Good Friday with Tauren Wells, April 2023
Joy512 and Elevate512 celebrated the launch of a new church in Georgetown with Tauren and Lorna Wells called Whitestone. The Wells family will be moving to Georgetown, and the city welcomed them with open arms. Approximately 4,000 people showed up on Good Friday in drizzly weather to hear worship music from Tauren and Lorna, Pat Barrett, and Aaron Cole. The worship took place at the Square in Georgetown, and local celebrity Chet Garner, “The Daytripper,” helped MC the event. Pictured below are Chet Garner, Mel Jones, Tauren, and DJ Donna Cruz. Georgetown belongs to Jesus. Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it.”
Governors Prayer Breakfast, May 2023
The 2023 Governor’s Prayer Breakfast had an attendance of over 750 people and was a huge success. Nick Vujicic served as the keynote speaker and delivered a challenge for the Texas Church to rise against evil in our communities and nation. Community leaders in Texas offered prayers for the seven mountains of influence. Ekklesia of Texas, played a crucial role in the planning committee under the leadership of Jim McGee. They successfully arranged for community leaders, Alan Williams from Chick-fil-A for Business/Marketplace and Eric Raines from KOKE-FM for Media, to lead prayers. The breakfast took place at the Kalahari Resort in Round Rock, and attendees from all over Texas participated in the event.
Encounter the Light – Worship Concert in Downtown Austin, June 2023
Earlier this year, songwriter and music producer Kira Fontana discussed with JOY512 the vision the Lord had given her for the city of Austin. Kira and her husband, Nic, moved to Austin a year and a half ago. Although Kira has deep roots in Texas, she had lived most of her life in California, where she was a top professional in the music industry. Ekklesia of Texas joined forces with Kingdom Sound to bring this vision to life. Encounter the Light Worship took place in Downtown Austin on June 9 at the Long Center lawn. The primary objective was to reach unbelievers in the downtown area through “pure” and beautiful worship dedicated to Jesus. The event didn’t involve preaching, fundraising activities, or messages. Instead, artists shared their testimonies and performed worship music. Joy512, Elevate512, Luke 4:18, Bastrop Prayer Room, Kingdom Sounds, and Alpha all collaborated to bring people closer to Jesus. Over 100 individuals received prayers, including prayers for freedom, repentance, and salvation. Additionally, many of the 700 attendees signed up for an 11-week series of Alpha meetings. Everyone enjoyed the uplifting worship, delicious food trucks, and the incredible Amy’s Ice Cream, all against the backdrop of the vibrant city of Austin.
Alpha
On June 9, 2023 Kingdom Sound and JOY512 produced a Worship Concert downtown at the Long Center Lawn, Encounter the Light. The vision was given to Kira Fontana by the Lord…..,Holy Worship in the center of the city. So JOY512/Ekklesia of Texas came alongside Kira to produce the event. Many attended Encounter the Light and Alpha was used as a follow up to the event Alpha for those that have questions and are looking for answers. Alpha meetings started June 13 and run for 11 weeks. Currently there are three groups meeting each Tuesday in a high rise overlooking Lady Bird Lake. Videos from Alpha are watched in a media room and then the video contents are discussed by each of the groups. The videos examine the person of Jesus. Who He says He is?, What others think about Him?, and Why He is so important to know in a personal way? Each week these three groups of 10-11 people each meet and have a taco dinner and a reception to get to know each other and build relationships among the groups. If you would like to contribute to help support this outreach for the, please let us know. It costs $1k each night to rent the venue and pay for a dinner for all. We so appreciate whatever amount God leads you to give.
- You can make tax-deductible donations at this link.
- Or you can make checks payable to “Ekklesia of Texas” and write “Austin Citywide Alpha” in the notes. Please mail to:
- Ekklesia of Texas, 3736 Bee Caves Rd 1 260, Austin, TX 78746
Update – Lockhart, Texas
Over the last year, the Lord has brought local Pastors and believers together to pray for the City of Lockhart every week. Coming together like this has power and brings His authority to the community. Matthew 18:20 says, “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst”. This prayer group functions as His Ekklesia for the city and incredible changes have started to happen since they asked the Lord to intervene. Many people have come to Jesus in the last year and newcomers have been solid in their faith to join the Lockhart Ekklesia. The prayer group is multi-generational and multi-denominational. Key areas of prayer focus are the seven mountains for community. Major Focus is on the Family, Government, Education and Church mountains.
Generous Java
Generous Java, our outreach to help communities learn about generosity towards ministries, continues its work in Austin. Recently, we provided coffee to The Gathering at Community First Village. Generous Java aims to provide high-quality coffee for free or near free and then follow it with high-quality conversations and teaching about joyful giving. This early-stage ministry will begin taking online orders for individuals near the end of the summer. You can find out more and get involved at https://generousjava.org/
Bastrop – Update
Transformation Bastrop, Texas continues as we support ministry, government, and marketplace leaders. Recently, about forty pastors gathered to pray into and celebrate how the city is coming together around God’s Kingdom work. Some of the other activities include a four-day revival, the March for Jesus prayer walk, and ongoing discussions fostered by the Bastrop Prayer and Healing Rooms (https://www.bastrophealingrooms.com/). The city will host its second annual 2-day Fearless Conference in October to help residents find joy and remove fear. To find out more, see https://www.fearless2.org/
MEET THE TEAM
- Mel Jones, Executive Director: Served as General Manager of Spirit 105.9. Previously VP of Sales at iHeart Radio over a cluster of 6 stations. Mel was at iHeart Radio for 21 years and in media and marketing since 1981. Developed marketing plans for national, regional and local businesses. Managed teams of 50+. Fluent in broadcast, print, outdoor and digital marketing.
- Dr. David Carolan, Founding Pastor: David helps people discover joy while catalyzing spiritual formation and discipleship. His research and teaching on joy (and rejoicing) are based upon the biblical record and its terms, Christian history, writings of theologians, and neuroscience and its proof of biblical accuracy. He leverages his years of pastoral care situations deploying the Life/Maturity and Intimacy Counseling Models and almost 30 years in executive leadership and coaching. As an advisor and life coach, he provides insights into how love and joy are two priorities of God for Christian flourishing.
- Alysa Braswell, VP of Administration: Holds a Master’s in Business Administration. Extensive experience in marketing and communications, social media, website development, and event planning.
NEW AND UPCOMING
Freedom Celebrations for Refugees and Immigrants
Cityside360 – Worship and Prayer: Every 4th Sunday at Butler Park