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Do you ever wonder what happened shortly after Jesus was born? Once the heavenly host returned to heaven, the shepherds returned to keeping watch over their flocks by night, and after the wise men returned to their foreign land...what did Mary and Joseph do?
What about you? Now that the crowds have left and the house sits quiet and empty...what do you do? What should we do after a celebration subsides? Where might we focus our attention? Answer: Let the Scriptures guide us: When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons." Luke 2:22-24 Only a week after his birth, Mary and Joseph offered Jesus back to God. They were committed to a life of obedience. What a perfect response to the wonder of Christ's birth...offering ourselves to the Lord: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship." Romans 12:1 Join us this Sunday at 9:30am, as we conclude our series, Portraits of Christmas. This week, we will look at how Joseph and Mary followed God's leading after Jesus was born. I believe we can learn a lot from the way Joseph and Mary responded to God's clear revelation of His will. Join us as we gather together in community to worship God, connect with one another, and grow in our love for God. We will end the year by remembering why Jesus came, as we receive the Lord's Supper. See you Sunday. Pastor Doug Merry Christmas Parkside Family
"Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more." Dr. Seuss, from How the Grinch Stole Christmas For hundreds of years, the world has been in a culture war for ownership of the Christmas season and Christmas Day. Every year, it's the church vs. the big box retailer and Amazon! As we approach Christmas Day, I want to provide a different perspective on the possession of Christmas. Think about this: Is our fight over the spirit of Christmas or the Spirit of Christ? While the spirit of Christmas is annual; the Spirit of Christ is eternal. The spirit of Christmas is sentimental. The Spirit of Christ is supernatural. The spirit of Christmas is a human product. The Spirit of Christ is Immanuel, God with us. The point is this: as important as Christmas is to many of us as a holiday, shouldn't it pale in comparison to who Christ is in us every day?! Something to think about as we approach Christmas Day...and the day after...and the day after that...and... Christmas Eve @ Calvary Parkside: Join us at 10:30am for a special collaborative celebration, as we join with the Hispanic, Chinese, Korean churches, and Common Ground, for a multi-cultural Christmas experience. There will be music, scripture reading, and prayer delivered in Spanish, Korean, Mandarin and English. We will end our service with the traditional singing of Silent Night as we light candles in anticipation of the birth of Jesus! Please bring the whole family and don't forget to invite your friends and neighbors. The morning kicks-off at 10:00am with light snacks, followed by the service at 10:30am. I hope to see you on Sunday! Pastor Doug "And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people". Luke 2:8-10
It's crazy to think that God did not deliver the good news of the Messiah's birth to priests or prophets or kings. Rather than issue a formal proclamation from the steps of the temple, God sent an angel to a group of nomadic shepherds. He chose the least influential individuals to receive the first invitation to meet the savior of the world, (the messiah), Jesus. Join us on Sunday at 9:30am, as we continue our series, Portraits of Christmas and light the second candle of Advent: Joy. This week, we will take a deep dive into this all-to-familiar story found in Luke 2:8-20. Through the eyes of a group of shepherds, we will gain clarity about the true message of Christmas, who Jesus is, why he came, and what our response should be to such an incredible event. Welcome the Everett Family: Plan to stay after the service as we welcome James, Ali, and their kids to Calvary Parkside! There will be treats and a chance to get to know them better. Note: Our Adult Discipleship Class will not meet this Sunday Christmas Eve at Calvary Parkside: Make plans now to join us for this year's Christmas Eve service. Since December 24th falls on a Sunday, we will be joining with the other churches that share our campus for very special Christmas Eve celebration. This multi-cultural Christmas service will include Christmas music presented in Mandarin, Korean, Spanish and English; scripture reading and prayers in multiple languages; and a time to reflect on the birth of our Savior, Jesus. Doors will open at 10:00am and the service will begin at 10:30am. There will be light snacks and drinks available after the service. See you Sunday! Doug "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests." Luke 2:14
With these words, the multitude of the heavenly hosts were proclaiming, finally, humanity would be reconciled--have peace and fellowship-with the Lord God when Jesus removed our sin. Take time this Christmas and join the heavenly hosts in proclaiming, "Glory to God in the highest!" Certainly He is worthy of your praise and is working all things out in a way that will bring you His peace and great joy. Join us on Sunday at 9:30am, as we continue our series, Portraits of Christmas and light the second candle of Advent: Peace. This week, we are going to look at Mary, the mother of Jesus. We are going to look at her story and we are going to look at her song. Her life is an example to us of what service to God looks like. First, Mary acknowledges that she was in need of a Savior and she looked to God for that salvation. Mary's song is a beautiful expression of both praise and worship of God. Her song is about God and an exaltation of who God is. Mary's song is from her heart and exalts the loving God by giving Him His rightful position as Lord and Savior. Let's fill our minds and hearts with Mary's song of praise to God and glimpse the wonder and promise of Christmas! Adult Discipleship Class Study: 11:00am. Join us for a special Christmas study. James Everett Update: Currently, James and Ali, along with their 3 kids plan to arrive in Beaverton on December 13th. Continue to pray for them as they pack-up, say goodby to family, and travel from Colorado to Beaverton. This Sunday, we will be collecting food items (perishable and non-perishable), as we want to welcome them with a stocked fridge and pantry. Below is a list of what they would like:
Christmas Eve at Calvary Parkside: Make plans now to join us for this year's Christmas Eve service. Since December 24th falls on a Sunday, we will be joining with the other churches that share our campus for very special Christmas Eve celebration. This multi-cultural Christmas service will include Christmas music presented in Mandarin, Korean, Spanish and English; scripture reading and prayers in multiple languages; and a time to reflect on the birth of our Savior, Jesus. Doors will open at 10:00am and the service will begin at 10:30am. There will be light snacks and drinks available after the service. See you Sunday! Doug "And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn." Luke 2:7
In using a manger as his vehicle to enter the world, Jesus provided an invitation to the most humble to come to him. Join us on Sunday at 9:30am, as we celebrate the first Sunday of Advent. Hope has a name and it's Jesus. Never has there been anyone more approachable than Christ. We invite you to join with us as we answer the question: "What difference does hope make in my life?" Adult Discipleship Class Study: Stick around after our service as we continue our study through Psalm 119. Psalm 119 is a heartfelt prayer from the Psalmist, that can be used as a tool to transform your affection to love God's Word more. Rose City Flute Choir Holiday Concert: Sunday at 2:00pm. Calvary Parkside will once again host this year's Rose City Flute Choir's annual holiday concert. Join with others from the Beaverton community for a fun afternoon of Christmas music, food and fellowship. James Everett Update: Currently, James and Ali, along with their 3 kids plan to arrive in Beaverton on December 13th. Continue to pray for them as they pack-up, say goodby to family, and travel from Colorado to Beaverton. In addition to meeting some of their furniture needs listed below, we would also like to stock their pantry with some essential items. Beginning this Sunday and Sunday, December 10th, we will be collecting Toilet Paper, Paper towels, dish soap, sponges, laundry detergent, Windex, Clorox wipes, and napkins. Thanks for helping make James and his family feel loved. Please see the message below from James: "Hey Calvary Parkside! We are so excited to be joining you in person in the next month! We have heard that many of you are eager to help us get settled in our new home and we are so thankful. This is a list of furniture items we will be scouring Facebook marketplace for when we arrive. If you have an item that meets one of these needs and would like to donate, please send me a picture via email ([email protected]) and Ali and I can let you know if it meets our needs at this time. Again, we are already so blessed by your generous hearts towards our family, so thank you! See you soon!" Bunk bed Medium firmness queen mattress and frame twin size bed book shelves table and chairs (6) desk brown leather sofa washer/dryer nightstands t.v./t.v. stand sewing machine Kitchen aide Piano Christmas Eve at Calvary Parkside: Make plans now to join us for this year's Christmas Eve service. Since December 24th falls on a Sunday, we will be joining with the other churches that share our campus for very special Christmas Eve celebration. This multi-cultural Christmas service will include Christmas music presented in Mandarin, Korean, Spanish and English; scripture reading and prayers in multiple languages; and a time to reflect on the birth of our Savior, Jesus. The morning kicks-off at 10:00am with light snacks, followed by our Christmas Eve service at 10:30am. More details to come! See you Sunday! Doug |
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