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Yesterday, I attended a virtual conference called, Future of the Church Summit (our SBC President J.D. Greear was a featured speaker). One statement that stuck with me, was made by Chris Hodges who pastors Church of the Highlands in Alabama. In talking about the future of the church, he said that even with all the fast-moving changes happening around us, the one thing he believes will never change is "a person's need to be known and their need to be needed"...to be a part of a community. As the church shifts and pivots with an ever-changing culture, we must never lose sight of a person's need to be loved! Today's lent reading spoke directly to this point.
I have loved you with an everlasting love. Before time began, I knew you. For years you swam around in a sea of meaninglessness, searching for love, hoping for hope. All that time I was pursuing you, aching to embrace you in my compassionate arms. When the time was right, I revealed Myself to you. I lifted you out of that sea of despair and set you down on a firm foundation. Jeremiah speaks to this as well in Jeremiah 31:3. "Long ago the Lord said to Israel: 'I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself." This Sunday at 9:30am, Larry Annes will continue our series "Gazing at Glory." This week we will focus on Jesus as the Light of the World from John 8. Don't forget to join me in my office at 8:45am for prayer! NOTE: Our Sunday service continues to meet at 9:30am, with two options for participating.
NOTE: For the month of March, our "after-church" zoom gathering will be focusing on prayer as we prepare our minds and hearts for Easter. This week we will be joining with other SBC churches all across America in praying for North American Missions. Sunday Mornings in March: "Prayer Focus" 10:45am to 11:30am In-person and Zoom options Link for zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84125779768 As I mentioned at our Annual Meeting, we have two ancillary committee vacancies. We need to fill one open seat on our Personnel Committee and one open seat on our Legal Committee. On Sunday, March 21st, church members will have the opportunity to vote to confirm the following candidates for these two open positions.
If you currently have a listed prayer request, please let us know of any changes to the request. You can do that by replying to this email or emailing Pastor Doug at doug.boyd@parksidefellowship.org See You Sunday! Pastor Doug I want to begin this edition of TAB with a prayer...
God almighty, you are capable of healing all diseases, parting the seas, and raising the dead to life. We worship you and praise you. Heavenly Father, we ask now, in the name of Jesus, that you would heal our land. Our country is in desperate need of you. Please use your church to point people to the light of Jesus. God, I also ask that you would heal those who are sick and in pain. Cradle them now and heal them. Thank you that you hear us. Thank you that Jesus healed those who were laid before him and that you still bring healing today. In the name of your Son, Jesus we pray. Amen. Attached to this email is our weekly prayer list. Please take time to look through and pray for those on the prayer list. Both Bill Walker and Loren Sheets are recovering from hip fractures. Pastor Roger's wife, Mary Jo and their son-in-law have tested positive for COVID. Pastor Roger and their daughter Emily tested negative and are in quarantine. Please pray that there will be no complications, no further infections and for a speedy recovery. ATTENTION: Parkside Women Zoom Discipleship Class titled The Sermon on the Mount. Begins Tuesday, January 12th at 7:00pm. This is a 9 session study facilitated by Melissa Predmore and Melanie Annes. We will "gather" by zoom on Tuesday evenings beginning January 12th, from 7:00pm-8:15 pm. Below is a brief description of the class. What does it mean to be a citizen of the kingdom of Heaven? Matthew's gospel opens with three chapters containing Jesus' longest recorded message--a sermon given to His disciples early in His ministry to articulate what the life of a Christ-follow would look like. Both practical and profound, the sermon asks of us the same questions it posed to its original hearers: How should a disciple relate to sin? To others? To the Law? How does a disciple think, speak, and act? What is the nature of true righteousness? Seat yourself on a mountainside to learn at the feet of Jesus. You can register for this class on our facebook page. Here is the link: www.facebook.com/events/712020736392195 Parkside Fellowship Annual Meeting (Celebration). This year's annual meeting will take place on Saturday, February 27 at 3:00pm. At this year's meeting you will have the opportunity to vote on new members to the church council. A nominating committee has been put in place and is actively seeking recommendations to fill these open positions. The members of the nominating committee are Mark Hester (chairman), Bev Lynam, Mary Stevens and Pastor Doug. If you know an active member of Parkside Fellowship with outstanding leadership ability, you can nominate them by submitting their name via email to doug.boyd@parksidefellowship.org or there will be submission forms available on Sunday. All submissions will be due no later than January 18th. Finally, we are excited to be able to offer in-person services on Sundays at 9:30am. Please feel free to join us. No reservations are required and we will continue to follow all necessary COVID guidelines. Please wear a mask so we can keep everyone safe and healthy! We value our online church community and will continue to livestream our church service at 9:30am for those who wish to participate. Also, don't forget to stick around after the service for our "after-church zoom gathering". We start at 10:45am and the zoom link is below https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84125779768 Hope to see many of you on Sunday! Pastor Doug What are you thankful for?
As you reflect on this past year, your initial response might be...nothing...absolutely nothing! After this initial "off-the-cuff" statement, let me encourage you to take some time this week and look up, look around and look within and say, "Thank you, Lord, for..." Here are a few, "Thank you(s) to get you started:
Our God is truly worthy of our highest praise. To Him goes all the glory! This past Wednesday, I sent out an email letting you know our Sunday plans for the rest of 2020. Based on the latest restrictions and the continued spike in COVID cases, we have decided to shift back to online services for the rest of the year. Below are some of the points I shared in that email:
After the service please consider joining us at 10:45am (note the time change) for our "after-church" gathering on zoom. We will be spending one more week with Roger and his discipleship class, "Habits for our Holiness". After this week, our "after-church" zoom gathering will return to its regular format of sharing and a time of prayer. I, along with Roger and our church council, thanks you for your continued support and prayer as we discuss, pray and make decisions in what has become a constantly changing environment. Allow me to close with this prayer from Jude 24-25. "Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen." "See" you Sunday. Pastor Doug Hi Parkside Family.
Just this morning I was reminded of my need to invite God into my world through prayer. To give God the opportunity to show up with the gifts of joy, patience, peace, comfort, and resilience. The kind of gifts that only He can provide. When we pray, doubt and fear still come, but they don't stay long. Regret and guilt may land on our kitchen table, but through prayer, Christ wipes them away, replacing them with joy and hope that comes from being a child of God. What about you, do you desire to pray more? Pray better? Pray stronger? Pray with more faith, fire and fervency? Remember, prayer is not reserved for Sunday church or Wednesday night prayer meetings. Prayer is not a privilege for pastors and Sunday School teachers. Prayer is simply a heartfelt conversation between God and his child. God is waiting for you to invite him into your doubts, your fears, your frustrations. He wants to walk with you through the valleys and, when needed, carry you! "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7 On behalf of Kaye Graves and family, I want to invite you to join us this Saturday, August 8th at 10:30am, as we gather together in our church parking lot, to remember and celebrate the life of Dick Graves. Due to the current restrictions on indoor gatherings, the service will be held in our church parking lot. The church will provide tent shading and socially-distanced seating. Also per state guidelines, those in attendance will be required to wear a face mask. Please join us for this special time of remembering the life God gave to Dick and the love and laughter he shared with Kaye, their family and those who knew him. Also, don't forget to join us this Sunday at 10:30am, as we continue in our series titled, Seven Letters to Seven Churches. This week, we will be diving into the church at Sardis. This letter can be found in Revelation 3:1-6. Please take some time over the next few days to read this important letter and be praying for Pastor Roger as he speaks God's Word to us this Sunday. Following the service, consider joining us for our Parkside "after-church" zoom gathering that begins at 11:00am There are two ways for you to join us on zoom. 1. Set up a zoom account prior to the meeting. Open the attachment below and follow the instructions for setting up your zoom account. We have included step-by-step visuals. Please allow 10 minutes to set up your account. Once your account is set-up, simply join us by clicking on the meeting link Sunday at 11:00am. Here is the link. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86988116642. 2. Click on the link below, approximately 5 minutes prior to the meeting and follow the prompts in order to install the application. Here is the link for you to click on. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86988116642. Thank you for being a church that prays! "See" you Sunday. Pastor Doug I want to invite you to join us this Sunday as we continue in our series titled, Seven Letters to Seven Churches.
So far, we've peeked into the life of a church that lost it's first love...Jesus and a church that received nothing but praise from Christ, along with an encouragement to remain faithful, even in the midst of suffering and persecution. This week, we will be looking at the Church in Pergamum. This was a church known for compromising it's faith and doctrine for the sake of church unity and growth. John's letter to this confused church is found in Revelation 2:12-17. You might consider taking some time over the next couple of days to read this letter and keep Parkside Fellowship in your prayers, knowing that Roger, myself and our church council are committed to never sacrificing our faith or doctrine for the sake of worldly gain. As always, you can access our online service by going to our webpage, www.parksidefellowship.org. Once you are on our home page, simply scroll down to where you see "SCHEDULE". You can then click on either the "streaming on youtube" or "streaming on facebook" and you will be automatically directed to the service. After the service, please join us at 11:00am for our "after-church" zoom gathering. There are two ways for you to join us on zoom.
NOTE: This week's zoom link is different from the link you have been using. Be sure and use the above link for this week's zoom meeting. Finally, as you read the prayers and praises that are listed in this week's prayer list, if you see any updates that need to be made, please email me at doug.boyd@parksidefellowship.org. We want to be sure and stay up-to-date on those needing prayer. Also, please pay special attention to the update on Dick Graves. I just returned from visiting with he and Kaye. His health has declined rapidly and both the doctors and nurses say it could be a few days, but not much more than a week or so until he goes home to be with Jesus. Please pray for Kaye as she cares for Dick. Thank you for being a church that prays! "See" you Sunday. Pastor Doug There are days when the best thing you can do is leave it to God. Don't worry, don't fear, don't cry, don't complain...just leave it to God.
Philip Melanchthon and Martin Luther were once deciding on the day's agenda. Philip was disciplined, intellectually gifted, serious and goal-driven; while Martin was equally intelligent but much more emotional, risky, even playful. Melanchthon said, "Martin, this day we will discuss the governance of the universe." To which Luther responded, "Philip, this day you and I will go fishing and leave the governance of the universe to God." Can't seem to get where you want to go fast enough...Leave it to God. Worried about your kids?...Leave it to God. Living in a place you'd rather not be...Leave it to God. Having health issues and unsure what to do next...Leave it to God. Frustrated with your current situation, whatever that may be...Leave it to God. Make today the day you and I give ourselves permission to relax without being afraid or feeling guilty...and leave the stuff we cannot handle or change to God. This Sunday, we begin a new series titled, Seven Letters to Seven Churches. Over the next seven weeks, we will take a deep dive into the lives of seven churches in the New Testament, whose message and mission had been weakened by wave after wave of suspicion, criticism, complaints, and persecution. Like these seven churches, Parkside is also being battered by societal change, cultural unrest and a world-wide pandemic. Thankfully, Jesus commissioned John to write letters to these seven churches, outlining for them, what they were doing well, where they were weak and how to fix it. These letters are found in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. Our goal with this series is to learn how Parkside can maintain a healthy spiritual environment, even in the midst of change and uncertainty. Join us online this Sunday at 10:00am, for a "sacred" gathering of God's church as we worship our Lord and Savior! As always, you can access our online service by going to our webpage, www.parksidefellowship.org. Once you are on our home page, simply scroll down to where you see "SCHEDULE". You can then click on either the "streaming on youtube" or "streaming on facebook" and you will be automatically directed to the service. After the service, please join us at 11:00am for our "after-church" zoom gathering. There are two ways for you to join us on zoom. 1. Set up a zoom account prior to the meeting. Open the attachment below and follow the instructions for setting up your zoom account. We have included step-by-step visuals. Please allow 10 minutes to set up your account. Once your account is set-up, simply join us by clicking on the meeting link Sunday at 11:00am. Here is the link. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86988116642. 2. Click on the link below, approximately 5 minutes prior to the meeting and follow the prompts in order to install the application. Here is the link for you to click on. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86988116642 NOTE: This week's zoom link is different from the link you have been using. Be sure and use the above link for this week's zoom meeting. Also, plan now to attend our next "socially-distanced" parking lot bbq. The date is July 12th from 11:00am to 1:00pm. Be sure to bring yourself, a chair to sit in and something to drink. We will supply the food and fun! Finally, as you read the weekly Parkside Prayer Letter, if you see any updates that need to be made, please email me at doug.boyd@parksidefellowship.org. We want to be sure and stay up-to-date on those needing prayer. Thank you for being a church that prays! "See" you Sunday. Pastor Doug We are one month into a new decade and already I can see how God is beginning to shape the direction of our church for the next 10 years. Imagine a different future. Imagine a church that is driven by a deep passion to become a living demonstration of God’s glory incarnate in its community. Please be praying for our church council as they continue to meet together, pray about and strategize for how Parkside Fellowship can be this type of church, a community who knows the gospel and is equipped to live the gospel out. Also, our annual meeting (celebration) will take place at 3:00pm on Saturday, February 29th. Please save this date and plan to come and hear what God has in store for us this next year.
I want to thank all of you for your faithful giving this past year. Because of your commitment to the ministry of Parkside, we were able to end our fiscal year with a cash surplus that will enable us to enter this new decade with confidence that God is wanting to use Parkside for His glory. Having a positive cash flow gives those in leadership positions the freedom to budget for growth, which in turn will have a greater gospel impact on the community around us. Thank you so much for your faithful giving! Finally, thank you for praying and for giving of your time, talent and treasure. I am excited about things I see God beginning to do and will be sharing some of these at our annual meeting in February. Until then, continue to pray for Parkside Fellowship, asking God how and where he wants you to serve His church. With love & appreciation, Pastor Doug Boyd "Until the Whole World Hears" is more than just a catchy Christian mission phrase. It's a lifestyle that says, "I want to feel the heart of Jesus and see the world through His eyes. I want to be His hands and feet. I want to live a life that leads people to Him."
This Sunday, Parkside Fellowship will begin a week-long global mission emphasis revolving around the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. This emphasis is not just about writing a check; nor, is just about praying for our global missionaries......that's the easy part. The hard part is making a personal commitment to join the harvest. Every farmer wants a harvest. His eyes see an empty field that is overgrown with weeds and covered with rocks. But his mind sees his field covered with strong, healthy crops. And the promise in his mind, not the problems before his eyes, takes him into the field to work. First he breaks up the hard dirt, so the seeds can grow easily. Then he plants the seeds. As they grow, he pulls out the weeds that try to choke the new plants. He makes sure they have enough water, and he protects them from birds and bugs. He does his part, knowing that only God has the power to make the seeds grow. When the time is right, the farmer goes into the field, gathers the fruit of his harvest and takes it to his storehouse. There, he collects new seeds for the next planting season--more seeds than he started with. So his harvest grows greater every year. This is the parable of the harvest found in Matthew 13. For generations, farmers or what today we call missionaries, have been preparing and spreading the seeds of the Gospel and now, more than ever, they need harvesters to go out into the fields and harvest the seeds that have been planted and are now ready to be harvested. In Matthew 9, Jesus displays true emotion as he looks out over the crowd that has gathered to hear him teach and turning to his disciples says, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few, therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." What field might God be calling you to go and join the harvest.....if only for a week or two.? All must Pray.....Many will Give......Some will Go. Join us this Sunday, as we ask God to show us our role in the harvest. One easy role is to make a personal commitment to invite one person, who doesn't know Jesus, to our Christmas Eve service, which takes place at 4:00pm. Who is God placing on your heart to invite? FYI.....don't forget tomorrow's (Saturday) Young @ Heart Christmas Party. It takes place from 2:30pm to 4:30pm in the Fireside Room. See you Sunday......or Saturday. Pastor Doug |
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