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Every year, it seems like Christmas just kind of sneaks up on us. Whether we're ready for it or not...whether we deserve it or not...in just 9 days, we will be given the opportunity to experience the blazing miracle of the incarnation of Jesus. God becoming flesh. The light of the world moving into the neighborhood. And yet, with the passing of another Christmas, many will once again miss the significance of the moment. The moment when Christ came to bring peace on earth and good will to all.
A central task of Advent, and the Christian life as a whole, is to pursue peace with God--to live today with our eternal tomorrow always in mind. The apostle Peter wrote: "Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming...Since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him." II Peter 3:11-12, 14 More than anytime of the year, Christmas is a season where we get caught up in the busyness of doing. Christmas is almost here, and our shopping list is long, but the invitation of the apostle Peter is to focus instead on being--specifically, being the kind of people we ought to be. Take time over the next few days to focus on your relationship with God, and then join us on Sunday at 9:30am, as we celebrate the peace we have because of Jesus. Following our service, our Adult Sunday School class will continue their titled, "Going Viral: The Birth and Advance of the Church". As Jesus ascended into heaven, he looked at his disciples and proclaimed, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8. What we will encounter in our study of Acts is a group of people who, after hearing the gospel and receiving the Holy Spirit, became bold witnesses for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Christmas Eve At Parkside Fellowship: Make plans now to celebrate the birth of Jesus with us at Parkside Fellowship's Annual Candlelight Christmas Eve Service. This year's Christmas Eve service will begin at 3:00pm. There will be singing, scripture reading, a special Christmas Story designed especially for kids (each child will receive a special Christmas gift), and a time to offer up a prayer of thanksgiving to God for his incredible gift of His one and only Son, Jesus. We will end our service with the traditional singing of Silent Night as we light candles in anticipation of the birth of Jesus! Please bring the whole family and don't forget to invite your friends and neighbors. Christmas Day At Parkside Fellowship: Revelation 7:9 says: "After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb." Do you ever wonder what our time in Heaven will look like? Join us Christmas morning at Parkside Fellowship, as 4 of the 6 churches that share our campus gather together for one huge birthday celebration. This special Christmas service will include: Christmas carols sung in Korean, Mandarin and English; prayers in multiple languages; and a time to reflect on the birth of our Savior, Jesus. The morning kicks-off at 10:00am with light snacks, followed by our Christmas service at 10:30am. Thank you for being a praying church. See you Sunday. Doug The story of God's Son entering the world is the core of Christmas. Because of God's consistent, pursuing love, we celebrate and worship with hope. Hope based on the certainty of Advent (both the first and the second). As we continue to move toward Christmas, let's not forget that first Christmas Eve night, when a group of shepherds, staying in the fields nearby, guarding their sheep, suddenly found themselves in the middle of prophecy fulfilled.
"Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. 'Don't be afraid. I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people." Luke 2:8-10 If you think about it, the only reasonable response to God's lavish love and goodness is joy--pure joy! Tied to our joy is our worship. Join us this Sunday at 9:30am as we worship our God together. Through Luke's gospel, we are going to look at threads of joy as we consider the good news with the advent of Jesus. Pray this prayer as you prepare your hearts and minds for worship: "Come, Lord Jesus. Be my joy." Also, the Rose City Flute Choir, of which our very own Kathy Collins is a member, will accompany us as we proclaim, "Joy to the world, the Lord is come; let earth receive her King". Invite a friend and join us this Sunday, as we continue the celebration! Following our service, our Adult Sunday School class will continue their titled, "Going Viral: The Birth and Advance of the Church". As Jesus ascended into heaven, he looked at his disciples and proclaimed, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8. What we will encounter in our study of Acts is a group of people who, after hearing the gospel and receiving the Holy Spirit, became bold witnesses for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Christmas Eve At Parkside Fellowship: Make plans now to celebrate the birth of Jesus with us at Parkside Fellowship's Annual Candlelight Christmas Eve Service. This year's Christmas Eve service will begin at 3:00pm. There will be singing, scripture reading, a special Christmas Story designed especially for kids (each child will receive a special Christmas gift), and a time to offer up a prayer of thanksgiving to God for his incredible gift of His one and only Son, Jesus. We will end our service with the traditional singing of Silent Night as we light candles in anticipation of the birth of Jesus! Please bring the whole family and don't forget to invite your friends and neighbors. Thank you for being a praying church. See you Sunday. Doug Is it too early to wish you a Merry Christmas? I don't think so. I love Christmas. I love the lights, the Christmas tree, Christmas Carols, A Charlie Brown Christmas, food and family. But before I let myself get completely enamored with all the distractions of the Christmas season, I must never let myself forget what we are too truly celebrate...the arrival of Immanuel, God with us, in the person of Jesus Christ.
As we continue in this season of advent, I want us to reflect for a moment on his love for us. Christmas, at its core is God's love for us. It was when God made the very first move in loving us. God always takes the initiative--he blessed first, served first, comforted first, and most of all, loved first. The Apostle John sums up God's love displayed in the manger when he penned John 3:16; "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." God's unconditional, unwavering, love for us is what drove Him to send Jesus to be with us in human form. I encourage to take the next few days and reflect on God's love. As you do, begin by reading Psalm 89:1-4. Then take some time and focus your thoughts and prayers on your love relationship with God. At the beginning of each day, invite God to show you how he loves you. Drawing on the example of Psalm 89, tell God how much you love him, focusing not only on his good gifts to you but also on who he is--loving, patient, good, holy. If you find it helpful, write down your daily prayers, your expressions of love to God, and your observations as you look expectantly each day for God to show you how he loves you. Then join us on Sunday at 9:30am, as we continue to prepare our hearts and minds for the arrival of our Savior, Jesus Following our service, our Adult Sunday School class will continue their titled, "Going Viral: The Birth and Advance of the Church". As Jesus ascended into heaven, he looked at his disciples and proclaimed, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8. What we will encounter in our study of Acts is a group of people who, after hearing the gospel and receiving the Holy Spirit, became bold witnesses for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Rose City Flute Choir Holiday Concert When: Thursday, December 8th Time: 7:30pm Where: Parkside Fellowship Who: Everyone is invited to attend a fun night of Christmas music, food and fellowship. Bring a friend. Thank you for being a praying church. See you Sunday. Doug Happy Thanksgiving Parkside Family.
When things fall apart, the broken pieces allow all sorts of things to enter, and one of them is the presence of God (Shauna Niequist) There is no promise of comfort for those who walk by faith. God doesn't promise an easy life, but He does promise His presence and a hope-filled life. Hope is a gift given to us by God, through the Holy Spirit, to provide us with confidence, security and peace, as we wait for God's presence to be revealed in our lives. This Thanksgiving, take a moment and give God praise for his never-ending presence in your life and the hope of a future spent with God in heaven. Below is a prayer of thanksgiving: God, I praise You that in Your presence is fullness of joy, that the lines of communication between us are always open. Right here, right now, I give You thanks for all! By faith, I trust You in every circumstance in my life with sincere gratitude. Amen. Join us this Sunday at 9:30am, as we begin the countdown to Christmas. A season when we expectantly anticipate, patiently wait for, and will, on December 25th, joyfully celebrate the birth of Jesus. This Sunday kicks off the 4 Sundays of Advent, a time designed for Christians around the world to prepare their minds, their hearts and their daily activities for the arrival of our Savior, Jesus. For this first Sunday of Advent, we will focus on the HOPE that began in the Old Testament, when God set in motion His redemptive plan, and a New Testament Hope that reminds us of a glorious future. Following our service, our Adult Sunday School class will continue their titled, "Going Viral: The Birth and Advance of the Church". As Jesus ascended into heaven, he looked at his disciples and proclaimed, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8. What we will encounter in our study of Acts is a group of people who, after hearing the gospel and receiving the Holy Spirit, became bold witnesses for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Deck the Halls: Finally, consider joining with some others from Parkside, as we take some time to prepare our campus for the Christmas season. The date is Tuesday, November 29th from 2:00pm to 7:00pm. Sign-up this Sunday in the church lobby. Thank you for being a praying church. See you Sunday. Doug Join us this Sunday, at 9:30am, as we wrap-up our series, Resilient Hope. This week we will conclude our short look at II Peter. As we do, I want to take a moment and look back at where Peter has led us over the last several weeks. The pointed message Peter wants to leave as his legacy can be summed up in two commands: "Beware!" and "Be ready!" In both of his letters, Peter has urged us to avoid the corruption of the world. In I Peter he accomplished this by reminding us that we are elect exiles, chosen by God to pursue holy living. In his second letter, Peter reminded us of the fruitful Christian life expected of those who have been equipped with everything necessary for godliness. As the sure foundation for faith, Peter directed believers to Scripture as the Spirit-breathed, inerrant Word of God, encouraging us to stand strong in the truth. Peter concludes with two final reminders: 1) God's Word is trustworthy, and 2) Jesus will return and establish a new creation where there will be no more pain and suffering!
Following our service, our Adult Sunday School class will continue their titled, "Going Viral: The Birth and Advance of the Church". As Jesus ascended into heaven, he looked at his disciples and proclaimed, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8. What we will encounter in our study of Acts is a group of people who, after hearing the gospel and receiving the Holy Spirit, became bold witnesses for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Troy Smith Celebration of Life will take place tomorrow (Saturday), November 19th at 2:00pm at Parkside Fellowship. For those who are unable to attend in-person, the service will be available via livestream. Here is the link: https://youtu.be/mGsUxJTLXyA Please continue to pray for the needs within our church family. See you Sunday. Pastor Doug Join us this Sunday at 9:30am, as Larry Annes continues our series in II Peter titled, Resilient Hope. In his second letter to the churches scattered throughout Asia Minor, Peter realizes that his time remaining on this earth is short and his concern for the church shows in II Peter. Peter is calling the church to remember who they are and how they have been cleansed from sin through the blood of Jesus Christ. Peter brings remembrance that he was an eyewitness to the glory and majesty of Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. He declares, just as that voice from Heaven came and said to listen to the Son of God, that we would do well to pay attention to the prophetic message. II Peter is a message of hope and warning. We can put our trust and hope in the very great and precious promise of God.
Join us after the service for week #2 in our study of Acts. The study is titled, "Going Viral: The Birth and Advance of the Church". As Jesus ascended into heaven, he looked at his disciples and proclaimed, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8. What we will encounter in our study of Acts is a group of people who, after hearing the gospel and receiving the Holy Spirit, became bold witnesses for the gospel of Jesus Christ. This study will remind us that Parkside Fellowship is made up of people who Jesus has saved and sent to be missionaries in the world. As we will see, the early church could not have advanced without the unwavering commitment of those early believers. Just as he did in Acts 1:8, Jesus sends all of us out to be His witnesses. Join us at 10:45am, as we take a deep-dive into the rapid advancement of the early church. Troy Smith Celebration of Life: As many of you know, Troy Smith went home to be with Jesus on October 20th. There will be a Celebration of Life service here at Parkside Fellowship, on Saturday, November 19th, at 2:00pm. Please continue pray for Lenora, the kids and the rest of the Smith family as they mourn the passing of Troy into the arms of Jesus. Please continue to pray for the needs within our church family. See you Sunday. Pastor Doug This Sunday at 9:30am, we will finish up our journey through the book of I Peter. As Peter closes this letter, written to churches and believers all throughout Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), who had been scattered due to persecution, he reaffirms the overall exhortation of his letter. Because we hold to the true faith in a trustworthy God, we can stand firm in God's grace. In the midst of all oppression, mistreatment, temptation, or trials, we can endure with hope because of the sustaining power of God. In short, through Christ, we can have unwavering hope. Join us Sunday at 9:30am, as we gather together to give praise, glory and honor to our faithful God, who reigns forever and ever!
Adult Sunday School is back!! Stick around after the service as we begin a brand-new study. Join Mark and Jonella as they walk us through the book of Acts. The study is titled, "Going Viral: The Birth and Advance of the Church". As Jesus ascended into heaven, he looked at his disciples and proclaimed, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8. What we will encounter in our study of Acts is a group of people who, after hearing the gospel and receiving the Holy Spirit, became bold witnesses for the gospel of Jesus Christ. This study will remind us that Parkside is made up of people who Jesus has saved and sent to be missionaries in the world. As we will see, the early church could not have advanced without the unwavering commitment of those early believers. Just as he did in Acts 1:8, Jesus sends all of us out to be His witnesses. Join us at 10:45am, as we take a deep-dive into the rapid advancement of the early church. Trunk O Treat is this Saturday (tomorrow) from 4:00pm to 7:00pm. Thanks to everyone who has supplied candy, stuffed goody bags with information about Jesus and Parkside, and to those who will be helping with food, games and passing out candy. We are excited to host this year's Trunk O Treat, as we love and serve the families in our surrounding neighborhoods. Pray that the weather cooperates and that Jesus is glorified! Ladies: Don't forget to sign-up for our 1st Annual Handmade Holidays Women's Craft Event. This fun opportunity to craft, chat and connect will take place on Saturday, November 5th, from 10:00am to 12:30pm, at Parkside Fellowship. Each attendee will learn to create handmade decorations for Thanksgiving and Christmas. We will supply all the materials, instruction, coffee and tea. We are asking each lady to bring 2 dozen of their favorite homemade holiday treat to share. Sign-ups will continue this Sunday. Finally, attached is this week's prayer list. Please continue to pray for the needs within our church family. See you Sunday. Pastor Doug |
Our PastorDoug Boyd - Sr. Pastor Archives
February 2023
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