What's happening this month

Sundays:
8:45 Worship Team Practice
9:30 Sunday School
10:30 Worship
Fellowship follows Worship Service
6:30 Evening Bible Study
*September 18 2:00 Kah Tai Ministry
*September 25 no evening Bible Study


Wednesdays:
8:00-4:00 OPHC
6:15 Worship Team Practice
*September 7 10:00 Jeffco Prayer meets
*September 7 7:00 Elders
*September 14 7:00 Council


Thursdays:
11:00 Prayer Hour
1:00 Women's Bible Study

Saturdays:
8:00 Men's Breakfast @ Chimacum Cafe

Heaven: What’s the Bible have to say about it?

A couple years ago Don Piper wrote a book titled, “90 Minutes in Heaven”.   As the book begins, Piper is involved in a traffic accident.  Piper was assessed by paramedics on two separate occasions and pronounced as dead.  90 minutes later, he was found alive but badly injured.  During that 90 minutes Piper says he was in heaven.  The story is very compelling and believable.  The book is worth reading, though most of the pages cover Piper’s lengthy and difficult recovery.

Recently the book “Heaven is for Real” hit the store shelves.  This is the story of 5 year old Colton Burpo who visited heaven.  Colton had a terrible bout of appendicitis and during his surgery, he visited heaven.  As I read this story it was difficult to believe, it is definitely heaven from a child’s perspective.  But as the details are revealed, I found myself concluding there are just too many extenuating circumstance to brush it off as a dream or lie.  Heaven is for Real is also worth reading and the chapter titled, “Two Sisters” is extremely moving.  I suggest you read both of these small books.

With the old saying, “Believe half of what you see and nothing you hear” in mind, I thought it would be beneficial to consider some of what the Bible has to say about heaven. (Note all the italics in this article are mine and Scripture references are from the ESV.)The Bible tells us that God is the one who created the heavens and the earth.  Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”  But does that mean God created a place of eternal dwelling or that He created the sky?  To find the answer we look on.  1 Chronicles 29:11 says, “… for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.”  Okay, that seems to confuse the issue.  “For all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours;” does that mean everything in the sky is God’s?  The clouds, the Sun, the Moon, the Birds, etc., or is it referring to a loftier setting?

Take a look at 2 Chronicles 7:14, “if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”  This passage is often quoted in the midst of a prayer-will-fix-the-nation article.  That is a great application of the passage, but notice where the answer comes from, “heaven.”  Next we read Matthew 23:9, “… for you have one Father, who is in heaven.”  So that is more pointed, “Father in heaven,” does it mean God is in the sky?  No.  Add Ecclesiastes 5:2, “… for God is in heaven and you are on earth….”   Once when looking at a beam of sunlight shining through the clouds, one of my grandsons asked me, “Is that what God looks like?”  Sometimes the sky can remind us of God, but He lives beyond the sky.

The scriptures also refer to God as the "God of heaven."  For example, Nehemiah 1:5 says, “And I said, “O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments.”  And Ezra 1:2, “… The Lord, the God of heaven, has given….”  Psalm 103:19 tells us, “The Lord has established his throne in the heavens….”  Psalm 14:2 says, “The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.”

Jesus declared that he is establishing, "the kingdom of heaven".  Matthew 4:17 is one example, “From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”   Matthew 5:19, “Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”  Finally, Jesus taught us in Matthew 6:9 to address God the Father as “Our Father in heaven ….”

Matthew 5:11-12 tells us there are things going on in heaven, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil

 against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven ....”  Jesus instructed us to store up treasures in heaven in Matthew 6:19-20, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven….”  Jesus also said in Matthew 10:32, “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven.”  Luke 15:7 adds, “… there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”

                 There are not only things going on in heaven, Jesus came from and went to heaven.  John 6:38, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.”  In Acts 1:11 we read, “… why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”  In addition, according to Acts 7:55 Jesus is at the right hand of God, “… [Stephen] gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” 

Not only is Jesus in heaven, it is the destination for those who belong to Christ.  2 Corinthians 5:1 tells us, “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”  Philippians 3:20 tells us, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”  2 Peter 3:13 tells us, “But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”  Revelation 21:1-3, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”

What does heaven look like?  Revelation 21 gives us a sneak peek,

²And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. ⁴He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”  ⁶And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. ⁷The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.  ¹⁴And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.  ¹⁸The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, clear as glass. ¹⁹The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, ²⁰the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. ²¹And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass. ²²And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. ²³And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. ²⁴By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, ²⁵and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. ²⁶They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations.

Finally, who will see heaven?  Not everyone.  Rev. 21:27, “But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”  The faithless won’t see heaven.  Neither will the “cowardly, … the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death” (Rev. 21:8).  If you have not received Christ, your name is not in the Lamb’s book.  I encourage you to confess your sins, ask God for forgiveness, and pray that His Spirit would come into your heart and guide you to heaven!

-Pastor David

Community Soup

Due to economic short falls, Olycap, who has been providing Senior meals at the Tri Area Community Center for years, has cut back their meals from five days to three.  Homelessness and hunger are growing in our community.  We are seeking to fill the gap, at least on Tuesday evenings.  Our goal is to feed anyone who is hungry, not just one particular group.  There won’t be questions to answer or paperwork to fill out.  People can come in and have a simple, nutritious meal of soup and bread, and perhaps enjoy a conversation with friendly people (us!).

                 Several people have asked to help, and we need you all!  Surprisingly, this has been on the minds of many of us, so it’s great that we are uniting to help this effort along.  This is all new territory for me, and I welcome all help!  It’s an effort of faith, as there is a zero budget, and I for one, have zero experience in putting something like this together.  It feels like we are learning on our feet!

At this point we have submitted our permit application to the Jefferson County Health Department.  They are questioning whether  our septic system is adequate for the project we are taking on.   We are working on this, and hope to find a solution soon, at little or no expense.  The absence of a three compartment sink in the dishwashing area is also of concern, but they seem willing to work with us on this.

What can you do to help?

· PRAY:  Specifically that the issues with the county permit process will be worked out quickly and we can get started.  Pray for those who are planning to serve, and for the people we will serve.  Pray for the finances.

· Pick up bowls from garage sales, thrift stores, etc.  They don’t need to match.

· Donate financially if you can:  We need $221.00  just to finish the permit process, not including what it might cost to work out the septic issue.  We also need to purchase ingredients and a few other items.

· Get your Food Handler Permit:  this will be required of anyone who wants to work in the kitchen preparing and serving food.  See below for details on how to do this.

· Show up!  We’ll need people to cook, serve and clean up.  We’ll be using our dishwasher, and there will be some instruction on how to use it properly.

· Be willing to post flyers around the community, or even go door to door to get the word out.

There was a meeting on August 27 that was well attended, and since then, several more people have expressed interest in participating.  There’s a sign-up sheet in the foyer for anyone who’s interested.  Please sign up and don’t forget your phone number and email so we can contact you as we get closer.

What we’re thinking so far:

· Operating from 4:00 to 7:00 on Tuesdays

· Praying together as we begin preparation each week, for the blessing on the food, the workers and those we’ll be serving

· 2 shifts of workers:  1 to cook and serve early comers; 1 to serve later comers and do the cleanup, leaving the facility ready for use by OPHC the next day.

· Having a “house soup” and then another that changes weekly

· Tubs on the wheeled carts for people to bus their own dishes

· Sitting with our guests and getting to know them-being a friendly face

· Setting out a donation jar, but not considering donations to be required

Please be praying about this effort to reach out to our community, and consider taking part.  We welcome your help!  -Kim Wilcox

Food Worker Classes, Testing and Cards Now Available Online. Jefferson County Public Health has recently implemented an online option for food workers classes, tests & food worker permit cards. In the past, taking the class required a trip to one of the many locations that the class is offered. With the new option, food workers can take the class & test online, & if they pass the test, they can pay the $10.00 fee electronically by debit or credit card & print out their food worker card. The class is titled “Do it Right, Serve it Safe”. The web address is : https://www.foodworkercard.wa.gov. You can also get a copy of the booklet in the church office.

 Food Worker Classes, Testing and Cards Now Available Online.

Jefferson County Public Health has recently implemented an online option for food workers classes, tests & food worker permit cards. In the past, taking the class required a trip to one of the many locations that the class is offered. With the new option, food workers can take the class & test online, & if they pass the test, they can pay the $10.00 fee electronically by debit or credit card & print out their food worker card. The class is titled “Do it Right, Serve it Safe”.

The web address is :

https://www.foodworkercard.wa.gov.

You can also get a copy of the booklet in the church office.

Food Worker Classes, Testing and Cards Now Available Online. Jefferson County Public Health has recently implemented an online option for food workers classes, tests & food worker permit cards. In the past, taking the class required a trip to one of the many locations that the class is offered. With the new option, food workers can take the class & test online, & if they pass the test, they can pay the $10.00 fee electronically by debit or credit card & print out their food worker card. The class is titled “Do it Right, Serve it Safe”. The web address is : https://www.foodworkercard.wa.gov. You can also get a copy of the booklet in the church office.

12 Reasons I’m Not a Mormon by Pastor David

There are many topics I love to speak about and plenty more I seldom mention.  I bet you are the same.  The old adage, “It’s not polite to speak on politics, religion or money” seems to be a good standard to hold, if your only interest is in not making waves.  But if you don’t mind shaking things up a little, then those are the three you go for.  As a pastor, it seems impossible to me to avoid these topics.

                 When it comes to speaking on money, I think church leaders need to mention it frequently. There are 31,102 verses in the Bible, 2350 are concerning finances.  Though it’s not the main topic in scripture, it is a topic that’s addressed.  If you want to read about finances this month you’ll have to turn farther back in the newsletter and see the article I wrote there.

Politics is another dandy topic.  All you have to say is, “I vote Republican!” and instantly you will have a whole bunch of friends, just as many enemies and a bunch more that want to excuse themselves from the conversation.  Of course a popular statement is, “I don’t vote for the party, I vote for the man” (or woman as the case may be).  But a declaration like that will alienate the Republicans and Democrats.  The results of all this is: it’s bad manners to speak on politics, just as it’s also bad manners to pick a fight.   Certainly, a God fearing Bible loving Christian will always take note of Romans 13:1 before they trash talk the elected officials, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”   So politics is a dangerous topic.  Not only can you lose friends, you can also get God irritated with you.

This takes us to the third topic, religion.  I like to speak about the wonders of God’s love for us.  I enjoy telling misinformed people that God cares for them, loves them and guides them.  I even like to officiate most funerals, because there I can remind people of God’s love and the hope of heaven that lays after this life.

Sadly, it never takes long until the topic of God’s love shifts to man’s religion.  One opinion will often have an opposing opinion and the next thing you know you have gob of denominations and a church every two miles. 

I don’t like conflict, I enjoy life more when I am without conflict but for the life of me, I cannot figure out how to speak the truth, without at least occasionally mentioning some things that make others angry.  I don’t feel particularly bad about this because it seems Jesus had the same problem.  Along with saying, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”¹, He also said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves”².  So to model ourselves after Jesus is to know the difference between right and wrong and speak the truth about both.

This leads me to this month’s topic, that Mormons aren’t Christians.   Mormons boast that they are Christians, do we take them at their word, or is there more to it than that?  The Mormons are also called, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints or LDS for short.  Since I am writing an article instead of a book, this is not going to be detailed or exhaustive, but it will hit some of the high points and will hopefully prompt you to further research.  I know that some will stop reading now because they don’t like the idea of someone (me) slamming someone else (LDS) and I understand why you would.   Though the Bible teaches us not to be judgmental, it also teaches us to distinguish the truth from a lie and there are a lot of people who believe the LDS lie.  Here’s my list of reasons why I’m not a Mormon:

1.  LDS doctrine is like a cable with several twisted strands.  Some of the strands are wonderful, like the encouragement of family and the sense of community.  Some of the strands are corrupt.  Corrupt enough to earn the label of #2.

2. The LDS is a cult.  A cult is defined as a group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or sinister.  Who gets to decide what’s “strange & sinister?  The original group.  Just as Christians are not a branch of Judaism, because the Jews won’t have us, Mormons are not Christian because the original Christians won’t have them.  What does LDS believe that is “strange or sinister?  See #3,

3.  Christians are never self-proclaimed, they are biblically defined.  That is, a person is not a Christian because they say they are.  A person is a Christian because they conform to and follow New Testament teaching. Such teachings as believing Jesus is the Messiah, they have asked Him into their hearts and they have become born-again.

4. LDS believe in the Bible, but only on their terms. To clarify the definition of a Christian various catechisms were written, most in the 16 &1700’s.  Some by Catholics, some by Presbyterians, by Lutherans and Orthodox, there are certain variances and there are some decisive similarities.  The purpose of the catechisms is to define what the Bible says about Christian beliefs.  So in short if you agree with the basics of the catechisms you are a Christian, if not, you are not.  For an example #5.

 5.  Failure to believe in The Trinity.  The Bible teaches God has revealed Himself to us by three means: The Father, the Son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit.   We call this The Trinity.  Mormons are taught that the historic Christian position on the Trinity is false.  They believe that the Godhead is like a president and two counselors, the president being first in authority. God the Father is the president, and the Son and Holy Spirit are His two counselors.  That point alone disqualifies Mormons as Christians.  As #6 explains

6. LDS believe God to be someone or something other than what the Bible teaches.  People have no problem saying the Hindus and the Buddhists are not Christian because they believe in different gods.  The Mormons also define God as something different.  Why? #7.

7. Their sacred writings.  According to their 8th Article of Faith, “the Bible is the inspired Word of God in so far as it is translated correctly”.   But who gets to decide what’s “translated correctly”?  In Protestantism, the individual is encouraged to decide based on their convictions and research, not by edicts passed down from headquarters.  That sort of upper echelon control is scary.  Why?  #8 answers that.

8. More sacred books.  Along with the Bible, the Mormons believe that there are four other inspired writings: the Articles of Faith, Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price, and Doctrine and Covenants.  The Bible has undergone rigorous scrutiny in order to be considered God’s word.  The scrutiny included, (1)written by people recognized as prophets and apostles, (2)inspired by God, (3)recognized by men of God and (4)collected and preserved by the people of God.  The four LDS books fill none of this criteria.  By accepting those books they bring the Bible down to their level, rather than taking their faith up to the Bible’s level.  In addition #9.

9. The preeminent view of the KJV.  Don’t get me wrong the KJV is a great version of the Bible, but limiting your followers to one version smacks of censorship, if not book-burning.  Why trust scholars who were translating in 1611 and not ones who are still alive today?  Perhaps the answer is that they wouldn’t like the answer.  As in not liking #10.

10. The work of DNA.  Mainstream education has taught for years the Native Americans descended from eastern Siberia.  It is believed they traveled by way of an ice bridge to Alaska and migrated through the centuries south all the way to Cape Horn.  The Book of Mormon has quite another tale, the account of Israelites who traveled to the Americas in 586BC.  They sailed south around Africa past Australia and to Central America, over the generations these descendants became the “principle ancestors of the American Indians”³.  DNA research has proven the Native Americans descended from Siberia and the foundation of Mormonism to be false.

11. I have heard LDS members say, “read the Book of Mormon, pray earnestly and experience a warm sensation in your heart.”  As Christians, we are not called by God to follow feelings of intuition or warm sensations.  We are called to follow a living God, who answers prayers and changes lives.  Being born-again is not a feeling, it’s an event.  It changes everything.

12.  One thing I do believe about the LDS is that the angel Moroni did in fact visit Joseph Smith.  Sound crazy that I would admit to that?  It shouldn’t, it was prophesied in the Bible 2000 years ago.  Galatians 1:6-9,

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.” 

There we have it, “even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.”  I just don’t think it can be any plainer than that.  Even The Book of Mormon boasts the subtitle, “Another Testament of Jesus Christ” (italics mine).

As a follower of Christ I have sought Him in many places and in many doctrines, that is why I believe what I believe.  Not because this is the church I grew up in, but because I have researched it and based my conclusions on that research.  LDS twists doctrines, discredit the Bible, accepts other writings above the Bible, believe in a god other than the God of the Bible, their entire faith is crumbled by DNA research, it is based on emotion and discredited by Holy Scripture.  The conclusion is not only that I will not follow LDS teaching, but I cannot understand why any literate person would ever believe Mormonism could be credible.

¹ Matthew 5

² Matthew 23

³ Book of Mormon Introduction 2^nd paragraph

Thank you Everyone! by Colleen

Vacation Bible School was a huge success because the Lord answered your prayers.  The weather could not have been better!  We had enough teachers and plenty of helpers thanks to all who gave of their precious time and talents.

The crafts were great!  Thanks Kathleen, LeNoir, Cathy and Debbie.

Our games were fun with Joshua, Shiloh and Joy M. leading the way.  They did a fabulous job making them extra fun and keeping everyone safe as well!  Thanks to Tina, Katherine, Shiloh, Joshua and Hannah for the great job with the music!

Thanks Melissa for the great job on our offering we were able to raise $210 plus for India and Haiti for fresh water wells for the children there.  If anyone would like to contribute we have not sent off the offering yet. 

We were very blessed to have a great kitchen crew and drivers.  When life prevented teachers from being here, other teachers stepped up to the plate and VBS continued without a hitch.

I am so thankful for our wonderful prayer warriors, our efficient registration crew, our teachers, helpers, our crew of floaters who jumped in wherever needed, our barbeque cook Roger and all who sent cookies, salads and the craft materials.  Special thanks to Chimacum Café for donating 100 hotdogs and buns, as well as others of you who donated as well. 

We had the opportunity to share the love of Christ with more than 40 young people as well as their parents.  The barbeque and closing ceremony was well attended.

I was very impressed with the kid’s attention and dedication to learning their scripture verses and the great job our teachers did.  It was four days of serious spiritual food along with many wacky fun sports. 

Thank you!  Thank you to all who prayed continually for these children and thank you all who posted flyers and invited them.  God heard answered and blessed us with many decisions to follow the Lord or have a deeper walk with Him.  I wish you all could have been there!  I know you were in your hearts!  I would forget someone if I tried to name you all please consider yourselves “Thanked!” 

What does Vacation Bible School do?  It gives opportunity to teach,   it opens doors and it allows talents to be discovered.  Even non-Christians got involved in giving to the effort.  It gave an opportunity for the staying power of God to be revealed!  Even when I was accidentally scheduled to work at my job, during VBS time, God arranged that my schedule could quickly be exchanged, my supervisor understood the need and God provided the way.

In more than one situation, God sent peace where discord tried to live. “But” they are His kids, His VBS, His church, I am so thankful He lets us be a part of His plan.

One of the barbeque attendees said, “I never even thought there would be such and abundance and variety of food.  After all, it was just a “kids” barbeque but this church really out did itself!”  That statement came from a visiting missionary with YWAM.  We have beautiful hearts here dedicated to see the “Kingdom of God” grow in this community!

Duty Roster

8/7:     Nursery-Mary
          Children's Church-Jim
          Greeters-Gordons
          Cleaners-Horner & Swanson

8/14:   Nursery-Melissa
           Children's Church-Dave E./Yvonne
           Greeters:  LeRoy & Maury
           Cleaners:  Nobles

8/21:   Nursery-Crystal
           Children's Church-Sue
           Greeters-Jamisons
           Cleaners-Gordons

8/28:   Nursery-Kim
           Children's Church-Colleen
           Greeters-Nobles
           Cleaners-Conklins

What's happening this month

Sundays:
8:45 Worship Team Practice
9:30 Sunday School
10:30 Worship Service
12:00 Fellowship
6:30 Evening Bible Study

Wednesdays:
10, 24, 31:  6:45 Worship Team Practice
31:  OPHC Starts Up

Thursdays:
11:00 Prayer Hour
1:00 Women's Bible Study

Saturdays:
3:  8:00 Men's Breakfast @ Chimacum Cafe
27:  8:00  Men's Breakfast @ IHOP