2021 Melton Newsletter
Thanksgivings
We have so much to be thankful for this year, but I’ll name a few in particular. First, the Meltons are healthy, sane, and happy. Church planting in COVID has been hard, so we feel particularly thankful that God has preserved our family through all of this. Second, Christ the King is truly a wonderful place to serve. In a short time, they have become like family, and while we miss Dallas and being near grandparents and aunties and uncles, we have found a beautiful community here in Marietta that cares for us. As an example, right now we are writing this newsletter at a retreat center called Serenbe in south ATL. The church pitched in without us knowing and got us a two-day getaway without the kids! Third, the Stonehaven School blesses us weekly. This Christian Classical School prays daily, exhorts our children toward virtue, and labors to establish a culture of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty. Fourth, the Clergy Team at CTK is a great help to Tony. Currently, there are five clergy at CTK and they own their kingdom work as a team. Last but not least, our family in Missouri and Kansas have been a crucial support to us the last couple of years.
We have so much to be thankful for this year, but I’ll name a few in particular. First, the Meltons are healthy, sane, and happy. Church planting in COVID has been hard, so we feel particularly thankful that God has preserved our family through all of this. Second, Christ the King is truly a wonderful place to serve. In a short time, they have become like family, and while we miss Dallas and being near grandparents and aunties and uncles, we have found a beautiful community here in Marietta that cares for us. As an example, right now we are writing this newsletter at a retreat center called Serenbe in south ATL. The church pitched in without us knowing and got us a two-day getaway without the kids! Third, the Stonehaven School blesses us weekly. This Christian Classical School prays daily, exhorts our children toward virtue, and labors to establish a culture of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty. Fourth, the Clergy Team at CTK is a great help to Tony. Currently, there are five clergy at CTK and they own their kingdom work as a team. Last but not least, our family in Missouri and Kansas have been a crucial support to us the last couple of years.
Adventures
Our family’s mission statement is “Enjoying the adventure of bringing up disciples into the fullness of Christ’s Church.” The whole process of church planting has certainly been an adventure, but we’ve also taken a few extra excursions as a family this year. Our big trip was to Hawaii this year to visit Vandi’s family. We left Easter Sunday and spent 8 days on Oahu. It was so good to spend time with all of Vandi’s family and friends from All Saints Honolulu. While we were there, we got the news that CTK needed to make an abrupt location change. This started a whole new adventure of moving both the church and our family into the Fair Oaks neighborhood.
We set out in January to find a home. It is typical for a “parachute planter” to rent for the first couple years until the church plant gains a good sense of place. Unfortunately, our timing was terrible. It was the hottest the Marietta market had ever been. After two months of touring homes that were too expensive, we resorted to approaching unlisted homes with handwritten notes near the church. By God’s providence, Tony met a lady mowing her lawn. Long story short, she sold us her families old farm house for a great price. Yet again, we see that God has gone before us here in ATL!
Our family’s mission statement is “Enjoying the adventure of bringing up disciples into the fullness of Christ’s Church.” The whole process of church planting has certainly been an adventure, but we’ve also taken a few extra excursions as a family this year. Our big trip was to Hawaii this year to visit Vandi’s family. We left Easter Sunday and spent 8 days on Oahu. It was so good to spend time with all of Vandi’s family and friends from All Saints Honolulu. While we were there, we got the news that CTK needed to make an abrupt location change. This started a whole new adventure of moving both the church and our family into the Fair Oaks neighborhood.
We set out in January to find a home. It is typical for a “parachute planter” to rent for the first couple years until the church plant gains a good sense of place. Unfortunately, our timing was terrible. It was the hottest the Marietta market had ever been. After two months of touring homes that were too expensive, we resorted to approaching unlisted homes with handwritten notes near the church. By God’s providence, Tony met a lady mowing her lawn. Long story short, she sold us her families old farm house for a great price. Yet again, we see that God has gone before us here in ATL!
The “Vicarage”
The Melton family purchased an old (almost condemned) house in early July. Since July, we’ve pursued a renovation loan, and finally closed in November. This will be a total “gut-n-strip” project. Construction is underway and we plan to move in the Spring. The 5-bedroom ranch-style house is on a 1-acre lot, with a shed and a greenhouse. It is less than one minute away from CTK and Stonehaven. We look forward to investing in this home to be a place of hospitality, rest, and mission.
Opportunities
This year, Vandi and Tony participated in cultivating a church planting culture in the REC. Vandi spoke to the Women of the Church at the Mid-America Synod. Tony is currently playing a consulting role with a couple church plants and is co-leading an REC100 church planter cohort. He is also co-hosting a podcast called The Way Forward, which discusses the significance of national and international politics to local life.
The Melton family purchased an old (almost condemned) house in early July. Since July, we’ve pursued a renovation loan, and finally closed in November. This will be a total “gut-n-strip” project. Construction is underway and we plan to move in the Spring. The 5-bedroom ranch-style house is on a 1-acre lot, with a shed and a greenhouse. It is less than one minute away from CTK and Stonehaven. We look forward to investing in this home to be a place of hospitality, rest, and mission.
Opportunities
This year, Vandi and Tony participated in cultivating a church planting culture in the REC. Vandi spoke to the Women of the Church at the Mid-America Synod. Tony is currently playing a consulting role with a couple church plants and is co-leading an REC100 church planter cohort. He is also co-hosting a podcast called The Way Forward, which discusses the significance of national and international politics to local life.
Children
Looking Ahead
In January, Tony is bringing on a “curate” who will assist with work at the mission and learn how to church plant. CTK will also move into their new home in the Stonehaven School’s sanctuary. In February, we will pack up our house and prepare “the Vicarage” for moving in. In March, we will move into “the Vicarage” and prepare for Vandi’s grandmother (“Oma”) to move in with us. The rest of the year will involve putting down roots and living a much more local, simple, parochial life.
- Samuel is 10 years old and in 5th grade. Every day we get a detailed report on the football game he played during recess. He is learning the trombone, plays on Stonehaven’s basketball team (Tony is the coach), has read the whole Harry Potter series this year, loves drawing (especially graffiti letters) and always wears his knife when not at school. He is quite the impersonator, loves reading joke books, and watches Brian Regan. Sam insists that Tony wake him up early every Sunday morning to help setup for church. He has really grown since last year, and can throw the baseball a country mile. He and Beckett enjoy riding the go-kart that Fr. Josh Grote helped repair for them.
- Beckett is 8 years old and in 3rd grade. He is about to start basketball with Upward this month, and had a very successful season of cross-country, medaling twice! He loves to stay up late with Mom and Dad and read what we are reading. We loves to play fight, and frequently initiates by punching Tony in the gut (I mean stomach…) when he is not expecting it. He is very sweet with his sisters and peaceable with his friends.
- Rosemary is 6 years old and is in Kindergarten. She is loving school, and comes home every day with a dozen stories of what she learned or who she played with. She is starting basketball this month, and shows great determination in getting the basketball to the rim. Her front teeth are about to push her baby teeth out. Even though she is getting tall, she is still our best snuggler in the family.
- Olive turns 2 at the end of December. She spends her days with Vandi at home. She brings books to all of her siblings for them to read, and she loves bath time. She is by far our silliest 1-year-old, and after many months of being a string bean, is finally getting a lil’ chunky.
Looking Ahead
In January, Tony is bringing on a “curate” who will assist with work at the mission and learn how to church plant. CTK will also move into their new home in the Stonehaven School’s sanctuary. In February, we will pack up our house and prepare “the Vicarage” for moving in. In March, we will move into “the Vicarage” and prepare for Vandi’s grandmother (“Oma”) to move in with us. The rest of the year will involve putting down roots and living a much more local, simple, parochial life.