Thursday, June 01, 2006

May 31, 2006

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you." John 21:15

Last week in my personal Bible study, the chapter of John 21 came alive and as I was studying, the Spirit of God nudged me and whispered that this would be the chapter to guide my time with Him. Please take some time and pray that chapter for me and the Gaddinis this summer. I will look forward to returning in September. In the meantime, you are in for quite a summer! Below is the prospectus, which is also on our homepage, for your journey through the book of John. God Bless you, PCC, and may we both grow to look and act more like Jesus in our time apart!

Gary

Prospectus for the Summer:

no ordinary day: experience life in an extraordinary way
june 5 - september 3, 2006

John 20:31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Summer is a unique time around the Peninsula Covenant Community. While most churches are slowing down and taking a breather during the hot days, our Community Center and Church are swelling with folks young and old from all over the world, nation and Peninsula, who descend on our campus seeking rest, recreation or refreshment. The lawn becomes brown not from the sweltering heat, but from the enjoyment of over usage. The pool deck overflows with people, while the parking lot has been known to turn into a Zoom-like carnival. Meanwhile, the people of PCC are venturing out on vacations, retreating to remote destinations, attempting new endeavors and coming back and forth with the exciting news of their happenings. For those who are caught up in this whirling summer synergy, there are no ordinary days.

Like the summers of PCC, Jesus' ministry had no ordinary days. In His comings and goings, His endless encounters with people from a variety of backgrounds and places became remarkable experiences. Whether it was with a woman at a well at high noon or a weekend wedding feast, Jesus demonstrated for us how God's power turns ordinary encounters into extraordinary events.

As we head into this new season, our desire is that you would have no ordinary summer. By saturating (a slow 3-month soak, no quick rinse) ourselves in the book of John, we hope that the experiences of Jesus would spark a "no ordinary day mindset" as you go about your ordinary daily routines. What if...going to the grocery store moved beyond the mundane and into the miraculous?....What if heading to work was no longer just an obligation but an anticipated event?....What if getting a cup of coffee resulted in life-altering encounter? All of this is possible through His power.

In order to help you experience the extraordinary the following will be available to you:

daily:
- Wristband Reminder ($1.00 at Resource Center)
- Book of John: Reading Guide (begin June 12--see schedule below)
- Book of John: Study Guide by Max Lucado ($10, Resource Center, 6/4)
- Online Book of John Forum (begins week of June 12)

weekly:
- Sunday Messages (see below)
- Book of John Groups (6-12 weeks; starting week of June 12)
- Memory Passage: John 15:4-13
- Family Time Devotional Packet (12 weeks)
- Mercy Cafe' Sundays at 7:30 in Fellowship Center
- An Ordinary Day with Jesus Workshop (June 23-Aug 27)

monthly:
- No Ordinary Day Experiences (July 4, August 6)*

*Our No Ordinary Day Experience on Tuesday, July 4 will involve blessing those specifically at the 4th of July parade/events in Redwood City or wherever you are in whatever manner you are guided by God. On Sunday, August 6, our morning gatherings will be cancelled in order to allow for folks to be guided by God on how they spend their No Ordinary Day. On that day, we will gather together at 6pm at PCC to celebrate and share our experiences.

By summer's end, we yearn for each person to have had many extraordinary experiences during their no ordinary days of summer. Along the way, we are hoping you integrate God more by growing in expectancy, yearning for His Word, seeing what He sees, overcoming your fear, and through His Spirit experiencing the extraordinary on a regular basis.

No Ordinary Day -- Summer 2006 Message Breakdown
Date Scripture Focus Speaker
June 4 John 4:1-42 Woman at the Well Reggie McNeal

June 11 Overview of John Brian Rhen

June 18 John 2:1-12 Wedding at Cana Rod Toews

June 25 No Ordinary Day in the Mission Field Jan Epps-Dawson

July 2 John 3:1-21 Jesus and Nicodemus Brian Rhen

July 9 John 6:1-15 Feeding the 5000 Jeff Smith

July 16 John 7:53-8:11 Jesus & The Adulterous Woman Brian Rhen

July 23 John 9 Man Born Blind Paul DeNeui

July 30 John 11:1-45 Jesus and Lazarus Tony Gapastione

Aug. 6 John 13:1-17 Jesus Washes the Disciple's Feet
No Ordinary Sunday Experience (6:00pm only)

Aug. 13 John 12:1-11 Jesus at Bethany Brian Rhen/Tony G.

Aug. 20 John 20:24-31 Jesus and Thomas Brian Rhen

Aug. 27 John 21:1-23 Jesus Reinstates Peter Chuck Wysong

Sept. 03 No Ordinary Summer Reflections Open Sharing

weekly reading schedule:
06/12: John 1:1-34
06/19: John 1:35-2:25
06/26: John 3:1-4:42
07/03: John 4:43-5:47
07/10: John 6:1-71
07/17: John 7:1-8:59
07/24: John 9:1-10:42
07/31: John 11:1-12:50
08/07: John 13:1-14:14
08/14: John 14:15-17:26
08/21: John 18:1-20:18
08/28: John 20:19-21:25

memory passage - John 15:4-13
4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.
11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

daily prayer:
Father,
Thank you for this day.
May Your Spirit give me the eyes to see, ears to hear and the mouth to convey what you are doing.
Make this day extraordinary for your glory.
In Jesus name, Amen.