Throughout Advent we have been looking at what is being “REVEALED” through the main characters of the Biblical Christmas story.  On Christmas Eve we will celebrate the birth of our Savior as a community.  Our service this year will include readings that reveal, songs of hope, and the involvement of children and families.  We hope you will join us for a wonderful candle-lit evening of “Hope: Revealed!”   Join us at 5pm as we will begin with the singing of traditional Christmas hymns!  May this be a special time for you and your family this Christmas Season!

Building on the energy and enthusiasm of past year’s Advent giving, the Social Concerns Committee has arranged for opportunities to bless several organizations in Silverton which serve our friends and neighbors in need. Each week of Advent different local organizations will be the recipients of our giving.

First Week of Advent – December 1st
A Time of Hope – Once again our friend Helen Thomas who works at the high school with homeless students has helped us with an idea that will meet a big need for these young people. We will cover them from top to bottom by collecting hats, underwear, and socks. All adult sizes are needed and the kids appreciate what ever we provide, but if you are not sure what style to choose ask any of our young people at church what type of hat or socks they prefer, (not likely they will share about their underwear choices!)

Second Week of Advent – December 8th
A Time of Love – Most of you are familiar with Young Life Clubs. This year we asked Rebecca Ortega if there was some item we could collect for our local Young Life and she gave us an enthusiastic YES! The leadership had just developed a plan to start distributing snacks to stu-dents who are involved in various activities at the schools as a way of supporting them and making positive contacts. For this week please bring any kind of snacks or juice boxes/pouches that are prepackaged in individual portions.

Third Week of Advent – December 15th
A Time For Joy –The Mission of Hope is a food distribution project of Silver Creek Fellowship. One of their distribution sites is under the bridge in Salem where they provide a meal and friendship to homeless people who are living on the streets. Many of you have met Rob and Trish Ambrose who often volunteer alongside our servers at First Christian Church. Trish sug-gested we collect duct tape, tarps, and batteries that they can distribute to the people they get to know when serving dinner under the bridge. This may seem like an unusual request, but when you hear Trish talk about the needs of these folks you will understand the importance of these supplies.

Fourth Week of Advent – December 22nd
A Time of Peace – Silverton Area Community Aid provides hope to many in our town by offer-ing food assistance. Teresa Warriner, who is the new director of SACA, spoke of the need for foods other than canned or preserved items. She said that they rarely get fresh dairy items and asked us to collect cheese and yogurt this year. When you purchase these items she requested that we bring the individual size yogurts and we would suggest that two one-pound cheese packages are better than one two-pounder as the prior can serve two families.

During Advent, we proclaim that the Lord has come. Truth in the flesh is finally revealed on earth. The darkness of all time has been pierced with the Light of the world — Jesus Christ Himself.   Jesus desires to reveal Himself to us again during this preparatory season.

Surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem, there are four people who had the truth of God revealed to them. Each had their eyes opened to a different perspective that we all need to see in living for Christ in today’s world. Jesus came and was met by four poignant responses around the Bethlehem scene. As we prepare this Advent, how will we reveal His light?

Advent Series Summary

December 1: Mary’s Prayer – Luke 1:46-55

Personal Praise – It was revealed to Mary that she would be the earthly Mother of the Incarnate Lord of all time, space, and people. She was honored and obedient, despite the hardship and misplaced public perception that would soon be at her doorstep. Mary responded to God’s announcement with a song of praise and adoration.

December 8: Zechariah’s Prophecy – Luke 1:67-8

Global Transformation – It was revealed to Zechariah that the Savior of all humankind was about to be born. The sacred covenant of God delivered to Abraham was going to be fulfilled. Serving God without fear in holiness and righteousness for a lifetime would now be possible. Zechariah was now understanding and explaining the transforming power of Jesus in our world.

December 15: Shepherds’ and Angels’ Praise – Luke 2:8-14

Local Witness – It was revealed to the shepherd’s watching over their flocks that some “thing” big was happening in Bethlehem. The city of David was about to be the host of the King of kings. The excited shepherds could not wait to tell everyone they met with the announcement of Jesus’ arrival. They responded with their faithful witness.

December 22: Simeon’s Prophecy – Luke 2:25-32

Gospel’s Endurance – It was revealed to Simeon that the Messiah was born and awaiting his personal visit at the Temple. This righteous and devout man had been eagerly waiting for this day of rescue and dedication. Jesus – the One who would reveal the hearts of many in Israel and beyond was met with the enduring and faithful response of Simeon.

We look forward to you joining with us as we prepare together to see what God will “REVEAL” to us! 

Grace and Peace, Pastor Bob+

20. All the new faces on Sunday Morning (We have 20+ new families in the last year) – so glad you have joined us!

19. That SFC is a safe place for “special needs” children, adults, and their families.

18. Our current New Member class– we have eight people looking into membership and Quakerism.

17. New faces on our music teams and new music.

16. People traveling to other countries to share God’s love! – Kenya Team!

15. Our new worship planning committee – (Rebecca Ortega, Kate Pattison, and Pastor Bob) the creation of curated stories and new aspects of worship!

14. All the “care-givers/providers” in our meeting!

13. The impact of our Mentoring Program for children and youth!

12. Silverton Christian School and its ministry to our community/church!

11. Sunday morning “Meeting for Study” – great opportunities for dialogue and spiritual formation! Thank you teachers and facilitators!

10. Our epic and legit youth!

9.Our Tuesday Ladies Bible Study and the growth happening through becoming “TrueFaced”

8.  All the individual people/families finding freedom through difficult/financially unstable times (with the help and support of people/staff at SFC).

7. Community impact happening in conversation, dinners, neighborhoods.

6. All our dedicated volunteers! – people willing to sacrifice time and talent for our church – especially take-down teams, ushers, greeters, dinner makers, lawnmowers, landscapers, etc…

5. Recent House Blessings – all those who participated, led, and received!

4.MOPS and their work with our mothers of preschoolers!

3.People sharing during our Quaker Open Worship – what beautiful vulnerability!

2.Bible Quizzing – having two teams and our youth excited about the Bible!

1. People being and becoming the conduit of God’s healing/redeeming work in the world!

These are only a few of the many…

WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT SILVERTON FRIENDS CHURCH – WHAT WOULD YOU ADD TO THIS LIST?

A sincere THANK YOU to everyone at SFC for what you each do to make visible God’s Kingdom in this place and in Silverton!

Grace and peace, Pastor Bob+

This is our latest curated story which goes along with Pastor Bob’s message from Sunday, Oct. 27th title, “Become the Conduit: That of God in Everyone.”  Thank you to Kate Pattison for sharing her talents in putting this video together. Enjoy.

Silverton Friends Church is in for a treat this coming Sunday (10/20/13), as we welcome, Sarah Klatt-Dickerson to be our special guest preacher.

In fitting in with our year long theme to “Become the Conduit,” Sarah will present a teaching on Luke 10:38-42 titled “Hospitality: Listening to the Other.” During the service, we will also be introduced to her more expressive side through a unique form of “slam poetry”.

For those unfamiliar with Sarah, she is an Oregonian through and through. She lives in Newberg with my husband Dan. Is in her last year of seminary, and will graduate in May with an MDiv. Currently, she is a pastor at North Valley Friends, working with young adults. As well, she is an artist, who dabbles in most art forms.

We look forward to you joining us this Sunday – Meeting for Study 9am and Meeting for Worship at 10:45am.

This story was shared as part of the sermon on October 6, 2013.

We are inside a small sun-baked brick house. Jesus is talking to the local religious leaders, while crowds hang around outside, straining their ears. We disciples are a little nervous, because if these leaders don’t like what Jesus is saying, it could hurt his career. He, however, seems perfectly at ease.

A little dust drifts by his face, and I glance up. More dust is coming down, and alarmed, I look to Jesus. Far from being worried, the corner of his mouth twitches in a little smile and his eyes start to twinkle. More and more dust floats down, disturbing the religious leaders, until everybody is gazing up at the ceiling. Then suddenly – daylight! – as a brick is removed. The hole grows quickly larger, and we see a four faces peer down into the room. Grinning widely, Jesus nods, and the faces disappear, replaced by something solid and rectangular. As it drops lower, I can now see a pallet on which a man is lying. Jesus’ grin turns to a look of compassion as he sees the twisted limbs and I know there must have been some terrible sin somewhere for this to happen. On Jesus’ other side, the religious leaders are muttering about the gall of interrupting their meeting. When I look back, I see a look on the lame man’s face that is a mixture of apology, shame, and pleading.

I step forward, expecting to see a miracle like many I have seen before, but instead, Jesus takes the man’s hand, smiles into his eyes, and says, “Cheer up, my friend! Your sins are forgiven.” Unbelieving joy floods the thin, pinched face, and the muttering among the religious leaders turns ugly. It’s easy enough to guess what they are thinking: “Blasphemy! Blasphemy”‘

Jesus knows it too, and stiffens slightly as he turns to them “Tell me,” he demands. “why are you determined to think the worst?” When they give no reply, he goes on “Then tell me this – is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say ‘Get up and walk?'” They don’t answer that one either. After all, how can you answer a question like that? “Fine,” the Master says. “You believe I’m setting myself up as God? Let me demonstrate my authority” Turning to the man on the pallet, he ordered, “Get up, friend!”

Without the slightest hesitation, the man strengthened his grip on Jesus’ hand, and never taking his eyes from that kind face, he swung his legs over the side and stood.

“Now pick up that pallet that has carried you for so long, and walk into your new life.”

The man nodded, his eyes and the light on his face saying his thanks for him. With an incredible glowing smile to his friends above him, he danced from the room.

Jesus also looked up at them and smiled approvingly. “He was cured because of your faith,” he told them, and in wonder, they leap up to go find their friend.

Then Jesus looked at the religious leaders. “Do you understand what just happened?” he asked. “Do you know what you have seen?”

We disciples did. Jesus, our Master, has authority over sickness, over demons, over wind and wave – and over sin. Never was there anyone else like him. Never.

Throughout this year we are looking at the theme “Become the Conduit.”  Yet the task of actually becoming the conduit of God’s healing-redeeming work in the world is always in competition with our need to be successful in this world.  It seems too often that there is not enough time to give to the task.  One author wrote,

We exhaust ourselves, working long hours to pay for things we have not time to enjoy.  We choose careers based on the income they produce, not the satisfaction they provide.  We assume large amounts of debt that require our continued labor to pay, exhausting ourselves in pursuit of lives that finally hold little pleasure for us. We chain ourselves to devices meant to entertain and connect, yet we find hollowness and isolation instead.

Our quest for a successful and productive life too often depletes our physical resources.   Soon our relationships begin to fail. Marriage, family, work, and spiritual life begin to wane.  And again we are robbed of the time needed to work on getting connected to our power source – God!  That means it is time to ask ourselves some very important queries to help us evaluate what is getting in our way of becoming God’s conduit:

• Does my work contribute to the well-being of humanity?
• Are my relationships healthy and life affirming?
• Do I connect more with devices or people?
• Am I kind and thoughtful, providing others with helpful emotional support?
• Am I generous, freely sharing with those who have less than I do?
• Do I bring joy and hope to others?
• Am I a thoughtful steward of the resources I oversee?
• Have my actions contributed to peace and understanding?
• Am I careful to protect and nurture the less powerful – children, the disabled, the poor, animals, and nature?
• Have I furthered the advancement of justice in my nation and world?

I believe these questions get at the core of how we can become God’s conduit in the world.  Can you imagine how much our world would change and how the lives of our friends and neighbors would improve if we simply evaluated ourselves on occasion and tried to make some changes?  We might find ourselves less focused on our own needs and more on the needs of our neighbor – and becoming an effective and useful conduit!

Grace and Peace, Pastor Bob+

On Sunday, September 29th we celebrated our youth and gave just a glimpse into their lives through this curated story.  Our hope is that you will engage our youth and finds ways to learn with and from them.  As Quakers, they too are the church now! Thanks to Kate Pattison for putting this video together with the help of the youth.

Our second curated story features Lisa Morris, SFC’s Treasurer and the Director of the local MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) program.  We are blessed by Lisa and how she gracefully serves her Lord. Enjoy!