And1 South Campus Ground Breaking

A huge turn out for the official Ground Breaking ceremony on the site of the south campus.

Easter Service

Feeling a bit crowded?









The official "And1" car.

Prayer Wall

The official start of the "And1" campaign was the set of a large "prayer wall" in the courtyard of the church. People were encouraged to sign a spot on the wall - a day and a time - they would set asside for prayer and fasting for the new building project. Plans need set, funds need raised, commitments need be made, and lives are about to change.

This is the start of something much larger than any individual person.

Bus Tour!

So it's just a bare plot of land, but it's still not "real" until you see it first hand. Central arranged a week filled with "Bus Tours". The busses lined up, tickets were handed out, and many people were taken for a trip to see the plot of dirt that will be the future home of the Central Christian Church south campus.

The stops were not limited to the campus. Other stops were made along the way - a Jr. Highschool, a hospital, and the building site of a massive outdoor mall complex. Groups stopped to hear about, discuss, consider, and pray for all the people who will be drawn to this area by school, health needs, and the economy of modern commerce.

And there - God was in the middle of it all. Before any of the building started. When this land was but a plot of worthless dirt south of Gilbert - God was right in the middle of it. It's happening, and it's exciting to watch.



Tours left from the North Campus parking lot.






One block north of the South campus, Spring, 2006. See it now, because it'll be homes, businesses, and people seeking meaning in their lives in no time. Just two years ago, this entire area looked just as this image does. Now it's in the middle of a building boom. And Central is right in the middle of it all.







Each bus that arrived got a verbal overview of the property, and took time out to pray for the property, the building, the leadership, and the people who are yet to have their lives changed from this effort.



Pointing. Lots and lots of pointing this night. (What else do can you do describing the future vision of 150+ acres of dirt?).



And this little guy, pointing to the "stick" marking the spot Cal will eventually deliver messages from.



Arriving back at Central - this image really sums it all up. And "one". People are about to be reached, unknowing, unaware. A Heavenly Father drawing his children under the light of the cross. A metaphor. Worth 1000 words?

Who are you?

Hello all and welcome to the unofficial And1 Photo Blog. Before we get too far along, a brief introduction and some answers to your questions.

Who is Kevin?
My name is Kevin King. I'm a professional photographer living here in Mesa. My wife (Nona) and I have lived in the valley for the past 6 years, and we've been members at Central Christian Church for the past 4 years. I've been making a living with a camera for about 3 years now and I'm loving every minute of it.

Do you get paid for this? Why pictures at Central?
No, I do not get paid for this. I enjoy using my abilities and tools to capture the many events Central is always involved in. This is my "servant ministry". Some members teach children, conduct baptisms, and visit the ill at home. I take pictures in the hopes they'll benefit Central's calling and image to the community.

What other kinds of photography do you shoot?
Currently 90% of my business is wedding photography, with a small amount commercial ad work (my ad work was recently published in a 6 page spread in Arizona Foothills). In the coming year we expect to shift significantly into documentary and freestyle portraiture. Exciting things are happening.

How did you become a photographer?
I've tinkered with cameras since I was a kid. I swiped my father's "nice" camera when I was 12 years old. It had sat unused for over 5 years. I read the manual in the camera bag and learned how to set the shutter speeds, apertures, and how to read a light meter. Most kids wanted video games - I wanted film.

The only "formal" photography class I ever attended (and actually the only real "art" class I've ever taken) was highschool photography. I finally understood not only how, but *why* the mechanics of a camera worked.

This lead to my first "real" job working for a local pro camera shop for nearly 3 years. Our regular clients were other professionals, newspaper shooters, and even a National Geographic photographer. You pick up a lot of the "photo" business sitting behind the counter of a shop like that.

A couple years later I found myself in the military where I picked up some additional experience as a Staff Photographer. I learned enough to know I didn't want to make a career out of photography.

Shortly after moving back to civilian life - I had an overwhelming drive to pick up a camera for real. I got serious about it and began a very steep and significant learning curve, in pursuit of photography on the professional level. That was 2001. Here five years later I'm happy to say God has allowed me pursue a skill I love as a career. I feel truly blessed in this - it's a pleasure to share this ability for the benefit of Central, and it's current and future members.

And1 Photo Blog - Why?

God has allowed me to pursue something I love as a career - and for that I'm truly blessed. A couple years ago I began working with Central's media department and realized a need for still pictures at the many Central events.

As "And1" came to being, the leadership made the point that each of us will experience a very few "truly incredible" opportunities in life. The south campus expansion project "And1" was one of these. Over the next few years, it was clear that Central and it’s members were about to change in a major way.

This is an exciting time. I plan to build a photo record of this time, the events, and the moments as "And1" goes into action. I've realized this is the start of something much larger than myself and I'm very excited to visually capture the process.

All the images I shoot during these events are handed over to the media department at Central to use as they see fit. I thought publishing a blog would be a great way to share the vision with the rest of Central’s members.

Check the blog often as new images of the process will go up. I'll also include other images from Central's events as they happen.

I also welcome any and all feedback. Please go ahead and comment on specific posts right here on the blog itself. It will be interesting to see how others view the work.

Thank you for your interest! Enjoy!

Christmas Eve Service

Christmas Eve 2005. This image was captured from the front balcony during the candle lighting at the close of the service. Note that all the glow on the ceiling is coming from the several hundred individual candles lit below.

Battle of the Bands - Winners

We did a private photo shoot for the winning band. Here are a few of my favorites.

Battle of the Bands - 2005

One thing I'm continually impressed with is Central's commitment to reaching youth. I spent a few years around a youth group during my own highschool years. It lead to some of the most significant experiences of my life.

Central is doing some incredible things in this area. Making it clear to youth accross the valley that the door is always open, and providing activities like this battle05_01.jpfor friends to invite friends.
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This event was judged by none other than "Jimmy Eat World", drawing a huge crowd, bands, and fans from many different highschools.



Jeremy Jernigan puts the event into action.






Lots of kids.




Some cooperation from the City of Mesa.








The show rocked.




The winners posing with the judges.






Did I mention there was a car involved? Oh yea. One lucky kid won this car, free and clear. She ate a cold cow's heart to seal the deal, but it's a sweet car - for free. Who can blame her?

Mexico Missions Trip - November 2005

This was an incredible trip. Each year, many families get together and make the trip south of the border into Mexico. Partnering with the organization Amor (www.comebuildhope.com) families form groups and build homes for local families.

Interesting note - each house is built completely by hand. Materials to mix concrete are dug and sifted right from the ground. The concrete itself is mixed by hand in wheelbarrows. All wood and framing is cut by hand and of course each nail is placed by hand.

A slideshow from this trip is in the works and will be available in the early Fall 2006. Until then, here are some preview images I found moving.



This image was taken at an orphanage about 30 miles from the job sites the teams were building at. The people in the image are the few who visited the orphanage, being lead by the director of the facility. The small building you see is living quarters for the staff.