Tuesday, February 19, 2008

[MISSION MAIL] - 2/19/08

We had a load of great stuff take place last week with The Mission and this week will be great too.

Our Valentine's night last Thursday was such a blessing. It was wonderful to spend time with all of you who came to remember what love really means and how, without it, we are hopeless.

Love is tough. It's not for the faint of heart, and if we do it as Jesus commands us to it will involve laying down our lives for one another.

This is our calling, as followers of Jesus - To practice daily the art of loving others as Jesus loves us.

Here's more opportunities to practice loving others that are coming up:

*THURSDAY NIGHT - 6PM - 'THE MISSION' MID-WEEK GATHERING
Bring something to share with everyone- a word, a hymn, a tongue, an ecouraging verse of scripture, and something to eat! Together we'll partake of God's goodness and share His presence as we embody communion with God and with one another in love.

*THIS SATURDAY - MOTEL MINISTRY - 2PM TO 3:30PM
Join us as we share free groceries and pray with our friends at the California Studio Inn in Santa Ana this Saturday. We'll have a bounce house, play games, visit our friends and make new ones- Don't miss it!

Directions to the California Studio Inn (Motel):
55fwy to Dyer Street (West) exit and Go West.
After a few blocks you'll cross a set of railroad tracks and see a
school on your left. Just past the school, on your right, BEFORE you get to
Bristol, you'll see a blue and white sign at the back of the motel that says 'STUDIO INN'. Turn right into that parking lot. We'll be in the back.

*SUNDAY MISSION CHURCH - 9:30AM - GILES' HOME
We're really having a wonderful time together each week...and we're growing too! Last week's discussion about the differences between the Gospel and Western Culture, along with a great insight or three into what it really means to 'lay down your life for a friend' was stimulating and thought-provoking. Can't wait to see what we talk about this week! Come with something to share (food, encouragment, questions).

*SUMMER VILLAS - THIS SUNDAY - AT 3PM
We'll visit our friends at this local senior home this Sunday afternoon. Come join us as we engage in the ministry of listening.

*WOMEN'S MINISTRY NIGHT - THIS SUNDAY EVENING - 7PM AT THE WRIGHT'S HOUSE
Our second ever monthly Women's Ministry Night will be this Sunday evening at the Wright's house. Come and enjoy some great fellowship, ministry and encouragement.
Leave the kids at home and bring your Bibles.

*NEXT SUNDAY - [Subversive Seminary] - 9AM TO 3PM - MARCH 2ND
This will be a special Sunday focused on shared teaching and interactive dialog. We'll start with breakfast at 9:30am and after singing and sharing communion we'll move into more interactive teaching sessions. These will involve ten to fifteen minutes of teaching on a single topic followed by responses from everyone in the group. We'll have two of these interactive teaching sessions before breaking for a shared lunch together. After lunch we'll move into another session of interactive teaching on the same topic. Our goal will be to finish the day by 3pm on this special Sunday.

Our first topic will be 'The Kingdom of God' and our sessions will be lead by Jason, Josh, Brent and myself.

TO PREPARE FOR THIS SPECIAL DAY:
I had a very interesting online dialog with Dale Williams (a good friend and seminary graduate) on the subject of the Kingdom of God and, specifically how our obedience influences the breaking in of God's Kingdom into our personal lives. If you've got the time to look it over it contains a lot of very useful info from two different perspectives.

Here ya go

Remember - YOU ARE LOVED!

Peas,
Keith and Wendy Giles