A Few Days In The Life Of
I was reminded of a quote recently from John Maxwell: ‘we over-estimate the event and we under-estimate the process.’ For me this is a helpful reminder that becoming a fully developing follower of Jesus Christ isn’t automatic or instantaneous …but it’s a journey.
The Apostle Paul challenged the church in Rome to: take their everyday, ordinary life—their sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering.
Here are a few snapshots on how I attempted to take a few real life steps towards living out New Hope’s mission to: grow in intimacy with God, community with each-other, and increased influence with the world.
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Saturday, Nov 1st
Dave Ramsey Live @ The Memorial Coliseum: super fun yet insightful few hours listening to Dave talk about money, culture, and how God’s word can make perfect sense of it all. www.daveramsey.com.
Sunday, Nov 2nd
I continued the ‘Mind Your Own Business’ series by sharing a message out of the book of Proverbs entitled ‘Act Your Own Wage’. I was blown away by the response of our community. Hundreds dedicated or rededicated their lives to honoring God with their time, talents & treasure.
Monday, Nov 3rd
Followed up on connections and emails from Sunday, prepared for Tuesday’s meetings & commitments, planned next Sunday’s worship experience with Josh Lee, met with Student Community Pastor Peter Johnsen (who’s wife Marjie is due with their 1st child any day!).
Tuesday, Nov 4th
7am: facilitated a group of super creative people to envision and begin the implementation process of planning this year’s Christmas Series www.adventconspiracy.org & the Christmas Candlelight Services for our community.
11am: shared a message about prayer at the Warner Pacific College chapel. Enjoyed lunch in the newly remodeled Egvedt Hall with a table full of New Hope college students and staff.
7pm: had a blast with my small group, which comprises of several couples who have relocated to the Portland area within the past year -- and who LOVE New Hope.
Wednesday, Nov 4th
6:30pm: hosted an action packed Membership Class with Pastors Ray & David, while hearing the beautiful sounds of children, students, and adults (singles, women, couples) ‘Digging In’ @ NH on Wednesday night.
>>>>>
Question: What have you done, are you doing, or will you do, to grow in your relationship with Jesus today?
As Ferris Bueller once said: ‘Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.’
Remember, becoming a fully developing follower of Jesus Christ is a process …not an event …a journey, not a sprint …a crock-pot, not a microwave. Let me encourage you to take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Don’t miss out on the opportunity that today offers to take another step in your journey to become more like Jesus.
Peace to you,
Brent
Click Here to see whats going on @ NHCC
Friday, November 7, 2008
Coming Up Soon 11/7/08
This Weekend @ New Hope
Surviving The Holidays – This Saturday, Nov 8
How to navigate the holiday season when you don’t feel the holiday cheer.
10am-12pm @ New Hope
Contact: bev@newhopecommunitychurch.org
Martins Street Faith Build – This Saturday, Nov 8
Contact: danwilliams@gmail.com
New Hope Rocks the (Habitat) House – This Sunday Night, Nov 9
7pm-9pm @ New Hope
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
The Really Important Stuff
Finances and the economy are on everyone’s mind at the moment. It is driving our national politics, and the concern is world wide. Individually we have questions and concerns about the future, employment, home values, being able to make ends meet and whether the investments for retirement will be there when needed. In spite of the turmoil around us, God has promised us financial peace and financial freedom if we live with our hearts set upon the kingdom.
This last week we heard of several of our families in the church who had lost long standing jobs because of the economy. The new series teaching that Pastor Brent and I are currently starting, “Minding Your Own Business”, will provide timely spiritual direction in navigating these tough times, as well as practical financial insights in managing your resources. These are based on Biblical principles and Dave Ramsey’s and Crown Financial materials. If you missed last Sundays message go to click here to hear it online.
We are also making available excellent resources to assist you. Every Sunday at our front porch during the series, there will be trained financial coaches. There is no charge for this service. You can go online and get resources that will help you in making a financial plan, budgeting, and getting out of debt at www.crown.org/tools
We still have a few discounted tickets available for the Dave Ramsey Total Money Makeover at the Memorial Coliseum this Saturday, November 1 from 1:00-6:00 PM. They are $24 dollars. Call Darlene at the front desk or Pastor Jerry Schmidt at 503-659-5683 for these. We will be offering a two week financial freedom seminar at the church on Wednesday nights, November 12 & 19 at 6:30 PM. Call Ursula at the church or email Ursula@newhopecommunitychurch.org to register.
Thank you for being such a generous congregation. This last Sunday almost 200 of you offered to be a blood marrow donor to help save the life of one of our own, Sherry Holz. I was so touched by your generosity and response. We have also made a decision to restart our Families in Crisis love offering in November to help church families in need. I will be sharing more about that with you this next month. We will receive a First Fruits Offering on Sunday, November 23, and a part of that will be designated to rebuild that fund.
in the midst of all this, the really “important stuff” that we build our lives on, has not changed. Jesus said, “Therefore, I tell you not to worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body what you will wear.” He goes on to say “But seek first His Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” There is a way to financial peace and freedom.
Pastor Ray
Click Here to See What's Coming up at NHCC
Continue Reading
This last week we heard of several of our families in the church who had lost long standing jobs because of the economy. The new series teaching that Pastor Brent and I are currently starting, “Minding Your Own Business”, will provide timely spiritual direction in navigating these tough times, as well as practical financial insights in managing your resources. These are based on Biblical principles and Dave Ramsey’s and Crown Financial materials. If you missed last Sundays message go to click here to hear it online.
We are also making available excellent resources to assist you. Every Sunday at our front porch during the series, there will be trained financial coaches. There is no charge for this service. You can go online and get resources that will help you in making a financial plan, budgeting, and getting out of debt at www.crown.org/tools
We still have a few discounted tickets available for the Dave Ramsey Total Money Makeover at the Memorial Coliseum this Saturday, November 1 from 1:00-6:00 PM. They are $24 dollars. Call Darlene at the front desk or Pastor Jerry Schmidt at 503-659-5683 for these. We will be offering a two week financial freedom seminar at the church on Wednesday nights, November 12 & 19 at 6:30 PM. Call Ursula at the church or email Ursula@newhopecommunitychurch.org to register.
Thank you for being such a generous congregation. This last Sunday almost 200 of you offered to be a blood marrow donor to help save the life of one of our own, Sherry Holz. I was so touched by your generosity and response. We have also made a decision to restart our Families in Crisis love offering in November to help church families in need. I will be sharing more about that with you this next month. We will receive a First Fruits Offering on Sunday, November 23, and a part of that will be designated to rebuild that fund.
in the midst of all this, the really “important stuff” that we build our lives on, has not changed. Jesus said, “Therefore, I tell you not to worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body what you will wear.” He goes on to say “But seek first His Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” There is a way to financial peace and freedom.
Pastor Ray
Click Here to See What's Coming up at NHCC
Coming Events
Wednesday Night
DIG-IN @ New Hope
• Growing in Spiritual Maturity Part III (“The Hangar” Room 117)
• Children: Power Lab (Check online or call the front desk for locations)
• Student Community Groups (Worship Center)
• Parents: Raising Kids of Character (“The Quad” Room 107-09)
• Women of the Word (Room 151)
• Spanish/English Conversation (Room 112) with Prayer & Gospel @ 5:30pm.
Surviving The Holidays
Continue Reading
DIG-IN @ New Hope
• Growing in Spiritual Maturity Part III (“The Hangar” Room 117)
• Children: Power Lab (Check online or call the front desk for locations)
• Student Community Groups (Worship Center)
• Parents: Raising Kids of Character (“The Quad” Room 107-09)
• Women of the Word (Room 151)
• Spanish/English Conversation (Room 112) with Prayer & Gospel @ 5:30pm.
Surviving The Holidays
Sometimes we have a difficult time making all the holidays, like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Birthdays & Anniversaries special especially if we have experienced the loss of a loved one. We want to some way remember them, but it's so difficult! If you have had a loss through death of a loved one or gone through a divorce this may be a emotional time of the year for you. I personally invite you to join us for "Surviving the Holidays" November 8th, in the Galloway Fellowship Center at 10 AM till noon. This is the first time we've offered this seminar from GriefShare. We'll gather together to offer support & prayer & share refreshments. As a very special surprise I've invited an Oregonian author, Charlotte Hill who has written a true story of her son & his cancer. You won't want to miss hearing her share this tender, loving story. The only costs is $4.00 for the book you'll receive which will offer you Scripture, help, tips & encouragements for the holidays. Please attend, you'll be blessed! REMEMBER,
NOVEMBER 8TH, GALLOWAY FELLOWSHIP CENTER AT NEW HOPE COMMUNITY CHURCH 10 AM till NOON.
Bev Skinner
503-659-5683 ext: 3043
bev@newhopecommunitychurch.org
Married Life Live Presents
“Dig In” with New Hope. Wednesdays Nights.
Nov. 5th - Mar. 4th. From 6:30 - 8:00pm in Room 109.*
Join other married couples for this integral 13-week series that focuses on intimacy in marriage. We will learn how to stop playing marital games in order to play on the same team, to discover what we really need from each other, how to meet those needs, and how to heal the hurts we inevitably experience in marriage.
(*Programming also available for Kids from Nursery - 12th grade.)
Questions? Contact Shanin at
503.659.5683 or shanin@newhopecommunitychurch.org
Married Life Live Presents
“Dig In” with New Hope. Wednesdays Nights.
Nov. 5th - Mar. 4th. From 6:30 - 8:00pm in Room 109.*
Join other married couples for this integral 13-week series that focuses on intimacy in marriage. We will learn how to stop playing marital games in order to play on the same team, to discover what we really need from each other, how to meet those needs, and how to heal the hurts we inevitably experience in marriage.
(*Programming also available for Kids from Nursery - 12th grade.)
Questions? Contact Shanin at
503.659.5683 or shanin@newhopecommunitychurch.org
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Mind Your Own Business
Mind Your Own Business
If money really could talk, what would yours say? Good-Bye? No matter how much debt you have, no matter how many bills you have to pay, no matter how much—or how little—money you make, you can achieve financial freedom and peace. With the roller-coaster stock market, job layoffs, sub-prime housing market, and uncertainty, who can we trust for sound advice and counsel? Learn how to take practical steps, spend smarter, make personalized goals and learn why, when it comes to money:
In God We Definitely Trust.
Join New Hope for ‘Mind Your Own Business’, a four-week series beginning this Sunday, October 26th at both 9 and 11am services. See you then!
Financial Peace University
Click Here To See What’s Happening @ New Hope This Week!
Events This Week 10/20-26
Wednesday Night
DIG-IN @ New Hope
• Growing in Spiritual Maturity Part III (“The Hangar” Room 117)
• Children: Power Lab (Check online or call the front desk for locations)
• Student Community Groups (Worship Center)
• Parents: Raising Kids of Character (“The Quad” Room 107-09)
• Women of the Word (Room 151)
• Spanish/English Conversation (Room 112) with Prayer & Gospel @ 5:30pm.
This Sunday Morning – October 26, 2008
Bone Marrow Donor Registry Drive: 10am - 1pm
Life. It’s in you. Join the marrow donor registry and give hope to patients everywhere, including New Hope member Sherry Holz. The stories about donating being painful aren’t true; it’s easy! There are three ways you can help: join the registry with a simple cheek swab, donate $25 for testing costs, or both! Stop by the Fellowship Hall after service to sign up.
Children’s Baptism Class for 4th and 5th Graders Begins!
Kids Town would like to invite all 4th and 5th graders and their parents to a three-part baptism class this Sunday, and continuing on Nov. 2nd and 9th with the baptisms following on Nov. 16th. Parents must accompany their child for all three classes in Room 112 at 10:30am. Contact janet@newhopecommunitychurch.org for more information.
Only @ 11am!
During our 11am service, we offer sign-interpretation at the front right, as well as Spanish interpretation along the left side. New Hope’s Latino Community also offers a Spanish Speaking service at 8am in the Fellowship Hall.
Continue Reading
DIG-IN @ New Hope
• Growing in Spiritual Maturity Part III (“The Hangar” Room 117)
• Children: Power Lab (Check online or call the front desk for locations)
• Student Community Groups (Worship Center)
• Parents: Raising Kids of Character (“The Quad” Room 107-09)
• Women of the Word (Room 151)
• Spanish/English Conversation (Room 112) with Prayer & Gospel @ 5:30pm.
This Sunday Morning – October 26, 2008
Bone Marrow Donor Registry Drive: 10am - 1pm
Life. It’s in you. Join the marrow donor registry and give hope to patients everywhere, including New Hope member Sherry Holz. The stories about donating being painful aren’t true; it’s easy! There are three ways you can help: join the registry with a simple cheek swab, donate $25 for testing costs, or both! Stop by the Fellowship Hall after service to sign up.
Children’s Baptism Class for 4th and 5th Graders Begins!
Kids Town would like to invite all 4th and 5th graders and their parents to a three-part baptism class this Sunday, and continuing on Nov. 2nd and 9th with the baptisms following on Nov. 16th. Parents must accompany their child for all three classes in Room 112 at 10:30am. Contact janet@newhopecommunitychurch.org for more information.
Only @ 11am!
During our 11am service, we offer sign-interpretation at the front right, as well as Spanish interpretation along the left side. New Hope’s Latino Community also offers a Spanish Speaking service at 8am in the Fellowship Hall.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Using Your Influence To Make A Difference
Dear Friends,
I want to talk to you specifically this week about influence. All of us have a sphere of influence. When the demoniac in Luke 8 was healed, he begged Jesus to go with him and join the disciples. Jesus realized he would have a much greater influence among his own friends and family. He responded to his request in verse 39 "Go back home and tell people how much God has done for you." So the man went all over town telling how much Jesus had done for him.” I think His advice to us would be the same. The Christian with influence is not the one who knows the most about the Bible, but the one who has invested in relationships and is passionate about what Jesus has done in his life.
One of the three markers for spiritual maturity at New Hope is increased influence with the world. On a recent Sunday during our Go Fish series, Pastor Brent and I asked you to invest in relationships in your sphere of influence. We gave you Invest and Invite cards to give out the next week. The following Sunday there was a visible increase in guests at church that indicated the reason they were there was because someone had specifically invited them with the card the week before. It is fun to watch as we are becoming what Jesus told us to become, “fishers of men.”
The good news is that you do not have to go it alone. Your church family and staff are here to partner with you in sharing the good news with your friends and family. One way we do this is to speak to the issues that are shaping our world. In the coming weeks, we will be touching on concerns that people care about deeply, churched and unchurched alike. This Sunday we will attempt to bring a Biblical framework to this politically tumultuous time with the message, The Kind of Leadership America Needs. The bottom line is that Jesus is the only real hope for people, and to put our hope and trust in a political candidate or party can only lead to disappointment. It is easy to get swallowed up in the climate of political animosity and lose our opportunity to become salt and light. All of us have leadership influence that we can use.
Whether you have a lot or a little, money and financial stability is a concern on everyone’s mind these days. There has never been a more uncertain or troubling time since the Great Depression. Partnering with resources from Dave Ramsey and others, we will be presenting a new series “Mind Your Own Business.” The Bible clearly shows us a way to financial peace and freedom. You will learn how to survive and thrive in spite of the frightening circumstances we face. This is an excellent opportunity to share these resources with those outside our church. Sunday we will be giving you Invest and Invite cards to share with your friends for this new series. I have personally witnessed many people come to Christ as a direct result of Biblical financial teaching.
Perhaps the greatest way we influence the world is to become a servant leader, and love and serve as Jesus did. On Sunday, October 26 we will join together to give the gift of life to one of our very own, Sherry Holz. Sherry is suffering from cancer, and without a life-saving bone morrow transplant, there is no hope. You can participate by getting a cheek swab that morning at church to see if you match, or by donating $25 to help pay for the test for you or someone else, or both. The new process is very pain free and only involves a little discomfort. Find out more at our front porch this Sunday, or call, or email Trudy
trudy@newhopecommunitychurch.org.
In November we will serve by focusing on our newest build for Habitat for Humanity as we volunteer time and give resources in this life changing venture. This will be the second Habitat House that New Hope has partnered with this year.
In December we will be touching the lives of prisoners and their families through project Angel Tree. Our church has a tremendous influence in the lives of prisoners through our prison ministry under the leadership of David Overby. We will also be partnering with the Advent Conspiracy and other churches to provide a Christmas Gift to our City. Mayor-elect Sam Adams has asked the faith community in Portland to partner with the city in helping homeless families and adults, and high risk, low-income youth. What a tremendous opportunity for us to have increasing influence with our city as we become Christ’s hands and feet to our city. We will show love to our world by building a house for aids orphans through Open Arms International. You will hear much more about these service opportunities in the coming weeks.
One final note, I want to mention two people of influence at New Hope whom we will greatly miss. Thursday we had a memorial service for Don Leslie. Don and Gloria have been actively involved in New Hope the last 17 years. Don was deeply loved by everyone who knew him, and used his influence to serve the Lord. We also recently said goodbye to Al Gadberry, another long time member of New Hope. We give honor to these wonderful people who have loved and served in the life of our church.
Don’t forget that your influence can make a difference in someone’s life this week. See you this Sunday!
Pastor Ray
Continue Reading
I want to talk to you specifically this week about influence. All of us have a sphere of influence. When the demoniac in Luke 8 was healed, he begged Jesus to go with him and join the disciples. Jesus realized he would have a much greater influence among his own friends and family. He responded to his request in verse 39 "Go back home and tell people how much God has done for you." So the man went all over town telling how much Jesus had done for him.” I think His advice to us would be the same. The Christian with influence is not the one who knows the most about the Bible, but the one who has invested in relationships and is passionate about what Jesus has done in his life.
One of the three markers for spiritual maturity at New Hope is increased influence with the world. On a recent Sunday during our Go Fish series, Pastor Brent and I asked you to invest in relationships in your sphere of influence. We gave you Invest and Invite cards to give out the next week. The following Sunday there was a visible increase in guests at church that indicated the reason they were there was because someone had specifically invited them with the card the week before. It is fun to watch as we are becoming what Jesus told us to become, “fishers of men.”
The good news is that you do not have to go it alone. Your church family and staff are here to partner with you in sharing the good news with your friends and family. One way we do this is to speak to the issues that are shaping our world. In the coming weeks, we will be touching on concerns that people care about deeply, churched and unchurched alike. This Sunday we will attempt to bring a Biblical framework to this politically tumultuous time with the message, The Kind of Leadership America Needs. The bottom line is that Jesus is the only real hope for people, and to put our hope and trust in a political candidate or party can only lead to disappointment. It is easy to get swallowed up in the climate of political animosity and lose our opportunity to become salt and light. All of us have leadership influence that we can use.
Whether you have a lot or a little, money and financial stability is a concern on everyone’s mind these days. There has never been a more uncertain or troubling time since the Great Depression. Partnering with resources from Dave Ramsey and others, we will be presenting a new series “Mind Your Own Business.” The Bible clearly shows us a way to financial peace and freedom. You will learn how to survive and thrive in spite of the frightening circumstances we face. This is an excellent opportunity to share these resources with those outside our church. Sunday we will be giving you Invest and Invite cards to share with your friends for this new series. I have personally witnessed many people come to Christ as a direct result of Biblical financial teaching.
Perhaps the greatest way we influence the world is to become a servant leader, and love and serve as Jesus did. On Sunday, October 26 we will join together to give the gift of life to one of our very own, Sherry Holz. Sherry is suffering from cancer, and without a life-saving bone morrow transplant, there is no hope. You can participate by getting a cheek swab that morning at church to see if you match, or by donating $25 to help pay for the test for you or someone else, or both. The new process is very pain free and only involves a little discomfort. Find out more at our front porch this Sunday, or call, or email Trudy
trudy@newhopecommunitychurch.org.
In November we will serve by focusing on our newest build for Habitat for Humanity as we volunteer time and give resources in this life changing venture. This will be the second Habitat House that New Hope has partnered with this year.
In December we will be touching the lives of prisoners and their families through project Angel Tree. Our church has a tremendous influence in the lives of prisoners through our prison ministry under the leadership of David Overby. We will also be partnering with the Advent Conspiracy and other churches to provide a Christmas Gift to our City. Mayor-elect Sam Adams has asked the faith community in Portland to partner with the city in helping homeless families and adults, and high risk, low-income youth. What a tremendous opportunity for us to have increasing influence with our city as we become Christ’s hands and feet to our city. We will show love to our world by building a house for aids orphans through Open Arms International. You will hear much more about these service opportunities in the coming weeks.
One final note, I want to mention two people of influence at New Hope whom we will greatly miss. Thursday we had a memorial service for Don Leslie. Don and Gloria have been actively involved in New Hope the last 17 years. Don was deeply loved by everyone who knew him, and used his influence to serve the Lord. We also recently said goodbye to Al Gadberry, another long time member of New Hope. We give honor to these wonderful people who have loved and served in the life of our church.
Don’t forget that your influence can make a difference in someone’s life this week. See you this Sunday!
Pastor Ray
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