This coming Sunday (3/4/12) morning during the Sunday School hour we will have the privilege of hearing from some very special guests:

Dan and Janell Hartley – Missionaries with Overland Missions in Livingstone, Zamibia. (Janell is cousins with SFC’s Jim Engeman)

What is Overland Missions?

Overland Missions exists to take the Gospel of Christ to the most remote and forgotten places on earth.

We identify these regions and begin the process to spread the good news of Christ until the Gospel has reached its full effect.

 This means not just sending a team of missionaries over to preach the Word, but deploying a measurable, accountable and effective strategy to empower the local believers to carry on the mission of spreading the Gospel among them in a sustainable way.

Philip Smethurst
Founder and CEO

Some words from Dan and Janell on their work:

Overland has invited me to teach their AMT course and it is a dream job for me! AMT stands for advanced mission training and is designed to train and equip someone who is interested in becoming a missionary with skills to help them minister effectively in challenging rural situations.  It is a 3 month course, run 2x a year, which will teach missions theology, preaching, cross cultural communication, medical wilderness training, 3rd world country diseases, GPS navigation, expedition training, 4×4 driving course, welding, bush cooking and much more.  What an amazing opportunity to impact world missions right from the starting line!  You can find out more by watching the course promotion video here:

During the months that the course is not running I will have the amazing opportunity to participate on evangelistic expeditions into the unreached and neglected regions of Zambia and Southern Africa. These hard to reach places are where Overland wants to explore with the vision to evangelize, train pastors, teach Biblical principles and assist with social/health education. I first set foot in Zambia in 1994 and always had a portion of my heart set aside for this opportunity. I never imagined it might be so much fun experiencing the fulfillment to this dream.

We are not sure exactly what Janell will end up doing, but her first priority will be our children and then there will always opportunities to assist with projects around the base.  There will also be times of mentoring / coaching needed for the gals who will be going through AMT and that is her favorite thing! She will have these opportunities and more to have great loving influence into the lives of women as well as into the “life” of Overland. She is an amazing mother and the model she will live, out of her love for God and others will speak much louder than any seminar could ever accomplish.

To learn more about the other amazing holistic ministries of Overland Missions go to www.overlandmissions.com  and check out Expeditions (short term teams), LIFE (caring for orphans), sector management (evangelism and discipleship in a target area), SAM (helping develop agricultural projects and microenterprise), RPN (Rural pastors network – pastoral training), and more.

With hearts full of thanks to God for all He has done and for you all,

Dan, Janell, Miesha and Titus Hartley

Eight Questions to ponder and wrestle with this week regarding “Togethering” as friends (from Pastor Bob’s Sermon 1/26/12):

1. Who inspires me to be the best person I can be?

2. Who challenges me to grow but doesn’t ridicule my failures?

3. Who accepts me for who I am but doesn’t let me get away with “inappropriate” things?

4. Who sees me as more than I see myself?

5. Who brings out and participates in my playful wondrous side?

6. Who warns me honestly when I’m about to do something stupid but doesn’t walk away after I have done it?

7. Who helps me check my attitudes and behaviors to see where I’ve been and where I’m headed, and what to do if I’m off track?

8. Whose advice and counsel do I really trust?

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To listen to the sermon Click Here

 

In a follow up to our “Conversation Café” and in anticipation of Pastor Bob’s upcoming sermon series on “Togethering,” the Hospitality Committee would like to encourage hospitality in the month of March with a…

RAISE OUR HOSPITALITY

TEMPERATURE EVENT

Take the time to invite someone you don’t know very well, but would like to get to know better, to your home for a meal or out for a time of fun and fellowship.

If you would like to participate, each week in our bulletin will be a flyer to fill out.  You will place them in the offering plates or return the to one of the Hospitality Committee members: Jenny Leonard, Nancy Hayes, Hassie Spees, or LaDella Farmer.

We look forward to raising our Hospitality Temperature higher and higher in the month of March!

I am a princess…Daughter of THE King

What does Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Rapunzel and Fiona have to do with your personal journey with God?

We are in for a treat this year!  Together with our insightful presenter, Karen Williams, we will take a journey exploring through Scripture, video clips, music and our own personal experiences what it truly means to be a princess, daughter of the King. Join us this year at the SFC Women’s Retreat.

You won’t have to cook or clean.

You will get to:

• Sit in front of the fireplace
• Build friendships
• Take a walk or go shopping
• Laugh…Relax…Ponder…

Our desire is for you to come, be  pampered, and  polish those dull, dreary jewels…to wear your princess crown with confidence and to experience new depth in your relationship with your King…then come back home renewed, refreshed, determined to live the life  that you were meant to live.

Retreat Date:   Feb. 24, 25, 26 2012

Retreat Cost: If a $15 deposit is paid on or before Feb. 12^th, 2012 the cost is $145

Retreat Cost: if a $15 deposit is paid after Feb. 12^th, 2012 the cost is $160

Balance Due: Upon arrival, Feb. 24^th, 2012

Final Date to Register: Feb.19^th, 2012

Location

Twin Rocks Friends Camp, 18705 Hwy 101 North, Rockaway Beach, OR 97136  camp phone (503) 355-2284

The camp is located on Hwy 101:  13 miles North of Tillamook, 27 miles South of Cannon Beach

Need More Information

Contact:

• Teresa Zade, Retreat Chair  873-8592 or 873-5131
• Lynette Lesire, 503-873-7439
• Lynn Blust, 503-510-2261
• or the church office: 873-5131 

to∙geth∙er∙ing: [tuh-geth–er-ing]

In the church, we often use descriptive words, such as, worshipping, fellowshipping, gathering to describe our community.  Yet we don’t often describe our relationship to God and to each other in this same manner.  Over the next seven Sundays I want to explore our “togetherness” and to do that we will be looking at what it means to be a “togethering community.”  The spell check on your computer will not like the word “ togethering” nor will you find it if you look it up in a dictionary – because, honestly, it is a made-up word.  I am defining “togethering” as the act of living faithfully with others.

We may not be aware of the fact that we participate in numerous kinds of “togethering communities,” many of which overlap, on a daily basis.

• We are residents of planet earth: togethering globally
• We have neighbors: togethering geographically
• We speak a particular language and have our own customs: togethering culturally
• We work outside or inside the home or go to school: togethering vocationally
• We have family and friends: togethering personally
• We have certain spiritual beliefs and practices: togethering spiritually

Through this sermon series, we will explore some of the defining elements of “togethering” and how we belong to them.  We may also find that we do “togethering” differently than our biblical ancestors did.  The U.S. culture is very individualistic; we pride ourselves on our independence.  Many people believe that not only are we more or less on our own as citizens, but that our religion is a private, individual matter as well.

I hope you will join us to delve, with an expectation of discovery and wonder, into what God will say to each of us during this series, and then carry that message to the reaches of our world – TOGETHER!

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2/19   Togethering: The Story of God’s People (Genesis 12:1-9)
2/26   Togethering: A Friend is a Friend (Prov 17:17; 18:24, Jn 15:1-17)  3/4      Togethering: Family Matters (Ephesians 5:21-6:4)
3/11    Togethering: At Work, School, Play (Texts from Proverbs)
3/18    Togethering: Intimacy (I Corinthians 13:4-7)
3/25    Togethering: When Things Go Bad (James 3:1-12)
4/1       Togethering: A Place in this World (Mark 10:32-38)

This coming Sunday, SFC is proud to have our newest Northwest Yearly Meeting (NWYM) of Friends Superintendent, Becky Ankeny worshiping and sharing a word from the Lord.

Becky, is a member of Newberg Friends, has served many years at George Fox University and NWYM in a number of leadership capacities.

Becky is widely known and respected throughout the yearly meeting and has a broad knowledge of YM churches, individuals and history. She has expressed a vision for the yearly meeting that includes the building of a shared identity. She has also expressed an approach to community that could be described as a fundamental attitude of generosity.

Coming off of Peace Month and a passionate sermon series at SFC, here are some of Becky’s own words that promote these same ideals:

Listen carefully to each other.  The most important thing is to honor all. Value the contributions of all perspectives. The superintendent must build trust.  Shared work builds community.  Listen to what the Spirit is saying to the church.

SFC looks forward to Becky’s message and having her join our community for worship on Sunday, February 12, 2012.

The topic of “equality” can be overwhelming and very controversial.  Much of our understanding must come from being better educated as to what is meant by “equality.”  Below are a myriad of books that help educate one on the need for equality from the past and present.  By challenging yourself to read at least one of these titles, you will begin to gain a better understanding of the need for equality in our world today and may begin to see things from a different perspective.  Please note: these are not all “Christian” books, but they will help one see the need for God’s view of equality.

A FRESH LOOK AT WHO WE ARE

Saturday, February 11^th   10am-3pm   @SFC

We want to have a conversation, and we want YOU to join us!

What is a conversation café?

It is a flexible, easy-to-use process for fostering collaborative dialogue, sharing mutual knowledge, and discovering new opportunities for action at SFC.  Gathering around tables “café style,” we will be creating dynamic networks of conversations around several engaging questions.

Our hope is that this will stimulate sharing of thoughts and ideas while building community in the manner of Friends.  For some it may be the first time in authentic conversation with people from our church, and for others it may simply deepen the relationships already formed.

The important thing is that each person who is attending has the opportunity to contribute to the future of our church and have a little fun in the process.

To help give you some incentive for participating, we will be providing a light lunch (with a free will offering) and childcare for children through 6^th grade.  As Friends we support having youth and young adults involved in the process, so 7-8^th graders and high school students will be invited to join in the conversation café.

This past week you should have received an invitation in the mail to the Café. Please RSVP so we can count you in on being a part of this conversation!  We look forward to what God is going to do with us as we shape our future through conversations that matter.

Community seems to be a buzzword in Christian circles these days.  The problem with the concept is that most people think they have a good definition of community without clearly understanding what they mean.  Most of the time they have a single aspect or a part of the bigger picture.   Our goal at SFC is to teach a more robust understanding of community and what it has to do with our faith.  Below are some resources to get one started:

Introductory Books on Community:

Created for Community: Connecting Christian Belief with Christian Living, by Stanley J. Grenz   There are very few people who can make theology accessible to the average reader.  By introducing readers to the core doctrines of the Christian faith and encouraging them to connect belief with everyday life, Grenz introduces the biblical basis for Christian community.  In many ways this is the primer for koinonia or biblical community.

Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Faith in Community, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer During communion this past Sunday, John Pattison shared a quote from this classic exploration of faith in community.  Bonhoeffer’s story is about a unique fellowship in an underground seminary during the Nazi years and reads like one of Paul’s letters. It gives practical advice on how life together in Christ can be sustained in families and groups.

Great Introductory Book for Group Study

Turning to One Another: Simple Conversations to Restore Hope to the Future, Margaret J. Wheatley  (I have mentioned this book before, but it is worth a recommendation again!)  “I believe we can change the world if we start talking to one another again.” With this simple declaration, Margaret Wheatley proposes that citizens band together with their colleagues and friends to create the solutions for social change, both locally and globally, that are so badly needed.

Going Deeper with Community