Last week in our discipleship class on the book of James, one of the passages we looked at was James 1:3-4, which reads:

"For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.  So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing."

With these verses, James is providing us with a picture of the reason God took the Nation of Israel through the wilderness.  The purpose of a wilderness experience is to test us and to stretch our spiritual muscles.  As commentator Philip Ryken wrote:  "Going through the wilderness was not necessary for Israel's salvation, but it was necessary for their sanctification."

Join us this Sunday, at 9:30am, as we continue our series called, Exodus: Seeing God in the Journey.  This week, we be in Exodus 16 and 17, as we look at a trio of tests, God took the Israelites through, in order to prepare them for a covenant relationship with himself.

Prior to our 9:30am service, join us at 8:45am in Pastor Doug's office, for a special time of praying for Parkside and the other churches that meet on our campus.

As we gather for our in-person service, Parkside church staff and leadership will be wearing masks and we are asking everyone to do the same.  Please consider joining us this weekend.  We were created by God to worship and praise Him together, in community, so plan on being at Parkside this Sunday at 9:30am and don't forget your mask!

Also, for those that are not able to join us in-person, you can still join us online

As our church continues to move toward a sense of normalcy on Sunday mornings, Roger and I are excited to announce that our Sunday Morning Bible Study classes have resumed meeting at 10:45am, for the purpose of supporting each other on our individual spiritual growth journeys.  Please consider taking advantage of one of these discipleship opportunities.  See class details below: 

Topic:  A Study in the book of James
Facilitator:  Mark Hester and Jonella Malinowski
10:45am to 11:45am
In-person ONLY

Senior Adult Discipleship Class
Topic:  A Study in the book of Mark
Facilitator:  Martha Bailey
10:45am to 11:45am
In-person ONLY

See you Sunday.

Pastor Doug

Of all the letters Paul wrote, II Corinthians is the most autobiographical.  In it, Paul lifts the veil on his private life and allows us to catch a glimpse of his needs and weaknesses.  In his letter, Paul records the specifics of his pain and sufferings.  He spells out the details of his persecution, imprisonments, beatings and feelings of despair.  However, in the midst of revealing the "dark" side of his life, Paul begins his letter by writing:

"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.  He comforts us in our troubles so that we can comfort others.  When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us."  II Corinthians 1:3-4

Sometimes, God uses suffering so that we might learn what it means to depend on Him.  Over and over He reminds us of the danger of pride, but it frequently takes suffering to make the lesson stick.  Paul reminds us to welcome hard times as opportunities to stop trusting in our own wisdom and strength, to start leaning on God and to give Him thanks for His sovereignty over our lives.  Take time over the next few days to read II Corinthians chapters 1-5 and may the words of Paul encourage you the next time you find yourself in a God-orchestrated dilemma.

Join us this Sunday, at 9:30am, as we continue our series called, Exodus: Seeing God in the Journey.  This week, we be in Exodus 13 and 14, as we look at probably the most notable story and most celebrated miracle in Israel's history...the crossing of the Red Sea.  It was in this moment that the nation of Israel experienced a divine encounter with God, as His power flowed through their obedience, which led them into some tense, uneasy, scary moments for this tired, yet hopeful nation.

Prior to our 9:30am service, join us at 8:45am in Pastor Doug's office, for a special time of praying for Parkside and the other churches that meet on our campus.

As we gather for our in-person service, Parkside church staff and leadership will be wearing masks and we are asking everyone to do the same.  Please consider joining us this weekend.  We were created by God to worship and praise Him together, in community, so plan on being at Parkside this Sunday at 9:30am and don't forget your mask!

Also, for those that are not able to join us in-person, you can still join us online

As our church continues to move toward a sense of normalcy on Sunday mornings, Roger and I are excited to announce that our Sunday Morning Bible Study classes will begin meeting this Sunday, October 3rd at 10:45am.  It's been over 18 months since either our Senior Adult Class or the Hester/Malinowski class has been able to meet.  It will be awesome to see many of you reconnect in these smaller communities.

Please consider taking advantage of one of these discipleship opportunities.  See class details below: 

Topic:  A Study in the book of James
Facilitator:  Mark Hester and Jonella Malinowski
10:45am to 11:45am
In-person ONLY

Senior Adult Discipleship Class
Topic:  A Study in the book of Mark
Facilitator:  Martha Bailey
10:45am to 11:45am
In-person ONLY

See you Sunday.

Pastor Doug

​I want to begin this edition of TAB by thanking everyone for faithfully praying with me and our church council, in asking God to show us the path he has for us.  As we faithfully wait on the Lord, I want to share with you a quote from Andrew Murray, who is a South African Pastor.  Pastor Murray wrote these words when faced with a terrible crises:

"First He brought me here, it is by His will that I am in this strait place: in that fact I will rest.  Next, He will keep me here in His love, and give me grace to behave as His child.  Then, He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me the lessons He intends me to learn, and working in me the grace He means to bestow.  Last, in His good time He can bring me out again--how and when He knows.  Let me say I am here, by Gods appointment, in His keeping, under His training, for His time."

My prayer is that as we wait on God to move, we will recognize we are EXACTLY where He wants us to be.

This Sunday, at 9:30am, we begin a new series called, Exodus: Seeing God in the Journey.  To know the story of Exodus and God's people is to recognize it as our own.  Through this series, we hope to learn more about how God leads us into certain situations, so that He can lead us out.  Two questions for you to think about as you prepare for Sunday are:  1.  When faced with a difficult decision or choice, do you look back or look forward? and 2. Do you walk with your eyes focused on your own steps or do you look for the footprints of Jesus, who is walking right beside you?  If you would like to get a jump start on this week's message, I will be sharing from Exodus 3.

Prior to our 9:30am service, consider joining us at 8:45am in Pastor Doug's office, for a special time of praying for Parkside and the other churches that meet on our campus.

As we gather for our in-person service, Parkside church staff and leadership will be wearing masks and we are asking everyone to do the same.  Please consider joining us this weekend.  We were created by God to worship and praise Him together, in community, so plan on being at Parkside this Sunday at 9:30am and don't forget your mask!

Also, for those that are not able to join us in-person, you can still join us online

Not only is this Sunday, September 12th the beginning of a brand-new sermon series, but we would also like to invite you to join us right after the service at 10:45am for a NEW Discipleship Class titled, Keeping it Simple: Spiritual Disciplines for a Focused Life.  In this 3 week class, we will look at how to turn our confusion, chaos and clutter into a simpler life that is focused on God. 

See class details below: 

Discipleship Study:  Keeping It Simple:  Spiritual Disciplines for a Focused Life
Facilitator:  Martha Bailey
10:45am to 11:45am
In-person and on zoom
Zoom Link:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82089655176

In addition to this new Discipleship Class, our current class on Revelation will continue to meet at 10:45am.  Please see class details below:

Discipleship Study:  Revelation
Facilitator:  Trudy Reusser
10:45am to 11:45am
In-person ONLY

Finally, as most of you know, Bill Walker passed away this last Sunday.  A Celebration of Life Service is being planned for Tuesday, September 28th in the morning.  I will let you know once a time has been finalized.  Thank you for praying for the Walker family. 

See you Sunday.

Pastor Doug