Get a Life (Group, that is)!

Props to everyone involved in the September launch of the new Life Group in Leander. Great job! Calvary Austin is all about changing lives. A huge part of the Life-Change Process at Calvary is joining a Life Group. Life Groups are where we experience community as part of a growing, multi-site church. In October, we'll launch a Life Group in Central Austin. That will make seven Life Groups meeting in six Austin-area cities on three different days of the week. If you haven't visited a Life Group yet, come see what you're missing!

Allen

Continuum - Pt. 2

Yesterday I answered the question: "What happened to Calvary Continuum on KIXL?"

Today I'd like to answer another question: "So how can Continuum listeners continue to access the relevant Bible teaching they've enjoyed on Christian radio?"

On the radio: For the time being, Calvary Continuum can be heard weekdays at 9:30 a.m. on 1010 KBW. Not sure how long this will be the case as it's at the station's discretion.

On the Internet: Calvary Continuum can also be heard weekdays at 11:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. BST on Calvary Chapel Radio Sky Digital 906.

In addition to the Continuum, you can listen to unedited messages recorded live at Calvary Austin.

On the Internet: Hundreds of messages are archived on our website.

Podcasting: NEW! Podcasts of our current message series are now available.

What happened to the Continuum?

"What happened to Calvary Continuum on KIXL?"

Good question.

Calvary Continuum is our 30-minute on-the-air blast of relevant Bible teaching heard throughout Central Texas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Western Europe. The Continuum has been part of the KIXL program schedule for more than ten years.

Two things have converged leading us in a different direction in Central Texas.

The first thing? For several months, God has been leading us to reallocate resources to focus more on reaching unreached people in the Austin metro. It is thought that only 15 percent of Austinites attend church even once a month. Rather than focusing on the fraction of those who listen to Christian radio, our desire is to produce provocative 60-second spots that can be aired on popular Austin-area radio stations. We want to connect with the 85 percent.

And the second thing? It's now our understanding that KIXL is going to be making major changes and that Calvary Continuum would likely not have been part of their programming.

So how can Continuum listeners continue to access the relevant Bible teaching they've enjoyed on Christian radio? I'll answer that question in tomorrow's blog.

Cedar Park is on!

Our Saturday worship gathering in Cedar Park is on! To repeat: we are on at 5 p.m. Saturday at Cox Elementary School in Cedar Park. In light of the life-and-death drama unfolding yet again along the Gulf Coast, we're going to break from our current message-series. Instead I will share a message entitled Strength for the Storm.

We had to cancel our Saturday gathering in Round Rock because, though Ridgeview Middle School is not being used for evacuees, all Round Rock ISD employees are being deployed at schools that are. If you attended last week in Round Rock, please join us at 5 p.m. Saturday in Cedar Park or Sunday in Austin at 9:30 or 11:30 a.m. Our Round Rock gathering will resume next week on Saturday, October 1.

Hurricane Rita

Hurricane Rita is expected to make landfall early Saturday along the Texas coast. Like most Central Texans, I have family members trying to get out of Houston and others planning to take their chances and stay. Like most, I bought bottled water, non-perishable food, and batteries. Like everyone else, I'm praying that God would avert this catastrophe in the making.

When we launched Saturday worship gatherings in Cedar Park and Round Rock last week, we never could have imagined the need to cancel them a week later. In Round Rock, though Ridgeview Middle School is not being used for evacuees, all Round Rock ISD employees are being deployed at schools that are. So understandably we won't have access to Ridgeview Saturday. We've decided to go ahead and cancel the Cedar Park gathering as well. These gatherings will resume next week on Saturday, October 1.

If you attended last week on Saturday in Cedar Park or Round Rock, please join us Sunday in Austin at 9:30 or 11:30 a.m. for what is sure to be a very special gathering. Please check back for the latest updates in the event that there are further schedule changes to report. Be safe and may God watch over you.

Convergence

When two things come together, we say that they converge. For example we say, "The lines converge at this point." Or, "The crowd converged on the movie star." But what happens when eternity meets time? When Heaven meets Earth? When God meets man? Now that's what I call convergence! And that's the name of our new message-series, Convergence, a verse-by-verse study of The Gospel According to Mark.

Convergence isn't just something that happened 2,000 years ago when God became a Man and died on a cross for our sins. Convergence is something that happens every time we come together with God to worship Him and seek His will for our lives. Don't miss it this weekend as we kick off this life-changing series. Calvary Austin meets in multiple gatherings at different locations in the Austin area. Please join us this evening or tomorrow morning at a time and place convenient for you!

Countdown to change: 4 - 3 - 2 - 1

ONE more day before we offer four worship gatherings at three locations over two days . . . all ONE church. What day are you planning attend? Saturday or Sunday? Which location? Cedar Park, Round Rock, 0r Austin? Which gathering? The first, second, third, or fourth? Change is possible!

Countdown to change: 4 - 3 - 2 . . .

TWO days until Calvary Austin gathers over TWO days. Can't make it on Sunday? No problem! Got two worship gatherings on Saturday. Can't make it on Saturday? No problem! Got two worship gatherings on Sunday.

Countdown to change: 4 - 3 . . .

THREE days until Calvary Austin gathers at THREE locations. Can't make it to Austin? No problem! Got a gathering in Cedar Park. Can't make it to Cedar Park? No problem. Got a gathering in Round Rock. Can't make it to Cedar Park or Round Rock? No problem. Got two gatherings in Austin.

Countdown to change: 4 . . .

FOUR days until Calvary Austin has FOUR weekend worship gatherings. Can't make it to the first gathering? No problem! Got a second. Can't make it to the first or second gatherings? No problem! Got a third. Can't make it to the first, second, or third gatherings? No problem! Got a fourth.

Katrina relief

Several thousand Katrina evacuees are arriving in Austin over the weekend. Calvary Austin plans to respond to the crisis in the following ways:

1. By providing financial relief. In our services today, people are being given the opportunity to contribute to the relief effort.

2. By providing assistance to displaced family members of Calvary Austin members. Following our services today, people are being asked to complete an Assistance Form at the Events Center so we can follow up with them.

3. By partnering with other local churches and organizations. If we raise more than we need to provide assistance to displaced family members of Calvary Austin members, we will partner with other local churches and organizations who are doing the same.

4. By making Calvary Austin members aware of opportunities to volunteer. Volunteers are being asked to call either the Red Cross at 1-800-HELP-NOW or the Salvation Army at 1-800-SAL-ARMY.

5. By making Calvary Austin members aware of opportunities to donate. Capital Area Food Bank has established drop-off centers at HEB locations for food donations. A Contribution Center has been established at the Freescale Campus (formerly Motorola) at 3501 Ed Bluestein Bl. for cots, air mattresses, sleeping bags, sheets, blankets, towels, and wash cloths.

This week is First Wednesday at Calvary Austin. First Wednesday is an interactive worship gathering held the first Wednesday of each month. Join us this Wednesday, September 7, as we pray for the victims of this disaster.

Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Katrina brought death and devastation to four states this week. Eighty percent of New Orleans is under water, up to 20 feet deep in places. Thousands are likely dead making Katrina the deadliest natural disaster in the U.S. in a century. Thousands of evacuees are pouring into Texas and some of those into the Austin area.

We want you to know what Calvary Austin is doing in response to this tragedy, and also what you can do to help:

• Starting this Sunday, September 4, we will begin raising money to help families dislocated by the disaster. If you wish to give, please write KATRINA on the memo line of your check, and place it in the offering Sunday.
  
  
• Starting this Sunday, we will begin identifying families in our church with loved ones needing to relocate to the Austin area. If this applies to you, please go the Events Center in the lobby before or after services this weekend to complete an assistance form.
  
  
• In the weeks ahead, we will develop a strategy to distribute the funds we raise to help loved ones of families in our church as they relocate to the Austin area. Should we have additional funds, we will partner with other Austin-area churches to meet similar needs.
  

Visit our web page for updates and information about other opportunities to get involved as my may arise.

In Him,

Allen Rigg