Posts Tagged: "COVID-19"

I think I need to have you start calling the office and threaten me.

 

(Thankful Notes #358)

I had a couple of favorite moments/encounters at our Sunday Campfire Service last night…

It’s been five months since I’ve last seen mother and son Betty and Billy (who, before the pandemic, came to the church every Friday to help with various projects—Billy quietly serving as a custodian and Betty helping in the office while making loud threats to the staff). It was such a joy to see their faces, even behind masks, at the church last night! I told Betty, “I’ve missed you and your threats. I think I need to have you start calling the office and threaten me.”

She said, “Oh, I’ll just come and whoop your… Read More

Our First Sunday Campfire Service

Here’s the video of our first Sunday Campfire Service. It is hosted by Pastor Andy and includes Scripture readings, prayer, and worship led by Pastor Kyle.

I give my first message in five months… a story of lockdown from the early church (AKA Paul and Silas in prison).

If you missed this service, or are unable to attend these outdoor services because of COVID-19 or for any other reason, we’d love to have you join us online!

PS—tonight’s service is at 6:30pm on the east lawn and there is room for you. BYOC (bring your own chair) and be sure to wear a face mask.

NWLife Weekly Conversation—Ruthie

Here is our twenty-first NWLife video podcast featuring our weekly conversation.

Today’s theme: God Will Restore What Was Taken From You

Today, Pastor Andy sits with Ruthie to hear some of her story… one that includes many hard and painful things, but also a story of restoration and healing.

Ruthie talks about her life on the streets, her children she lost before and during prison, her recent battle with cancer, and the miracle of God’s restoring work.

She is raw, unfiltered, and without pretense. Ruthie is one of the most beautiful, encouraging, and faith-filled people I know (and one of my favorites).

I hope you will take 32 minutes to join us for some church today!

The Lord says, “I will give you back what you lost…” —Joel 2.25

NWLife Weekly Conversation—Never Losing Hope—Louise Hoy’s Story

Here is our twentieth NWLife video podcast featuring our weekly conversation.

Today’s theme: Never Losing Hope

Today, Shari and I sit down with our good friend Louise Hoy to hear another part of her story… one from early in her life that includes abandonment, abduction, and abuse—emotional, physical, and sexual **trigger warning – this episode contains stories of childhood physical and sexual abuse.**

Miraculously, Louise never lost hope. She is a survivor. And God used what others meant for her harm to be turned into something redemptive and good.

This video also includes worship led by Georgia Carlton and our band.

I hope you will take 35 minutes to join us for some church today!

“We who follow Jesus are working in wounds, working with wounds, and working through wounds.” —Willie James Jennings

NWLife Weekly Conversation—Communion & Worship

Here is our nineteenth NWLife video podcast featuring our weekly conversation.

Today’s theme: Communion and Worship

Today, Pastor Andy sits down with his childhood friend Matt to discuss some of the differences and similarities in how our churches view and practice communion.

There is also worship led before and after receiving communion.

Would you prepare some bread and grape juice or wine for receiving communion with your church family?

I hope you’ll take 27 minutes and join us for some church today!

NWLife Weekly Conversation—Catching Up With Ashah & The Dollemans

Here is our eighteenth NWLife video podcast featuring our weekly conversation.

Today’s theme: Catching up with Ashah and the Dollemans

Today, Shari and I sit down with our daughter Ashah to talk about her study abroad program and what’s going on in her life today.

There is also a worship song led by Pastor Kyle and the worship team at the end of the video.

My favorite part of the conversation is when I asked Ashah why the big hurry for her to get through college and her face turned red and she said, “Are we talking about this on video?”

I hope you’ll take 27 minutes and join us for some church today!

So, this is my baguette: I’m happy to be a sheep. And I will continue to be a sheep. Amen.

Thankful Notes (#325)

Today was good and hard. It was good because we got some important things done. It was hard because some of those important things weren’t easy.

We planned for an early staff meeting first thing in the morning with everyone. This Friday is our first Campfire Gathering event, so we had some details to work out and assignments to make. I also shared about my concern/anxiety about our tentative plan to start having indoor in-person services in August with limited numbers.

To be honest, I wish I knew what to do… but I’ve never lived through a global pandemic before and I’m just trying not to kill people via church services.

Being honest isn’t always easy. And saying “I don’t know” isn’t being weak or copping-out.

We also had a staff clean-up day planned because the church playground was overrun with tall weeds and some of the equipment had been broken. Pulling weeds is not exactly hard work but it’s not exactly easy either. We worked hard together and got it done.

The reward was seeing our campus come back to life and no longer look on the edge of apocalyptic… and also, pizza. After sweating and doing a bunch of manual labor, pizza is the perfect reward with its bread and sauce and cheese!

Not long after our pizza reward, the USDA Food Bank delivery arrived, and it was time for all-hands-on-deck to unload and unpack and organize and refrigerate the dairy and produce. Again, this work isn’t terribly hard… it’s just manual labor (and I think it will be one of my happy memories of the pandemic).

I’m an Enneagram #5, which is often called the “Observer” or “Investigator.” Basically, #5’s have a rich and complex interior life and are generally pretty satisfied to live within the safety of their own “mind castle.” This is true for me… I always have a lot going on in my mind and I don’t often feel the need to say much about it.

However, there are a few things I’ve been thinking about and I do feel a compulsion to say something about some of these thoughts I’ve been kneading like dough in my brain. There are three different rounds of dough (thoughts) I’ve been working on and they are not necessarily connected, so I will just share them as individual potential loaves of bread… like a baguette and some ciabatta and some naan.

Here’s a preview: the baguette thought is “I’m happy to be a sheep,” and the ciabatta thought is “nowhere to lay our head,” and the naan thought is “news outlets.”

The “I’m happy to be a sheep” thought comes from my… Read More

NWLife Weekly Conversation—The K-Dub Show!

Here is our seventeenth NWLife video podcast featuring our weekly conversation.

Today’s theme: The K-Dub Show!

Today, Pastor Kyle Wheeler sits down with one of our students, Kyle Wabusya, to listen to his story. It’s the Kyle-Kyle, Kyle W-Kyle W… K-Dub show!

There is also a worship song led by Georgia Carlton and Pastor Kyle at the end of the video today.

I really enjoyed the interaction between the Kyles, especially these lines from Kyle Wabusya…

“Christianity isn’t like a job, or something you have to do…

It’s a community, you know?

It’s somewhere you can feel safe to, you know, be yourself and love… share a love for Someone.”

I hope you’ll take 30 minutes and join us for some church today!

worship for post georgia

 

 

 

NWLife Weekly Conversation—We’re Not So Different

Here is our sixteenth NWLife video podcast featuring our weekly conversation.

Today’s theme: We’re Not So Different

Today, Pastor Andy sits down with his childhood friend, Matt… who is now a Jesuit priest and pastors St. Leo’s in Tacoma, WA.

The video begins and ends with some words from Pastor Angela. Georgia Carlton sings “I Need You To Survive” by Hezekiah Walker in the lobby with Shaun accompanying on the keyboard.

I cried three times while watching this video… first, when Father Matt prayed for our church, second, when Georgia started singing, and third, near the end of the song when Georgia sings, “I’ll pray for you.”

One of my favorite moments in the video is when Pastor Andy says, “I think I might be a Jesuit!” *Pictured here:
andy for post might be a jesuit

I believe this is one of the best conversation videos we’ve put out – it is such a beautiful representation of who we are together. I hope you’ll take 20 minutes and join us for some church today.

georgia singing for post

 

 

 

NWLife Weekly Conversation—Ray and Reyna Bardo

Here is our fifteenth NWLife video podcast featuring our weekly conversation.

Today’s theme: A story of faith and love with Ray and Reyna Bardo

Today, on Father’s Day, I’m sitting with our wonderful friends Ray and Reyna Bardo to hear their story of faith and love and survival.

The video begins and ends with some words from Pastor Andy Jones. Pastor Kyle Wheeler and Georgia Carlton, along with our band, lead us in worship from the stage today.

I hope you’ll take 17 minutes and join us for some church!

The Lord brought me out into a wide-open, spacious place. He rescued me because he delighted in me.  —Psalm 18.19