Well here it is -- Agate Beach Community Church! This is the worship end of the building. To the right of the entry is another wing with 3 rooms and a fellowship area. The entry/lobby goes all the way through the building so there is an entrance on the back side. This is where most of the people park.Sunday was a good day. Good sermon (at least I thought so!!! That's better than those days when I've thought, "Boy, this was a bomb"). It was a real Oregon coast morning with wind and rain coming down sideways. We were scheduled to take invitations throughout the neighborhood right after worship. A lady said the weather guy promised the rain would end at 3:00 so we decided to meet back at the church at 3:00. Sure enough, the rain stopped and it was a very pleasant afternoon. Five of us delivered 210 invitations throughout the church neighborhood. We just put them on door knobs -- not knocking and speaking with people. It went well and we all stood around visiting after we finished.
The invitations? Those are to our first "outreach" event -- a Thanksgiving Eve service of thanks with music and scripture and prayer and... brainstroming as many words for "thanks" as we can think of in as many languages as we possibly can. For visitors it will be a safe, easy way to be involved -- not just sit and wonder, "Why did I come?" The invitation is to spend an hour being thankful for all you have. There are about 300 living units in the church neighborhood so we gave invitations to most of them. So now we'll see what happens. It is up to the Holy Spirit. I'm praying for at least 4 contacts from the area. I mean 4 different living units to be represented, plus our own people of course. I know some of our people can't be there but some will. I have our friend, Joann Harper coming to play the piano and lead singing so our music will be really good.
We had 15 in church Sunday. The bills are being paid. Joyce and I are living in the parsonage. We commented on the irony... we lived for 3 months in a small RV -- about 150 square feet, 2 beds side by side, one couch, one easy chair. Now we live in a 1350 square feet house -- 2 beds side by side, one couch, no easy chair (but my sister is bringing one Friday). However this kitchen is bigger and we have 2 bathrooms. The people have loaned us all kinds of stuff to make life more comfortable so we are doing well. The only problem is pet oder from the previous occupants. The carpet has been cleaned twice and it is still there. We trying some other stuff today.
Well, keep praying for us and especially for the church.
2 comments:
Hi Gene & Joyce:
Sounds like things are working out well for you there at Agate Beach Church. You both have great ideas to help people gather together for worship and fellowship. How wonderful JoAnn can be there to play the piano. What a blessing. She has such a gift for that and singing too.
Regarding the carpet odor, I was just reading my book on Baking Soda uses, saying baking soda is an excellent odor eater. You might try sprinkling that on the carpet, leave overnight and vacuum in the morning. It would probably take quite a few boxes.
I found the nativity set today Monday, very accessable, I might add. Needed to measure height for stable size I'm working on. We have quite a few 10 to 12 foot cedar trees on our property that are about 3" to 4" dia. that could work to make a railing type stall. Still working out the details so it will break down to 2 sides and a back rail for storage. Joe Kreiss should be home tomorrow to see if he would be interested in making it.
So glad to keep up on how the Lord is working in your life on this blog.
By the way, many thanks for helping put the bowling alley together for our carnival. I'd forgotten just how you'd put it together last year. Joe Kreiss seemed to enjoy running it. Rich took pictures of all the booths to help me remember. We had about 75 kids, I think.
My prayers are with you as you continue reaching out to the neighborhood and working with the members there. God's Blessings on you.
Janis
This is great news and a very a very nice picture of the church. Isn't it awesome how God works things out in His time? We praise God with you.
I'm sure you will have several new people come to the service on Thanksgiving eve. Even more on Sunday following. I LOL when I read that the weather was to improve at 3pm and you acted in faith that it would and it did. God is SO good. He has a sense of humor too.
You have a delightful Thanksgiving and be blessed.
Bess and Rick
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