Weekly Email 03.24.22

Dear Gathering Place Family...

One of the most important factors of the season of Lent is repentance.  Setting aside a time to truly examine our lives and ask ourselves – through the conviction of the Holy Spirit – what sins we have allowed to take hold in our lives.  This week we will be addressing the idea of repentance and focusing on what it looks like to genuinely repent and change our actions as opposed to just trying to feel covered for our sins.  Grace abounds and offers us a truly beautiful gift, but many people use this as an excuse to no longer seek change in their lives.  They live how they want day to day with no intention of seeing themselves become a new creation.  We will examine the idea of sin in our lives and what repentance looks like.

You can still partner with us in supporting refugees that are fleeing war.  Since 2002, Traci and I have partnered with an orphanage in Ukraine and all the children have been able to make it out to Germany.  However, there is still a great need for food, clothing, shelter, educational materials, and much more.  If you would like to make a one-time or an on-going gift to support the children of Father’s House orphanage you can do so through our church – and all that money will be sent directly to them as they prepare for what is next for these displaced children and families.  Ukraine Orphanage Update
 

Good Friday is on April 15 at 7:00 PM.  We will have a service to recall the sacrifice Jesus made for us through his death.   We want to invite you all to join us as we set aside this time to center and focus on the reason that the church exists and the promise we have because of the sacrifice God made to redeem each of us.  This one-hour service and we would love to have you join us for this time to remember and lament and repent.

Community pancake breakfast and Easter egg hunt will take place April 16th at 9:00 AM.  Please come out and join us for this great outreach to our community.  This is a chance for us to show the community we care and invite friends, family, neighbors and co-workers to a non-threatening introduction to who our church is.  We will have invite cards printed and at the information booth this Sunday and we would love for all of you to join us that day as we welcome guests and allow our kids to have a fun time together leading up to the celebration of Easter. 

Jeff Espeseth

Blessings ~

Lead Pastor, Gathering Place