Services will be conducted on December 28th

Hello Everyone! I hope you had a wonderful week with family and friends. The snow has been quickly melting away with warmer weather and rain. Thanks to Jimmy Japhet, the church parking lot is now clear of over 20 inches of ice and snow. All services for Sunday, December 28th, will be conducted as normally scheduled. Sunday school starts at 9:30 a.m. and our worship service will start at 11:00 a.m. The JoySong concert has been rescheduled for this Sunday night at 6 p.m.

I hope to see all of you tomorrow as we remember what God has done for us through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Pastor Don

P.S. Thank you, Steve Scott, for clearing the church driveway last week!

Christmas Eve Service Cancelled

Hello Everyone! We have cancelled the Christmas Eve service due to a number of safety considerations. First, the roads are driveable but still very dangerous. Second, another storm system is on the way possibly bringing more snow. And third, the church parking lot is buried under a foot and a half of snow and ice.

Please check this blogsite later this week for an update regarding Sunday services on December 28th. Have a wonderful week celebrating the birth of our Savior! I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen."
Ephesians 3:20-21

Pastor Don

Snow Storm Update!

The snow has started to fall already here in Olympia (as of about 12:30 p.m.) The winter storm predicted for tonight is still on track to deliver its goods as promised. Due to safety considerations all services for tomorrow (Sunday, December 21st) have been CANCELLED!

We will continue to monitor the weather this week in order to determine its impact on our Christmas eve candlelight service. As of right now, our candlelight service will begin at 6:00 p.m. Also, the JoySong concert has been tentatively rescheduled for Sunday December 28th. We will publish more information later next week.

Have a wonderful, safe and warm weekend. Remember, God is the One who is in charge of the storehouse of snow and everything He allows to happen is for His glory and our good!

"Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. "This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." Luke 2:10-14

In Christ's Love,
Pastor Don

Snow Storm!

Hello Everyone! I hope you all are warm and safe this week after God decided to give us some beautiful snow. Just in case you don't know...He apparently isn't done yet. We are currently under another winter storm warning for Saturday (20 December) and Sunday (21 December). And if the weather folks are right, we are possibly going to get a bunch of new snow in a short period of time. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for Western Washington. There is a good possibility that we could receive between 6 and 12 inches of new snow on Saturday night followed by ice on Sunday morning. For more information go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/Traffic/weather/default.aspx

Due to the current dangerous road conditions and the possible incoming snow and ice, we have CANCELLED the JoySong concert for Sunday night. We will continue to monitor the progress of the storm and its impact on our Sunday morning service. Should the leadership of SLCC decide to cancel our service this Sunday we will notify the congregation via blog, email and phone. Please make sure and check this site and your email inbox for an update on Saturday evening.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend remembering how much grace God has poured out upon you through His Son Jesus Christ. And as you see people in need remember to LOVE AS YOU HAVE BEEN LOVED!

Pastor Don

Christmas Open House

Greetings SLCC,

Just wanted to remind you all about the Christmas Open House at the Stuhlmiller’s this Saturday, December 13th, between 5:30 – 8:00 pm. Please plan to stop by with a plate of your favorite Christmas cookies and an appetizer to share.

Please RSVP to Allyson if you plan to attend (Her number is in the church directory).

I look forward to fellowshipping with you there!

Merry Christmas!

Pastor Jeff

Taking Seekers Beyond the Bread

Come Celebrate Jesus as Our Living Bread...

Hello SLCC!

In light of Don's penetrating sermon last Sunday, I trust you are all thankful this week! Convicting wasn't it?...And at the same time, very encouraging! God truly has been so good to us in Christ. No matter what is going on in your life, if you have Jesus, you have much to be thankful for! If you were not with us and have not yet heard the message, you will want to listen to it via the blog entry below ("Thankfulness - Part 2").

Well, this Sunday we'll be coming together to express our gratitude for the Savior once again. This time the service will be revolving around the theme of Jesus as our living bread. I'll be picking up where I left off and preaching from John 6 where we'll watch as Jesus takes the seekers beyond the ordinary physical bread to the extraordinary spiritual bread--the living bread that is found in Him. Then as we close the service, we will once again remember this blessing by partaking of the bread and the cup of the Lord's Supper. Finally, following the service we will be celebrating our union in Christ by breaking bread together in our monthly potluck meal.

So please come with a grateful heart that is ready to celebrate Jesus as our living bread!

I look forward to seeing you all there.

Blessings,

Pastor Jeff

Thankfulness - Part 2 - November 30, 2008

Thankfulness - Part 1 - November 23, 2008

Opportunity to LOVE

Hello Everyone!

I trust that you all have been growing in Christ over the course of this last week. God has been doing much in our church body to increase our belief and faith in Him. Please continue to pray that God would help each of us to find our joy, peace and hope in Christ as we either experience or observe others experience various trials and suffering. Remember, God’s purpose for our lives is Christ-likeness. Any and all types of suffering in the lives of God’s children are the means by which God changes us so that we can know Him more and knowing Him is eternal life (John 17:3).

There is something else that conforms us into Christ-likeness—LOVE. Jeff and I have a burden for the saints of Summit Lake Community Church. The burden is this: to love as we have been loved. The words of John are very clear:

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” I John 4:7-11

The Bible clearly shows us that the world will know we are followers of Christ by observing how much we LOVE. This love is to be obvious through the way we live and act toward believers and unbelievers alike. Just think for a minute how much God has loved you. While you were His enemy deserving of His complete and eternal judgment—He saved you changing you from His enemy and making you one of His blessed children. And now He tells us to love others as He has loved us. Do you love others, including those who are not your friends and family? If so, is it evident? How?

Although it seems insignificant compared to what God has done for us, this next week we would like to love a number of families by providing a gift card that will help them purchase food. Six of the families do not attend our church. They are local families of soldiers who are currently working in support of the global war on terrorism. Please pray that God would use this gift to meet both a temporal and eternal need in the lives of these families. Pray that the Gospel would be displayed both in word and deed.

If you are aware of anyone who is in dire need of help, financial or otherwise, please let myself, Jeff or any of the council members know. We will gladly and thankfully accept donations to help purchase the gift cards mentioned above. You can either mail your contribution or give during the regular Sunday offering (please write “benevolence/gift cards” either on your check or envelope).

In the weeks and months ahead there will be many opportunities to love others. Please ask God to give you a growing love for people who are in need both physically and spiritually. Ask Him to teach you how to develop a lifestyle that is committed loving others. Remember, LOVE IS NOT AN OPTION.

“We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.”
I John 3:14-18

See you tomorrow!

Pastor Don

John 6:16-26 - God's Trustworthiness & Man's Selfishness - November 16, 2008

John 6:1-15 - Making Much from Little - November 9, 2008

Ephesians 1:1-14 - Our Blessings In Christ - November 2, 2008

This Sunday's Service

Greetings SLCC!

I trust that you are all doing well and rejoicing in our great Savior today. I wanted to remind you about the special service we will be having this Sunday.

For starters, we will be deviating from the Gospel of John this week in order to look at a very encouraging passage in Ephesians 1. In light of the unsettling times we're living in right now, with the political and economic situations being what they are, I've decided to share a special message regarding our blessings in Christ. What better way to transcend the natural troubles of this world than to focus on "every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places" (Eph 1:3) that is imparted to us through Christ. Please plan to join with us in our study of the word to be brought nearer to your Savior and further from your worries!

Also, we will be sharing again in the Lord's Supper during the service and our potluck meal after the service. Please plan to join in the fellowship and please bring a dish to share!

We look forward to seeing you there.

God bless!

John 5:31-47 - Jesus' Sonship on Trial (Part 2) - October 26, 2008

As promised, I’ve included below the practical principles we concluded with in yesterday’s sermon. If you were not able to be with us, please take the time to listen to it so that you will see how we gleaned these principles from the bad example of the religious Jews in the passage. I believe it was a very important message for the life and health of our church.

You have missed Christ in your Bible study if…

1.) You fail to consider how every biblical passage, OT and NT alike, points to Christ and your salvation in Him. (cf. Luke 24:27; 1 Cor 2:2; Col 2:6-17)

2.) You turn biblical teaching into a religious code of conduct whereby you in some way contribute to your righteous standing with God, instead of clinging solely to Christ as your righteousness. (cf. Rom 3:23-34; 9:30-32; 2 Cor 5:21)

3.) You come away from your study weighed down by rules and regulations instead of experiencing a greater understanding of, and appreciation for, your freedom in Christ. (cf. Matt 11:28-30; Gal 5:1)

4.) You come away from your study puffed up by the facts you’ve learned instead of being humbled by your lack of understanding, love, and service of Christ. (cf. 1 Cor 8:1)

5.) You come away from your study with a judgmental attitude, using its teachings to condemn other people in your mind, rather than being humbled by your own sin and need of Christ’s forgiveness, and rather than desiring others to find forgiveness in Him as well. (cf. John 8:1-11; Luke 18:11-14)

Missing Christ in your Bible study reveals that you are reading through the lenses of pride rather than humility. You are guilty of the same approach to Scripture that the self-righteous, religious Jews took. On the other hand, a humble approach to Scripture always centers around the person and work of Jesus Christ!

A theologian by the name of J. Knox Chamblin has wisely said, “The Spirit does not take his pupils beyond the cross, but ever more deeply into it.” This is a true and powerful statement that relates to every aspect of our life, including our study of the Bible. All of its content is intended to drive us deeper in our love and gratitude for Him and His sacrifice. And from there we live out lives of humble obedience, displaying His redemption to the world around us.

If we fail to see this glorious reality, we have followed the example of the self-righteous, religious Jews, and we have missed God’s intent. So, let’s commit to the supremacy of Christ and His cross in every area of our life, including our study of God’s Word!

Have a blessed day delighting in the cross of Christ!

A break in the clouds

Hello Everyone!

I hope you all are growing in Christ this week. I am writing you from the beautiful, and fairly cool, state of South Carolina. In case you didn’t know, I am attending a two week Army chaplain course which is equipping me to love others as God has loved us. Your prayers for my family, our soldiers, our church and our community are cherished.

Well, we truly are going through an incredible time of history. If you were to concentrate on the news, hope and happiness would not be words that would probably come to mind. To use a metaphor that all of us in the Pacific Northwest would definitely understand—There doesn’t seem to be any break in the clouds UNTIL or UNLESS you look to God’s Word where real hope and happiness are found.

Every day we have chapel at 8 am. Yesterday, the Scripture reading was from Psalm 27. And the words of David through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit were truly amazing and perfect for this gloomy time.

“The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread? When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. Though a host encamp against me, My heart will not fear; Though war arise against me, In spite of this I shall be confident.” Psalm 27:1-3

David was no stranger to what would humanly be construed as hopeless and fearful circumstances. I don’t know about you but I would be scared to death if evildoers were out to “devour my flesh.” As a matter of fact if there were people who were actually striving to kill me I wonder what my attitude toward God would be. Look at David’s attitude…

Instead of pleading or even bargaining with God for the preservation of his life David declares, “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread?” David had NO FEAR due to His focus on the Almighty Creator of the universe. Belief in the ONE who created life by simply speaking a word puts our problems into perspective. The perspective is this: God is in complete control and everything that happens ultimately is for His glory and our good. Therefore our hope and our joy is in Him even if people are seeking to kill us, even if every bank goes bankrupt, and yes—even if an extremely liberal politician is voted in as president. We should be enthralled with God instead of this temporary, depraved, and decaying world.

“One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to meditate in His temple. For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock. And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me; And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.” Psalm 27:4-7

Instead of requesting temporary deliverance from suffering and pain David’s one request was to live in the presence of God. Instead of wallowing in depression and fear he relishes the thought of seeing the beauty of the LORD and meditating in His Word. Therefore He proclaims, “…I will sing praises to the LORD.”

When you look in Scripture there is indeed a break in the clouds. In fact, there really are no clouds at all. The hope and joy that we have in God through Christ transcends every fearful thing that this world produces. Remember, GOD IS IN CONTROL! And as you remember this, let the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension; guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. I will be praying for you.

In the service of the King,
Pastor Don

John 5:18-30 - Jesus' Sonship on Trial (Part 1) - October 19, 2008

Family Night This Friday!

Family Night is this Friday at 6:30 pm. Please plan to come and join in the fun!

We will have a time of praise and worship singing in the sanctuary, and then we will head downstairs for food and games. We may even enjoy a bonfire together...weather permitting of course. : )

Feel free to invite a friend, and please remember to bring your favorite board game and a snack to share.

See you then!

John 5:1-17 - Making Jesus' Priorities, Our Priorities - October 12, 2008

John 4:43-54 - Mercy Evangelism: Taking Sinners from Grief to Relief to Belief - October 5, 2008

John 4:27-42 - An Advanced Lesson in Evangelism - September 28, 2008

Luke 16:19-31 Sermon - September 21, 2008

Mt. Rainier Visit

Good morning SLCC!

I mentioned in church last Sunday that we were finally able to visit Mt. Rainier National Park last week and that we had a wonderful, spiritually-refreshing time while we were there. I wanted to share our reflections with you, so please follow the link below if you would like to see some pictures and a description of our trip on our personal blog.

http://www.thejapierces.blogspot.com/

I am praying for you all and I look forward to seeing you next Sunday!

Sermons Available Online

Good morning SLCC,

I trust you are all rejoicing in the Savior today. Well, we've got some big news for you: We're now able to post sermons on the blog! We'll be uploading them this way for the time being until our website is up. So, if you would like to hear them again, or if you weren't able to be with us on a Sunday, you can now listen via the blog! Check out last week's sermon below. See you soon!

True Worship: What it isn't; What it is!

True Worship

Greetings SLCC!

I hope you're all doing well today. I've been reflecting on yesterday's message and by God's grace I'm seeking to be a true worshipper of Him as I go about my business today. I trust the Lord is helping you to do the same!

Here is a snippet of yesterdays sermon in case your spiritual batteries are in need of a little recharge today:

John 4:23-24 23 "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

We hear a lot of talk these days about politicians who want to “shake things up” in Washington, don't we? Well, Jesus came on the scene a few thousand years ago shake things up in a major way in the religious world! When He arrived, He ushered in an era of profound change. Among other things, His teaching revolutionized people’s understanding of the proper way to worship God the Father.

People in Jesus’ day tended to get all caught up in externals, the location of worship and the rituals of worship. And on a large scale religious people are still guilty of this today, aren’t they? They consider their mere attendance and observance of the rituals of their local churches, mosques, and temples as acts of worship.

If we are not careful, we can fall into the same trap of externalism even at our relatively informal, non-ritualistic services at SLCC. We can begin thinking of our worship as merely an external thing, believing that going to church on Sunday, sitting in a pew, singing a few songs, praying a few prayers, and listening to a sermon are somehow by themselves tokens of worship that satisfy God.

Well, while those things can be sincere expressions of worship, they are not by themselves the essence of worship. True worship is not an external thing; it is an internal thing. God is seeking for worshippers who understand this and who worship Him from the heart!

God the Father is spirit. He is not physical. He doesn't have a body, arms, hands, legs or feet. He is not an old man with white hair and a long beard as many artists have sought to portray Him. He is a spiritual being, not a physical being. And what is most important about Him is not what He looks like, but what He is like. Therefore, what is most important for us in our relationship to Him is not to know and admire His outward, physical form—that is not the issue—but rather to know and admire His inward character and attributes—that is the issue! That is preeminent!

Likewise what is most important about us in our relationship to God is not our physicality or the outward things of our lives. It is not about what we wear, or where we go, or how often we go, or the rituals we engage in externally. It is about who we are and what we think on the inside. It is about our heart! The question is, do we worship Him from the depths of our being; do we worship Him in “spirit”?

And also, do we worship Him in “truth.” If what is important about God is His character, what He is like, what pleases Him and what displeases Him, then what is important for His people is that they know what He is like, what pleases Him and what displeases Him, right?

Where do we learn these things? Where do we go for these truths? We learn the truths of God from the Word of God. In Psalm 119:60 we are told, “The sum of Your word is truth.” And, in His prayer to His Father recorded in John 17:17 Jesus proclaimed, “Your word is truth.” So, the Bible is the storehouse of divine truth!

Therefore, it is in our study of His Word that we grow in our understanding of truth and our capacity to worship God in truth. It is in our study of the Word that our eyes are opened to the “wonderful,” awe-inspiring attributes of God (Ps. 119:18). It is in our study of the Word that we are confronted with the glories of God’s nature and character. And it is our understanding of these truths that grounds our worship of God; it is what drives it and fuels it and guards it from error and perversion! So, we must worship God in truth as well as in spirit, with our minds as well as our hearts. That is the kind of worshipper that God desires.

So in light of all this, where is the right place for worship and when is the right time? Everywhere is the right place and all the time is the right time. Worship should be a 24-7 reality for us. It takes place constantly as we reflect on who our God is and all that He has done for us in Christ.

Well, I trust you are renewed in your zeal to worship God in spirit and in truth today and the rest of this week. It's as easy as turning our minds away from self and the distractions of this world and fixing them on biblical truths--the truths that reveal to us the beauties of our God! I look forward to seeing you next week when we meet again to allow our individual worship to flow out into corporate worship at SLCC. See you then!

Greetings!

I trust that you are all well in the Lord today! This is a very exciting moment as I wade into the waters of the blogosphere for the very first time. Now that we have this resource, I can’t resist the urge to post my afterthoughts from Sunday’s sermon. I think it has always been the preacher’s dream to go back and re-preach the sermon inserting all the things I “shoulda,” “coulda,” “woulda” said. Now, that dream is a reality (Don't worry, I won't re-preach the whole thing!) So, please check out my sermon afterthoughts below. I’ll try to give a brief recap early each week for the benefit of those who weren’t able to be with us on Sunday and for the further meditation of those who were.

Blessings!

"Are You Still Thirsty?"

John 4:13-14 Jesus answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."

Last Sunday we concluded that God has created us as spiritual beings with souls that thirst for spiritual refreshment! That refreshment cannot be found in any created thing in this world. It is not found in any of the pleasures of this life that our flesh longs for apart from Christ. Those waters can never satisfy. You might enjoy the taste going down for a few moments, but the satisfaction is only temporary and in the end you’ll end up just as thirsty as you were before you drank—if not more!

That was certainly the experience of the Samaritan woman. She too had been created by God to enjoy a relationship with Him, but like the rest of us she wrongly aimed her affections toward fleshly pleasures in this world rather than toward spiritual pleasures in Christ. In her case, the fruitless pursuit was through sexual relationships. And, did those experiences satisfy her? No! Having had 5 husbands in the past and working on her 6th revealed that she had still not yet found the contentment and fulfillment she was seeking.

So, Jesus graciously confronted her with the reality that she would never find ultimate refreshment in those fleshly waters. There was only one place it could be found. What she needed was living water! She needed to drink the water of eternal life; she needed to experience the delights of fellowship and harmony with the living God. Those are the spiritual waters of which a person drinks and finds his soul’s thirst forever quenched!

My brothers and sisters, please reflect on this truth today and throughout the week. Remember that nothing in the creation can quench your soul’s thirst for the Creator. All the things we desire in this life apart from and more than Christ are part of a fleeting and fallen world. They are consumable; they are perishable; they are temporary; and they can never satisfy the longings of your soul. They always keep you coming back for more, and you’ll never get enough. In the words of the Lord through the prophet Jeremiah, they are “broken cisterns that can hold no water” (Jeremiah 2:13).

No amount of money, no material things, no experiences, no relationships, not even religion can quench the thirst of your soul. Only Jesus can with His living water! So, please set your heart on Him and long for the water He freely offers you. Cultivate in your heart the same yearning as the psalmist who said,

Psalm 42:1 As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God;

As you seek to be satisfied in Him, and as you drink of His living waters, you will find your heart’s thirst fully quenched and even overflowing with the blessings of eternal life!

Rejoice in the Lord!

Hello Everyone!

I hope all of you have been rejoicing over the course of the last week. Rejoicing over the fact that God has poured out His amazing Grace upon us through Jesus Christ. Remember, Joy is a state of being glad--it is having a happy heart. A happy heart that is the result of understanding that we deserve the eternal wrath of God but instead we are given grace and mercy because of His great love. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit that comes from understanding what the Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:1-7:

"And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."

Last week our family had the privilege of experiencing joyful and gracious fun with family and friends in Eastern Washington. Everytime we are able to get out and enjoy God's beautiful creation I am again reminded of God's incredible grace. In Omak Washington we stayed in a little cabin located on 170 acres of land bearing the fruit of thousands of apple and pear trees. Seeing the fruit of God's physical blessing on mere trees pales in comparison to what He has given to us spiritually. As if salvation from His wrath was not enough, God promises to show us the surpassing riches of His grace for the rest of eternity. "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4)

God continues to bless Summit Lake Community Church. On August 24th, the vote to extend Jeff's stay as co-pastor was unanimously approved! God has provided for our church in a miraculous way so that both Jeff and I can minister as co-pastors together. I will be working on a temporary basis with the Washington Army National Guard as a chaplain ministering to soldiers and families of soldiers who have deployed in support of the global war on terrorism. Please pray that we would be stewards of the Grace that God has given us as a church as we look for ways to minister to those in our community who need to experience the love of God through His people. There are hundreds of people in our community alone who are ready to hear the Gospel through both words and deed.

One more friendly reminder: we will be having our annual "work" day at the church this Saturday, September 6th, starting at 9 am. Lunch will be provided and we will work until Leonard Hays gets tired! We will be doing various odd jobs around the church to include weeding, cleaning and tearing up some decking. Childcare will be available for those of you who have very young children. I hope to see you there. Have a great rest of your week.

In the service of the King,
Pastor Don

Recommendation to the Congregation

I hope everyone has had a wonderful Saturday. God has blessed us with beautiful weather. The following motion will be presented to the congregation on Sunday, August 24th.

"The Summit Lake Community Church Council recommends that the congregation extend the call of pastor to Jeff Pierce for an indefinite period of time. During this time the Council will oversee the work of both Pastor Don Brewer and Pastor Jeff Pierce, assess the work monthly and advise the congregation periodically. Should this configuration need to be changed, the council will prayerfully recommend appropriate action to the congregation for approval."

Please prayerfully consider how either approval or disapproval of this motion will spiritually impact our church. The leadership of SLCC is striving to be obedient to God's Word. And like the Apostle Paul, "We proclaim Him (Christ), admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ." Colossians 1:28

I will post the result of the vote and the proposed roles and responsibilities after the congregational meeting tomorrow afternoon. I will pray that you continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. To God be the Glory!

Pastor Don

Informational Letter

The letter below was distributed to the congregation last Sunday (August 17th) in order to provide information regarding how God has been working in our church over the course of the last 19 months. This Sunday (August 24th) we will be voting on extending pastor Jeff beyond the original "interim" time period. We are trusting that God will continue to work through both Jeff and I for His glory and the good of His people. I will be posting the proposed motion very soon. Have a great day!



To the congregation of Summit Lake Community Church,

This letter is to summarize the events that have taken place at Summit Lake Community Church over the course of the last 19 months and to provide information regarding the proposal that will be presented to the congregation on August 24th, 2008. In September 2006 I accepted the offer of Summit Lake Church to become their pastor. This offer was presented by the church after praying, researching and deliberating for over 6 months. The job was accepted with the understanding that deployment overseas was very likely. Due to the needs of Summit Lake Community church and impending deployment overseas The Master’s Seminary agreed to allow me to leave the graduate program prior to completing all of the required courses. An agreement was made to allow me to finish the course work via distance learning.

On January 1st, 2007 I assumed the role as pastor of Summit Lake Community Church. March marked the month in which I was officially notified that I would be activated into full-time service with the military in support of the Global war on terrorism. The leadership of the church worked proactively to prepare for this possibility. Through much prayer, discussion and research the church agreed to offer Jeff Pierce a position as the interim pastor of Summit Lake Church for the duration of my full-time service with the Army. In July 2007, Jeff Pierce assumed the role as interim pastor of Summit Lake Church and I was activated into full-time service by the Army in support of the Global War on terrorism.

I returned in June 2008 from serving as a Chaplain for the Army at Camp Buehring Kuwait. I continued to be employed as a full-time chaplain with the Army through July 29th 2008. My responsibilities as a chaplain continue from July 30th to September 30 in the “post-deployment” phase of activation with the Army. During this time I continue to function as a chaplain while integrating back into my role as pastor of Summit Lake Church. Also during this time, I have been afforded the opportunity to complete the graduate studies that were postponed after accepting the position at Summit Lake Community Church and being activated by the Army. I will complete my required course work no later than September 30th.

God has incredibly blessed His ministry at Summit Lake Community Church through both spiritual and physical growth. God has established a focus on Christ-centered, Bible-based teaching, preaching and counseling. He has also sent over 19 new families representing approximately 68 people. The congregation now consists of about 140 people including children. All of this has happened in the midst of what could be perceived as a time of uncertainty in our church due to the Army deployment and the employment of an interim pastor. God works in amazing ways. Scripture declares, “The mind of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)

God is indeed in control of His church. It is with that understanding that I acknowledge that God has continued to pour out His grace on us through the teaching, preaching, and shepherding ministry of Jeff Pierce. Through much prayer and discussion I believe that it would be spiritually beneficial to our church to keep Jeff as a pastor at SLCC to work alongside myself toward the spiritual maturity of this flock, the continued proclamation of the Gospel in our community and the building up of the spiritual foundation of our church. Maintaining the current daily operation of our church can be accomplished by one person, but establishing the biblical foundation and implementing additional, essential aspects of ministry is going to require hard, loving labor by many.

We have been prayerfully considering how this can be done due to the current financial situation of our church. Two weeks ago I was offered an unsolicited temporary position as a full-time chaplain with the Washington Army National Guard. This temporary chaplain position is directed at serving soldiers and families of soldiers in the South Sound region who have served in support of the Global War on terrorism providing the opportunity to minister to many who are unsaved and unchurched. The position is based out of Camp Murray which is less than 35 miles from Summit Lake Community Church. Accepting this temporary position would allow both Jeff and I to combine efforts while serving as pastor’s at SLCC. SLCC would have my leadership and participation as Pastor at no salary cost to the Church, other than a few expenses such as a cell phone to maintain contact with SLCC members.

My duties as a temporary chaplain would enable me to minister to both saved and unsaved people who live in our local community, the fruit of which could be the salvation of some and their commitment to our local body. Although my time commitment would be reduced temporarily, my potential employer has assured me that I would be afforded flexibility during the week to continue to serve as pastor of SLCC. Please prayerfully consider this opportunity for our church. Additional information will be distributed via email this week prior to the congregational meeting and vote on 24 August. Please contact me or any council member if you have any questions or would like further clarification.

In the service of the King,

Pastor Don Brewer
(360) 915-6903
Donald.c.brewer@us.army.mil

To God be the Glory!

Hello Everyone!

I trust that you all are living with a joyful understanding that God is pouring out His grace upon you every second of the day. Summit Lake Community Church is finally entering the modern age. Welcome to our church blog. I hope that this is a format in which we are able to communicate what God is doing in our church and proclaim the riches of His glorious mercy through the discussion and proclamation of the Gospel.

Please pray for the leadership of our church as we pursue God's will for His flock at SLCC. Information regarding the congregational meeting and vote will be posted tomorrow and/or Saturday. Please pray that God give us the strength to follow Him. I encourage you to pray that God give you wisdom as you vote allowing you to consider the spiritual well-being of the congregation. Remember, God is in control!

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly, Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary." Isaiah 40:28-31