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STOP READING! Find your Bible, turn to Luke 5, and read verses 1-11. Now you can continue reading. Think for a moment about this scene. Ask yourself, "What is Jesus really doing?" Is there more to this story than Jesus teaching the crowd, providing Peter, James and John, with a dinner-table worthy fishing story, and asking them to be his first disciples? In the word(s) of Pastor Avery from Common Ground..."Pondering"... As we conclude our series, Encounters with Jesus, I would like us to consider our own experiences with Jesus. Just like with the story from Luke 5, it's important for us to recognize that Jesus has this great habit of not just meeting us when we are in a "happy place" or, feeling especially "holy" or spiritual. Jesus equally meets us in moments of weakness, confusion, doubt, pain and loss. He encounters us where we are, he uses what we have, and through us, he communicates something of himself and his kingdom to the people around us. My hope is that through this series you have been reminded that wherever you are, however you may feel, that Christ is still using you for His purpose. Join us on Sunday, at 9:30am, as we are given the opportunity, through one final encounter, to see and experience the heart of God. A heart that cares. A heart that provides relief from pain and fear. A heart that heals. A heart that forgives. "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so." Last minute invite: Tomorrow (Saturday) at 7:30pm, the Rose City Flute Choir, (of which our very own Kathy Collins is a member), will be performing here at Calvary Parkside. They performed for us during Christmas, and even played for one of our Sunday services. I'm excited to hear what they have in-store for us this time! Connecting with one another authentically is one of the core values of Calvary Parkside, and one of the best ways to connect with others is through our Sunday Adult Discipleship class. This class meets every Sunday at 11:00am. Consider joining others at Calvary Parkside as they study the last days of Jesus, as recorded in the book of John. Calvary Parkside Membership Class: Sunday May 7th @ 11:00am. Sign-up using the Connect Card or stop by the Next Step Table. Attached is this week's prayer list. See you Sunday. Doug In Matthew 16, after hearing the difficult news of Jesus' shocking agenda, the disciples began to wonder what the future held. They expected Jesus, as the Messiah, to gather a following, overthrow Rome, and return Israel to its glory days. But Jesus predicted a completely different path to glory. The path He followed led to suffering and death. To encourage the disciples, he decided to give three of them a close encounter with the supernatural, a behind-the-scenes glimpse of God's heavenly plan. You can find this encounter in Matthew 17:1-13. The impact of this encounter on their lives would last for decades. Thirty years after this experience Peter wrote these words in 2 Peter 1:16-18:
"For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.' We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when were with him on the sacred mountain." Like Peter, John also referenced this encounter when he wrote some sixty years later: "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14 Join us on Sunday, at 9:30am, as we take time to be reminded of who Jesus is, how much he loves us, and his incredible plan for our lives. We will also hear from two Calvary Parkside family members, as they share how an encounter with Jesus changed their lives. You won't want to miss this Sunday...(great music, God's Word, personal testimonies, fellowship, etc)...be sure to join us, it's gonna be awesome! Connecting with one another authentically is one of the core values of Calvary Parkside, and one of the best ways to connect with others is through our Sunday Adult Discipleship class. This class meets every Sunday at 11:00am. Consider joining others at Calvary Parkside as they study the last days of Jesus, as recorded in the book of John. Calvary Parkside Membership Class: Sunday May 7th @ 11:00am. Sign-up using the Connect Card or stop by the Next Step Table. See you Sunday. Doug Have you ever experienced a Sunday morning when worship felt lifeless, empty, routine, "same-old-same-old", "heard it all before", dare I say, even boring? Here's the question I would like to have you think about between now and Sunday. How does someone reignite a burning desire in their heart for worshiping Jesus?
This idea of "hearts on fire for Jesus" is not just Christianese. It's biblical. Join us on Sunday at 9:30am, as we continue our series, Encounters with Jesus. This week, we will dive into Luke 24, which recounts one of the most powerful post-resurrection moments. It was on the road to Emmaus, where two despondent disciples are transformed by an encounter with the risen Christ. Near the end of the story, after Jesus disappeared from their sight, the two disciples talked about what they learned and how it affected them. They asked each other, "Were our hearts not burning within us while he (Jesus) talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?". What set their hearts ablaze was an interpretation of Scripture that put Jesus front and center. If our Sunday worship experience is going to set our hearts on fire, it must put Jesus front and center, through the Scriptures. Protestant Reformer, Thomas Cramer, in his short manifesto on worship claimed that the purpose of worship, centered on Christ and filled with the Scriptures, was to cause worshipers to "be the more inflamed with the love of God.". In short, Cramer believed that making much of Jesus through our worship was a key ingredient for igniting hearts that were passionate for following and proclaiming the message of Jesus. I believe the same is still true today. Connecting with one another authentically is one of the core values of Calvary Parkside, and one of the best ways to connect with others is through our Sunday Adult Discipleship class. This class meets every Sunday at 11:00am. This Sunday is a perfect time to join this class, as they will begin a study in the book of John, focusing on the last days of Jesus. I hope you will consider checking out this opportunity to further your relationships at Parkside. See you Sunday. Doug Even as Jesus rode into Jerusalem, with all the crowds adoring Him and electricity in the air, He never struggled to keep His heart and mind set on the eternal task in front of Him. Just read the Gospels and see how often He talks to the Father. It's constant. Look at how He alludes to the Father and how often He directs the disciples to think about things above. At every step in His journey to the cross, Jesus never wavered from His commitment to fulfill God's plan. Jesus focused on things above, on things eternal, and not temporary.
As we approach Easter, may we do so with eyes on the eternal significance of what Jesus accomplished through His death and resurrection. "May we understand that spiritual growth is about experiencing eternal truths while living in a temporary world". Pete Briscoe (Pastor/author) This Sunday begins what many refer to as Passion Week. May our passion revolve around God, the truths of His Word, and that we are being made new through the love of God, the grace of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. This Sunday, Larry Annes will continue our series, Encounters with Jesus. In the story of the Triumphal Entry, it is Passover season and Jerusalem is the religious hub of this celebration. It is a time to remember how God delivered the children of Israel from Pharaoh. Many pilgrims are making their way to Jerusalem to mark Passover. To offer the sacrifice at the temple. To remember that it is blood that covers our sin according to the Law of Moses. This is the context in which Jesus enters...and it causes quite a stir. Join us on Sunday at 9:30am, as we journey back in time when Jesus enters into the city of Jerusalem. Bask in the triumph, revel in the joy, delight in the anticipation of Jesus the Messiah...a King entering His city! Who are you inviting to Easter? A family member, a friend, a neighbor? It's not too late to make the "Ask". Take the next few days and spend time in prayer, asking God to give you boldness as you invite someone to spend Easter Sunday morning with you here, at Calvary Parkside. This Sunday, be sure and grab a stack of Easter invite cards, hand them to someone you know, and give God the opportunity to surprise you! Calvary Parkside Upcoming Events: Good Friday Service: April 7 at 7:00pm. Join us for a time of singing, scripture reading, directed prayer for our hearts to be receptive to the Easter message; for our friends and neighbors who need to hear the gospel message, and that we would continue to make Jesus non-ignorable in Beaverton. The evening will conclude with the Lord's Supper. (In-person Only) Egg Hunt, Games and Crafts: April 8 from 11:00am to 1:00pm. Invite your friends and neighbors to our egg hunt! Kids will enjoy games, food, crafts, a place to snap a family photo, and a good old-fashioned egg hunt. Easter Sunday Service: April 9 at 9:30am. Join us as we celebrate our risen Savior! Don't forget to bring a friend, neighbor or family member with you. (In-person and Online) Beaverton High School Serve Day: April 14th from 9:30am to 1:00pm. This will be a great opportunity to serve those who don't yet know Jesus. More details to come. See you Sunday Doug This Sunday at 9:30am, we will continue our series, Encounters with Jesus. There are certain times when Jesus loves to surprise us. It usually happens just as we are ready to throw our hands in the air and give up hope; when we have come to the end of our resources, exhausted, out of ideas; when quitting seems like the only remaining option; Jesus pulls out a miracle...surprise!
Paul the apostle experienced this so many times that he began to detect a pattern. The best things happen when we've come to the end of ourselves. Look what he wrote in II Corinthians: But the Lord said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (II Corinthians 12:9-10) This was Jesus' plan when he encountered Peter, Andrew, James and John on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. He would teach them to become ever more dependent upon their Master. Their first lesson in dependence began with their calling in Luke 5:1-11, when their impossibility gave Jesus the opportunity to give them a surprise gift. Join us this Sunday, as we look at Simon Peter's encounter with Jesus. An encounter which involved not just listening to the words of Jesus, but responding in a way that would change his life forever. Easter Sunday (April 9) is just 4 weeks away. Who are you beginning to invest in? Are you sharing the love of Jesus to them through encouragement, listening to their story and serving them? As we begin to make an investment in the life of someone who needs to encounter Jesus, we open the door to invite them to experience our church community. Let me give you two reasons to invite someone to church this Easter: 1.) Everyone needs biblical community. The church is a hub for encountering Jesus and spiritual growth and we want people to engage in that. 2.) Everyone needs an invitation to follow Jesus. A gospel-centered church (a commitment of Calvary Parkside) is a church where Jesus is talked about and where non-believers have the opportunity to respond to Jesus. Let's begin praying that God would reveal to each of us, who he wants us to invest in, so that we will have the opportunity to invite them to church and be introduced to the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ. Praying for each other is a great way to begin "Connecting with one another authentically". See you Sunday. Doug "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." Romans 15:13
This Sunday, March 12, at 9:30am, we launch a new chapter as Calvary Parkside. Our Vision: To make Jesus non-ignorable in Beaverton and to the ends of the earth. Our Mission: To glorify God by making joyful, passionate disciples of Jesus Christ. Our Core Values: To WORSHIP God passionately; to CONNECT with one another authentically; to GROW to know God deeply; and to GO, SHOW and TELL the gospel boldly. As followers of Jesus, we have been called to live worthy of God's glory. It's an immense calling that God gives the church. As the apostle Paul wrote: "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen" Ephesians 5:20-21. More than 50 times in Scripture, God makes it clear that everything, including us and his church, exist for his glory. As you prepare your heart and mind for this Sunday, pray this prayer: "Lord, this is all about you! This is not my church, this is Your church. This is the bride of Christ that Jesus died to save. Lord, be glorified in us. Be glorified in this church. For Your glory alone, Lord! Amen." This Sunday at 9:30am, we will continue our series, Encounters with Jesus. Last week, Larry Annes kicked-off our series by looking at the story of the paralytic from Mark 2. What started out as a story about four friends, desperate to see their paralyzed friend walk again, quickly turned into an encounter with the Son of God, who provided not just physical healing, but more importantly, forgiveness of sins. This week, we will unpack the story of two touches from Mark 5. Two touches that reveal for us the heart of God. That God loves us. That God looks on us with compassion, affection, and protection. And that God desires only the best for his children. Note: Don't experience the horror of arriving to church as everyone else is leaving! Don't forget to "Spring Forward"! Set your clocks ahead one hour before you go to bed on Saturday night. Praying is a great way to begin "Connecting with one another authentically". See you Sunday. Doug The New Testament is full of stories of people who had dramatic encounters with Jesus. Now, an encounter with Jesus was different from a meeting with him. Encountering Jesus was not the kind of event where you would go home and tell your spouse, and/or family, "Hey, I ran into this interesting guy today named Jesus...what's for dinner?" An encounter with Jesus involved being brought face-to-face with the choice between eternal life with God, or eternal separation apart from God. Once they realized who this Jesus was, all of their hopes and fears, all the possibilities of Heaven and Hell, were bound up in their response to this life-altering encounter.
Over the next two months, we will spend time each Sunday, exploring the New Testament for individuals who didn't just meet Jesus, but encountered Jesus. An encounter that provided unconditional love and acceptance, physical healing, hope, peace, purpose, joy, and most important...salvation! Join us this Sunday at 9:30am and experience you own Encounter with Jesus! This week our encounter with Jesus takes us to Mark 2:1-12, where a paraplegic comes face-to-face with his healer. As we will discover from this encounter with Jesus, the deepest needs of our lives are not physical; they are spiritual and invisible. This is true of everyone, which explains why Jesus gave priority to the man's heart before He addressed the hopeless condition of his body. While we tend to invert these priorities, placing physical needs above the spiritual, God continually calls us to reorient our thinking to see things as He does. Join us after the service at 11:00am for part 2 of the Calvary Parkside Membership Class. This class is designed for both current members and those new to our church. During this class, we will unpack our vision and mission, what we believe, how we function, and what it means to be a member of Calvary Parkside. Praying for each other is a great way to begin "Connecting with one another authentically". See you Sunday. Doug |
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