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NEWSLETTER

If you missed any previous editions of the newsletter,

we have the last year available on the website at: https://keizerchristian.org/

newsletter/ Look for the next one

on August 26th.

KEIZER CHRISTIAN CHURCH

“Proclaiming Christ’s Love, Building Community,

Meeting Human Need”

JULY 22, 2021

E-mail: 1963kcc@gmail.com Phone: (503) 393-6843

Website: www.keizerchristian.org Find us on Facebook!

CONTENTS

Worship and Fellowship 1 Bulletins and Blessings 1 Music 5 Pastor’s Moment 2 Blessings and Concerns 3 Giving Totals 3 Recycling 3 Bible Study 3 Photos wanted 4 Salem For Refugees 4 Birthdays 4 Core Foods 5 Food Bank 5 Anniversaries 5 You’re Invited 5 Unsung Heroes 6 Church Work Party 6 District Picnic 7 Sermon Series 8

WORSHIP SERVICES AND FELLOWSHIP

We continue our in-person worship and live-stream of Sunday service on Facebook at 10 am. The live link to watch online is here:

We are continuing in-person visiting in the Fellowship Hall. No food or drink are served. There are sanitizing supplies on the tables to use on the tables and chairs, before and after our time together.

BULLETINS AND BLESSINGS

We email the bulletin out each Friday and Blessings and Concerns

out on Monday. We also have printed copies of the bulletin

available on Sunday.

To include Blessings and Concerns on the weekly email sent out on Monday, please send us an email at 1963kcc@gmail.com or call in your information to the office by Sunday evening. If you would like a printed copy of Blessings and Concerns, please contact the office.

SHARING OF GIFTS

Hey everyone! As summer continues I would like to invite anyone who wishes to perform a special gift on Sundays to come talk to me. I can accompany singers, and would love to hear some poems or other such gifts.

Please let me know!

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PASTOR’S MOMENT

A couple Sundays ago we were finishing up the last sermon series on how God is at work in our lives. The topic was God’s unifying efforts on our behalf; how God works to unify the people of God. Looking ahead to this coming Sunday I am reminded of this special focus of God’s activity in creation, desiring to bind us together as one in Christ. Regardless of nation of birth, language, physical appearance, culture, political affiliation, etc., etc., etc. we are called as people to be one, to be family as the scripture last week reminded us; as the scripture this week reinforces.

Scripture tells us we are no longer strangers or aliens to one another because of the saving and unifying work of Jesus on the cross. This sense of unity extends beyond any scope we

can imagine, including everything we can see; the world and universe that surrounds us and all that is in it. We can look to the cosmos and witness heavenly bodies which God, in that infinite wisdom and creative joy that baffles our senses, created using the same material with which God has crafted you and me! That should blow your mind! We are made of the same building blocks of the universe as the stars in the sky and the dirt under our feet. How’s that for a unifying effort?

This is what it means to be adopted into the family of God, to be intimately connected to everything and everyone. To come to some sense of realization of this truth is the foundation of peace. For how can we harm the world or anything in it if we feel truly connected to it as God intends? How can we not respond to God’s infinite love and grace in choosing us with reflections of that love and grace ourselves? This is our calling as people of faith; to so immerse ourselves in this truth, to trust it so that we are divinely inspired to love, to act in love and not in selfish self-interest. To join God in this uniting effort for all creation.

Imagine a world where more of us lived this truth and shared it. Imagine a world where to utter a harsh word or drop a piece of garbage on the ground would be unthinkable not because of some rule, but because of your love for creation and your gratitude for God’s creative work and your inclusion in it. I want to live in that world, don’t you? God invites us every day to join in making that kingdom come, God’s will be done.

Pastor Erik

Pastor Erik Free

Email: pastorfree@keizerchristian.org

Cell Phone: (503) 501-7682

Office Hours: Tuesday—Friday

9 am to 1 pm Afternoons by appointment

So he came and proclaimed peace to you who

were far off and peace to those who were

near.” ~ Ephesians 2:17

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BLESSINGS AND CONCERNS FOR JULY:

The family of Kathy Martinez has scheduled her

memorial service to be held at KCC on Thursday, August

5th at 11am with a lunch reception to follow. People can

bring cards to the church to be collected for the family.

UPDATE: Kena Dewey’s surgery went well on her arm

and she is recuperating at home.

Please keep Shirley Summers in your prayers. She is

having problems with her leg. Sue Day

Pray for Elizabeth Costales who has an injured foot. Nothing is broken but it is bruised

and swollen.

Pray for Mike Reynolds, he is going for more tests with his cardiologist.

UPDATE: Blessings and prayers answered. We have found a new group care home in

Keizer for my mom. We have moved her there as of Tuesday, 7/20 and all seems to be

going very well. Laurie Costales

Ellie Hill says hello to everyone. She is doing well. She misses everyone here at KCC

and is praying for us.

Please pray for Vicki Zielinski and her entire family. Her father passed away on

Sunday, July 4th. Services were held on July 17th.

GIVING TOTALS

June total giving was $11,651.00 of our $11,107 budget.

Thank you to everyone who contributes and keeps our

church alive. It also allows us to support the many charities

and other churches in the region.

Due to your generous giving, our emergency funds are being replenished in case of a need in the future.

RECYCLING

We are still recycling cans and bottles as well as ink cartridges and toners. Drop them by the church during office hours or when you come on Sunday!

BIBLE STUDY

Bible Study is on hiatus (not meeting) during the summer. If you need study materials, please feel free to contact the office or Pastor Erik.

July to date General Fund Offering

1st week $ 1,005.00 2nd week 2,825.00 3rd week 7,580.00 4th week Total for Month $ 11,410.00 Mo Budget $ 11,107.00

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SALEM FOR REFUGEES UPDATE

A new family through Catholic Charities is scheduled to arrive on July 26th. This family of six from the Democratic Republic of Congo is coming by way of Burundi and will be arriving at PDX in the late evening. Interested in welcoming this new family?Reach out to Efrain our Volunteer Coordinator on how you could get involved. Efrain@salemforrefugees.org .

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

If you are interested in volunteering with Salem For Refugees, contact Efrain and he will help you get plugged in: Efrain@salemforrefugees.org.

• Good Neighbor Teams: Volunteer teams who are paired with a newly arriving refugee family to provide hospitality, friendship, and community connection. This is a great way for families, small groups, groups of friends, or neighbors to welcome a new neighbor family to their neighborhood and community.

• Resource Teams: We are always looking for volunteers to join our Resource Teams to support our case managers and to provide services for our new neighbors. Teams include: housing, employment, healthcare, education, English, wellness, finance, social events, legal, and transportation.

BIRTHDAY

GIFTS—

Be sure to stop by the office or call us to get your birthday “Fruit of the Spirit” painted rock delivered during your birthday month!

PHOTOS WANTED

We want your photos for the bulletin that is sent out every Friday. To help us all keep in touch with each other, send us photos of what you’ve been doing or even share some uplifting stories or adventures. Baby and pet photos are especially fun!

Margy McCurry 8-5

Addison Hughes 8-5

Frank Pinkal 8-10

Traci Pearl 8-15

Ardith McIntyre 8-19

Kathryn Dodge 8-20

Jane Slack 8-23

Odin Peterson 8-28

Paul Costales 8-28

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We are always in need of the items above for the Food Bank. If you catch a sale or find a good deal, feel free to bring them in at any time!

KEIZER COMMUNITY

FOOD BANK

Great day at the Food

Bank. 34 families were

served and the only thing

we ran out of was

produce. We were able to

give them a lot of meat

which is wonderful.

It is tradition for the

morning crew to have

lunch at Nancy Jo’s and

while we were there Curt

McCormack our past

manager came in with

his grandson. He is

doing pretty well

considering his illness.

Curt has written a book

available on Amazon,

“Confessions of a

Christian Cynic”. I am

going to order it and will

share with anyone

interested.

Pam Elliot

Core Foods

Canned · Frozen Fresh · Repack

Vegetables ⧫ Fruit

Shelf Stable Beans ⧫ Eggs

Potatoes—fresh ⧫ Soup

Canned Protein ⧫ Flour

Rice ⧫ Pasta

Peanut Butter—16-18 ounce

Tomato Products—can/jar

Shelf Stable Dairy—package/carton

Be sure to check expiration dates!

Leroy & Wilma Bogue 8-1

Don & Jane Slack 8-2

JoAnn Barker 8-11

Troy & Laurie Costales 8-17

YOU’RE INVITED

Please join us to celebrate Troy’s retirement

for 36-years of service!

Location: Keizer Christian Church

6945 Wheatland Rd N, Keizer, OR 97303

Time: 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 21st

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UNSUNG HEROES

Thank you to all the

hard workers who

came out on

Saturday, July 10th

to beautify our

church. Both

churches were well

represented and we

got a lot

accomplished.

Special thanks to Ed

and Dena Query for

donating the large

yard debris cart!

Work Party—

There were

many more

helpers, we

were just

working too

hard to take

photos of all of

them!

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Santiam District Picnic on

July 3rd at Sarah Helmick

State Park, Monmouth, OR.

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KEIZER CHRISTIAN CHURCH

6945 Wheatland Road NE

Keizer OR 97303

SERMON SERIES

SUMMER SERIES 2: NO LONGER STRANGERS

This walk through the letter to the Ephesians teaches the church how to be a community worthy of the gospel. In the midst of familiar interpersonal conflicts, the write of Ephesians reminds them that they are “now in Christ Jesus,” no longer strangers to God and, importantly, no longer alienated form each other. Because of this new life in Christ they are experiencing a radical transformation of their identity—as individuals and as a community.

July 25—Sermon: “Aliens Brought Near” Ephesians 2:11-22 God reconciles divided peoples in a politically subversive act.

August 1—Sermon: “God’s Powerful Love” Ephesians 3:14-21 God can do things though us we cannot imagine.

August 8—Sermon: “Bound Together” Ephesians 4:1-16 God calls us to unity, requiring humility and acceptance of one another.

August 15—Sermon: “Making Peace” Ephesians 4:25-5:2 God calls us to make peace, dealing with anger in a righteous, loving way.

August 22—Sermon: “Overflow” Ephesians 5:15-20 God fills us with the Spirit, bringing joy and thankfulness to ordinary days.