Next month marks 10 years for River Valley Community Church. WOW. Ten years....sounds like a looonnngggg time in some respects; in a lot of ways it is not really that long.
For instance...the fact that I was ONLY 32 years old back in the summer of '97...well, that was sweet.
But...as a churches go...ten years is nothing---compared with some congregations that have been meeting continuously for SEVERAL HUNDRED years!
As a spiritual community it seems like we are, in a lot of ways, just learning to "walk". Just beginning to hit our stride, spread our wings, get our bearings...(ok, enough cliches)
So...on Sunday mornings this month...we'll discuss the kind of church we MEANT (intended) to be. Is that the same church we have become so far? Well, Yes and No. Just like my 17 year old Senior son mostly resembles that seven year old boy that headed off to second grade in the Fall of 1997, River Valley has grown up in ways we anticipated and recognize...with a few strange twists and turns along the way that we never saw coming for sure.
How about you?
If you are a part of the RVCC family now....Who were you/Where were you/and what were you doing in September of 1997?
What changes have marked your life these past ten years?
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September of 1997
people knew me as jen rodgers. i was in my senior year of college at the university of rio grande. i had not met eli yet. i became a christian at an early age but due to some life decisions i was just getting started on my journey with christ. i was involved with a ministry on campus called s.e.a.r.c.h and i managed a coffee house on campus.
changes that have marked my life these past ten years would be:
meeting & marrying eli
having two children
teaching and subing experiences
working with teenagers
searching for a church
illness
deathes
I was Coaching Varsity Soccer at Zane Trace. I was patiently awaiting the birth of my first child, Maddie. Jen and I were building a new house. I was spending every waking moment; that was not being used for Soccer; painting walls, painting woodwork, planting trees, sowing grass seed, and anything else required for a new house and new baby.
I was hiding out in the last row of Kingston United Methodist Church. Doing my time. Not trying to make waves. Impacting nothing in this world. I was not a Christian, even though I believed I was. I was messed up and did not even know it. I did not like church, even though I felt better after going. We had a new pastor that was teaching me these new things, new ideas, and he wanted a DRUM KIT and GUITARS ON THE PLATFORM! Was this man CRAZY? LOL! Steve North messed me up and saved my life at the same time. He will never know how much he impacted me those 3 or 4 years.
Milestones over the last 10 years....
Maddie and Caroline were born( great job Jen!).
Changed Careers
Met Jesus
watched Mark McGuire hit 71 homeruns
traveled to San Francisco, Seattle, Dallas, Austin, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, Santa Monica, Nashville, Las Vegas and Augusta and many others less notable places.
developed a piece of software
gave up coaching
learned to play the guitar
witnessed 911
met Jesus
became a youth leader(i think my 11 years of coaching soccer was more like youth ministry than i ever thought it would be)
caught a foul ball at Reds game
met Jesus
went on a mission trip
sent my wife to a foreign mission trip (so proud of her!)
built a house
sold a house
bought a house
met Rob Bell
met Todd Agnew in a bathroom
explained the Gospel to someone
opened up for Sanctus Real
jen met Jesus
Maddie met Jesus
prayed with my Grandma
buried my Pap and Grandma
MacWorld Keynote with Steve Jobs
met Jesus
Grand Canyon with Jen
skiing in Utah with my favorite Mormans
watched Maddie help lead worship
watched Caroline in church musical
met Jesus (so big I had to mention it a few times)
planted a Saturday Night Church Service
help plant a Vineyard Church
found RVCC..not that is was lost or hiding
Ten years ago. Seems like forever, but as I look back, it wasn't really that long ago at all.
Ten years ago this summer, I was working as a classified sales representative at the Chillicothe Gazette. But in September of '97, I was actually on maternity leave because I would have just delivered Taryn in August. So she's kind of growing up with the church!
At that time, I was not attending church at all. I considered myself a Christian, but I was questioning everything and everyone. I was missing something, but didn't know what was actually missing.
Since that time, many major changes have taken place in my life including job changes, deaths, divorces (including the shocker of them all - my own!).
September 11, 2001, had a profound effect on me. I overheard someone at work say that people are going to need to get their lives right with God. I needed to hear that. I had a lot to work out with Him. Or so I thought. It's more like He had a lot to work out with me! I'm a continual work in progress. Some days I don't want to cooperate. But I eventually come around to seeing things His way.
I just thought I'd let you know I really really enjoyed Sunday's service! Preach it! lol!
Wow in 1997...
I was in 8th grade
I was worried that I would lose my boyfriend to some other girl
Then I lost him
Then I got a new one
Yeah not to many worries in 8th grade....now...
Now I am married to Brian
Now I am further along my path with Jesus
Now I attend RVCC
Now I have a degree
Now I have a job
Now I am helping with Neo Nursery
Now I have lost my mother and all my grandparents
Now I am helping with teenagers
Now I am taking care of my father
Now I am an aunt of Connor and Sydney
Now I am 23 years old!
Wow...going back in time to September 1997
I had just graduated high school. I had just lost my earthly father. I had just begun college. I thought I knew it all. I thought I had all the answers.
At this point a lot has changed. I am married to a wonderful man, Matt Snodgrass. I have two outstanding children, Brayden and Kyleigh. I have established a home. I have a college degree. I am an accountant. I have found the best church of all...RVCC!!!! I am beginning on my path to be more like Jesus Christ. I realize I don't know it all, in fact, I know very little considering. I don't have all the answers. I have surrendered my life, which used to be my production, to Jesus. God has a plan for me. I am excited about that!
10 years ago i was very afraid to start a new church in my hometown. it would have been easier for me to be a missionary in africa. but God had different plans for me.
i met a west virginia boy who loved bob dylan and bruce springsteen and played his music incredibly loud in his dorm room. God caused steve and i to collide.
10 years ago i had so many doubts - but today i completely believe that all the sacrifice has been worth it. You can't outgive God.
10 years ago.. 9 years old. wow.
wasn't aware of much. faking a lot of things. hated my parents.
incredibly intriqued that my crazy cousins were starting a church--at my school! but i came anyway because there were bagels. fell in love with it.
now, here i am ten years later not wanting to go away to college because i don't want to leave it, haha.
this just makes me wonder where i will be in ten years. i think i'll blog about that :)
We were in Frankfort, KY at the time. Jose was in nursing school and I was at the University. We moved to Waverly the summer of 1998 and were looking for a church to attend (this is what I thought it was about, attending). Some women in my Jazzercise class told me about a Church that met at the Elementary School. This triggered immmediate suspicion, Churches that meet in schools = weird. Saw an advertizement for a concert event. Not sure if it was Big Wednesday or not. Went, liked it. Started attending. Started teaching 4th grade. Mason G. and Trent P. were two of my first students. Have continued to grow since them. It's truely a place where I feel free to come as I am and grow spiritually with others.
10 years ago, oh my, Chelsea was starting high school, the twins were starting Jr. High, I was running a business out of a one bay garage, I was buried deep in a fraternal organization and negleting my family. My wife was the rock of our relationship. She is my true best friend and I love her more today than ever. My relationship with God was pathetic, but He was still persuing me. Thank goodness for grace. We were devestated by the relocation of our pastor, searching for a church family. As a result, God's plan of course, we are still at BUMC and growing closer to God than ever imagined.
September 1997
I was getting ready to start my senior year of high school. I remember sitting in the gym that first service and being so excited to see drums and a guitar on stage! I was also nervous about leaving my old church but felt it was where I needed to be.
September 2007
Now, I'm still around, married to Chris, have 3 beautiful children, work at Adena, help with the preschool and high school ministries, loving Jesus and growing closer to Him!
where to start...holly and i were there that first sunday. as time went on we knew we had to get bill there. he finally came on the friday (i think it was a friday) before Easter to hear the music. bill was hooked. i knew he would be. he loved music. eventually he renewed his relationship with Christ. he attended all services that steve gave! said he needed a double dose. during this time God healed my marriage, gave me two grand babies, I finished my degree, lost my boss to rvcc (steve you were great), made many wonderful connections at rvcc, made friendships that I hope last forever, holly got married, bill died, i am on my own for the first time ever...i went from living with my parents to being married (over 30 years ago), sometimes i'm scared, sometimes i'm ok. my mom died. i spend more time with my dad then i have since i was a child. it's nice. he's great and now we have alot in common. dad's eighty, i'll be fifty, wow. through the last 10 years God has been there. showing me and growing me so that i am who i am today. when i look back i am able to see God's work in my life. some of it i am able to be sure why and some of it i won't know until i get to heaven. bill knows all the answers now. him, my mom, louie...thanks God, thanks rvcc, here's to another ten years...can't wait to see what's in store!
Sept. 1997. I was a confused, odd, desperate, dreaming 16 year old kid. I had zero religion. Well maybe I had religion because i despised it. I lived with my dad, his best friend and my best friend. We had been kicked out of his girl friends house and had zero place to go...so we stayed in a hotel and Frank (my dads bf) invited us to stay with him. It was one of the best years of my life.
Changes that marked my life these past ten years.
Going to College.
Reading Leo Tolstoy
Reading the Bible
Meeting Steve Good, Jay Miller, Whizz, Julie Evans and all the other people during my early time at river valley.
My wife and her family.
My Aunt Lisa and Uncle Ted taking me to river valley even when i was reluctant
going to graduate school
Hey Steve,
Julie Pekela told me that your blog is getting stale. Don't shoot the messenger!
Steve please blog we all miss you!
So, I'm about a half a year behind everyone else but I couldn't resist when I read all the other River Valley stories.
10 (and a half) years ago, I was a wee lass of 7 years living in Marysville, Michigan. We moved to Waverly in '98; in the fall I began attending Waverly West Elementary where I was introduced a cast of characters that still play a big role in my life today.
I'm not sure when Mom and I started going to River Valley. I know I got hooked one Sunday when the Lefflers took me there after a sleepover. What I remember most about those years are the Pod and bagels in the hallway. There's still a bag of bagels in the youth room on Sunday mornings, but I come for different reasons now!
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