Photo Blog: Sojourn – 2009 In Pictures

Another year has come and gone, and you know what that means: it’s time to stroll down memory lane.  And thankfully, Sojourn has great photographers to help us do that.  Here, explore our recent past through the photography of Dan Canales, Chuck Heeke, Ryan Harvey and Michael Winters.  I’m in awe of these guys’ talents, and I’m grateful for the work they do to document the events of this family we call Sojourn:

A Sojourn band traveled to North Carolina to lead worship for “Advance ‘09″ a major conference with a really big backdrop screen.

And the next night they played a big worship event dubbed “Re:Sound 2009″ with bands from Mars Hill Church and Vintage21.

Sojourn hospitality at the merchandise table.

For Mothers’ Day, our Art ministry took free family photos for all who came.

And did the same for Fathers’ Day.

To what can we attribute Sojourn’s phenomenal growth?

Um, I can think of one explanation …

In preparation for the launch of our second campus, Sojourn participated in the SMABA 10th Annual St. Matthews Community Festival in Brown Park.

It was a good chance to meet some of our new neighbors in the St. Matthews neighborhood.

And, of course, to play.

Southeast Christian Church let us use their brand new, state-of-the-art facility “The Block” so we could conduct our Over The Grave CD release party in a building big enough to hold everyone.

And still, it quickly became “standing room only.”

What better way to spend a Friday night …

Than to sing God’s praises together, and to celebrate the gift of creativity He has lavished on our community.

Hundreds of Sojourners and Louisvillians picked up copies of Over The Grave. We even had attendees from Ohio, Tennessee, North Carolina and other parts of the country.

Remember the “Our Town” cookout and gallery exhibit, hosted by The 930 Art Center, our Germantown campus (and also, as the name implies, a killer art gallery)?

Many Germantown residents came to explore the multi-faceted exhibit, dedicated to this part of Old Louisville.

It’s always a joy to serve our community.

Taking it to the East! As the summer closed, we launched our East Louisville site. This public launch followed months of preparation by our core team.

And it bore immediate fruit.

We were tight for space from Day One.

But always ready to welcome more.

Pastor Daniel taught the first of his “marathon Sundays” that day — here at the East campus, as well as the four services in Germantown.

In August Sojourn welcomed author Paul David Tripp (Relationships: A Mess Worth Making, Broken Down House).

He taught the main sessions of our biblical counseling conference: “The Gospel, Counseling & The Church.”

Pastor Daniel addressed the Christians who came from well over 20 states to learn about gospel-driven counseling.

Pastors from several well-respected, gospel-centered churches taught breakout sessions during this two-day conference.

Sojourn Counseling Pastor Robert Cheong, who was both the brains and workhorse of this conference, led a track on marriage.

Seed Director Nathan Ivey, who has since become a pastor at Sojourn, led a track on Mercy.

What better way to say, “Welcome to the 2009 Sojourn Fall Festival” than with balloons …

and bluegrass music?

Over 300 Sojourners served, at all levels, during the Fall Festival.

This was supposed to be the Strong “Man” Competition. But hey, you go, sister.

What kid doesn’t love a petting zoo?

Or firetruck?

But personally, I prefer burgers and dogs.

Adios, Fall Festival. See you in 2010 — Sojourn’s 10th Anniversary!

By November, Sojourn East had outgrown its original facility, so we moved into a spacious building that had been designed specifically for corporate worship.

The building’s stained glass windows are inspiring.

Pastor Daniel brought the Word, and a Sojourn international ministry partner helped him introduce communion.

We enjoyed a packed house for that launch service. Sojourn East continues to grow…

… and bond.

Near the close of the year, Sojourn showed hospitality to church planters, pastors and ministry leaders from all over the U.S. and several foreign countries.

Over 400 of them, at the last Acts 29 Network Boot Camp of 2009, dubbed “Ambition.”

Lead Pastor Daniel Montgomery welcomed everyone. Here, he prays for Lifeway Research President Ed Stetzer just prior to Dr. Stetzer’s presentation. Dr. Stetzer is a personal mentor of Pastor Daniel.

The Sojourn band led worship. Here, they look on while Acts 29 Director Scott Thomas addresses the church planters in attendance.

But Ambition wasn’t only for church planters. Here, Jani Ortlund speaks at the Wives’ track breakout session.

We were pleased to host author Steve Timmis (Total Church) at Ambition. Timmis is the Acts 29 Director for Western Europe.

Pastor Mike Cosper hosted a worship track. With Pastor Mike on this panel: Indelible Grace leader Kevin Twit, Sojourn’s Neil Robins, Mars Hill Worship Pastor Tim Smith and Southern Seminary Professor Chip Stam, who is also Director of the SBTS Institute for Christian Worship.

Matt Chandler, Pastor of The Village Church, brought the Word of God as the conference closed.

At the last Members’ Meeting of 2009, we affirmed and installed a group of new elders who had been in the elder process for a year. These men are helping lead our church forward into 2010.

On this night, the current elders prayed over their new co-elders.

In December, Keith and Kristen Getty (”In Christ Alone,” “O Church, Arise”) brought their traveling band to The 930 Art Center for one Sunday evening to lead us in worship.

Of course, nothing is more important than salvation, and no events are bigger than our Baptism Sundays.

One of the great things about baptisms in the Sojourn community is that we get to hear the new believer’s story of salvation, read by a friend.

December surprise! The elders announced their hope of buying a beautiful old church building to become the new worship gathering space for the Germantown/Shelby Park campus.

They invited Sojourners to tour the facility, at the corner of Oak and Shelby, for themselves. Many Sojourners did just that.

And took pictures.

We certainly have a lot to talk about, a lot to pray about, and a lot to do.

Buildings, conferences, celebrations, worship CDs, community events … it all comes down to this: “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit …”

One year gone; another about to begin.  Welcome to Sojourn …