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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'm excited to be back after a much-needed 2 week break. Thanks to Roger and the rest of our leadership team for keeping things moving forward while I was gone. God has blessed Parkside with some incredibly gifted leaders and I feel privileged to be able to serve alongside them!
Reminder: Parkside Fellowship Annual Meeting, tomorrow (Saturday) at 3:00pm. Don't forget that tomorrow (Saturday) is our Parkside Fellowship All-Church Annual Meeting. You have the option to attend in-person or on zoom beginning at 3:00pm. Here is the zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84138184552 Join us on Sunday at 9:30am, as we continue our series "Gazing at Glory." This week's focus will be on John 6, as we look at Jesus: The Bread of Life. NOTE: Our Sunday service continues to meet at 9:30am, with two options for participating. 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. NOTE: For the month of February, our "after-church" zoom gathering will be joining our discipleship class titled, "Resolving Everyday Conflict". See below for information on the class. To receive a book, please email: roger.sharp@parksidefellowship.org Sunday Mornings in February: “Resolving Everyday Conflict” 10:45-11:45am You will need a copy of the book “Resolving Everyday Conflict” and your Bible. In-person and Zoom options Link for zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84125779768 Hopefully you are continuing to join Roger and I as we spend this Lent season, focusing on our Savior, Jesus. Below is a verse from day 5 that I thought was so appropriate during this season of life. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Matthew 11:28-29 Finally, attached is the weekly prayer sheet. Thanks for praying! For His Glory. Pastor Doug Roger again this week. I just returned from getting an X-Ray...I'll know soon what I did to my ribs, but it was worth it. Mary Jo and I took full advantage of the snow last week hurling ourselves head first down Powerline Park on our sled. Well, I went airborne after hitting a bump and landed rib cage to metal. Ouch! Advil has been my close friend all week. I might have winced a time or two while preaching this past Sunday.
Sometimes, as we enjoy life, we are reminded of the frailty of our very bodies. Our spirit says, "I am young and can conquer the world!" - but our age and miles remind us of the truth of life. The body will ultimately fail, but Jesus offers renewal because of the cross. This season of Lent reminds us to face our trials and to recognize suffering. Suffering and pain are part of the human experience. During these next few weeks, draw closer to Jesus as we celebrate His power over suffering and death. Let me invite you to join us for "40 Days with Jesus." We have a devotional booklet that while guide you. If you still need yours, please contact us at the church office and we'll bring it to you or make arrangements for you to pick one up. "O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I site and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely. O Lord." - Psalm 139:1-4 Larry Annes will be bringing the message Sunday as we continue our series "Gazing at Glory." We will sing a few songs led by our very own Lydia Annes, read Scripture, and pray. NOTE: Our Sunday service continues to meet at 9:30am, with two options for participating. 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. NOTE: For the month of February, our "after-church" zoom gathering will be joining our discipleship class titled, "Resolving Everyday Conflict". See below for information on the class. To receive a book, please email: roger.sharp@parksidefellowship.org Sunday Mornings in February: “Resolving Everyday Conflict” 10:45-11:45am You will need a copy of the book “Resolving Everyday Conflict” and your Bible. In-person and Zoom options Link for zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84125779768 We all encounter conflict - whether it be with a coworker, family member, friend, or complete stranger. And yet we all desire harmony in our relationships. Resolving Everyday Conflict is a practical, biblical, and concise guide to peacemaking in everyday life. This biblical guide written by Ken Sande and Kevin Johnson will take you far beyond simply ending conflicts. Instead, true, life-changing reconciliation can take place in your relationships. Topics that will be covered include:
See you Sunday! Pastor Roger Roger here this week enjoying the snow and cold weather. Mary Jo and I have already burned through a few logs on the fireplace, trekked the snow-packed park next to the church, and savored a cup of coffee or two. These are memory-makers that remind us of seasons and the beauty each brings. I love this time of year for its uniqueness. Of course, I'm looking forward to the colors of Spring just around the corner, too.
"Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love." - 1 John 4:7-8 These verses are the first verses I memorized through song. Maybe you know the medley and just sang it as you read it. Maybe not. I learned it KJV-style like this: "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God, and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love....Beloved, let us love one another...1 John 4:7-8." I learned from an early age the importance of loving God with all that I am. As I grew into my teen years and then into young adulthood, I began to place barriers in front of that love. These self-imposed barriers create a void that lasts for many years if we are not diligent in recognizing them and removing them. We must begin to release and trust. In my message for Sunday, we will take a look a three barriers to love as we gain wisdom from John's gospel, chapter 4. Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well provides the framework. I invite you to read ahead and come ready to explore God's love as we worship Him this Sunday. We will sing a few familiar hymns, read Scripture, and encourage each other in fellowship. NOTE: Our Sunday service continues to meet at 9:30am, with two options for participating.
NOTE: For the month of February, our "after-church" zoom gathering will be joining our discipleship class titled, "Resolving Everyday Conflict". See below for information on the class. To receive a book, please email: roger.sharp@parksidefellowship.org Sunday Mornings in February: “Resolving Everyday Conflict” 10:45-11:45am You will need a copy of the book “Resolving Everyday Conflict” and your Bible. In-person and Zoom options Link for zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84125779768 We all encounter conflict - whether it be with a coworker, family member, friend, or complete stranger. And yet we all desire harmony in our relationships. Resolving Everyday Conflict is a practical, biblical, and concise guide to peacemaking in everyday life. This biblical guide written by Ken Sande and Kevin Johnson will take you far beyond simply ending conflicts. Instead, true, life-changing reconciliation can take place in your relationships. Topics that will be covered include:
Finally, attached is our weekly prayer list. See you Sunday! Pastor Roger "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
This is arguably the most well-known verse in the Bible. Even non-believers have probably heard variations of this verse, or at the very least, they've seen signs with John 3:16 written on them. Martin Luther referred to John 3:16 as, "the gospel in miniature". In other words, one can sum up the entire gospel with this one verse. John 3:16 is a culmination of all that happened from Genesis 3, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God, to the moment when Nicodemus knocked on Jesus’ door in John 3:2 This Sunday at 9:30am, we will continue our series, Gazing at God's Glory, as we unpack the amazing truths found in the life-altering words of John 3:16. NOTE: Our Sunday service continues to meet at 9:30am, with two options for participating.
NOTE: For the month of February, our "after-church" zoom gathering will be joining Pastor Roger's discipleship class titled, "Resolving Everyday Conflict". See below for information on the class. To receive a book, please email Roger at roger.sharp@parksidefellowship.org Sunday Mornings in February: “Resolving Everyday Conflict” 10:45-11:45am You will need a copy of the book “Resolving Everyday Conflict” and your Bible. In-person and Zoom options Link for zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84125779768 We all encounter conflict - whether it be with a coworker, family member, friend, or complete stranger. And yet we all desire harmony in our relationships. Resolving Everyday Conflict is a practical, biblical, and concise guide to peacemaking in everyday life. This biblical guide written by Ken Sande and Kevin Johnson will take you far beyond simply ending conflicts. Instead, true, life-changing reconciliation can take place in your relationships. Topics that will be covered include:
See you Sunday! Pastor Doug This Sunday, as we continue our series, Gazing at God's Glory, our focus will be on a "secret" meeting between Jesus and a religious leader named Nicodemus. As strange as this may sound, I want you to read the words below from Ezekiel 36 in preparation for this Sunday's message. Don't worry, it will all make sense on Sunday...I hope!
"For here's what I'm going to do: I'm going to take you out of these countries, gather you from all over, and bring you back to your own land. I'll pour water over you, and scrub you clean. I'll give you a new heart, put a new spirit in you. I'll remove the stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that's God-willed, not self-willed. I'll put my Spirit in you and make it possible for you to do what I tell you and live by my commands." Ezekiel 36:24-27 (The Message) NOTE: Our Sunday service continues to meet at 9:30am, with two options for participating. 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. Parkside Fellowship Annual Meeting. February 27th. 3:00pm Our annual meeting (celebration) will take place at 3:00pm on Saturday, February 27th. Please save this date and plan to join us either in-person or on zoom. Also, about a week prior to the meeting, we will send each member an electronic ballot that they can complete and email back to the church. This will allow members the opportunity to vote using an electronic ballot. At our meeting, we will present the proposed 2021 budget and Church Council nominees for approval. Pastor Doug and Pastor Roger will also share what God accomplished this past year, even in the midst of a global pandemic, along with goals for 2021. I also want to thank all of you for your continued financial commitment to the ministry of Parkside Fellowship. During the early months of the pandemic and even into the fall, many churches struggled financially and had to make some tough financial decisions. Thankfully, because of your faithfulness, we were able to weather the storm and continue our commitment to the love God and love our community. Thank you so much for your faithful giving! Finally, thank you for praying and for giving of your time, talent and treasure. Continue to pray for Parkside Fellowship, asking God how and where he wants you to serve His church, so that others would know him and experience His glory! With love & appreciation, Pastor Doug 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 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 Happy New Year Parkside Fellowship.
While this year has been challenging for all of us, there has been a lot of good too. I want to celebrate our Parkside family who endured a sudden pivot to online church. Thank you for being patient as our tech team quickly navigated the best path to bring church into your home. During a time of disconnection, you found ways to stay connected. From parking lot services to meeting over zoom, you showed up and pursued authentic community...way to go Parkside! A special "Thanks" goes out to Tim and Bitsy Law and Jim Small who put in extra hours to help us continue to spread the message of Jesus. I also want to thank Roger, Larry and Norm who endured long nights of recording their sermons to an empty room. I could not have done it without this incredible team of volunteers! As we move into 2021, I am excited to announce that beginning this Sunday, January 3rd at 9:30am, we will be offering an in-person worship service. All social distancing protocols will be followed and masks will be required. Also, as much as we desire to see all of you in-person, please stay home if you have any of the following:
This Sunday, we will start a brand-new series titled Gazing at Glory. Through the Gospel of John, we will learn about a loving God, who sent his one and only Son, Jesus, to die on a cross for our sins. Thankfully, Jesus rose from the grave and ascended into heaven where "God gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father". (Philippians 2:5-11). Don't miss this Sunday, January 3rd at 9:30am, as we begin a journey towards a deeper relationship with our Heavenly Father. Also, for those who will be watching from home, don't forget to join us at 10:45am for our "after-church zoom gathering". Finally, attached is the weekly prayer list. "See" you Sunday. Pastor Doug Merry Christmas Parkside.
This year, many families, including ours, will be spending Christmas with only those in our immediate household. However, even though this might make things a little less chaotic than normal, the danger of missing the birth of Jesus remains. As we prepare to spend Christmas in isolation, apart from family and friends, the danger of including Jesus in our quarantine protocol is amplified. As you prepare for Christmas, I want to share a quote from the book, Because of Bethlehem, by Max Lucado: "On that first Christmas night, the innkeeper missed Jesus knocking at the door. Today many still do. They miss the chance to open the door. They let the birth of Jesus pass them by. The miracle of Bethlehem still happens. God enters the hamlets of our lives and speaks to us. He speaks through scriptures, sunsets, the kindness of a friend, or the warning of a medical report. He sings to us through Christmas carols. He calls to us through Christmas sermons. He reaches out through the Christmas story. 'Here I am!' Jesus invites. It's not too late to open the door and invite Jesus in. You are never too old, too messed up, or too worn-out. Elijah was depressed. God still came to him. Abraham was old. God still led him. Moses was long retired. God still called him. Jonah ran from God, Peter betrayed Christ, Thomas doubted Christ, but each learned it was not too late. It's never too late to come to Christ for help". This Christmas, as you celebrate either apart from family or only with close family, don't miss the message of Jesus. A message that reads, "I came to lift burdens, not add to them." Please join us tomorrow for our Christmas Eve candlelight service. This year, due to COVID restrictions, our Christmas Eve service will be online ONLY. You can access our service on our website, www.parksidefellowship.org. Click on the "Parkside Fellowship Christmas Eve Virtual Candlelight Service" picture located near the top of our homepage. Once you click on this link, you will be directed to the service recording. The Christmas Eve service will be available beginning at 4:00pm and can be accessed anytime after that time. Finally, attached is the weekly prayer list. Pray for those you know who will be spending Christmas apart from family. Merry Christmas! Pastor Doug |
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