Inside this Issue: Shepherd s Staff... page 2. RRCC Happenings...page 3. RRCC Family News. page 6. Kid s Ministry...page 7. Youth Ministry...

Transcription

1 Monthly Newsletter October 2018 Inside this Issue: Shepherd s Staff... page 2...Over the next four weeks we will be going on a journey. We will be exploring the Sabbath and what it means for our lives. Associate Pastor Dan Meyerpeter RRCC Happenings...page 3 RRCC Family News. page 6 Kid s Ministry...page 7 Youth Ministry..... page 8 Calendar. page 11 Church office: / office@rrcov.org Website:

2 Shepherd s Staff... by Associate Pastor Dan Meyerpeter Hello Church! In Pastor Brian s absence I will be serving as the Interim to the Interim Pastor. In October I ll be coordinating our Sunday teaching. Here is a sneak peak of what s ahead. If I were to ask you how you are doing, my guess is that you would probably say, busy, or if you were honest, you might say tired. We are over committed. I believe we struggle with boundaries. We say yes to too much. We often measure ourselves by our output, or what we get done. Technology allows us to be connected when we are at home. We work, checking our s early into the morning and late into night. Throughout scripture we see pictures of the life that God has for us. In Psalm 23, David writes, He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters. The Hebrew word Menuha captures this idea, it means happiness, stillness, peace and harmony. I believe that this concept is pertinent to us today. God s desire is that we have menuha in the midst of the craziness of our lives. God gives us a prescription for this rhythm in scripture, the Sabbath. We see the Sabbath popping up throughout scripture, from Genesis to Hebrews. As American Christians, we struggle with this rhythm. It s counterculture, it s hard, and there s a lot we just don t understand. Over the next four weeks we will be going on a journey. We will be exploring the Sabbath and what it means for our lives. Here is a preview of our time together: In week one we will be talking about our limits. We will be looking at the most powerful man, Jesus, and looking at his rhythms, and learning from Him. We ll also be taking a look into the human soul and seeing why we often say yes, and over extend ourselves. In week two we will study the Sabbath. We ll be answering the question- why should I take a Sabbath? We ll learn about its origins, how Jesus practiced it, and if its applicable today. In week three we will examine the question: how do I take a Sabbath? More specifically, how can I trust God with all the things on my plate? How do I get seven days of work crammed into six? In week 4 we ll look at what is a Sabbath for my life? We are going to get down to the nitty gritty, looking at the particulars for our busy lives. On Week four we will also be answering your questions about the Sabbath. If you have questions about the Sabbath we would love to address them. Please them to dan@rrcov.org. I look forward to a day when River Ridge can experience menuha together. 2

3 Harvest Hatchback RRCC Happenings Wednesday, October 31, 6:00-8:00 pm October 8 & 27: Quilters October 11: Church Council Meeting October 13: Feeding the Homeless October 31: Harvest Hatchback Candy for Harvest Hatchback Donations of bags of individually-wrapped candy for Harvest Hatchback can be dropped off in the designated basket in the lobby beginning October 7. This is our 13th year of offering a free, safe place to trick or treat for the families of our community and, as always, lots of help will be needed! We especially need people who are willing to decorate a table and hand out candy. Sign up sheets will be in the lobby for you to indicate where you can help. Questions? Speak to Amy Grothe or contact the Children s Ministry Team at kidsmin@rrcov.org. Introducing Jeremy Tyler, our new Worship Director Jeremy Tyler recently came on staff as our Worship Director. Please see his first article for the newsletter below, and be sure to greet him! From Jeremy: Welcome, church family, to an exciting new chapter in the life of River Ridge Covenant Church. I'm very privileged to be your new Worship Director and although I'm new to the congregation, I'm not new to the role. I've been on worship teams and leading worship in the Lacey / Olympia area for almost thirty years. I know that God is faithful in leading us to places in which faith is required, and growth is the result. That's why I'm here, to grow and stretch out in faith. I'm here to serve this body of believers, the leadership, and the worship community. My goal is to create an environment in which people can engage with their creator through worship. I'll be developing musicians and vocalists, coordinating with the other components of our service, and partnering with the leadership of River Ridge. Since we are new to each other, here are a few details about me. I have a beautiful wife of 17 years (Janelle) and two great kids (Sullivan and Jelena). I enjoy football, working on my house and yard, playing Pokémon Go, watching movies and collecting musical instruments. I love eating good food. I'm a real guy, trying to honor God with what I have been given. Everybody has a skill set. The question is, can yours be used for the kingdom of God? (Editor s note: You can contact Jeremy at worship@rrcov.org) 3

4 Chair Corner by Council Chair Paula Reiner Page 4 Jeremiah 6:16 Thus says the Lord: Stand at the crossroads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths where the good way lies; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. At the end of August, Dawn Taloyo and Don Robinson from the Pacific NW Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) met with the council to give us some understanding of our transition from Pastor Brian to finding a new lead pastor. Dawn led a wonderful devotion based on the Jeremiah 6:16 passage above. This passage is a reminder that although for us, this time of change may feel disruptive, change is a common and natural occurrence in the life of God s people and the Council plans to follow the guidance given us in this verse. Thoughts from a sermon by Michael Kemp at brewsterbaptistchurch.org/where-am-i-going/: Thus says the Lord: This means we listen, which reflects a belief that God communicates with us. Stand at the crossroads and look: Stand implies we stop and reflect, looking implies gathering information. Ask for the ancient paths where the good way lies: Asking means seeking direction and guidance. And walk in it: Take action, take responsibility for the direction of our lives. And find rest for your souls: The result of listening to the Lord, standing and reflecting, looking and gathering information, asking for direction and guidance, and then taking action is peace. The transition team (Ben Lyons, Ashley Nelson, Barb Yunker, Roger Jones) is finalizing the job description and compensation package for our interim pastor. We will soon receive the names from the Conference of available interim pastors, then we can begin interviewing. We hope to have an interim pastor by the end of October. We are really blessed to have Dawn Taloyo, Don Robinson and Greg Yee from the Pacific NW Conference guiding us through these steps. We may be seeing them at times during the next few months; I hope each of you has a chance to meet them and thank them for how completely they are supporting RRCC behind the scenes. And from all the Leadership - Thank you for your continued prayers and support. September 23, 2018 A Note from Pastor Brian & Linda Thank you so much for the wonderful weekend. The Saturday BBQ and farewell party was so fun, and we were deeply touched by all the pictures, comments, gifts and cards. We will always treasure the worship service that concluded our ministry among you. Having a reunion band brought back so many great memories! The entire service had a wonderful family feel, as we praised God for his grace and promised to pray for each other in the years ahead. Linda and I will always remember fondly our twelve years as part of River Ridge Covenant Church, and we look forward to hearing how God will continue to bless others through you! With great appreciation, Brian and Linda 4

5 Compassion Corner - Ways to Serve REBOOT Ministry Monthly Prayer Night Thursday nights Monday, October 8, 6:00-7:00 pm REBOOT is a course not a support group providing practical help for service members and families dealing with the after effects of combat. It isn t about finding shortcuts or easy answers, but instead finding solutions that last. It is a 12-week course focusing on the spiritual aspects of combat recovery. Dinner and childcare are provided. We have a time of corporate prayer every 2nd Monday of the month. We ll be praying for our church, our families and our communities. Everyone is welcome. How you can help Spend time in prayer Pray for the leaders and participants in the REBOOT course. Support Our Local REBOOT Course Help is needed with the meals and childcare. Feeding the Homeless Saturdays, October 13, & December 15 Each month we join Joyful Hands Ministries as they serve the homeless in downtown Olympia. We ll serve a hot breakfast, a bag lunch, distribute toiletries and clothes. Everyone is welcome! Meet at the Youth Building at 8:00 am. We will return by 11:00 am. Questions? Contact Pastor Dan or Tressa Linn. Questions? Contact Eric Scott. Facilities Team Do you have skills with home repairs? Would you be willing to be called on when our church facility needs repairs of various kinds? Is there a specific skill that you can offer? We would like to add members to our facility team. To learn more please contact our church administrator Dennis Anderson at dennis@rrcov.org. Mark your calendars! RRCC Thanksgiving with Kokua: For the seventh time we will join with Kokua services to have a special Thanksgiving lunch on Thanksgiving Day from 11am-12:45pm. Each year we have about two dozen developmentally disabled adults and some Kokua staff join with members of our congregation. Several of the RRCC Samaritan Fund On the first Sunday of each month, when we celebrate people have said this is their favorite Thanksgiving meal. More details are coming, but we d love to have communion, we have a basket at the front for donations to our Samaritan fund. This fund is used to you mark your calendars and plan to join in! help members of our congregation who have a need, as well as members of our community whose needs are made known to us by the Family Support Center. Below is a note from someone who recently received help from our Samaritan fund. Sept. 24, 2018 Thank you so much for helping me pay for my CNA license. This will help my family more than you ll ever know. Amanda 5

6 RRCC Family News Sermon Series Splashes, big & small Are you a part of the River Ridge family? Do you have news from your life that you d like to share with others in the RRCC family? Wedding? Birth? Anniversary? Retirement? Accomplishment? New job? Celebration? Cast in a play? In a reality TV show? Selling a house? Back from a vacation? Other? Submit it to Hilda in the office ( ) or office@rrcov.org Jim & Betty Smith just celebrated their 10th anniversary and still enjoy participating in the shows put on at Jubilee (next one in December) (See the Shepherd s Staff on page 2 for details) September 30: Limited Looking at the rhythms of Jesus, the human soul and why we often say yes, and over extend ourselves. October 7: The Sabbath Answering the question- why should I take a Sabbath? We ll learn about its origins, how Jesus practiced it, and if its applicable today. October 14: How do I take a Sabbath? How can I trust God with all the things on my plate? How do I get seven days of work crammed into six? October 21: What is a Sabbath for my life? Looking at the particulars for our busy lives and answering your questions about the Sabbath. October 28: TBD Farewell Event for Pastor Brian and Linda Pictured above is just one of the gifts Pastor Brian & Linda received at their farewell event on September 15. Rick Kendall sang a song for them, You re a good, good Pastor, and many shared stories from their 12 years of serving at RRCC. You can listen to the event on our website. Look for September 15 for the event sharing, and September 16 for his final sermon. Missed a sermon? You can listen online at our website, rrcov.org. Go to Sermon Library under Resources. 6

7 Children s Ministry Update... Check out the kids page on our website! Our new Children s Ministry Team of Cori Crofts, Linsey Lyons, and Amy Grothe is up and running! Cori Crofts, Linsey Lyons, Amy Grothe Please offer them your help and support! If you would like to contact them you can KidsMin@rrcov.org. Harvest Hatchback Party It s a Family Event! Tuesday, October 31st, 6-8:00pm At River Ridge Covenant Church You and your kids are invited to this community event! There will be trick or treating from decorated cars and tables, along with bounce houses, hot dogs, cookies, and fun inside the building! There is no charge or entrance fee. For more information call the church office at or kidsmin@rrcov.org Lacey Parks & Recreation Children s Day 2018 Saturday, October 6, 11:00 am-2:00 pm We will have a booth at this community event at Huntamer Park in Lacey. There will be lots of free family fun games, activities, arts & crafts, food, entertainment, and more! The event is held rain or shine. If you would like to volunteer to help with our booth please contact the Children s Ministry Team at kidsmin@rrcov.org. 7

8 YOUTH PAGE... by Pastor Dan Meyerpeter Our Youth Ministry meets weekly in the Youth Building. Middle School Youth Group: Tuesdays, 6:30-8:00 pm High School Youth Group: Wednesdays, 6:30-8:00 pm Exceptions: In 2018 we are not meeting on Oct 2/3, 30/31 ; Nov 20/21 ; Dec 25/26 ; Jan 1/2 What s happening in Youth Ministry? This fall our teens are learning about the basics of the faith. As a youth ministry we are studying the Youth Alpha series. In this series our teens will be studying the following: Life: is this it? Jesus: who is he? Why did Jesus have to die? How can I have faith? Prayer: why do I pray? Bible: how do I read it? Spirit: Who is the Spirit? How can I be filled? New Life: How should I live? Evil: How do I resist? Telling others: how should I tell others? Healing: how does God heal? Church: What about it? As I write this we are two weeks into our series. It s been going great. I love this series because it encourages questions. Our teens get to hear a wide variety of perspectives. Hearing this makes the teens feel that they aren t alone in their beliefs. And that this is a safe place to ask questions and voice divergent perspectives themselves. Last week one of our teens was wrestling with the supernatural powers that Jesus possessed, is he like a witch?, he asked. Afterwards, the teachers taught on who Jesus said he was. I am encouraged that our church can be a place for teens to wrestle and be open with their faith. October Calendar: Intergenerational Small Group Night: October 3 Teens will gather at church at 6pm and go out and join adult small groups for an evening of fun and sharing. We will be returning by 8pm. Feeding the Homeless: October 13 Our students will be joining Joyful Hands Ministries as they serve the homeless in downtown Olympia. Students will be serving a hot breakfast, a bag lunch, distributing toiletries and clothes. Plan on meeting at the Youth Building at 8:00 am. Students will return by 11:00 am. Middle School Thunder Retreat: October Come to Cascades Camp ready to join hundreds of teens from our region for wild and crazy games, dynamic worship, and messages that are relevant, inspiring, and challenging. Harvest Hatchback: Wednesday, October 31 Teens have the opportunity to join our church as we pass out candy and provide a family friendly Halloween option for our community. Questions? Contact Pastor Dan Meyerpeter in the office or dan@rrcov.org 8

9 A note from our former Children s Pastor, Peg Melhaff: I would like to thank everyone for the outpouring of love and support I have had over the last three months. The body of Christ at River Ridge is like family for me and you have reinforced that again for me this summer. I am getting stronger, recovering from the hip fracture and subsequent hip replacement. I am walking with a walker, slowly but making progress. I am still receiving chemotherapy twice a week and will for the next couple of months. I have also been referred to a multiple myeloma specialist at Swedish Hospital in Seattle. With that consult we will determine if I need a stem cell transplant. So, treatment will carry me well into It is because of this lengthy treatment that I have resigned my position at the church. I am not leaving the area or the church. I pray I can continue to be a part of this congregation for years to come and to volunteer in other ministries after I recover. The goal is complete control, putting multiple myeloma on the back burner for a long time! Your prayers for this type of remission are so appreciated! Thank you for the support. You are a wonderful family! Blessings & love, Peg Spiritual Growth happens in community. We are made for community. We need to have a place where we can be open and real about what is going on in our lives. We also need others to give us a fuller view of who God is. And, as we are in a season of transition, it is important to support and help each other. If you are interested in joining a small group, feel free to contact the people listed below to learn more. If you d like to start a new Grow Group please speak to Pastor Dan. Families with Children Meets on Sunday evenings at 5:00pm for a time of Bible study and connection. For more info contact Linsey Lyons. Westside Small group Meets on Wednesdays from 6:30-8pm for a time of Bible Study/topical discussion and fellowship. For more info contact Jim Sedore. Men s Bible Study Meets on Fridays at 6:45am at Cutter s Point in Hawk s Prairie. For Bible Study and Fellowship. For more info contact Tim Beirne. Women s Bible Study Meets on Tuesdays at 9:30 am for Bible Study and Fellowship at RRCC. This group will be studying That the world may know. For more info contact Rachel Redfield. West/Larson small group Meets on Wednesdays at 6pm. This group is currently studying the book of Romans. For more info contact Jim Larson. Jubilee Meets in Jubilee on Wednesdays at 7pm for Bible study and fellowship. This group will be studying the Psalms. For more info contact Lisa Mccart. Quilters Meets the second Mondays and fourth Saturdays from 12pm-4pm at the church for a time of quilting and fellowship. For more info contact Pat Keeley. 9

10 Missions 10

11 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 7 Worship Service 10 am 14 Worship Service 10 am 21 Worship Service 10 am 28 Worship Service 10 am 1 (Office Closed) 2 Women s Bible Study 9:30-11:00 am 8 (Office Closed) Quilters noon-4pm Monthly Prayer Meeting 6-7pm No Middle School 9 Women s Bible Study 9:30-11:00 am Middle School 6:30-8 pm 15 (Office Closed) 16 Women s Bible Study 9:30-11:00 am Middle School 6:30-8 pm 22 (Office Closed) 23 Women s Bible Study 9:30-11:00 am Middle School 6:30-8 pm 29 (Office Closed) 30 Women s Bible Study 9:30-11:00 am 3 Inter-generational Grow Group night No High School 10 High School 6:30-8 pm 17 High School 6:30-8 pm 24 High School 6:30-8 pm 31 Harvest Hatchback 6-8pm 4 Reboot Recovery 6-8 pm 11 Council Meeting 6:45pm Reboot Recovery 6-8 pm 18 Reboot Recovery 6-8 pm 25 Reboot Recovery 6-8 pm 5 Men s Bible Study at Cutters 6:45 am 12 Men s Bible Study at Cutters 6:45 am 19 Men s Bible Study at Cutters 6:45 am 26 Men s Bible Study at Cutters 6:45 am 6 13 Feeding the homeless 8-11 am 20 Middle School Thunder Retreat 27 Quilters noon-4pm 11

12 Please pray for the pastors and leadership members listed below. Feel free to contact any of them with questions or concerns. Staff: Dan Meyerpeter Associate Pastor to Youth & Families Dennis Anderson Church Administrator Jeremy Tyler Worship Director Hilda Beirne Administrative Assistant Sue Harwood Office Volunteer Council/ Board of Administration 2018: Paula Reiner Chair Daidre West Vice Chair Phyllis Brock Secretary Nicolas Garcia Treasurer Barbara Sadlier Financial Secretary Jill Shanda Youth Liaison Jim Smith Facilities Liaison Gary Southwell Member at Large Briana Owens Member at Large Shepherding Team: Lynette Anderson, Nathan Doak Sabrina Williams, Eric & Ellen Scott, Mark & Jennifer Gaffney, Rachel Redfield November Deadline October 19 Please send your articles by to or call the office at (360) Office Hours: Tuesday - Thursday from 8:00 am-noon, and 1:00 pm-3:00 pm Fridays 8:00 am - 2:00 pm Office Phone: (360) Sunday Worship Service 10:00 am Worship Service includes: Nursery *3s Pre K *Kids Club for K-2nd grade *Club 345 for 3rd, 4th, & 5th grade (*dismissed from regular worship after Komments for Kids ) Staff Associate Pastor to Youth & Families, Dan Meyerpeter:... dan@rrcov.org Children s Ministry.. KidsMin@rrcov.org Worship Ministry Worship@rrcov.org Admin. Assistant, Hilda Beirne:.. office@rrcov.org Church Administrator, Dennis Anderson. dennis@rrcov.org Office Volunteer, Sue Harwood sue@rrcov.org Visit our website at: Steilacoom Rd SE Olympia WA Love - Grow - Serve (repeat)