​Nobody is a whole team.  Each one is a player.  But take away one player and the game is forfeited.

Nobody is a whole orchestra.  Each one is a musician.  But take away one musician and the symphony is incomplete.  

Nobody is a whole play.  Each one is an actor.  But take away one actor and the performance suffers.

Nobody is a whole hospital.  Each one is part of the staff.  But take away one person and it isn't long before the patient can tell.

Cars are comprised of numerous parts.  Each one is connected to and dependent upon the other.  Even a tiny screw, if it comes loose and falls out of the carburetor, can bring the whole vehicle to a stop.

You guessed it.  We need one another.  You need someone and someone needs you.

To make this thing called life work, we gotta lean and support.  And relate and respond.  And give and take.  And confess and forgive.  And reach out and embrace.  And release and rely.

Especially in God's family.....where the "One Another" of the New Testament should be a part of every church's standard operating procedures manual.  For the church, love and acceptance are not optional luxuries.  Neither is tolerance.  Or understanding.  Or patience.  You know, all those things you need from others when your humanity crowds out your divinity.

Since none of us is a whole, independent, self-sufficient, super-capable, all-powerful human, let's quit acting like we are.

Join us this Sunday as we kick-off a brand-new series at 9:15am titled, "One Another".  Each week we will focus our attention on one of the key characteristics that not only sets us apart from the world, but is vital if we desire to have a "Jesus" influence in our community.

During our 10:30am service, we will be looking at the essentials of a healthy marriage and how trusting Jesus is vital to married life.

Finally, our Room 4 Hope ministry is one way we come together to provide hope to those who have been affected by homelessness.

Starting Sunday, Parkside Fellowship will become a safe, temporary “home” for families in our community. 

To learn more or to volunteer, simply write “HOPE” on your connection card or reply to this email and we will contact you.

Hope to see you Sunday!

Pastor Doug

​Jesus knew it.  He knew before the war was over, he would be taken captive.  He knew that before victory would come defeat.  Jesus knew that before the light of Sunday would come the darkness of Friday.

Never had Jesus felt so alone.  "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak," Jesus confesses.  His humanity begged to be delivered from what his divinity could see.  Jesus, the human, peers into the dark pit and begs, "Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me."

Did he know the answer before he asked the question?  Did his human side hope his heavenly Father had found another way?  Regardless, Jesus asked God for an escape plan.  He begged for an exit strategy that involved something other than suffering a horrific death on a cross.  There's an old hymn titled, "He Could Have Called Ten Thousand Angels" that speaks to the ability of Jesus to forgo the cross and return to his throne in heaven.

But he couldn't

He couldn't because, as he knelt in the Garden of Gethsemane, begging his father for another way, out of the corner of his spiritual eyes, he saw you and he saw me.  He saw you living in a world that isn't fair.  He saw you betrayed by those you love.  He saw you with a body that gets sick and a heart that grows weak.  He saw you staring into the mouth of your own pain and suffering and he didn't want you to be alone.

He wanted you to know that he understands, for he too has lived in a messy, broken world.  He too has been plotted against and betrayed by those who claimed to love him.  He knows what it's like to smell the stench of Satan.  And, perhaps most of all, he knows what it's like to beg God to change his mind and to hear God say, "No."

For that is what God says to Jesus and Jesus accepts the answer.  You may have thought the battle was won on Golgotha.  It wasn't.  You may have thought the sign of victory is the empty tomb.  It isn't.  The final battle was won on a dark, lonely night in Gethsemane.  And the sign of conquest is our Savior, at peace with what lies before him.

It was in the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus proclaimed, "I would rather go to hell for you than to go to heaven without you."

Join us tonight as we reflect on this unbelievable act of compassion and love by Jesus.  Our Good Friday service begins at 7:00pm.  There will be times of reflection around the Lord's Supper, special music by members of Parkside Fellowship and El Buen Pastor and a Good Friday message by Pastor Daniel from El Buen Pastor.

Finally, plan to stick around after our service and join with El Buen Pastor, Anthem Church, Global Community Church and members of Common Ground as we gather in the Fireside room for a time of fellowship.

See you tonight.

Pastor Doug

​You might be wondering what happened the last few weeks, as I have not been consistent in sending out my weekly TAB update.  It's really very simple.....3 kids, 2 spring breaks, separated by 1 week, equals chaos in the Boyd household!  Hopefully with spring breaks behind us, our family can get back to "normal" which really isn't all that normal.

There is a lot going on this month, so hopefully this edition of TAB will serve as a reminder to pray for and consider being a part of what God is doing at Parkside Fellowship.  Below is a list of upcoming events:
Tomorrow, April 6th.  Spring Cleaning Day at Parkside Fellowship.  We will gather rain or shine at 9:00am and clean-up the church campus, in preparation for our Good Friday and Easter Services.  Due to the rainy forecast for tomorrow, we will spend the majority of our time inside.  With this in mind, please bring any cleaning supplies that you would like (cleaning rags, window cleaner, disinfecting wipes, etc.).  We will focus our efforts on windows, classroom floors, tables, etc.  I hope to see you there.
 
Good Friday Service will take place at 7:00pm on April 19th.  We will be joining with El Buen Pastor for a English/Spanish service.  Songs will be sung in both English and Spanish.  Pastor Daniel will preach a Good Friday message in Spanish and it will be translated into English.  I will officiate the Lord's Supper in English and it will be translated into Spanish.  I'm excited to see two cultures coming together to remember the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus.  In addition to our combined service, the Korean church, Chinese church and Anthem church will also hold services on our campus at 7:00pm.  Needless to say, it will be a busy Good Friday at Parkside!  Be praying for each church as they remember in there own way, the death of Jesus.
 
Easter at Parkside.  This Easter, we will offer our two regular service times at 9:15am and 10:30am.  At our 9:15am service, the goal will be to create a service that allows believers to gather together and celebrate our risen Savior.  There will be congregational singing, special music, a special Easter video and a brief message on the importance of celebrating the resurrection of Jesus.  At 10:30am, Paul Metzger, Professor of Theology at Multnomah Seminary, will lead us in a conversation focused on the claim that Jesus rose bodily from the dead.  Dr. Metzger will focus his discussion on the disciples of Jesus, answering the question, "Were the disciples liars, lunatics or sane and sound in presenting Jesus as Lord".  Begin praying now and asking God to show you who is your one that needs to hear the message about a Savior who died and rose from dead so they can experience eternity with God in Heaven.
 
Room 4 Hope.  Beginning Sunday night, April 28th, we will once again provide a week-long "home" to families who are currently experiencing homelessness.  Please consider being a part of this amazing opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus.  Stay tuned for more details on how you can volunteer.
Finally, join us on Sunday at 9:15am, as we continue our journey through the book of John.  This Sunday's message will be from John 11 and will begin a transition from the ministry of Jesus to his final week here on earth.  At 10:15am, we will wrap-up our series on navigating the multi-faith maze.  During this hour, we will discuss the fear that many believers struggle with.....the fear that God is not real.  Take some time over the next day or so and read Luke 24:13-35, then come ready to discover how the chasm between doubt and faith can be filled with scripture and fellowship.

See you Sunday.

Pastor Doug