The Groves Church

Lent 2011

2011-03-10T07:56:00.000-08:00

borrowing from mars hill church, michigan, we are going to practice an experiential lent as a community. there are daily activities and a weekly reading that will bring us to repentance, prayer, fasting, and giving.

we will update via facebook or you can check in here daily and view the calendar.

here's to a reflective and intentional season of lent.

Praise, Worship, and Prayer

2011-02-26T12:00:00.001-08:00

This Sunday we are taking the entire service time to worship through music, reflection and prayer.

Bring your journals, sketch books, whatever you use to worship and respond to God.

Open my lips, Lord,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
My sacrifices, O God is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.

See you there!

anger. a murder. a curse.

2011-02-12T14:49:00.001-08:00

we're working through genesis and this week we're hitting chapter 4.

sibling rivalry, jealousy and murder. sounds like a 48 hours mystery or csi episode, but it's not - it's our bible, folks!

see you there.

THURSDAY NIGHT: PORTLAND RESCUE MISSION

2011-02-09T09:41:00.000-08:00

hey everyone!

come serve at the portland rescue mission! meet up at cafe yumm (rec center at psu) at 5pm. or, meet us at the portland rescue mission at 5:30pm.

let us know if we should be expecting you!

sunia

2011-01-30T23:16:00.000-08:00

sunia here.

i'm a big fan of this lady:

and not just because of her progressive bonnet look.

when she was fighting for women's rights back in the late 1800's, she added this resolution to the historic seneca falls declaration of sentiments:

Resolved, That woman has too long rested satisfied in the circumscribed limits which corrupt customs and a perverted application of the Scriptures have marked out for her, and that it is time she should move in the enlarged sphere which her great Creator has assigned her.

she believed this because of biblical texts like this:

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. - Galatians 3:28

but what do we do about scriptures like this:

I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. - 1 Timothy 2:12

if the bible says we're equal, why do some scriptures say i should be silent in church?
what does the creation story teach us about gender equality?
why does this matter?

sunday. 10:30am. university place hotel@psu.

2011-01-29T14:54:00.000-08:00

ever try to make a dress out of one of these?

genesis 3 this sunday! see you there!

next week: women in ministry/gender and equality in the bible

New Year. Time for Beginnings.

2011-01-14T14:44:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone!
This week we are starting GENESIS! And I don't mean these guys:

(Shout out to the 80's and Phil Collins.)

I mean this:

I mean, creation, creepy crawly things, murder, wrestling matches, enormous boats, and the like. Children's Bible stories will never be the same.

Join us. Worship starts at 10:30am. Coffee will be waiting!

Holiday Schedule

2010-12-21T09:56:00.000-08:00

This week we will NOT have small group downtown. BUT, you need to clear your schedule for Friday night, 7pm. We will be having a Christmas Eve Concert at our usual spot (University Place Hotel).

Come and celebrate with us!

Be our friend and get the latest updates by finding us, The Groves Church, on Facebook.

WeDnesDay EvE SmaLL GroUp

2010-12-08T13:19:00.000-08:00

enchilada night. plus elf and the grinch. plus sunita is bringing banana bread. you're gonna want to be there. here. at my house.

sunia

Latest from PSU

2010-09-28T08:17:00.000-07:00

I love working with students. (And I'm not just saying that because I am one!) I confess I'm not entirely looking forward to adding classes to my weekly schedule, but the buzz in the air and the energy of a new term at PSU is undeniable. Something happens to this beautiful city when young adults converge on campus - it truly comes to life.

I just came across this little update from PSU.

The mission is clear. The opportunity is abundant. Pray that we would reflect God, love like Jesus, and be empowered by the Holy Spirit! Really - pray that for us!!

Love well today,

Sunia

it's our birthday!

2010-09-25T12:19:00.000-07:00

come and hang with us tomorrow, sunday september 26th, for our one year anniversary. arrive early, grab some food and coffee...afterwards it's on to hotlips!

next week: we're welcoming new and returning students and hosting a pizza party after church ON US! be our friend and rsvp on facebook. all are welcome!

Gibbs' Downtown Small Group

2010-09-01T13:53:00.000-07:00

We are starting up our small groups again! Tonight is the first of the fall at our place (2725 SW 1st).

We're grilling burgers (meat and veggie) tonight - so come ready to eat around 6pm. Bring a side or a 2 liter to share!

I am SUPER excited about our fall focus for discussion: Hard Sayings. We will be engaging in two veins. First, we'll discuss any specific questions or challenging ideas from Sunday's teaching. Second, we will take a look at hard sayings in the Bible. i.e. Can we believe Biblical accounts of miracles? Are OT numbers accurate? Women in ministry: What up Apostle Paul?. Eat my flesh and drink my blood - Jesus. You get the idea.

Every week we will worship, pray and discuss. Are you ready to grow? Let's go!

A love for Portland

2010-07-21T11:45:00.001-07:00

Yesterday(Tuesday) I was reflecting on this past week that I spent hanging out in Arizona. I found myself more in tune with God yesterday than I did at anytime in Arizona. I began to contemplate if I was too busy to spend time with God or if I wasn't listening and being still. After some time of just staring out the window admiring the beautiful Oregon scenery, it hit me! I realized in that moment that God has been revealing himself to me more and more in my daily routine than ever before. Let me point out that I am not saying that God isn't in Arizona. There are wonderful people in Arizona and God is moving and chooses to move where ever he so desires! I think this is what it means though to be called to a city. He has me in this place for a reason, and has put in my heart an unexplainable love for Portland! I realized that in my day to day life here God is ever present! Whether I am hanging out at a local coffee shop or talking to a stranger on the streets or at the pub; whether I am just out for a bike ride or I am hanging out with my Groves' family, I feel God's presence in my life. If I take the time to realize it, He is present in everything I do. Take time to realize the small ways in which God reveals himself to us!

Trenton

Wisdom Literature Series

2010-07-01T18:26:00.000-07:00

We just started our summer series on wisdom literature with an introduction to the book of Proverbs. In preparation for teaching/preaching this book Paul sent me an article to read that has truly whet my appetite for consuming words of wisdom. I'm going to post a section to capture your interest too, but before I do, here are a couple thoughts I have for you today.

First, read a chapter of Proverbs a day with us for the month of July. As you read, let one verse jump out at you. See if you can memorize it and chew on it for the day. I think you will be encouraged!

Second, share what you've learned. Blog, email, go out with a friend, and tell someone how a proverb (God's word) has impacted you.

So, here's a little chunk of what I read today by Ellen F. Davis, Professor at Duke Divinity. Let's go deep in God and deep in culture.

Do your preparatory work outside,
and get things ready in the field for yourself;
then afterwards, you can build your house. (Prov 24:27)

In our contemporary setting, the best way to interpret that proverb, along with the
short narrative that follows (Prov 24:30-34), about the derelict farm of the "slothful man," is not as advice or instruction to individual farmers. Rather, these passages should inform a theological critique of our urban-dominated industrial economy, which has colonized rural communities in North America and around the world. The sages' notion that the field takes priority over the house made perfect sense to a society of small farmers, such as ancient Israel, where everyone knew that settled life depends immediately on care of the land as the source of food and fiber. That reality has not changed, but only our understanding of it. Therefore we North Americans are content to build developments of "McMansions," with infertile, chemically dependent lawns, where productive family farms used to be. We allow skilled farmers to go bankrupt—and in many countries around the world, to starve—while the land is worked, but not cared for, by multinational corporations whose sole goal is short-term profit. We are willing to let our fresh water sources be poisoned by chemical run-off, our rivers and aquifers be pumped far beyond replacement levels, our bays and gulfs be choked into a ring of dead zones around the world. These teachings of the sages speak to our captivity of the natural systems that sustain our life. They now rank among the first of the "vulnerable" whose cry we must learn to hear. Norman Wirzba draws the connection between industrial society's life-destroying commitment to consumerism and our widespread willingness to practice such abuse of people—not to mention factory farmed animals—and living systems: When we are reduced to shoppers who never see the connection between food and habitat, or human health and soil vitality, it is unsurprising that as eaters we will compromise the sources of food and not see the contradiction in this act. Our collective blindness and ignorance is a slow form of suicide that will only be corrected as we recover what it means to be biological beings dependent on a geo-bio-chemical world.

***
If you want more, and something related to women (Proverbs 31), read on!

...the book of Proverbs concludes with the portrait of a person who has made that choice, the "woman of valor”; the now-common translation, "a capable wife" (NRSV, NIPS), is woefully inadequate. This is the longest admiring description of any ordinary person—that is, not Moses or Jesus or Paul—in the entire Bible. The woman is described in heroic, even fierce terms: she is like a lioness bringing home "prey" (teref, v. 15), or a soldier girding for battle (v. 17) and bringing home the "spoils" (salai, v.l 1). She is even like God, clothed in "strength and splendor" (v. 25). Yet the scene of all her action is the household and the local community, which she builds up and makes more secure by her work. She does the concrete work of wisdom in her neighborhood: her hands are stretched out to the poor (v. 20); she cares for her land and makes it prosper (v. 16). Her words are characterized by hesed (v. 26), the glue of mutual commitment that binds together the members of the covenanted community. This is an iconic portrait, a holy and vivid image of the kind of life that all the teaching of the sages is meant to inspire. But we miss the point if we dismiss it (as did one preacher in my hearing) as a picture of a submissive housebound woman, a throwback to another age with no constructive challenge to address to our own. The woman of valor is a source of security for her husband (v. 11) and strength for her whole community. If the word "submissive" can be applied to her at all, it would be only to denote her proper humility before God (v. 30).

Resources and Tools for Cultivating the Inner Life

2010-04-16T16:48:00.000-07:00

Hey Groves and Company,
This week we will be taking a little time to talk about developing our spirituality.

"What are you talking about Sunia?"

I'm so glad you asked.

I've been praying about growth in my spiritual life. I was tired of feeling weak and powerless. Discouraged and tired. So I began to make changes. Every day. Little adjustments. I was intentional about talking to God. And listening.

And responding.

And I began to experience new life and growth.

There's nothing new here. No hidden secrets. Just simple, profound, and concrete ways that people for centuries have pursued God. I wanted to invite you on the journey.

So here are some resources that I hope you find the time to check out over the next week. Let's talk about how we can do this together.

Non-traditional prayer movement. Check out 24/7 Prayer International. Scroll down towards the bottom and watch the 24/7 prayer shorts. Here's my personal favorite, but check them all out for yourself. Really. Do it.

Anything grab you? Any radical creative ideas?

Fasting. I found a brief, general Biblical account here. Campus Crusade has helpful information on their website here and here concerning the practical and spiritual nature of fasting. The Daniel Fast (link is to another church's website) is considered a partial fast and commonly used among faith communities. There are plenty of online resources regarding this fast - google or bing it!

One book I would recommend is God's Chosen Fast: A Spiritual and Practical Guide to Fasting by Arthur Wallis. Order it here.

My personal scripture of inspiration: Isaiah 58.

Have you fasted before? What was it like? Did you do it alone or with others? Do you have anxieties about fasting? What are they?

Contemplation. Have you ever visited SacredSpace? Take an easy ten minutes to reflect and be silent via the internet! Or, if you want to find some REAL space and enjoy the weather try The Grotto in North Portland. Easy access for an extra hour or two to get away and reflect.

Do you regularly practice silence and reflection as part of your spirituality? Do you ever feel bombarded by everything around you? Is your mind constantly spinning, even when you try to sleep at night? What do you do to cope when overwhelmed?

quitter, planter, and dreamer (3 in 1)

2010-04-13T07:35:00.000-07:00

sunia here. 7:30am.

biggest personal struggle: finishing.

in my basement i have a large tub of yarn, crochet hooks, and the beginnings of blankets that have become potential scarves. my sewing tub holds material and patterns to make pretty dresses for an 18 month-old. she is now seven. my bookshelf has a half dozen of uncompleted journals. those journals hold over twenty unfinished songs. soon, those journals will have their own bin that will join the others in the darkest corner of my basement.

loose ends. like the ones on my cheap target dresses that go through the wash once and come out with feathered seams.

i can put them out of sight. but not completely out of mind.

**

i took a trip to minnesota and jesus met me there. since then i've been stuck on cultivating my inner life. my spiritual life is like a garden: it's been winter for a long time, the ground needs to be torn up, nutrients need to be worked in, and seeds need to be planted. it is hard work.

especially for someone who quits.

**

you won't relent until you have it all
my heart is yours
come be the fire inside of me
come be the flame upon my heart

**

some days, planting a church in portland is like standing at the edge of a cornfield in iowa in march with one of these:

some days, i imagine the church in portland will be like the warmth of the late summer sun on my skin, the rhythm of friends and family harvesting together, content, happy, and wondering where we will store it all.

**

So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. - Apostle Paul

sunday march 14th

2010-03-13T15:19:00.000-08:00

this sunday's recipe: seven sons of sceva, "book" burnings, and a little bit of "lord of the rings" for flavor. (continuing in acts, 19:11-22). voodoo donuts and coffee at 10:45am. worship starts at 11am. university place. be there!

Micah Challenge

2010-02-24T17:08:00.000-08:00

We wanted to bring your attention to a global movement facilitated, in part, by our friend, jason fileta. Please take some time to check out their website and consider how you can partner in addressing the issues of justice and poverty.

Micah Challenge

Acts, Paul, Urbanization

2010-02-08T22:41:00.001-08:00

Sunia here. I was just reading some material for next Sunday's teaching and discussion time. I came across this passage in a commentary, "The Message of Acts", by John R.W. Stott published in 1990:

"In 1850 there were only four "world class cities" of more than a million inhabitants; in 1980 there were 225, and by the year 2000 there may be 500. Or consider the so-called 'megapolis' or 'megacity' of more than ten million people. In 1950 only London and New York qualified. But by AD 2000 it is calculated that there will be twenty-three cities of this size, with Mexico City taking the lead at nearly thirty-million inhabitants, and Sao Paulo and Tokyo following at nearly twenty-five million. Most of these mega cities will be in the Third World; only four will be in Europe and the United States. Already two-fifths of the world's population are city-dwellers; by the end of the century the ratio will be more like one-half. [For a more recent article and info on urban growth click here.]

This process of urbanization, as a significant new fact of this century, constitutes a great challenge to the Christian church. On the one hand, there is an urgent need for Christian planners and architects, local government politicians, urban specialists, developers and community social workers, who will work for justice, peace, freedom and beauty in the city. On the other, Christians need to move into the cities, and experience the pains and pressures of living there, in order to win city-dwellers for Christ. Commuter Christianity (living in salubrious suburbia and commuting to an urban church) is no substitute for incarnational involvement."

Stott wrote this in exploring Paul's strategic travels and time spent in the major cities of his time (Athens, Corinth, and Ephesus). In being a church intentionally planted in the city I thought this was particularly interesting.

Talk to me. First thoughts? Second thoughts?

Sunday February 7, 2010

2010-02-06T21:59:00.000-08:00

we'll be meeting in SMSU 296/98 this week at psu. parking is free along broadway until 1pm and in the psu parking structures for the entire day.

worship begins at 11am. pray with us at 10:30am, followed by coffee and muffins. childcare is provided!

The Groves Worship Team at Intermission

2010-01-28T22:47:00.000-08:00

Here are some pics from intermission, the winter retreat for oregon minister's with the assemblies of god. erik, jamie, paul, sunia, and our friend steve lead worship for the event held in seaside, or. fyi, the "omn" stands for the oregon ministry network.

Sunday January 24, 2010

2010-01-23T10:32:00.000-08:00

This week we are in room 296/98 in SMSU (Smith) at PSU.

Erik, Jamie, and the team will begin our time of worship through music at 11am.

We will continue in the book of Acts as Paul and Sunia speak about the places where the Kingdom of God is in conflict with the Kingdom of the world. We'll examine the text (Acts 17:1-9) and discuss where we see missional people, inspired and empowered by the Holy Spirit, meeting very real, often systemic resistance, while living and teaching the gospel.

Come early for coffee and muffins. Childcare provided.

P.S. Go MN Vikings!!!!!! Perhaps some purple coffee is in order...

P.S.S. Next week we will be meeting at University Place on 4th and Lincoln - the university hotel. More info to follow.

FOOD CART/COFFEE CRAWL

2010-01-14T11:32:00.000-08:00

Join us as we take a journey to a few of Portland's favorite places. We will meet in front of the Smith building on the park blocks at 4pm on Friday January 15th! We will walk down to the food carts on 10th & Alder and then to Barista, a coffee shop in the Pearl! We will then crawl down to Voodoo Doughnut followed and ending at Stumptown Coffee Hope to see you there!!!

Sunday January 10, 2010

2010-01-06T14:45:00.000-08:00

We'll be meeting this Sunday in SMSU 328/9 at PSU. Street parking is free until 1pm and the PSU parking structures are also free on Sundays.

Worship begins at 11am - come early for coffee and muffins. We're continuing our teaching in the book of Acts. Childcare is provided.

See you there!

New Term Updates

2010-01-02T09:58:00.000-08:00

This Sunday we are back at PSU - SMSU 296/98! Worship begins at 11am - come early for coffee and muffins. We will continue our teaching and discussion in the book of Acts.

Parking is best along Broadway, and free until 1pm. Parking is free in the PSU parking structures (2 are on Broadway).

There will be two small groups this term. Wednesday night's group will continue to meet at the Gibbs' home - same plan: 6pm food, 7pm discussion. The other group's info will be coming soon.

Email w/any questions!
thegroveschurch@gmail.com

Happy New Year!
s

Sunday December 20th, 2009

2009-12-19T15:49:00.000-08:00

We'll be meeting at our house for the next two weeks. Same time - 11am. We'll have some food and coffee/tea/hot chocolate.

Next week (12/28/09) is our Post-Christmas Party Brunch. Bring something food to share and one white elephant gift (something of little to no value to you that you just know someone else will love -haha!) per person. Same time: 11am.

Happy Holidays! Hope everyone is enjoying break - missing many...most...ok...all of you!

P&S

Q's? buzz us or email!

Words to Consider

2009-11-30T09:37:00.000-08:00

If you are generous with the hungry
and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out,
Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness,
your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.
I will always show you where to go.
I'll give you a full life in the emptiest of places—
firm muscles, strong bones.
You'll be like a well-watered garden,
a gurgling spring that never runs dry.
You'll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew,
rebuild the foundations from out of your past.
You'll be known as those who can fix anything,
restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate,
make the community livable again.

-Isaiah 58: 9-11, The Message

God, let us serve today in both word and action.
Free us to follow you, Jesus, to empty places.
Spirit, fill us to overflowing, to give without prejudice or expectation.
For Your Name.

Lament

2009-11-26T22:15:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the fallout 
Welcome to resistance 
The tension is here 
The tension is here 
Between who you are and who you could be 
Between how it is and how it should be 
-Switchfoot, Dare You to Move

I remember when this song first came out. I remember my good friend having the words "welcome to resistance" on his t-shirt as he was starting a new campus ministry in Minnesota. I remember his courage and discouragement - strangely coexisting. I remember that tension.

Today I feel it. Today I know it.

This quarter has been absolutely life-changing and amazing for me. My classes have been particularly thoughtful and engaging. The people I've met help me see the world - it's enormity and abuse, it's intrigue and frailty. Practically every day I am affirmed in my call and purpose. I've started dreaming and reaching in ways I haven't in a long time. And I've begun to feel alive.

And at the same time, I've wanted to quit more times than I ever have. I've stood with nothing in my hands and felt completely hopeless and empty. I've cried. I've screamed. I've kicked. I've prayed. And I've asked God to send some sort of sign or word of encouragement - at times, only to be met with silence.

One moment I feel like anything is possible. And in the next I'm laying in bed resigning from ever doing anything ever again.

This, my friends, is the life of being a wife, mother, student, church planter, and missionary. This is the real deal challenge of trusting God when finances dwindle and frustration sets in. This is the place I find myself when I wish I could do more for my two beautiful children with learning disabilities. Have I chosen the wrong job? Did I make a bad decision? Am I making things more difficult than they need to be? These are the words I write and consider deleting because I don't want pity or quip-y responses. But this is the real struggle.

I feel like Isaiah when he wrote, "Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down!" Or like David when he sang, "my heart fails within me, be pleased oh Lord to save me, Oh Lord, come quickly to help me." I suppose, in this way, I am in good company.

Maybe redemption has stories to tell
Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell
Where can you run to escape from yourself?
Where you gonna go?
Where you gonna go?
Salvation is here

I need you Jesus. More than ever. Come, Emmanuel.

SG

Meeting Off Campus Sunday November 29th

2009-11-26T11:56:00.000-08:00

This week we will be combining with Lifehouse Church at their site in SE Portland. Information is on their website and we will be carpooling - so let us know if you need a ride!

Have a blessed and full Thanksgiving holiday!

Sunday November 22, 2009

2009-11-21T20:22:00.001-08:00

Hey everyone! This week we are in SMSU 229 - a change! Pre-service prayer starts at 10:30am. Coffee and snacks beginning at 10:45am. Service starts at 11am.

Follow the signs...hope to see you there!

Sunday November 15th

2009-11-14T20:41:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! This week we are in the Vanport Room (SMSU 338). Come at 10:30am to pray together. Worship service begins at 11am.

Childcare provided.

Sunday November 8th

2009-11-07T23:20:00.000-08:00

We're in the Vanport Room again this week (SMSU 338)! Music starts at 11am - come early for muffins and coffee. This week we return to our study through the book of Acts. Paul will be teaching on Acts 15:1-21.

Childcare provided.

Wednesday Night And Reminders

2009-11-04T12:04:00.000-08:00

Tonight is Lasagna Night! Food at 6pm, discussion at 7pm. We'll go deeper into the value of "reflection" discussing why and how we consider this crucial to our faith. Details on location at the blogspot!

Also, be sure to mark your calendars for the Habitat for Humanity project November 14th. Childcare will be available.

Q's? Send us a message through FB or email at thegroveschurch@gmail.com!

November 1st: Reflection

2009-10-30T00:32:00.000-07:00

This Sunday we are meeting in SMSU 338 (the Vanport Room) at 11am. We will finish our mini series covering the core values of our community with a teaching by Paul on "Reflection".

Come a little early for coffee and muffins. Childcare provided up to age 10.

Sunday October 25th, 2009

2009-10-24T23:03:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

We're meeting in SMSU room 333 this Sunday at 11am! Full band this week and teaching on "Faith", one of our core values.

Come early for coffee and muffins. Childcare up to age 10.

Small Groups Update

2009-10-21T10:06:00.000-07:00

tonight we meet at "the shop" at 6pm for food, 7pm for discussion on "expression" and culture.

thursday october 22nd, the women's discussion group will meet in smsu 294 at 7:30pm.

come grow deeper.

Discipleship: Societal Resistance

2009-10-12T21:12:00.000-07:00

Discipleship… Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” The idea of discipleship is, simply, that individuals are to be in a relationship in which they seek to grow in the Lord. Our society tells us that we don’t need discipleship because the individual has all the answers and if they need help they will seek it on their own terms.

Our culture is inundated with the thought of thinkers such as Friedrich Nietzsche who greatly challenges a Biblical perspective. Nietzsche summed up his thought when he wrote, “My idea is that every specific body strives to become master over all space and to extend it force (-- its will to power: ) and to thrust back all that resists its extension,” (The Will to Power, S. 636).

Is this idea not drowning our society? Our society tells us that we have to “get ours” because if we don’t someone will exploit or seek to control us. The obvious remedy, which Nietzsche guides us to, is to seek to both establish and extend ones power. This idea comes with the assumption that we have all of the power and knowledge that we need.

To accept that one has all power and knowledge is to reject our need for Christ because it is only through Christ that we have any standing before God. Yet, what does culture understand as essential for salvation? Popular culture tells us that we just need to be good people, but God tells us that we cannot go it on our own because God knows that we will falter.

God recognizes that we don’t have it all together, which is why Jesus commands that we make disciples and baptize them. If we had all the answers and all the power what need would we have for Christ? None.

This is our challenge in a culture that sees no need for God: to be humble before God and neighbor by accepting that we don’t have it all together intellectually, emotionally, or spiritually. Let us not be a false witness to the world because by putting up a façade we simply confirm what popular culture has already concluded: there is no need for God when we have it all together.

I would suggest that discipleship looks like a 12 step program; we must begin by acknowledging the area(s) in which we need growth. We all have issues, but we can only address them if we acknowledge them.

My name is Ray and I struggle with…

October's Sundays

2009-10-07T23:12:00.000-07:00

For the rest of the month we will be meeting in room 333 in SMSU (SW Harrison and Broadway) at PSU. Parking is free along Broadway and in the parking structures. Look for our black A-frame signs!

Childcare up to age 10 is provided.

This week, October 11th, Paul will be talking about "Discipleship" - one of the core values of our community.

**Upcoming Events**
October 24th 9am-12pm - Nature Restoration at Tryon Creek Park. Come plant trees with us!
November 14th 8am-3pm - Habitat for Humanity project in SE Portland. More details to come.

"How ya doin', Jesus?"

2009-10-04T00:26:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here reading over The Shack by Wm. Paul Young for the umpteenth time tonight and seeing it in a way that I have never before. It has taken me back to a few weeks ago when Trenton, Paul and I went on a prayer hike and practiced silence. I talked to God that day, and He talked back. A new experience for me.

I felt Him telling me how to relate to this city I love so much: Portland. I felt Him saying that echoes of His glory are everywhere if we but allow Him to open our eyes to see Him working in those around us. I think about what Portland means to me, how people here are nothing if not passionate. Passionate about a lot of things that are close to the heart of God: social justice, environmentalism, philanthropy, humanitarianism... All of these things are a part of the heart of God as evidenced throughout Scripture. All of them are Jesus in people, whether they recognize it or not. These are ways that Jesus in them is manifest. Places where we, as followers of Christ, can share passion with them. Places where the Jesus in us can come forth, see that Jesus in them, and ask “How ya doin’, Jesus?”

In this way, by joining people where they are, in the parts of them that are most sensitive to the heart of God, we can speak life into them and see them transformed by first that aspect of Jesus in them, and then full, complete Jesus in them.
This challenges me to continually embrace the indwelling of Jesus in me and allow Him to move in me more freely to the point of utter unity (check out John 15, I feel like we’re actually invited into the same community as our amazing God shares through the Trinity). If anybody is guilty of being ashamed of the Gospel, I have been. Out of fear, I will often build a friendship based on the objective, scientific parts of my personality before I reveal the most important part of who I am: a follower of Christ. How terribly cowardly.

I cannot abide cowardice. Cowardice is what prohibits boys and girls from becoming men and women. Terrified of others, they go through life but never truly live, never love. They may never feel pain or rejection, but neither do they feel true Love or acceptance. All because they will not risk to offer freely of themselves and find themselves in Christ. When we can do this, we truly live. This will imbue us with the boldness necessary to truly love, to take risks, and to truly live.

All that being said, let’s try to embrace life and shed the blindness of mediocrity. Let’s cast off the cloaks that hide us, keep us from feeling, and “protect us” from all of the wondrous life there is to live. Let’s embrace who we are in Christ and let that Jesus in us out to meet the Jesus in others.

In solidarity,

Jon “Bear” Dempster

Hoffman Hall for Sunday October 4th

2009-09-29T16:01:00.001-07:00

This week we are at Hoffman Hall at PSU. Service starts at 11am - come early for coffee and muffins!

Park for free in Parking Structure 3 - entrances off 12th or 13th. Also, street parking is free until 1pm. Look for the black A-frame signs!

Childcare provided up to age 10.

DRIVING IN? Portland Marathon traffic impacts:
http://www.portlandmarathon.org/marathon_traffic.php

LAUNCHED!

2009-09-27T19:03:00.000-07:00

What an amazing week!

Leading up to today's launch, our core team worked extra hours putting the finishing touches on all the details of our first public service at PSU. We built and painted signs, posted flyers and left business cards, reserved rooms, assigned tasks, rehearsed the band, shopped all hours of the night, brewed coffee, printed bulletins, and prayed that God would connect us with students and the downtown-ers and use us to demonstrate his love for the people of Portland.

In spite of room reservation confusion upon arrival, we set up in record time and opened our doors - welcoming just over 70 people! We also had a number of people interested in small groups and future connections.

In the last couple of weeks we've also had an increase in financial gifts - which enabled us to apply and receive matching funds from the Church Multiplication Network.

Immense thanks to everyone on our launch team, our friends who came to support our launch event, the Oregon Ministry Network, and all of our friends and family who have been praying and supporting us.

God is amazing and transforming lives here in Portland. Love to you.

Sunia

P.S. photos coming shortly.

LAUNCH THIS SUNDAY

2009-09-21T22:54:00.000-07:00

hey everyone!

we are going public this sunday, september 27th! we will be worshiping together in room 327/328 of smith memorial student union at psu at 11am. come a little bit early for coffee and hang out time.

childcare is provided up to age 10.

see you there!

Sunday September 13th

2009-08-30T11:03:00.000-07:00

This week we will be meeting at the Smith Memorial Student Union in the Vanport Room at 11am. Kids will be in room 333, right next door.

Only two Sundays until launch - September 27th! Keep watching for more details!

PARKING IS FREE ON SUNDAY MORNINGS. The best places to park are: street parking on Broadway or Parking Structure One. Enter the side doors at Harrison and Broadway.

Everything

2009-08-19T06:35:00.000-07:00

Wow! What a journey we are on! The last couple of weeks have been challenging but over the last few days I have been encouraged to give one thing at a time to God! This morning as I read I was reminded of the beginning days of the apostles.(Luke 5:11) These guys gave up everything to follow Jesus! These guys were after the heart of Christ and as I read this I was reminded of Phil Wickham's song, "After you Heart"

Can I have your attention
What are we starting here
Just look around you the answer is clear
Listen, listen
and hear the coming sound
All of the children are singing it loud

Let's be the revolution
That lives for hold nothing back, nothing back

We're after Your heart, after Your heart
All of the walls now are breaking apart
Live like we see it love like we mean it
This is the start we're after Your heart

Start the ascension
Begin the holy climb
Up to where heaven and the earth collide
Bring your affection
All that you have inside
Enter the kingdom and become alive

Love with no condition
It lives for holding nothing back, nothing back

Oh lets go higher and higher
Hear the song of the free
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Lift your soul join with the choir
Sing the song, let it ring
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

These words have become my prayer for OUR community that WE can collectively hold nothing back and go after Him with everything that is inside US! That we would leave all presumptions at the door, so that we can freely walk in Christ and go after His heart for this city!

Trenton

Cannons (by Camy)

2009-08-16T09:56:00.000-07:00

This morning I woke up at 7:36am. I thought, "Great. I'm up early enough to get the house cleaned, bills organized and maybe even go grocery shopping." For those of us who deal with depression, you know how quickly a good idea becomes a bad idea or how fast a moment of energy can fade into "maybe I'll just stay in bed". I grabbed my computer and logged onto to facebook as this is typically the first thing I do every morning. Scrolling through my homepage, I came across a post on the Grove's facebook page written by my friend Sunia. It was filled with a cry for Jesus stemming from emptiness and desperation. "Wow. This is exactly how I feel" I thought to myself so for that breif moment, I got out of bed and decided to start cleaning. Surely a clean house would make me feel better. I headed downstairs balancing my Bible, ipod docking station and blackberry in one hand. "Don't leave the phone behind," I thought, "I certainly don't want to miss a text message." I turned on Phil Wickham's "Cannons" and within the first notes, I was in tears.

I suddenly realized that I'm sad. I'm empty. I'm crying out for Jesus, but what am I asking Him for? Am I trusting that He knows my heart and my fears? Am I trusting that He knows what's best for me and when its best, or am I asking Him for something that I want and hoping that He'll say, "Ok, Camy. I can see you really need this to be happy so here you go." I'm pretty sure God doesn't work that way. In fact, I know God doesn't work that way. When I think about turning every burden over to Jesus, there is an overwhelming sense of freedom followed quickly by crippling fear because that means I'm no longer in control. The irony is, I'm never in control. Sure, I can decide to get up, clean, grocery shop, but what about the hard stuff? What about the fear of being alone after recently getting divorced? What about the emptiness that sweeps through my own home? I trust that Jesus will take care of me, but when? The answer is I don't know. Let me repeat that, I don't know. What would happen if I removed the "I" factor and settled on the fact that He knows? And when I reach those moments of sheer sadness, sheer lonliness, what if I turned to Jesus instead of facebook? Or opened my bible instead of sending a text message?

I could continue to ask myself a million questions, but here's the bottom line: If I first turn to God in moments of dispair and joy, He becomes my best friend. If I trust that only He can save me, that only He can fill this empty void in my heart, He becomes who I rely on. There is almost a skepticism in fully trusting Jesus because we can't see Him. I haven't physically heard Him say, "Camy, I know you're hurting but trust me and that hurt will subside." But if I look at the last several months of my life, how can I deny that He has been walking next to me through it all? I was at a crossroads when I got a divorce. I didn't know what I was going to do, or how to deal with the death of my marriage. He placed people in my life that encouraged me. People who barely knew me quickly became my family. I developed a relationship with Jesus for the first time in a long time, and I know He's always walking beside me. I am always in the presence of God. He is always speaking to me. He is continuously healing me. And with that, I need to open my heart, my ears, my eyes and continue to trust Him in all things.

freezer section

2009-08-15T23:29:00.001-07:00

i finally snapped out of it. i was standing in the freezer section looking at the pizza rolls when the words tumbled out of my mouth, "okay god, i am completely empty. i am desperate."

i don't know if you know self-pity the way that i do. we are well acquainted. it usually kicks in when something happens to me that i deem as undeserved. my first reaction is to try to pacify myself by being a consumer: purchasing or ingesting. when that fails to satisfy me or give me a lift i start to wallow. i start to think of ways to quit. i start to believe things like, "you feel like a failure because you aren't good enough" or "you don't deserve another chance, you got yourself into this situation all on your own."

i know i'm not the only one.

who knew the freezer section would be my moment of freedom? as i stood at fred meyer ready to give in and buy something that i'm sure isn't even really food, i let everything go: my frustration, my failure, my weakness, my intentions, my worry, my fears, my anger, and my jealousy. who knew all of that was in there? yuck.

i paid for the much needed ice cream (requested by paul via text) and as i started walking out the door i began to sing, "i need you jesus to come to my rescue...where else can i go?" it wasn't pretty. i'm sure the people passing me in their cars wondered what was wrong with me. but faith was rising in me. i absolutely didn't deserve the immediate presence of jesus in that moment - but when have i ever? how could i forget about grace? - that sweet word, that wonderful peace that cancels the accusations and failures.

every moment is filled with the opportunity to surrender and be overwhelmed by grace. i forget this. sometimes i choose to live in the anxious, frantic, and worried world...

here is the psalm from my reading today. be encouraged. cling to the rock. call on jesus. he is present.

Psalm 34
I will extol the Lord at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
My soul will boast in the Lord;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
Glorify the Lord with me
Let us exalt his name together.

I sought the Lord and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered in shame.
This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.

Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
Fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

sunia

tragedy

2009-08-06T17:00:00.000-07:00

there is a fine line between being honest and open and, say, vomiting verbally on a web page. life has recently been a series of difficulties following challenges following crisis. so, to prevent a messy blog i've refrained from writing. but here is my effort to write about one challenge that has left me grateful and worn.

last weekend i was talking to my neighbor when my friend jon tapped me on the shoulder and said, "sunia. chris died." at first i didn't know what he meant. "chris who?" i thought. but jon went on, "chris died. he went sailing and he drowned." and moments later, as the news sunk in, i knew he meant chris lee: the guy who first began to open up to our community through my conversations with him, the guy who bought us all slurpies and could drink his faster than anyone else, the guy who brought crackers and cheese every monday night, the guy who helped me move my furniture, the guy who was at every event we ever had, the guy who just got a great new job - my friend chris.

this was the blow that knocked me to the ground. i was tired. i was mad. but i didn't have enough energy to even try to stand up. in the last four months our community has dealt with three divorces, endured members with unemployment, seen a 30% drop in giving, supported a friend during/after hospitalization, and most recently experienced the loss of one of our own.

thank god for friends and family who pray and surround us with support during times of tragedy. let me say that again, thank god for friends and family who pray and surround us with support during times of tragedy.

in this moment (only five hours after the memorial service) the redeeming truth i have is that our church truly loved chris, cares for his family, and cares for one another. i saw my closest friends sacrifice and give beyond themselves in the past couple of days. i felt the prayers of people all over the country as we grieved. i know that the presence of god is demonstrated through people - i have experienced this truth.

let us love one another. let us continue to be with one another. let us not take any moment for granted or waste another second in strife or anger or resentment. let us forgive. let us live abundantly. let us dream together. and hope. and wait. and truly, truly, truly love.

as the apostle paul write, "i'm pressed but not crushed". i am more tired than i have ever been, but more encouraged too. thank you to everyone and the groves community for supporting me through words, prayer, and labor. i love all of you and look forward to our future together.

blessings,
sunia

Compassion

2009-06-29T23:51:00.000-07:00

So, I've been reading The Way of the Heart by Henri Nouwen for the last couple of weeks. Really good, really dense stuff. I find myself turning it over in my mind and allowing it to (hopefully) begin to change me.

A couple of weeks ago, I volunteered at a camp for abused and neglected kids in the foster care system who can't go to normal summer camps called Royal Family Kids Camp. It's a great experience, if you've never done it, but totally draining. It was my 6th year out of 7, so I really expected just business as usual (that is to say, expect the unusual and you won't be disappointed).

In my devotions on Monday of camp, before the campers got there, I read this: "Let us not underestimate how hard it is to be compassionate. Compassion is hard because it requires the inner disposition to go with others to the place where they are weak, vulnerable, lonely, and broken. But this is not our spontaneous response to suffering. What we desire most is to do away with suffering by fleeing from it or finding a quick cure for it. As busy, active, relevant ministers, we want to earn our bread by making a real contribution. This means first and foremost dong something to show that our presence makes a difference. And so we ignore our greatest gift, which is our ability to enter in to solidarity with those who suffer."

Talk about divine timing! This is exactly what I had needed to hear and the perfect timing for it to have the greatest effect on me for these kids. In our cabin, all of our kiddos were pretty hyperavtive and aggressive... well, they were boys, so no surprise there and one of my campers in particular was having a really tough time. He would throw tantrums and chuck whatever wasn't too heavy for him at whoever was near him. Having read this at the beginning of the week added to my years of previous experience, I was able to really reach out to this kid. He ended up asking me "what would it be like if I was your kid?" and later confiding in me that he hated being a foster kid and that he was going to be possibly entering respite care for as long as a year once camp was over.

Talk about heart breaking. Here's a kid who acts out just to get somebody to pay attention to him who's seen more in his short life that a lot of people seen ever bearing his soul to me. So what did I do? Practiced compassion. I let him talk out his feelings and just tried to be there for him. I didn't see an immediate life changing moment or anything (not terribly fulfilling to the achiever part of my personality) but I felt like I was able to at least show him some compassion and grow in my ability to enter into solidarity with those who are suffering, as Nouwen would say.

The Groves Hit the Trail

2009-06-29T22:12:00.000-07:00

Last week, Paul, Trenton, Jon, and I (Chris) seized the wilderness for two days. We backpacked through Eagle Creek, Wahtum Lake, Benson Plateau, and Ruckle Creek. It was my first time backpacking. A bear attacked us, but Jon felled the beast with a mighty blow and we built an altar out of its bones.

2009-06-22T13:58:00.000-07:00

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." Matthew 22:37

How many times have I read that and thought, "Ok. I believe in Him and I tell Him I love Him pretty regularly" Done and done. (Sarcasm.)

But can you hear in the words of Jesus that loving God should be our everything? What does this mean? How can I demonstrate that I love God? What pleases Him? How can my life be one that is constantly bringing Him joy?

I am beginning to think that this can only happen in community: looking after others, extending a hand (or grace) when needed, encouraging one another to keep going, etc. When we defer to others, when we act to meet their needs above our own, we live in a radically different way than the world.

Actions and Truth.

This morning as drink a cappuccino and munch on a hippie cookie at Dena's Bistro (Clay and Broadway) preparing for tonight's small group I am being set free reading I John 3:16-20:

"This is how we've come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves. If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God's love? It disappears. And you made it disappear. My dear children, let's not just talk about love; let's practice real love. This is the only way we'll know we're living truly, living in God's reality. It's also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves.

And friends, once that's taken care of and we're no longer accusing or condemning ourselves, we're bold and free before God! We're able to stretch our hands out and receive what we asked for because we're doing what he said, doing what pleases him. Again, this is God's command: to believe in his personally named Son, Jesus Christ. He told us to love each other, in line with the original command. As we keep his commands, we live deeply and surely in him, and he lives in us. And this is how we experience his deep and abiding presence in us: by the Spirit he gave us."

God is so good. And I mean really, really really good.

sunia

2009-06-15T14:30:00.000-07:00

Two passages. One afternoon at Lair Hill Bistro prepping for the evening.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Attention!

God, our God! God the one and only!

Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that's in you, love him with all you've got!

Write these commandments that I've given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates.

Colossians 3:16-17

Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.

Two questions.

Can you hear how consuming this God should be in our lives?

What is your response?

2009-06-03T09:38:00.000-07:00

God, the one and only -
I'll wait as long as He says
Everything I need comes from Him
So why not?
Psalm 62:1-2

I had a moment of clarity the other day and the words spoken in that moment have been bouncing around in my head for a good week. And by bouncing, I really mean that unsettling-I-can't-stop-thinking-about-it-it-won't-leave-me-alone kind of thing. This is different from the times I ruminate (the word choice is for you, Erik) on a word or phrase and feel truth being absorbed into my system. This is more like a boxing match and I am losing.

The First Round
It started with Psalm 62 (above) that a friend posted on her Facebook page. In that moment while sipping on my french press for the morning I realized there is no other thing to "do" but wait. So much of what I do is out of my own restlessness and impatience. I started asking myself, "What matters?" More importantly, "Who matters?" and "What is this waiting thing all about?" After all, I have a 6 year old and a 3 year old - surely I've got this patience thing down. Turns out...

The Second
This round has been a long one. It is largely made up of me taking lots of swings and punching the air. So I haven't made any real contact, but I'm really tired out! (It's almost like my opponent let me come to the end of myself.) I'm thirsty. I'm irritable. Nothing is satisfying. I am indecisive and insecure. I'm saying things I don't mean to say. I doubt. At this point, I just want Him get it over with and knock me out.

The Knockout Punch(es)
Inside I am frazzled and desperate. I think it's beginning to show. So I turned to what I always turn to: worship.

I started singing this song (based on John 5:19, "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing.")

Where You Go I Go (YouTube link)

Where You go I go
What You say I say God
What You pray I pray
What You pray I pray

Jesus only did what He saw You do
He would only say what He heard You speak
He would only move when He saw You lead
Following Your heart, following Your Spirit

How can I expect to walk without You
When every move that Jesus made was in surrender
I cannot begin to live without You
You alone are worthy, You are always good

How can I follow Jesus if I don't wait on God? Waiting is being with Him. It is so simple, yet profound: Waiting on God and following Jesus is about being present. (Side note, do you see how this becomes fellowship, relationship, and community. ) Is there anything worth doing that isn't lead by Him? And the best part: the task becomes secondary to Him. And in that place of friendship, love and service, is there anything we wouldn't do for Him?

Lying flat on my back I started singing this hymn today:

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

FREE Parking on Sundays at PSU

2009-05-13T10:18:00.000-07:00

In addition to street parking here are some places to park at PSU near the Broadway Building where we meet:

PSU Shadduck Lot on Broadway north of Jackson

PSU Parking Structure 1 between Hall and Harrison enter off of 6th Avenue

View PSU Parking and Directions in a larger map

2009-04-29T12:43:00.000-07:00

"I don't wanna talk about You, like You're not in the room. Wanna look right at You, wanna sing right to You." - Kim Walker in 'You Won't Relent" -

I've been stuck on the above song for the past 24 hours. As a worship leader there is so much to appreciate about the recording by the JesusCulture worship team: the freedom, the flow in co-leadership, the passion, the songwriting, etc. But what I am appreciating right now is that their worship reminds me of the presence of God in my life - right now. Even as I write this. Even when I heat up my can of soup. Even when Rennick has finger painted the entire kitchen table. (Ugh!)

The reality is that Jesus is right here. Take a moment.

Is there something you would like to say to Him? Is there something He is saying to you?

**

Finding this stream of worship has also been an answer to a simple prayer I have been praying this week: Jesus, lead me.

Here's the thing. I've found, that if you really make your life about following Jesus you don't have to know exactly where you are, you just trust Him. (And as a side note, you are absolutely engrossed in the Person you are walking with that unless He points something out, you won't realize you're in the middle of nowhere.)

Another thing I've noticed about following Jesus is that walking with Him brings you in contact with people who need to meet Him. Broken and lonely people line the path that Jesus walks. I was telling Paul last night, whether we are reading the gospels and deliberately doing exactly as He did, or if we believe the Holy Spirit lives in us and we follow His guidance, we will find ourselves among the sick and the poor.

Think about it for a moment.

"It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. Go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but the sinner." Matt 9:12-13

We see this as Jesus heals the sick (physical and spiritual) and feeds thousands. We see the life of the disciples following the Upper Room experience as they boldly share about Jesus the Christ and heal the wounded. In Acts 9, we see Peter next to a paralytic and in a room with a dead woman. How did he end up there?

Following Jesus.

**

Jesus has been calling me, again, to follow Him. So I've been paying attention and listening with greater intensity. Here's what He's shown me this week:

- Gave me an image of He and I walking down a path. He asked me stop and help someone along the way. As He called me to move on, I invited that person to come along and move forward. And she did.
- Encouraged me with a new (to me) vein of worship leaders and church leadership. http://www.jesusculture.org
- Reminded me to tend to the flame in my own life and "fan into flame" the one in our community. Corrected my laziness in neglecting the inner place, the place where passion grows and where our identity is found .
- Heard His voice every morning to meet with Him.
- Surrounded me with peace and joy.
- Used me, even in all my flaws, to speak His words of encouragement and show others how He is working in their lives.

Can you hear Jesus calling you to follow Him? Whether you are at the beginning of your journey, have never heard His voice before, have failed a million times, or you are a veteran of the faith, Jesus is calling us to follow Him. He will teach us. He will guide us. He will heal us. He will invite others to walk with us.

He will be with us. Amazing.

s

Silence and Violence

2009-04-08T08:14:00.000-07:00

I just browsed today's headlines:

Wife, 3 others slain hours before divorce case
Four shot, 1 dead at Calif. church camp
Deputy dies after shootout in N.C. woods
Interview with 11-year old terrorist

Last week I printed off an article by Ted Anthony of the Associated Press titled, "Has America become numb to tragedy?" He asks the question, "What is happening in the American psyche that prevents people from defusing their own anguish and rage before they end the lives of others? Why are we killing each other?"

His conclusion:

"Forty-three years and countless reams of research and lost loved ones later [after the tragedy at the University of Texas when Charles Whitman shot and killed 16 people], we have not figured it out."

War. The economy. Divorce. Unemployment. Debt. Anger. Hurt. Disappointment. Loss.

This is the place where I find many of my friends - both in and outside of the church. And I have to ask myself a question:

As a minister of Jesus, what do I have to offer?

***

This past weekend our friends and mentors Chuck and Sally came to teach us the way of the contemplative life. On Friday evening, we heard how the practice of silence and "ruminating" on a passage of scripture would nourish our souls. (As I write I recall Chuck saying one time that "silence is luxurious".) We took time to practice these disciplines. We read the story of Jesus entering Jerusalem on what we refer to as Palm Sunday and imagined ourselves present and wondered what it would have been like to be there with the crowds - chanting "hosanna", feeling the excitement of the Messiah who would certainly now take his place of political and religious leadership over the Jews. (Can you then imagine their disappointment when a few days later he is condemned to die?)

On Saturday we went to The Grotto and spent three hours in silence. It would take an even longer blog to tell you all that I learned from God in those few hours. But mostly, I was reminded that He lives in me, that He has sent me, and that His words are True.

I want more.

Setting aside time to listen to the words of Jesus and hear Him speak was...Life. Peace. Goodness. Warmth. Forgiveness. Grace.

***

In my last blog I quoted Henri Nouwen who suggested that we often go through life without pausing to ask whether what we do or say is worth doing or saying. We are so occupied with our busyness that we fail to question why or wrestle with our intentions and motivations. As a wife, mother, church planter, and Chi Alpha missionary I can easily come up with things that can be done. I could keep myself occupied for a lifetime and then some. But what happens when I fail to pause and hear the words of Jesus and allow them to wash over me?

Lonliness. Anger. Doubt. Anxiety. Bitterness. Insecurity. Pain.

Ask my husband or my kids. When I don't take the time to hear from God, I'm impatient. I start comparing myself to others. I doubt my call or whether I can hear from God. (Maybe even at times doubt there is a God.) I complain. I feel empty. (And how many ways do I try to fill that emptiness?)

Am I really that different from the rest of humanity? Don't I live in the same world that Ted Anthony or Henri Nouwen experience(d)?

Without the words of Jesus, without His life within me I am as dried up, hopeless, and discouraged as anyone else. The truth is that the roots of war, depression, anger, etc. exist in me! Only by consuming and meditating on God's word (both written and the truth I hear when I listen to Him - words of love and encouragement) do I have the abundant, overflowing life within me that enables me to walk with and into a hurting and broken world. I can then say, "Look! I am like you. This humanity is in me, but so is Jesus. And He is why I have hope." It is only then that I can be motivated by love to give to those in need.

***

Let me encourage you today to take a small piece of scripture (like, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart") and chew on it for 5-10 minutes of silence. Let the words move beyond an intellectual understanding and truly nourish your soul. I'm not promising an emotion. But I know that God will meet you, remind you of Himself, and He will bring you life.

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Two moments. Two different readings. Same idea. Both caused me to stop and consider.

#1. Psalm 130:5 - I will wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.

#2. Henri Nouwen - "There is seldom a period in which we do not know what to do, and we move through life in such a distracted way that we do not even take the time and rest to wonder if any of the things we think, say, or do are worth thinking, saying, or doing. We simply go along with the many "musts" and "oughts" that have been handed to us, and we live with them as if they were authentic translations of the Gospel of our Lord."

Ouch.

Spring break is Godly. I say this because without it, many of us student types would study until our brains imploded (or exploded) resulting in...well, a mess. For me, this break was a forced one. I had to make myself put my new textbooks back on the shelf and reach for "Twilight" to flush my brain of last quarter's readings and not "get ahead". I went to bed later than I should have, and let the kids run around the house freely for an hour before I got myself out of bed in the morning - not just once, but for most of the week. And in those moments of laying there doing nothing, I wondered, "Shouldn't I be doing something?"

I did some cleaning, some music searching and listening, and explored my new neighborhood (which btw, is amazing...I found some nice trails up to OHSU). I also did some songwriting, which is how I happened upon Psalm 130.

I will wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.

Waiting. This implies patience. Maybe even determined perseverance. And, wow. That sounds like work. And I'm on break.

But here's the thing. God was nudging me. It's like not drinking water for so long that you're past the feeling of thirst - it's something you've just learned to live with and expect - you don't remember the taste or feel of water. It's like being in a desert for so long, you forgot what the color green looked like. Hearing from God, for me, was like that. And honestly, in my own desire to not be one of those emotive Christians who felt everything, I was trying to balance experience with understanding and knowledge. (But you know how pendulums are. Swing one direction...and there you go swinging wide the other.) Anyhow, Psalm 130 crept up on me and reminded me of my own thirst and confronted my belief. Can I really experience God? I have the Bible, but does God speak to me? Were my previous experiences "collective effervescence" (when I'm with others) or a self-induced emotional made-up thing in my head (when I am alone)?

I will wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.

These are the words of someone who knew that there was only one source of hope. And they would wait until they heard from that source. This need wasn't the kind of need that was satisfied from yesterday's words or even words spoken in that one great moment of the past. This was written by someone who believed that the Lord would speak today - and in those words there would be hope. Wow. To consider that in my place of emptiness or brokenness or doubt (or joy or peace or...) God could speak - here and now - and give me hope. It's limitless and personal all at once.

Two things happened. I wanted hear God (faith and acknowledgement of need) and I was aware that much of what I was doing to distract myself from my "thirst" was not noble or worthy, but simply stuffing.

There is so much more to say (when God acts, there are so many layers - His word reverberates throughout time and space) but I will close with this wonderful thought.

God loves. He speaks. And He gives us hope. Let us pause and consider a God who we can wait for, whose words give us life, and is speaking to us.

Contact

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paul and sunia gibbs
pastor@thegroveschurch.com
503-547-7361

Groups

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**Students** we meet ON CAMPUS!

Our main gathering is on Sunday at 10:30am at University Place Hotel. We worship and experience God through music, the teachings of Scripture, taking Communion, and reflection.

Midweek:

Tuesdays - "1748" meets at 1748 SE 12th @8pm.

Wednesdays - Prayer and Worship downtown at the Harrison Tower Apartments (SW 2nd and Harrison). 7:30pm.

Saturdays - 58:10, a group of people interested in justice and Jesus meets at 9:30am at 2725 SW 1st Avenue.

Sunday nights - Perfect for families or those in the SW suburbs. Meets in Tualatin. Contact cederbergs@gmail.com for more info!

Meeting Time and Place

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We meet on Sundays at University Place (310 SW Lincoln Street) in downtown Portland. Easy freeway access and free parking in the attached lot.

Worship begins at 10:30am.

Childcare is provided up to age 10.

Click on the "A" for address and directions.

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Values

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community
We believe our faith must be expressed through community in order to fully be a witness of Jesus Christ to the world around us. We love and like one another growing in relationships through our families, small groups, and one on one discipleship.

discipleship
We are passionate about the study and teaching of the Bible. We believe it to be the authoritative guide for Christian thought and living. The Word equips and sends disciples. The Bible shows us that the influence of the Holy Spirit enables us to live as witnesses to the world. We love to talk about God anywhere and anytime.

expression
We worship freely and authentically in the beauty of our Creator. We express joy and pain, and everything in between, while remaining committed to our role as worshippers. This does not dismiss our circumstance or situation, but corporately exercises our belief: God is ever-present and above all.

faith
We love Jesus. We believe a profession of faith in Christ should lead to an authentic desire to follow in His ministry and mission. We embrace Christ’s example of relieving suffering and opposing the oppressive forces corrupting humankind. We value sacrificial service, to the Church and the world around us.

reflection
We believe individual and corporate contemplation of God and His Holy Scriptures transforms us. On that foundation, we recognize that some beliefs matter more than others. Therefore we value dialogue, desiring and diligently working for an atmosphere where people from diverse perspectives can disagree on theological or ideological matters but be unified by their common faith in Jesus Christ.