Spark | [H2O] Fall Update 2024!

Kyle Barta Kyle Barta

Lindsey and I with Tyreek and Divine at the LT Closing Ceremonies! LT was so encouraging and I know that each of them (and the 20+ other students that were there) were deeply impacted! Year 3 has begu

Tom Hogsed

Lindsey and I with Tyreek and Divine at the LT Closing Ceremonies! LT was so encouraging and I know that each of them (and the 20+ other students that were there) were deeply impacted!

Year 3 has begun!

Hello! Now that we are through our big push at the beginning of the Fall Semester, I wanted to update you on how things are going at H2O Buffalo.

In August, we moved back home to Buffalo as we closed out LT. From there, we had about 2 weeks to finish up any last minute preparations for all of the different ways we'd be meeting people on campus during Welcome Week.

This year has been so encouraging so far. It's hard to put into words.
So, here are some quick, encouraging notes:

We are running roughly double the amount of people on Sundays and during Life Group that we had last year! (~70 on Sundays, 50 at Life Group)
Many of our students/members have taken more responsibility in the church as a result of the need!
Students are starting to have deep community outside of our 'official' events!
We have around 10 new students going through our discipleship program this semester (The Well)!
32 Students joined us for our Fall Getaway retreat! One student from UB gave her life to Christ at the retreat!

On that last note, we were having our last session of the retreat and some people were being baptized. She came up to me, tears in her eyes, and asked if she could be baptized. And so I started to ask some questions to make sure we were on the same page. And she shared a little bit about how she wasn't really close to God this summer but now she's making Him a priority. I asked "Okay so when did you give your life to Christ?" She said, "Just now, I think."

Below is a picture of her baptism.

Overall, I just have this feeling that God is moving in our church and that it is totally outside of my control. I love that. Students are studying the Bible together, having conversations about Jesus in their free time, meeting up with newer students, sharing the gospel with new people.

I had the pleasure of baptizing Chelsea just after she gave her life to Christ at Fall Getaway!

Some of our people at Campus Fest! Campus Fest is an event where all of the organizations on campus set up information tables and try to make connections with new students!

Our first Sunday Service of the year was packed! Tons of new people coming around, hearing the gospel, and growing in their walk with Jesus.

H2O Buffalo people at Fall Getaway!

Settling In

In the Fall, it really feels like once we are on the other end of Fall Getaway, we can really begin to settle into more regular rhythms. Personally, I thrive on more structure so this is something that excites me.

I'm excited for the discipleship relationships I have with Divine, Nick, Nathaniel, Brendan, Marvin, and Tyreek. All men that I know are seeking to know God more and more and love Him more and more. Brendan is someone that has just recently (this semester) started to follow Jesus. He was also someone that I was sharing the gospel with last year that seemed relatively disinterested. And so it's exciting to see all of the change in his life.

Nathaniel, who I've talked about before, is growing like a weed. He's started a Bible Study with some other guys in our church on Tuesdays. He's intentionally NOT sitting by his friends on Sunday so that he can meet newer people and make connections with them. He's pursuing newer people that are coming to our church, sharing the gospel with them if they don't know it.

You can find a hilarious picture of him watching football at my house below.

In all of this, I'm excited about the regular rhythms of ministry and church that we get to experience for the remainder of this semester. And I'm excited about many people (both the spiritually curious and the followers of Christ) that are finding a home in H2O.

Thank you so much for supporting this work!

In Christ,
Kyle & Lindsey

Nathaniel is a seahawks fan and he was stressing about the game a few weeks ago! 😂

PRAYER REQUESTS:

Prayers for Student Members! That they would be intentional in their pursuit of God, and in their sharing of the gospel with their lost friends.
Prayers for The Well discipleship program. That God would use it to make great disciples of Him!
Prayers for a familial community, that our church would continue to grow in being like a true family of believers.

Click here to Support us Financially! (Or Adjust your current support!)

Kyle Barta - H2O Buffalo

196 Koenig Rd.

Tonawanda, NY 14150

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