I can more easily process the thought and build on it.

Why am I telling you all of this?  Two reasons.

1. Community Group Hosting
• Rachel and I are hosting an overflow community group at The Journey, basically a small group for people who live near Tower Grove.  There were 40 people who, in spite of signing up for a community group, could not be placed because there were no open spaces in the existing groups and no leaders to lead additional groups.  After talking it over, Rachel and I decided it would be a good idea for us to serve in this way and it would also result in bring a sense of community closer to home, literally.
• The first night went really well.  We were just getting to know a little about each other and sharing with one another, what we want to get out of the group.  Also, we sent everyone home with an assignment: to come back next week with 5-10 snapshots of their spiritual life story/testimony.
• Remember, I'm an external processor.  As Rachel and I were discussing how we were going to "lead" the evening of testimonies, we each had different ideas of how it should turn out.  In the end, we realized I am really good at telling my story, not so good at listening.  She is really great at listening and asking insightful questions, not so good at articulating her story.  In conclusion, we're going to confess this to the group tonight in an effort to encourage those of us who are great storytellers to share the lime-light and to relieve the pressure from the listeners who won't want to be in light for very long.  
• 
  
• It's amazing how God brought Rachel and I together, for many perfect reasons. 
   
2. Theater Entrepreneurial Initiatives
• As many of you know, I've been reading about entrepreneurship and small business/non-profits.  In spite of learning many new things to consider, and writing them all down in a digital Google Notebook, there's been a missing piece to my forward progress.  I need to get it off the page, via my mouth and behavior.  
• As a result, I've met with two non-profit directors, Josh Wilson of Mission STL, and James McAnally of the Luminary Center for the Arts.  Both were very encouraging of my dreams and both grounded me with practical next steps.  It was very helpful to hear myself "cast vision" for outsiders.  Through this exercise I heard myself admit things that, in my mind, I wasn't sure I was willing to admit.  I kept circling back to certain concepts and ideas; ideas that might not have ever received much of my attention before I realized how important they truly are to me.  
• Those ideas were (in order): Theater Arts, Leadership, Education, Enrichment, Storytelling for outward influence (mission) rather than inward stardom (pride).

Please continue to pray for me, and my mouth.  That I might not speak/think of myself more highly than I ought (Romans 12).

Thank you for your support.

Training Camp Set

Designed. Executed. Programmed. Ready.

The new set and lighting design is ready for the new sermon series on spiritual disciplines.
Training Camp.

Click on these links to learn more about the series.

Blog

Behind The Scenes (play the video on the Journey Home page)

And the (first) result of the video shoot that we worked on last week has been edited and prepared for playback at tonight's service.

Week #1 - Why we train?

It is really exciting to be taking part in the creative mission of a church that edifies Christ and Him crucified. Thank you for supporting us, for caring for us.


Please keep us in your prayers as we continue to process God's plan for our lives.

Hope. Fully.

Adam