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NEWSLETTER

If you missed any previous editions of the newsletter, we have the last year available on

the website at: http://keizerchristian.org/news/

archive/ Look for the next one on

February 7th.

KEIZER CHRISTIAN CHURCH

“Proclaiming Christ’s Love, Building Community,

Meeting Human Need”

FEBRUARY 21, 2019

E-mail: 1963kcc@comcast.net Phone: (503) 393-6843

Website: www.keizerchristian.org Find us on Facebook!

WEEK OF COMPASSION OFFERING

Be sure to bring back your filled offering boxes for Week of Compassion this Sunday, February 24th!

You are also welcome to donate by cash, check, online, or through the app. Just make sure to write “Week of Compassion” on checks or envelopes and choose the giving type “Week of Compassion” online or in the app. WOC is available as a giving type all year. If you want to give to a particular need, you can also note that on your offering.

ASH WEDNESDAY

Our traditional Soup and Bread Supper will be held on March 6th at 6 pm followed by the Ash Wednesday service and imposition of ashes.

There is a sign-up sheet in the Fellowship hall if you would like to bring a loaf of bread to have with our soup!

KEIZER COMMUNITY DINNER

The Keizer Community Dinner will be held on Wednesday, February 27th from 5-7 pm. It is open to all, free, and donations are accepted. It is a great way to meet new people in your neighborhood and in Keizer.

This month’s dinner will be hosted by Lakepoint Community Church.

CONTENTS

WOC Offering 1

sh Wednesday 1

Keizer Community Dinner 1

Pastor’s Moment 2

Blessings and Concerns 3

New Beginnings Update 3

Unsung Hero 4

Lenten Devotional 4

Pray and Play 4

Thoughts and Ideas 4

First Aid/CPR 4

Core Foods 5

Food Bank 5

Music Director 5

Birthdays/Anniversaries 6

District Youth Night 6

Calendar 7

Serving Schedule 8

Men’s Group 8

Bible Study 8

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PASTOR’S MOMENT

Well, hopefully you have all survived the rigors of Valentine’s Day and all of its associated expectations. I have always wrestled with this idea that we should condense and focus our expressions of love to this one day originating with the martyrdom of a 3rd century Roman saint. What bothers me most is that we often do the same thing with other expressions of love; the familial, friendly, and Agape love most often spoken of in scripture. We tend to compartmentalize our expressions of love and treat it like any other gift, when it is actually the thing that should inform all our being and doing. It is this Agape, this self-sacrificing sort of love, that Jesus talked most about as well as Paul in his epistles.

What I do appreciate about Valentine’s Day is that it reminds us that love, especially Agape love, is more than a feeling. Agape love is not really a feeling sort of love at all. It has primarily to do with our actions. It is sacrificial, giving, absorbing, having

much to do with self-denial for the sake of another. When we read the word “Love” in the New Testament, it is this word, “Agape” that is being translated. It is this active, sacrificial, self-effacing love that Jesus is pointing us toward and which he represents.

Most of the New Testament was originally written in the ancient Greek language and in that language there are four words used to describe four different kinds of love: Eros (romantic), Storge (familial), Philia (deep friendship), and Agape (sacrificial, self-denying). We, as humans, can manage and achieve the first three on our own, some considering Philia to be the highest level of love we can achieve without God’s help. It is this Agape love that we need help with. We can only be so self-denying for the sake of another as Jesus encourages us to be with the help of God through Jesus’ example and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

This is why I have issues with Valentine’s Day, because it encourages us to save up our expressions of love for just one day and to rest on that expression the rest of the time. In short, it makes us complacent and lazy in our call to love, not just romantically, but in other ways as well. Jesus does not only call us to love when it is convenient or expected, but all the time, even with those who are unlovely. That is the heart of Agape love. And it is definitely a difficult standard to meet. Much like our friend Heart in the comic above, we often struggle to show love as God would have us do, to the unlovely, all the time, sacrificially. It is a humbling realization that we need the love of God through Christ to extend that same love to one another.

Loving well is kind of like exercise; it can hurt sometimes, but it is worth it and ultimately it is good for your heart.

Pastor Erik

Pastor Erik Free

Email: pastorfree@keizerchristian.org

Cell Phone: (503) 501-7682

Office Hours: Tuesday—Friday

9 am to 1 pm Afternoons by appointment

“And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three;

and the greatest of these is love.”

~ 1 Corinthians 13:13

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BLESSINGS AND CONCERNS

From February 17th: From Tuesday, February 19 – Please pray for my mom, Mattie. She

was admitted to the hospital yesterday with a leg infection and sepsis. Prayers especially that the antibiotics take effect quickly. Also pray for me and my three sisters as we work through this time with her. Laurie Costales

Please place my husband Jim in your prayers. He was rushed to the hospital unable to walk or stand. He was placed in Marion Estates in Sublimity. Apparently there was a urinary tract infection. Shirley Igou

Glen Walker is back at the Benedictine Center and really needs prayers. Also Roy Biehn was feeling dizzy this morning and didn’t feel he should drive. Ruth Vrontakis (Pastor Erik asks for prayers for Glen’s living situation as it may need to change)

Our friend, Elaine thanks everyone for prayers as she made it through surgery for her valve replacement. Continued prayers for recovery which is slower than expected. The Reynolds

Ardith McIntyre wants to thank you for your prayers and cards. She feels very blessed and that God had a big hand in her diagnosis and is guiding her treatment. She has an issue with her eyes and they are not sure of exact causes yet. She has more tests scheduled next week. Laurie Costales

Please be in prayer for Kena Dewey. She was admitted to the Salem hospital Tuesday with pneumonia. They took some fluid off of her lungs and she is hoping to come home today. Pastor Erik

Margy thanks you for your prayers and calls for Bob’s eye surgery. It went well and he is recovering nicely. She especially wants to thank Dena who brought over dinner for them.

Previous Blessings and Concerns: Called in Monday, February 4 – Mike Reynold’s brother-in-law’s daughter, Stacy was

one of the victims who died in the plane crash yesterday in Yorba Linda. Please be in prayer for the family in this time of loss. The Reynolds

Blessing – I will be a great grandmother again in June 2019. He is a boy, Mason Dean Hittle. I cried (his middle name is named after my late husband). Julie Hittle

Prayers for a co-worker’s wife, Tia. She is in major pain and as of Friday had not determined the cause. Prayers for her and her family’s comfort. Traci Pearl

NEW BEGINNINGS UPDATE

Welcome our fellow Brothers and Sisters in Christ! The lease has been signed and New Beginnings began their worship in our sanctuary on Saturday, February 16th. They are in the church from approximately 5:30-8:30 pm on Saturday evenings and will be rehearsing one other night during the week. Thank you to those who have worked on the lease agreement and those who will still be working to liaison with them in this new experience of sharing our building with another worshipping body.

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THOUGHTS AND

IDEAS

Thank you to the folks who have been writing down their thoughts and ideas on the bright pink slips and leaving them on my desk. It is very helpful to have it written down so I don’t have to remember everything from Sunday!

The forms are available in the office or on the Narthex table.

UNSUNG HEROES

Thank you to Ed Query who has been working steadily to put our ambulatory back in shape after the repair work done and the installation of our new baptistery heater. It is still a work in progress.

LENTEN DEVOTIONAL

Everyone will be welcome to take a copy of

the “Leaning In, Letting Go” Lenten

Devotionals that will be available on

March 3rd. The bible study will be working

on this book during the six weeks of lent

and we welcome you to join us or to follow

along on your own.

REGIONAL WOMEN’S PRAY AND PLAY

KCC will be hosting one of the Regional Pray and Play events here at our church on Saturday, March 9th from 9:30-12:30. It is open to all women of the church and their friends. The cost is $15 and includes program materials and gift. You can register online at

Pray&PlayRegistration. We have money in the Women’s Ministry Fund to help pay for the cost, please see Dena Query or Laurie Costales. Please sign up by February 27!

Pray and Play Days are “mini-retreat" times of 3 hours each scheduled 4-6 times per year around the regional church for Disciples women and their friends to come and meet their sisters from nearby communities and spend time praying together and playing together -- as the name says.

FIRST AID/CPR CLASSES

We will be offering First Aid and CPR classes again this spring. The signup sheets are in the Narthex. The deadline to sign up and pay is March 10th.

The First Aid class will be on Tuesday, March 19th from 6:30-9 pm and the CPR class on the following Tuesday, March 26th from 6-8:30 pm. Both classes will be

held in the Fellowship Hall. The cost is $30 per class if you are only taking one of them or $50 for anyone taking both classes. See Laurie Costales for more information. Class sizes are limited to 20 people per class. Please make checks payable to KCC and in the memo line put (1st Aid/CPR).

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KEIZER

COMMUNITY

FOOD BANK

Thank you to those who are steadily filling up the food box here at church! Please keep up the good work and let’s overflow the donation box.

If you don’t enjoy shopping, you can also donate by putting “Food Bank” on your check or offering envelope.

Core Foods

Canned · FrozenCanned · Frozen

Fresh · RepackFresh · Repack

Vegetables Fruit

Shelf Stable Beans Eggs

Potatoes—fresh Soup

Canned Protein Flour

Rice Pasta

Peanut Butter—16-18 ounce

Tomato Products—can/jar

Shelf Stable Dairy—package/carton

Be sure to check expiration dates!

We are always in need of the items above. If you catch a sale or find a good deal, feel free to bring them in at any time!

MUSIC DIRECTOR

We are still searching for a new Music Director and would appreciate folks passing the word around.

The position is part-time, 5-10 hours per week, including Sunday Service and mid-week evening practice time for Choir, Chimes, Praise Band and preparation time. A more detailed job description can be found on our website, KeizerChristian.org.

The salary is $500 per month. Resumes can be submitted to 1963KCC@comcast.net attention Susan Day.

The February Core Foods are: SOUP,

CHILI and CANNED

BEANS (NO dry beans please)

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Luke Puppo 3-2

Roy Biehn 3-5

Pam Elliott 3-8

Cindy Cheuvront 3-9

Nancy Dalrymple 3-10

Juanita Weigel 3-10

Julie Hittle 3-14

Wes Norbo 3-15

Brian & Regina

Lepe 3-27

DISTRICT YOUTH NIGHT

Our youth had a great time at the Santiam District youth

night on February 10th! Thank you First Christian Church

in Silverton for hosting!

Photos by Jerson Violante

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You can also access the calendar at any time from our website at: www.keizerchristian.org.

The on-line calendar is updated daily with any changes.

*See Article in Newsletter

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 Indoor Park

Closed

8 am Fellowship Hall in

Use

7 pm Intro to Disciples

Class

2

8 am Men's Group*

3

10 am Worship Service

11:15 am Disciples

Enrichment Hr

4 5

9 am Newsletter

Deadline

7 pm Elder's Meeting

6

6 pm Ash Wednesday

Service*

6 pm Chime Choir

7 pm Choir

7

11 am KCC Bible Study*

12 pm Newsletter

emailed/mailed

8

7 pm Intro to Disciples

Class

9

9:30 am Pray and Play*

10 Daylight Saving

Time starts

Birthday Sunday

10 am Worship Service

11:15 am Disciples

Enrichment Hr

11 6:30 pm Rock Painting

Party and

Scissors and

Needles in

Action

(S.a.N.i.A.)

12

7 pm Council Meeting

13

6 pm Chime Choir

7 pm Choir

14

11 am KCC Bible Study

15 16

8 am Men's Group

17

10 am Worship Service

11:15 am Disciples

Enrichment Hr

11:15 am Outreach Comm.

Meeting

18

4 pm Keizer Comm.

Food Bank*

19 Newsletter

Deadline

6 pm 1st Aid Class -

please pre-

register*

20 21 Indoor Park

Closed

8 am Fellowship Hall in

use

11 am KCC Bible Study

12 pm Newsletter

emailed/mailed

22 23

24

10 am Worship Service

11:15 am Disciples

Enrichment Hr

11:15 am Worship

Committee

Meeting

25 26

6 pm CPR Class -

please pre-

register*

27

5 pm Keizer Community

Dinner

6 pm Chime Choir

7 pm Choir

28

11 am KCC Bible Study

29 30

8 am Men's Group

31

10 am Worship Service

11:15 am Disciples

Enrichment Hr

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KEIZER CHRISTIAN CHURCH

6945 Wheatland Road NE

Keizer OR 97303

SERVING SCHEDULE

MEN’S GROUP

Men’s Group continues to meet every other Saturday. The next meeting is on Saturday, March 2nd at Shari’s on River Road at 8 am. It is open to all men! For more info, please see Pastor Erik.

BIBLE STUDY

Thursdays from 11 am to noon in the Library. We will be doing these last two weeks of February with a lectionary study text then working through the Lenten Devotional “Leaning in, Letting Go” by Nicole Massie Martin beginning on March 7th.

February 24, 2019 Candlelighter: ........................ Addison Hughes Children’s Church: ............................... Sue Day Scripture Reader: ......................... JoAnn Barker Presider: ..................................... Carol Reynolds Elders: ........................... Ed Query and Sue Day Deacons: ................... Troy and Laurie Costales Tammy Puppo and Peggy Young Greeter: ..................................... Margy McCurry Guestbook: ..................................... Don Kaehler Usher: ...................................... Cindy Cheuvront Coffee Hour: ................................... Lepe Family

March 3, 2019 Candlelighter: ................................... Ryell Lepe Children’s Church: ................... Tammy Puppo Scripture Reader: ......................... JoAnn Barker Presider: ........................................ Troy Costales Elders: . Mike Reynolds and Nancy Dalrymple Deacons: ............. Gerry Henjum and Kim Free Christa Ryan and Don Kaehler Greeter: .............................................. Kay Taylor Guestbook: ........................................... Kim Free Usher: ..................................... Cindy Cheuvront Coffee Hour: ............. Don and Marsha Kaehler