Weekly Email 03.31.22
Dear Gathering Place Family...
I heard so many comments about repentance and how people perceived what I said last week. I appreciate all the feedback and know that God has so many incredible things in store for his followers that move from a concept of “cheap” grace to a life marked by the Holy Spirit, deep conviction, and passionate pursuit of all that God has for us.
The children of Father’s House which was located in Ukraine, but is currently being established temporarily in Germany, are beginning to settle in. They have begun to reestablish healthy learning habits and find a rhythm in their new location. We ask for continued prayer for the workers still remaining just outside Kiev. Pray for their safety, their physical needs to be met as there are food and water shortages, and for them to feel the presence of God in the middle of war. You can support the orphans of Father’s House through your giving to Gathering Place. Mark Ukraine on an offering envelope or make a notation on your on-line giving. Together with other churches our partnership can help ease the burden of so many for just a small financial sacrifice.
This weekend we will be examining the idea of confession and sacrifice as part of our discipleship process. Many have the wrong idea of confession. It is not confessing to another so that they can forgive your sins, but it is about cleansing our soul so our hearts and minds can clearly focus on our relationship with God. It is my hope that you will find incredible release when we learn about this spiritual practice for our lives.
Men’s breakfast is this Saturday at 9 AM. Please consider joining us for an hour together as we eat, pray, hear a brief devotion, and connect with one another. We love having you be a part of our time as we strive to build relationships. All men are invited and you are welcome to bring a friend as well.
Our annual Easter celebration is coming up in just a few weeks. We will have a Good Friday service on April 15th at 7 PM. This will be a time to focus our hearts on the sacrifice Jesus made so that we could have reconciliation with God. This one-hour service will be a time of remembrance and an opportunity to focus our hearts on God. We will live-stream this service for those who prefer to view from home as well.
Saturday morning at 9 AM will be a community pancake breakfast and Easter egg hunt at the Des Moines campus. We need lots of help to serve our community and our friends at this event. You can sign-up in the lobby to be a part. Thanks to all that took eggs to fill with candy and for those who grabbed invitation cards for this fun time together.
Sunday morning, April 17th, is our Easter service. Please join us at 10 AM as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. I would encourage you to arrive early as parking can be an issue on certain days. We hope you can make it and bring a friend along for this wonderful and celebratory time for our church family.
Looking for a way to be involved but crunched for time on the weekends? There are several service opportunities to help clean the grounds at both our Burien and Des Moines campus as we prepare for spring – focusing on finishing by Easter. There are hedges to trim, weeds to pull, leaves to rake and just general outdoor maintenance that needs to happen so we are ready to host guests that may be joining us for these great times together. Interested in more specific areas or wanting to serve even just a couple hours? Contact me and we can help you find projects that will work for you.
Blessings ~
Jeff Espeseth
Lead Pastor, Gathering Place