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In a couple of days the kids will be dressing up in costumes and going around the neighborhood in the quest of gathering as much candy as possible. If you've got kids trick or treating, be sure to bring them by the church for our Trunk or Treat between 5:00-6:30 - they'll get plenty of goodies!
When I was a kid I remember a lot of fearful talk about razor blades in apples and drug-laced candy. I never was given any apples when I went door-to-door (thankfully!), but I remember looking closely at the candy bars to determine whether the holes I saw were simply from the candy-making process or if they were caused by a hypodermic needle! (I took the risk and ate 'em anyway). I've known over-protective parents who were afraid to let their children do much of anything unless they were personally supervising them and had made sure that there were no risks involved in the activity. Some of those parents refused to allow their teenagers to go on youth mission trips because of these fears. Yes, their child was protected from the risk of getting Montezuma's Revenge or being kidnapped by drug lords... but they also missed out on what would have been an amazing time of spiritual growth and impact. And the parents missed out on an opportunity to trust in God's faithfulness. This Sunday, November 1st, we'll be talking about faith. How big is our individual faith? How big is our faith as a congregation? In what ways may God be calling us to leave the place of small faith in which we feel safe and in control and step out into the place of BIG faith where we have to rely completely on Him? I hope you'll be able to join us! As most of you know, I'm a die-hard Seahawks fan. Their win last night did much to brighten my attitude and outlook for where this season is heading for my favorite team. As I've analyzed the past losses, the performance of certain players, and the upcoming schedule, I've been trying to predict what our final record will be and our likelihood of making it into the playoffs with the chance to return to their third straight Superbowl. (For those of you interested, I'm predicting an 11-5 record and that we'll win the NFC West for the 3rd straight year). Okay, predicting the success of athletic teams isn't all that important (unless you've got some money on the line - which I don't recommend). But there are many things in life in which it's a good idea to look ahead and consider what may be on the horizon. As the saying goes, "when we fail to plan, we're planning to fail." Did you know that there are over 2100 references in the Bible that point to Jesus' 2nd coming when he will rule both physically and spiritually? Now, no one can know for sure when it will happen, but knowing that it will can both strengthen your confidence and security in Christ and motivate you to share the Good News with others. This Sunday, October 25th, Don Wallis will be sharing the last of his sermon series on Biblical prophecy (previously preempted by the fires in August). I hope you'll be able to join us.  Have you ever driven a car that kept slipping out of gear? You're driving down the road when suddenly the engine is revving and you only have your momentum to keep you moving forward.
Many of us find ourselves in the same situation. We understand the needs around us and we're convicted that God wants us to be his representatives as salt and light in the world. Our engine is running. But we can't seem to shift into gear - we're revving the engine, but we're not going anywhere. This Sunday, October 18th, we'll be concluding our SHIFT series with a practical way to SHIFT into action by providing clean water for some of the most needy people. We'll be distributing our "soup can" banks that you will add to during the coming month in order to purchase water filters for families and schools in Peru. I hope you'll be able to join us. Some of my friends have been told by their doctor to cut down on their salt intake. Typical american meals (especially if you eat at fast food places) have a LOT of salt. There's a wise limit to the amount of salt we should consume, but have you ever eaten something that should have had salt, but didn't? We definitely miss the flavor that salt bring out in food. Jesus said that you and I are the salt of the earth. So what exactly does that mean? What are we supposed to be bringing to our interactions with others? This Sunday, October 11th, we'll be talking about SHIFTing our place in the world so that we can effectively be the salt and light that Jesus intends us to be. I hope you'll be able to join us. Explore Church Membership Have you wondered what the Evangelical Covenant Church denomination is all about? Have you wondered about how Community Covenant came into being? Have you thought about becoming a member of CCC, but weren't sure what that means?
Pastor Jeff and Tami would like to invite you to their home for three Monday evenings from 7:00 - 8:30 pm (October 12, 19, and 26) for the answers to these questions and maybe a few more. Being a part of this Membership Class does not require you to become a member, but it is a prerequisite. When you drove to work or to the store today, did you notice anyone you drove past? I know that there have been times when I've arrived at my destination and realized that I don't even remember the process of driving there! Thankfully my auto-pilot kept me safe along the way!! One of the biggest obstacle to caring for other people is our own eyes -- we don't really see the people in need around us because we're so focused on ourselves and our own agenda. The common refrain is, "It's not my job". This Sunday, October 4th, we'll be talking about how we may need to SHIFT our understanding about what our job description really is as followers of Jesus. I hope you'll be able to join us. Explore Church Membership Have you wondered what the Evangelical Covenant Church denomination is all about? Have you wondered about how Community Covenant came into being? Have you thought about becoming a member of CCC, but weren't sure what that means?
Pastor Jeff and Tami would like to invite you to their home for three Monday evenings from 7:00 - 8:30 pm (October 12, 19, and 26) for the answers to these questions and maybe a few more. Being a part of this Membership Class does not require you to become a member, but it is a prerequisite. Please contact Pastor Jeff with any questions and to let him know of your interest. |
Pastor JeffThoughts about living as a Jesus follower and life at Community Covenant Church Archives
December 2020
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