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As our nation and our community continues to live in a state of uncertainty and unrest, allow me to share a thought.
Some things are just evil. They can be feelings, events or even people. Joseph was one of those people who experienced evil things. You see, Joseph was his dad's favorite and it went to his head. Joseph couldn't help but throw this fact in the faces of his brothers. Instead of killing Joseph and solving the problem, they instead sold him into slavery. This horrible, backstabbing act of betrayal, led to a very long season of pain and suffering in Joseph's life. Sure, it worked out in the end, but that doesn't erase the evil. Remember what Joseph said about the evil actions of his brothers? He said, "As for you, you designed evil against me, but God designed it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are to today." This incredible story of human trafficking and betrayal in Joseph's life had an evil design, first by his brothers and then by Potiphar's wife, but with this same event, God's design was good. Joseph, as he sat in jail, had to decide which design to live under, God's good design or the evil design of his brothers. That's a hard one to accept. Anything that you and I experience, whether good or evil, lives under the sovereignty of God and contains two choices for us. Like Joseph, everyone of us makes a daily decision to live under God's good design or the enemy's evil design. As we continue to experience evil, the question is a simple one..."Whose design are going to live under?". Please join us this Sunday at 9:30am, as Pastor Norm continues our series, "Gazing at God's Glory". Our focus will be on John 1:35-51. In this story, Jesus tells Nathanael that as a disciple, he "will see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man". With this statement, Jesus is letting the disciples know that the glory of God will be seen throughout his ministry. There are two options for accessing our Sunday service: 1. Attend our live "in-person" gathering. 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! 2. 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. Also, it is not to late to sign-up for our Parkside Women Zoom Discipleship Class titled, The Sermon on the Mount. This online class, led by Melanie Annes and Melissa Predmore, meets every Tuesday at 7:00pm You can register for this class on our facebook page. Here is the link: www.facebook.com/events/712020736392195 Nominations for Church Council 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. Thank you for being a church that values prayer! "See" you Sunday. Pastor Doug "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am." John 14:1-3 NLT
While these familiar words of Jesus surprised his first-century audience; today they can bring hope, love, joy and peace to those who embrace the promise of an eternity spent with Jesus in heaven. Don't miss our online service this Sunday at 9:30am, as Pastor Roger continues our series Surprised by Jesus. As we shift back to an online church service, I want to remind you how to access our livestream service. You can access the livestream on our website, www.parksidefellowship.org. Click on the "YouTube live" link located on the home page where it reads "Schedule". Once you click on this link, you will be directed to our livestream service that begins at 9:30am. After the service please consider joining us at 10:45am (note the time change) for our "after-church" gathering on zoom. "See" you Sunday. Pastor Doug As I type this email, I'm still recovering from a self-induced "Turkey, Ham, Corn on the Cob, homemade bread, lil' smokies, chocolate silk pie" coma.
Even in the midst of a global pandemic, we have so much to be thankful for and I hope each of you were able to celebrate this Thanksgiving with family and friends, even if it meant celebrating by phone, face-time or zoom. This Sunday at 9:30am, we will continue our series, Surprised by Jesus. We will also light the first candle of Advent, which represents Hope. Isaiah 40:31, Psalm 33:18 and Jeremiah 29:11 are a few passages that speak of the hope we have because of our faith and trust in God and His son, Jesus. Please join us this Sunday as we turn our attention to the upcoming celebration of Jesus willing leaving his throne in heaven in order to become human so that he could die for the sins of all mankind. I love what J.I. Packer writes about the true message of Christmas... The Christmas message is that there is hope for a ruined humanity—hope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glory—because at the Father's will Jesus Christ became poor and was born in a stable so that thirty years later he might hang on a cross. As we shift back to an online church service, I want to remind you how to access our livestream service. You can access the livestream on our website, www.parksidefellowship.org. Click on the "YouTube live" link located on the home page where it reads "Schedule". Once you click on this link, you will be directed to our livestream service that begins at 9:30am. After the service please consider joining us at 10:45am (note the time change) for our "after-church" gathering on zoom. "See" you 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 I am so blessed to be a part of this church family. Thank you for being a family that I want to spend time with. I have really enjoyed the past several weeks, as many of us have been able to gather together in-person to worship, learn from God's Word, pray together, share in the joy of communion and hear from members of our church family how God is using them to share his love...even during this pandemic. I have seen God show up in some amazing and unexpected ways.
During the past year, I have been reminded often that the church is not a building. It is us. It is because of Jesus. It is because we take Jesus with us everywhere we go, and we have in us the power of prayer. As we continue to navigate the pandemic restrictions that have been placed upon us, please don't forget that we are still the church and the church is never closed or cancelled. Based on the latest restrictions ("freeze") and the real possibility that it could be extended, below is what will be happening at Parkside Fellowship for the remainder of 2020:
Please continue to pray for our leadership as we pray and ask God to lead us where he wants us to go. May God grant you His peace and protection. Pastor Doug I'm excited for this week's service, as Larry Annes wraps up our series, Surprise the World. Larry will unpack the 5th habit in the BELLS model for "mobilizing Christians up, in and out into mission. That is, up into deeper connection with the Triune God; in to a stronger sense of community with other believers; and out into the neighborhood." (Surprise the World by Michael Frost)
This last habit in the BELLS model is the habit...Sent. Developing a habit of sent, happens as we begin to view ourselves as missionaries. In preparation for Sunday, ask yourself this question, "What does the reign of God look like in my own life and, how am I alerting people to his reign?" To put it simply, "What exactly am I pointing people too?" Join us this Sunday, November 8th at 9:30am for our in-person gathering (at this time, no reservations are required to attend). For those who are unable to attend, Sunday's service will be available via livestream on YouTube beginning at 9:30am. You can access the livestream on our website, www.parksidefellowship.org. After the service please consider joining us at 10:45am (note the time change) for our "after-church" gathering on zoom. Also, this Sunday, available to both our in-person and zoom attendees, Pastor Roger will continue his discipleship class utilizing the book, Habits for Our Holiness, by Philip Nation. The class begins at 10:45am and each participant will receive a free copy of the book. Thank you for being a praying church. See you on Sunday. Pastor Doug This Sunday, October 18th, at 9:30am, we will once again host a limited, in-person gathering in our worship center. As I stated in an email earlier this week, based on state guidelines, we are limiting capacity in the worship center to 50 people and are asking everyone to reserve your spot ahead time by email, phone or text. Also, all social distancing protocols will be strictly followed and masks will be required.
We recognize that there are those who will not be able or do not feel comfortable attending a public gathering. With this in mind, Sunday's service will be available via livestream on YouTube beginning at 9:30am. Also, for those of you who are not able to attend the live service, we will still have our regular zoom meeting at 11:00am. This Sunday is also the final week of our discipleship class called, Every Body Matters. Even if you haven't been able to attend this special class, Pastor Roger and I would love to have you join us for this week's class, as we focus on the practical application of our study: physical health. We are privileged to host Dr. John Gobble. Dr. John Gobble is provider of medical nutrition therapy and therapeutic lifestyle services at Cascade Family Practice. Dr. Gobble earned a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) in Preventive Care and a Master of Public Health (MPH) in both Public Health Nutrition and Health Education. John enjoys exploring the pristine Northwest wilderness with is wife Lynn. Our Q&A panel will also consist of our very own Nancy Hester and Larry Annes. Our focus will be on nutrition, flexibility, and exercise. Everyone can gain something from this 1-hour class, so feel free to join us this Sunday, October 18th at 10:45am and bring along a friend. There is no cost for the class. Thank you for being a church family that prays for one another. See you Sunday! Pastor Doug Greetings from hot and smoky Salt Lake City!
While Rose is helping to get Jenna settled into her dorm, as she prepares for her freshman year at the University of Hawaii, I am in Utah, getting Cassie moved back into her apartment, as she prepares to start her junior year at the University of Utah. With two girls in college and Sadie starting her freshman year of high school at Southridge, I think it goes without saying that our house will never be the same! Thank you for your prayers as Rose and I enter this new season of life. This Sunday, as we return to our normal online format, I want to encourage you to join me for our online service at 10:00am. Pastor Avery will be preaching from II Kings 6:8-22, and with this passage, will seek to answer the question that many of us are asking, "Lord, what am I not seeing?". With all that is happening in our world and in our nation, what does God want us to see and be? To join our online worship service, simply go to our webpage, www.parksidefellowship.org. Once you are on our home page, 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, I want to invite you to stick around for our Parkside "after-church" zoom gathering that will start at 11:00am. Note: Please use the following link to join the zoom gathering. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83826986555 "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 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 |
Doug Boyd - Sr. Pastor Archives
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