Pastor’s Update December 14, 2006

Hi Creeksiders!

• The message this week is part 11 of our Freedom from Religion series. Jesus calls us to live outside the religion box and engage with our culture. This week’s title is “Where are all the Peacemakers? Making It Real.” We’re going to look at one of the saddest things that He ever said. It’s about a group of people who miss out on the opportunity to be peace makers because they believe the people around them don’t deserve to be treated peaceably. How does being a peacemaker play out in the middle of injustice?

• We believe God has given Creekside a heart thumping, God honoring vision of what he wants us to be as a people. We get fired up every time we consider it because it gives focus, meaning, encouragement and warmth to anyone who receives and buys into it. Think about these words and see if it does that for you too: Our vision is to be a biblical community of God-honoring Christians who bring people ever closer to Christ.

• The last opportunity to bring your items in for the Christmas Hampers is December 23! Please take some snowflakes off the Christmas tree and bring the item to the next weekend gathering. Each year God uses these hampers to make a real difference in people’s lives.

• Thank you so much for showing your love through our Kindness opportunity – Page a Prayer. Both ladies who are struggling with cancer are so appreciative of your support. If you haven’t joined in, do so this week. When Angie or Pam comes to mind, simply call their pager and leave a message or your phone number.

Phone Angie at (604) 205-4842

Phone Pam at (604) 205-4848

• Don’t miss our  Christmas Gathering on December 23. This is going to be a very different day. Bring your family and friends.

• Creekside is helping feed the hungry this December. Following along with our theme to help others as Jesus did, we’d like to give you some varied opportunities to help beyond our walls again. Look for the container for these special offerings.

December 16, 2006 Our special offering is for the North Shore Food Bank. We are providing food, formula and diapers for young infants.

December 23, 2006 Our special offering is for the Langley Food Bank. We will help feed up to 50 people on Friday evenings.

December 30, 2006 Our special offering is for ADRA (Adventist Development and Relief Agency) for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. Our donations are matched on a 4:1 basis from the Canadian International Development Agency. These funds will help people in needy situations eat and live longer.

Jim and Colin

Hi Creeksiders!

• The message this week is part 10 of our Freedom from Religion series. It’s called, “Calling All Peacemakers.” Religion often withdraws from culture or attacks it. What if there is another option? Jesus brings peace to Earth. Really? What does it mean to be a peacemaker? Where is this peace? Bring a friend and be challenged.

• Please keep helping with the Christmas Hampers! Please take some snowflakes off the Christmas tree. Bring the item to the next weekend gathering. Each year God uses these hampers to make a real difference in people’s lives.

• Kindness opportunity – Page a Prayer. We are supporting two ladies who are struggling with cancer. They’ve both been given a pager. Your kindness is fairly simple, yet profound to the ladies. When you think of Angie or Pam, simply call their pager and leave a message or your phone number. They appreciate that you are praying and thinking of them.

Phone Angie at (604) 205-4842
Phone Pam (Wahl) at (604) 205-4848

• Our Christmas Potluck is after church this week at Penner’s home. The whole church is welcome and invited - yep, both campuses. Bring your friends.

26769 64th Avenue, Aldergrove

Directions: From Highway 1, take 264th North to 64th and turn right.
Menu

Vegetarian Roast/patties

Stuffing and cranberry sauce

Salads

Desserts

We will provide Mashed potatoes and Gravy

Please send Teresa your menu item and how many coming so she can plan tpenner@creeksidonline.org Thanks.

• Creekside will help Feeding the Hungry this December. Following along with our theme to help others as Jesus did, we’d like to give you some varied opportunities to help beyond our walls again. Each Sabbath has a different emphasis. There will be special containers for these special offerings that will provide money for meals.
And check out this video from Sarah McLachlan. It’s inspiring: http://www.one.org/gvideo/view/11

December 9 for the Union Gospel Mission in Vancouver.

December 16 for the North Shore Food Bank.

December 23 for the Langley Food Bank.

December 30 for ADRA Canada and Canadian Foodgrains Bank. (Every dollar you give will be matched on a 4:1 basis. Isn’t that cool?)

Colin reflects:

When you hear the word Christmas, how do you respond?

Are you: Energized by the rush or sick and tired of all the commercialism?

Are you: Someone who grew up in a culture that celebrated Christmas very differently?

Are you someone who has done your homework and know that Jesus couldn’t be born at this time of year and the Christmas tree idea is not biblical.

Are you: A person who loves the warm glow and childlike excitement that comes with Christmas? Love carols?

I’ve experienced all those reactions and more. I read something that helped me put this into a God honoring perspective. See if it makes sense to you. You can read it at: http://www.whiteestate.org/issues/Christmas.html#Turn%20the%20Current%20Heavenward

It was written in the 1800’s so the language is a little different, yet still valid. My summary of this writing is that Christ followers can lead culture to a deeper understanding of who Jesus is by building on what is happening around Christmas rather than confronting it.

Creekside Community Church
A church for people who don’t like church and where no one stands alone.

Jim and Colin

Current series: Freedom from Religion

God has really been working in people’s lives through this series. This week we look at the fact that there is something about “religion” that looks good on the outside and yet it drags people down. What is up with that? What can be done about it? We have called this message Going Deep. Come and experience what God has for you.

One Way - Creekside band shines.

Last Saturday evening as the snow started our band, SoL, with musicians from both campuses helped make the Oakridge Adventist Church ring with praises. What a great job!

No One Stands Alone –> Sharing God.

God is passionate about people and wants us to introduce Him to our friends. Here is how we suggest you do that.

• First, form relationships of integrity with others who are not sure about God.

• Second, share a verbal story about God’s touch on your life.

• Third, bring your friend to a gathering where they can investigate God’s claims in a safe environment.

This is what we do and it is such a pleasure to see how God uses these simple means to give people hope, healing and joy.

Creekside Small Groups

Another key part of no-one stands alone is being connected with groups of other people. There are groups meeting in Aldergrove, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Langley, North shore, Surrey and Vancouver. To get connected contact Tara (North Shore) at (604) 942-2686 or Jonathan (Langley) at (604) 607-7378.

Introducing Preston Maitland

…
…

Ron and Natasha are thrilled with their new son, born Sunday, November 26. He decided it was time to be held by his mom and Dad so he arrived early in the middle of a snow storm. Congratulations Ron and Natasha. We will be praying as you start a whole new adventure.

…
……

Creekside Christmas Movie Night!

December 2nd, 7:00 p.m., at Langley Christian School Gym, 21789 50th Avenue.

Bring your family and friends, a plate of seasonal treats to share and a floor pillow or blanket to get cozy. We’ll provide popcorn, hot drinks and a movie that will ignite warmth and laughter. Will Farrell stars in the heart-warming fable, Elf, as he searches for his true family after being raised by elves in the North Pole.

Kindness opportunity – Page a Prayer.

Thank you so much for sending messages of hope, good wishes and prayers to our two special ladies battling cancer. They are really enjoying the beeps as you call their numbers. They know someone is supporting them. Call throughout the week whenever they come to mind.

Angie at (604) 205-4842

Pam at (604) 205-4848

Just follow the prompts and then hang up. They’ll know you called.

Christmas Hampers

It’s easy and fun to help with this one. Grab a star or more off the tree and bring what it says next week. We’ll all help make some special people very happy this Christmas.

Christmas Potluck

The whole church is welcome and invited to Penner’s, December 9, after church. Feel free to bring a friend, too.

Directions: From Highway 1, take 264th North to 64th and turn right. Go to 26769 64th Avenue on your left.

Menu

• Vegetarian Roast/patties

• Stuffing and cranberry sauce

• Salads

• Desserts

(Mashed potatoes and gravy provided.)

Please email Teresa with your menu item so we have an idea of what food will be coming and the numbers attending. tpenner@creeksideonline.org

Help Creekside Feed the Hungry this December.

Serving others like Jesus did is a privilege. This year we have a variety of ways to get food to those who need it.
Each Sabbath has a different emphasis. As we pool our resources, we can make a difference. We’ll have special offering containers each week or just indicate “food” on your tithe envelopes.

• December 9 for the Union Gospel Mission in Vancouver.

• December 16 for the North Shore Food Bank.

• December 23 for the Langley Food Bank.

• December 30 for ADRA Canada and Canadian Foodgrains Bank. (Every dollar you give will be matched on a 4:1 basis!)

Jim and Colin

Hi Creeksiders!

This week’s message is part 8 of our Freedom from Religion series.

One of the characteristics of religion is that it is about doing more and more. Another is that it’s about the future rather than the present. For Jesus it’s about rhythm and living here and now. This message will connect with your life.

No One Stands Alone –> Wholeness. God has brought some amazing people into our lives that have had a lasting impact on us. We could name people who have been used by God to help us grow and you could do the same. As we look at our list, we see some common characteristics.

They are real about their strengths and weaknesses and actually own them in God-honoring ways. They live out Romans 12:3. “Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.”

They also have a willingness to grow and change. They regularly celebrate their wins and ask questions like, “How can we do that better?” We value deeply that Creekside be a safe place where we can live a life of wholeness with others who are on the same journey. It’s amazing that we can experience this on a regular basis. Thank you for making it real!

Creekside’s musicians are going to be part of ONE WAY! It’s a worship concert featuring Joey Aguilar and the Oakridge Adventist Church Praise Band. It’s November 25 at 7:00 pm at Oakridge SDA Church, 5350 Baillie St. Vancouver. Tickets are available at the door. (Adults - $15, Students 13 and up - $12, Children 12 and under – free.)
This is great opportunity to invite your community friends to a contemporary praise concert.

Got the winter doldrums? Get charged with holiday cheer by joining us at the first annual Creekside Christmas Movie Night!
When? December 2nd, 7 p.m. at Langley Christian School gym.
What? Bring your family and friends, a plate of seasonal treats to share and a floor pillow or blanket to get cozy. We’ll provide popcorn, hot drinks and a movie that will ignite warmth and laughter. Will Farrell stars in the heart-warming fable, Elf, as he searches for his true family after being raised by elves in the North Pole.

Thanks for your response so far with the Christmas Hampers! Please take one or more snowflakes off the Christmas tree at each campus. Bring the item to the next weekend gathering. Each year God uses these hampers to make a real difference in people’s lives.

Kindness opportunity – Page a Prayer. We now have two ladies who are struggling with cancer. They both have been given pagers. Your kindness is fairly simple, yet profound to the ladies. When you think of Angie or Pam, simply call their pager and leave a message or your phone number. They already know that it means someone is praying and thinking of them.

Phone Angie at (604) 205-4842 (Angie is doing better than she expected. Her chemo is every Tuesday. She’s thankful and moved that others are caring for her.)

Phone Pam (Wahl) at (604) 205-4848 (She is waiting to hear what’s next in the way of treatment on Wednesday.)

Christmas Potluck is coming at Penner’s home, December 9 after church. The whole church is welcome and invited - yep, both campuses. Bring your friends.
26769 64th Avenue, Aldergrove
Directions: From Highway 1, take 264th North to 64th and turn right.
Menu
Vegetarian Roast/patties
Stuffing and cranberry sauce
Salads
Desserts
We will provide Mashed potatoes and Gravy

Please email Teresa with your menu item so we have an idea of what food will be coming and the numbers attending. tpenner@creeksideonline.org

Creekside will focus on Feeding the Hungry this December. Following along with our theme to help others as Jesus did, we’d like to give you some varied opportunities to help beyond our walls again. Each Sabbath has a different emphasis. There will be special containers for these special offerings that will provide money for meals.
December 9 for the Union Gospel Mission in Vancouver.
December 16 for the North Shore Food Bank.
December 23 for the Langley Food Bank.
December 30 for ADRA Canada and Canadian Foodgrains Bank. (Every dollar you give will be matched on a 4:1 basis. Isn’t that cool?)

Jim and Colin

Pastor’s Update. November 16, 2006

Hi Creeksiders,

Greetings in the wonderful name of Jesus!

Current Series: Mile 20

Our current series, MILE 20, is in week three. We continue to talk about the reality that there comes a point in any long distance race, relationship, career, spiritual journey where we hit "the wall." It is then that we wrestle with the question, "Do I quit here, or keep going?"

The message title for July 8 is Calling Out. Have you ever asked, "God, are You there? Do You even care?" Perhaps someone needs to tell God not to leave any suffering people in their pain, as it can completely shake their faith. Perhaps.

Outreach: Pay It Forward - Canada Day

It was a beautiful day and a great setting for our Pay It Forward Canada Day Project on July 1. Initial reports indicate that we had around 15 participants meeting our neighbors with a positive and fun approach

We put on Canada Flag temporary tattoos to all who wanted to make a statement. Then we handed out a “Happy Canada Day” card with our church name and website. So, how did it go? It was a huge success! (Except for the guy who wanted a tattoo on his forehead and Jim attempted three times to make it stick! Yes, if you are seeing Jim holding his head with both hands while squeezing, you have the right picture. Finally, Melanie Greaves was successful. Amazing – this guy didn’t give up!)

We appreciate the Pay It Forward team for their leadership and willingness to make this another successful service opportunity in our community. Yeah, PIF!! And thank you to each one who came to help!

Location: New Campus News

Langley Campus met for the first time July 1 at the Langley Christian Middle School gym, which is just a few blocks away on 22702 48th Avenue.

Jim has been receiving much positive response from those who attended. The facility has a “new and bigger” feeling. The gym, where we meet is larger, and the sound seemed much more balanced (much praise to our dedicated sound team and musicians). The most promising thing is that we have an extra 200 chairs ready to be filled with our friends. Wouldn’t it be cool to have Langley campus full and North Shore as well? That would mean 450 people.

We’ve got a great church, great people and lots of love to share. Let’s move forward in working as a team to fill the seats with our friends. OK?

Directions: From the intersection of Fraser Highway and 216 Street, go East on Fraser Highway until 48 Avenue. Veer left off Fraser onto 48 Avenue. The new location is on the right. Come early so you can get oriented, help set up, and meet some wonderful people.

Langley Christian Middle School
Address: 22702 48th Avenue, Langley, BC, V2Z 2T6

Resource Center Needs New Home

Creekside's Resource Center no longer exists. We were informed that the public school district wanted to upgrade the portable where our office and resource center was located. Basically we were evicted. So this Wednesday, a small, but dedicated crew, stored all the equipment and resources in our shed.

Does anyone have any leads on a possible space we could have to establish another meeting place? If so, let Colin or Jim know. Thanks.

Camp Hope 2006

Camp Meeting 2006 is coming to Hope from July 21 to 29. Hundreds, even thousands, of people from Creekside and our sister churches throughout BC get together for a time of spiritual renewal and connecting with others. Creekside has it’s annual Camp Meeting church wide lunch potluck on Sabbath, July 22, at the Young Adult Tent. This will be a great opportunity to meet old friends and get to know new ones. Bring food and a friend.

Please note: There will be no worship gatherings at Creekside on July 22 and 29. If this is a new deal for you or you need more information please speak to your campus pastor.

Getting Married: Julie Atha

Many of you know Julie Atha. She is getting married on July 23, at 2:00 p.m. at the Camp Meeting location. She invites each of us to attend her wedding. (One more good reason to attend Camp Meeting!) Congratulations, Julie!

Fun Activities: North Shore Grouse Grind

A group from North shore planned to do the Grouse Grind this Sunday, July 9. This created a huge conflict for all the dedicated soccer fans who want to watch the world cup final so we will reschedule this for some time after camp meeting.

Blessings and joy,

Jim and Colin

Hi Creeksiders,

Happy Canada Day 2006!

Here are some things you really need to know about:

MILE 20

Our current series, MILE 20, is in week two. We continue to talk about the reality that there comes a point in any long distance race, relationship, career, spiritual journey where we hit "the wall." It is then that we wrestle with the question, "Do I quit here, or keep going?" We got lots of positive vibes from last week.

The message title for July 1 is A Long Hard Road.

Perhaps you or someone you love is in season of pain. And it's not just that life hurts, but that the agony continues for a long, long time. As human beings in an imperfect world, we're bound to go through this season. And what then? Today we'll explore those realities and learn from the lives of four very different but very memorable Bible characters.

Pay It Forward

Our next Pay It Forward project happens on July 1. If you missed the last one, Pay it Forward is a ministry we have at Creekside where we do something for other people without expecting anything in return. It’s fun and a great chance to make friends. In fact, we have planned a service event that can help us meet hundreds of people in a positive way.

The plan? Meet at the volunteer tent for the Canada Celebration next to the Langley Airport on Sabbath around 2:30 p.m. That’s where Creekside’s home base is located. You’ll want to bring an apron to attach your nametag and to carry your supplies. We’ll spread out over the grounds and offer free Canada Flag Tattoos (not permanent ones!). While we give this gift to whoever wants it, we’ll be able to get to know them and give them a “Happy Canada Day” card from Creekside. This is LOW RISK and a good way to serve. You can come any time between 2:30 and 5:30 p.m.

Creekside Moving

Langley Campus is meeting for the first time July 1 at the Langley Christian Middle School gym, which is just a few blocks away on 22702 48th Avenue. From the intersection of Fraser Highway and 216 Street, go East on Fraser Highway until 48 Avenue. Veer left off Fraser onto 48 Avenue. The new location is on the right. Come early so you can get oriented, help set up, and meet some wonderful people.

Langley Christian Middle School
(Address: 22702 48th Avenue, Langley, BC, V2Z 2T6)

Some good news for North Shore set up and take down crew is that our equipment can be left setup through the summer. This means we do a regular set up this weekend and then we can leave everything setup for July and August. Doesn’t that sound great?

Camp Hope

There is a huge gathering at Camp Hope called Camp Meeting from July 21 to 29. Hundreds, even thousands, of people from Creekside and our sister churches throughout BC get together for a time of spiritual renewal and connecting with others. Creekside is planning a church wide potluck on Sabbath, July 22, at the Young Adult Tent. This will be a great opportunity to meet old friends and get to know new ones. Bring food and a friend.

Please note: There will be no worship gatherings at Creekside on July 22 and 29. If this is a new deal for you or you need more information please speak to your campus pastor.

Julie's Getting Married

Many of you know Julie Atha. She is getting married on July 23, at 2:00 p.m. at the Camp Meeting location. She invites each of us to attend her wedding. (One more good reason to attend Camp Meeting!) Congratulations, Julie!

Blessings and joy,

Jim and Colin

Hi Creeksiders,

Here are some things you really need to know about:

New Series

We start a new series this week called MILE 20. For the next 4 weeks we are going to talk about the reality that there comes a point in any long distance race, relationship, career, spiritual journey where we hit "the wall." It is then that we wrestle with the question, "Do I quit here, or keep going?"

The title for June 24 is Crossroads.

Have you ever felt like bailing? Have you felt like distancing yourself from certain people, certain experiences, that perhaps God put into your life? Today we'll explore those feelings, where they come from, and how some others have dealt with similar emotions.

Pay It Forward

Our next Pay It Forward project happens on July 1. If you missed the last one, Pay it Forward is a ministry we have at Creekside where we do something for other people without expecting anything in return. It’s fun and a great chance to make friends. I know you will want to hear and see what the next project involves so, be sure to be at one of Creekside’s campuses tomorrow.

Langley campus is moving

This is the last week that Langley campus meets at the elementary school.

On July 1 we’ll be meeting in the Langley Christian Middle School gym, which is just a few blocks away on 22702 48th Avenue.

From the intersection of Fraser Highway and 216 Street, go East on Fraser Highway until 48 Avenue. Turn North off Fraser onto 48 Avenue. The new location is on your right.

Come early so you can get oriented, help set up, and meet some wonderful people.

Langley Christian Middle School
(Address: 22702 48th Avenue, Langley, BC, V2Z 2T6)

Some good news for North Shore set up and take down crew is that our equipment can be left setup through the summer. This means we do a regular set up and take down on June 24 and then from July 1 we can leave everything setup for July and August.

Camp Hope - July 21 - July 29

There is a huge gathering at Camp Hope called Camp Meeting from July 21 to 29. Hundreds, even thousands, of people from Creekside and our sister churches throughout BC get together for a time of spiritual renewal and connecting with others.

(Map from last year here)

There will be no worship gatherings at Creekside on July 22 and 29.

If this is a new deal for you or you need more information please speak to your campus pastor.

Blessings and joy,

Jim and Colin

Hi everyone,

People are still talking about last weekend. Yeah God for making Hassan’s membership celebration an awesome experience. Then we had a great time at Nikesha’s dedication. It was fun to connect with people from both campuses. We need to be doing more of that!

Pay It Forward

This week our Pay it Forward Team met to vision and plan for ways we can connect with our communities. I know God has some cool things in mind for us. In fact, keep July 1, Canada Day, afternoon available. If all the details work out, we may be doing a both campus PIF project together!

Downloading audio files from the website.

Some people have been asking how to download messages so here’s the deal:

Right click on the Click to Download MP3 here link, select “save link as” and save the audio file to your hard drive.

Series: The Fabulous Life Of David

We continue the series this week.

Series Summary…

There was once a guy named David who lived a fabulous life, going from the "lowest" to the "highest" with everything in between.

What is compelling is the imperfect way David handled his ups and downs.

Where might your life story cross David's?

This week’s message is “A Real Friend” – Here’s the summary:

Adventist Health Study 2

Several Creeksiders have already signed up to be part of Adventist Health Study-2 and filled out the questionnaires. This is really a cool way to turn an hour of your time into a wide influence. The researchers tell us they have received 90,000 responses so far and they need another 15,000 to get significant results. Participants need to be 30 or older. (By the way, what you eat or your current health is not an issue.)

There are 4 ways to join or get a replacement questionnaire if you lost yours:

1. Pick up a form at ether Creekside campus.

or

2. Call toll free 1-877-700-7077

or

3. go online www.adventisthealthstudy.org

or

4. email ahs2extra@llu.edu (include your name, address, phone # and church)

Either way, you’ll get a personalized form in the mail.

Looking forward to seeing you this weekend!

God bless you every one,

Jim and Colin

Hi everyone,

It’s almost the May long weekend. If you are going camping or just relaxing at home, have a great time. If you are in the area please join us at either our North Shore or Langley campus.

Great music starts at 10:30 a.m. and this week the Message is called “What do you really want?”

Jesus is the master of the next question.

His teaching often revolves around questions like, “What do you want me to do for you?” and “How badly do you want it?”. We are going to discuss these big questions this week.

Next weekend is all about celebrating some of God’s good things.

10:30 am at North Shore campus we are going to raise the roof and say yeah God as we welcome Hassan as Creekside’s first Muslim Christian member. Please pray for Hassan and those who are stepping up to this important commitment.

Several people are moving towards membership at Langley campus as well. Details should be coming soon.

Then at 6:30 p.m. we are going to have another celebration to dedicate Ruby Klein’s baby to Jesus.

Check the website and the announcement slides at both campuses for details.

Small groups are a big deal at Creekside.

There are groups meeting in North Vancouver, Vancouver, Burnaby, and Surrey. For more information check out the poster on the notice board or contact Tara Emmons at tara.emmons@gmail.com.

Children's Ministry Needs

Imagine a whole group of children really excited about Jesus and coming to meet with their friends. That’s a picture of what God is doing week after week through our children’s ministry teams.

Our teams do an awesome job of connecting kids with Jesus and each other. And they are looking for some people to help take that to the next level.

They are looking for people who can be in the room to help the teacher as well as people who can play a musical instrument.

Gina Aitchison (email), the North Shore team leader says she can adapt the schedule to fit with people’s busy lives. Ryon Howell (email) and Tammy Fleming (email) agree.

Please pray about this and speak with either of them or email them.

Thanks for your prayers

Alfonso is improving. It’s great to have a church family that cares and prayers. If you have any specific requests and would like them to go out in this Pastor’s Update, please send them to Jim Gaull (email).

God's best to each of you,

Jim Gaull & Colin Griffiths
(posted by Sherman Hu c/o Jim Gaull & Colin Griffiths)