Rediscovering Christmas - Love

​After not spending Christmas with our families last year, a first in 25 years of marriage, Rose and I will once again cram suitcases, presents, two dogs and ourselves into our car and make the long-trek to California.  Why?  We love to be with the ones we love.  We will brave highway traffic, potential snow, sleeping on air mattress and possibly even a couch or two.  Why?  We love to be with the ones we love.  We will sit around and watch each other open presents, smiling on the outside and cringing on the inside, when someone asks "why did you get me this?".  Why?  We love to be with the ones we love.

May I remind you?  So does God.  He loves to be with the ones he loves.  How else do you explain what he did?  God couldn't bear to be so far away from his children, so he did something about it.  John 3:16-17 tells us what God did:

"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.  God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him."

Why?  Why did Jesus make the long trek to earth?  Why did Jesus give up a heavenly throne for an earthly manger?  What drove Jesus to move into our neighborhood and live among us?  I tell you what...love!  Jesus loves to be with the ones he loves.

Join us this Sunday at 9:30am, as we continue our Advent series titled, Rediscovering Christmas.  This Sunday, we will focus on the word "Love".  The scandal of Christmas is that Jesus, the second member of the Godhead, left his throne in heaven and put on human flesh in order to be with us.  Why?  In order to provide us with a visible expression of how much God loves us.  You might consider reading I John 4:7-21, as you prepare to gather together and worship the God of love. 

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 at 9:30am...and don't forget your mask!

I want to invite you to stick around after our service for one of our two discipleship classes. (see details below)

• Topic:  A Study in the book of James
• Topic:  A Study in the book of Mark

Pastor Roger and I would like to thank those of you who joined us last Sunday for caroling.  We had a great time singing and getting to know several folks from Beaverton Lodge and Creekside Village.  We even met a cute dog with a pink tail as we prepared to sing in the outdoor eating area on the corner of Watson and First Street.  The plan was to go caroling again this Sunday, but after looking at the weather forecast, we have decided to cancel this Sunday's caroling event.  Thanks again to those who joined us, as we hope to make this an annual Parkside Christmas tradition.

Again, this Sunday's after-church caroling has been cancelled due to predicted inclement weather.

Thank you for continuing to pray for Parkside Fellowship.

See you Sunday.

Pastor Doug