Friday, April 29, 2011

What You Will Get | Oswald Chambers

I will give your life to you as a prize in all places, wherever you go -Jeremiah 45:5

This is the firm and immovable secret of the Lord to those who trust Him- "I will give your life to you . . . ." What more does a man want than his life? It is the essential thing. ". . . your life . . . as a prize . . ." means that wherever you may go, even if it is into hell, you will come out with your life and nothing can harm it. So many of us are caught up in exhibiting things for others to see, not showing off property and possessions, but our blessings. All these things that we so proudly show have to go. But there is something greater that can never go- the life that "is hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3).

Are you prepared to let God take you into total oneness with Himself, paying no more attention to what you call the great things of life? Are you prepared to surrender totally and let go? The true test of abandonment or surrender is in refusing to say, "Well, what about this?" Beware of your own ideas and speculations. The moment you allow yourself to think, "What about this?" you show that you have not surrendered and that you do not really trust God. But once you do surrender, you will no longer think about what God is going to do. Abandonment means to refuse yourself the luxury of asking any questions. If you totally abandon yourself to God, He immediately says to you, "I will give your life to you as a prize . . . ." The reason people are tired of life is that God has not given them anything- they have not been given their life "as a prize." The way to get out of that condition is to abandon yourself to God. And once you do get to the point of total surrender to Him, you will be the most surprised and delighted person on earth. God will have you absolutely, without any limitations, and He will have given you your life. If you are not there, it is either because of disobedience in your life or your refusal to be simple enough.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Vineyard Japan Relief Effort - Letter

Click to view this email in a browser http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/546358/6e36fc1114/1576502097/3e7c4eedaa/

April 18th, 2010

Japan Relief Effort


A Letter From the Japan/Korea Partnership

Dear Vineyard family:

Today marks the one month anniversary of the earthquake/tsunami in Japan's Tohoku region. While the disaster receives diminishing US news coverage in the face of more recent local and international crises, the news coming from Japan suggests, if anything, a deepening awareness of the scope of the disaster.

A number of you have contacted Vineyard Mercy Response, Vineyard missions or us directly asking about Vineyard-based avenues of response to the situation in Japan. Over the past few weeks we have been exploring how we might support a Vineyard-based response; we've been in conversation with the Vineyard Missions, Mercy Response and National offices, and just returned from a one-week trip to meet with our Vineyard pastors in Japan, talk with directors of a local Christian relief agency, and visit the disaster area.

The Vineyards in Japan are taking initial steps to partner together with one another, and with other Christian churches and agencies, in early-stage response. Gail and I were able to get a glimpse of this on a 36-hour trip to the coastal town of Iwaki, where a local nondenominational church is serving as a hub for church-based relief efforts. We helped clean out tsunami-ravaged homes and serve refugees at local relocation centers, and found ourselves working together with Christians from around Japan as well as around the globe.

A bit of what we saw and heard: a young woman from Osaka cheerfully advocates for outreach even within the exclusion zone around the Fukushima reactors, joking that we've already died in Christ anyways; Pastor Kaz Ito tells of watching a young Korean man washing the feet of an obaasan (Japanese grandmother) at a refugee center, and how she begins to weep as she lets flow the grief of losing her husband – along with 2/3 of her village; we sort and clear what remains of the first floor of an older couple's home (photo, below), and see the wife break into tears as she thanks us at day's end; I glimpse one young westerner, knee-deep in debris, wearing a T-shirt that reads, "I ♥ Fukushima"; and, Gail overhears one neighbor ask another—next door to where we were working—"Who are these people?", and hears the other reply, "They are Christians."

The main thing that Gail and I kept hearing on our trip – most often from Japanese Christians – was, "What Japan needs right now, more than anything else, is hope." We are frequently reminded that this may be the most important window for the gospel in Japan since 1945, and we do believe that a movement committed to building communities of hope, to reaching the unreached, and to compassionate, Spirit-graced ministry has much to offer Japan at this time. So we want to offer our missions partnership as a means of assisting the wider Vineyard community to help support, and to serve alongside, our brothers and sisters in Japan. If you would like to explore working together in a Vineyard-based response, please contact us via the information provided below. Please note, also, that at least one Vineyard pastor from Japan will be at the national conference in Phoenix next month – stop by the Vineyard Missions display table to visit in person!

For such a time as this,


Karl & Gail Neils (on L of photo)
Pastors, Seattle Vineyard
Japan/Korea Missions P'Ship Leaders
www.seattlevineyard.org
karl@seattlevineyard.org

Not Just News | 2011-4-29

Special Giving Opportunity
An urgent call for help from The Barn: Gary and Sarah Peterson, a family with 6 small children, recently lost everything in a house fire. Please help this family and leave a donation in the offering bucket made out to Tapestry Church with "Peterson Family" in the memo line or cash in an envelope marked the same. Let's be the church and help this family in need.

Prayer and counseling ministry
If you need special prayer or ministry and you can't be at church on Sunday to have our prayer team pray for you on the spot, you can email letuspray@tapestrychurch.org.
If you need further counseling, deliverance or prophetic ministry, please simply let Lori know, lorihedrick@tapestrychurch.org so we can schedule a time to meet with you.

Volunteers and future volunteers!
If you are interested in email distribution for the volunteer opportunities. please email lorihedrick@tapestrychurch.org<mailto:lorihedrick@tapestrychurch.org>. You will be added to mailing list and kept informed about the volunteering opportunities with the Tapestry Church.

Kiddos' volunteers needed
We are splitting our one kiddos class into 3! Our very patient 8 year old is tired of hanging out with the 3 year olds and our babies are starting to discover their voices! To pull this off right each Sunday we need 2 people to help with the babies. 2 people to help with our 2-5 year olds and 1 person to help with the 6-10 year olds. Please see the sign up sheet in the hall and/or email lorihedrick@tapestrychurch.org<mailto:lorihedrick@tapestrychurch.org>

COMING SOON!!!

Tapestry 101 - 401 - New Members Courses
Are you wanting to know what the Tapestry is all about and do you want to stop feeling like such a NEW-comer???? Well, come on and sign up for the Tapestry's NEW MEMBERS' courses. The first course is going to start this Spring and we want you to be a part. Even if you are an OLD-Timer and you really want to learn the heartbeat of the Tapestry and find your fit, sign up now!!!!! Our courses are called Tapestry 101-401 and we will be starting them SOON! Sign up today by emailing Lori @ lorihedrick@tapestrychurch.org<mailto:lorihedrick@tapestrychurch.org>. PD will love to have you! (They will likely be on Sunday Afternoons with lunch included!)

Building the Greeting, Welcoming and Follow up ministry.
Are you interested in making people smile? Do you like giving things away? Do you enjoy praying for people when they don't even know it? And do you love our church and want to increase the atmosphere? Well then, you are EXACTLY who we want to talk to for welcome/greeting ministry training. And yes, it is an EASY MINISTRY!!!!! If you love the heartbeat of Starbucks' atmosphere and experience, then you are the right person for this ministry. Sign up by emailing Lori @ lorihedrick@tapestrychurch.org<mailto:lorihedrick@tapestrychurch.org> and PD will be leading a training later this Spring 2011. Even if you are not interested in greeting at the church and simply want to work on some spiritual and interpersonal skills with relating to people, you should sign up for the training. You do NOT have to serve. We just want to learn. This is FOR YOU!

Personal Finance Seminar
Having trouble with that budget? Can you never keep money in your savings? Are you feeling a little under water when it comes to your debt situation? Would you like to be a bigger giver and a better steward of your finances? Would you like to learn how to save, budget and invest wisely in line with GOD's standards? Then, sign up now. We are developing a seminar for YOU! This one day seminar is focused on helping people find financial freedom in a Biblical way AND become blessed so they can BLESS! Email Lori @ lorihedrick@tapestrychurch.org<mailto:lorihedrick@tapestrychurch.org> to sign up! PD will fill you in later on details.

Events:
New Comers Lunch
New to the Tapestry?
Old to the Tapestry but never heard the story?
Sunday May 1st
1:45 at PD's house.

Ladies pot luck at Lor's
Wednesday, May 4th, 7pm
PD is away, the Ladies will play
Please bring a yummy snack.
Look for Event on Tapestry's Facebook Soon

Worship School with Chris Dupre
May 9-13 ,2011
First 1 week worship school at Catch the Fire Toronto.
For more info contact David Huang
davohuang@gmail.com<mailto:davohuang@gmail.com>

Spiritual Retreat
May 13-15, 2011
Tapestry invites you to a church wide spiritual retreat to West Chester KOA about 2 hours from Kensington! Worship, Prayer, fellowship and family fun in the middle of God's Creation! Cost is $40.00 per adult if you plan to camp out ($30.00 for children under 17) or $65.00 if you want a Cabin. Cabins are limited so sign up soon. Children under 12 are free! Cost covers two nights, three days and includes all food and retreat activities. Please note that people are responsible for their own tents. Contact Seiji or Joan to sign up or for more information.

Wanna Play?
Sunday, May 22nd
Games and Pizza directly after service
Pizza and Soda provided!
Do you have the guts to play?

South Dakota Mission Trip: HELP!
The good news is that the Yamashita's are expecting their first baby! The bad news is that they will not be able to lead the missions trip to Pine Ridge Indian reservation in South Dakota this year. If you have a heart for children and ministering to them, and would like to be part of a team or lead a team to Pine Ridge, please contact Joan joanyamashita@tapestrychurch.org<mailto:joanyamashita@tapestrychurch.org>

Upcoming Vineyard Conferences in 2011

Project Timothy 2011
Aug 6 - Aug 13
The Barn, Landenberg, PA

Monday, April 25, 2011

A Blog Post from Passion City Church in Atlanta

The Passion City Church is really happening. There is a neat blog post with pictures from their recent event at this link. See it here.                

 

http://www.passioncitychurch.com/blog/?p=803

 

I just thought it was nice to see the movement that is stirring from this church in Atlanta. Louie Giglio has been one of my long-time favorites in ministry and this is from the Good Friday event.

 

Check it out…

 

pd

 

Thursday, April 07, 2011

v3w | Verse, Word & Worship for your Week | 2011-4-7

Verse of the Week
(This is a verse we can think about all week long. Let it be something that you use as a focal point throughout your week. Maybe post it somewhere where you see it daily).

Ruth 1:13

"...for it grieves me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me."

Worship for your Week
(This is a short list of a few songs that will hopefully help you as you have your own personal worship time no matter where you are. Even though it is Youtube, you can stream it in your car or while you travel and just listen).


I Will Follow | Chris Tomlin | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx_04LdPV_Q&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Our GOD is Greater | Chris Tomlin | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlA5IDnpGhc&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Calling for a Flood | John Waller | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKkTeKbh3Ys&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Thought of the Week
(One of my positive thoughts for the week. My hope is to always lift, equip, inspire and encourage!)


TOPIC TITLE | Is It GOD Against Us or GOD's Positioning Movement? That's the Question...

This verse screams at me today. I have had the most interesting week and I have had so many obstacles to deal with that in my immediate reaction to them, I have thought to myself, "Why is GOD against me?????"

Now, at face value, we have probably all felt this way and to some degree, we have been a little miffed at GOD. Yet, what if the verse in Hebrews is right (Hebrews 12) and GOD does chasten those whom HE loves. What if this chastening is not just punishment as I perceive it, but HIM positioning us to be better able to receive what HE has in store for us. What if HIS positioning has more to do with HIS larger plan than just our immediate experience? What if we lived with the bigger picture instead of just the immediate need firmly in front of our eyes.

Naomi could not see the larger plan. As a matter of fact, if you look at the return in life for her immediate issue, it would seem that her life in essence was a waste. I mean, her DNA did not go any further. Her lineage stopped at the death of her sons. Her name ended. Her inheritance ended... It just seemed that she may have been a hiccup in GOD's plans.

Yet, the real question is... Where would Ruth have been without Naomi?
1 - Would she have gone back to her idols and left Naomi's GOD?
2 - Would she have ever learned the lifestyle and culture of the Jews?
3 - Would she have struggled and become a success working in the fields of Boaz?
4 - Would she have married or even met Boaz?
5 - Would Boaz have had a son named Obed?
6 - Would Obed have had a son named Jesse?
8 -Would David have been born? The King with the never ending lineage?
9 - And what of Jesus? No Ruth... No Mary & Joseph...
10 - Did this story that was told through the years affect each generation that heard it when they thought about GOD and in how they approached HIM? GOD brought beauty from "Great Great Grandma Ruth's Adopted Momma Naomi..."

The DNA may have died, BUT BOY DID THE STORY LIVE ON! Naomi could not see that without her husband and sons dying, she would have never led Ruth back to her homeland where she would meet destiny! Naomi, her husband and sons, stand in front of GOD, thanked for their part they played in redemptions story!!!!! And yet, their young deaths were perceived as GOD's hand against the family. Instead... GOD WAS FOR THIS FAMILY! It was all in the perspective!

Wow!
What about that?

Could it be that our struggles placed in full view of heaven are not at all dismal nor ugly to GOD, but these present discomforts are much more about creating a woven picture or a piece of art that united and completed, there might be something altogether redemptive? Could it be that chastening at the moment should be cherished because we can trust that our Beloved Heavenly Poppa has a plan we cannot see at the moment? And that chastening is not always because we did something wrong, but it ALWAYS CAN BE TRUSTED that it is for our best? Could it be that just because it looks bad right now, we should not fear. There is a larger story that will be told in the end?

Could it be?

Now...
Do you feel like you've lost it all and all there is left is to die? Don't give up. Look around you. Maybe there is a Ruth GOD has called you to invest in right now. In the middle of your trial, take them to your people and your faith. Show them the way to GOD. Be the bridge to their destiny.

I have always found that giving my life, time, resources and even my heart to invest in developing someone else through relationship always helps me see GOD's plan better even while still in discomfort.

It's just a thought...
Blessings!
pd

Articles to Read | Emails from DK

A couple notes and articles from Daeho this week:

 

Hope that we can pray for more church leaders and pastor/ priest to cover our community...

 

Dying? Plan ahead: Priests scarce for last rites

http://usat.me?45795054

 

Just thought it was interesting...

 

U.K. astrophysicist wins $1.6 million religion prize

http://usat.me?45826592