Peace to you! Why does the pastor periodically give assignments to the kids? And he also passes out candy? Wouldn’t it be better to simply focus on the older generation and on those who have come to listen to the Word of God, rather than on those brought by their parents? These are global questions that we, the elder board, answer as such: teaching and bringing the young generation to worship God can be done not only by explanation but…
Greetings! As we all know, Thanksgiving is this week. This is a special time for many to gather and thank God for all the blessings and mercies in our lives, and most of you will be gathering at the dinner table with friends and relatives. For many this has already become a tradition, to invite brothers and sisters from the church who would perhaps have no one else to celebrate the holiday with. How wonderful would it be if no…
Shalom, beloved! The midterm elections were held last week and I want to explain a little our view on the politics in the country where we live. Even though votes are still being counted in a few states, the big picture is already clear. The awaited “Red wave” did not occur. If you are not aware of how the political scene works in the US, then let me quickly explain: there are two main political parties, and in the past…
Peace to you! Dear church, there are many things happening in the world we live in. And oftentimes we get used to very serious and sad news, such that subsequent news about the pain and suffering of others no longer disturbs us like it should. Take for example the war in Ukraine. The things happening there have slowly become the new normal and we’ve gotten used to the reports of how many have died and so on. Today I want…
Shalom dear church! 1. On behalf of the PCSBA and the GFC Elder Board, a huge thanks to everyone who served last week in planning and holding the convention at our church. Starting with the parking lot, kitchen, ushering, and stage, you all, beloved, created an excellent celebration for our guests. We know that this was done by you for God’s glory, and we’ll remind you that this was your investment into many other churches which are part of the…
Greetings! 1. This past Sunday at the evening service at GFC we had a new group of brothers and sisters join the church. I will remind you that it is important for many of the new members to get used to the flow of things and become functioning parts of the body of the church. For this to occur, it is imperative that we participate in this via prayer, inviting them to our house, visiting them (if you can’t accept…
Shalom! Praise the Lord! Last week’s Fathers and Sons (8 years and up) event was a success. We had very straightforward and edifying instructional seminars on the puberty of boys. I can’t share everything (nor should I), but here are a few important takeaways to remember: – Kids must see the Gospel in action in their parents so that when the time comes, they may live by it themselves. – Parents shouldn’t shy away from showing joyful, healthy affections between husband…
Greetings! Dear church, on behalf of the Elder Board I want to thank everyone who made the Church Day celebration possible! Many people labored and sacrificed their time and energy to make this day special for the church! Like we already heard this Sunday, this month is a special month in the calendars of many Americans as Pastor Appreciation Month. Along with this, I want to suggest one of the most important ways that you, beloved members of the church,…
Grace to you and peace, dear church! There’s just one important announcement this week. This upcoming Sunday we are celebrating the church’s 19thbirthday! This means that we are planning just one service at 10:00am instead of the usual two. There will be a very interesting gift for all during the service! After the service, we will have lunch followed by various, interesting activities for all ages. Plan to be at church until 4:00pm. If you would like to participate as…
Glad to greet you! Perhaps you’ve talked to some people who are considering moving to another state or city, or perhaps you’re one of those people weighing your options. The last 2-3 years have showed that this is a pertinent question for many, especially with the various things happening in our state. For some it is an issue with finding work, for others, vaccines, a liberal government and education system, expensive lifestyle, or a lifestyle that’s too quick, unsafe, etc….
Shalom! Dear friends, I’ll share what I’ve noticed in my own heart, and what I presume is also present in others. Every week, and even every day, we come into contact with God’s Word. It brings life, grace, and strength for a believer to live a righteous life and stretches out a saving hand to the unbeliever (1 Pet. 2:1-3; Rom. 10:17). However, as with so many other good things in life, unfortunately we get used to things. This is…
Greetings dear church! God is good! He answers prayers. He takes care of our needs daily. He gives both physical and spiritual strength to obey His will and fulfill our purpose here on this earth. And our greatest task is to praise God, build up the church, and preach the Gospel to everyone around. In this case, the goal of the church is to equip the saints for this work. Consider the church services as a tool, not an end…
Peace to you! When recently talking to a couple, we touched on a simple yet important principle: family and marriage require constant replenishment and attention, and if this doesn’t occur, as so common in the world, then the family will be going downhill, falling apart, and fading away. Special attention is required for the relationship between parents and children. Someone said that the most valuable thing a parent can give their child is time! Martin Luther once said, “Let the…
Peace to you! The small (home) group fair was a success! It was wonderful seeing many who were interested, registering, and inviting their friends to a group. One more time, on behalf of the elder board, I want to thank God for all the leaders and helpers who will be leading 22 small groups. This is a great work of love. And beloved, please pray that these brothers and their families would do this work with joy, from the heart,…
Rejoice always! Beloved, this week let us direct our attention to the events and things happening in the life of the church. This Saturday at 9:00 AM, in the church cafeteria, there will be a prayer retreat for all people who serve in the church. This is a significant event in the life of the church, firstly because this is a special time for prayer and also because it provides an opportunity to see and talk to all who are…
Peace to you, dear church! On behalf of the elder board, I want to remind you, beloved, that this year we are especially emphasizing growth in evangelism. We talk more about personal evangelism, share more about our experiences, and oftentimes begin our meetings with prayer for the people we evangelize. And now here is another step towards helping us grow in personal evangelism. What we’re proposing will help inform and equip us. We want to give all the members of…
Shalom! Beloved, you’ve probably met people who can beautifully and clearly express their thoughts. These people are very skilled with their words and think deeply. It is interesting to listen or read such people. It’s especially nice when these people are Christians since their thoughts are focused on the Creator. This week I propose we look at some famous Christians of the past and the present. Their observation don’t replace the Bible but they help us better understand the concepts…
Greetings! Further down in the letter you can view how kids listen to the Sunday sermons. These are just a few examples of what some kids heard and drew last Sunday. **Just no offense, but some moms in the drawings look like they just woke up 🙂 The topic I want to discuss today is how we listen to sermons, and specifically how we take notes and write down what we hear. This is an interesting topic because it deals…
Grace to you and peace! This week I want to remind you about the role and nature of faith. It is what separates people into two categories, saved and not saved. We eventually get used to such things and when the time comes to give a simple definition, we are unable to do so. (Gen. 15:6) And [Abraham] believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. (John 6:40) For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son…
Shalom, beloved! Here is a quote from a book that I’m currently reading, 2,000 Years of Christ’s Power (Vol. 3), pg. 402: The First outstanding Scottish teacher of Protestantism was a Catholic priest named Patrick Hamilton (1504-28), a member of the great Hamilton family, one of Scotland’s most powerful aristocratic houses. Hamilton fell under the influence first of Erasmus, then Luther, while at university, and actually spent some time in Luther’s Wittenberg. In February 1528, he was arrested for preaching Lutheran…
Peace to you! “You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.” (Lev. 19:32) Many of us were taught since childhood how to behave properly in society. We learned to say, “Thank you,” “You’re welcome,” or for gentlement to take their hats off inside a building. So it was also in showing respect to the elderly: we refer to them with respectful titles, don’t interrupt…
Peace be to you dear church and friends! As you may have noticed, last week we began memorizing a very important Psalm, a Psalm of repentance! We’ll be memorizing it for the next few weeks. Why? Our goal is that as we memorize it, we’ll be saturated with an understanding of true repentance. Sin is the worst and strongest enemy of people; it destroys relationships with the living God, destroys relationships with people, brings suffering and pain to the soul,…
Shalom! Last Sunday we heard two wonderful sermons at both the Russian and English services. I’ll use this opportunity to talk about how we listen to sermons. Sermons are a common thing, so as a result, they’re not discussed very often. Today I want to discuss not the sermons themselves but their reception. Oftentimes, we get used to the status quo so we end up forgetting why certain things exist in the first place. “Preaching is God speaking in the…
Greetings to you dear church! As you know, this year we are praying, striving toward, and talking more about personal evangelism. This isn’t easy, but it is what the Lord Himself has called us toward. Yes, we can find many excuses to not do this (something like a language or cultural barrier), but the commission in Matthew 28 is directed also at us today, no less than the original disciples of Christ who heard it 2,000 years ago. Here are…
Peace to you! I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being. (Ps. 104:33) In both the Old Testament and the New, believers worshiped God through song. This is a very natural and fitting expression of the inner condition of the heart. Even when a person is in difficult life circumstances, if he understands that he’s in God’s hands, his heart is ready to sing and worship Him (Acts…
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7031 Watt Ave, N.Highlands, CA, 95660.
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