Worship with us this Sunday!! 10:30 a.m. in-person, on our ECC Worship page, or on YouTube. We hope to see you there!

Community Gatherings - Fall 2019

2019-8-19 | Pastor Jorden

A few years ago, we started a ministry on Wednesday nights here at ECC where we serve dinner and then have formation options for all ages. This ministry is called Community Gatherings. The reason we started Community Gatherings was exactly as the name suggests – we wanted to provide a place for our community to gather together over a meal and then continue in conversation in one of our classes. We have had a great time so far with our Community Gatherings and we are thrilled to start off this new season with great food and new classes! Starting on September 11, and most Wednesdays during the school year we gather in the Life Center Gym for dinner at 5:45 p.m. Following dinner, we transition to classes for all ages at 6:30 p.m. We have a fun Kids Club for our youngest congregants through grade four, we have a youth group for all of the youth in grades five through eight, and then we have four options for everyone in high school or older.


​Kids Club:

This fall, Kids Club at Community Gatherings will be exploring God’s Word in a new and exciting way! We’ll be using the workshop rotation model to take an in-depth look at four different Bible stories between now and Christmas. Our kids will begin in September by spending 4 weeks on the story of creation. From there, we will spend 4 weeks learning about Moses and how he led God’s people out of Egypt. Our next session will focus on the time that Moses and the Israelites spent in the wilderness. As we get close to Christmas, we’ll spend time learning about Jesus’ birth.


The advantage of this teaching style is that our children will spend four weeks in the same story, immersing themselves in different activities that will help them go deeper into God’s Word. Children will be divided into age-based groups, and these groups will learn Bible stories through art, drama, cooking, Lego building, games, and many other creative methods.

We invite children to join us this semester and sign up to be a part of this immersive Bible experience. Students in 4-year-old preschool through 4th grade are welcome to participate! If you’re an adult who has a specific gift or talent you’d like to use in teaching our children, we invite you to join us as well. There are opportunities for adults to be involved all semester or on a limited basis, spending 2-4 weeks teaching a Bible story through a method you are passionate about! To register a child or volunteer as an adult, please contact Kristin Mueller.


5th – 8th Grade:

Our Wednesday night youth group serves grades 5 through 8. We chose to have this group be 5th-8th grade to respond to the school corporations around us. Lafayette School Corporation offers middle school for grades 5 and 6 and junior high for 7 and 8, while Tippecanoe school corporation offers middle school for grades 6-8. It is our hope to serve both school corporations well, because we know that this can be a difficult age for many children. We hope that by coming together weekly we can support, encourage, and engage their faith. We hope that this faith development will better equip them for this time in your child’s life.


We will be covering 4 great topics this fall: friendship, hurts and pains, identity, and others. One of the best ways you can support your children in youth ministry is by letting Carol Smith, Youth Director, know a little bit about her/him and signing up for our monthly emails and emails for opportunities for you and your child to get involved and deadlines. Fill out this form to be added to the roster. Here are some important dates to be aware of for your 5th-8th grader:

  • October 17-21, 2019 - Detroit Mission trip (8th graders are invited with Parent/Guardian)
  • October 30, 2019 - Trunk or Treat (families are asked to decorate a car!)
  • February 7-9, 2020 - Winter Camp (7th-12th Grade)
  • February 21-23, 2020 - Winter Camp (5th-6th Grade) 

Deadlines will be approximately 6 weeks before camp Early registration will be rewarded this year! Watch for details!


High School and Adult:

We have selected four studies to walk through this fall. At ECC we seek to be a community that is Welcoming, Transforming, and Present in our Community. Each of these options help us grow in these areas of our lives. You are invited to choose one of these options and grow with us: 

  • Jesus Creed - Join Pastor Stacey for a study of Scot McKnight's contemporary classic, The Jesus Creed, where we will learn how to close the gap between the people we are right now and the people God created us to be.
  • Love Over Fear - Led by Pastor Jorden and Kim Littlefield, Love Over Fear is a compelling guide to conquering fear with love in an age of polarization. Hear stories of those who changed hearts and minds through radical love, learn how to practice disarming compassion, and discover the disruptive power of showing affection to monsters.
  • Financial Peace University - Join Pastor Kurt for Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University, which will help you take control of your money, plan for your future, and transform your life.
  • The Art of Marriage - Led by Mike and Kelly Wood, The Art of Marriage explores marriage the way God intended it to be. The class weaves together expert teaching, real-life stories, humorous vignettes, and more to portray both the challenges and the beauty of God’s design for marriage.


To sign up for one of these options click here. If you are interested in learning more please contact Pastor Jorden.

We hope you can join us this fall on Wednesday nights to gather in community.