Greetings to all Catalyst members and supporters,

My name is Jason Haymaker. I am the lead pastor of Western Reserve Grace Church, www.westernreservegc.com in Macedonia, Ohio. If you attended the meeting this past Monday…I enjoyed meeting you!

Let me first express my appreciation for Jonathan, his wife Amber, and son Josiah. The Herrons have labored and sacrificed over the past four years to build a vibrant, relevant church that is committed to Jesus, one another, and reaching the world for Jesus Christ. It is our church’s honor to come alongside to serve and help during this time of transition. In addition, I have been impressed with Josh and Jen Allen who have served as the worship leader(s) at Catalyst. The sincerity that I see has been an encouragement to me and represents the hope that the vision and dream of reaching the Kent/Stow area is alive and well.

As a church, we wholeheartedly embrace the vision to reach greater Akron for Jesus Christ, and dream with the people of Catalyst to have a vibrant church that is working towards that end. So, it is with hope and dedication that we seek to re-launch this church as a campus of Western Reserve on Easter of 2010.

Additionally, we invite EVERYONE to worship with us at Western Reserve this Saturday at 5:30pm. I would love to meet you and hear first hand your heart for the Kent area. My wife Marcie and I also invite you and your family to stay after the service for food and fellowship in our cafe´. This will be an informal time to meet the staff of Western Reserve, and help us get to know you. If you could respond to Marcie at Haymakers@windstream.net to let her know you are coming, it would be GREATLY appreciated.

We are also committed to helping the Herron and Allen families transition smoothly. We have committed to return ALL offerings designated to Catalyst to Jonathan and Josh. I strongly urge you to help the leaders of Catalyst. This will communicate our love for them, and show our appreciation for their labor in the work of preaching the gospel. Western Reserve is not able to carry the full salaries, but will return our monthly support during this time, joining with you in our commitment to see them transition smoothly.

To ensure proper administration of funds, please make checks payable to Western Reserve Grace Church and write in the memo line Catalyst Support. The monies received will be distributed in accordance with their current salaries. Another option for you is to give directly to Catalyst via our website. Click on “giving”, set up an account and select Catalyst to make your donation.

Thanks for your help. We MUST pull together and help these families. They have opened their hearts to us and it is our privilege to now minister to them!

Blessings to all! May God continue His work in and through us!

—
Jason Haymaker
Lead Pastor
Western Reserve Grace Church
p: 330.467.7436
e: connect@westernreservegc.com
www.westernreservegc.com

EASTER 2010

The long-term plan is to launch our renewed campus in Stow/Kent on Easter 2010 with strong financial backing coupled with a renewed core team. The vision of reaching the unchurched has not changed and the passion for impacting Ohio young adults continues! Get more info from our founding pastor here.

SATURDAY NIGHTS

During this season of rest and recalibration, the community of Catalyst is gathering every Saturday night at Western Reserve Grace Church at 5:30pm. Featuring the Chik-fil-a Cafe opening at 5pm, engaging kids’ environments, and a relaxed atmosphere, Saturday nights will never be the same!

BIG favor to ask of everyone who calls Catalyst home:

This Sunday at 10:30am, please plan on joining us at the Regal Cinemas for an important worship experience where we will talk about our future and our plans for now through Easter 2010.

Then, please plan on joining us this coming Monday at 7pm at the Catalyst Offices in downtown Kent.  We’ll be having a family meeting where we’ll flesh out our long-term plans, have time to ask questions, etc.  Complete child-care will be provided – - we really, really need 100% turnout on Monday night – it’s that important.

Thanks everyone for your flexibility with your schedules, your passion for God, and your hearts for making a difference in north-east Ohio for Christ!

This Sunday (April 5th, Palm Sunday) and next (April 12th, Easter) will usher in special, engaging teaching at Catalyst KIDS!

DANG!

If you missed worship at Catalyst this morning, you missed a tremendous worship set!

The band absolutely tore it up introducing a new Lee McDerment song, We Stand.  With all the tricky guitar riffs and drum shots, people were spontaneously applauding at the end!  It’ll most likely be in heavy rotation at Catalyst this Easter season.

Brian Otte, the very first lead worshiper for Catalyst from back in the living room days, popped in to worship with us this morning.  He shares a bit on his experience today here.

Catalyst is part of the Acts 29 Network, founded in part by Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church, Seattle.

Mark will be debating, among others, Deepak Chopra this Thursday night on a special edition of ABC’s Nightline.

Be praying for this program’s editing – that Jesus would be magnified and that this nationally-televised debate would become a bridge-builder for us at Catalyst as we seek to engage our friends and family with the Gospel.

Video preview from Mars Hill’s Blog…

You’re Invited this Easter season…

REFLECTING ON THE RESCUER
2,000 years ago, Jesus of Nazareth was arrested, beaten, mocked, tortured, and murdered by trained professionals of Rome.

2,000 years later, Christ followers pause on the Friday night before Easter to remember their Rescuer.

This Good Friday (April 10th), you are invited to join the community of Catalyst for a special, low-key evening focused on Christ and the Cross.

Through intimate worship, engaging teaching, communion, and personal reflection, we will retrace and remember what was accomplished for us when God died in our place as a ransom for our lives.  More on Facebook…

EASTER SUNDAY AT THE MOVIES
This year, try something different.

You’re invited to church at the Regal Cinemas on the Stow/Hudson border as Catalyst celebrates the historical reality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

• live band with modern music
• engaging kids’ environments
• relevant teaching
• creative and authentic atmosphere

No one will put you on the spot. You’ll simply experience authentic acceptance in a laid-back atmosphere.  Easter Sunday, April 12th at 10:30.  More at CatalystChurch.com…

Great morning at Catalyst today as we journeyed through Colossians 3 together.
For the 2nd week in a row, we had a record number of toddlers bee-bopping along in Catalyst KIDS – - kudos to the childrens’ workers!

Special thanks to our friends at Fellowship Bible Church for graciously providing Catalyst with a Roland V-Drumset, pictured here at the Catalyst Offices in downtown Kent!

Hi Friends!

I’m looking forward to this weekend when we begin our new series, Becoming.  As we start out in Matthew chapter 14, we can rest in knowing that God has been at work in our new church start-up:

• our worship attendance grew by 50% over the past 4 weekends
• we have seen 15 lives turn to Christ
• Catalyst was the front page story on the Akron Beacon-Journal

Amazing.  God is exceedingly faithful in spite of our messiness.

I have a document for you to download with important information that I’m asking you to print out, pray over, and bring with you this Sunday.  We have an amazing opportunity to truly impact north-east Ohio if we unite together with our combined, sacrificial hours and dollars.

I’ll share more on Sunday, but truly this is a moment for our new church start-up to come together and advance God’s agenda: changed lives for His glory.

Know that you are loved and prayed for -

Jonathan Herron, lead pastor