Monthly Newsletter for July 2008

We send the monthly newsletter to the full congretation. If you did not get a copy and would like one, please contact our office staff to request delivery.

Pastor's Pen

BREATHE ON ME THE BREATH OF GOD

What inspires you?
A master was once asked by his prodigy to show him the path to greatness.  The master responded by inviting the young student to go swimming with him.  In the water the master held the student under the water until he felt that he would be drowned.  At the last second, the master allowed the student to surface and he gasped for his breath.  Disillusioned, he questioned his master as to the reason for such betrayal.  The master replied, “When you want greatness as much as you wanted your next breath, then you will be ready to learn how.”

The quality of inspiration is a key in a healthy church.  People need to experience the genuine sense of God’s presence in their worship.  True inspiration leads to new people having the experience that God is present in a church and where God is present, people have hope that they can fill their spirit on a regular basis with the satisfaction of life a true spiritual experience provides.

Nothing has inspired more great artwork than the inspiration of Love.
Nothing has inspired more great music than the inspiration of Love.
Nothing has inspired more great acts of courage than the inspiration of Love.
Nothing has inspired more generosity than Love.
Nothing has inspired deeper thought than Love.
God is love.

New experiences that remind us of our Love for God are inspired and inspiring.
Beauty and creativity demonstrate inspiration and stir the inspiration of others.
Faithfulness on the part of God’s servants inspires loyalty and faithfulness in others.

Doubts, discouragement, weariness, grief and loss, or the sense of being out of control all can lead to a lack of inspiration.  The lack of inspiration can feel like being suffocated, dying, betrayal or abandonment.  However, we cannot take a fresh breath unless we exhale the last one.  Inspiration is literally the “breathing of our soul.”  This moment’s inspiration will cease to provide its help to us in the next second.  We must let go of the past to breath in the new air.  We must express our love again to experience it in the present.  We must find a new way or be inspired to express our life in God in a fresh way today.  Reach deep into prayer, into worship or into scripture.  Reach deep into the needs of the world, and into your own talents and abilities and use what you have to express your love for God and other people.  Love will inspire you to new heights.

- Pastor Bob McGuire

July Birthdays and Anniversaries

Michael Allred – 7/6
Craig & Joyce Brookbush – 7/6
Eric Allred – 7/10
Matthew Allred – 7/11
Bob Betsch – 7/13
Damien Smith – 7/18
George Frankovich – 7/20
Sue Shouse – 7/23
Dee Stitz – 7/27
Jeri Sexton – 7/27
Bob & Melody McGuire – 7/28
Erin Smith – 7/30
Frank Myers – 7/31
Doug Deppa – 7/31

Nightwatch Ministry

Join our local missions team on the first Saturday of each month.  We will meet at the church on Saturday, July 5th, at 6:30PM and travel down to Seattle together to serve a meal to the homeless.  You can volunteer to help once or every month!  This is a wonderful way to thank the Lord for all His blessings and help those less fortunate.

   

Food Bank News

We are in need of donations for our local food bank. We partner together with Westgate Chapel Food Bank to provide food to the needy in our community.  Your donations are greatly appreciated and needed to keep this important ministry going.  If you have questions, see Bill or Jadie Keen

Co-Ed Softball Update

Congratulations goes out to our Co-Ed Softball team!  They finished with a 3-4 record and improved last years record!  A big thank you to all who participated and helped out with coaching!  We will look forward to next season!

Open Gym/Youth Center

Beginning July 1st, our Youth Center and Gymnasium will be available every Tuesday and Thursday from 12PM-5PM.  Feel free to bring some friends and come by for a game of basketball, pool, table tennis, or just to hang out with friends.  See Pastor Adam for more details!

Free Children’s Movie Day

Calling all kids!  This summer on Wednesdays at 10:00AM, Regal Cinema Alderwood 7 Theater is offering free movie showings to kids!  We will be organizing a group to go each Wednesday with Pastor Bob and Pastor Adam beginning Wednesday, July 2nd.  All movies are rated G or PG.  For movie titles being shown, contact Pastor Adam at the church office.

Homebuilders Marriage Enrichment

Edmonds Church of God is offering a Homebuilders Enrichment Class for all married couples this summer on Wednesday nights.  This class will begin on July 2nd at 7:00PM at the church.  Pastor Bob and Melody McGuire and Mike and Sheri Bury will be the instructors.  You won’t want to miss this great opportunity to enrich your marriage relationship!  Call the church office to sign up or for more information.

WCG Tea

  All women are invited to the Annual Women of the Church of God Tea at PNA Family Camp.  It will be held on the Friday of Family Camp at Double K Christian Retreat Center.  Save the date of July 25th from 2:30-4:30PM.  If you have any questions, feel free to call the church office.

DivorceCare Boot Camp

DivorceCare Boot Camp will be held at the Edmonds Church of God on Saturday, July 26th from 8:30AM to 4:30PM.  Pray for this important day and for this ministry.  For more information on this event, contact Mike or Sheri Bury at 425-774-3316.

Budget Requests Needed

Attention all ministry leaders!  The Board of Trustees needs your budget requests for the next fiscal year turned in as soon as possible.  You can turn them into Mike Bury or the church office.  Deadline for all budget requests is July 17th.   If you have questions, see one of the Board members.

Junior High Summer Camp

Junior High Summer Camp will be August 3rd-9th at one of the Crista Camps (most likely Island Lake) and will cost $399.  The cost covers everything including paintball, ropes course and other activities.  The theme this year is “Identity”.  We will be attending this camp because Double K is not offering a Junior High Camp this year.  It’s a great opportunity for our youth leaders to have more time to invest in the students because they don’t have to plan and run the camp.  We will also be there with youth groups from other churches and denominations.  This is a great opportunity for your kids to experience camp and the unity of the body of Christ at the same time.  Please let Pastor Adam know if your Jr. High student plans on attending this awesome camp experience!

PNA Family Camp 2008

                “Celebrate Unity”
July 22-27 (at Double K)
(Tuesday 7PM - Sunday noon)
Speaker: Dr. John Johnson,
Warner Pacific College
Worship: Doug Beisley and Dan Smatlak Families
Registration forms available on the church bulletin board, or by logging onto the PNA Website, www.pnacog.org. 

Seniors Retreat (preceding)

July 20-22 (at Double K)
(Sunday 3PM - Tuesday noon)
Grandchildren and other guests welcome
Registration forms available on the church bulletin board or by going to the PNA Website
www.pnacog.org

Pearrygin All Church Camp Out

  July 11-13 is the dates for our 25th Annual All-Church Campout at Pearrygin Lake near Winthrop, Washington.  If you have any questions about your reservations or site, contact Norm Jones at 425-347-1394.  Don’t miss this awesome weekend of fun and fellowship!

IYC 2008

Several of our youth group and Pastor Adam will be attending International Youth Convention 2008 in San Antonio Texas July 14-17.  Be praying for these students as they attend this life-changing event.  There will be students from over 40 states and 12 countries represented at this convention.  If you want to read more about this convention, check out www.iyc2008.org on the web. 

PNA Junior Camp

    “Power Up” is the theme for the 2008 PNA Junior Camp for kids ages 9-11 years old.  It will be held at Double K Christian Retreat Center on July 28th through 31st.      Registration is $150 ($130 for each additional family member) if postmarked between June 24 and July 9th.  Deadline for registration is July 9th.  After that date no registrations will be accepted. 
     Kids will experience meeting new friends, great worship and devotions, games, skits, great food, crafts, snack shack and swimming!  Registration forms are available on the church bulletin board or by logging onto www.pnacog.org.  Counselors are also needed for this camp.  See Pastor Bob if you can volunteer! 

With Deepest Sympathy

     Our hearts and prayers go out to Bill and Jadie Keen and their family on the recent loss of their son Dale.  Dale went to be with the Lord on Friday, June 20th, 2008 after a lengthy illness.  Keep the Keen family in your prayers during this difficult time of loss.

PASTOR BARKER

    I think my writing is catching on.  The other day pastor Bob said he was in a Starbucks and there was a new book there written by a dog owner, from the perspective of his dog.  It was great philosophy and a story about the meaning of life.  Dogs are the meaning of life you know.  I don’t mean to sound arrogant, but everything I see tells me that I am what my master lives for.  I humbly submit to you that I am the reason pastor Bob lives.  His love for me gives me reason to get up, sore hips and all and go for a walk with him.  I’m glad that me writing this little column has inspired some other dog people to write important books that help you with the meaning of your life.  I think people who have enough inspiration to write books about dog’s lives must really have touched the heart of God.   Pastor Bob says it is like that with God, that from everything he can tell, humbly, he is the reason God exists.  I know it is supposed to be the other way around.  God exists anyway, but God gave himself a new reason to do Godly things by creating people.  We inspire God as he inspires us.  That’s love, it just keeps going round and round.  That idea should inspire another Dog book, or song, or a great sculpture of …me.

WCG Ladies Fall Retreat

“Designed by God...Unique and Complete!”
 
  You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.     - Psalm 139:13-14

  Ladies, now is the time to begin making your plans to attend the annual Women of the Church of God Fall Retreat!  It will be held September 20-21, 2008 at Double K Christian Retreat Center.  Denise Douglass, Associate Pastor from Mt. Scott Church of God in Portland Oregon will be the guest speaker.  And a special drama group from Cornwall Church of God will also be there to share with us.  This retreat is always a wonderful event for all who come to celebrate being a Woman of the Church of God!  Be watching for registration materials coming soon!



 

Our Pastoral Staff

Senior Pastor        Bob McGuire
Blog:             ecogjourney.blogspot.com
Youth                Adam Hinrichsen
Seniors & Visitation    Cailen Heaton
 

Edmonds Church of God
    Phone:  425-774-8836
    Fax:      425-771-3921
   Email: Office@edmondschurch.org

    Sunday Worship Schedule:

  9:00AM   Intercessor’s Prayer Time
10:00AM   Coffee Time
10:15AM   Worship Service
10:45AM   Children’s Church Program      
  

Wednesday Night Activities:

6:30PM   Jr./Sr. High Youth Group  
7:00PM   Homebuilders Marriage Enrichment Class