Set up.... Tear down.
Set up....... Tear down!
Ughhhh, set up.... Tear down!!
SET IT UP AND FLIPPIN' TEAR IT DOWN.
It's been 21 months now since we so ambitiously yet unpreparedly embarked upon the Set-Up and Tear-Down adventure. Or, as it is more affectionately known, Celebration Church. In the past 21 months, we've set up and tore down our beautiful yet entirely mobile Sunday Experience set over 90 times - not including outreaches, weekend retreats, church dinners, or special services. Nearing a two year existence, CC has been proud to call - one University Theatre, two hotel meeting rooms, two country clubs, a restaurant dining room, one very small office complex, a realtor's office, a friendly neighboring church, and at least two starbuck's lobbies - our "home", bringing the grand total to a whopping eleven different meeting places! Not to mention the dozens of homes we have and are currently utilizing.
That's a flippin' lot of places.... I think it 's like a record or something... I'll look that up one day.
Anyways, in that "one very small office complex" mentioned above, we've numbered a total of 18 working human beings. To be exact, the complex is technically equipped with four "office" spaces. A utility closet has been converted into a working area, so on any given day each office is effectively utilized by 2-4 people, the two back rooms being used collectively from children's connect groups, prayer connect groups, storage, kid's practices, staff meetings, Growth Tracks, worship practices, and practically anything else you could possibly imagine a church doing. It gets pretty cozy.
Now, you might have finished reading all that thinking that I am the biggest complainer in the world... On the contrary... I've recently been reflecting over the last almost two years, realizing how extremely blessed we are as a church. And even more so, how incredibly blessed I am to be a part of the amazing thing God is doing through us as a church. It's made me so very thankful for the faithful team of people that get to LSUS at 8AM sharp every Sunday morning to make sure we have sound, lights, and video that day. It's made me thankful for the team of ladies that makes sure the not-so-fresh LSUS bathrooms are stocked with soaps, lotions and balloons. It makes me thankful for the parking lot team, faithfully driving a golf cart in the pouring rain or unbearable heat, to make people's walk to church a little more bearable. Without all these people, and the dozens and dozens more i haven't mentioned, Celebration Church could not happen every Sunday. "So in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." -Romans 12:5. No matter how long it takes for us to get a building, Celebration Church will continue to grow and thrive because of the amazing people God has so graciously given to it, and will continue to send.
I am simply in awe that He called me to be one of those people.
