SUNDAY'S COMING!

How will you spend the rest of your life?

I am having the privilege of walking with people who are dying. I call it a privilege because heaven is a sure reward to those who trust in Jesus. I often feel like I am seeing great athletes cross a finish line about to get the gold medal. One of the precious things to me about both Ralph Mouw and Rollie Simmelink (and many others of their generations) is the way in which so many are living strong for the Lord to the end of their lives. They are doing this because they have not wavered from the walk that they started so many years ago.

I have also seen many who stopped living long before they grew old. These are the ones who settle for a kind of aimlessness in life. At the end of an aimless life, Gordon MacDonald in A Resilient Life observes:

"One of the saddest experiences is to awaken at old age and discover that
one has been using only a small portion of self."

On the flip side of aimlessness are those who keep a sharp focus on Christ and joyful obedience in their step. People like E. Stanley Jones, 50-year veteran of Methodist missions in India. After suffering a stroke at 83, he muttered words that became a book. In it he observed,

"There are scars on my faith, but underneath those scars there are no doubts. [Christ] has me with the consent of all my being and with the cooperation of all my life. The song I sing is a lit song. Not the exuberance of youth that often fades when middle and old age sets in with their disillusionment and cynicism..... No, I'm 83, and I'm more excited today about being a Christian than I was at 18 when I first put my feet upon the way."

I'm thankful for living examples of men who did not cave in to disillusionment in middle or old age.

On Sunday, we'll all meet another example. Our story belongs to Rev. Ron and Margy Sanford. An RCA minister with a wonderful congregation and children all grown, this clergy couple felt called of God to leave their suburban church and children behind for serving Christ by reaching unreached peoples. They now serve with To Every Tribe Ministries. Most couples in their 50s are squirreling away funds for retirement; Ron and Margy are banking on Christ's provision and giving their lives away. I'll preach on Ron's favorite text (Romans 15:14-21), and we'll all be inspired by the story of one who says, "I don't want to shine my light for Christ in a room that is already lit."

Also on Sunday, we'll celebrate Holy Communion.

In the grip of grace,

Pastor Jon Opgenorth

HAITI GROUP RETURNS FRIDAY!

Remember in prayer the Haiti team returning Friday. All is going well. We anticipate hearing of God's grace in their lives. Thanks be to God!

LINKS

Be sure to check out the links at the right for important updates from the church website. You can see the bulletin for Sunday by visiting the home page - http://www.trinityoc.com/.

Trinity Prayer Requests

To View This Post on the Web Click Here.

Please take time to pray for these dear men:

ROLLIE SIMMELINK is now under Hospice care at home and has been declining rapidly since last week. A Caring Bridge site has been established for him. Click here to view it.

RALPH MOUW also continues under Hospice care at home. He also is declining.

As you pray, please remember the family members who help and care for each of these men.

HAITI
We received an e-mail from Rob today that all is going well. The team is doing and learning a lot.

"God always has a reason."

He said those words part way through a 2 minute and 57 second news conference yesterday afternoon. "He" is Aaron Thomas. Aaron is the son of Ed Thomas, legendary football coach and beloved member of the Parkersburg community. His players include 100s of kids next door and four NFL stars (including, yes, a Green Bay Packer). Yesterday morning Ed was shot and killed by a former student - while he was with 30 other students lifting weights for the fall season. You can read more coverage here.

The events are a crushing blow to his family, church, and community. We feel our own ties, too. We have sent (and will send) work groups to help rebuild the tornado-damaged homes of a year ago. Several of our families have relatives who live or lived in the area. Trinity son, Gary Hegstad, served at the Reformed Church in Applington. We feel for our sisters and brothers.

But in 2:57 I doubt whether you will hear a better understanding of faith under such circumstances. Aaron was poised, calm, and clear. You get the sense that these were not emotional words to put a band-aid over raw pain. They are words you speak if you have faith that has a deep reservoir. "God always has a reason."

I'm preaching on Joshua 24 this week, and I can't help but imagine Coach Thomas playing the part of Joshua in some locker-room pre-game talk: "Choose this day who you will serve, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." I never heard of him until yesterday, but I learned this anecdote from a person who used to live there. She reported that a friend's son was going out for football this year, not because he like football, but because he wanted to be on Ed's team.

The video is posted below. If your computer doesn't show the video, you can view it by visiting www.trinityorangecity.blogspot.com or on You Tube clicking here.





SUNDAY'S COMING

Our series on Stories of Faith from People in the Pew continues this week with Ardie Hegstad. You will be inspired by her story of a wedding gift that has been passed down through the generations and how Joshua 24:14-15 have been a powerful influence on Ardie and Glen's life. Ardie is not able to worship each wekk in the pew with us, but she is an integral part of our family in Christ.






OFF TO HAITI

Rob called this morning at 6:00 a.m. to say the team was on schedule and off for the final stretch to Haiti. All is going well. Thanks be to God!

Be sure to check out the right hand side bar for links to Trinity's website, where you can find the Sunday prayer list and bulletin announcements.

God bless you all,

Pastor Jon Opgenorth

Vantage Point 3 Intro Meeting on Wednesday

Reminder:

What: VantagePoint3 Informational meeting

When: Tomorrow, Wed., June 24th at 7:00 PM (Year 2 group will meet at 6:30 PM- must have completed Year 1 to attend)

Where: Trinity Family Center

Why: Are you asking these questions: Who is God? Who am I? What does God desire to do through me? Come hear how this class will help us discover our gifts/talents together and wrestle with these questions.

Please contact Jon Nelson at 737-4542 if you plan to attend.

Blessings, Jon Nelson

Sunday's Coming!

Stop Worrying!

Paul could not be clearer when he wrote, “do not be anxious about anything” (Philippians 4:6).

His language is a command, “Stop worrying!”

This is not a parent to a child worried that the white cloud he sees may be a tornado. This is not a camp counselor to a camper afraid of the dark.

The worries of the Philippians and of Paul are not phantom anxieties or toothless dreams. He is in prison. The church is being persecuted. People are not getting along. The threat is real. So his “stop worrying” has teeth and the command to “not be anxious about anything” leaves no exceptions.

He does not deny reality; he simply believes that God is greater than whatever circumstances we are in.

Philippians 4:6-7 is the favorite verse of Bill Van Gorp. He is our story of faith in this week’s service. He’ll share how God’s grace has been with he and Joyce through the years and decades of their life together. These beloved verses are likely the favorites of many in the church.

6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of
God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in
Christ Jesus.

Surprisingly to me, I have not preached on this text with the exception of two funerals. I’ve preached through Philippians twice in team ministry, but both times another pastor preached this passage. I’m looking forward to my shot at this inspiring promise.

As you prepare to come to worship on Sunday, why not take some time to reflect on the things that bring anxiety into your life. Paul does not ask us to ignore anxiety-producing situations; he invites to give them to God. We’ll do this Sunday.

In the Grip of Grace,

Jon Opgenorth

PS - Check out the Links at the right to the church website where you'll find all the bulletin information, prayer list, and other news and notes.

Something New

We're trying some different ways to make "Sunday's Coming!" a more attractive communication peace. To see any pictures or graphics in this e-mail, just righ-click on them and select "Download Pictures."

Praise in the Park!



Bring your lawn chair to the park on Sunday evening as our praise teams lead us an outdoor evening of praise and worship. 6:00 p.m. in Windmill Park!



Haiti Week 1 is upon us!


Our high school students and adult sponsors will be traveling to Haiti next week (another group of adults will be going in July). Please remember them in prayer.


Amazing Video

Here is a video that Trinity member and Northwestern professor, Jamie Durham, made of Michelle Christy's (and Team Michelle's) participation in The Race for the Cure. Enjoy! If you cannot see the video, click on the link below to Jamie's video post.

Race For the Cure from Jamey Durham on Vimeo.