Eyes of Compassion + Sunday Morning Resources

TCC • May 13, 2022

I loved the picture Kim painted for us last Sunday as she reflected on Jesus and Peter from John 13. If you were at church in person or watched online, you heard her describe the moment when Jesus was about to wash Peter’s feet. There are so many times when I wish we had a video to watch of that moment, but we’re left to our imaginations as we seek to put ourselves into the stories of the Bible. This is one of those times. 


The moment Kim shared from this story was when Peter loudly exclaimed, “No. You won’t wash my feet.” I wish I had a clear picture of the look on Jesus’ face at that moment. Kim helped me to realize that Jesus was looking at Peter with eyes of love, compassion, and maybe even with a gentle smile on His face. Do you ever picture Jesus looking at you with such love? 


Let me encourage you to pull your Bible or Bible App out and read the last supper story from John 13. As you do, picture Jesus and Peter in your mind as their eyes connected for those moments. Peter may have remembered all the times when he blurted out an inappropriate emotional reaction to what Jesus was doing. It may have caused him to feel shame or regret. I don’t think Jesus was recalling any of Peter’s failures or emotional blunders. I imagine Jesus was thinking of the Father’s words from Jeremiah 31 when God says to His people, “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” I believe Jesus was contemplating all He loved about Peter with an understanding that He would soon go to the cross to erase all Peter’s shame and guilt. I believe Jesus was looking at Him with eyes of compassion.


That makes me want to ask you what you think Jesus thinks about you. Is it glare of disappointment or anger, or does Jesus look at you with the same eyes of love and compassion? Will you meditate on that scene and place yourself in Peter’s spot at the table? Sit and reflect on Jesus’ love for you in that moment. 


This Sunday, we get to observe Communion together. It’s a time to remember how much Jesus loves us. It’s a time to recall His time on the cross, where He hung there with all the pain and shame of this cruel form of death – and He did it because He loves us. When we can rest in His love, we can have hope in the middle of the moments of life when we feel that we’re not worthy of being loved. So please make sure to be at church on Sunday because Communion is a time when God reminds us of our identity in Him. We are His BELOVED. 

 

Here are some upcoming opportunities to SHARE LIFE, STRENGTHEN FAITH, SERVE OTHERS, and SPREAD HOPE to our family and community. 

 

As part of SERVE OUR COMMUNITY, we will host the Nevada County Foster Care Family Fair tomorrow, Saturday, May 14. We will be supporting several of our county agencies and organizations for a day of fun, encouragement, and resource sharing from 10:00am-2:00pm. This event would be an excellent opportunity to learn more about the foster care services in our community and how you can help support these families. It’s free and includes lunch! 


GROWTH PATH is Sunday, May 15. Growth Path is a fantastic time to find out more about our church and how you can fit in here. We all need a place where we can know and be known, love and be loved, serve and be served, and celebrate and be celebrated. So, I hope you’ll go to our website and register to attend the class that fits you best. We are eager to talk about God’s call on our church and how you can belong and participate in a meaningful way as we practice the way of Jesus together.


The next DRIVE-THRU FOOD DRIVE collection day to support Interfaith Food Ministry is Friday, May 20, from 8:00-10:30am. Please bring your non-perishable foods to the church, and we’ll make sure all the food gets delivered to Interfaith. This is a huge help to the resource-challenged in our community. We will also be receiving specific items to help Hospitality House. Here’s how you can find out what they most need. Just bring items from this list with your food donations.


CELEBRATE BAPTISM on Sunday, May 22 in both gatherings. If you’ve never taken this meaningful step with Jesus by identifying with Him and His church through baptism, we want to encourage you to “go public” with your faith. You can find out more on Sunday, May 15 by attending our baptism class that meets at 9:00am. Please visit our website and indicate your interest or meet at the Coffee Bar for this one-time class.


RUN FOR THE COMMUNITY is Saturday, June 4. What an excellent opportunity for us to serve the local running Grand Prix. You can sign up to serve or participate in the 5k Run/Walk. Just go to our website or look for the SPREAD HOPE table on Sunday while you’re at church. All the proceeds from this event will be funneled back to our local Community Partners to encourage them in their mission to make Nevada County better.


THIS SUNDAY we begin a new series called ROOTED: Grow Deep, Build Up, Live Strong. This series is directly out of the New Testament book of Colossians. On Sunday, we will set up the series by giving the context and purpose for this beautiful letter written by the Apostle Paul. You might consider reading all four chapters before Sunday to prepare your heart for what God wants to say as we dig into this book. We will also have a moment to observe Communion together as part of our gathering.

 

Here are the links you’ll need to prepare for Sunday’s Service: 


   

Joyfully living everyday life on mission in intimacy with Jesus and others,

New Paragraph

Secure in the Spirit + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • September 12, 2025
Last week, we saw how Jesus’ ministry began with the Father’s blessing and identity spoken over Him . But what came next? Rejection, criticism, and pressure to compromise or conform at every turn. How did Jesus stand strong when others doubted, opposed, or even tried to silence Him ? He was secure in His Father’s love and empowered by the Holy Spirit. This Sunday, we’ll look at what it means to live with that same Spirit-filled confidence, rooted in God’s voice and empowered by His presence, not the world’s opinions. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.

Let’s Take a Walk With Jesus + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • September 5, 2025
This Sunday we’re kicking off a new series, Walking With Jesus . Together, we’ll journey through Luke’s Gospel and learn how Jesus stayed rooted in the Father’s love, stood firm against pressure, and never lost sight of what mattered most. Our journey will begin where His public ministry began, grounded in identity, love, and blessing from the Father. That secure foundation shaped everything Jesus did, and it’s the same foundation we desperately need today. I hope you’ll join us as we take the first step in Walking With Jesus . Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.

Don’t Just Go to Church — Be the Church + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • August 29, 2025
It’s so easy to think of church as a place we go for 70 minutes on Sunday. But Jesus had something far bigger in mind. The church isn’t a building or a service; it’s people. WE are the church. We comprise this brand-new movement that Jesus came to start and it’s a movement that moves beyond a building and permeates every area in our community. When you step into your school, workplace, neighborhood, or family, you bring the presence of Jesus with you.  This Sunday we’ll wrap up our Brand: New series by exploring what it means to live as the church everywhere we go and how each of us has a unique role to play in God’s mission. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.

The Way Up is Down + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • August 22, 2025
Have you ever noticed how the world works? The ones on top call the shots, set the rules, and expect others to fall in line. And deep down, we tend to think that’s how change happens, by overpowering those who oppose us. Jesus had a different idea. He looked His disciples in the eye and said, “Not so with you.” True leadership isn’t about getting your way; it’s about giving yourself away. This Sunday, we’ll explore what it means to lead, serve, and live in a way that flips the world’s expectations upside down. Take the Next Step: If you’re ready to go deeper in your relationship with Jesus and connect more with our church community, join us after 2nd service for Growth Path classes. This is your chance to learn, grow, and discover how you can make a difference where you are. Click here to learn more. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.

What Does Love Require of Me? + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • August 15, 2025
This week we continue our Brand: New series with a question that can reshape every relationship, every decision, and every interaction you have: What does love require of me? Jesus replaced rule-keeping religion with something far simpler, yet far more demanding. He taught that our devotion to God is best demonstrated by the way we treat the people around us, especially those who are hardest to love. Join us Sunday as we explore how to live out this radical, world-changing way of love. Then, join us Sunday afternoon from 4:00-7:30 for our annual Picnic at the Park & Baptisms at Pioneer Park in Nevada City. Our cooking team will be grilling chicken and hot dogs for everyone. We just ask that you bring either an app, salad, or dessert to share. Then at 7:00 we’ll head over to the Pioneer Park pool to cheer on those taking the next step in their faith journey through baptism. You can find out more details about the picnic and baptisms here . Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.

What’s Love Got to Do With It? + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • August 8, 2025
This weekend, we continue our series Brand: Ne w with a look at how Jesus launched a movement unlike anything the world had seen before. The night before His crucifixion, Jesus gave a defining command: "Love one another... By this, everyone will know that you are My disciples." John 13:34–35 This wasn’t just another rule — it was the foundation of a brand-new way of living. Early believers embraced this wholeheartedly, building a community marked by generosity, grace, and sacrificial love that even the unbelieving world couldn’t ignore. But over time, the Church drifted back toward an old, rule-based, temple-model mindset — sacred places, sacred people, sacred texts in the hands of a select few. Power replaced love, belief trumped behavior, and this simple command of Jesus got buried under layers of religion. This Sunday, we’ll explore how we can reject the temple model in our own lives and return to the movement Jesus intended, one where relationship replaces religion, love outweighs law, and people matter more than places. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.

Brand: New – Why the Old Way No Longer Works + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • August 1, 2025
This weekend, we’re continuing our Brand: New series by looking at why the “Temple Model” of religion, with all its rules, rituals, and spiritual scorecards, is incompatible with the brand-new covenant of grace Jesus came to give us. Paul says it best in Galatians 5: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. ” But for many of us, letting go of old ways of earning God’s love feels almost impossible. We like the idea of grace… but we still want to “pay what we can.” This Sunday, we’ll see why Jesus’ new covenant isn’t just an upgrade to the old system. It’s a completely different way of life. Bring a friend and join us as we discover how freeing and powerful this brand-new movement really is. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.

The Benefit of Doubt and a Chance to Make a Difference + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • July 18, 2025
This Sunday, we wrap up our Beyond Doubt series, not because the questions have run out, but because they never will. Doubt isn’t a detour from faith; it’s part of the path. So we’ll end where we began: exploring how our honest questions can actually lead to deeper trust in God. We’ll look at one of the psalms of lament and discover how engaging our doubts can strengthen a resilient, grounded faith. Also, don’t forget that our Hope for Nevada County Backpack Giveaway is just one week away! We’re excited to bless local families with the tools their kids need to start school strong, but we’re still in need of several key supplies: • 1" binders • 70-page spiral notebooks • Pencils (both regular and mechanical) • Colored pencils • Glue sticks • Scissors • Highlighters Please choose one or more items, purchase multiples of them and bring them with you to church on Sunday or have them shipped directly to the church. Click here to find out more about the event. Thank you for being a church that shows up for our community in real, practical ways. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.

Living on a Prayer + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • July 11, 2025
Prayer. It’s something many of us struggle with and long to understand better. What is it really for? Does it actually change anything? And how do we pray when we’re not sure what to say? This Sunday, as part of our Beyond Doubt series, I’ll be joined by Pastor Dan Prout, who heads the California Prayer Coalition. Dan has spent decades leading prayer efforts in our region and across the state, and I can’t think of a better guide to help us wrestle with some of our biggest questions about prayer, including, “Does prayer change God’s mind?” and “If God already knows what’s going to happen, why should we pray at all?” I hope you’ll join us for this honest, encouraging, and practical conversation. And if it leaves you wanting more, Dan will also be leading this week’s Grow University session to help you take the next step in your prayer life. Click here for details on that midweek conversation. Finally, we are two weeks away from Hope for Nevada County, our countywide back-to-school effort to help struggling families prepare for the start of the school year. We have all the backpacks, but what we really need are back-to-school supplies to fill those backpacks: pencils, mechanical pencils, glue sticks, binder paper, pens, 2-pocket folders, 1" binders, 70-page spiral notebooks, colored markers or pencils, scissors, dry erase markers, and highlighters. You can purchase multiples of one of these items and drop them off at church by Sunday, July 20 or just have them shipped directly to the church. Click here to find out more about the event. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.
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