Hello everyone, I wanted to make sure that you are all aware of this opportunity to reach out as a group from the Fresno/Clovis area to the people of Haiti. *Attending this event is totally Free and it is open to everyone.

Date:    
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Time:    
6:35pm - 10:35pm
Location:    
People's Church, Ground Zero
Street:    
7172 North Cedar Avenue

________________________________

Threshold College Group, The Way Campus Community, The Quest Church, Northpark Community Church present:

Hope For Haiti is our humble effort to make a difference for the people of Haiti, who have suffered the dual disasters of long term extreme poverty and now a devastating earthquake which has killed up to 200,000 and left a million displaced or homeless.

We will be raising money for Convoy of Hope, an organization that was already on the ground prior to the quake providing services for thousands of Haitians. 100% of every dollar we collect in donations and for baked goods/snacks will go to help Haiti.

Also, we are partnering with ONE.org, World Vision, Christ in Action, MMI and others to provide further opportunities for action and commitment to some of the world's poorest people. We recognize that more than emergency relief is needed. Development, infrastructure, education and accountability will all be essential for justice, peace and restoration.

Because the God we worship cares intimately for the Poor, the Outcast and the Marginalized, we cannot worship him without caring for and even fighting for the poor. Let's put our worship into action and let's make a difference for the people of Haiti. When we do that, we are truly a light for the world, a city on a hill that points towards God's mercy, compassion and justice.


*Please follow this link for more info or to RSVP to this event.
Hope for Haiti Worship Gathering

I am really excited about the series we have recently started and here is why. Here are some of the topics that are on the schedule for this series.

• Giving
• Connection
• Who are we living for?
• Do I want to change?
• Surrender

We live in a society in which we are constantly bombarded with choices. It gets to the point where we as individuals find ourselves in situations of compromise and substitution. What should my choices look like? How should I address conflicts that arise out of decisions I make? How does the path I choose at the "fork in the road" affect my relationship with God? These are all very valuable questions and a lot of times difficult questions because almost always, the answers and the decisions have an affect on our families, jobs, church involvment, church growth, it influences the way people see God, it creates a picture in peoples mind of what the church on a larger scale looks like, as well. Yes, our decisions have this much impact...believe it or not.

A lot of the resulting conflicts at these forks can be solved at the time the decision process starts. The topics we will be talking about during the Quest gatherings, over the next few weeks, tend to be topics that seem to test our decision making process. This decision making process also gives us an idea where our personal relationship is with God. I hope you will join us as Dave tackles these hard topics and guides us through what the Bible says about each of them.

Fresno State University has started a new semester (rather late I might add...but that is another blog :) ) and The Way Campus Group is going to resume meeting every Wednesday on campus starting January 20th 2010. I have the privilege to be part of a group that facilitates the student leadership of this group. Among other goals and purposes, this group exists to provide a representation of Christ at FSU. The Way wants to be a a micro community where Christ-following students can gather with other Christ followers, (or people who may just have questions about Jesus) for support, encouragement, learning, and spiritual growth. There are people from something like 5-6 different churches. We also have students who attend a different college that attend the weekly gatherings.

About 4 of those churches have a representative in the leadership of the group. There is food provided...usually pizza, soda, dessert, and these 4 churches divvy up the food responsibilities. The Way is probably the only consistent Christ based group on campus and is definitely the only one that is active and growing.

** If you are a college student or would like to be involved in this group in any way, please plan to attend this weekly gathering... it is open to everyone.

Please This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it us about current meeting Room (it changes every semester).
This semester we will be meeting at 12 NOON in the Student Union Building, Room 311.

Find us online:

The Way on Facebook

The Way website

So Kim, I and the kids spent Christmas and New Years in the great northern country... Canada. We go to visit Kim's family every year around the same time. It is always a great time. We usually spend time with many of Kim's extended family members and we usually eat "multi-course" meals on each of the 14 or so days we are there. There is always way too much food. (Good thing I don't gain weight (: )

I am always amazed by how much more value there is on community in her hometown area as compared to what I see state side.. Maybe it is because we are up there during the winter, and for the normal person the weather conditions require a certain level of respect to survive...whih brings along with it the grattitude of  just life in such a harsh climate. Everyone is helpful and willing to give you a hand. There is a great sense of generosity where in people are always giving of what they have, sharing food, drink, and home. It is always so hard to come home. (even though my bed is amazing) It truly appears that they experience a much more valuable quality of life.

Anyway these trips are a great time of refreshment and we are stoked that we can take advantage of them. I hope your holidays were a time similar to ours and that you had time to hangout with family and friends and experience all that God does in genuine community.