“The Richmond COG”
Richmond Community Church
December 2002 Newsletter
In this Issue:
Reflections from Pastor Doug
Minister to Seniors
From the R.oC.K.S. Yard
Pastor Karl’s Korner
Missions Update
Nutcracker Ballet
Holiday Decorating and Flyer Distribution
Advent Service to Open the Season
M.O.R.E. In Christ Breakfast
“Operation Christmas Child”
Ladies Christmas Tea
Adams / Shipley Wedding
The Holiday Dinner Theater Presents: …
Christmas Morning Service
New Year’s Eve Celebration Gathering
Holiday Sermon Series With A New Twist!
Welcome DeLaney!
Singspiration With Sycamore
Worshipscape CD Available for the Holidays
Heartwork Ministries
Piano Studio Open!
Prayerenting
Family Budget Meeting
Accountability Group
Like any other delightful tradition we enjoy and look forward to year after year, it was birthed from a spontaneous moment—in other words, we did not set out to create a tradition. It was Christmas of 1983, and it was Teri’s and my first Christmas together. We had just met the previous September and already had plans to be married the next February. Realizing that much of what had drawn us together in the first place was a mutual love for music, I sat down at the piano one evening during that holiday season and we began to just sing simple Christmas carols together. Oh yes, it was romantic to be sure, a treasured memory for us both. And it was at some point that evening that we stumbled onto a what was at that time a brand new Christmas song entitled “Tennessee Christmas.” It was a simple melody with a very basic chord progression. The words were warm and tender, and just seem to fit the mood and sentiment of that very special evening. As we began to sing together in harmony that night, little did we know, that twenty Christmases later, we’d still be singing the same song…Teri, do you remember?
We sang it for Christmas of 1984, our first Christmas as a married couple…
We sang it for Christmas of 1985 in our very first home! We sang it in 1986 and '87 when our hearts were longing for a child… Then we sang it again in 1988 as you held our first born in your arms!
In 1990 it served as our own “Hallelujah Chorus” as we welcomed our second child into the family!
Through the Christmases of '91 and '92 we kept on singing every Christmas eve as the tradition of having your family over to our house became a yearly anticipated treasure…
We sang it during Christmas of 1993, a very difficult time for us…
And how about the Christmas of 1994? Our first Christmas away from Oregon…we sang it by phone to your family! Do you remember that?
Then we sang it again in 1996—our first Christmas back in Portland.
We performed it once again for the family in 1998 to welcome two more children into our home for their first holiday with us.
We sang it in 1999, not knowing what a new century would hold for us all.
And though it was a challenging time for us in many other ways, we sang it again with great joy to welcome in our fifth child in 2000.
And we’ll sing it again this year, 2002, our 20th Christmas together. Teri, it amazes me that, though life has not always been easy for us, we just keep on singing…year after year after year…and we’ll keep singing it until our voices finally fade into a new generation. Merry Christmas my dear…
…well I know there’s more snow up in Colorado, than my roof will ever see, but a tender Christmas with you love, is the only Christmas for me.
Merry Christmas everyone!
We had a wonderful time at our Thanksgiving dinner on the 15th. There were about 25 who enjoyed an unplanned potluck. Nothing was missing that would have been included in a planned potluck. And more than enough. Everyone took home food—besides what they ate. Next month our Christmas dinner will be on the 20th. If that is too close to Christmas or if you are having company and can’t be there, please let me know because we can make other plans since that is such a busy time of year. I think we will have a white elephant exchange—if you don’t know what that is, a white elephant is something you have at your home but you really have no need for, a useless crazy something that you don’t want and you don’t care if someone else has it. Don’t make it a pretty thing, maybe the reason you don’t want it is that it is ugly! ugly! ugly! But this is not the time to tell you husband that he is ugly, he is much to big to wrap.
Now for our feature of the month…
Bill and Virginia Martin were born on farms in southern Idaho. They met in High School. World War II had begun and Bill joined the Navy. He went to school at Texas A & M and while there, they got married. Bill’s brother, who was a minister, married them. Bill was sent to Corpus Christi and Virginia worked as a secretary in an insurance office. When he was assigned to an aircraft carrier, Virginia went home to her parents. It was the time they were relocating the Japanese people who had been in a detention camp in Idaho and Virginia worked there until the camp closed.
After the war was over and Bill returned home, they moved to a ranch and built a new home. Bad weather caused crops to fail and so they decided to go to Portland for the winter and work. Bill went to work for a TV company and Virginia worked as secretary to a Vice President of the U.S. Bank Trust Dept. After several years they decided to sell the farm and bought their present home in Portland. After attending a Church of God in N.E. Portland, Pastor Ely talked them into coming to Richmond. They immediately became very involved in teaching, putting out the Church newsletter, working on the bus ministry (which took every Saturday visiting families they would pick up on Sunday—you think you are busy?), and being the church treasurer. By this time they had four children, three girls and a boy, all of whom attended Richmond.
About 1959, Bill began doing electronic organ repair in the evenings. When his business grew, he stopped working for Packard Bell and began servicing organs full time. Eventually he specialized in servicing large church organs. He has installed them in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah, California, Illinois, Arizona, Texas, and Mexico.
Every once in a while when they are not there on Sunday, I tell them we missed them, and they have been some where working on an organ. (this aside from Bonnie.)
There you are, another one of our interesting seniors. I hope you have all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are looking forward to a wonderful Christ filled season.
Next month our honored citizen is someone who has been on the foreign mission field. Who is it?
Pastor Bob and Bonnie
Greetings from the youth. Well, we have finally finished our Sunday school lessons on the Not-So-Famous people of the Bible. For the most part the series was well received and we could see how God uses a wide variety of people especially the unlikely. The Wednesday evening program is moving along well we are currently using two of the rooms for our youth meetings. This has made it easier to play our games and do our other activities. Also for the month of November we had two special activities planned, however they have not happened as of the writing of this article so I will tell you about them in the next one. We are planning our giving gathering and also helping with the Holiday dinner at the church. The youth will be serving the dinner. Many of the youth also helped out in the month of October with the Harvest Party. Again this was a great success and everyone had a fun time.
For our Sunday School program we will be spending November and December doing weekly studies and then in the new year pick up on a new series. We will also be having our Christmas party. Some of the details have yet to be finalized, however we will be meeting on Saturday, December 21st between 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM. We will meet at the church and then possibly go to a different location.
“God is in control.”
Many years ago I read a small book based on the theme of God being in control of the events of the world. The book was written during the Cold War days when there was a great concern that someone on either side would make an error and push the button bringing about World War III and possibly the end of the world. We lived our lives with guarded optimism, hoping that nothing would happen, then the Berlin Wall came down and we could relax or could we? We had a number of years of relative calm, free of major concern about the world falling apart.
Then September 11th, 2001 our calm, secure world literally exploded and fell into a heap of rubble as the towers collapsed. We now live under the threat of more terrorist attacks real or imagined. We are faced with the very real possibility of war with Iraq. How do we go on in troubled times such as these? The answer is both easy and complex at the same time. We go forward because of the hope and promise that God is God and He is in control of this world He has created.
We must not use this truth to become fatalists, but rather as an encouragement to do our part in pressing forward and reaching out to a lost world. We can be encouraged even when life reaches up and slaps us hard. Don’t ever forget that “God is God and He is in control.” Lean on Him and He will give you support.
The Kemmers are back in town and we even had the privilege of having them come and share with us the work that they are doing in Tanzania. They are working with the Safina Children, water purification, and with the school. They talked with us and showed some videos of the work that they have been doing and will continue to do as they transition into long term missionaries. It was real good to have them with us. It allowed our congregation to put faces with the names that they have been hearing about. Continue to pray for the Kemmers as they travel around raising support for their return to Tanzania and for the projects that continuing in their absence.
The Bistritans are back on Guam and again have readjusted to the local lifestyle. They spent the summer in Canada and on the way back visited Hawaii and attended a conference in Hong Kong. In their absence the local leadership at both of the churches did very well. It is a blessing to see the churches mature and sustain on their own. The church is currently preparing for a church plant on the island of Yap. Robert and Josephine Kotmay will be moving back to Yap and beginning a Church of God…the first in the Islands. Pray for them as they prepare and for the hearts of the people on Yap. They have also had an intern travel to the island, his name is Nathan Wiebe. He is from Canada and has been working with the youth and with the wedding ministry. Pray for him and the ministry that he is doing on the island. You can read more and even see some pictures of the Bistritans and the local work at www.bistritan.com. You can even send them a note of encouragement if you would like.
If you would be interested in going to the Nutcracker Ballet with a group of people from the church, there are some tickets available. The date is December 13th at 7:00 PM at the Keller Auditorium. The price of the tickets are $11.50 each. You can purchase them from Nancy Mahns (503)491-5591.
Holiday Decoration and Flyer Distribution
It’s that time to deck the halls and get our building ready for the holidays—and around Richmond, that's a family affair! Plan on joining in the fun on Saturday, November 30th at 10:00 AM. The more the merrier! Coffee, hot chocolate and donuts will be provided.
For those that are willing to brave the elements we will also be distributing 1000 flyers, advertising our holiday events, in our neighborhood at the same time. This does not mean knocking on doors, rather it is simply placing the flyer on the door handle. So whether you’re willing to help indoors or out, everyone is needed! Plan on joining us!
Advent Service to Open the Season
Sunday evening, December 1st at 6:00 PM we will celebrate our annual “Advent Service” together as a church family. This is a special time of focus to open the season. This service will include the taking of an Advent offering, which will go to a particular charity, as well as participating in our giving tree, which is an opportunity to provide Christmas gifts to our neighbors at Richmond Place. This service will take place around the fireplace downstairs in Ahrendt Hall.
Our men’s group, M.O.R.E. In Christ (Men of Richmond Empowered in Christ), will hold their monthly breakfast on Saturday morning, December 7th at 9:00 AM in Ahrendt Hall. Our guest speaker will be Rev. Chuck Ellis, the new Church Services Associate for our state association. Pastor Ellis will be sharing from his heart about his many years of service in ministry and how God is working in his life today. A great man of God that you won’t want to miss. Of course, we will be delighted with the culinary artistry of our very own chef, Jason Fischer as well!
Our own children’s choir, under the direction of Danell Parker and Nancy Mahns, will be presenting the children’s musical “Operation Christmas Child” on Sunday evening, December 8th at 6:00 PM, in the sanctuary. The children (and directors!) have been working feverishly on this production, so you won’t want to miss the opportunity to support their efforts. Please plan to come and support the kids in their first musical. You will love these soldiers who go on a special Christmas mission. This Nativity scene is a must see for a holiday blessing you won’t soon forget. But remember, this is more than a musical! We have been filling shoe boxes to send to the needy as part of this production. If you would still like to participate, pick up an empty shoe box along with the list of items to include, in the narthex or see Danell for more details.
Ladies, you’ll not want to miss our annual Christmas Tea, to be served on Saturday, December 14th at 11:00 AM, in Ahrendt Hall. A sumptuous spread has been planned along with the traditional ornament exchange. A wonderful time of fellowship that all are sure to enjoy. All ages are included.
Wedding bells are ringing for Ali Adams and Sam Shipley and we are all invited to the celebration! Their wedding will take place on Sunday, December 15th at 5:00 PM, at Aloha Church of God, 18380 SW Kinnaman Rd in Aloha. Come join them as they rejoice in what God is doing in their lives.
The Holiday Dinner Theater Presents:
“That’s The Good News!”
For two exciting performances, Saturday, December 21st and Sunday, December 22nd, (6:00 PM both nights) our adult choir and drama team will be presenting “That’s The Good News!” It’s a wonderful drama/musical about discovering the good news of Christmas in a small Nebraska town. The music is tremendous and the story heartwarming—and dessert is included! It doesn’t get any better than that, does it? This would be a wonderful opportunity for you to bring unsaved friends and loved ones to hear the gospel in a casual, non-threatening setting. So don’t miss the good news on December 21st and 22nd!
A tradition, that has come to be cherished by many, is our annual Christmas morning service, at 6:30 AM, Wednesday, December 25th. All that attend will notice this is a most wonderful way to focus on the meaning of this very special day. Kids, pajamas are welcome!
New Year’s Eve Celebration Gathering
Join us on Tuesday night, December 31st at 8:00 PM, as we join together for a time of food, fun and games to ring in 2003! Bring a favorite goodie and a game and enjoy the evening. Shortly before midnight, we’ll gather for a time of sharing, prayer and worship to begin the new year.
Holiday Sermon Series With A New Twist!
Beyond the Swaddling Cloths—Who is this Jesus? … will be a Christmas sermon series from the book of Hebrews. This year Pastor Doug will be taking a somewhat unique look at this child in the manger. While the majority of our seasonal focus is almost entirely on the response to the Christ child (i.e. the shepherds, angels and Magi, etc) and the results of his coming (i.e. love, joy, peace) we seem to rarely look at who he actually is. So this year, the exploration begins! Departing from the traditional book of Luke as the source, our focus will instead go to the book of Hebrews. For maximum benefit from these messages, read ahead as you note the sermon titles:
Sunday, December 1st — “He is our High Priest” (Hebrews 4:14-8:13)
Sunday, December 8th — “He is our Salvation” (Hebrews 9:23-28, 2:1-4)
Sunday, December 15th — “He is our Covenant” (Hebrews 7:18-19, 8:7-13, 9:1-22)
Sunday, December 22nd — “He is our Example to follow” (Hebrews 12:1-3)
Wednesday, 6:30 AM, December 25th — “He is our Picture of God” (Hebrews 1:1-14)
Congratulations to Jason and Melanie Fischer on the birth of DeLaney Elaine Fischer, born on Tuesday morning, November 5th. It appears all are doing well, and it’s a joy to welcome this wonderful new life to our Richmond family.
What a joy it has been recently to join with the Sycamore church for some wonderful evenings of special music from both of our churches. While we have been the host these last two times, they have invited us to their church this time. So mark your calendars for Sunday evening, December 29th at 6:00 PM for an evening of music and worship with the Sycamore Community Church, 18403 SE Blanton St, Milwaukie. If you have a special selection you’d like to share, be sure to see Pastor Doug.
Worshipscape CD Available for the Holidays
If you’re looking for that perfect Christmas gift, and just can’t seem to find it, remember the gift of music. Pastor Doug’s compact disc, Worshipscape, provides over 75 minutes of non-stop relaxing, peaceful music.
$10.00 each — a great stocking stuffer! See Pastor Doug or Teri.
As you read the words to these well known choruses listen to what they say. If you know the tune feel free to hum along. The Lord is your Audience.
Jesus, Jesus Lord to me
Master, Savior, Prince of Peace
Ruler of my heart today
Jesus, Lord to me.He is Lord, He is Lord
He has Risen from the dead
and He is Lord.Every knee shall bow
Every tongue confess
That Jesus Christ is LORD!I wish you all a Blessed Christmas.
Judie
The Giving Room: This is a way of providing material needs for our congregation as well as to Christ-centered ministries in the Portland / Metro area. We accept any non-perishable food or any clothing that is clean and in good repair. Small kitchen appliances/utensils and personal hygiene items are also accepted.
Cans 4 Cans: We accept any refundable cans or bottles to fund The Giving Room. This is a great way for you to be a part of a very vital ministry. Please bring your cans or bottles to the church and place them in the boxes provided in the alcove off of the Narthex. If you can’t get them to the church please call me and I’ll be happy to pick them up.
Fresh Start / Free Bibles: We provide Bibles free of charge to anyone who wants one but doesn’t have one. We are also in the process of sharing this ministry with other churches. If you know of a church that may be interested in setting up their own Free Bible Table please let me know. What better gift can we give?
If you have a desire to be a part of what Richmond is doing in our community please let me know. I would be happy to share with you some ways you could be a part.
Judie Nelson (503)669-3594
Pastor Doug has decided to re-open his piano studio on a limited basis. He has three openings for piano lessons, all on Thursdays: 3:00 PM, 3:30 PM, and 5:30 PM. Contact Pastor Doug (503)736-9603 for more details.
This is the last month of the 2002 prayerenting program, so please continue to pray for you assigned child and let them know you are praying. We will be getting new assignments out in January.
Please set aside some time right after the second service on Sunday, December 29th for an important meeting of the Richmond family to review next year’s budget before the annual meeting in January. The proposed budget will be available for you to study by December 15th. If you consider Richmond to be your church then this meeting is for you.
We truly are a blessed people here at Richmond to see how God is magnificently working in our Church today. Just recently God has made it clear to our pastoral staff that we need a ministry of discipleship and that Mary is the one God will work through to orchestrate it. Now God is implanting underneath Richmond's discipleship ministries a men’s accountability group, which will be lead by Jeremiah Ford and Jacob Jurado.
Before I get into the purpose and the goals of this accountability group, let me share something from my heart. I have a deep passionate desire to grow closer to other men, to strengthen my relationship with my Christian brother so that it is deeper than a superficial hello during Sunday morning service or on an occasional 15 minute talk. I also want to be heard. I want to be able to open up and share my fears, emotions, frustrations, excitements and everything. I have a fear and a desire to become completely vulnerable to you so that I can be my real self and so that I can be accepted for who I really am. Finally, I desire to have all of this, not just with my brother in Christ, but also with Christ himself. Not to know more about Christ, but to intimately experience him. As Jeremiah and I have been meetings for accountability these last few months, we have begun to see all of this play out in front of us. Our friendship has deepened, our relationship with God has become more real, and the passion of God is burning even deeper than before, but I still hunger for more. I have a hunger to connect with all men of our Church, to feel your hurts, to share your joys, to know and appreciate you, and to use our relationship to grow closer to God. This is what my heart is crying out for.
Now that you've seen my heart, let me try to answer some of your questions concerning this group. The account-ability group is open to all men. There is no one set of laws or principles that we keep each other accountable by (except the Bible), because we realize that we're all at different places in our walks with God and that one’s convictions are not necessarily held by others. Since God works uniquely person by person, each of us will be kept accountable in what God is doing in our lives, but at the same time, we’re here to grow, so it will be a place to challenge each other to live by higher standards. Also, because we're taking off our armor and becoming vulnerable, everything that is discussed will be held in strict confidentiality. If the group is too big, we might split it up or spend part of the time together and then split off into smaller pairs, but this all depends on your response. Finally, this accountability group is not like a Sunday school class, or a small group, where there is a leader teaching or leading a discussion, but it’s a place where we all open up and share our struggles, frustrations, and victories with each other. It’s filled with prayer, support, and love. It’s a refuge where we can all come together and feel safe to open up.
If you are interested in being a part of this, contact Jeremiah Ford (503)517-1722 or me, Jacob Jurado (503)772-1966 and well see when everyone’s schedule permits us to meet.
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