Connection. Faith Journey Church. July/August Journey - Pursue - Impact

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1 Connection Faith Journey Church home of Gaarde Christian School Journey - Pursue - Impact SW Gaarde Street, Tigard, OR Ph July/August 2014 ARTICLE Page The Pastor s Pen 2 May/June Calendars 3 Schedule 4 West of 55 4 Missions News 5 Adult Ministries 5 Worship 6 6 I Can Count on God was the theme for our annual Vacation Bible School outreach. What an amazing time we had learning that when our confidence is not in ourselves, but rather in a powerful, creative, loving, caring and GREAT God we can live confidently that our lives will impact others for Jesus. Journey Kids 7 s 7 Gaarde Christian School 8

2 the Pastor s Pen Page 2 earthworms, swimming pools & frozen Candy bars As we head into the heat of summer, I walked out of the church and onto the parking lot and stepped on some parking lot crack sealant (tar-oil) that was soft. I looked back at where I had stepped with a child-like grin on my face. I was remembering the 95 degree dog-daze of summer growing up in Iowa, when it would be so stinking hot that freshly tarred and pea-graveled roads would begin to bubble. As you strode along you would leave your low Con-prints behind on your way across town to the community swimming pool. You didn t bother to wear your flipflops (we called them by another name back then) because you would end up walking right out of them. By the time we arrived at the pool we couldn t wait to cannonball or Sitting Bull into that refreshing pool. And after about an hour we would saunter up to the snack-shack to enjoy a twenty -five cent frozen Snickers or Mars bar! It wasn t just the long walk that made that pool and the treat so wonderfully special, it was how we were able to afford our neat summer fun. We worked hard for the money to be able to go swimming, and not to mention enduring the three plus miles to the pool. Ok, ok I know what you re thinking: Yeah, and I bet you carried your baby sister on your back while walking backwards. Yep, I said the same things about the generation ahead of me when they would brag about their struggles. It usually went something like this: yeah, and I bet you walked those five miles to school in the blizzard backwards and uphill, BOTH WAYS! All joking aside, we collected bottles for refunds, mowed lawns and raked leaves (jumped in more than a few piles of them as well,) cleaned attics and basements out and hauled trash for who ever and whenever it was needed. We even rigged up our own earthworm harvesting system in order to sell earthworms to the local hardware store. We borrowed a couple of car batteries and would hook wires up to the batteries that led to bailing wire stuck in the ground that would act like rain and force the worms to the top and were waiting to haul-em in! There are two things I have always told my children: Work hard and be a problem solver there is always room for someone with those two valued character traits. Have the work-ethic of Noah, and the problem solving abilities of King Solomon. If you are a proactive self-starter who continues to look to improve your skill sets and help solve problems instead of creating them, or complaining about them, then there will always be a place for you. One of the greatest compliments I have every received was when I went to visit my son Jeremy (a youth pastor at the time) while he was doing some physical labor around his church. I arrived a few hours after they had just finished a project. I was introduced to some of the folks that had been working on the project with Jeremy when one of them took me aside and told me something I will never forget. He said: I have served in churches and in other capacities for years and I have never seen a young man (22 years old at the time), especially a youth pastor be at a work project before anyone else and stay till long after others were gone. One of the benefits of serving both Gaarde Christian and Faith Journey is that I have the incredible opportunity of watching young people grow in their faith and yes, their work ethic. I am blessed to partner with parents in helping young people understand what it means to get your hands dirty, working and serving others. Malcom Gladwell highlights this in his recent book David and Goliath when he writes: People are ruined by challenged economic lives. But they are ruined by wealth as well because they lose their ambition and they lose their pride and they lose their sense of self-worth. It is difficult at both ends of the spectrum (financially). Wise King Solomon once said in Proverbs 6:6-11: You lazy fool, look at an ant. Watch it closely; let it teach you a thing or two. Nobody has to tell it what to do. All summer it stores up food; at harvest it stockpiles provisions. So how long are you going to laze around doing nothing? How long before you get out of bed? A nap here, a nap there, a day off here, a day off there, sit back, take it easy do you know what comes next? Just this: You can look forward to a dirt-poor life, poverty your permanent houseguest! ~Message Bible Jason GrosJacques: Mexico Extreme House Build Journeying Together; Pastor Tom Ellie Hockett: Mexico Extreme House Build Parents, summer is a great time to have fun and make memories, but it is also an outstanding opportunity to help instill in your children the value of having a good workethic. You may have had to work very hard growing up, but it helped shape your life. Find a balance for your child, and remember the ant and pass it on! Walking with people, following God

3 July - August 2014 Calendars JULY 2014 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Young pm The Wave 12 Adult Night Prayer 7pm 13 Cornerstone 7pm Fellowship FOYO pm Fellowship On Your Own 27 Cornerstone pm 31 Fellowship AUGUST 2014 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 7pm Young pm 7 8 Bridal Shower 9 Adult Night for Ellie Hockett FJC 10 Cornerstone pm Journey 16 Fellowship Summer Camp Ends Hillsboro Hops Game 17 FOYO pm Fellowship On Your Own 24 The Kramer s pm Missionaries Cornerstone Fellowship 31 FOYO Fellowship On Your Own Page 3

4 Service Schedule Sundays 8:45-9:45 am Sunday School - All Ages Nursery ( Birth - 2 Yrs ) 10:00-11:30 pm Worship Service Children s Church ( 3 Yrs - 5th Grade ) Nursery ( Birth - 2 Yrs ) 6:00 pm Adult Home Group - Location Varies Wednesdays 7:00 pm ABLAZE Youth s Missionettes (Girls Kinder - 5th Gr.) Rainbows (Girls and Boys 3-4 Years) Fridays 7:00 pm The Wave Prayer - Prayer and and Praise Worship (2nd Second Friday Friday of each of each month) month Tuesdays 5:30 am Men s Bible Study - Davidson s Office Hours 8:00am - 4:00pm Monday through Friday West of 55 Positive character qualities in pets can inspire us to be better people. But ask the animals and they will teach you. (Job 12:7) Animals, by their wordless examples, often convey to us useful tidbits of wisdom about life and love. Some examples: 1. Always greet those you love with affection and exuberance 2. If someone gets after you for blowing it, do your best to apologize make up and move on 3. When there s danger, sound an alert 4. Be friendly, loyal, courageous, transparent and forgiving 5. If you re happy, wear a smile 6. Pursue your goals with intensity 7. If you want attention, ask for it in a straight -forward manner Many of us can relate experiences when our pet has sensed our mood during moments of sadness and has come to comfort us. Some pets have shown loyalty and courage. Nearly all pet owners have experienced unconditional affection their pet. In their better moments, they remind us of some of life s important principles and simple pleasures. I thank the Lord for the ways my pets have enhanced my love and enjoyment of life. In His Service, Pastor John Granholm Page 4

5 Missions News Missions Trip to Mexico Over Memorial Day Weekend Ellie & Farrin Hocket, Jason GrosJacques, Jim Randol, and Pastor Tom partnered with Newbreak Church and Amor Ministries to build two houses for two needy families. Farrin stretching wire for stucco Picture of couple in front of their present house. Approximately 5 x7. Jim lining up an outside wall. Ellie & Pastor mixing stucco Ellie socializing with the locals. Jason applying stucco. Inside framing for two rooms The whole working crew in front of the couple s finished house! Their new house is 11 x22! That s a lot bigger than the 5 x7 they were living in before. Thanks to all who donated and helped make this trip possible! Donna Randol Russ and Beth Chambers Jamie and Alisha Deweese Missionaries to OSU (Chi Alpha) Kiel & Niina Downey Missionaries to Thailand Rick & Laurel Ellis Missionary to Chile Carl and Terri Gibbs Missionaries to Africa Tamara Henkes Missionary to Romania Dennis & Diane Holcomb Missionaries to Poland Ken Huff Missionary to Cambodia Eric & Jacquelin Jenkins Missionaries to Algeria Steve and Julie Kramer Missionaries to the Netherlands Bill & Carol Paris Missionaries to Tokyo, Japan Josh & Renee Ransom Missionary to China Matt & Heather Reigel Missionaries to Germany John & Beccy Rodli Missionaries to Azores/Portugal Rob & Jeanel Shipley Missionaries to East Africa David & Dorothy Yunuba Missionaries to Africa John & Carolyn Stewart Missionaries to Africa What s so great about God? was the question we asked the 180 students during our annual Vacation Bible School outreach which was just held here at Faith Journey the last week of June. I would like to ask you to consider that question for a moment. What in your mind is SO GREAT about God? Is it that He is faithful? He has never let you down? Is it that He always provides for your need? You have never been without everything you need and much that you just desire? Is it that He has protected you in circumstances that you couldn t control and you were able to just rest in Him? Is it that his overwhelming and free gift of love and salvation picked you up out of a life that was leading nowhere fast and now your feet are set upon a path that leads to ALL things good? What is so great about God? I think I would say all of the above and SO much more that I don t have enough space to speak of in this article, but I would like to challenge you to STOP every day and consider this question. I believe if you would do that, your perspective on life would change and your impact on others would be power -filled and widespread! God is GREAT and greatly to be praised! Adult Ministries Pastor Kelly GrosJacques Page 5

6 Worship When we hear the word worship, what is usually our first thought about it? I know when I was young in my walk with Christ, I thought of worship as some great music with a big band performing on the stage. Some people might think of worship as a form of profit; a way for musicians to make money through selling CDs. I personally believe that worship is so much deeper than just music. We often have the misunderstanding that we must have everything all together in life for us to worship God, yet scripture talks about how God didn't choose the rich or the intellectual. He chose the ones who are broken, sick, the outcast, and the poor. We often feel like we have to put on the appearance of perfection at church. Let's think about this my friends. If we all are perfect then what there will be is no need for a savior. But because we are broken and imperfect that is why Christ become the perfecter of our faith. We sing songs in church not because it is COOL, we sing songs and raise our hands as an expression of who we are in Christ. You can be raising hands and voices because of gratefulness, maybe it is repentance. It can also often be out of anguish, sorrow, and grieving that we pour out our heart to God in faith. Worship isn't about being perfect, but it is about being authentic in our relationship with God. It is about meeting God where we are in life. Worship isn't about perfection, but it is about understanding our need for Him and being in relationship with Him. Phil Tu FJC Worship Leader Youth Ministries Do you believe that God has a purpose for this generation? Do you believe that God can ignite a fire in a single young man or woman and use that person to change the history? I sure do. It has been an amazing journey so far to see how God is changing the young men and women of Ablaze youth; bringing them from point A to point Z. You can see them worshipping and involved in group discussion talking about God. It is exciting to see what God has done. We are so privileged to have Andy and Jessica join us and head up Ablaze youth. As they have a heart for youth and also a calling in their life to reach this generation. I am so excited to continue to see what God has for Ablaze youth in this season. I am excited to see how God is going to use using Andy and Jessica to touch hearts and change lives. I want to personally welcome Andy and Jessica to Ablaze youth. You will hear more awesome things that God is doing in Ablaze youth from Andy and Jessica, and also you will be able to hear their heart for this generation and get to know them more in the months to come. God is so good and I know God is going to use these amazing couple to change lives. Phil Tu Youth Pastor Page 6

7 Children s Ministries And He said to them, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. ~Mark 16:15 Journey Kids is currently focusing on spreading God s Word to the community. We have taken a deep look into the life and dedication of many of the first missionaries, including Paul. We have been relating Paul s commitment and perseverance to our own lives and we aim to use his story as a guide as we begin to go out into the world to spread love and knowledge of God. We have been using the stories of Paul to empower us as we discover how to be campaigners for the Lord to those who are not fortunate enough to know Him yet. The children of our church also find their inspiration in the adults of our church community. They look to us to see Christians openly discussing their faith and spreading God s word to those who are unfamiliar with it. I encourage you to show our youth that although not always easy, showing God s love is rewarding and necessary. Shelby Gill Children s Church 10:00AM Freedom Kids Services for 3 yrs - Kindergarten On Sunday mornings, our little ones (three years old through kindergarten age) meet together to learn, sing and play. Journey Kids Services for 1st - 5th graders Kids, bring along your energy on Sunday mornings for Journey Kids! This is no time to sit back and watch... every child is an integral part of the service. Together, we re learning to worship, serve, reach out and translate what we re learning into action in our own lives. M Pact clubs for girls first through fifth grade - and - Rainbows club for preschool aged girls and boys Students are active, imaginative, and unique. They are passionate! Our Wednesday night club programs offer them the perfect place to learn and grow as they discover who God created them to be. Each Wednesday students are welcomed into a vibrant community of mentors and peers who genuinely care about them. It is an exciting, safe environment for students to learn about God, His Word, and His world. Our goals for each student is the following: Develop a lasting relationship with Jesus Christ Foster a relationship with their leader Make new friends and share in a caring small group Learn how to apply the Bible to their lives Find answers to challenges they face every day Learn what it means to be an activist for Christ Participate in service projects that make a difference in other s lives Cultivate important life skills through badge activities Make meaningful crafts that encourage others We have some fun summer activities planned and so come be a part of our Wednesday night clubs. In His Service, Connie Frisinger Page 7

8 Gaarde Christian School Reflecting over the past school year, one word comes to mind: THANKFUL! Our school has so much to be thankful for the Lord s enduring faithfulness and blessings, Mr. Canepa s investment in GCS, a dedicated staff, generous parent volunteers, and an amazing student body top the list. It is a true joy being a part of the Gaarde family. Thank you for venturing with us and allowing us to serve your students each year. As you enjoy your summer, here are a few suggestions to keep your child s mind fresh and ready to return to school in the fall: Spend time with family! Stay connected to church! Read, Read, Read! Practice math! We look forward to seeing you in the fall. Have a great summer! Kendra Jones, Administrator YOUR CHILDREN, OUR CALLING Important Dates Sept 2nd Ice Cream Social 7:00pm Sept 3rd First Full Day of School (K-8th) Sept 4th Three s Tues/Thurs Orientation 9:00-11:00am; Back to School Night Preschool 7:00pm (Parents Only) Sept 5th MWF Three s, AM Four s & Pre-K Orientation 9:00am 11:00am, PM Three s and PreK Orientation 12:30pm 2:30pm Sept 8th First Day of PreSchool for MWF, AM & PM 3s, AM 4s, and AM & PM Pre-K Sept 9th First Day of School for Tues/Thurs 3s Preschool Class; Back to School Night K -8th, 7:00pm (Parents Only) Sept 24th See You At The Pole Chapel Sept 26th Walk-A-Thon FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THE GCS WEBSITE! SW Gaarde St. Tigard, OR 97224