We are people, with different tastes, lives, ideas, passions, etc... We wrestle with stuff just like you do, and we are attempting to live in authentic community in the midst of these struggles. To know us is to spend time with us. Th3 only way you can really understand who we are is to come and experience this community, but here is a general over view of who we see Th3 Waters is:
Th3 Waters is an Experimental United Methodist Network of Organic Gatherings--a unique movement of God within th3 United Methodist Church to form deep community with th3 people and families living in and around Northern Kentucky and the Greater Cincinnati area.
We say "experimental" because by it's very nature, Th3 Waters forges into uncharted territory in th3 current United Methodist Church. Th3 move toward small organic gatherings of people seeking after God, worshipping, and growing together in relationships is a seemingly new idea, yet our history reminds us that these small gathering of people is not a new idea for United Methodists. Early United Methodists just had a different name for these organic gatherings. We at Th3 Waters believe this movement is firmly and profoundly Wesleyan in tradition and theology. We still hold firmly to th3 cherished theology and beliefs that have been part of th3 United Methodist Church for generations.
We say "network" because our understanding of God's Kingdom describes a single organism: one body of many parts. Th3 larger picture of Th3 Waters mirrors this same view. Each Organic Gathering (OG) stays connected to one large network through a central hub - th3 online presence of Th3 Waters. By utilizing a website with a wealth of information, interconnected discussion blogs, and podcasts, we will see this organism flourish and Th3 Kingdom of God blooming.
We say "organic" as another way of describing a movement that is natural; similar to what is found in nature, similar to th3 way th3 news of Jesus was first spread. We desire for these gatherings of people to be natural in their formation and especially in their multiplying. Th3 Organic Gatherings (OGs) consist of people who naturally connect through work, friends, or family, and each gathering continues to grow through th3 invitation of new people.
We say "gathering" because we desire to endlessly promote authentic relationships within deep community. This describes th3 community's relationship as a whole, as well as, each person's relationship with God. Each gathering functions as an individual "church". We worship, share and care communally, as well as discuss th3 Bible for th3 purpose of life transformation. Each gathering also includes missional aspects within th3 local community, including collaboration with other gatherings in th3 network on mission projects (i.e. building a habitat house, visiting nursing homes, feeding th3 homeless).
All these elements combine into one unique vision of being that we trust God will use to shape and grow Th3 Kingdom.
We believe that we live in a world that is full of "busy". This busy has taken over our culture, work, families, and our very lives. Some people wear busy as a badge to show it off like a trophy. Some people wear busy as a chain around their feet desperately trying to survive in this world. Either way, "busy" dominates our lives in th3 western world.
Th3 way that most of us have dealt with this reality is to compartmentalize our lives into some form of sanity by creating space for different, manageable areas. We created separate time, money, and energy to deal with work, family, spirituality, and play-time, all with the purpose to try to make sense of the underlying "busy", which seems to be the stronghold and basis of our lives.
Th3 Waters is an attempt to de-compartmentalize, to reclaim a foundational wholeness to our lives. Through relationships with God and others in deep organic community, we aim to lay a foundation for purposeful living. In other words, we believe we can transform "busy" into "purpose". We believe that Christianity is a movement and that being a part of God’s Kingdom is an existence, that our "doing" comes from our "being"!
It seems that with each passing day, "busy" takes a stronger and stronger hold of our lives. And it not only affects our own lives, but th3 lives of all that we know: family, friends, co-workers. Our lives must transform "busy" into purpose before th3 weight becomes overwhelming.
We desire to bless others by being a blessing! We desire to live lives in deep community and authentic relationships all for the purpose of allowing our lives to be transformed into a blessing to bless the world!
Th3 Waters is part of the tribe named United Methodists. For the beliefs of the United Methodist Church in theology and practice please click the link below.
United Methodist TheologyTh3 Waters is sponsored by Florence United Methodist Church and the Kentucky Conference of the United Methodist Church. Th3 Waters was brought into existence by a covenant between Florence UMC and the KY Conference of the UMC in June of 2005. Th3 Waters is an experiment and has shifted and changed to be the people we believe God is calling us to be.
Looking for Th3 Harbor? [The connecting blog of Th3 Waters]