The Orchard Blog

Hey everyone!  Happy Saturday!  I’m sitting here in my office watching the sun TRYING to come out this afternoon.  It would be nice, wouldn’t it?

Wanted to remind everyone that tomorrow is an important day at The Orchard!  We are in week 2 of our 2007 Vision initiative called “Makin’ Noise”.  If you missed last weekend and are scratching your head right now wondering what I’m talking about, be sure to check out our Makin’ Noise page here.

Hope you’re having a great weekend.  Can’t wait to gather tomorrow!

Posted by Scott Hodge 

Here’s the video we showed Sunday morning (3/25) highlighting some of the great things God has done in and through The Orchard in 2006.

Posted by Mike Jones

I’m so tired I can hardly type, so I’ll save the details for later…  But let me just say WOW.  What an INCREDIBLE day at The Orchard!  As most of you know, today we launched a new 12 month vision initiative called, “Makin’ Noise.”  I’ll share more later, but man, oh man, oh man….  I don’t think I have ever felt more energy, excitement and momentum at an Orchard weekend than I did today.  Wow…

G’nite.

Posted by Scott Hodge 

Makin’ Noise 2007– Sunday 03.25.07

Setlist:
Awesome Is The Lord Most High – Chris Tomlin
Let The Praises Ring – Lincoln Brewster
Only You – David Crowder Band
The Noise we Make – Passion Band

2006 was a great year for the Orchard. As we step forward into 2007, let’s hear what God is saying and let’s make some noise!

We introduced our 2007 Vision initiatives for the next 12 months today.
It was an exciting day!
Bet you never thought you’d see us do some stomp style worship until today!

Posted by Mike Jones

My friend and Canadian blogger, Jason Boucher, has a GREAT post on tolerance.

A few snippets:

Since when did merely “tolerating” the particular existence/opinions/behaviour that you do not necessarily agree with become a good thing? A thing that shows how evolved we are as a culture?

One thing is true, Jesus wasn’t tolerant.

He didn’t invite you and I to “tolerate our enemies.”

Doesn’t tolerance give off the sound of a hollow clanging symbol, or the annoyance of a mis-placed gong?

Read the entire post here.

Posted by Scott Hodge

Stuff-N-Bucks: Mission– Sunday 03.18.07

Setlist:
Salvation Is Here – Hillsong United
Awesome Is The Lord Most High – Chris Tomlin
How Great Is Our God – Chris Tomlin
Sing To The King- Candi Pearson

I definitely missed being at the Orchard this last weekend! Sounds like it was powerful!

Posted by Mike Jones

Buying another new Easter outfit this year for you or your children? Here is some history of where that tradition came from:

In early Christian times, Easter was the season for baptisms, and converts wore brand new white robes to symbolize their new lives as Christians.

As you are shopping for new a outfit, let it remind you of the “new life” that you have in Christ!

Posted by Kathryn Egly

“In those times when we yearn to have more in our lives, we should dwell on the things we already have. In doing so, we will often find that our lives are already full to overflowing.”

I just finished reading, The Ultimate Gift, by Jim Stovall. It’s an good book about a wealthy, ungrateful young man who learns what’s REALLY important in life — things like family, laughter, gratitude, and love. I would recommend this book for older elementary and high school students.

The movie version of the book is now in theaters and pluggedinonline.com gives it a 4.5 out of 5 for family friendliness!

Posted by Kathryn Egly

Wow!  What a beautiful day!  I hope you get a chance to sneak out of your office, home or wherever to enjoy it a little bit!

In a couple of hours I will be heading to the airport with my friend Chris Bell, pastor of Northstar Church in Plainfield and The Orchard’s guitar “dude” – Ken Krienitz.  We are heading to South Carolina for a one day “mini” conference at a great church pastored by my friend Perry Noble and their team.  Check out their church website here.  God is doing some HUGE things at NewSpring Church!

We will also be hooking up with The Orchard’s creative art director – Mike Jones who is in South Carolina on vacation with his family right now.

Should be a great time!  Wish I could take ALL OF YOU with me!  (BTW – I betcha I’ll find me some good biscuits and gravy out there!!)

See you this weekend!

Posted by Scott Hodge

It’s our new series launching Easter weekend at The Orchard.

This is the front of the marketing piece that will be hitting 25,000 mailboxes sometime between now and Easter weekend.  This year we are doing four weekend gatherings (Sat. 4:30pm & 7pm; Sun. 9am & 10:45am) with a HUGE Easter egg drop (via a helicopter!) on Saturday at 6pm.  Can’t wait!

Now I just have to find something to confess.  Might be hard…

Not.

And oh yeah!  Special thanks to a couple of authors (Craig & Mark) for the inspiration behind the title.

Thanks too to my friends, Kenny Eicher and the blogless Dan Andersen, for the collaboration and great job on the photo/design.