We are wrapping up a month of special updates by our local Mission & Prayer Partners. We have been so blessed by all of them! This week, Mark Nicholson will share his amazing experience in Africa this summer where he brought needed supplies and ministered to and served young people who wish to gain employment and business experience. Additionally, our Thailand Mission '25 Team will be introduced and learn a bit about their upcoming trip in December.

Please welcome Rachel Wilson from First Image/Ava Health Centers and Jeremy Waldridge from Pure Life Alliance this week as we continue to feature local mission & prayer partners. Prayer Partners are local Christian ministries whose work came to the attention of the Missions Team through a member of MSCC who has an active affiliation with the organization. The Missions Team seeks to support these ministries through our most important work – prayer. 

Josh and Katie serve with Josiah Venture whose purpose is to "equip young leaders to fulfill Christ’s commission through the local church", investing in the next generation of leaders here in the US. Josh & Katie served as youth pastors at MSCC from 2005-2010. Sharing their heart for disciple-making, they encourage us to stay focused on Jesus, even when ministry is hard and to not grow weary in doing good. We hope this will encourage you in your own walk of faith!

Prayer is such an integral part of our knowledge of God. We can go to Him in confidence, asking, seeing and knocking. Because, by His very nature and name, he is honor bound to give us more of Himself... Father Son, and Holy Spirit. Whatever we are praying for or about, it is more about God's provision  than our own persistence.

Craig & Megan Hammond are serving at a public high school in the Salem-Keizer School District where Craig officially serves as the Chaplain for North Salem High School. He also acts as an assistant coach and Megan is present in many ways for the students and staff. The opportunities that God has given them are resulting in hearts and souls being won for the Kingdom—not every day, but bit by bit and little by little, love wins through the Hammond's work.

We are revisiting the central theme of our current message series, "The One Thing: Mary or Martha?" What if it is actually better, in all the ways that really matter, to set Martha's ‘to do’ list aside and instead, discover Mary's simple yet profound joy of being in Jesus' presence... sitting at His feet and listening.

What makes someone a good neighbor? Is it friendly conversation over a shared fence? Lawn care for an elderly couple down the block? It has been described as 'being made aware of a need and, if you are able, meeting that need.' Today's information highway ensures we are aware of so many - BIG needs all over the world.

How do we, as followers of Jesus, step in and even step up?

"Where is your faith?" he asked them. The disciples were filled with fear, NOT faith as their boat was tossed about in the raging storm. Did Jesus' presence in the very same boat, although sleeping, indicate nothing to them? Even the chosen twelve needed to be reminded that the 'faith over fear' mantra is not just for a t-shirt. 

Generosity denotes the spirit in which one performs an action - a voluntary, unselfish giving of time, money, attention or other resources. Generous people are especially willing to share their resources with others. How do we engage generously within the Church and within our own local communities and congregations?

Jesus, in startling detail, lays out the events surrounding his own death. It's an uncomfortable truth because moving forward, the choice to follow him would come with 'strings'... uncomfortable and even painful personal losses. What are we willing to lose in order to follow Him? In today's culture, following Jesus often comes at great personal sacrifice.