The Power of Prayer + Sunday Morning Resources

TCC • Nov 12, 2021

I received a heads up on Friday morning that my wait for surgery could very well be coming to an end. I kept my phone glued to my side all day so I wouldn’t miss the call I was told would come. My phone rang at 6:30pm, from UNKNOWN CALLER. I’ve learned to take many of the calls I might have screened during this wait because the UCSF staff use their personal cell phones for their communication.

I was glad I answered because it turned out to be one of the nurses in charge of getting me prepared for surgery in October. She told me that the stars had aligned and that I was set for surgery on TUESDAY, November 9th instead of the 16th or 30th which we had been told. Wow! Now, my head was swimming as I began to work on getting there in just two days since I have to get a COVID test on Monday. A lot of work was done on my behalf by the staff of the hospital. As much as I appreciate them, I appreciate my faithful and powerful prayer team even more.

Last week, Michael Bauer, our High School Director, recommended a song to our Worship Arts Team called THAT’S THE POWER by Hillsong Worship that God used to change my prayers concerning this waiting time I’ve been in. Here are some of the lyrics:

There’s a Name that levels mountains

Carves out highways through the sea

I’ve seen its power unravel battles

Right in front of me

That’s the power of Your Name

Just a mention makes a way

Giants fall and strongholds break

And there is healing

You still do miracles

You will do what You said

For You’re the same God now as

You’ve always been

After listening to that song, I heard a still small voice gently speak to me. I know it was God and the Holy Spirit leading me to go to a different place in my prayers. So, I wrote to a few of the people in my army of prayer warriors and asked them to pray this: Please pray. One doctor needs to adjust his schedule to get my surgery set for November 16. If he does, I’m in. If not, surgery will likely be pushed out until December. So, I am asking God to move this mountain. Will you pray and ask God for His provision, His miracle, and His healing? Well, it looks like God answered that prayer, and instead of November 16, He had November 9 in His plan for me.

Thank you so much for your prayers, love, tangible care during this season. Kim and I love you more than we could ever say.

Update from Kim on Wednesday, day after surgery: Great news! Ron seems a new man to me today as he was sitting up in a chair and had already walked around ICU before I arrived. He reports his pain is down to a 5 (that’s way better than last night!), and nurse says he will walk the hall at least once more today.

They are wonderfully watchful over Ron here — amazing hospital staff here at UCSF — and they plan to keep him in the ICU to watch him closely for a bit, then move him to a regular room in the hospital. We think he may remain here in San Francisco until at least Saturday or Sunday.

Ron reported really good news from his surgeon when he came by this morning — that cancer appeared really “well treated” (small) and that he saw good clean margins. That is amazing and encouraging news to us! We are asking God to make it final — that cancer is gone.

I want to share my moment of yesterday, when I FELT God’s nearness to me. While Ron was in surgery (which turned out to be 8.5 hours), I was talking to my friend Clarise, who is here with me. I was sharing how I know it was God who had, for some reason, put out His Hand and stopped the last surgery midstream. That I trust Him. At that instant, I glanced out the window and saw this sight outside my hotel room…

Look closely. Do you see RON’S name on that sign?! Someone had graffitied his name just for me, and then God arranged to put me in THIS room on the second floor and then directed my eyes in JUST that moment when I was declaring my trust in Him. In that instant, I knew my Father’s presence in a real way, and that the Almighty is indeed WORKING on RON’S behalf!

Thursday update: I can tell God’s people are praying! Ron is slated to move out of the ICU today, IF they can locate a bed for him in the main hospital. He is taking walks around the ICU regularly. When he took six laps at one time today, the nurse told me she got her steps in for the day! Ron’s pain is being managed and today the GI tube that ran through his nose was removed. I say “yippee!” Ron is a little too subdued by pain to say “yippee.” THANK YOU, warriors, for your ongoing prayers of boldness before the Throne of Grace (Hebrews 4:16). Please pray Ron will continue to experience God’s favor as he simply rests.

Here are some upcoming opportunities to SHARE LIFE and SPREAD HOPE to our community.

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD has been a way we’ve engaged for years now that allows us to reach out in a global way to spread the hope of Jesus during the holiday season. If you’ve never participated or want a review of why this is so important, just watch this video, and you’ll see the impact a small shoe box can have on the lives of children around the world. We have OCC boxes available at the church on Sunday mornings at the Spread Hope kiosk. Stop by, get yours, make a box, and return it to Twin Cities by Sunday, November 14.

SURVIVING THE HOLIDAYS GRIEFSHARE is a meaningful way to spread hope with your loved ones and friends who face the pain of loss during this season. The holidays have a way of turning up the heat under our pain, and we want to help you know that you are not alone. This one-time session offered Thursday, November 18, 5:30-7:30pm at Twin Cities, will help you find hope as you navigate the holidays without your loved one. You can guide people to our website for more information or to register.

BABES WHO BRUNCH is an inspiring opportunity for the young women in our church to make friends, grow spiritually, and find encouragement from other women. The next gathering is Saturday, November 20, at 11:00am-12:30pm in the church lobby. It’s potluck-style so bring a brunch dish to share. Go to the website to register.

GIRLS NIGHT OUT Christmas edition is Friday, December 3, 6:30-8:30pm at the church. Gather with the women of our church and the friends they invite for an evening of connection and reflection. Begin your Christmas by gathering to reflect on the true meaning behind all we celebrate. Check it out on the website and reserve space for you and an invited friend.

Our next BAPTISM will be December 12. Let me encourage you if you’ve never been baptized, PLEASE consider following the example set by Jesus when He allowed Himself to be baptized in the Jordan River. This is the first step He took to signify the beginning of His mission to seek and save the world. If you want to express your faith in Jesus through baptism, send an email to Mare, and attend the class Sunday, November 28 or December 5 at 9:00am. She will help you know everything you need.

THIS SUNDAY we will continue our RADIATE LOVE series based upon the New Testament book of 1 John. John writes to correct error that had seeped into some of the second-generation church teachers in the region of Ephesus. He writes to encourage the Followers of Jesus in that region to exemplify the words of Jesus when He said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this, everyone will know that you are My disciples if you love one another.”

Sunday’s message is about being Transformed by Real Love. God’s love is free and unconditional, but when we act on it by obeying His Word and building our lives on His truth, He transforms our hearts and makes us more loving.

Here are the links you’ll need to be fully prepared for Sunday’s Service:

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

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Good But Powerful + Sunday Morning Resources

By Deborah Conrad • 03 May, 2024

Good morning. Due to the rain forecast for tomorrow, we are postponing Serve Our Community until Saturday, May 18. If you have any questions or concerns, or if you have an idea for a service project, please email Kathy . This Sunday, we continue our journey through the Sermon on the Mount, and if you thought Jesus got personal last week, wait until this weekend. While the next few conversations are going to be uncomfortable, they are incredibly necessary, and we avoid them to our own detriment. I do want to let you know that this weekend’s message will be dealing with some adult topics, so please use your discretion with bringing young children into the service. That said, I would strongly encourage students from Jr. High up to join us, as this conversation will speak to areas that they absolutely need to know about. 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 Now go be the church.

Fulfilling the Heart of the Law + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • 26 Apr, 2024

Good morning. I hope your week is going well. I just want to remind you that our Food Drive is happening this morning from 8-10:30 and our Father/Daughter Dance and Mother/Son Nerf War is happening this evening. Additionally, this is your last weekend to sign up for the Serve Day on Saturday, May 4. Click here to sign up now. As for Sunday, I love the ways Jesus’ words – delivered on a hillside overlooking the Sea of Galilee 2,000 years ago – speak right to the heart of our lives here and now. Last weekend, we examined the ways in which we, as citizens of the Kingdom of God, are called to live as salt and light, preserving and radiating the light of God’s love into our society. This week, we get to the meat of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. In the passage we unpack this weekend, Jesus will redefine our understanding of what makes someone righteous and call us to extinguish the embers of anger and contempt before they burst into a bonfire of hatred. It’s going to be an important conversation that is relevant to every single one of us. 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 I’m grateful to be on this journey with you.

Choose Your Kingdom Wisely + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • 12 Apr, 2024

Last Sunday was incredible. We got to watch as 49 of our new brothers and sisters in the Lord went public with their decision to follow Jesus by getting baptized. I’ve never seen anything quite like what we witnessed on Sunday, and I am still rejoicing about what God is doing in our church community. To put this in perspective, we have baptized 110 people in the last four months, which equates to about a tenth of our church. All I can say is, THANK YOU JESUS! Last Sunday, we also kicked off our spring series, Kingdom Come , by simply reading the Sermon on the Mount. My guess is that each of us had a few “ouch” moments when Jesus’ words directly confronted areas of our lives. And yet, Jesus is not prodding at those weak spots because He wants to make us feel shameful, but because He wants us to be free. His words are lovingly confrontational, and we disregard them at our own peril. This Sunday, we will begin our line-by-line study through the Sermon on the Mount by examining the Beatitudes and considering the sort of Kingdom Jesus came to inaugurate. It’s a conversation that is incredibly relevant to each of us, because if we choose to follow Jesus, then we’re choosing to become a citizen of the Kingdom of God, and it would be helpful for us to consider how that impacts our lives. 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 I’m grateful to be on this journey with you.

The Greatest Sermon Ever + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • 05 Apr, 2024

I loved getting to celebrate Easter with you. From our first annual Good Friday service, through the Easter Egg Hunt and culminating with three Easter Sunday services, it was an incredibly powerful weekend. We even had 14 people make first-time professions of faith! Easter may be over, but the fun is just beginning. This weekend, we are starting our new series, Kingdom Come , in which we will walk line-by-line through the Sermon on the Mount. As we will find, although Jesus delivered the most famous sermon ever preached 2,000 years ago, it is still incredibly relevant and reliable for us as we navigate life in these crazy times. This is also a baptism Sunday, and we have a lot of new believers who are going public with their faith. Baptism Sundays have become my favorite Sundays, so it’s one day you won’t want to miss. 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 I’m grateful to be on this journey with you.

Easter + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • 29 Mar, 2024

Easter weekend has arrived and I am looking forward to celebrating the greatest act of love in history with you. There are a lot of things happening this weekend. Tonight, at 6pm, we have our first ever TCC Good Friday service. It will be an hour long and is completely family friendly. It will be a communion service and I can’t think of a better way to prepare our hearts for Easter. Then on Saturday, we have our pancake breakfast and Easter Egg Hunt from 9-11am. We have plans to account for inclement weather, so rain or shine, the Easter Egg Hunt is on. And if you’re free and would like to volunteer, please click here . Then on Sunday, we have three Easter services at 8:15, 9:45 and 11:30am. We anticipate that the second service will be our most heavily attended, so if you have flexibility, I would appreciate it if you attended either the first or third service. Easter is one of those times when unchurched friends, coworkers and neighbors are willing to come to church, but they will only come if they’re invited. So prayerfully consider who you’d like to bring and invite them to come celebrate Easter with you. I hope to see you tonight at 6pm for Good Friday. 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 I’m grateful to be on this journey with you.

The Secret to Contentment + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • 22 Mar, 2024

This Sunday, we come to the end of our journey through Paul’s letter to the Philippians, a series which has spoken straight to the heart of what it means to live A Life Worthy of the Gospel . This weekend, we will address the single biggest rival to God for our worship – our money. I know that this is a topic that can feel awkward and uncomfortable, but it’s one that Jesus talked about over and over. In fact, He spoke about money more than any other subject except for the Kingdom of God, so apparently, He felt it was important. But that isn’t because He wants our money. No, He is after something far more valuable than that. I also want to remind you that we’re only one week away from Easter, so please don’t forget to prayerfully pass out those invitations we gave you to unchurched people within your sphere of influence. They won’t come if they’re not invited. 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 I’m grateful to be on this journey with you.

How to Stay Sane in a Crazy World + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • 15 Mar, 2024

Life doesn’t always go as planned. I know I don’t need to convince you of that, but it’s important to remember that God doesn’t promise us that the paths He will lead us down will be smooth and obstacle free. That wasn’t the case for Paul, who was writing from prison, chained to a Roman guard. It wasn’t true for the Philippian believers who were enduring social pressure from both outside and within their church community. And it’s not true for us. However, despite the challenges that we will inevitably face as we follow Jesus, Paul encourages us not to give into despair. In fact, in the passage we will unpack this weekend, Paul will explain how we can stay sane in a crazy world. It will be a conversation that holds great relevance to each of our lives. I also want to thank those of you who have already brought candy for our Easter Egg Hunt. You’ve helped us fill 8,000 eggs, which is half of what we anticipate we’ll need, but we’ve run out of candy. So, if you are willing, please bring a bag of prewrapped candy with you this Sunday. And don’t forget to give those invitations for Easter away to unchurched people in your sphere of influence. 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 I’m grateful to be on this journey with you.

The Invitation + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • 08 Mar, 2024

Last week, we were reminded that trying to climb our way into God’s good graces through our best efforts is like trying to climb a ladder to Heaven — it will never get us where we want to be and only puts us in a precarious position. Sorry if my illustration last week scared you, but hopefully you’ll remember it. This week, as we continue our line-by-line study of the book of Philippians, we will explore in greater detail the invitation Jesus has given to each of us. That invitation is to something far greater than a religion. Plus, we will consider whether we will respond with an invitation of our own. No matter how long you’ve been walking with Jesus, this week’s message will challenge us to consider just how far we’ve invited Jesus into our lives. Here are some additional resources to help you prepare for the weekend. I missed seeing many of your faces last week due to snow, so I hope to see you Sunday in person. Have a great weekend. Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry I’m grateful to be on this journey with you.

A Broken Stairway to Heaven + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • 01 Mar, 2024

Like you, we are watching the impending storm and preparing for the potential for snow. That said, unless CHP closes the streets, we will have open doors and hot coffee on Sunday. I pray that the weather won’t keep you from being able to join us in person. But if it does, I’m thankful for our streaming platform that enables you to join us from home. This week, as we continue our line-by-line study of the book of Philippians, we will dive into chapter 3. In this section, Paul reminds us that trying to earn our righteous standing with God through good works is like climbing a broken stairway to Heaven – it can’t get us where we want to be. Plus, we will consider whether we’ve embraced a religion or a relationship. Whether in person or over the livestream, it’s going to be a great Sunday and I look forward to worshipping with you. This is also your last weekend to sign up for Grow University, which is a great way to take your spiritual journey to the next level. Whether you want to learn how to read the Bible for all it’s worth, be more intentional about walking with Jesus, get your finances in order, learn how to manage conflict in your life, or process your grief in a safe environment, Grow University has a class for you. Space is limited, so click here to sign up before the Sunday rush. Here are some additional resources to help you prepare for the weekend. I pray you stay warm and that I get to see you in person on Sunday. Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry I’m grateful to be on this journey with you.