Hey Family,

Throughout our lives there many times when we can become completely distracted and fret over an issue rather than call upon our Heavenly Father and ask for his guidance in what we should do. This can cause us a great deal of strain. Worrying can affect our marriages, the way we parent our children, the choices we make in our working lives and in all our relationships.

This Sunday is Palm Sunday, and as we continue our series ENCOUNTERS, we'll learn about how God is there to deal with not only the big problems we all face but the small details as well--and what life would look like if we went to God in prayer rather than live a life of worry.

I look forward to seeing you at our 10 a.m. service! Please invite a friend or loved one to share this special time of year in the church calendar.

--Edwin

Hey Family,

We've been in a series called Encounters which looks at the New Testament and how people who encounter Jesus are never the same after that experience. Encounters with Jesus are meant to transform us and change us--and he does that very thing whenever he encounters sin in our lives. So how does it actually work? What does Jesus do to change us from people who are harming ourselves and hurting others into people who reflect the love of Christ?

Come on Sunday at 10 a.m. and find out! Your kids will be glad you did. Your friends will be glad you did. Your spouse will be glad you did and your work environment will be glad you did, because everyone needs to grow and change at some point. Hope to see you there--and it's a great opportunity to invite a friend.

Hey Family,

Every one of us has a moment in life where if we could go back in time, we would change what happened because there's so much pain attached to that mistake, that error in judgment. These moments can have a crippling effect on our lives. This week when we gather together we'll learn how our encounters with Jesus address even the darkest shame of our lives, enabling us to live free and with head held high.

A lot of people think church is where we feel shame, or we are put to shame. The fact is, Jesus is a shame-taker. This is an incredible opportunity to bring a friend to the service and allow them to experience the transforming love of Jesus. I look forward to seeing you Sunday at 10 a.m.

--Edwin

Hey Family,

This Sunday at 10 a.m. we will share Communion together as a church

family and continue with our series called Encounters, which leads up

to Easter. But I'm pleased to announce that we also have a unique

opportunity to bring hope to so many people.

After service, those who would like to share their testimonies about

recovery will be videotaped. Their messages will be used to help

people whose family members are struggling with addiction. Please

bring your stories of hope and encouragement, and and we look forward

to hearing them!

--Edwin

Hey Family,

I am so excited to be speaking this Sunday for the first time this year! I really think that God is going to move powerfully through this new series called Encounters, which will lead us up to our celebration of Easter.

Major encounters never leave us the same. They always change us in some way. And this is never more true than when we're talking about Jesus. Whenever Jesus encountered the culture around him--the people, the religious leaders, the sinners--they were never the same afterward. They were either worse off after they met him, or better off.

In this new series, Encounters, we will talk about five times in Jesus' ministry where he has major encounters with people. The story of those encounters will not only change us, but also change how we encounter our culture. We will get a deeper, more beautiful sense of who Jesus is, and that will transform us from the inside out. But just as important, it changes us as to how we respond to our own families, neighbors, workplace, communities, and environment. I hope to see you there.

--Edwin

Hey Family,

Can you imagine what it would be like to hear Jesus himself speak from the pulpit? It happened to the people of Jesus' home town in the scripture that we will hear about on Sunday, when Pastor Pedro Rodriguez will bring the message. Jesus stood before the people of Nazareth and told them about the good news--good news for the poor, freedom for prisoners, recovery of sight for the blind, and freedom for those crushed by oppression. We can still hear and believe that message today, because it proceeds straight from the mouth of God. Don't miss it.

I hope to see you on Sunday at 10 a.m. Bring a friend who needs to hear the good news!

--Edwin

Hey Family,

How often do you invite a friend to church? When someone you know is in pain or is straying in dangerous ways, you may not know how to preach the gospel. You may not have the words that will lift the shadows from their heart. But you can always invite them to come with you to a Sunday service or prayer service. That's how we can do our part. The rest is up to God.

I hope to see you this Sunday at 10 a.m. when Pastor Ray delves into this. If you want to look ahead of time at the scripture he'll be using, turn to Luke 5, 17-26.

Hey Family,

A new life in Christ Jesus leads to a new way of living for us. Have you thought recently about what it means to be a born-again Christian? We often hear that term, but we may not know what it means. Jesus spells it out in the book of John, and this Sunday you are invited to hear Pastor Gus speak on the words of Christ regarding this topic. Use this opportunity to invite someone who has been asking what it means to be a Christian.

Hey Family,

I hope you'll make a special effort to join us this Sunday to hear guest speaker Pastor David Louw of Trinity Grace Church. He'll be talking about the new family we all join when we accept Christ as our Savior. Being part of that new family means we experience all kinds of blessings that we never had before. Service starts at 10 a.m.--hope to see you there!

Hey Family,

If you attended our 10 p.m. New Year's Eve service, you heard Pastor Raymond Ramos give a passionate talk on Isaiah chapter 40. This Sunday he will continue that message. What happens when we trust in the Lord, even when it seems that he does not see our pain and our troubles? What happens when we come to understand who God truly is, and what he is able to do in our lives?

You will be blessed by this message on Sunday. I hope to see you at 10 a.m., and this would be a perfect time to bring a friend who might be struggling with something in their lives.