I’ve been thinking about an old church joke recently:
A Sunday school teacher told her kids, “I’m going to describe something. Raise your hand when you know what it is.” The kids nodded eagerly. “I’m small and furry…. I eat nuts…. I live in trees…” Not a kid budged. “My fur is grey…. I have a big bushy tail…. I make chattering noises at people….” Still nothing. “Come on, kids, you know this! What am I?” One child slowly raised his hand. “Teacher?” he said, “I know the answer is Jesus, but it sure sounds like a squirrel to me!”

Recently I’ve been feeling a lot like that kid. Throughout my life, I’ve always been drawn to the church, even when I didn’t understand it. There was something different and beautiful in the community of people who were all committed to being like Jesus. Just being part of that family made me feel safer, more confident, more at peace. At the same time, however, I didn’t think that what happened in the church was the point of church. I was raised in a generation that was taught that the point of church was to equip believers for what happens outside of church. In fact, focusing too much on what happened inside the church was a sign that you weren’t on track with Jesus’ mission. I was stuck in the same situation as the kid from the joke: to me, it seemed like the most important parts of the faith happened inside the church, but I knew that the “right” answer was to focus on the outside.

The funny thing is, I think most people are in the same position. The people who are drawn to actually participate in a congregation do so because they see the beauty and value of the family of God. This doesn’t mean that they don’t care about learning scripture, sharing the Gospel, or serving their community; but what keeps them coming back to the church, and inviting others, is the fact that the church is a beautiful place to be.

Over this past year, God has done a lot to show me (at least) one important thing: the family created in the church is the main thing. Evangelism and service are essential things that the church does, but they are not what the church is. The church is a family, reconciled and adopted by God, grounded in his love, sharing his grace with each other, and welcoming any and all to join. The family of the church–that beautiful community of support and commitment and love–is the most precious thing we have to offer lost people in our community. I am so grateful to be a part of this family, and I am so humbled by the many ways I see you being the body of Christ to each other and our community. And I am looking forward to what God has for us next, as we focus on making the main thing the main thing.
                                                                                   

During our church service this past month, I had the opportunity to share some exciting news about the growth of our preschool. As we embrace this growth, it also brings to light the important need for additional support, and I’d like to take a moment to outline how you can help; whether you were able to join us for the service or if you’re just hearing about this now.

At our church, we believe in fostering a strong connection between our preschool and the broader church community. To achieve this goal, we are eager to establish a dedicated support group that consists of both church members and preschool parents. This group will play a vital role in both supporting Maritza and I as our classes grow and strengthening ties between our church and preschool communities.

We have identified three main areas where support is needed, each categorized by different levels of time commitment:

1. Monthly Tasks: This category includes tasks that require attention once a month. Responsibilities may involve changing the materials on our bulletin boards, updating classroom calendars, and organizing classroom materials. These activities provide a great opportunity for individuals who want to contribute on a regular basis without a large-time commitment. If you enjoy working in a collaborative environment and have a couple of hours each month to spare, this is the perfect way to engage!

2. Seasonal Volunteers: We recognize the importance of maintaining a clean and safe environment for our children while acknowledging daily wipe down disinfecting isn't always enough. Therefore, we are looking for volunteers who can join us for seasonal clean-up days. These events will take place once every season and will involve deep cleaning our toys and disinfecting our spaces. This effort is critical in minimizing germs and ensuring our preschool remains a healthy place for learning and play. It’s a chance to make a tangible impact on the preschool environment while connecting with others in our congregation.

3. Biannual Opportunities: For those who are interested in contributing to larger events, there will be biannual opportunities to assist with our programs, such as the Christmas program and our graduation. These opportunities involve preparing materials, setting up, and cleaning up after events, and your involvement will ensure that these celebrations are successful and enjoyable for our families.

We are blessed by our church congregation and your participation in this support group would make a significant difference in our preschool world. If you’re curious about getting involved or simply want to learn more about how you can contribute to our preschool, I warmly invite you to join us for an informational meeting on Sunday, May 17, at 1:00 PM. Your engagement is valued, and together we can create a vibrant community where our preschool families feel connected and supported.

Thank you for being a congregation that is committed to the growth and development of our preschool. We look forward to seeing you at the meeting and exploring the many ways we can work together to show His love and support our preschool families.

Thank you,
Bethany

It is so exciting to see what God is doing in and through the ministry of Operation Christmas Child here in the Greater Salem Area.

If you remember, we got to watch Him provide for over 2700 Shoeboxes through the Work Shoppe in the Davis Hall basement last year.  We are firmly believing that He's going to supply for over 3000 this year.  He is so amazing!  We continue to have a great group of volunteers work with us every Tuesday afternoon.  In fact, there is so much to do that we've recently added a second Work Shoppe time on Friday mornings.  And if you also remem-ber, the Work Shoppe work is really an extension of what we were doing here at TCC in years past before we "outgrew" the TCC building.  The ministry continues to grow and all who participate here are just as blessed as the children and their families and friends on the other side of the world.

As our big Community Packing Party is approaching in about four months, we are aware of so many things that we need to have happen between now and then.  It's going to be crazy and busy and wonderful, and if you want to be a part of it, please feel free to contact me for information on ways you can help.  (Texts to 503-910-3187 work best.)

God is good and loving and kind.  He wants all people to hear that and to know that.  We are instructed to get that Good News out to all the people around the world.  This is one of the most efficient ways to get this message out there.  Please help if you can.
                                                                                                                                   -Ann Stoker-

Our preschool is seeing a rising need in our community and has the opportunity to expand to help meet that need, but doing so would require volunteer and financial support from the congregation. This prayer meeting is being called so the congregation can discern together whether God is calling and equipping us to take this step with them. Everyone is invited to attend, especially anyone who may be interested in helping to volunteer to support the preschool.

All daughters, moms, sisters, aunts, grandmothers are invited to come and celebrate
being Daughters of God and Sisters in Christ! Please RSVP on the church app:
https://turnerchristianchurch.subspla.sh/stpq5rd

Flowers are blooming! Join us for a walk in the peonies and enjoy a fun picnic.
We will leave the church parking lot at 9:30 am and return about 3:30 pm.
Come join people that love flowers and having a good time.
Register on the event registration card or on the church app:
https://turnerchristianchurch.subspla.sh/y53qqs4

Schedule for May 14
 Starts at 10 AM in the Tabernacle
Welcome, announcements and Singing
    Guest Speaker: Jim Sequeira

**Break

Sing
“Hats for Sale” with Trudi Sang
    Guest Speaker: Bob Chapman

**Lunch-Jubilee Lodge

Workshops (pick one):
      1-Jim Sequeira—“Turning Your Story into A Legacy” 
Jim believes everyone’s story is valuable and wants to help you turn your story into a legacy to pass on to your children and grandchildren

      2-Carol Menken-Schaudt—”What a Story!”
Carol is an  All-American basketball player who won a gold medal on the U.S. team at the 1984 Summer Olympics. Carol later played basketball professionally for eight seasons, including six years in Italy and two in Japan.

Back in the Tabernacle to wrap-up the day with a wonderful concert!
   **************BIG SPECIAL:  South Salem Symphonic Choir-50 Voices!
           South Salem High School

More information and registration at:
https://www.nwchristiannetwork.com/seniorfest

The Nehemiah Project is a work and witness weekend. It's based on how the Israelites, under the direction of Nehemiah, rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem. Nehemiah said "Let us rise up and build" and they set their hands to do this good work." That's exactly what happens during the Nehemiah Project. Projects are lined out for all ages and skill levels. All ages work together on projects for three great days of relationship building. You will be blessed as you spend time making a difference at the Nehemiah project!

Everyone who has a "mind to work" is invited to come and stay on the grounds Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 15-17. Each day we share meals together, work together and worship together. God always does something amazing as we spend these sharing with each other in work and worship.


 

PROVIDING CHRISTIAN CAMPING EXPERIENCES IN THE BEAUTY OF GOD'S CREATION
5195 Winema Road, Cloverdale, OR 97112
Find more information and register at:
https://www.winema.org/summerschedule.html




 

   

What have you seen God doing at Turner Christian Church? Over the past several months, I have learned how powerful a question this can be. My normal habit is to ask, “What are the problems?” and “How can I fix them?” My intentions are good, but I end up spending all my time looking for problems and realizing that it’s not in my power to fix them. Last Fall, at our prayer meetings, we started asking the question, “What is God doing?” and following it up with, “How could we join in with him?” The difference has been astounding.

First of all, I find myself in a much more positive place when I focus on what God is doing. Problems are still visible, but they are no longer the center of my focus. Instead, I am starting with the fact that God is moving and working in the world around me, and that grounds me in hope. Second of all, the question, “How could we join with what God is doing?” is much easier to answer than “How can we fix this problem?” So many problems that we face are beyond our control. There are many problems that none of us could ever fix. But we can always join in with what God is doing, no matter what our circumstances or abilities. Even if it’s “just” through prayer, we can always participate in what God is doing.

As we have done this practice together at the prayer meetings, we have started to see a beautiful picture emerge. Each time we gather, as each person adds their perceptions and observations, we add to this picture of a beautiful, quirky congregation that is widely intergenerational, very welcoming, eager to help each other, and passionate about serving our community. We see God moving as he builds relationships within our congregation, brings up new leaders and volunteers, fills our building with ministries and community groups, and creates a powerful atmosphere of family love among us.

As exciting as all these observations are, the most exciting part is when we begin to talk about how we can join in with what he’s doing–because God isn’t done! He’s continuing to work, and we have a chance to lean into what he is doing: to make that bond of family love the center of what we do as a congregation. This is our focus going forward: how can we shape our gatherings and ministries in a way that fits with the family God is building here? As we discuss and discern what that looks like, I want to invite all of you to participate in the process. We would love for everyone in our church family to attend the prayer meetings. If you can’t attend, pray for the prayer meetings. Pray for our church leaders–the Elders and Church Board–as they steward our resources and guide our congregation. And keep watching for what God is doing—because he’s always moving, and he has given you a unique view of his work to share with others.

God bless!

This year the church is putting together and Easter Choir, led by Debbie Loyd. The Choir will be singing one two-part song at the Easter Service. Practice will be held on three dates: March 5th and 19th, as well as April 4th. All three practices till be at 6:00 pm in the Sanctuary. If this sounds interesting to you, please consider joining. You can let us know on the check-in card.

We will have a church work day on Saturday, March 14 at 9:00 am. Lunch will be provided. There will be jobs that various skill and mobility levels can join in on, both inside and outside the church.  Please register online at:
https://turnerchristianchurch.subspla.sh/8bm9mr3
so that we may have a general head count.

Over forty years ago, Emmanuel Christian Seminary recognized the need to financially help western students who moved across the country to Johnson City, Tennessee. Over 260 students who have been awarded the scholarship are eternally grateful. The main contributors to the Scholarship Fund have been folk like you (here in the west) who have given funds through our various fund-raising events over these years. You are dearly appreciated.

That "on campus" option is still available and provides a rich experience. But another option has been available for a few years: Online Distance Learning Degrees. This is a tremendous option for those who have completed their undergraduate degrees and who are now serving in a local church. They can continue to serve their church while earning a graduate degree. Our pastor, Matt Holmes, is one such student!

We will enjoy a delicious dessert, hear a brief update on the Seminary, award door prizes, provide an opportunity for any, who wish, to contribute to the Pacific Northwest Scholarship Fund, and have a great time together.

Are you looking for a meaningful way to give back to our community? Whether you’ve been looking for a sign to start volunteering or you’re a seasoned pro, we want you to join us for an afternoon of food, fellowship, and preparation! The Food Bank is holding their annual training this year in the Fellowship Hall and will include a potluck!

Our Food Bank has been growing and so is our need for helping hands. This is a perfect “no-pressure” opportunity to learn the ropes, meet the team, and ask questions.

There is a seat at the table for everyone. Even if you aren't sure you can commit yet, come for the potluck and see what we're all about. Our community is stronger when we serve together! Please register online so we can get a general head count.

The Senior ministries and Hospitality team are excited to announce our
All Church St Patrick's Day Dinner on Tuesday, March 17th at 6:00 pm.
There will be food and fun for the whole family so please make sure you register
by March 12th so we can purchase enough food for everyone.
This is a great time for everyone to enjoy our church family together, so register now!
You can register online at: https://turnerchristianchurch.subspla.sh/39vwtx5
or in the church foyer on Sundays.

This year we have combined our Maundy Thursday and Good Friday service into one gathering. Join us as we remember the events of the Last Supper, the Crucifixion, and burial of Jesus. This service is a chance to witness the love that Jesus showed on the way to the cross and to show our gratitude for what he has done for us. This service is interactive, and all ages are welcome, but the tone will be more somber and reflective than Sunday Mornings.

   

This month our curriculum focuses on the Church and its practices–who are we, and what do we do? The lessons take us into specific topics like communion and baptism, the Lord’s Day, and stewardship and mission, but the overall answer is very simple: the church is the community of God’s grace, and we share God’s grace with others. That’s who we are, and that’s what we do.

It’s easy for us to lose sight of that purpose. We set other goals and expectations for ourselves, our church and our community. When God doesn’t seem to be meeting those goals, we open ourselves up to discouragement and disillusionment. This is what happened to John the Baptist when he was in prison. He sent messengers to ask Jesus if he was really the messiah, because Jesus wasn’t meeting his expectations. We don’t know exactly what John was expecting, but it probably involved overthrowing the king that had thrown him in prison. In John’s eyes, the kingdom was in danger and Jesus wasn’t doing enough to defend it.

Jesus responded this way: “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

Jesus didn’t criticize John or his expectations. He simply pointed John’s attention to what Jesus was doing: he was changing lives, one by one, just as his Father had sent him to do. God was moving and working in Israel through Jesus. The kingdom was coming, even if it wasn’t coming in the way John expected.
 
The Bible doesn’t tell us how John reacted to Jesus’ words, but I can imagine the comfort they brought him. It’s easy for us to get caught up in our own goals and expectations, and to feel like the world is falling apart if they aren’t being met. It’s even worse when we feel powerless, unable to do anything to fix the problem (like John must have felt in prison). Jesus’s words reminded John that the world wasn’t falling apart. The Messiah was on the move, even if he couldn’t see it. The kingdom was advancing, God’s plan was working–even while John was in prison.

When I feel overwhelmed or discouraged, God has a habit of showing me something he’s doing in the church–usually this church–to remind me that he is still working. Usually it’s a person or family who has received God’s grace in some special way through our church family. He reminds me that he is still working, always working, even when I don’t see or recognize. All I have to do is keep faith in him, and follow where he leads.

Join us on the first and third Sundays of each month at 6:00 PM
for a focused time of congregational prayer. 

Together, we seek God’s guidance for the future mission of our church—listening and discerning for the paths He is preparing. Whether you come with vision, questions,
or quiet hope, this gathering is a space to align our hearts with God’s purposes and
pray boldly for what’s ahead.

passed away and went home to the Lord on December 26, 2025.
A Celebration of Life will be held at TCC on Saturday, February 14, 2026 at 1:00 pm.
Please keep Blanche and family in your prayers.

 passed away and went home to the Lord on Monday, January 26th.
George and his wife Frances were members here for several years when they came to Turner. They moved closer to family last year, and Frances passed away last August.
George's service will be at 2:00 pm on Saturday, February 28, 2026 here at TCC.
Please pray for the family as they grieve.

was baptized into Christ on December 21, 2025.
Noah is the son of Mathew and Angela Harland.

Wednesday, February 18, 2026
6:45—9:00 am

Ash Wednesday is a day set aside by Christians for reflection and repentance.
This year we will observe Ash Wednesday with a morning open house.
The sanctuary will be open for anyone who wants to receive ashes.
You are welcome to spend time in the sanctuary praying as well.
Drop in on the way to work or at the start of your day!

Seniors Celebrate Lincoln's Birthday
Thursday, February 12th
Please join us in the fellowship hall as we celebrate the late President Lincoln's birthday
from 1 pm - 3 pm. We will have snacks and will get to enjoy a guest speaker!
You can register for this event on the church app:
https://turnerchristianchurch.subspla.sh/q94j5wd


Bowling at Northgate Bowl
Friday, February 20th
We are heading to the bowling alley again! Our scores are improving- come join us either by bowling or being cheerleaders! The cost is $5 to bowl, and cheerleaders are free! Transportation will be leaving the church at 1:00 pm.
You can register for this event on the church app:
https://turnerchristianchurch.subspla.sh/w7mfx7m

Quarterly Church Potluck Lunch
Sunday, February 22nd
Please join us for a potluck lunch following the All-Age Sunday morning worship service.
Last names starting with A-I bring main dishes, J-R bring sides and S-Z bring desserts.

New flooring is being installed in the hallway in the education wing and the fellowship hall over the next few weeks! The old carpeting has been removed and walls have  been painted thanks to wonderful volunteers!

We are approaching a new growing season here in the Community Garden and we are reaching out to invite you all to join in and help with this valuable community resource. We have many opportunities available with as little as 1 hour on up to days of volunteer help. It takes a whole community to assure the success of our program for now and into the future. Please make the decision to get involved soon.  Opportunities include plot maintenance, produce care, and community events. We look forward to seeing you in the garden!!

UPDATE: The recent flood waters have devastated Mary’s wonderful flower gardens near the roadside that everyone enjoys every spring and summer and Mary and her team need your help to get them in order again in time for this year’s flowery showing, Say you’ll come help !! (turnercomgarden@gmail.com)

   

This last month marked my 7th anniversary with Turner Christian Church, and during that month I had one of the most profound experiences I’ve had as part of this congregation. It wasn’t flashy or exciting—it was “just” a small prayer meeting of nine people on a Sunday night. What made it profound was the way we heard from God in that conversation. See, I’m really good at talking to God, but not so good at hearing him respond—mainly because I don’t spend time listening. Listening just hasn’t been part of my prayer practice.

In this gathering we started by looking for God. We thought about where we have seen God moving in our congregation in the past, then we shared those glimpses of God with the group. People shared about healings they had experienced, friendships they had discovered with others; they talked about the generations God is bringing together in the congregation, the new faces they’ve been seeing, the diverse group of people that gather here on Sunday mornings; we talked about the work God has been doing through the preschool, food bank, Operation Christmas Child, and our relationships with community groups like the community garden. We were inspired to see a white board covered in good things that God is doing here.

Then we turned to the topic of the prayer gathering: who has God made us to be today? Based on what we see him doing, what kind of church has God made us to be? We talked about how God has made us intergenerational, worshipful, generous and helpful. He has been teaching us to treat people of each generation and every background with compassion and respect. He has given us a passion for serving our local community through our preschool, food bank, and sharing our grounds and facilities. It was exciting to watch a picture develop of how God has been shaping this congregation to have a particular character and mission.

We closed by asking, “What do we need to ask of God, because of everything we’ve seen today?” We prayed for our junior worship volunteers, who are working so hard to make sure we have ministry for every age. We prayed for new staff members like Jerry Sygney and Frank Musgrave who are helping us cover all the work of the staff since Pastor Rachel left. We asked God to show us how we can minister well to our youth. We prayed for the new officers who will lead us in 2026.

I came away from this prayer meeting with a profound feeling that God had really shown up and spoken to us. There was no earth-shaking revelation—in fact, I don’t think anyone said anything we didn’t already know—but we got to see this picture develop through the experiences and impressions God had put on many different hearts. We were able to discern together a shared vision of what God is doing. It was beautiful.

The reason I’m telling you all of this is because you are all invited to participate! The reason we heard from God is not because those nine people showed up, but because God showed up. These meetings are open to the entire congregation, and we would love for anyone and everyone to join in. You don’t need any qualifications or abilities. You just need to show up, and listen with us for God to speak.

The prayer meetings gather on first and third Sundays from 6 to 7:30pm. This month, that’s December 7th and 21st.

God bless, and Merry Christmas!

One of the things I love most about this time of year is how naturally conversations about God flow into our everyday lives. As we discuss Thanksgiving and what it means to be thankful, questions arise about whom we thank for our blessings. When we start singing Christmas songs, it prompts even more inquiries about the meaning behind those songs and why we sing “Jesus is the king, born for you and me.”

In this age of curiosity, our students often ask profound questions like, "Is God invisible?" We dive into abstract concepts that may be new to them, and it's a beautiful experience to witness their understanding unfold. Just last week, we explored the idea of God’s presence in our lives. We talked about how, while we can’t see Him, we can feel Him and recognize His touch in the world around us. To illustrate this, I compared God to the wind. We can’t see the wind, but we can feel it on our skin and see things like our hair blowing in it. The lightbulbs of understanding flickered on in their little faces around the room, and those moments remind me how eternally grateful I am to be part of these early conversations.

As I think of my own childhood, I can close my eyes and hear my mom’s voice saying “God is big enough for all your questions.” She would say this often and I would laugh and say “of course he is”, but now as I hear these questions spill out of these students this little saying doesn’t feel little at all. This is an invitation and assurance that I want them to carry with them. God will never be too small for all their questions; at four, at ten, at twenty-six, and seventy-five. God will always be big enough for our questions.

As we head into the Christmas season, I find these conversations are helping me realign my own heart to a place of curiosity, a place to search for him, and to ask the questions. Sometimes I feel so certain about who God is that I forget the mystery of him and just how vast and deep His love is for me. My students are a constant reminder to embrace a childlike faith; a faith questioning, and eager to learn. In a time when life gets busy and the world bombards us with distractions, I want to focus my energy on curiosity. This desire to seek understanding not only deepens my connection with God but also enriches our shared journey so we can explore the beauty of God together.

All the Candidates and the Proposed Budget for 2026
were approved by the congregation by ballot on November 30, 2025.

Elder (2026-28)
John Stroup
JD Remy

Chair of the Congregation (2026)
Lloyd Love

Board Secretary (2026)
Casey Holmes

Financial Secretary (2026)
Kris Jakubowski

Assistant Financial Secretary (2026)
Kayla Klinger

Trustee (2026-2028)
Jon Remy Jr

Finance Deacon (2026)
Laurie Boyle

Hospitality Deacon (2026)
Casey Holmes

Missions Deacon (2026)
Gary Tiffin

Seniors Deacon (2026)
Sharon Teixeira


Officers Continuing Their Service:

Elders
Dave Stoker (’25-27)
Frank Loyd (’25-27)
Gary Tiffin (’24-26)
Alan Grunstad (’24-26)

Trustees
Ray Telfer (’25-’27)
Mel Metcalf (’24-’26)

The church has started a new curriculum for discipleship classes AND the Sunday service. Starting November 30th both the sermons and classes will be using the “Standard Lesson” curriculum to study the core beliefs of the church.

Find out more about the curriculum in the church app or at www.turnerchristian church .com/discipleship.

ADULT CLASSES
Classes will be available on Sundays at 9:00 and If you are interested in participating in a class but need a different time, please register and mark “other” for class time. Depending on interest, we may be able to create groups at other times.

KIDS CLASSES
Our goal is to provide kids classes to make it possible for everyone to attend a class. Fillin out this form helps us know what to plan for, and whether we need to consider offering kids classes at a different time in the week.

REQUESTING BOOKS
This curriculum offers a student book for following along with the weekly lessons. It also offers a daily devotional book that adds to the weekly studies. Please indicate whether you would like a copy of wither of these books when you register.

PAYING FOR BOOKS
We do not want the cost of books to be an obstacle to anyone, so we are not asking for payment with registration. If you would like to contribute to paying for the books, you can do so through the offering box (write “SS Books” on the memo line or donation envelope) or online through the Website or App. Both books are $9.00 per copy.

Blue Christmas Service
Sunday, December 21st at 3:00 pm
This service is designed for those who face feelings of grief and loss during the
Christmas Season—-for those who need space to remember their loss and their lost
loved ones in this season of hope. All are invited to join in singing carols, reading
scripture, remembering, and hoping in the coming of Christ.  


Christmas Eve Candlelight Services
Wednesday, December 24th at 3:00 pm
Join us for a service of readings, carols, and candlelight as we celebrate the birth of Christ!

Bowling at Northgate Bowl
Friday, December 12th
We are heading to the bowling alley again! Our scores are improving- come join us either by bowling or being cheerleaders! The cost is $5 to bowl, and cheerleaders are free! Transportation will be leaving the church at 1:00 pm.
You can register for this event on the church app: https://turnerchristianchurch.subspla.sh/ppk9zd5

Christmas Party > Movie and Lunch
Monday, December 15th
Join us at 11:00 am for an afternoon of eating delicious pizza and watching the
1970's movie "Scrooge," starring Alec Guinness and Albert Finney.
You can register for this event on the church app:
https://turnerchristianchurch.subspla.sh/m52vnqj  

Seniors Trip to Powerland Heritage Park
Friday, December 19th
We will enjoy a drive through Powerland Heritage Park in Brooks where the museums
come alive with festive decorations, snacks and Santa. Please meet at the church.
Transportation will leave the church at 4:30.
You can register for this event on the church app:
https://turnerchristianchurch.subspla.sh/svbgw74

On behalf of many of our community families, thank you for once again, as a congregation, rising to meet the needs of our community. Between collaboration with Turner Christian Church and Turner Elementary School and others in the local community, we had over 3,500 lbs of food donated during the last month. Thank you all for your part in helping out!

Through the efforts of this congregation and other local congregations and individuals, we, just here in Turner, are going to be sending 2,704 (revised number since last reported on November 23rd) shoeboxes as gospel opportunities around the world this year.  

Our Shoebox Work Shoppe here in Turner on the Turner Homes campus has become a huge blessing in so many ways. Not only do we have a space in which to prepare items for the Shoeboxes, but it's also a set time and place for a weekly fellowship of dedicated Shoebox volunteers. It's a place of sharing with and praying for and supporting not only this ministry, but also each other. We're open most every Tuesday afternoon at noon for a few hours and you are welcome to join us anytime.

Please play the video below to learn more about how these shoeboxes bless children who receive them.

   

My vision of the church was formed by a very specific experience in my childhood. When I was in fourth grade, my dad agreed to serve as interim pastor for a church in Eastern Washington while they searched for a new senior pastor. He brought the rest of the family with him, of course, so all of a sudden, we had a new church home. What I remember about that time was that unique atmosphere they had. Without a senior minister, everyone had to pitch in to cover the ministries of the church. There was a sense of camaraderie and ownership in that church that affected me even as a child.

I didn’t realize how much it had affected me until much later, when I realized that my best experiences in church had always been during those all-hands-on-deck times when the whole church family was engaged in doing its work. That wasn’t just a fun time–that’s what the church is supposed to be. God’s design is a body in which every member has a part to play. As a pastor, it has always been my dream to recover that atmosphere in the church—but while the senior pastor is still here!

This month I hit my seventh year as a senior minister, and the one thing I have learned is just how difficult accomplishing that vision is. It’s not a simple matter of wanting to involve more people in the work of the church—there are a lot of practical challenges involved that can get in the way of realizing that vision.

This month I invite you all to join me in taking a major step in that direction. Beginning this month, we will be holding Congregational Prayer Meetings on the first and third Sundays of each month. These meetings are open to everyone. The goal of these meetings is to pray over the future ministries of the church, to ask God to reveal to us how we can join the work he is doing in our congregation and community.

In these prayer meetings we will bring our questions to God—but we will also spend time listening to his answers and then discussing what we hear him saying to us. As we lift up a particular need, such as youth ministry or a midweek gathering, God may prompt us to offer new ideas or volunteer to help meet a need.

To be clear, these meetings will not vote or decide anything—they are strictly about speaking with God and discerning his answers. My hope is that the conversations we have in these meetings will provide insight and direction when we do make plans for our ministries, so that our plans are based on the discernment and engagement of the whole church body.

I am really excited about these prayer meetings–not just because of what they could lead to, but because of the meetings themselves. I love spending time with this congregation, hearing your thoughts and ideas, your hopes and dreams, your skills and insights. I hope you will join us as we pray, discern, and dream about the future of our church ministries. See you there!

Let There Be Light!
You may have noticed that the lights in the church building have been a bit dodgy lately. The reason is because the type of light bulb our fixtures use is no longer being manufactured—so we haven’t been able to replace them. Instead, we’ve been working on getting them replaced with new LED lights. We are excited to announce that the arrangements have been made, and we should be getting brand new lighting installed sometime in late November! Thank you for bearing with the old lighting!

Annual Meeting
It’s time for our annual meeting, when the members of the church vote to approve the budget and officers for the coming year. At the beginning of 2025, we suddenly realized that we were facing a budget crisis—our expenses had been exceeding our income for a long time, and our balance was getting too low. This was partly because of a slow lapse in giving, and partly because of budgeting. The congregation responded by setting a new level of giving, and the leadership team made a lot of changes to the way we gather, track, spend and communicate about money. Those changes worked wonderfully, and we were able to quickly set the church on solid financial footing.

The annual meeting is the most important part of how we communicate about finances. This is where the leadership team presents its plans for the congregation, and members can ask questions—and vote–on the new budget. This year the finance team and I have been working to create a new format for our church budget that will make it easier for the congregation to understand the decisions we are proposing and the request we are making of our members. We want this vote to mean something—we want our members to feel that they have understood, approved, and committed to a financial plan for this church that we can support through the coming year.

On November 23rd, during the Sunday School hour (9 AM), we will be holding a Congregational Brunch. At the brunch we will report on 2025 and present the budget and officers for 2026. Please plan to attend so you can be informed before you vote.

The Congregational Vote will be held a week later, on November 30th, immediately following the church service. This meeting will be voting only—we will pass out the ballots after the service, and once you’ve filled it out you are free to go.

Only members of the congregation can vote. If you are not a member of the church, but you would like to be, you will need to place your membership by Sunday, November 23rd in order to vote. There are two conditions for membership: you must have been baptized by immersion, and you must confess your faith before the congregation. If you would like to place your membership, or you have any questions, please contact Pastor Matt.

Join us on the first and third Sundays of each month at 6:00 PM for a focused time of congregational prayer. Together, we seek God’s guidance for the future mission of our church—listening and discerning for the paths He is preparing. Whether you come with vision, questions, or quiet hope, this gathering is a space to align our hearts with God’s purposes
and pray boldly for what’s ahead.

Barbara Sorensen
passed away and went home to the Lord on October 11, 2024.
A service was held at TCC on October 26th.

Seniors Game Day & Lunch
Monday, November 3rd • 11:30 am -- 2:30 pm
   
November 3rd is the day that you will be able to challenge someone to a game
of checkers or another game of your choice. There will be some games available
but if you have a special game to share bring it with you! Lunch will be served.  
Invite a friend, neighbor or a family member to join in the fun.
Please register online at: https://turnerchristianchurch.subspla.sh/tgnpzsr
or at the registration desk at the church.

The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to provide local partners around the world with shoeboxes filled with small toys, hygiene items, and school supplies as a means of reaching out to children in their own communities with the Good News of Jesus Christ. We ship these simple gifts outside the United States to children affected by war, poverty, natural disaster, famine, and disease.

Churches in the greater Salem area have packed over 2000 shoeboxes that are going to be shipped overseas this month. It costs $10.00 to collect, process and ship each shoebox overseas. Multiply that by the 2000 shoeboxes we prepared and that comes to quite a large amount, but well worth it!

If you would like to help with this expense, please mark your contribution on your check or an offering envelope (available on the back of chairs in the sanctuary or in the church office) “for Operation Christmas Child Shipping.”

On November 23rd, during the Sunday School hour (9 AM), we will be holding a Congregational Brunch. At the brunch we will report on 2025 and present the budget and officers for 2026. Please plan to attend so you can be informed before you vote.

The Congregational Vote will be held a week later, on November 30th, immediately following the church service. This meeting will be voting only—we will pass out the ballots after the service, and once you’ve filled it out you are free to go.

The Country Mouse Holiday Market offers a wide variety of handcrafted gifts, edibles, art, jewelry, woodcrafts, collectables and so much more! Come peruse over 90 booths in two historic buildings: the Tabernacle built in 1891 and Pioneer Hall built in 1886. The atmosphere is worth coming for! Local food trucks and other eating options are available onsite. Bring your friends and make a day of it!

The Country Mouse Holiday Market is a community building fundraiser.  The Holiday Market helps fund the ministry equipping  sponsored by the Northwest Christian Network.

   

Welcome to September! There is a lot going on this Fall, including new plans for Sunday School and our evening gatherings, but this month I want to focus on our most exciting development: we have hired a new office administrator–Kendra Lambert!

Kendra has been part of our church family since summer of 2023. She was baptized here in February of 24, and she has served as a Sunday school teacher and A/V tech. She has one daughter, Brynn, who attended Little Lamb Preschool.

My goal in this hiring process was to find, not just the best applicant, but the right person for the position. My hope was that we would be able to find someone who was already part of our congregation, who already knows and loves who we are. In Kendra we have found both.

To me, this is exciting for several reasons. First of all, I’m relieved to have finished the hiring process. It’s always a relief to check a major box on your to-do list, and to be able to answer big question marks about the future. More importantly, I am excited to have Kendra herself on the church staff. Kendra impressed us with her wisdom, humility, and enthusiasm, and she is definitely an added value to the church office.
 
Finally, I am excited because this is another reminder to me that God is still working, that he has good plans even when I can’t see what they are. I have had a lot of checkboxes and question marks on my plate this summer, and there are times when I look at everything in front of me and think, “I’m not sure I can do this.” But I don’t need to “do” everything. I don’t need to be in total control (in fact, I shouldn’t be). I don’t need to know exactly how everything will turn out. God is the one in control, he is the one moving his church forward, and he is the one who knows how everything will turn out. And because I know he is in control, I can focus on doing the next thing God has called me to do, and trust that God will work all things together for the good of his people.

There are more checkboxes and question marks ahead of us. This year we will be focusing on equipping the congregation to discern what God is doing in their lives, in our church, and in our community. Our approach to Sunday school and mid-week groups will be simpler this year, and they will be focused on that one goal. But we need not be concerned by checkboxes and question marks, because we remember that God’s got this. God has shown no signs of slowing down here at TCC. I see him at work in the new people who have been joining us on Sundays, the relationships that have been growing in the church, the great work being done in our (fully enrolled!) preschool and food bank–I could go on. The important thing is that God has a plan for Turner Christian Church–all we need to do is follow him the best we can.
God bless!
-Pastor Matt

A Note from Jerry:

Judy and I would like to thank the congregation  for the privilege of being able to serve in the church office in one of the best “jobs “ in the world. We appreciate all the kindnesses and support we have received from Matt and other pastors and the congregation at large. Be sure to meet and greet our new Office Administrator, Kendra and her daughter Brynn. God has blessed us with Kendra and she is a blessing to this congregation

Frances Knox passed away on August 16th and went home to the Lord. Please keep George and the family in your prayers. Plans are being made for a Memorial Service at TCC on September 13th at 2:00 pm.

TCC is currently hiring for two open positions:
Church Treasurer (10 hrs. per week)
 
Anyone interested in this position can go to http://www.turnerchristianchurch.com/jobs
for information and instructions on how to apply
 
Please pray for the hiring process as we look for our new staff team members!

Teens are an important part of our church! With Pastor Rachel’s departure, we need to put together a new plan for youth ministry for this year. If you are interested in youth ministry–if you’re a teen, a parent, interested in volunteering, or passionate about supporting youth ministry, please attend our Youth Interest Meeting on September 21st at 6:30 PM.

We need your input! We are working on plans for youth ministry for this year, but we need to hear from you! If you are a teen or parent, if you are interested in helping with youth ministry, or if you are passionate about supporting youth ministry, please come to this meeting! We want to hear your input (especially you teens!)

This year we will be organizing the classes in a new way:
· Participants will choose their own “table groups”--4-6 people who will be together through the entire school year.
· Each term, we will divide all the table groups into classes led by a teacher.
· Each term we will reshuffle the table groups into new classes. Our goal is that each table group will get to spend at least one term with every other table group.

In the Fall we will offer two classes:
1. Carol George’s group will study the story of the Exodus.
2. The other class will follow the sermon series with a Bible study and discussion that challenges us to think more deeply about our own spiritual journeys, and how we might walk the path of reconciliation more faithfully.

Table groups will be formed at the launch class on September 14th. Classes will begin the following Sunday (Sep. 21st). Anyone who joins after that will be added to a class and then placed in a new Table Group at the beginning of the next term.

Contact the Church office if you have any questions!

This fall we are going to work though that spiritual journey step by step, following the story of the Prodigal Son. We will be challenged to think deeply about who God is, who I am, how and why we stray, and what it means to come back to God.

   

What does it mean to have a “pure heart?” I always thought of perfection―having no “impure” thoughts. I imagined that “purity of heart” meant having the discipline and focus to prevent bad thoughts from entering the mind. Of course, I found that goal impossible. It’s hard enough not to dwell on impure thoughts, but to keep them from even entering the mind? That was beyond me!

The problem with my way of thinking was that I started with impurity―which I assumed meant evil or sinful things―rather than starting with purity. What does purity mean? To be pure is to be made out of only one substance. A piece of Jewelry is made of pure gold if there are no traces of other metal in it―only gold. It doesn’t matter whether the “impurity” is silver or iron–having any other metal in the jewelry makes it impure.

So when Jesus talks about having a pure heart, he’s not talking about keeping out evil thoughts―it would be closer to say that he wants us to keep out every thought but one. This is why James says, “Purify your hearts, you double-minded. (4:8)” To be pure in heart, you must not have two different things in your mind―only one.

Of course, this only seems to make things harder. Now I’m supposed to suppress every other thought except one? How am I supposed to do that?! Well, there’s one more step to make. Remember that Jesus says, “Purify your heart,” not your mind. In the New Testament, your heart is the place of your will―the place where you make decisions and set priorities. Soren Kierkegaard famously said that “Purity of heart is to will one thing”―meaning that we only want one thing, only seek after one thing. Everything we do, every decision we make, is aimed toward God.

Here’s the kicker: in a way, this is always true of each of us. All of our desires are always aimed at God, because God is what we all really want and need. We were made by God, for God. Our hearts are restless, Augustine wrote, “until they find their rest in God. The problem is that we have each become fractured by sin, and our desires have gotten twisted and bent away from where they are supposed to go. In our fallen state, our heart leads us in all different directions, often at the same time, trying to find our fulfillment, but all along the only thing we really want or need is God.”

Purifying your heart, then, isn’t really about suppressing thoughts or sacrificing our desires, so much as it is refocusing them on God. Each desire you have is really a bent desire for God, and only he can really fulfill it. I am very much a rookie at this myself, but let me suggest an experiment for you. When your heart begins to pull you in a direction, ask yourself, “How is this desire really a desire for God? How did it get bent out of place? And how can I satisfy the real desire in my heart?”

Let me give you an example. There once were two sisters, Mary and Martha. When Jesus came to visit them, Mary sat and listened at Jesus’ feet while Martha did all the work to prepare the meal. Finally Martha became so frustrated that she asked Jesus to send Mary back to help. What did Jesus say?

“Martha, Martha… you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42)

Notice what Jesus says: “You are worried and upset about many things.” The problem isn’t that she was working to prepare the meal―the problem was that she had become so focused on preparing that she forgot who she was preparing for. The true desire of her heart was to know and be known by Jesus. This is why she was making the meal. But her worry and concern split her attention: getting the meal done right and making sure Mary did her part became distractions from the true desire. Even if Mary had gotten up and helped, it would not have given Martha what she truly desired. Only being with Jesus could do that. On the other hand, with Jesus at the center of her will, everything Martha did to honor and serve him―even the dishes―could be utterly fulfilling as it brings her heart closer to him.

The last years hold so many memories-of laughter, of worship, of loss (too many funerals of people we all love), of healing and of hope. This congregation has been so loving and kind to me―and I will miss you.

It’s been an interesting month. I told my dad a few days into the month, “I don’t think I can do this,” because it is so hard to say so many goodbyes. It’s hard to leave a church. And yet, at the same time, as my chapter here is ending, it’s obvious that God is continuing to unfold wonderful things here at TCC. A mother told me her kids had ended up at VBS because of Casey. A different parent said her child wanted to serve on the A/V team-and the family had already talked about reaching to our A/V head, Ben. Someone else had an idea for programming, someone else volunteered for a role they don’t normally do . . . and on and on, as the church does what it does best―acts as the church to one another, taking care of each other and being a light in this community.

But it's hard to let go of something that I have valued so much, and a role that I have been honored to inhabit. It’s hard to take a backseat and trust that God knows what he’s doing.

And yet, as I have sought to let go of my desire to control and have tried to get comfortable in the backseat, God has shown me again and again that he really has all this covered. He knows what is best for this congregation, he knows what he is doing in my life, and he loves you all more than I ever could.

I will miss you all so much, and, I believe that God is doing an incredible work in and through you in this season. This loss has purpose.

So, with deep, deep love, and profound gratitude, I repeat to you what Pastor Matt says every Sunday: Stay healthy, stay hopeful, and go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

Rachel

I can hardly believe that this will be my third year as the director of Little Lamb Preschool! Each year brings a fresh start and a clean slate, and I can feel the excitement as I begin preparing for a classroom filled with new faces and returning students.

This year, we will welcome children from diverse backgrounds: some may already know Jesus,while others may be meeting Him for the first time here at preschool. Many will eagerly walk through our doors, filled with excitement, while others may feel anxious about separating from their parents and meeting new teachers. It is our mission to nurture each child's unique journey and create a warm, welcoming environment for everyone.

We take intentional time and thought to design our classrooms to meet the needs of all our
students. Setting up the space thoughtfully helps ease the transition for our little ones, making them feel comfortable and excited about their new surroundings.

If you're interested in helping us prepare our classroom this month, we would greatly appreciate any contributions. We have created an Amazon wish list containing some essential items we use throughout the year as well as new manipulatives for the classroom. Your generosity will directly impact the resources available to our students.

Additionally, I invite you to join us in prayer for our preschool community as we embark on this new year. If you find some time at the church over the next month, please feel free to come down and pray over our space. Together, we can fill our classrooms with love, hope, and prayers for our students.

Thank you for your continued support. I am looking forward to another wonderful year at Little Lamb Preschool, working hand-in-hand with each of you to provide the best possible experience for our children.

TCC is currently hiring for two open positions:
Office Administrator (30 hrs. per week)
Church Treasurer (10 hrs. per week)
 
Anyone interested in either position can go to http://www.turnerchristianchurch.com/jobs
for information and instructions on how to apply
 
Please pray for the hiring process as we look for our new staff team members!

Dear Friends,
Thank you for the cards of condolences for the passing of my mother. She lived a full life, albeit the past several years were tough due to dementia. She’s in heaven now!
   
I cherish your prayers given the past few months while she was on hospice. It’s a comfort to know that our sorrows of this life are shared by such special Christian friends.
Linda & D.H.

We will gather in the church parking lot at 8:30 am in the morning and then head to Brooks.
There is an entrance fee of ($17.00); payable at the gate.
Youth 13-17 ($12.00);  
12 and under (FREE);
(FREE) for current and/or retired Military with ID or uniform.
There are food trucks at the event if you get hungry!
Please sign up on the church app: https://turnerchristianchurch.subspla.sh/wpfr9wt

Tuesday, August 12, 2025
Come join us as we journey "Up the Canyon" to Mehama to have a meal at the
Gingerbread House. This will be a no host meal either brunch or lunch. We will meet at the church parking lot at 10:30 am on Tuesday, August 12 and return by 3:30 pm.
Please sign up either on the church app: https://turnerchristianchurch.subspla.sh/sf3fyvn 
or at the registration desk at the church.

Please stop by and wish Jeanette Campbell a Happy Birthday on Saturday, August 16th between 2:00―4:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall. No gifts please. Your presence is present enough! We hope to see you there! The Campbell Kids (Jeff, Philip, Sara).

Frank & Debbie are celebrating 50 years of marriage 
and Frank is celebrating 50 years of ordained ministry 
on Saturday, August 23, 2025 from 1:00―4:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall.
We would love to have you celebrate with us―no gifts, please!

August is here, and that means that our Annual Packing Party is just a few short weeks away. We are so excited to get to share this wonderful experience with all of you!

On Sunday afternoon, August 17th, we will be set up in the Salem Evangelical Church GYMNASIUM to fill at least 1200 Shoeboxes to be used as Gospel Opportunities in various countries around the globe. We'd love to have you join us for the fun at 2:00 PM on the 17th and we'd also love to have you join us in preparing for this event.

We are still in need of quite a few items, especially since this is such a BIG project! If you see any crayons on sale, for example, we are still in need of hundreds of 24 count boxes. We still need pencils, sharpeners, erasers, pens, 6" rulers, and scissors. We could use more washcloths, tennis (or similar size) balls, and small filler items like finger puppets and fidget toys. Small baby dolls or Barbies are always needed, and so are Hotwheels, Adventure Force, or Matchbox cars. If you're looking for specific items to purchase, you can also check out our Amazon gift registry. Just search registry for Ann Stoker, then select the Shoebox Work Shoppe 2025 list.

We're also still meeting in our Work Shoppe in Turner each Tuesday at noon to prepare for the Community Packing Party, so please feel free to come on down and see what all the excitement is about.

Thanks for your continuing support of this worldwide mission!

-Ann Stoker

Dust off your bowling shoes and join us for an exciting afternoon at the Northgate Bowling Alley in Salem. If you don’t want to bowl come and be part of the cheering squad! The cost is $5.00 per bowler which includes shoes and a bowling ball of your choice. Transportation will leave the TCC parking lot at 1:00 and return about 3:30. Please sign up either at the registration desk at the church or church app: https://turnerchristianchurch.subspla.sh/fr8zrzr

Online:
• Go to http://www.instantchurchdirectory.com
    You can use your web browser, or
     open the TCC app and find “New Church Directory” under “TCC Community.”
• Click the “members” button in the top right.
• Enter your email address. You must use the email address you gave us for the directory.
• The site will have you create an account with a password. This ensures that only people in
   the directory can access it.
• That’s it! You can log in and access the directory from in internet any time. Just use the
   web address or the button in the app!

In Print:
We will be offering a print version of the directory once we have the photos ready. We will announce as soon as those are available.  

In the meantime, if you didn’t get your picture taken for the directory, please feel free to send us a picture of yourself to include. Email it to office@turnerchristianchurch.com

Are you looking for a time where you can get away with the whole family? How about a time where you and your family can grow in your faith and worship with other families? What about a sandy beach and a glassy lake? If all of these sound great, then Family Camp is for you! For four days, families come together for a camp experience for all ages! Information and registration at: https://www.winema.org/family-camp.html

Wi-Ne-Ma Family Camp (with Members of Turner Christian Church)
Wi-Ne-Ma Family camp is a great chance for church members of all ages to camp together with other Christians from around the Northwest. TCC has reserved an area at camp for our families to camp next to each other. This means you can camp next to people you already know, AND it means we can pool resources for people who may not be used to camping or have all the supplies. If you would like to register for Family Camp with us, please follow these steps:

1. Join the Chat, or contact the church
(Go to TCC Community >>> Chat Rooms >> Discover > Family Camp 2025 on the Church App) (Go to Connect >> TCC Messaging > Family Camp 2025 on the Church Website)
If you have questions, or if you need/want to coordinate with other people (Maybe you want to do, but you need a tent--or to share someone else's camp stove?), please reach out. You can either contact the church office, or you can join the chat room for Family Camp and ask questions/make plans there.

2. Register with Us - https://subsplash.com/turnerchristianchurch/lb/ev/+2m5n6kz
Use our event page to check and reserve the kind of spot you would like. There are a limited number of hook-ups in the TCC area, and those are reserved through our events page. But remember, you aren't registered for camp until you register with them!

3. Register with Wi-Ne-Ma - https://winema.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/2702189
When you register, in the box labelled "Do you have any requests," tell them you are camping with TCC.

   

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (Mt. 5:7)

The teachings of Jesus are always difficult. Jesus doesn’t pull punches when he tells us how we ought to live. Most of the time, however, we are inspired by his teachings because they are so obviously good and right. This beatitude, if we're honest, is not one of those teachings. Don’t get me wrong: being merciful is difficult. But for most people today, being merciful is not so obviously good or right. How often do we withhold mercy because it seems like the wrong thing to do? If you don’t punish that person, they won’t learn. If you help that person, you’ll just be enabling their behaviors. If you forgive that person, you are condoning what they did. In our anxious, justice-minded culture, mercy frequently seems to be the wrong course of action. How can we possibly show mercy without sacrificing justice?
Interestingly enough, the Bible does not seem to struggle with holding mercy and justice together. The Old Testament frequently praises God for his mercy and justice in the same breath (for instance, Psalm 89:14, 101:1, 103:17, Jer. 9:24). Not only this, but God also famously instructs us to “act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). In the Bible there seems to be no conflict between mercy and justice. How can this be?

I think the answer comes down to our definition of justice. When we talk about justice, what we mean is that “everyone is getting what they deserve.” The thing is, human beings have had many different perspectives on what everyone deserves. Today we believe that everyone deserves an equal share of the pie. We are, after all, created equal, so justice means ensuring that everyone gets the same amount. This creates a problem for mercy: if justice means giving everyone an equal share, and mercy means giving someone special treatment–giving them more than they deserve or punishing them less than they deserve–then we can never be merciful and just at the same time. As long as justice means equality, justice and mercy can never coexist.

But what if we weren’t dividing a pie? What if our resources and opportunities weren’t limited? What if you could give more to one person without taking away from another person? Would that change our perspective on mercy and justice? The reason we object to mercy is because, if you give that person more, you have to take it from someone else. But what if you could give more to one person without taking from someone else? Think about this: air is the most precious resource we have–you need it more urgently than you need food or water or shelter. We have fought countless wars over food and water and shelter, but never about air. We don’t buy or sell air; we don't even track how much air each person breathes. No one gets upset if another person takes a deeper breath than them. Why not? Because there is plenty to go around! Another person’s breathing does not take away from my air (unless you get locked in an airtight container with someone–then suddenly your attitude would change!).

This is why the Bible can hold mercy and justice together. God has no limitations. He can be merciful to anyone–and everyone!--without taking away from anyone else. And that’s exactly what he does! God is generous and merciful to all. This is why the merciful are blessed. We can afford to be merciful because we know that God will be merciful to us. We can share generously and forgive recklessly because God shares with and forgives us. Jesus will make this connection over and over again in the Sermon on the Mount:

• Love your enemies, because God gives rain to the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:44-45)
• Forgive others as God forgives you (Mt. 6:12)
• God gives good gifts to his children, so you should treat others how you want to be treated. (7:11-12)

In a world governed by a generous God, we can be merciful and just at the same time. In fact, in such a world, mercy and justice must go together, because mercy itself is just. The merciful are blessed because we can be a part of the world of mercy God is creating.

May our congregation be a community of mercy that shares in the generosity of God!

                                                                                   

Jean McElfresh
  passed away and went home to the Lord on June 2, 2025.
Please pray for the family around the USA and mission field in Honduras.

Grace Brown
  returned home on June 21st after completing training for mission work in Amsterdam  
and then taking a mission trip to the Middle East to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ there. We look forward to hearing about her experiences and future plans!

Retirements!
  Ann Cecil retired as Church Treasurer at the end of May.
We thank Ann for her excellent service to the Lord and congregation the past 2+ years.

Jerry Sygney will be retiring as Office Administrator at the end of August.

Job Openings!
  TCC is currently hiring for two open positions:
Office Administrator (30 hrs. per week)
Church Treasurer (10 hrs. per week)
 
Anyone interested in either position can go to http://www.turnerchristianchurch.com/jobs
for information and instructions on how to apply
 
Please pray for the hiring process as we look for our new staff team members!

On the Sunday Morning Worship Services in July we want to bring the entire church family together, including kids and volunteers, for a special type of worship service that everyone can participate in! The services will be shorter, and everything will be designed to be accessible to the whole church. But remember, these are not "church services for families"―they are services for our whole church family together. We hope you'll all join us with open minds and open hearts!

We will attend the Arrowhead Lavender Festival in NE Salem and eat a picnic lunch
(which will be provided) together. Enjoy the lavender while listening to live music,
visiting artisan vendors and taking a sip of lavender lemonade.
Register below, on the event registration card or on the church app:
https://turnerchristianchurch.subspla.sh/3g2w6c9

Register below, on the event registration card or on the church app:
https://turnerchristianchurch.subspla.sh/wxz3nc6

Trusting Jesus in a Wild World!
Welcome to the fictional "Turner Christian State Park." Kids entering preschool-5th grade will learn that no matter what kind of wilderness they are in-they can always trust Jesus! Fun songs, games, science projects, and skits will keep them engaged and learning throughout each morning.

VBS starts at 9 am each day. Registration opens at 8:45.
Please note that our VBS is MONDAY-THURSDAY this year.

August is almost here, and that means that our Annual Packing Party is just a few short weeks away. We are so excited to get to share this wonderful experience with all of you!

On Sunday afternoon, August 17th, we will be set up in the Salem Evangelical Church GYMNASIUM to fill at least 1200 Shoeboxes to be used as Gospel Opportunities in various countries around the globe. We'd love to have you join us for the fun at 2:00 PM on the 17th and we'd also love to have you join us in preparing for this event.

We are still in need of quite a few items, especially since this is such a BIG project! If you see any crayons on sale, for example, we are still in need of hundreds of 24 count boxes. We still need pencils, sharpeners, erasers, pens, 6" rulers, and scissors. We could use more washcloths, tennis (or similar size) balls, and small filler items like finger puppets and fidget toys. Small baby dolls or Barbies are always needed, and so are Hotwheels, Adventure Force, or Matchbox cars. If you're looking for specific items to purchase, you can also check out our Amazon gift registry. Just search registry for Ann Stoker, then select the Shoebox Work Shoppe 2025 list.

We're also still meeting in our Work Shoppe in Turner each Tuesday at noon to prepare for the Community Packing Party, so please feel free to come on down and see what all the excitement is about.

Thanks for your continuing support of this worldwide mission!

-Ann Stoker

Online:
• Go to http://www.instantchurchdirectory.com
    You can use your web browser, or
     open the TCC app and find “New Church Directory” under “TCC Community.”
• Click the “members” button in the top right.
• Enter your email address. You must use the email address you gave us for the directory.
• The site will have you create an account with a password. This ensures that only people in
   the directory can access it.
• That’s it! You can log in and access the directory from in internet any time. Just use the
   web address or the button in the app!

In Print:
We will be offering a print version of the directory once we have the photos ready. We will announce as soon as those are available.  

In the meantime, if you didn’t get your picture taken for the directory, please feel free to send us a picture of yourself to include. Email it to office@turnerchristianchurch.com

Are you looking for a time where you can get away with the whole family? How about a time where you and your family can grow in your faith and worship with other families? What about a sandy beach and a glassy lake? If all of these sound great, then Family Camp is for you! For four days, families come together for a camp experience for all ages! Information and registration at: https://www.winema.org/family-camp.html

   

The Beatitudes #4: The Righteous
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (Mt. 5:6)

This verse introduces us to one of the most challenging words in the New Testament: “righteousness.” For most of us, this word means personal moral goodness. So what Jesus is saying is that the people who desire above all to be morally perfect are blessed. Obviously personal moral goodness is a very important thing―Jesus certainly talks a lot about personal goodness in the sermon on the mount. However, that’s not exactly what Biblical righteousness means.

The word for righteousness can also be translated as “justice,” meaning morally right social relationships. In this case, Jesus is saying that people who long for social justice are blessed. Obviously Jesus cares about justice in the world, because he talks a lot about having morally right relationships (though his definition of justice is not the same as our Western culture―but that’s another story). But that’s not exactly what righteousness means either.

In reality, the word “righteousness” means both personal goodness and morally-right relationships. In the ancient world–and especially for Jesus–these were not separate ideas. In fact, one of the major themes of the Sermon on the Mount is that true justice can only come through a personal commitment to goodness. It’s not enough to follow the laws against murder, adultery, or the rules for getting divorced or taking oaths. To be the people God called us to be, we have to deal with our anger, lust, unfaithfulness, and dishonesty. Without personal goodness, we cannot have true justice. We can only have order: rules that try to control how people behave but have no power to change their heart.

What I hear Jesus saying in this parable is, “Blessed are those who desire a good world so passionately that they are willing to become good themselves.” The alternatives are:
   
(1) people who want to be seen as personally good, but they don’t care about being good to others; or
  
(2) people who  want  to  make  the  world  good through power and rules,  but don’t want  to do the work of being good themselves. The reason the first group is blessed is because “they will be satisfied.” If you hunger for a world where you can be good without being good to others, or if you thirst for a world that is good without requiring you to be good, then you will be disappointed. That is not the kingdom Jesus is bringing. His kingdom is good because the people in it are committed to being good–actually, they are committed to letting God make them good.

If you want a world that is good because the people are good, this world will leave you hungry–but if you hold onto that hunger, then one day you will be satisfied. That is why you are blessed.
                                                                                   

Are you yearning for a renewed connection with God?
Are there hidden shadows lingering in the corners of your heart?

Now is the time to bring them into His light. We warmly invite you to an evening dedicated to confession and repentance through heartfelt worship and quiet reflection. Let the music guide your soul and bring those burdens to the surface, so you can lay them down at Jesus' feet. Release it all—every regret, every hurt—and allow yourself to be enveloped by His grace, mercy, forgiveness, and boundless love. Come and realign your heart, refresh your spirit, and return to the arms of His unfailing grace.

Seniors Trip to Adelman's Peony Gardens
Tuesday, June 3rd

Flowers are blooming! Join us for a walk in the peonies and enjoy a fun picnic.
We will leave the church parking lot at 9:30 am and return about 3:30 pm.
Come join people that love flowers and having a good time.
Register on the event registration card or on the church app:
https://turnerchristianchurch.subspla.sh/fr5cy2q

Volunteer drivers are needed to take seniors to appointments with doctors, therapists, etc. If you would like to help serve others in this way, please contact Sharon Teixeira or the church office. Thank you!

We're Grandparents! On March 31, we became grandparents! Reece and Hope welcomed their daughter, Beatrice Zella Lincoln—‘Bea’—into the world, healthy and strong. Named after two of her great-great-grandmothers, she is a beautiful reminder of God’s goodness. Reece and Hope are adjusting well to life as a family of three, and we’re thankful for the excellent care they’ve received here.

Melissa Braun applied with CMF (Christian Missionary Fellowship) for a Reach Internship and has been accepted. The plan is to serve in Kenya and the MOHI Team in Kenya this summer for eight weeks. She will spend time with CMF’s Urban Poor Team in the slums of Nairobi, connecting with a diverse array of people groups. Melissa will also be partnering with MOHI (Keith & Kathy Ham) a Kenyan non-profit which works to combat poverty and share the hope of Jesus in disadvantaged communities. Additionally, she will have the opportunity to spend time with CMF’s Church Catalyst team in rural Kenya which focuses on church planting and disciple-making movements that reach Kenyans in remote areas with the Gospel.

Melissa says, "The opportunity I have now is an amazing one because I am able to truly step out in obedience to what God has called me to, serving in both urban and rural Kenya with CMF ministries. I am looking forward to the opportunity to be a part of their ministry and the awareness they are spreading that ALL people are welcome to experience the love of Christ."

Melissa asks that you pray for all God has planned for her, the CMF missionaries she will be working alongside, and all the people who will be a part of this incredible experience.
 
You may also consider supporting her financially as she is responsible for raising $6500 for her internship. You use the Christian Missionary Fellowship website to make a contribution at: https://give.cmfi.org/search?searchText=melissa&id=z70346.

We will be joining other Christians for worship at the Northwest Christian Convention on Thursday evening, June 26th at 6:30 pm and on Sunday, June 29th at 10:00 am in the Tabernacle. There will not be any meetings or services at the TCC building on those two days.

   

The Beatitudes #3: The Meek
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (Mt. 5:5)

Let’s be honest for a moment―none of us actually believe this beatitude, do we? Jesus is claiming that the ones who will inherit “the land”―that is, the promised kingdom of God―are the meek―a word which can mean mild, tame, gentle, friendly, kindly, or (in Hebrew) oppressed and weighed down. How absurd!

If there is one thing we can all agree on, across all the lines that divide our culture, it is that we hate meekness. In fact, meekness is our one common enemy. With the stakes as high as they are, how can anyone remain meek? How can we hold back from fighting with every ounce of our energy, using every tool at our disposal to get ahead, to win, to defeat the other guy? The only people we hate more than the group on the other side are the people who refuse to pick sides.

And yet, Jesus says, “Blessed are the meek”― meaning, they are the ones who receive God’s generosity. And how do they receive it? They receive the inheritance God has promised his people. Jesus is not saying anything new here. In fact, he’s quoting Psalm 37:10-11:
       A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
       though you look for them, they will not be found
       But the meek will inherit the land and
       enjoy peace and prosperity. (NIV)

If you read the entire psalm, you will find an excellent explanation of what Jesus is getting at here. David begins by saying,
       Do not fret because of those who are evil or be
       envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass
       they will soon wither, like green plants they will
       soon die away. Trust in the LORD and do good;
       dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. (37:1-3)

His goal in this psalm is to help us overcome the temptation to behave like the people who seem to win by dishonesty or cruelty. It is hard to watch people succeed through sin. We often feel like the only way to defend ourselves against such behavior is to fight back the same way. The more fearful we get, the easier it becomes for us to justify “fighting fire with fire.” We say we are being “realistic” or “reasonable.” After all, if we don’t fight back, how will we survive?
 
And yet, David tells us not to worry or be angry, because “it only leads to evil” (v. 8). Instead, we should “be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him” (v.7). Why? Because,
       The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD;  
       he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
       The LORD helps them and delivers them;
       he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
       because they take refuge in him. (v. 39-40)

When we give into the ways of the world–when we fight fire with fire and compromise our integrity for short-term wins–we lose sight of the ultimate hope we have in God: how hope is not in the power we can gain now, but in the inheritance we receive as children of God. People of the world fight only to defend and increase their own “pantries,” and when we fight their way we do the same thing. But the whole point of the Gospel is that we are children of God, we live on his estate, and we have access to the family pantry–the whole kingdom of God.

One of the reasons why people have such a hard time listening to each other today is because we have all been conditioned to believe that everything is at stake all the time. That feeling is exactly what gets us into trouble, because that heightened fear causes us to lash out in the worst ways. Only when we ground ourselves in the generosity―the blessing–of God can we face this world with meekness–which is the only attitude that will lead us to godly wisdom.
                                                                                   

May Financial Update

April was an amazing month for giving! Our monthly report is still being compiled, but I can tell you we received more than $40,000 in offerings for the church budget–which is more than double any of our previous months this year! This boost really takes the pressure off of our short-term financial situation. In the long term, what we are looking for is sustainable, regular monthly giving–that will determine whether we need to make changes to our budget. Thank you for your giving!

April has truly been a remarkable month for us in preschool, centered around the theme of life cycles. As we planned our year, it was no coincidence that we chose to learn about life cycles during the same month as Easter. Although these concepts may seem different at first glance, they intertwine beautifully through the ideas of death and resurrection, representing a lifecycle of hope for all of us.

I know I have said this before but can confidently say that April is one of my favorite months in preschool! Watching the tiny caterpillars transform into beautiful butterflies has been awe-inspiring. We observed their metamorphosis from caterpillars to chrysalises, and finally to stunning butterflies. This year, we also added an incubator full of a variety of eggs (turkeys, ducks, and chickens) that the children eagerly check daily for signs of life. I wish you all could have been in the classroom to hear squeals of excitement when they first heard the tiny chirps coming from the incubator; truest form of joy!

This month is all about fostering wonder and observation, allowing the children to experience nature's transformations firsthand. As they explore, we are here to support them, answering their questions and guiding their curiosity. We set up a nature play area to learn about Easter with this model in mind. We engaged in daily activities, using nature found around our outdoor space, that told part of the Easter story. It was wonderful to watch the children participate in these activities, learning, some for the first time, the powerful story of Jesus. I cherished being present to support their learning and curiosity along the way.

It is my hope that the students will continue to recognize the beauty and wonder of God’s creation in nature, appreciating the intricate life cycles that surround us. Each observation, each moment of curiosity, serves as a building block in their understanding of the world, inviting them to explore and marvel at the gifts we’ve been given. Thank you for being a part of this journey, and for your support as we nurture their sense of wonder and discovery.

Let's Bless Our Local Community!
Each family will have the opportunity to adopt a local business or organization for the day. You'll get to put a flower basket together for them, and drop it off, along with a card from the church. We ask that each family contribute $5 towards materials when they come. Please register in advance.

This meeting is designed for all parents at the church who have a child between the ages of 0-18. We'll eat together at 5:30 pm, and kids will head to childcare at 6:00 pm.
 
Why do we keep kids in church for the start of the service? Why are our kids classes divided the way they are? What will summer activities look like? How can I connect with other families at the church? I want the church to have more kids and families―what can we do to grow?
   
If you have any of these questions, or more, we have answers! This meeting is a great opportunity to hear more about Kids and Family Ministry here at TCC―it should also just be a great time with other parents!
   
We'll be doing a taco night! If your last name starts with . . .
A-D:  Please bring some taco toppings (veggies,
           salsa, guac, cheese, etc)
E-K:   Please bring a protein (taco meat, beans, etc)
L-M:  Please bring a side dish
N-Z:  Please bring a dessert
                   
                                      You can use the QR Code below to register:

All daughters, moms, sisters, aunts, grandmothers are invited to come and celebrate
being Daughters of God and Sisters in Christ! The Celebration will have a princess
theme and princess dresses are encouraged! Please RSVP on the church app:
https://turnerchristianchurch.subspla.sh/ktbyntx

When was the last time you rode a horse or an elephant?
Come join the fun as we hop on the carousels in Salem and Albany.
If you don't feel comfortable riding one of the beautiful hand carved animals
come and examine the beautiful art work of the local wood artists.
We will be stopping for a no host lunch at Sizzler Restaurant in Albany.
We will leave the Church parking lot at 10:00 am and return by 3:30 pm.
Sign up on the church app: https://turnerchristianchurch.subspla.sh/xw63cms.

Join the Seniors as we take our third annual trip to the Schreiner's Iris Farm, May 22nd.
The bus will leave the church parking lot at 9:30 and return by 3:30.
Walk the fields or enjoy the display garden your choice.
We will of course have a picnic under the beautiful shade trees.
The cost at the door will be $6.00.
Register on the church app
https://turnerchristianchurch.subspla.sh/7ztj3j9

 

The Nehemiah Project is a work and witness weekend. It's based on how the Israelites, under the direction of Nehemiah, rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem. Nehemiah said "Let us rise up and build" and they set their hands to do this good work." That's exactly what happens during the Nehemiah Project. Projects are lined out for all ages and skill levels. All ages work together on projects for three great days of relationship building. You will be blessed as you spend time making a difference at the Nehemiah project!

Everyone who has a "mind to work" is invited to come and stay on the Oregon Christian Convention grounds Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 16-18. Each day we share meals together, work together and worship together. God always does something amazing as we spend these sharing with each other in work and worship.

If you would like to take part in Nehemiah Project 2025, please email info@nwchristiannetwork.com You can come for any part of the event. Please indicate if you would like to stay on the grounds and which days you will be attending. All meals and housing are free.

These are a few of the projects we are hopeful to accomplish, thus many hands are needed:
We are going to remove the old sound booth in the back of the tabernacle, so a major demolition project there. Also we want to put wood paneling on the stage and repaint the rest in a nice brown rather than the burgundy.

The A-Frame is rotting, so much is needed to repair it. Cabin 8 needs porch work as well as fixing of door and other little things.

Scraping and painting of ramps/stairs leading into the tabernacle. All of the picnic tables need to be refreshed. The railing going into Pioneer needs scraping and staining.

   

The Beatitudes #2: Poor in Spirit
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 5:3 NIV)

The first lesson I ever taught as a minister was on this verse–and it was terrible. At least, I think it was. All I remember is that I didn't understand what “poor in spirit” meant, and the senior minister (who was observing my first night leading youth group) had to finish the lesson for me. Now, ten years later, I think this verse might be one of the most important in the entire Bible. This is how Jesus begins the sermon on the Mount, and an argument could be made that the rest of the sermon is really just an explanation of this first sentence.

To understand how this one verse can be so important, we have to know what it means to be “poor in spirit.” If you remember, last month we talked about God’s blessing: God provides generously for his people and all of his creation. We call this “Grace.” We also talked about how human beings don't like to depend on God. We prefer to be in control (or feel like we're in control), so we set out on our own.

Now think about what happened when Adam and Eve set out on their own. God had given them all of creation to rule over. After they rebelled, what did they have? Nothing. Everything they’d had belonged to God. In fact, this is probably why they were ashamed to discover that they were naked: in the Old Testament, nakedness is commonly a sign of poverty. Adam and Eve were ashamed to discover that they were not rich demi-gods, capable of setting out on their own. Instead they were poor creatures with nothing to call their own, nothing to make them important, impressive, or powerful. This is why they covered their nakedness with fig leaves.

We, like Adam and Eve, are poor created beings. We bring nothing into the world with us. We have nothing that has not been given to us, even our very breath. We cannot add any value to this world beyond what God has given. Everything we can offer is just regifting what God has given us.

We are also like Adam and Eve in that we all try to cover up our nakedness. We put on fig leaves to cover up our poverty of spirit. We cling to accomplishment, status, wealth, anything that will convince ourselves and others that we are worthy, self-sufficient beings. But it's all a lie.

To be poor in spirit may seem like a depressing existence, but that's really only a matter of perspective–or pride. My children are poor in every way. They have no jobs, no degrees, no accomplishments, and they are not self-sufficient in any way. And yet, they are not ashamed. Why? Because they don't need or expect to be “important.” They are happy to share in the resources of our family without feeling important or necessary. They are content to belong, not because they are needed, but because they are loved.

As we come to Holy Week, we are reminded of the ultimate example of poverty of spirit: Jesus Christ. Jesus chose to become poor with us, to live as a poor Jewish carpenter, to live in obedience to God, to the point of dying on a cross, without ever thinking about his own dignity or importance. When he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus could easily have said, “Forget it, I'm too good for this,” and he would have been right. Instead he died for us in order to open the door, and open our eyes, to a kingdom where we are never needed, but always loved.                                      
                                                                                   

Dear Turner Christian Church,

On March 30th I announced during the sermon that we are currently experiencing a budget deficit. In 2024 our expenses exceeded our income by $28,000. The gap between income and expenses has been growing over the past several years.

Expenses have increased in predictable ways–insurance, utilities, payroll, and other expenses always grow with time. We have also seen increases in expenses tied to our ministry opportunities. When our food bank could no longer operate properly in the church building, for instance, we were able to rent a building from Turner Homes at a very generous price which has allowed that ministry to continue and thrive. We also decided to incorporate the preschool into our church budget so that we could invest in them as a ministry rather than requiring them to balance their own ledger at the end of each school year. This has allowed us to increase payroll so we can retain our excellent staff for longer, and to restructure classes to allow for more-focused education.

At the same time, we have seen a slow decrease in giving over the past six years. The main change we have seen in our giving patterns (which are visible only to our financial secretaries, who handle all confidential giving information) is that, as givers have moved away (either to other places or to Heaven), they have not been replaced. Even though our church family has grown overall since 2019, our number of givers has shrunk.

Unfortunately, the trend accelerated in 2025; as of this writing (March 31st), we have likely already spent the last of our general fund and begun using our emergency fund. That sounds scary—and we absolutely need to take this seriously. I want you to know, however, that I am not worried. First of all, we have maintained a large reserve fund for exactly this kind of situation, so we have the time we need to turn this around. Second, our board is already working to limit spending and find ways to narrow the gap between income and expenses. Third, this is a generous, loving congregation. You have proven that you are generous when asked, and you have also proven that you can pull together when there is work to do. I have no doubt that we can get through lean times together and come out the other side closer than ever. Finally, and most importantly, our God is generous, and he shows no signs that he is done working through Turner Christian Church. He will provide for us and guide us to the right balance of income and expenses that will allow us to do the work he has called us to do and lay the foundation for future generations of ministry in Turner.

So what can you do? First of all, if you are part of our church family and you are already giving the amount you are able to give, then all I ask of you is your prayers (and, as I mentioned during the sermon, maybe a casserole or two when we have events to cater). If you are part of our church family, and you do have the capacity to help us make up this shortfall–especially though regular, sustainable giving―I ask you to prayerfully consider helping to share the cost (and the joy!) of the ministry of Turner Christian Church.

If you have any questions regarding the church finances, please feel free to contact the church office.

When I came back from Scotland, I found a small miracle: my Christmas cactus had produced two blooms.

My Christmas cactus NEVER blooms. Sometimes it taunts me, by growing buds, and then after a few hopeful days, it loses them. I have had my Christmas cactus for five years, and not one bloom. I’ve watered it in different ways, tried more sun or less sun, and finally abandoned all hope, letting it roost above the fridge and only watering it when it occurs to me.

But I came back to blooms.

I needed blooms. Recently, I’ve been walking alongside a situation of some people I love very much. I’m not sure things are going to turn out okay in their lives; I’m not quite sure where God is at work in the situation, though I believe very much that He is active and involved. I see faith in the lives of those involved, and I wonder, where is the fruit of that faith?

So I got emotional when I saw this long-dormant cactus had bloomed.

Sometimes it seems that things bloom at the most unlikely time. But before that, there’s been all the work you can’t see. The plant had to take in water, and the water had to travel up through the plant to where it was needed. Complex chemical reactions had to happen inside the plant as it took in sun and carbon dioxide. So many things had to happen that I could not see.

And then. . . blooms.

Perseverance is a quality of God. Sometimes I lack perseverance, or have in in the wrong areas for the wrong reasons. But God is always faithful to who He says He is, and God tells us that He is at work.

Romans 8:28:  “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Ephesians 3:20-21: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

Psychologists say that a key aspect of perseverance for humans is emotional regulation.

As believers, we seek to neither dismiss our emotions as unimportant, nor give in to them. When we cannot yet see what God is doing, emotions can bring us to discouragement or despair. Perseverance can become more and more difficult. With emotional regulation, we can freely acknowledge those emotions before our King. We can journal about them, cry about them, discuss them over coffee with an encouraging friend, and get all the hugs we need. And we use our times of prayer and worship and our times with God’s people to keep us focused on the good things of God. We don’t need to diminish our pain or confusion or any other emotion. We don’t need to shame ourselves for expression. Instead, we put the emotions in their proper context, surrounded by the love and constancy of the God who is at work for our good. What a truly abundant Father we serve.

Whether you have emotional regulation down pat, or are just beginning this journey of emotional engagement-be encouraged! There's work going on that you might not yet see. The Father is faithful, able to do more than you could ever ask or imagine.

If you could use extra support, or are experiencing debilitating and long-term emotional distress, please reach out to a licensed Christian mental health counselor. In all emergency situations, call 9-1-1.

March 15, 2025
  
Hi, Turner Christian Church  

Greetings from Amsterdam! I have been here in Amsterdam in the Netherlands for two-and–a half months, and I want to share with you all that Jesus is coming alive in Europe, especially through the youth!  It is incredible to witness with my own eyes how God is setting the youth on fire with the gospel and propelling them into a fruitful relationship with Jesus that spreads like wildfire!  The church in Europe is growing rapidly, and those who had grown cold to Him are discovering and leaning into renewed, enduring passion for Him!  It’s difficult to not be bolstered with confidence and courage watching this unfold in person, so I hope this serves as an encouragement to all of you back home because God is active and coming alive now more than ever in Europe!  Also, in two weeks I am going to fly into the Middle East with six others so that we can spread the gospel to the unreached and outcasts; so I ask that you continue to pray for my team and I to fulfill God’s will, walk in godly obedience and wisdom, and for divine protection and guidance.
  
In Paul-like fashion, I want to express to you that “I thank God upon every remembrance of you” and pray about you often.  I can’t wait for when I can see all of you again and rejoice in God together!

P.S. I want to honor my grandma―Ann Cecil― before the church, because if it wasn’t for her godliness in generosity, faithfulness and selfless love (especially her obedience and trust in Christ that inspires me to do the same), I would not have made it this far; and I would venture to say the same for this wonderful church.  Keep her company until I get back! Be blessed and His peace go with you all!
 
In love,  
Grace Brown

Pauline Parmenter passed away and went home to the Lord on March 27, 2025.
A Memorial Service is being planned. Pauline is Helen Comstock’s sister.
Please keep Helen and the family in your prayers.

We welcome Jerry and Bev Andersen 
who transferred their membership to Turner Christian Church on March 23, 2025.

We rejoice with Katie Remy 
who was baptized into Christ on March 30, 2025.

The amendment to the bylaws as presented to the congregation on March 30, 2025, that would remove all special employment policies for treasurer and preschool staff position from the bylaws was approved by the congregation.

March Food Bank Report  
March was a very busy month at the TCC Food Bank. Our volunteers dedicated 283.5 hours in service to this vital ministry. Besides the usual Monday morning hours, Thursday delivery hours, and weekend hours, we also underwent our annual training. We now have twenty-one officially trained volunteers, up from the thirteen trainees we had last year. We also have two volunteers who have not been officially trained yet and one more potential volunteer I may be working with and training for our Thursday deliveries.      

--Ann Stoker
 

Keith & Kathy Ham will share what is happening in their ministry in Kenya, Africa on Sunday, April 6, 2025, 9:00 am in the Fellowship Hall.

The Hams serve with the CMF team in partnership with Missions of Hope International (MOHI) in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya. The goal of their many activities in the Mathare Valley is to see individual lives and communities transformed for Christ.

The Hams are involved in holistic ministry. MOHI currently uses the education and feeding of 13,000 children as an inroad into all types of ministry to the families of the Mathare Valley, including community development, health education, micro-credit loans, business training, church leadership and staff development. As this is done, small groups are formed to pray and study the Bible and churches develop from these groups. To provide leadership for the churches, they have begun the Urban Ministry Institute.

They are also involved with MoHI’s Angaza Discovery Camp―a two-week church camp experience that provides an experiential opportunity with Jesus and leads students to a lifetime commitment to live in alignment with God, others, themselves and creation.

Come and see what God is doing in Kenya!

Seniors Lunch and A Movie!
Monday, April 7th at 11:30 am
  Soups on! Come and enjoy a bowl of soup, a movie, and fellowship.
We will be watching The Sound of Music while we have lunch.
We would like to encourage everyone to bring a friend.
Please register on the app:  https://subspla.sh/4mmrvq8/
or use an event registration card in the chairs.



Seniors Bowling Trip
April 11th at 1:00 pm
Strike, Spare, or Gutter, all bowlers are welcome and if you don’t want to bowl,
come and be a cheerleader. The cost is $5.00 if you bowl and FREE if you just want
to cheer.  We will leave the church parking lot at 1:00 pm or you can meet us at
Northgate Bowl (2380 Northgate Ave, Salem).

Free Fraud Prevention Class
April 14th at 11:30 am
As a partnership between the Santiam Service Integration and Turner Christian Church,
we will be hosting a fraud prevention class presented by the Marion Co. Sheriff’s Dept.  
A light lunch will be served. Please register at: https://subspla.sh/gsjrzxv/  
or use the event registration card in the chairs. All are welcome!

SPRING TERM
 March 16th―June 8th

Bible Study for Everyone―(Carol George)
A chapter-by-chapter study of books of the Bible using an accompanying workbook.
This class runs continuously throughout the year.

Our Heritage―(Frank Loyd)
An introduction to the spiritual roots and vision of the Christian Churches
and Churches of Christ as we struggle to be Christians Only amidst the plethora
of groups adherent to Jesus Christ.

Spiritual Reflection Through Water Coloring―(Debbie Loyd)
This class will involve some simple watercolor teaching combined with meditations
based upon certain aspects of painting (such as light, reflections, etc.). No prior experience or skill is necessary, just a desire to use painting as a way of connecting with God.

   

Have you ever felt like God was conspiring against you to teach you something? Not “against you” like he’s your enemy, but like he’s coordinating the pieces of your life without your knowledge so that they all show you the same thing at the same time. This has been happening to me. Currently I am taking a class in school on Spiritual Formation–basically how to have a vibrant relationship with God through prayer and disciplines; I’ve also been working on my presentation for the Unity Project, which was about addressing anxiety. And I’ve been working on this sermon series about learning from Jesus. This last week I found all of these different projects pointing me in the same direction. They were reminding me not to get caught up in my worldly identities, but to ground myself in God. If you’re like me, talk like that doesn’t always make sense. This time, however, it seems to be making sense–and, more importantly, I am learning how to begin doing that. I would like to share that journey with you here, through our monthly newsletter. So, for the rest of 2025, we are going to work our way through the Beatitudes–the opening passage of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, in which he declares who he considers to be “blessed” in the world. As we go through each beatitude, we will learn together about what it looks like to ground ourselves in God, which will bring us true blessing.

The Beatitudes #1: “Blessed” (Matthew 5:3)
“Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. He said: “Blessed…” (Matthew 5:1-3a, NIV)

What does it mean to be “blessed?” I think we mainly use it as an alternative for “lucky.” Basically, it means that you have good things in your life that you can’t take credit for, and you’re giving God the credit (rather than luck). In the Bible, however, the word “blessed” has a long history and a deep meaning, and Jesus is drawing on that in the Beatitudes. It begins in Genesis 1, in the first words God speaks to humanity:

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it…. I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” (Gen. 1:28-30)

The blessing of God is his generosity: when he blesses, he is promising to provide for his people. The whole point of God’s blessing is to give his people the assurance that allows them to go out into the world and fulfill their purpose with confidence that they will be cared for. There is only one catch in God’s blessing: God does not give us his abundance, he shares it with us. We are not his employees, we are his children; he doesn’t give us wages, he opens the family pantry to us.

Unfortunately, we humans don’t like to share the family pantry. We want control, we want our own pantries. It didn’t take much convincing from the snake for Adam and Eve to believe that God might be holding out on them, and maybe they should take some of the pantry for themselves. So they took the fruit from the tree, and set out on their own.

God didn’t take back the blessing, however. After the flood, God gives Noah the same blessing: go into the world, and I will provide for you (Gen. 9:1-3). Instead, Noah’s descendents built the City of Babylon to provide for themselves. Even then, God didn’t take back his blessing. Instead, he chose Abraham and his family to go to the Promised Land and found a nation that would prove to the world that God’s blessing could be trusted (Gen. 12:1-3).  That nation, Israel, never did  quite live out  that  mission―they  kept trying  to provide for themselves instead of trusting God’s blessing–so when Jesus gave his Sermon on the Mount, he was calling the people of Israel to return to that mission. The Beatitudes show us what it looks like to live in the blessing of God.

This is the starting point for us: God made a good world, with a full pantry, and the doors to the pantry are still open. If we will trust him as his children, we can share in all the blessings he has to offer. If we insist on our independence and pride, if we insist on having our own homes and our own pantries, we will find ourselves very anxious, impoverished, and uncertain. The rest of the Beatitudes will show us what it looks like to be God’s children and trust in his pantry, but for this month the goal is simply to recognize our stubborn independence and accept our place as God’s children.                                            
                                                                                   

Last month I wrote about “joy.” I was not joyful when I wrote that article. I was distressed. I was stressed too-over doctor bills and letting people down, over whether I would be able to sing again, over the fact that I am verbal processor and I could not share my thoughts and feelings. I was lonely. And I was with God.

Today, my voice is almost completely healed and I am extraordinarily grateful for the last two months. That is not some fake Christian-ese speak, I promise. I am sincerely and deeply grateful to God for taking my voice away for two months.

Because everything kind of stopped.

I couldn’t work my second job, I had to stop all of my singing groups, I couldn’t take on extra things at work, I couldn’t spend my free hours in conversation. My world got quiet. There was a lot of attempts to distract myself-way, way too much YouTube, per example. But that only left me lonelier.

So I started spending more time with God, and I faced the fact that I had overfilled my life, that any interruption through me completely off track and I had no time for the people that God was putting in my life and no time to enjoy the things I was doing . . . even though they were all good things.

I went over and over and over my schedule trying to find space in it. What could I let go of? The answer kept coming back: nothing. I needed each and every thing. Nothing was dispensable. I had purpose for each activity and commitment and each thing was necessary in its own way.

From the day I was honest with myself that I needed to let go of something, to the day that I let go of something was about 6 weeks. It took some external pressure, and a lot of soul searching to say, yes I need to let of these things and yes, I want to let go of these things. I don’t want to live in this overcrowded, perpetually exhausted place anymore.

I’ve quit chorus and my octet. I’ll still sing, but in my less intensive quartet, which meets only twice a month. The coffee shop realized they didn’t need me as much-I’ll still work here and there as a sub, and if it’s busy. But maybe not even every month. I’ve decided to work hard at school through the summer, and then take the Fall off, giving myself a refresh and a financial break before I continue in the winter. A month ago that would have been unthinkable-but I’ve had a taste of life with Jesus that is more abundant and I find that to be the more indispensable than rushing towards all my goals, or the goals of those around me.
So I am grateful. I am grateful when I wake up the morning and am not completely overwhelmed by my to-do list. I am grateful that I can sit and be with Jesus without rushing off every morning. I am grateful that I have my finances and goals more firmly into his hands-I have seen him give me wisdom and make a way the last two months, and I know that I can trust for him to continue to do so.

I know two months is not a long time. And I know that it is easy to backslide into bad habits. But I’ve seen a better, richer life with Jesus, and I don’t want to let it go. Would you pray for me as I continue into a better rhythm?

The joy that I talked about last month, that I didn’t feel but knew I had access to, materialized as I clung to the Lord. It has overflowed, and gratitude has taken root. God loves and cares for me so much that He doesn’t want me to live an exhausted, worn down, overfull life. He has a different way-an abundant way.

If you are currently living an abundant life, spend some time praising Jesus. What a glorious God who gives His children good gifts. Is he inviting you to rest in Him this season, or are there ways you can be using that abundance to bless others?

If you are not experiencing abundance-I feel that! Spend some in prayer over the coming months. Where might God be inviting you to embrace a different rhythm? Spend some time in John 10:10 and Matthew 11:28-30.

If you could use extra support, or are experiencing debilitating and long-term emotional distress, please reach out to a licensed Christian mental health counselor. In all emergency situations, call 9-1-1.

As February comes to a close and we eagerly anticipate the arrival of spring, we find ourselves reflecting on the incredible journey our students have taken this school year. With just a quarter of the school year left, it’s a perfect time to celebrate the growth we’ve witnessed in our little learners.

On the surface, we see tangible milestones—students who began the year not knowing any letters are now confidently identifying most of the alphabet, and those who struggled to count to 20 have made remarkable progress. However, the lessons that truly resonate often go beyond what can be measured on paper. They are the intangible moments that shape our children’s character and social skills, and we are just as excited to celebrate them!

Last week we saw a breakthrough in the classroom where one of our students, who has been learning to share, took a significant step. After grappling with the concept of sharing a special toy, he thoughtfully walked through our sharing steps grabbing a timer, flipping it over, and handed the toy to his friend. As he patiently waited for his turn, we witnessed an important lesson in patience and cooperation unfold.

Another student, during our discussion about things around the town that were built, raised his hand excitedly to share his. “We see the world, and God built the world!” he exclaimed. Moments like these are powerful reminders of the wonder and curiosity that our children possess, and they highlight the connections they are making between their learning, the world, and God.

While these achievements may seem small from the outside, they are monumental in the eyes of our preschool community. Each step forward—whether it’s mastering a new letter, counting higher, or developing social skills—represents a foundation for lifelong learning and personal growth. As we move into the last quarter of the school year, we invite you to celebrate these accomplishments with us. We are so proud of each and every one of our students, and we can't wait to see what the rest of the year holds as we embrace the spirit of spring and all the new beginnings it brings.

The Big Picture - - -
88% of the WORLD ... That's the scope of Shoebox gifts! Out of the 193 recognized United Nations, we praise God for the opportunity to have engaged in 171 of them.

And a Little More Personal - - -
A group of children in Kenya started a soccer club though they didn't have any sports gear. Their families couldn't afford to buy soccer balls, so they used whatever they could find to kick around the field. They prayed that God would provide soccer balls. During an outreach event, shouts of joy were heard, as nearly every child received a ball in their shoebox.

And Even More Personal - - -
Dedun is 8 years old and lives with his grandmother, who has trouble walking because of pain in her legs and feet. Dedun was excited to find a pair of sandals in his shoebox and ran home to give them to his grandmother. The sandals were the perfect fit, and Dedun and his grandmother were delighted. Now that she has shoes, walking is easier, and she's doing it more often - even strolling to church with her grandson.

THANK YOU for doing what you do to make these stories happen. We know it's God who makes all things happen, but we're grateful that you allow Him to use you and work through you in this HUGE missionary endeavor. It is all making a difference out there in this big world.
                                                                                                                           ―Ann Stoker

January Stats
Volunteer Hours –143
Households Served—157  
Individuals Served—587

If you are like me at all, you probably read any food bank stats you see as just that, stats. I would like to challenge us all to view them as more than just statistics.

For instance, let's look at those 143 volunteer hours. That number represents about 15 people spending time ministering to our community by unloading cases of food from pallets and loading up our shelves and refrigerators and freezers in our five shopping rooms. It represents a friendly face to greet them each Monday morning and it represents our volunteers guiding members of our community through those five shopping rooms so that they can experience the dignity and respect of choosing the foods their families enjoy. It represents our volunteers who help load food into trunks and trucks and even some who walk with nearby residents to unload into their kitchens. It represents the smiles and hugs and sometimes even tears of our friends and neighbors as we spend time with them and build relationships with them. Those hours include early morning trips on both Saturday and Sunday each week to Salem to pick up donations from two local stores. Is it worth it?

Read on.

The "157 households and 587 individuals" represent real people. Those numbers represent our community members who may not have adequate food and nutrition if it weren't for those 143 volunteer hours. Friends, this is a BIG ministry to our community and we are so very grateful that God can use the Food Bank for His good here in Turner and the surrounding area.

Thank you for your financial and prayer support of this vital TCC ministry. You are making a difference.

If you or someone you know could use a helping hand in obtaining adequate food for a healthier life, please come visit us on Monday mornings between 9:00 and 11:30. All we ask for is your name, zip code, and number of household members.

If you are unsure if you qualify, you can check out the income guidelines online, in the church office, or at the Food Bank itself.

Another exciting service that we now offer to our clients and anyone interested is easy access to local DHS workers. These helpful caseworkers set up in our Food Bank building on the first and third Monday of the month and can assist those who wish to apply for benefits and can answer questions regarding current benefits. This is a very convenient and informal way to receive this guidance.

--Ann Stoker
 

Seniors Group to Celebrate
Belated State of Oregon’s Birthday!
March 7th at 1:00 pm

Oregon became the 33rd State on February 14, 1859! All Seniors are invited to celebrate Oregon's 166th Birthday on Friday, March 7, 14, 2025 at 1:00 pm. Come join us for fun, games and snacks! Let us know if you need a ride to the church! Contact Sharon Teixeira for more information. Register at: https://subspla.sh/xy5wrtt/ or registration desk/card.

Senior Ministries will be hosting our St Patrick's Day dinner on Monday, March 17th at 5:00 pm. There will be a charge of $2.00 per person at the door. Come prepared to enjoy Katie's great soda bread and the traditional Corn Beef and Cabbage Irish dinner. The meal will be served in the Fellowship Hall. Please register on the church app https://subspla.sh/xc6ghxt/ or the registration desk at the church. All registrations must be in by Thursday, March 14th! Everyone is welcome to come! Remember to wear GREEN!

IT'S BACK!
Our 5th Sunday congregational potluck lunch is a great time to share a meal together
and have fellowship with one another. Plan on coming!

SPRING TERM
 March 16th―June 8th

Bible Study for Everyone―(Carol George)
A chapter-by-chapter study of books of the Bible using an accompanying workbook.
This class runs continuously throughout the year.

Our Heritage―(Frank Loyd)
An introduction to the spiritual roots and vision of the Christian Churches
and Churches of Christ as we struggle to be Christians Only amidst the plethora
of groups adherent to Jesus Christ.

Spiritual Reflection Through Water Coloring―(Debbie Loyd)
This class will involve some simple watercolor teaching combined with meditations
based upon certain aspects of painting (such as light, reflections, etc.). No prior experience or skill is necessary, just a desire to use painting as a way of connecting with God.

   

“Come, follow me.” This was Jesus’ standard invitation to the people he met in his ministry. As we discussed in the January 19th sermon, Jesus is not inviting them to “be like him.” That is his ultimate goal, but what Jesus wants them to do first is to follow him―to go where he goes, be with him, learn from him, train with him, so that they know how to be like him.

When Jesus invites you to follow him, he is not inviting you to become a missionary or a pastor, or behave more like him in the role you have now. Where Jesus will send you―into the ministry, the mission field, or your own home or work place―is another question. Some are called to be pastors, evangelists, missionaries, and so on―but all are called to follow Jesus. When Jesus invites you to follow him, he is inviting you to get to know him–to know about him, sure, but more importantly to know him personally.

There are many ways of spending time with Jesus. Prayer is one essential way of spending time with Jesus. If you’re used to prayer being about lists of topics―Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication, for instance―then this will be a bit different for you. Those topics are good and important―but you can also use prayer to simply be in the presence of Jesus. Talk to him. Ask him questions. Spend the time like you would over coffee with a friend. I read in a book somewhere that the most basic goal of prayer is to say to God, “I love you,” and to hear him say “I love you” back. Maybe start there.

Another essential way of spending time with Jesus is through meditating on Scripture, especially the gospels. This is essential because the gospels show us who Jesus is–what he is like, what is important to him, what he expects of us. Without the gospels, talking to Jesus can just mean talking to ourselves, or who we want Jesus to be. I would encourage you to spend time reading from the gospels with the goal of watching and learning from Jesus himself (check below for resources to help).

Finally, worshipping with the congregation is an essential way of spending time with Jesus. Spending time with Jesus and your brothers and sisters is important because being together allows us to hear and say things you might not have heard or said on your own. In our songs and confessions we speak words that are not our own―we thank God, confess sins, proclaim God’s forgiveness, whether or not we feel thankful, sinful or forgiven in the moment. In the sermon and meditations we hear from God’s Word in ways that would not have occurred to us in our own devotions. And at the Lord’s Table we encounter the body and blood of Jesus in a way that we cannot do on our own.

This year, my hope is that we will all find fresh ways to respond to the invitation to follow Jesus. We are each in different places. What is the next step for you? How can you spend more time with Jesus? Or focus more intently on being in his presence and learning from him?

There is a new page on our website (http://www.turnerchristianchurch.com/discipleship)  and a new section in the church app (under the “resources” tab on the bottom right) called “Discipleship Resources” where we will be posting resources to help you spend time with Jesus, including a gospel reading plan and book recommendations. Check back from time to time as we add more. I hope they help!
 
May God bless you and all our brothers and sisters as we learn together how to follow Jesus more closely.

I’ve planned for several months to have this month’s topic be about joy. As I’m writing this I am wrestling with a diagnosis from a few days ago: a node on a vocal chord.

Now, praise God, this is certainly not a life-threatening diagnosis. But it is a life-threatening diagnosis, as in, how I live my life. My current life requires my voice every single day. I’m a minister―I teach, lead meetings, preach, have one-on-one’s. I work part-time as a barista―raising my voice to be heard above the hiss of espresso machines. I sing―I’m in a chorus, an octet and a quartet. And because my family and some close friends live elsewhere, I’m on my cell a lot, conducting my deepest relationships by phone. Day-in and day-out my voice is the key to my relationships, my work and my hobbies.

And now, for at least the next 4-6 weeks, I don’t have my voice. When life changes and shifts, even temporarily, what happens to joy?

We might turn to James, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Now, I’m fairly confident that vocal nodes were not on James’s radar when he wrote that. I’m not sure that vocal nodes had been discovered yet. I believe many of James’ readers were facing much more serious things.

Yet, if joy in trials is true for serious things, it is not also true for less serious things? Everything has the opportunity to draw us closer to Jesus, based on our response. Everything from betrayal, religious persecution, loss of a child, a bad test grade, the end of a relationship, a broken ankle, cancer, food poisoning, job loss . . . everything that tries us can lead us to greater maturity in Christ. That is a joyful thought.

Let me explain:

In the world, away from the Lord, trials are seen as failure, places of despair and anguish, or an opportunity where you need to show your own strength and “pull yourself up by your bootstraps,” or “suck it up.” Not so with Jesus. In trials we have the safety and strength of the Lord who is our rock and foundation. We have the encouragement of Christ, the promise that He is at work in our lives, and that we are not alone. In fact, he’s even given us a community to lift us up, to pray for us, to serve and support us in our weakest and darkest moments. In a wild world, in a world full of trials, the king of kings takes care of us. Consider it pure joy? Why? When my world shakes (which, oh, it has shook. There have been circumstances in my life that have rattled my very core) my God and my rock stays firm, and I stand on Him. Things crumble away-even our own health, even the lives of those we love, but our soul is safe and can be at peace in Jesus. Joy? Why? Because the worst things of this life can not take Jesus away from me unless I stop clinging to Him. The worst things of this life grow my confidence in Christ. I am more peaceful and more hopeful because of my trials.

Joy? How? First, do not give up on gathering with God’s people when you are in trial. Seriously. However much you are dreading it, or not feeling it, you need the rituals of faith-the practice of communion, the praises to God, and His Word spoken over you. Second, spend time with him alone. If you have no ambition for personal devotion buy a guide or go through a Bible reading program. Spend time in silence, helping your body be calm before the Lord. Pray, and breath and read small sections of His word. And it might take some time-but watch for the joy to grow. He is always faithful. Consider that joyfully, too.

If you could use extra support, or are experiencing debilitating and long-term emotional distress, please reach out to a licensed Christian mental health counselor. In all emergency situations, call 9-1-1.

As I reflect on the past few months, I am filled with a profound sense of gratitude and love for each of you. November and December were particularly challenging for me as I underwent surgery and began my journey of recovery. During this time, I experienced not only the physical challenges of healing but also the emotional weight that often accompanies such life events. Yet, in the midst of it all, I was blessed beyond measure by the unwavering support and love from our congregation.

The peace I felt knowing that our preschool was in such capable hands made all the difference. It was a true blessing to witness how our community stepped up to ensure that everything continued to run smoothly in my absence. I am so grateful for Miss Maritza and volunteers who rallied around our preschool, providing care, compassion, and continuity for our children. Your commitment to nurturing our little ones during this time was a testament to the strength and unity of our church family.

In what could have been a frightening and isolating experience, I found solace in the knowledge that my family and I were surrounded by a loving community. The prayers, meals, kind messages, and offers of help made a daunting situation feel so much lighter.

Your support truly exemplified God’s love in action, reminding me of the beautiful truth that we are never alone, even in our toughest moments.

As I have come through this season of recovery and rejoined our preschool family, the joy of being back together is immeasurable. It has been such a blessing to reunite with the children and their families, to see their smiling faces and hear their laughter once again. In this new year, as we move into February, we will focus on a theme that resonates deeply with my experience: how God loves us and how we should love others.

I can think of no better example of loving others like Jesus than what I have experienced in recent months. Every act of kindness and every prayer lifted on our behalf reminded me of the love of Christ that binds us together as a community. It is this love that we are called to share with one another and with the world around us.

I will carry the lessons of love, compassion, and unity from this experience with me always. Thank you for being the incredible congregation that you are. Your love and support have been a beacon of light in my life, and I am excited to continue this year together.

I think it's been awhile since I've given you an update on the Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Ministry. That is, in part, due to the fact that we have been super busy doing the work to fulfill this ministry.

During the third week of November last year, our Salem Area Team of year round OCC volunteers collected, counted, and put over 10,000 Shoeboxes in cartons. We then counted, logged, and loaded those cartons into semi truck trailers that were trucked to Denver to be processed. From there, those Shoeboxes were sent to various countries such as Mexico, Benin, and Guatemala to be distributed with the Good News of God's love.

Meanwhile, back in Turner, our Team began focusing on preparations for Shoeboxes in 2025. We are still meeting each Tuesday afternoon to begin preparing inventory for our 5th Annual Community Packing Party which will take place on the third weekend in August.

We have already processed over 1,000 PetSmart stuffed animal donations, filled 300 pencil pouches with needed school supplies, counted and sorted out toothbrushes, removed around 500 Hotwheels from their packaging, added filler paper to folders, etc., all in preparation for filling 1,800 Shoeboxes in August. Whew!

We do all of this with great anticipation and joy as God continues to supply items and bless our time at the Shoebox Work Shoppe on the campus of Turner Homes.

If you are looking for ways to help us share God's great love with His children near and far, there are many ways you can plug in to this ministry. We always appreciate the prayers offered for the health and safety of all volunteers here and abroad, for inventory to be filled, and for the kids and their families and friends who will be eternally changed through these gifts.

We also appreciate all of your support in collecting both items for the Shoeboxes and the financial gifts that help us obtain needed items. We're again hoping to be able to include a soccer ball in about 600 of these Shoeboxes and our supplier for these offers us a great deal on bulk orders. We're always collecting school supplies, washcloths, filler paper, combs and other hair supplies, baby and Barbie dolls with accessories, and the list goes on.

If you're interested in getting involved in any way, please feel free to contact me for more information.

―Ann Stoker

We Invite You To Help Us Make
A New Church Photo Directory!
 
We are starting by taking pictures that will be used in the new church directory.
We believe that having access to a photo of individuals and families in the congregation
will help us to know one another better and make communication with one another easier.
All church members and regular attenders are invited to participate—
if you consider this your church home, we’d love to include you!

Bethany Robinson will be taking photos in the Church Fellowship Hall
on these dates and times:

Sundays, 12:00 noon―1:00 pm
February 9th (https://subspla.sh/7sbnss4/)
February 23rd (https://subspla.sh/tsn2cxd/)
 
Wednesday, February 5th   9:30―10:30 am (https://subspla.sh/jg9bn5g/)
Thursday, February 6th   2:45―3:30 pm (https://subspla.sh/fyfzb2b/)

Please register on the church app to reserve your spot.
   
The new directory will be accessible online and in print.
Photos and data will only be visible to members of the directory.

Unshakable Hope is a steadfast, unwavering confidence regardless of our circumstances.
We all experience feelings of doubt, fear, insecurity and chaos throughout our lives.

Perhaps you are living through such a time as this.
Come and Worship.

Maybe you are filled with the unshakable hope of Jesus.
Come and Worship.

Every character trait of our Savior (faithfulness, unconditional love, promise keeper)  
builds our foundation of hope in Jesus.
 
Come and Worship Jesus―the only source of unshakable hope!

Mondays, February 3rd―March 3rd
6:00 to 7:00 pm
 
VBS is a whole-church commitment! This five-week study, led by Casey Holmes,
will take you through each Bible passage for our 2025 VBS. You'll leave this studying
knowing what will be taught at this year’s VBS and how to pray for it. And whatever your
role ends up being for this year’s VBS―praying for the event, being a volunteer,
chauffeuring your kids back and forth―you'll be better prepared for God's invitation.
 
Please register at:  
https://subspla.sh/dvqmrz5/

This event is for preschoolers-high schoolers that are interested in learning about baptism. This brunch is accessible to all-from kids that are just curious about the decision they might make one day, to kids who are ready to take that step.

The brunch includes time as a big group, and also an age-divided portion. Younger children will be led by Kris Jakubowski and older kids will be with Pastor Rachel. Each child is required to attend with a parent/guardian/or another adult that is a primary spiritual presence in their life.

Please register at: https://subspla.sh/qv2d47q/

Seniors Group to Celebrate
The State of Oregon’s Birthday!
February 14th at 1:00 pm

Oregon became the 33rd State on February 14, 1859!
All Seniors are invited to celebrate Oregon's 166th Birthday!
Come join us for fun, games and snacks!
 
Register at:  https://subspla.sh/xy5wrtt/
or contact Sharon Teixeira for more information.

WINTER TERM (DECEMBER 8 - MARCH 2)
 
 Bible Study For Everyone (Carol George)
A chapter-by-chapter study of books of the Bible using an accompanying workbook.
This class runs continuously throughout the year.
   
Talking With God (Frank Musgrave)
Practical tools to help Christians develop deeper habits of prayer,
such as reading prayers, writing prayers, and other practices.
 
Restoring Spiritual Passion (Frank Loyd)
Ever feel spiritual apathy? Spiritual lethargy?
We’ll look at some of the causes and possible remedies to the blahs of the spirit.

Ministry With Children (Rachel White)
Ministry with children is a whole-church endeavor. Whether your role is praying faithfully
for the children we worship alongside or the children we don't know yet, whether you
are getting to know a young family here at church or supporting your grandchildren,
whether you are teaching . . . there is a role for all of us in ministry with children.
This class will be a joyful look at connecting more deeply with children and increasing
our ability to be lifelong learners when it comes to ministry with and to them.

The church library is an ever-growing resource for anyone in our church, not just members. We have the usual materials for spiritual growth, Bible study, and church history, but we also have some of the best and most recent publications on how Christians can handle grief, finances, leadership, and parenting. We have an excellent freshly updated kids corner and we also have DVDs available for checkout.
 

The Turner Community Garden is Meeting Again
On the 3rd Monday of Each Month at 6:00 pm

The group provides gardening spaces to local families, collaborates with our
local school groups in bringing gardening to the classroom, as well as providing
produce donations from the Garden's Community Food Plots to our neighbors in need.

   

Welcome to 2025! As we step out into a new year, I want us to look back at something special that happened right at the end of the year. On December 29 we had (in my opinion) the best worship service we’ve had since I’ve been here. Eve Walborn did the announcements with me; Eliza Aegerter and Noah Harland led the prayers of the church, and the sermon was delivered by Eli Walborn, Lincoln Klinger, Hunter Brinlee, Luke Brinlee and Myra Robinson (all are in Middle School). After the sermon we got to celebrate two baptisms, Phil and Melinda Olszewski (oh-SHEV-ski). It was such a great service from beginning to end!

That service also serves as a great indicator of where we are going in 2025. This year we are going to put a special emphasis on leadership development–meaning we are going to work on identifying and equipping more people to take on leadership roles in the church. You may notice that I have been doing less on the platform over the past month–that is by design! Our hope is that you will see more people taking on roles in the service and leadership roles in the work of the church. A healthy church is a congregation in which every ligament–every member–is playing a role in the work of the church. I hope you will be thinking and praying about the role God has for you in this church; if you’re already in leadership, be thinking and praying about how you can share your role with others in the church that God has called to serve alongside you!

Another ongoing focus that was on display on December 29th was developing the children and youth in our church. Teens and children are NOT the future of Turner Christian Church: they are the PRESENT. In the same way, our adults and seniors are not the past of Turner Christian Church–they are the PRESENT. Pastor Rachel and her team have been doing amazing work raising up our kids to be a part of the church right now, and we are going to invest in that work this year so we can see even more of the great things our kids and teens have to contribute to work and worship of the church.

This kind of youth and children’s ministry requires a big investment from our congregation–we need regular teachers and assistants to work with kids from nursery all the way through high school. I hope you will be thinking and praying about how you can contribute to our children’s and youth ministry. For some of us it means becoming teachers, assistants, and youth sponsors; for all of us, it means supporting and encouraging kids as they take on roles in our congregation.

I am deeply proud of this congregation and how far we have come. I am genuinely excited about what God has in store for us in 2025.

May our God bless your new year, and may He lead you into greater joy, peace, and faithful service!

I’d like to start the year by talking about grief. Grief is a powerful emotion. And without putting our grief into the Lord’s tender hands, grief can be a life-stopping emotion. For some people, it freezes them in time. For others, it steals their joy. For others, they turn their grief into anger, or other emotions, or find themselves completely numb.

As followers of Jesus, the way we interact with our grief matters. And we look to the Bible for wisdom on how to approach our grief.

“God was grieved to his heart, Genesis declares, over the violent wickedness of his human creatures. He was devastated when his own bride, the people of Israel, turned away from him. And when God came back to his people in person. . . . he wept at the tomb of his friend. St. Paul speaks of the Holy Spirit “groaning” within us, as we ourselves groan within the pain of the whole creation. The ancient doctrine of the Trinity teaches us to recognize the One God in the tears of Jesus and the anguish of the Spirit.”
—N. T. Wright, 2020

Some of God’s emotions, His perfect and all-knowing emotions, are written out for us in the pages of scripture. We serve and love the God who weeps. Who mourns and laments. As we seek to imitate our perfect king, minimizing grief is not an option. Paul even demonstrates the depth of God’s emotions when he cautions us not “grieve the Holy Spirit” in Ephesians 4:30, because by our actions, thoughts and words we can cause grief to God. That is not a weakness of God’s-it’s an expression of his love for us. He cares so much for us that he has an emotional response to our choices and experiences.

Grief is an acknowledgement that the world is not as it should be and that we are not as we should be.

How does a Christian express grief? Depending on what you are grieving—job loss, a death, the end of a dream, a child leaving for college, a divorce, a broken relationship, the loss of physical health-grief might need to take different forms. But we always need to voice it. We need to communicate the loss. We need to express to God our sadness. We might need to express with others our sadness. We need our grief to be acknowledged.

We might cry, write thoughts down on paper, express ourselves through poetry, or ask a friend or spouse to hold us. We might take a long walk, or sit in silence and just acknowledge the feelings we are experiencing. We might need grief counseling, or grief support groups. There are a lot of “mights” with grief. But there is also a very specific need―as Christians we need to be vulnerable with Jesus about how we are really doing.

Without shaming yourself or without telling yourself how you should feel, or how “good” Christians would feel in your circumstance, just tell the Lord. Speak with him from a place of raw honesty. And if everything I am writing sounds foreign to you, start by asking for his help. Ask the God who loves you to help you be honest with him. Ask him to give you the courage and strength to be vulnerable.

If you are on a journey of grief: May God comfort you, may God guide you, and may your vulnerability be met by His deep and abiding love. He is strong enough for your grief.

If you could use extra support, or are experiencing debilitating and long-term emotional distress, please reach out to a licensed Christian mental health counselor. In all emergency situations, call 911.

Dorothy Sargent 
passed away and went home to the Lord on November 28, 2024
A Celebration of Life will be held at Turner Christian Church
 on January 18, 2025 at 1:00 pm.

Lynne Walker 
passed away and went home to the Lord on December 19, 2024.
A Memorial Service will be held at Turner Christian Church
on January 4, 2025 at 2:30 pm.

Jan West 
transferred her membership to Turner Christian Church on November 10. 2024.

Kayla Klinger 
transferred her membership to Turner Christian Church on November 17, 2024.
.
Phil and Melinda Olszewski 
were baptized into Christ on December 29, 2024
and became members of Turner Christian Church.

Bethany Robinson
has recovered so well from surgery that she is back to work as Preschool Director!
Many thanks to  Maritza Rivera for filling in for Bethany and
also to Teri Bales  who served as the teaching assistant.

All church leaders and the church budget
for 2024 were approved by the congregation by ballot on December 8, 2024.
   
Chair of the Congregation:  Jon Remy
Secretary of the Congregation:  Casey Holmes
Financial Secretary:  Kris Jakubowski
Assistant Financial Sec:  Hailiane Sorensen
 
Trustees
Larry George (2025)
Ray Telfer (2026)
Mel Metcalf (2027)
 
Elders
Frank Musgrave (2025)
Bill Penhollow (2025)
Alan Grunstad (2026)
Gary Tiffin (2026)
Frank Loyd (2027)
Dave Stoker (2027)
 
Deacons
Casey Holmes (Hospitality Service Team)
Gary Tiffin (Missions Service Team)
Sharon Teixeira (Senior Service Team)
Laurie Boyle (Finance Service Team)
 
Elders and Trustees serve 3-year terms.
All others serve a 1-year term.

WINTER TERM (DECEMBER 8 - MARCH 2)
 
 Bible Study For Everyone (Carol George)
A chapter-by-chapter study of books of the Bible using an accompanying workbook.
This class runs continuously throughout the year.
   
Talking With God (Frank Musgrave)
Practical tools to help Christians develop deeper habits of prayer,
such as reading prayers, writing prayers, and other practices.
 
Restoring Spiritual Passion (Frank Loyd)
Ever feel spiritual apathy? Spiritual lethargy?
We’ll look at some of the causes and possible remedies to the blahs of the spirit.

Ministry With Children (Rachel White)
Ministry with children is a whole-church endeavor. Whether your role is praying faithfully
for the children we worship alongside or the children we don't know yet, whether you
are getting to know a young family here at church or supporting your grandchildren,
whether you are teaching . . . there is a role for all of us in ministry with children.
This class will be a joyful look at connecting more deeply with children and increasing
our ability to be lifelong learners when it comes to ministry with and to them.

Nacho Average Bingo Night!
January 4, 2025
6:00—7:00 pm
Come for the nachos, stay for the bingo! An hour of deliciousness and fun with your
church family. End the holidays with prizes, quality nachos and some healthy competition. Please register on the church app: https://subspla.sh/4dvy4sc/


Winter Youth Kick-off
Sunday, January 12, 2025
6:00—7:30 pm
Dinner, games, and time with Jesus among friends.
TCC Youth group is for all middle school and high school students.


Seniors Lunch & Game Day
January 17, 2025 at 11:30 am
What is your favorite table game? Bring your new favorite game or bring one that you have loved for a long time. Soup and bread will be served at 11:30 am. Then let the games begin!  Please register for this event  at https://subspla.sh/k9jjx5k/ or in the foyer.


Potluck & Missions Presentation
January 26, 2025
Silas & Katie Moe, our missionaries to Africa, will be with us on Sunday, January 26th.
They will do a “Missions Moment” presentation during worship and then a
larger presentation after church at an all-church potluck. There will also be a
cash “baby shower” so they can buy things where they live.
 
The missions team will provide fried chicken for the potluck. If your last name begins
with A-M, please bring salads or other sides. If your last name begins with N-Z, please
bring a dessert. Please sign up either on the church app https://subspla.sh/k9jjx5k/
or in the foyer so we know how much chicken to buy.

 

   

When does the Christmas season start for you? These days there are three common answers: the “orthodox” answer is the day after Thanksgiving; the “heretical” answer is the day after Halloween; the “legalist” answer is, at sundown on December 24th. Of the three, the last one is the least common. Technically, however, the Christian calendar marks December 25th as the first day of the Christmas season, which lasts until January 6th (hence the twelve days of Christmas). In the Christian calendar, the season leading up to Christmas is Advent, and it begins four Sundays before Christmas (which is usually, but not always, the Sunday after Thanksgiving).

On technicality, the legalist position is the correct one. In practice, I don’t think there is a right answer–there are much more important questions than when we start listening to Christmas music and putting up decorations. One of those important things, however, is the message of Advent. This season is all about waiting for the coming of Jesus. We look back to the stories of God’s people waiting for the birth of Jesus in order to learn how we should be waiting for Jesus to return again. It may not matter when you start preparing for the Christmas holiday, but it matters very much whether you are preparing for the return of Jesus!

What does it mean to be prepared for Jesus to return? Rather than answer that question, I want to ask you to ponder it on your own. Peter tells us,
 
In the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” (2 Peter 3:3-4)

It is easy for us to live our lives assuming that the sun will keep rising every day, just like it has every day since the beginning of the world. We bet our lives on the expectation that the sun will rise again. But how would you live differently if you knew that Jesus was going to return at some point? What would you want to be doing when he showed up? How would you want to have spent your life when he returns?
If we really believe that Jesus is coming back, then that belief should affect how we live every day. This is what we will focus on in our Advent sermon series. We are all waiting for Jesus to come back, but are we expecting it? Are we betting our lives on the expectation that the Son will return again?

I pray that God may bless you and yours this Christmas season, that he may bring joy to your hearts, that he will fill you with the sure and certain hope of the coming of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

God bless you, and Merry Christmas!

I was wearing my new sport swimsuit and my swim cap. I was in the water swimming. I looked like a water polo player. But I had no idea what I was doing. It was my first water polo game and no one had bothered to explain the rules to us.

In the middle of the pool there was some action going on. A few girls on my team were familiar with the game or had played before. I paddled around at the edge, trying to look busy and productive. The splash of the water got in my ears, eyes and mouth. At one point I asked my opponent if she had any idea what we were supposed to be doing. It was her first game too, and she did not. Parents and coaches were yelling from the pool’s edge and stands. Directions and encouragements were shouted over the splash of the water.

I just wanted it to be over.

Despite my disastrous first game, I ended up playing water polo for three years in high school. I spent hours and hours in the pool every week, coached and corrected constantly. I reeked of chlorine all the time, but I enjoyed myself. I knew the game, I liked the game, and while I was never going to be a polo star, I became a decent player.

Things in life change when we understand the parameters and we have people helping us learn how to reach the goal.

I’ve been thinking about this in terms of emotional health and emotional maturity. Some of us have had great coaches, helping us learn how Christians engage with and express their
emotions. Some of us had bad coaches, or no coaches, and have tried to learn emotional
maturity from the thick of it, occasionally catching a word or a phrase yelled at us from the
stands. Sometimes it can feel like we’re read the soccer manual, and are trying to make that
work for a water polo game.

Emotions are a gift from the Lord. He who made us, gave us this good gift. And with it, we can feel love, we can feel happiness and joy and contentment. We can feel righteous grief and righteous anger at the brokenness of the world, the sin-nature expressing itself, injustice and loss.

We also know, as believers, that emotions are not a good barometer of truth. Like everything else in this fallen world, they are out of whack from what they should be. If emotions are what we are building our lives on, they can lead us left and right, to and fro, and anywhere but to God. But they are a good barometer of what is going on inside of us. They might indicate to us that we’re afraid, happy, angry or grieving. They might feel out of control, or inaccessible. Those are all pieces of information, that when carefully considered, and appropriately expressed and prayed over, can lead us to a deeper relationship with God and healthier relationships with those around us.

But how do we get from that first, confusing game to a place where we have a sense of what is going on with our emotions? For the next few articles, I’ll be looking at various emotions and suggestions for engaging with them in God-honoring ways. In the meantime, perhaps bring your emotions before the Lord. Ask Him for guidance in engaging with them. Ask him for the strength to be honest with Him about how you’re feeling and the wisdom to not be led astray by those feelings.

If you are could use extra support, or are experiencing debilitating and long-term emotional
distress, please reach out to a licensed Christian mental health counselor. In all emergency
situations, call 9-1-1.

We have started a meal train for the Robinson Family
(Bethany, Steven, Evelyn, Myra, and Josie).
Bethany had surgery on November 13th
and recovery will last six weeks.
 
There are three ways to sign up:
 1. Click on the link in the Church App              
              (Home page > TCC Community > Robinson Meal Train)

          2. Go to www.turnerchristianchurch.com/mealtrain

                     3. Contact Casey Holmes at 217.781.3262 (text preferred)

Dorothy Sargent
passed away and went home to the Lord on November 28, 2024.
A Celebration of Life held at Turner Christian Church on January 18, 2025.
Time will be announced later.

The Annual Congregational Meeting was held on November 24th
with good fellowship, food and information about various ministries.
All the Candidates and the Budget for 2025 were approved by the congregation.
A listing of all officers and leaders will be included in next months' newsletter.

CHRISTMAS AT TURNER CHRISTIAN CHURCH

Blue Christmas Service
Sunday, December 22nd at 3:00 pm
This service is designed for those who face feelings of grief and loss during the
Christmas Season—-for those who need space to remember their loss and their lost
loved ones in this season of hope. All are invited to join in singing carols, reading
scripture, remembering, and hoping in the coming of Christ.  

Seniors Turner Christmas Lights Bus Tour
Monday, December 23rd at 6:30 pm
Sparkle, Sparkle, Twinkle, Twinkle! it is Christmas in the town of Turner! Sponsored by the Seniors group, everyone is invited to come and enjoy Christmas light displays in Turner
The bus and carpool will leave the Church parking lot at 6:30 pm and return to the
church building to enjoy some hot chocolate and good fellowship with one another.
You can register for this event on the church app: https://subspla.sh/zxpbwzk/  

Christmas Eve Candlelight Services
Tuesday, December 24th at 3:00 pm & 6:00 pm (Identical Services)
Join us for a service of readings, carols, and candlelight as we celebrate the birth of Christ!

Oregon Spirit Chorus Holiday Show
December 7th at 2:00 pm
Come join the Church Family and enjoy a day of celebration of the Christmas season. Rachel White will be singing in this program so let's support her and enjoy a great afternoon of music. The cost for a ticket will be $15.00. See Virginia Musgrave for tickets. We will carpool from the Church at 1:30 pm to Dayspring Fellowship in Keizer.

Christmas Movie and Lunch
December 11th at 11:30 am
Come join the fun as we watch a Christmas movie and have lunch together. This activity is sure to get you in the holiday spirit! Be sure to wear your Christmas sweaters and clothing. Lunch will be served at 11:30 am with a movie to follow.
You can register for this event on the church app: https://subspla.sh/ykbm8gh/  

Bowling at Northgate Bowl
December 20th at 2:30 pm
The Turner Christian Church Bowling Team is at it again! Strikes, Spares, and Gutters it doesn't matter come and bowl or cheer our team. The cost is $5.00 if you bowl and FREE if you just want to be a cheerleader. The team is growing so please join in on the fun.
You can register for this event on the church app: https://subspla.sh/fttcd88/  

New Years Eve Party—Jerusalem Style
December 31st at 1:00 pm
Happy New Year! It is 12:00 midnight in Jerusalem and we shall celebrate the new year. Come to the Church and join in the fun and games. Yes, there will be snacks and of course some games and entertainment. THE FUN WILL START AT 1:00 pm in the Fellowship Hall
at the Church. You might even want to bring a friend—the more the merrier.
You can register for this event on the church app: https://subspla.sh/md7bbbn/  

WINTER TERM (DECEMBER 8 - MARCH 2)
 
 Bible Study For Everyone (Carol George)
A chapter-by-chapter study of books of the Bible using an accompanying workbook.
This class runs continuously throughout the year.
   
Talking With God (Frank Musgrave)
Practical tools to help Christians develop deeper habits of prayer,
such as reading prayers, writing prayers, and other practices.
 
Restoring Spiritual Passion (Frank Loyd)
Ever feel spiritual apathy? Spiritual lethargy?
We’ll look at some of the causes and possible remedies to the blahs of the spirit.

Ministry With Children (Rachel White)
Ministry with children is a whole-church endeavor. Whether your role is praying faithfully
for the children we worship alongside or the children we don't know yet, whether you
are getting to know a young family here at church or supporting your grandchildren,
whether you are teaching . . . there is a role for all of us in ministry with children.
This class will be a joyful look at connecting more deeply with children and increasing
our ability to be lifelong learners when it comes to ministry with and to them.

On behalf of many of our community families, the Food Bank volunteers would like to thank you for your generous donations to our recent food drive. We had over 70 families sign up to receive a Holiday Food Box this year. The TCC family, along with Turner Elementary School, provided most of the needed goods to fulfill that need. Thank you!    

On the evening of Monday, November 25th, a truckload of 10,286 Shoebox gifts departed from Salem to head to the processing center in Denver, Colorado. These Shoeboxes were collected from throughout Marion and Polk counties during the week prior. What a joy to witness this blessing! We now rest in the knowledge that God is preparing the hearts and minds of these 10,286 children (and many more) to receive the Good News of Jesus Christ and His love and offer of salvation. Please continue to pray with us that these children can then share what they've learned with their families and friends.

Our Salem Area Team was able to fill 1317 Shoeboxes this year, and our faithful supporters at TCC had a big part in that. Your donations of money and goods and time helped so much and for that we are very grateful. Thank you!

Our Shoebox Work Shoppe here in Turner on the Turner Homes campus has become a huge blessing in so many ways. Not only do we have a space in which to prepare items for the Shoeboxes, but it's also a set time and place for a weekly fellowship of dedicated Shoebox volunteers. It's a place of sharing with and praying for and supporting not only this ministry, but also each other. We're open most every Tuesday afternoon at noon for a few hours and you are welcome to join us anytime.

Hope for the Holidays

It's almost that time of year again! In the month of December we will be collecting presents to give to families through Family Building Blocks. FBB is a local non-profit organization committed to keeping children safe and families together. They work with families experiencing exacerbated life stressors who have children aged 0-5. FBB has a very high success rate (99%) in keeping families together in an improved home environment.

Want to participate? Starting Sunday, December 1st, you can grab a gift tag from the lobby Christmas tree. Go shopping for that item and return it to the church by Dec. 22nd. Most items will be board games, activities, and warm clothes for the winter. Let's pray that these gifts will be a great blessing and encouragement to these families experiencing hardship.

Since we will be having Christmas Eve Services on December 24,
the Thursday Evening Service for December 26 has been canceled.

   

In October I started a sermon series on “The Art of Doing Nothing.” If you heard the first sermon (October 27) you know that this series is very personal for me: I am the chief among sinners when it comes to compulsively doing “some-thing” instead of reserving time to “do nothing.” This is the practice of Sabbath–which means, literally, “cease” or “stop.” Sabbath was arguably the most difficult practice for the Israelites to get right. From Moses to the exile, they simply didn’t practice it: there was too much to do, and they struggled to trust that God could do everything without their help. From the exile to the ministry of Jesus, they overcorrected: they became so hyper-legalistic about practicing Sabbath that it turned into “doing something:” instead of a life-giving practice, it became an obligation. Instead of freeing them to spend time with God, it enslaved them to strict rules and practices. Instead of giving them space to do the right thing, it became a restriction against doing the right thing (even healing!)

Sabbath is no easier for us today. We struggle to trust that the world doesn’t need what we can do. We struggle to trust that the world will go on, and God’s kingdom will go on, if we don’t do all the things. You may find some of your core values challenged by this series. You will be afraid of what would happen if you, or others, stop doing the things that need to be done.

As we continue talking about “doing nothing,” I want you to remember the lesson of Manna: when God told the Israelites not to work on Saturdays, he provided them with a double portion of bread on Friday. We can stop, pause, and do nothing with God because we trust him to provide for us. Now, he may not provide what we want (I’m sure the Israelites would have preferred more variety in their diet over those 40 years!) but he provides what we need to do his will. If we trust in what God provides, then we can be blessed by the freedom it gives us to take a break from the rat race, to spend time with our Heavenly Father, to be ready and available when the right thing comes along.

I will be praying for all of you as we go on this journey together. I hope you will pray for me as well.


The Church App has been updated!
The church app has been updated to be easier to use, and we are encouraging everyone to get to know it better. There are a lot of cool things it can do for us! We will be posting videos and other instructions on how to use the app. You can find them at www.turnerchristianchurch.com/app, or in the app itself (Click on the “About the App” button on the home page of the app). Stay tuned as we unveil new features over the coming months!

By the time you read this, I will probably be on a plane.

For the next week, I get to do one of my favorite things: travel! A friend and I are going to the Florida Keys. Her and I have filled the week with kayaking, hiking, snorkeling, biking and some much-needed beach time.

I’ll also get to go to church. I love encountering the church in other places.

Years ago I heard a sermon on the prodigal son in Sweden, and it greatly deepened my understanding of who God is. I heard the sermon through an earpiece-a faithful volunteer up in the soundbooth was translating live. The sweet older woman next to me beamed as I adjusted my earpiece: “That’s my husband!” she whispered, “he’s doing the interpreting today!” What a joy to encounter the love of God through faithful volunteers serving their church.

When I was a child my family got stranded in Burns. We had hit a deer just outside of town and for 11 days we were stuck there. Most of it was the mechanic waiting on a part delivery. When we went and visited a church on Sunday, they all had heard about us and our plight. Someone had baked bread. Someone else invited us over for a meal. The hospitality of the church.

In Northern California, on a family vacation when I was in high school, we attended a very small rural church in the mountains. There’s wasn’t any programming for me to go to, so, unlike my church at home, I was “stuck” in the service. A young women was sharing that day. She was all-tattooed, with dyed hair. She had been raised in that church. They had raised her up and sent her out, and she was now a missionary on the streets of San Francisco. She ministered to a pretty rough crowd, and her tattoos and hair gave her an open door with the people she now looked like. In the spirit of Paul, she become all things, so that some might be saved. From her, I learned something beautiful about witnessing for the king. I also learned what a small church can do with lots of prayer and good discipleship.

God’s church is alive and active, because our King reigns today as he always has. To see small moments of the church in action in other places is a great blessing. And then I get to come home. To this church-this small corner of the kingdom, and my church family.

I look forward to boring you with stories of my adventures on the other side.

With love and joy,
Rachel

Bethany Robinson, our preschool director, was recently diagnosed with an abdominal tumor. They won't know exactly what kind of tumor it is until it has been removed. The surgery has been scheduled for Wednesday, November 13th, and recovery will take at least six weeks.
We are announcing this for a couple of reasons.

First, we ask you to pray for Bethany and her family, for total healing and for God's comfort as they wait.

Second, we invite you to help support their family by contributing to our meal train. We have set up a page where you can sign up to provide them with a dinner on the dates they have requested--you can cook and deliver the meal, or you can send them a gift card for meal deliveries.

There are three ways to sign up:
          1. Click on the link in the Church App
              (Home page > TCC Community > Robinson Meal Train)
          2. Go to www.turnerchristianchurch.com/mealtrain
          3. Contact Casey Holmes at 217.781.3262 (text preferred)
  
Finally, we ask that you pray for Little Lamb Preschool. It is in good hands--our teaching assistant Maritza is able and willing to take the lead while Bethany is out, and we have an experienced substitute from the congregation who will be filling in as the assistant. Nevertheless we ask for prayer as they take on these new roles, that God would guide and bless them for the sake of the children they are teaching and shaping.

Dennis Bixler
passed away and went home to the Lord on October 11, 2024.
A service was held at TCC on October 26th.

Shirley Parks
passed away and went home to the Lord on October 27, 2024.
No services are planned.

We know that Eloise and Richard valued your love and friendship and would want you to know how grateful they were for your part in their long and happy time here on earth. Thank you for that!
  
The family will scatter their ashes in some of their favorite spots: the Oregon Coast and mountains and then in the family burial plot. Eloise and Richard sought neither fame nor attention in their lifetimes, and this final remembrance with family present was their wish.
 
We found a note that Richard penned for Eloise in his final days in the form of a handmade valentine that read, “You are the Valentine of my life, and I love you so very much. Hang in there, sweetheart, we’re getting close to the end here, but looking forward to the future up there.”
 
If you’d like to do something in memory of Eloise and Richard, go hug your family and friends, and make memories with your whole heart.

Sincerely,
Eloise and Richard’s Kids

Vern & Mary Lou Moore
are moving back to Arizona, close to their family.
Their new address is:
  
Vern & Mary Lou Moore
6775 W Happy Valley Rd  Apt 109
Peoria  AZ  85383

Seniors Game Day & Lunch
November 4th • 11:30 am
    
November 4th is the day that you will be able to challenge someone to a game of checkers or another game of your choice. There will be some games available but if you have a special game to share bring it with you! Lunch will be served. Jim Senter will also be providing accordion music for our entertainment. Invite a friend, neighbor or a family member to join in the fun. Please register online or at the registration desk at the church.

All Ladies are Invited to an Evening  of Fun, Fellowship and  Prayer!
    
We will watch the movie “I Heard the Bells”
(an inspiring true story of resounding hope and rekindled faith
in America's Poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow).
      
After the movie we will share in a time of prayer for our church and community.  
Invite a friend to come with you and bring a snack to share!

The welcome team includes greeters, the security team, kids' check-in, and communion collectors. We are working on restructuring our welcome team, and we would love for anyone interested in those positions to join us for an information lunch. We'll be talking about the positions, what they involve, and how we want to restructure the teams. If you are already on a team, please plan to attend. If you are interested, please join us!

This year's annual congregational meeting is more than just a vote! We will be meeting during the Sunday School hour for a brunch, updates and voting. We will hear reports from church leaders about what's been going on in the life of the church, look forward to the next year, and then vote on the church budget and officers. The whole church family is invited!

Please join us at 2:30 pm to help prepare the church for Christmas! We need people capable of stringing lights, decorating trees, and putting up other decor. All ages welcome! Hot chocolate provided. . . feel free to bring cookies to share.

This Food Drive will begin Sunday, October 6th and continue through Sunday , November 10th. There will be a receptacle located in the lobby area in which to place donations The food collected will be used specifically for Holiday Food Boxes distributed through our Food Bank.

The following items are being collected:
Boxed Potatoes, Canned Gravy; Green Beans, Fried Onions, Pasta, Jelly, Evaporated Milk, Stuffing Mix, Canned Soup, Cranberry Sauce, Pudding/Jello, Peanut Butter, Canned Corn, Canned Fruit, Cake Mix/Frosting, Biscuit Mix, Applesauce.

The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to provide local partners around the world with shoeboxes filled with small toys, hygiene items, and school supplies as a means of reaching out to children in their own communities with the Good News of Jesus Christ. We ship these simple gifts outside the United States to children affected by war, poverty, natural disaster, famine, and disease.

Churches in the greater Salem area have packed 1200 shoeboxes that are going to be shipped overseas this month. It costs $10.00 to collect, process and ship each shoebox overseas. Multiply that by the 1200 shoeboxes we prepared and that comes to quite a large amount, but well worth it!

If you would like to help with this expense, please mark your contribution on your check or an offering envelope (available on the back of chairs in the sanctuary or in the church office) “for Operation Christmas Child Shipping.”

Hope for the Holidays

It's almost that time of year again! In the month of December we will be collecting presents to give to families through Family Building Blocks. FBB is a local non-profit organization committed to keeping children safe and families together. They work with families experiencing exacerbated life stressors who have children aged 0-5. FBB has a very high success rate (99%) in keeping families together in an improved home environment.

Want to participate? Starting Sunday, December 1st, you can grab a gift tag from the lobby Christmas tree. Go shopping for that item and return it to the church by Dec. 22nd. Most items will be board games, activities, and warm clothes for the winter. Let's pray that these gifts will be a great blessing and encouragement to these families experiencing hardship.

The Country Mouse Holiday Market offers a wide variety of handcrafted gifts, edibles, art, jewelry, woodcrafts, collectables and so much more! Come peruse over 90 booths in two historic buildings: the Tabernacle built in 1891 and Pioneer Hall built in 1886. The atmosphere is worth coming for! Local food trucks and other eating options are available onsite. Bring your friends and make a day of it!

   

Wow! I am amazed at what has happened over the past six weeks in our siding project! In case you haven’t heard the announcements, here are a couple of amazing things that happened:
   
     1.  We asked the congregation if they could give $80,000 for the church siding project.
         You pledged almost $140,000! And before we ever asked you to start giving, you
          turned in $112,000! That is INCREDIBLE!

     2.  We set aside 9 hours on Sep. 21st and 22nd to tear down the siding. Our goal was to
          get at least half of it down. Not only did we get it all done, but we did it in 2.5 hours!
          That is INCREDIBLE!
   
During the September 22nd service I talked about the fact that, in both the giving and labor, we completed the goal before everyone who committed to participating was able to do so. At the time I encouraged you to keep whatever commitments you have made to God–if you committed to give a certain amount of money to the siding project, but haven’t turned it in (because we hadn’t asked you to yet!) I encouraged you to still give that money to God, rather than putting it back wherever it came from. You could still give it to the building fund, in which case it will go toward the next project that comes up, or you could give it to some other cause that God puts on your heart.

In this article I want to take us one step further in our thinking. I have been looking over King David’s prayer in 1 Chronicles 29. This is the prayer he offers after he leads the Israelites in raising money for the building of the temple. He starts by saying, “who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand” (29:14). I really resonate with that today. Who are we, that we should be able to raise the money for a building project so quickly, and then tear down the old siding in 2.5 hours? Everything we gave to God, whether money or labor, was something God gave to us first. And isn’t it amazing what God accomplished through us, on something as un-glamorous as siding?

But then David says this: “I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you. Lord, the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep these desires and thoughts in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you” (v. 17-18). David prays that his people would never forget how it felt to willingly, joyfully raise money for God’s house. They did this out of loyalty to God, a desire to serve him, a recognition that everything they have belongs to him. And on this occasion, it was easy to do.

David prays that they would remember that feeling because it won’t always be easy to be loyal to God. Under David they have security, prosperity, and prestige. They are a regional empire, respected by their neighbors. On this day, all God asks from them is money–which, at this time, they have to spare. But later on, following God will not be so easy. First of all, it will become less exciting. After building the temple, they will have to settle into the regular work of loving their neighbors and putting God first in their daily decisions. Then they will face times when they are not so secure, not so wealthy, not so powerful or respected. In those times they will be tempted to invest in other gods who offer quick fixes. Staying loyal to God will be harder, and it will cost more. In all those times, David asks that God would remind them of how it felt to give joyfully to the building of the temple.

As we bask in the glow of the excellent start we have made to the siding project, my prayer for our congregation (myself included) is the same as David’s: that we would remember this joy for the days to come when we will be asked to serve, to give, to obey God after the glow has worn off. I think, first of all, of the work of painting the siding. It is important that we not lose momentum before we completely finish the job. I am thinking of upcoming projects, like the like the new flooring we will be installing this Fall and Winter. But most of all, I am thinking of the daily opportunities we will have to love each other, to love our neighbors, in ways that are not dramatic, not celebrated, maybe not even noticed. I am thinking of the 12th time you have a chance to help a person with the same need, and the work is getting old. I am thinking of the 70th time someone repents to you, and you really don’t feel like forgiving. And when I say “you,” I mean any one of us–I definitely include myself in this prayer.

But I do not pray this prayer out of pessimism, worry, or doubt. I pray this prayer in joy and optimism, excited about the future of this congregation. We are a people of the New Covenant, filled with the Holy Spirit, so we can add to David’s prayer the prayer of Paul for the Ephesians:
 
“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about the leadership of youth and children.

When we dismiss the kids from the service on Sunday mornings, you might have heard me mention “Team Ion” as well as Jr. Worship. This year our 3rd-8th graders are working through a program called “Team Ion” which leads them through developing Christian Leadership skills. This is a hands-on program. Each time Team Ion meets the kids do a challenge together without an adult, then independent Bible study, facilitated Bible discussion, an activity and something relevant to the life of the church.

This month is Hospitality. Team Ion has worked through Bible passages relating to hospitality, had discussions about what it is to welcome people to our congregation and done challenges relating to how they can be welcoming to others. They’ve also trained on greeting/communion set-up and our kids check-in.

In the coming year, Team Ion will also work on the following:
  • Leading a prayer in the service
  • Planning events (for themselves and the
      church)
  • Learning the basics of our sound booth
      (sound/slides/livestream)
  • Volunteering in a ministry
  • Preaching the gospel
  • Taking care of the building
  • Leading games for kids programming
  • Planning a service

As they work through these things (and more!), they’ll be talking about Faithfulness, Holiness, Humility, Thankfulness, Prayerfulness, Representing Christ, Faith in God, Respect for Authority, and Sharing God’s love.

I know that God has gifted our young Christians in incredible ways. As they develop their skills over the coming year, I am excited to see them use them in this congregation and in the community. Please join me in praying over our young leaders-may the coming year deepen their faith, grow in them greater confidence, and increase their joy in the family of God.

Thank you for your incredible support of our young people.

With joy,
Rachel

There’s something truly wonderful about seeing familiar faces from the previous year, bright with excitement and anticipation, alongside new students who are just beginning to embark on their educational journey. As teachers and staff, we are filled with joy as we greet returning families and extend a warm welcome to newcomers. Together, we get the opportunity to create a community rooted in love, support, and shared learning. Looking ahead, we are filled with hope for the months to come. As we prepare for the cold, crisp days of fall, we know that this season will bring its own beauty and opportunities for learning. The transformation that takes place during these coming months is a poignant reminder of the cycles of life and learning. Reflecting on this, we can’t help but marvel at the incredible job God did in creating the seasons. Each season offers us a rhythm and pattern that mirrors our own experiences. Just as nature changes and flourishes, so do our children, growing in knowledge, character, and friendship. The seasons teach us valuable lessons about patience, resilience, and the beauty of change.

This year, we also look forward to a special milestone in our journey: the 20th Anniversary of Little Lamb Christian Preschool on October 5th. It’s hard to believe that two decades have flown by, filled with countless seasons of growth, love, and learning. Each year has brought its own challenges and triumphs, shaping our preschool into the warm and nurturing community it is today. We invite all families—past and present—to join us as we reflect on the many memories created over the years. Let’s celebrate the children who have walked through our doors, the families who have supported us, the dedicated staff who have poured their hearts into this mission and the church congregation who cheers alongside us. Together, we will honor the legacy of Little Lamb Christian Preschool and look forward to the many seasons yet to come. As we step into this new school year, let us embrace the joy of new beginnings, the warmth of familiar faces, and the promise of growth that lies ahead. With every new friend we make, every lesson learned, and every moment shared, we are reminded that we are all part of a beautiful tapestry woven together by love, faith, and the joy of learning. Here’s to an incredible year ahead!

Little Lamb Preschool is celebrating their 20th year of serving our community on October 5th at 6:30 pm! If you have supported the preschool, prayed for the preschool, helped at the preschool, been on the preschool board, been a teacher at the preschool, or have been a student at the preschool, we would love for you to join us for this monumental celebration!! Come and enjoy reminiscing, memories, dessert!!

Your faithfulness in support of Operation Christmas Child has once again amazed our local Salem Area Team of year round volunteers. Our 4th Annual Community Packing Party in Salem was another blessed event during which we were able to fill 1200 Shoeboxes for ministry to the ends of the earth. Not only that, but we are still packing Shoeboxes with the "extra" inventory in our Work Shoppe. Thank you all so much who have contributed to this ministry!

With National Collection Week approaching in mid-November, our Item of the Month for the next couple of months will be the $10/box recommended donation to successfully get these Shoeboxes processed, shipped, and then distributed with the Gospel presentation of The Greatest Gift.

Your prayers during this time of year are also extremely important. Please pray for all involved in packing Shoeboxes, processing Shoeboxes, and distributing Shoeboxes. Please pray for safety for all Team members in both sending and receiving countries. Please pray that customs officials in receiving countries will be full of Grace as they process these shipments. Please pray for the children and their families and communities, that God will open their hearts and minds to His truth that many will be learning of for the first time.
God is so good. You are so appreciated.                                                          

―Ann Stoker

We thank God for Matt and Rachel
for the many ways they faithfully serve the Lord,
the Turner church, and community.

Many thanks also to the elders
Alan Grunstad, Frank Musgrave, Mike O’Dell, Bill Penhollow, Jon Remy)
who faithfully serve the Lord and this congregation.   

Some ways we can express our appreciation:
 
  Thank God for them
“And I will give you shepherds after my own heart,
who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.”  (Jeremiah 3:15)

Esteem and respect them very highly in love
“We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you
in the Lord and  admonish you, and  to esteem them very highly in love
because of their work. (1 Thessalonians 5:12,13)
     
Imitate their faith
“Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you  the  word of God.
Consider the outcome of their way  of life, and imitate their faith.”  
(Hebrews 13:7)
     
Pray for them
“Brothers, pray for us.”  
(1 Thessalonians 5:25)

Sunday School Schedules
9:00 – 10:00 am

Fall Term Sunday School Schedule
September 8-November 17
(with Childcare/Children’s Programs)

Bible Study For Everyone
(Carol George)
A chapter-by-chapter study of books of the Bible using an accompanying
workbook. This class runs continuously throughout the year.

What You Believe Matters
(Debbie Loyd)
Sometimes we are not aware of certain religious beliefs that harm us.
This class will look at some of these beliefs, where they came from,
why they are harmful, and characteristics that make
us more vulnerable to these.

Christian Civics: Following Jesus in a Politically-Divided World 
(Gary Tiffin)
This class will use a book by John Whittaker to help participants work out how their personal faith should inform the way they think and act as citizens of their country
(This is about how to think, not what to think).

Speaking in Church–For Beginners
(Pastor Matt)
This class is for anyone who is interested in taking on speaking roles in our church
services. We will learn about the basics of public speaking, as well as the specifics of leading confession, prayers of the church, communion and offering meditations,
and other speaking roles.

In a busy week, prioritizing spending time in the Bible can become pushed to the side―or we might not even be sure how to spend time in the Bible! Starting Tuesday, October 8th, at 8:00 am, this women's group will study through Ephesians, with a workbook that will help you to spend at least a few minutes in God's word daily. Women of all ages are welcome. This study will be a firm 55 minutes each week, for our women on the way to work :) Come delight in the company of other women as we dive deeper into our faith together.

We are looking for subs to join our Nursery/Jr Worship Teams! 
Subs are an important part of our dynamic―while they only are need periodically they make all the difference for teachers when they are sick, or want to make travel plans.
Subs are background-checked, trained, and appreciated!
Contact Pastor Rachel for more information.

This Food Drive will begin Sunday, October 6th and continue through Sunday , November 10th. There will be a receptacle located in the lobby area in which to place donations The food collected will be used specifically for Holiday Food Boxes distributed through our Food Bank.

The following items are being collected:
Boxed Potatoes, Canned Gravy; Green Beans, Fried Onions, Pasta, Jelly, Evaporated Milk, Stuffing Mix, Canned Soup, Cranberry Sauce, Pudding/Jello, Peanut Butter, Canned Corn, Canned Fruit, Cake Mix/Frosting, Biscuit Mix, Applesauce.

All Ladies are Invited to an Evening
of Fun, Fellowship and  Prayer!
   
We will watch the movie “Bedtime Stories”
A handyman's life is changed when the bedtime stories
he tells his niece and nephew start to magically come true!
     
After the movie we will share in a time of prayer for our church and community.
Invite a friend to come with you and bring a snack to share!

The Turner You Never Knew About • October 23rd • 1:30 pm
Hop on the bus and discover the wonderful town of Turner. We will have a guided tour by our ex-mayor, Gary Tiffin. He will share the town as he knows it. There are many places that we will be introduced to. We will journey over to see some of the sights in Stayton and end up at the Lovin Oven for a piece of cake. Please register early because of limited space on the bus. If you have any questions, please contact Virginia Musgrave.

Bowling Trip to Northgate Bowl  •  October 25th
Dust off your bowling shoes and join us for an exciting afternoon at the Northgate Bowling Alley in Salem. If you don’t want to bowl come and be part of the cheering squad! The cost is $5.00 per bowler which includes shoes and a bowling ball of your choice. Transportation will leave the TCC parking lot at 1:00 and return about 3:30. Sign up on the app or call Virginia Musgrave at 503-743-1500. Come challenge Virginia’s high score of 76!

Join us for our annual event―
games, a candy walk, a glow room, crafts, and lots and lots of candy!

Because our parking lot quickly filled up in the past, we had to move the event and displays inside the church building so we would have more parking spaces available. We've also updated the event name, but it is the same welcoming, family-friendly event!
  
This is our biggest event (in terms of attendance) that we do this year-and we'd love all of you to help put it on! If you go to the Candy Carnival Volunteering Event on the church app, you can see the various needs and get signed up to help. We have roles for all ages!

   

SIDING PROJECT:
On August 18th we announced that we are launching a new project for our building. The siding for the sanctuary, which has withstood a lot of weather over the past 30 years—including a substantial flood—is reaching the point where it needs to be replaced. We told the congregation that we had two options: begin raising funds to start the project next year, or, if the congregation has the money available, to raise all of it in time to do the project this Fall. The bid for doing the job in 2024 is about $80,000 (with margin for overages). Doing the job in 2025 would require a new bid, which could be more expensive.
 
We began collecting pledges on August 25th, and the response was tremendous! In fact, we have already received pledges for more than the entire amount! That’s awesome! God has been so generous (through you!) that we weren’t even prepared for this kind of response!
 
Here is where we are at, as of the beginning of September:
 1. We have decided to move forward with replacing the siding this Fall.

 2. We will continue to collect pledge cards as planned. Remember, these are pledges, not donations. We want to make sure that everyone has a chance to contribute if they feel led by God. Once we have all the pledges in, the board will decide how to move forward with collecting the pledges.

 3. We will need volunteer teams to help take down the current siding, as well as volunteers to support them (providing refreshments, watching their kids, etc.). The demolition will happen in late September, so be ready for us to ask for help!
 
If you are part of the extended TCC family who no longer lives in the area, but you would like to support the siding project in some way, feel free to reach out to the office for more information. Prayer is always needed!
   
God bless all of you! Thank you so much for your generosity!

__________________________

I have been spending a lot of time in the book of Ephesians this summer, especially one particular passage:
 
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (4:11-13, NIV)
 
At first, I focused in on this passage because of what it had to say about the role of leaders in the church―I want to make sure that I am fulfilling my purpose in the church. As we began to talk about the upcoming Sanctuary Siding Project, however, I started thinking more about “works of service.” That phrase could include a lot of things, and it probably refers mostly to the acts of love and care we perform for each other and for our community. However, I think that even something like a siding project can qualify as an “work of service,” meaning that it too can help to build us up toward unity, maturity, and “the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”

But how can something as mundane as replacing the siding of the sanctuary do all that? I think we often miss the way even simple actions can form us into the image of God.

After all, the main obstacle that keeps us from acting like God is our focus on ourselves, our own comfort and desires. We talked about that in the sermon on “Lead us Not Into Temptation.” The most basic skill we have to learn is how to choose to act for the good of other people, for the Kingdom of God, instead of our own.

I am reminded of a book called Domestic Monastery, where the author talks about how a mother of small children learns spiritual maturity more than a monk or pastor because she spends her time responding to the needs of others:
   
“For years, while she is raising small children, her time is not her own, her own needs have to be put into second place, and every time she turns around some hand is reaching out demanding something. Years of this will mature most anyone.”

There is nothing especially spiritual about replacing the siding on the church building. There are no brownie points in Heaven for giving money to a building fund or spending time helping tear down a church’s siding. There may be more spiritual value in giving money to needy individuals, or helping work on a widow’s house–and ultimately that kind of service is the goal. We are not working on the church building because it’s holy, but because it’s our building, and our responsibility. But as we work on it, we learn how to pull together for the purpose of something other than ourselves. We exercise the muscles of acting together as a congregation to meet a need, and we become more mature and more prepared for those needs that arise in our family and community.

I am excited about this building project because it gives us a chance to grow as a congregation, to build our muscles of service and giving, so we can be more mature and better prepared to act on God’s mission in the world. So I hope you’re ready to help out, to do the work with us in whatever way God has enabled you to do. See you there!

My cat, Jasper, was hiding under the sofa. He’s not a hider, so it was a clear indicator that something was wrong. Sure enough, when I got down on all fours to peer under the couch, his ears were back, and his eyes wide. I reached for him slowly, knowing he might jerk away, but he deigned to let me pet his soft little ears and speak to him in a calm voice.

Cats are great examples of poor responses to change. Hiding, biting, scratching, peeing in strange places, hissing, sulking, undereating, lack of cleanliness . . . the list can go on. While Jasper, fortunately, has not suffered from all these symptoms, he is not what I would call “calm in a crisis.” And for him, any change is a crisis. If I don’t get up at the right time, if I pop home for my lunch instead of staying at the office, if I’m home sick, or if I’m gone overnight . . . Any difference in behavior from me is distressing to him.

Jasper will never become spiritually mature in the Lord; he is a cat. So him and I have found generally good solutions to avoid excessive distress for him (routines when possible, extra games and cuddles when not, and a little medication). We can also benefit from routines, extra games, good hugs from friends and when appropriate, medication! But as a Christ-follower these things, however important, are insufficient. We need more. A good routine might protect us from being overwhelmed by change, but it doesn’t transform us at the soul level. A medication might balance our serotonin levels, but it doesn’t create a heart transformation. These important things can certainly be of great help, but they just aren’t sufficient on their own.

I love Psalm 46. In it, we are invited to see what God does, and to know him as our Refuge and Strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble (NIV). In it, God is busy changing the world, and keeping his people, and we are invited to just watch. To be still, even. God is bringing peace, his name is being praised. And we can rest in Him.

This is not the same kind of rest as working in the garden, or taking a bath. This is soul rest. God is doing wonders in the world and we can be confident in Him. We can let ourselves stop moving internally. We can quiet the voices of busyness and rush and anxiety and distress. We can stop feeling like the world is on our shoulders. God is moving.

How do we encounter God that way?

There are many spiritual practices that can lead us closer to that kind of stillness and confidence in God. Some people “meditate” on God’s word constantly (Psalm 1), chewing over a verse or passage, committing it to heart and mind. Some people prioritize creating consistent rhythms of prayer, or journaling their thoughts before the Lord. Some people faithfully keep the Sabbath, practicing weekly a time of slowness.

A practice I personally have come to value is silence. To sit in silence with God, like I am able to with those I love dearest. Sometimes it is an anxious silence, as I work to come to a calmer place from some mental chaos. At other times is a peaceful silence-I am delighted by my Heavenly Father and He is delighted with me and we are together. When I practice a few minutes of silence before my Bible reading, it can prepare me to have a focused, clear mind, ready to hear from my God. When I practice a few minutes of silence in prayer, I find myself becoming more and more peaceful. It helps me lean into the time of prayer. When I practice silence, I often feel like I’ve stopped working hard to connect with God, and instead I am just with Him. I would like to clarify here, that practicing silence is a healthy part of resting in God, but should never be absented from careful Bible reading and times of prayer. It can be a helpful addition, it is not a replacement.

Grounding ourselves in the Lord, vulnerably and consistently, is the best way to increase our trust in Him and our adaptability to change. It won’t happen overnight-you might not even get to your goalpost in this lifetime! But He is always faithful and as we pursue Him, we might stop trying to hide or scratch or bite when change comes. Or, at least, we might do it less!

Take some time in prayer to ponder a recent change and how you reacted to it. Thank God for areas in which you have grown and invite His provision in places where you are struggling. Consider spending a few moments before or after the prayer to just be with God.

Sunday School Schedules
9:00 – 10:00 am

Fall Term Sunday School Schedule
September 8-November 17
(with Childcare/Children’s Programs)

Bible Study For Everyone
(Carol George)
A chapter-by-chapter study of books of the Bible using an accompanying
workbook. This class runs continuously throughout the year.

What You Believe Matters
(Debbie Loyd)
Sometimes we are not aware of certain religious beliefs that harm us.
This class will look at some of these beliefs, where they came from,
why they are harmful, and characteristics that make
us more vulnerable to these.

Christian Civics: Following Jesus in a Politically-Divided World 
(Gary Tiffin)
This class will use a book by John Whittaker to help participants work out how their personal faith should inform the way they think and act as citizens of their country
(This is about how to think, not what to think).

Speaking in Church–For Beginners
(Pastor Matt)
This class is for anyone who is interested in taking on speaking roles in our church
services. We will learn about the basics of public speaking, as well as the specifics of leading confession, prayers of the church, communion and offering meditations,
and other speaking roles.

Kris Jakubowski and Jane Gutter
recently became Grandmother and Great-Grandmother!

Callahan was born to Dan & Megan Cuneo on July 18. 2024.
Their address is: PO Box 986, Pendleton, OR 97801.

Lyla Anne was born to Erik & Sydnee Jakubowski on August 19, 2024.
Their address is: 5 William Lane Rd , Bradford, TN 38316.

New Address for:
Isaiah Rupp

who recently enrolled as a student at Linfield University.

His address  is:
      Isaiah Rupp, Unit 3575
      Linfield University
      190 SE Lakamas Lane
      McMinnville OR 97128-6899

All Ladies are Invited to an Evening
of Fun, Fellowship and  Prayer!
   
We will watch the movie “Boys in the Boat.”
     
After the movie we will share in a time of prayer for our church and community.
Invite a friend to come with you and bring a snack to share!

September 13th • 6:00 pm
Is your heart feeling discouraged?
Have you forgotten the joy of knowing Jesus?
Come join us for an evening of worship to remember and REJOICE
in the salvation and joy of knowing Jesus as Lord.

Come enjoy the day and all the food options that the Oktoberfest in Mt. Angel has to offer. There will be dancing in the streets and music in several locations around the town. Transportation will leave from the TCC parking lot at 9:30 a.m. and return about 3:30 p.m. Remember to wear walking shoes and a sun hat! Please bring a buddy so you aren’t alone.

 

While Septemberfest is primarily for seniors and retirees, we welcome all adults to join us for a wonderful few days at Camp Winema, on the beautiful Oregon Coast.

The main speakers are (our own) Gary Tiffin and Gene Sonnenberg. The theme for the conference is “The Family of God: Then and Now”. Housing and meals are available. You do however, need to bring your own bedding and towel!

For registration:
call 503-392-3362 or online at https://www.winema.org/septemberfest.html.  

   

The two weeks I spent in Tennessee taking classes was fantastic, but it was also pretty intense. I was in class for eight hours each day, basically drinking from a fire hose. The first week was on the Book of Romans, and the second was on Christian leadership. To be honest, I am still unpacking everything that I learned. Add to that the fact that VBS (which was AWESOME!) was the very next week, and the fact is that my brain is still mush. I wanted to have some strategic topic planned for this article, but my brain’s just not there yet. So instead I’m going to share something simple and meaningful that stuck with me in my Romans class.

I was assigned to present on Romans 4, in which Paul talks about the faith of Abraham. For the Jews, Abraham was the founder of their people―he set the pattern that they were all supposed to follow. The Jewish leaders of the time claimed that God approved of Abraham because Abraham was “faithful”―he obeyed God’s commands, especially when God told him to circumcise the men in his family (Genesis 17), or when God told him to sacrifice his son (Genesis 22). If God approved of Abraham because he followed commands, then we have to follow commands before God will approve of us.

In Romans 4, Paul argues that the Jewish leaders have misunderstood the story. He points out that God approved of Abraham back in Genesis 15–years before the events of Gen. 17 and 22. But why did God approve of Abraham? Paul says that it was because Abraham had faith (which is the same word as faithful), meaning that he believed God. But the point wasn’t that Abraham believed in just anything–Paul isn’t talking about the power of positive thinking. Specifically, Abraham believed God’s promise to make him a father of many nations. This was a big deal because Abraham was not exactly a great candidate for the father of any nations: “his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and… [his wife] Sarah’s womb was also dead.” (Romans 4:19) Abraham believed that God would keep his promise even though it seemed physically impossible for Abraham and Sarah to have children.

Why did Abraham believe in God’s promise, in spite of the obstacles? I think this is really important. Our culture―even church culture―teaches us that there is power in belief: “All you have to do is believe,” we’re told. To be clear, the Bible does not say that. Faith has no power by itself, and putting your faith in the wrong thing will get you nowhere. The lesson of Abraham is not about the power of faith, but about the power of the One that Abraham put his faith in: Paul tells us that Abraham believed in “the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.” (4:17) Abraham understood that God was the creator of everything, with the power to create life where none existed–including in Sarah’s womb. More than that, he believed in God’s faithfulness–he believed that God would create life by resurrecting Sarah’s womb, simply because God promised to.

It turns out, faith is all that God needs from us. God can do anything and everything he wants―but if we are going to participate, we have to believe that God can and will do the things he’s promised to do. Abraham didn’t have a degree in theology, he had never read a word of scripture―in fact, Abraham probably didn’t know that God was the only god at this point. The only thing Abraham knew was that the God who created everything could be trusted to keep his promises, no matter how impossible they may seem.

God asks the same thing of us: no degrees, no abilities or gifts, only our faith in his power and his promises. As you look around, you may see a lot of deadness–a lot of lost causes. Maybe the dark headlines in the news seem overwhelming. Maybe the circumstances of your life, your job, your relationships, seem to be “dead already.” God doesn’t ask you to pretend that they aren’t, and he doesn’t ask you to fix them yourself. He asks you to believe that he can “give life to the dead and calls into being things that were not,” and to continue living the kind of life he has called his people to live. After all, “The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.” (4:23–24)

Today I am working from home because my cat, Jasper, has taken an umbrage to my new roommate. It seems silly―he’s a cat, and she’s a very nice human who likes cats. But change is hard, and that’s really what Jasper is objecting to.

I have a vet-approved plan for helping Jasper with the transition, and I will be back at the office tomorrow, but Jasper’s difficulties have been making me think about how I react to change.

At first, Jasper was doing a really great job. He was a little standoffish, but welcomed Leann into our apartment. There were small signs of distress―being less cuddly, being more talkative than usual. Then today, he bit and scratched Leann.

I’ve been thinking lately about how I respond to change. I used to think I had the right approach―keep your head down and keep moving. But God has been showing me the distress that it has caused in the past to my person (and to those around me). While, fortunately, I am not known for biting or scratching people, I too have my tells. There are things that I do when my internal world is not reacting well to change. I can become withdrawn, snappy, and less compassionate. I tend to work harder, but not necessarily well.
In a recent ministry thread on social media, individuals were listing off small changes in their churches that had led to upheaval. These changes included things like trimming a bush, moving some chairs, and painting the area around the baptistery. The consequences ranged from a family leaving the church, to passive-aggressive comments being brought up about the changes years later. While we might be saddened to hear about these reactions, most of us can probably think of moments when we reacted poorly to change and had behaviors not very far off from these individuals.

Like Jasper, we do not respond well to change.  And while a vet may be able to help him with his issues, we need something bigger and more powerful to intercede in our distress. The Great Physician, God himself, is who we rely on to succeed through change. This is the God that had enough mercy on the grumbling Israelites to faithfully feed them manna each day. This is the God who heals the brokenhearted and binds up their  wounds (Psalm 147:3). This is the God who gets that our internal worlds are often not at peace, and that we struggle.

He knows us―our every anxious thought, our every selfish motive, and our love for Him and desire to serve and please Him. He knows it all. And He also knows that when we don’t allow Him to deal with what’s going on internally (thoughts and feelings) it often can bleed out in negative ways on those around us (our beloved neighbors that God has called us to love!).

Next month, I will write more about change, and how God can lovingly transform us in those times. But today, I’d love you to think about the way that God knows you. The way that He sees and cares about what you’re experiencing. Without suppressing the thoughts and emotions you wish you didn’t have, can you lay it all before Him? He knows of your imperfections (and mine!) before we say them, so we might as well lay it all out before the Great Physician himself.

Lord, I pray that as each of us come before you, seeking your peace in all circumstances, that you would help us to be honest about where we’re at. Help us pour out ourselves completely before you, humbly, trusting that some of your best work in us happens when we have the courage to be vulnerable. Amen.

Glenn Boyle

passed away and went home to the Lord on Sunday, July 28, 2024.
Please keep Marilyn, Laurie and family in your prayers.
There will be a Celebration of Life at Turner Christian Church
on Saturday, August 17th at 2:00 pm.

Sunday School Schedules
9:00 – 10:00 am


Summer Term Sunday School Schedule
July 28-September 1
(No Childcare or Children’s Programs)

“31 Days of Praise” with Carol George
Prayer Gathering with Gary Tiffin
   


Fall Term Sunday School Schedule
September 8-November 17
(with Childcare/Children’s Programs)

Bible Study For Everyone
(Carol George)
A chapter-by-chapter study of books of the Bible using an accompanying
workbook. This class runs continuously throughout the year.

What You Believe Matters
(Debbie Loyd)
Sometimes we are not aware of certain religious beliefs that harm us.
This class will look at some of these beliefs, where they came from,
why they are harmful, and characteristics that make
us more vulnerable to these.

Christian Civics: Following Jesus in a Politically-Divided World 
(Gary Tiffin)
This class will use a book by John Whittaker to help participants work out how their personal faith should inform the way they think and act as citizens of their country
(This is about how to think, not what to think).

Speaking in Church–For Beginners
(Pastor Matt)
This class is for anyone who is interested in taking on speaking roles in our church
services. We will learn about the basics of public speaking, as well as the specifics of leading confession, prayers of the church, communion and offering meditations,
and other speaking roles.

Discover the Learning Experiences Awaiting Your Child!
Meet Preschool Staff – Ask Questions About the Upcoming Year!
Tour the School Classroom and Playground!
 

Saturday, August 10th
9:30 am ― 12:00 pm
  
We have lots of projects to prep and ready the church for fall programming!
Come help us! Projects available for all ages and mobility levels.

Some items still needed for shoeboxes:
Pencils. Pens. Cap erasers. Pink erasers.
Kids scissors. 6-in rulers. Pencil sharpeners.
Index cards. Colored pencils.
24 pks of crayons. Markers.
OR you can designate an offering for Shoeboxes/
Operation Christmas Child, and we will do the shopping for you!

Please bring your items to the church by August 18th
and place in the wicker baskets in the foyer.
Thank you!

Our goal is to fill backpacks with basic school supplies and
distribute them to our students on August 29.
Last year we were able to provide 150 backpacks to students
and families in need. With your help we just might be able to
surpass that amount this year. A School Bus will be picking up items
collected by various orgnizations on August 8th.
The goal is to "FILL THE BUS!"

Suggested Items:
Composition Notebooks,
3-ring binders (hard-sided, 2" & 3"),
Elmer’s Purple Disappearing Glue Sticks,
Black Expo Markers, Notebook Paper,
Notebook Dividers, Fiskar scissors (kids and 7"),
Backpacks, 12-inch rulers, Highlighters
Zipper pencil pouches for binders, .

Please bring your items to the church by August 7th
and place in the "Fill the Bus" bag in the foyer.
Thank you!

Seniors Bowling  Trip
Friday, August 23rd
 Strike, Spare, or Gutter, all bowlers are welcome and if you don’t want to bowl come and be a cheerleader. The cost is $5.00 for bowlers.  We  will leave the church parking lot at 1:00 pm or you can meet us at Northgate Bowl (2380 Northgte Ave, Salem).


Swan Island Dahlia Garden Trip
Thursday, August 29th
Flowers are blooming and the Seniors are planning a field trip to Swan Island Dahlia Gardens in Canby, Oregon, on August 29, 2024. The bus will leave the Church at 9:30 and return by 3:30. The Gardens are beautiful and the fellowship is delightful. A picnic lunch will be provided. There is no cost for this trip. Please sign up or call Virginia Musgrave at 503-743-1500 or 509-254-3657.

THEME: BACK TO OUR FIRST LOVE
Matthew Holmes is the Keynote Speaker

Are you looking for a time where you can get away with the whole family?
How about a time where you and your family can grow in your faith and worship
with other families? What about a sandy beach and a glassy lake?
If all of these sound great, then Family Camp is for you!
For four days, families come together for a camp experience for all ages!

2024 finds us in the heat of another national election. Yet, for us, the Church,
our “first love” is to love God. A big part of this is realized through loving others,
others defined as our neighbors around us and fellow Christians within our church.
Loving God requires us to put Him above our loyalties to parties, cultures,
movements, etc. Loving neighbors requires us to love the members of other
parties and seek the good of everyone, not just the people we like.
Loving Jesus requires us to create communities where people
can disagree, yet be united in love.

For more information,
including prices and registration:
https://www.winema.org/family-camp.html

What is a "Relationship Lab?"
Relationship Lab is an eight-session relationship workout. It combines personal, professional assessments from Genesis Christian Mediations with The Marriage Course, a seven-week curriculum for strengthening your marriage. The goal of Relationship Lab is to give you a chance to take a deep look at the dynamics of your relationship and learn how to build a stronger, healthier marriage.

What is involved in the Lab?
You and your spouse will complete the Prepare/Enrich assessment between now and August 19th.
The Relationship Lab will launch launch on September 8th with a kick-off session. Genesis Christian Mediations will go over the results of the Prepare/Enrich assessments with each couple. They will help you understand what the assessment has revealed about the dynamics within your relationship.
For the following 8 weeks, the couples will meet weekly on Sundays, 6-8PM, for The Marriage Course, a video curriculum that works through topics such as communication, conflict, forgiveness, and sex. The Marriage Course curriculum is 2 hours per session. You are also encouraged to join us before each session for an optional dessert and social time at 5:30PM.
One of those 8 sessions will be a follow-up with Genesis Christian Mediations, in which their team will give you and your spouse more tools on better navigating conflict in you relationship.

Will I have to talk to the other participants about my marriage?
No! While we hope this will be a bonding experience between the couples involved, the Marriage Course curriculum is designed for each couple to have their own conversations at their own tables. You will not be asked to reveal anything you have talked about in the sessions.

How much does the Lab cost?
The Relationship Lab costs $80, paid to Turner Christian Church. This is less than half of the actual cost of the assessment, course materials, and dessert! If cost is an obstacle, please contact the church. Scholarships may be available.

What if I can't attend every session?
The Marriage Course is video-based, so we can give you the video files for the session to watch on your own if you are unable to attend a session. There are two sessions that will be led in person by Genesis Christian Mediations, and these cannot be made up. The first session is the kick-off, on Sept. 8th. The second session will be scheduled later in the series, depending on participant schedules.

Is childcare available?
There is no childcare available at the church during Relearn Relationship (though our 6th-12th grade youth group does meet at the same time at the church building). However, we may be able to help coordinate babysitting/playdates with other families. If you need help finding someone to watch your children so you can attend, please contact Pastor Matt (matt@turnerchristianchurch.com).

How many spots are available?
There are spaces for up to ten couples in this particular lab.

How do I register?
You can register by clicking the link below. Please contact us about paying your fee within 1 week of registration. If there are no spots available, please register for a spot on the waiting list, in case spots become available. If there is enough interest, we will consider offering the Lab again.

https://subsplash.com/turnerchristianchurch/lb/ev/+7nydgcw

   

Last month we had a church potluck and check-in where we talked about where the church has been, and where we are going. For anyone who missed that meeting, I would like to tell you here what we talked about.

First, I want to celebrate some of the highlights from 2024 that were significant to me. So far in 2024, we have: moved the Food Bank to an awesome new location, held a fantastic church talent show, launched a new Thursday night service, worshiped together at Worship Reset, hosted a relationship workshop, and added new faces to the congregation and the staff! (We’re also going to be adding another new face this month as we hire for the new groundskeeper position!) This is in addition to all the great things that have been happening on Sunday mornings and on evenings throughout the week. Thank you so much to everyone who volunteers and participates to make those things happen!

Going forward this year, I have three main priorities:
1. Sons’ and Daughters’ Ministries
As we head into the fall, we are working on developing our men’s and women’s ministries as the main place where adults get plugged in to grow and get discipled. There are a lot of benefits to mens’ and womens’ ministries: they include everyone, they are intergenerational, and they allow members to be vulnerable in ways they can’t be in mixed groups. The reason we are calling them “Sons” and “Daughters” is because we would like these ministries to also include discipling boys and girls, in cooperation with the Family Ministry. Our hope is to have groups to launch in the fall that will be able to include anyone and everyone who wants to join. (To that end, all men in the church are encouraged to take our Sons’ Ministry Survey at https://www.turnerchristianchurch.com/sons to help us make our plans).

So keep an eye out for Sons and Daughters Ministries this Fall!

2. Mature Discipleship
Before I came here, this congregation chose a vision statement that defines discipleship using three parts: Connecting with God and his church, growing in faith and love, and serving our community and world. Everything we do as a church is meant to disciple people in one of those areas–Sunday worship connects us, groups help us grow, and service and ministry teams give us opportunities to grow.

Moving forward, I want to set as an intentional goal that we will move members of this church toward mature discipleship, meaning that we want as many people as possible to be participating meaningfully in all three areas: connecting, growing and serving. If this goal was achieved completely, it would mean that every single person who connects with us during a service is also growing through a group and serving in some capacity. (This, for instance, was one of the main reasons why we created the Thursday service: we wanted to make sure that our Sunday morning servants were still able to connect.) As we move forward, hopefully what you will find is that each area of our ministry encourages you to participate in the other areas. Our services, for instance, will encourage you to grow and serve. Our groups will encourage you to serve and connect. And finally, our service and ministry teams will encourage you to connect and grow.

3.  Focused, Passionate Service
Our final goal is to make it possible for everyone to serve in ways that allow them to be focused and passionate. One of the things they teach you about churches is the “80/20 Rule:” 20% of the people do 80% of the work. If about 20% of the people are helping, then they are each helping in about 5 ways. This means they are being pulled in about 5 directions. It also means that 4 of the ways they are serving are not the areas they are truly gifted or passionate about. The thing is, God has given 80% of the gifts to the other 80%. We would love to move that number so that more people are serving in fewer ways. Now, if you are one of the 80%, you may be thinking, “I’m not serving because I have nothing to offer.” If that’s the case, you couldn't be more wrong! There are so many ways people can serve that are just as important as anything anyone does on stage with a microphone. For instance, we are looking for someone to unlock the building and make coffee on Sunday mornings. We can use people to help collect communion cups at the services. We can use people to lock up after church. We can use people to team-teach junior worship. We can use people to get trained on our booth tech (sound, projection, etc.). We can use people to send encouraging notes to people in the hospital. There are ALL KINDS of ways we can use anyone and everyone, no matter the gifts. If you think our church can’t use you, I would love you to give me a call at the church and challenge me to find a way. I am confident we can do it.

So those are the goals we have for the rest of the year. I am so excited to be doing this with all of you, and I am most excited to see what God’s plans are for us!

NATE KLINGER
was baptized into Christ by Pastor Matt
in Mill Creek after the Sunday Service after the
NW Christian Convention Service on Sunday, June 30, 2024!
We rejoice with Nate and his family!

With our 4th Annual Community Packing Party quickly approaching, we are experiencing crunch time in getting all of our necessary items to fill the 1200 Shoeboxes. We've noticed many school supplies already on sale at many stores, so we're hoping to load up on those while we can get more for the money.

If you're interested in helping, you may purchase items and leave them in our baskets in the lobby or you may designate your offering for Shoeboxes or Operation Christmas Child. We'd also humbly ask for your prayer support during this time. Thank you!

Through fun songs, crafts, dramas, and outdoor games, your child will get to be immersed in the world of Spark Studios, learning what it is to know, love and follow Jesus! It takes place 9:00-11:30 am Tuesday through Thursday mornings. And don’t miss the extra-fun on Thursday night―the whole family is invited along for a barbeque dinner. It’s all free!
Register at: https://subsplash.com/turnerchristianchurch/lb/ev/+6rqbht8

All Middle School students are invited to register and attend summer camp at Grove Christian Camp! Located in Dorena, Oregon, it will be a week of games, worship, outdoor recreation and Bible teaching. Register at: www.grovechristiancamp.org (for Middle School 1) or contact Pastor Rachel for more information.

On these three Sundays we want to bring the entire church family together, including kids and volunteers, for a special type of worship service that everyone can participate in! The services will be shorter, and everything will be designed to be accessible to the whole church. But remember, these are not "church services for families"―they are services for our whole church family together. We hope you'll all join us with open minds and open hearts! We will

Sundays, July 7th-21st: Church Family Services - No Sunday School
 
Sundays, July 28-September 1 (9:00 am):
(No Childcare or Children’s Programs)
31 Days of Praise with Carol George
Prayer Gathering with Gary Tiffin

Fall Semester Starts September 8th
(with Childcare/Children’s Programs)

Seniors Game Day & Lunch
Monday, July 15th
 Bingo, Monopoly, Uno, and many other games will be available to play with your friends.
Lunch will be provided. Come ready to enjoy the  games and fellowship.
Doors open at 11:30 am.
Register at:https://subsplash.com/turnerchristianchurch/lb/ev/+9rbvn6b


Seniors Trip to Evergreen Aviation
Monday, July 22nd
 The Seniors are planning to "fly" to the Evergreen Aviation
and Space Museum in McMinnville.
The cost:
Adults-$22.00;
Seniors and Veterans-$18.00;
Active Duty-Free;
Youth (5-15)-$12.00;
Children (0-4)-Free.
Tours are available at 11:00 and 2:00 We will be having a picnic.
Please sign up or call Virginia Musgrave at 503-743-1500 or 509-254-3657.  
We will leave from TCC at 9:30 am.
Register at: https://subsplash.com/turnerchristianchurch/lb/ev/+gwx8m2q

Ice Cream and Bingo Night!
July 12th at 6:30 pm
An evening of fun for the whole family! Enjoy our delicious ice cream bar while you’re
trying to get a “BINGO.” Yell it out loud as you can―cuz there are some great prizes!
 

Birthday Celebration for Bill Penhollow!
July 13th at 11:00 am
Powell Butte Christian Church

You are invited to join us for lunch . . . . TACOS!
  
RSVP to Katie Penhollow-Miller: 503-508-4436
katiepenhollow@gmail.com
 We would love to collect stories and memories for our dad.
We will have materials available at the party,
but if you are not able to attend,
please email your story/memory to Katie.


   

Camp Winema Week of Missions
July 28—August 3, 2024
  
Week of Missions is a time for the whole family to come and see how God is moving through missionary organizations around the world. We hear from current missionaries sharing about their work, offer training from experienced missionaries, encourage cross cultural missions, and challenge participants to minister to missionaries at the conference and beyond. Come join us as we join in God's worldwide mission!
 
For more information , including prices, go to:
https://www.winema.org/week-of-missions.html

   

June is the last month of this Sunday school term, which means this is my last article based on our class about the nature of the church. Today I would like to talk about something that comes up in Ephesians chapter 4.

This chapter is one of three places where Paul talks about the church as being a body (the others are Romans 12:3-8 and 1 Corinthians 12:12-31). This image is familiar to most of us, and when we talk about the congregation as a body we typically focus on the message of diversity: just as the body has many parts, so the church has many different types of people. It takes all kinds to be a church. This is certainly one of the lessons Paul wants us to draw from this image. However, there is another lesson he wants to learn in Ephesians, which we don’t discuss nearly as often. There Paul writes,
   
And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness. Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ. From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building itself up in love by the proper working of each individual part. (v. 11-16)

Let’s start by looking at the part of this passage that makes the most sense to us: God gave us various types of leaders in order to equip us so we can be mature Christians. We have preachers and teachers in the congregation to help us each become more mature as individual followers of Jesus. So far, so good! However, mature individuals is not Paul’s goal. After all, if the congregation is a body, it does no good for individual cells or organs to be healthy if the rest of the body is dead. Notice everything else Paul says here: it is the body that is being built up by the leaders. It is the body that Jesus is knitting together and building up in love. We individual Christians are the “supporting ligaments,” the “individual parts,” who contribute to the health and maturity of the body. We do not come to the church to receive the teaching or training that meets our own needs. We come to the church to be turned into mature parts of a healthy body. We seek maturity because only healthy, mature believers can be a healthy, mature body.

This makes me think of our key values: connecting, growing, and serving. We tend to think that serving is something we do for others, while connecting and growing are for ourselves. We worship because it feeds our needs. We grow because it helps us do life better. And that is true, but what Paul wants us to realize is that everything we do in the church is for each other. I seek spiritual growth, not only because it makes me a better person, but also because it makes me a better brother to my church family. I go to the worship service, not only because I receive something from it, but because my brothers and sisters receive something from my presence. If Turner Christian Church is going to be a mature body, capable of fulfilling its God-given mission, we are going to need healthy arms, legs, eyes, ears, and gall bladders. We are going to need mature brothers and sisters. We are going to need you.

I've Been Thinking About. . .Gorebridge!

I’ve been thinking about Gorebridge, Scotland. I spent two nights there once. It was not my fault.

While staying in St. Andrews, I would regularly visit my aunt and uncle. The family I lived with had a teenage daughter, Jess, and she would often visit them with me.

On one evening the two of us had been invited there for dinner. I told Jess to go ahead without me; I had a load of laundry that I needed to finish first. I finished the laundry, made the short walk to their home, and arrived a mere 30 minutes after the intended time.

I walked in the door to the sight of my aunt putting down the phone. She looked at me with eager eyes and exclaimed, “It’s all settled, we’ve just made the arrangements. You’re going to Gorebridge for New Years Eve!”

“Uhhh. . .what?” was my intelligent response.

In those short 30 minutes Jess and my aunt had hatched a plan and immediately followed through. Phone calls had been made, favors called in, housing secured and I was to be shipped off to Gorebridge for New Years Eve. It was settled.

Never mind I didn’t know anybody in Gorebridge, including the people they were sending me to. Never mind my aunt and uncle had no interest in coming with me. “You’re going to a Ceilidh for young people!

We’d get in the way! All we want is for you to enjoy New Years!”

I was locked into the commitment. To Gorebridge, I went.

And I met a wonderful and special woman; the mother of the family who hosted us. She had been, perhaps, slightly arm-twisted by my aunt to host an American stranger. I had been foisted on her the day of her church’s annual New Years Eve Ceilidh. Her adult son was running the event, her husband was the minister and overseeing it, her children were getting ready for it, and a 20-something appeared in her home in the middle of all that.

She was gracious. She was welcoming. And she shared my slight horror that my aunt had foisted this upon both of us.

The next day she invited me on a walk. We went on a long walk-maybe two hours. We went past ancient buildings and followed the road over rolling hills, sheep farms spread out below us. I talked and I talked to this woman I didn’t know, who just felt safe. She listened, and she cared. And then, a very little, she talked. She talked about ministry and faithfulness and life. I honestly only remember a few of the sentences. I more remember the gift of time. Her presence. Her care. Her faith shining through.

I often think about the woman I want to be. Sometimes this woman comes to mind. A busy home, a busy life, and yet she gave two wise and compassionate hours to a stranger. She didn’t seek to fix me. I don’t recall her offering advice. She listened, and she shared from her life. What an incredible gift.

We all have stories of life interruptions. We can all think of times when circumstances put us in unexpected places or connected us with unexpected people. We can approach these moments with a resigned attitude, grumpy or annoyed at the interruptions.

Or we can accept the twists and turns of life, and use unexpected moments to bless those around us.

How can you bring Him glory when you find yourself in unexpected circumstances?

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (emphasis my own).

As we reflect on the year that has passed in preschool, we are filled with pride and joy as we think about all that our students have achieved. From their first day of school to now, we have seen them grow and blossom in so many ways. Their curiosity, creativity, and resilience have shone through in everything they have done, and we are so grateful to have been a part of their journey. Looking through photos from the year, we can see the moments of joy, wonder, and discovery that have filled our days. From messy art projects to outdoor adventures, each experience has helped our students learn and grow in their own unique ways.
 
Throughout the year we have been focused on teaching in 4 key areas; academic, social/emotional, communication, and spiritual. As we prepare to send our students off to the next chapter in their lives, I would like to take this moment to ask you to join me in prayer once again:
 
Pray over their academic future; that they build on the foundation they received here, that they find joy in learning and being good students, and that they are a light to the kids around them for Jesus. May they continue to seek after knowledge, to excel in their studies, and to use their gifts and talents for the greater good.
 
Pray over their social and emotional well-being; that they continue to connect with others, that they use words to explain how they’re feeling and work through their emotions, and that they see God’s hand in their relationships. May they cultivate strong friendships, develop empathy and compassion for others, and navigate the complexities of human emotions with grace and understanding.
 
Pray for strengthened communication with friends, family, and teachers. Give them the words to communicate needs, emotions, and always ask questions. Please allow them to see the good in people’s differences, and that they learn from different perspectives.
 
Pray over their spiritual lives; may they continue to build on the foundation of their faith, to seek after God, to see God in the world around them, and to desire to follow after Him in all aspects of their lives. May they be a beacon of light and love, reflecting God’s grace and mercy to all those they encounter.
 
As we say goodbye to our students, we send them off with our prayers and blessings. We pray that they continue to grow and learn, that they be a light to those around them, and that they follow God all the days of their life. “May they be filled with wisdom and stature, and may they find favor with both God and man.” Luke 2:52

GERALDINE LASNIEWSKI
passed away and went home to the Lord on May 25, 2024.
There will not be a public memorial service.
Please keep her family in your prayers.

LYNN AEGETER
Will graduate from Cascade High School on June 5, 2024

NOAH BRAUN
Will graduate from Cascade High School on June 5, 2024

IVY GRACE MORLEY
Will graduate from Cascade High School on June 5, 2024

ISAIAH RUPP
Will graduate from North Salem High School on June 7, 2024

It is with tremendous gratitude that we announce the retirement of Don Campbell after 8 years of service as our church custodian. Thank you so much, Don, for your work during that time to maintain our building!

We are also excited to announce that we have hired a new church custodian. Richard Smart took up the custodial keys on Sunday, June 2, and we are excited to have him! You may remember Richard from when he played bass for our worship team before COVID. Richard recently retired as a mortician. Make sure to welcome him when you see him in the building or on Sundays!

JOIN THE TEAM! CHILDREN'S MINISTRY FALL RECRUITMENT
Fall will be here before we know it, and we want to be ready for every child who comes
into our building! We have team opportunities for all experience levels in nursery and kids programming. Whether you would like to be a sub, or a regular teacher, or something in-between―let's talk. To find out more information, or to begin conversations about getting involved talk to Pastor Rachel or schedule an appointment with her by calling, emailing,
or by using the QR code below.  

Meetings are happening now through the first week of July. 
There are opportunities to be involved on Sundays and midweek. 
All volunteers will receive training and undergo a background check. 

MIDDLE SCHOOL CAMP
July 7―12
All Middle School students are invited to register and attend summer camp at Grove Christian Camp! Located in Dorena, Oregon, it will be a week of games, worship, outdoor recreation and Bible teaching. Register at: grovechristiancamp.org (for Middle School 1)
or contact Pastor Rachel for more information.
_____________

FAMILY CAMP AT WINEMA
August 30—September 2
Are you looking for a time where you can get away with the whole family? How about a time where you and your family can grow in your faith and worship  with other families? What about a sandy beach and a glassy lake? If all of these sound great, then Family Camp is for you! For four days, families come together for a camp experience for all ages!
Matt Holmes will be the Keynote Speaker!
Information and registration at:
https://www.winema.org/family-camp.html
_____________

WINEMA CHRISTIAN CAMP
Summer Youth Camps
(Located on the Oregon Coast in Cloverdale)
 For Youth from 3rd―12th Grades
   1st Junior Camp — June 23-29
1st Middle School Camp — July 7-13
1st High School Camp — July 14-20
First Chance Camp —  July 21-24
2nd High School Camp — August 4-10
2nd Middle School Camp — August 11-17
2nd Junior Camp — August 18-24
Information and registration at:
https://www.winema.org/summerschedule.html

SENIORS TRIP TO ADELMAN'S PEONY GARDENS - Tuesday, June 4th 
On June 4th at 10:30 am we are heading to Adelman's Peony Gardens. The website says that their grass pathways are wheelchair and walker friendly. We will enjoy a relaxing tour and learn about the different types of Peonies. Then we will enjoy a picnic lunch.

BOWLING TRIP - June 7th
We are heading to the bowling alley again! Our scores are improving come join us either by bowling or being cheerleaders for those of us that need cheering on to improve. Bus Transportation leaves the church parking lot at 1 o'clock on June 7. Or you can meet us at Northgate Bowl, 2380 Northgate Avenue N.E., Salem, Oregon at 1:30 pm. Come prepared to have fun and cheer.
To sign up: https://subsplash.com/turnerchristianchurch/lb/ev/+zdz7n69

CHURCH FAMILY CHECK-IN (AND POTLUCK!)
Sunday, June 9th after the Worship Service
Everyone is invited to a family check-in and potluck after church on June 9th! What's a "Family Check-In?" It's a time for the members of our church family to hear about what's going on in the ministries of the church. Our goal with these check-ins is to keep the congregation informed, engaged, and excited as we begin our summer. We hope to see you there!  Last Names - A-H: Desserts, I-P: Main Dish, Q-Z: Sides/Salads
 
MEN'S SONRISE BREAKFAST
Friday, June 14th at 6:30 am
Turner Christian Church will be hosting a special breakfast to honor all the men of the church on Friday, June 14th. Fathers, sons, grand-fathers, uncles, and dear friends are all welcome. Come ready to eat a hearty breakfast, share in great fellowship, and hear from a guest speaker.
You can sign up at: https://subsplash.com/turnerchristianchurch/lb/ev/+vfr6fd9


"TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME!"
Sunday, June 23, 2024
The Senior Ministry Team invites the congregation to come along to the Keizer Volcano Stadium to attend a baseball game! The outing will begin at the church at 3:00 pm with a hotdog meal! Then at 4:00 pm we will head to the stadium. The game starts at 5:05 pm. The church bus will be available, but most of us will car pool. We have been given free tickets, so please sign up in the church foyer so you can secure your free ticket and to make sure there will be a hot dog with your name on it!
You can sign up at: https://subsplash.com/turnerchristianchurch/lb/ev/+dzjfj54
 

CHURCH GROUPS TAKING A SUMMER BREAK!

Ladies Movie & Prayer Night - taking a break in June and July

Ladies Wednesday Evening Study - Taking a summer break,will start meeting again in September

Men’s Bible Study & Discussion Group
June 10th is the last meeting before summer break; will start meeting again in September

Youth Group
(for those going into 5th—12th grades in Fall)
Will meet on selected Sundays through the summer from 5:30-7:30 pm

Through fun songs, crafts, dramas, and outdoor games, your child will get to be
immersed in the world of Spark Studios, learning what it is to know,
love and follow Jesus! And don’t miss the extra-fun on Thursday night―
the whole family is invited along for a barbeque dinner. It’s all free!

GOOD FOR THE WORLD
the 172nd Northwest Christian Convention  |  June 25 - 30, 2024
 
Are you ready for something good?

In the world, who are we, the Church, supposed to be and what are we supposed to be doing? The Church is called and designed to be good for the world by doing good in their community. Sound teaching is good for the world, not just doctrine for doctrine’s sake but actually good for human flourishing.    

This June we are diving into how and why the Gospel is GOOD for the world.

We have a great set of sessions and workshop leaders, including those pictured on the front, as well as many others: Kip Lines, Julie White, Lisa Ruhl, Joe Hoover, and more! Get ready for energetic and interactive Children and Youth programs led by The Groves, Rachel White, Jack Holvey, Bethany Fussell and the Stoker family. There is something for everyone, of every stage and vocation or calling at the Northwest Christian Convention.
 
Come join us June 25 - 30, 2024, and let’s explore what it means to be “Good for the World!”

For more information and registration: https://www.nwchristiannetwork.com/nwcc

NOTE: COMBINED WORSHIP SERVICE AT THE NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN CONVENTION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 30th AT 10:00 AM.
Each summer Turner Christian Church meets with other Christians attending the Northwest Christian Convention for Sunday worship in the Tabernacle. There will be no meetings in the TCC building that day.


   

   

What is the mission of the church? The most common answer tends to be either “Making disciples” (from the Great Commission-Matthew 28:19-20) or “Love God, love others” (from the Great Commandments in Mt. 22:37-40). These, of course, are very important passages of Scripture, and every Christian should follow them. At the same time, I am not convinced that these commands are the mission of the church. After all, it doesn’t seem like you need to be in a church to obey either command. Jesus, and then the Apostles, made disciples as individual, traveling preachers.  And surely a person without a congregation is still capable of loving God and loving other people, right? The mission of the church, however, must be something that can only be done in and through a congregation. So what is the mission of the church?

Our Sunday School class on the Church is reading through Ephesians, and we just came to an important and surprising passage about the church. Paul writes,
Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Eph. 3:8-11)

Ok, so follow me here. Paul says that God sent him to reveal to everyone the “administration of the mystery.” What is the mystery? Long story short, Paul is referring to a story in Daniel 2, in which God reveals a “mystery” to Daniel about the future: some day God is going to :set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed” that will “crush all these kingdom and bring them to an end, but will itself endure forever” (Dn. 2:44). One day God will establish a kingdom that will conquer all other kingdoms. In Ephesians 1 Paul connects the mystery with Jesus: the mystery is God’s plan to “bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him.” (v. 10). But how will God unite everything under Christ?

In Eph. 3 Paul says that God has revealed the mystery to him: “The Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and partners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (v. 6).  God “crushes the kingdoms” not by conquering them with armies, but by bringing their citizens into his kingdom through the salvation of Jesus! The Good News is that we don’t have to be conquered by Jesus–anyone can submit to Jesus at any time!
Here’s where the church comes in. Notice that God’s plan is to unite everything under Christ. He wants to unite humanity together under Jesus, using love, forgiveness and comparison instead of swords and tomahawk missiles. But how could that possibly work? Why should we trust a crucified Jewish carpenter over Caesar? According to Paul, the proof that Jesus can unite the world is found in the church. Paul says, “His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.” (v. 10) The mission of the church is to show the wisdom of God’s plan (uniting everything under Christ) to the rest of the world. They are supposed to be able to look at us and see a better kind of unity, a better kind of society, than anything theory can find outside of Jesus.

We often talk about sharing God’s love with others–through material support, prayer, and other acts of compassion–and that’s good! As Christians we should be sharing God’s love. As a church, however, we are supposed to be sharing God’s unity–the blessings that come from submitting to the rule of Jesus together. We cannot do that as individuals, and we cannot do that outside a church. We can only do it through the life of the congregation, through the way we live together, love each other, forgive each other, and bear with each other.

So should we love God and love others? Yes, absolutely!–remembering also that Jesus gave us the special command to “love one another” (13:35). In fact, Jesus said that it was our love for each other–not our love for neighbors or even our love for God–that would define us as his disciples. Should we go into all the world and make disciples? Yes, absolutely–remembering also that making disciples means teaching them to “obey everything I have commanded you,” and that most of Jesus’ commands were about how to live as a community of love, forgiveness and compassion. No matter where you go in the New Testament, the mission of God’s people always ends up the same: we are to be a Christ-shaped community, showing the world that unity under Christ is the only hope we really have.

I've Been Thinking About. . .Saying "No"!

After I gave the meditations this past Sunday, I hurried down the hall to the Jr. Worship class I co-teach. I’m never in the hall after Jr. Worship classes have started, and so it was novelty for me; I walked past three classes on the way to my own, and from each one wafted the voices of engaged kids and adult speaking about Jesus.

What a beautiful (and far too short!) walk that was. If I hadn’t been in a rush I would have joyfully lingered, listening to the activities and prayers and Bible stories unfold. And then I got to my own class, a wonderful group of elementary school kids that are inquisitive, funny, and serious about their faith.

I don’t take any of this for granted. This environment is possible because of diligent parents, and faithful volunteers. This environment is possible because of our congregation’s prayer warriors. And, this environment is possible because of the people that said “no” to serving in it.

Wait, hear me out.

Each person I spoke with that considered getting involved in incredible, and I would have been honored to have any of them serve on the Jr. Worship team. However, for many people, diligent and careful prayer led them to an answer of “no.” Sometimes that answer made sense to them based on availability or current life situation. Other times the reason God was saying “no” wasn’t necessarily clear. But they needed to be obedient to that “no.”
In a church volunteer culture “no’s” aren’t always celebrated. I certainly have been guilty of not celebrating them plenty of times! But “no” is an answer from God. Sometimes we get a quick understanding of why that “no” was there―maybe a few weeks later an unexpected opportunity will come up, or a life change and that former “no” ensured that we were ready for the “yes” moment when it came.

But sometimes it never becomes clear, or not clear until years later. Saying “no” when we don’t understand can be confusing. But when God says “no,” it’s an invitation to submit to His good and perfect will. And submitting to God’s perfect will positively effects the church around you. When you say “no” (that is, a good “no”, a God-prompted “no”) you are creating space for perhaps unexpected people to say yes. You are leaving yourself open to the time-and-energy investment God is actually inviting you to. You are helping to ensure that the church moves in the direction that God is inviting us too.

As you contemplate the time-decisions before you this week, month and year, what is God inviting you to? When can you say a good and hearty, “yes!” and when can you say a faithful “no”?

May the way that you spend your time bless your walk with the Lord and the community of faith around you.

I am excited to share with you all the wonderful lessons and experiences we have been having in preschool as we dove into the fascinating world of life cycles this past month. It has been a truly magical and eye-opening journey for both the students and myself as we witness the wonders of God's creation firsthand.

One of the highlights of our learning has been observing the lifecycle of a butterfly. From a tiny larva to being days away to its transformation into a beautiful butterfly, we have marveled at the imagination and creativity of God in the intricate process of metamorphosis. The transformation has been a metaphor for growth and change in our own lives, reminding us of the beauty and wonder in every stage of life.

In addition to butterflies, we have also explored the life cycle of plants by planting a bean in a glass jar. Witnessing the bean sprout, germinate, and grow into a plant ready for planting has been a hands-on lesson in the cycle of life and growth. Just like the plants around us, we too go through different stages of growth and development to prepare us for the next chapter in life. As we learn about the cycles of animals and plants, we have also reflected on the lifecycle of humans. Each stage of life is unique, beautiful, and filled with opportunities for growth and learning. Our discussions have been inspired by our April bible verse, Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, reminding us that there is a time for everything under the heavens - a time to be born, a time to die, a time to plant, and a time to uproot.

Through the transformation of larvae to butterflies, the growth of bean seeds into plants, and the development of our students, we have witnessed God's craftsmanship and design in every aspect of life. It is a reminder of the beauty and wonder that surrounds us every day. Each day is a new opportunity to see growth and change in the world around us.

At a recent Shoebox volunteer conference, we learned about the Bara people in southern Madagascar. Since some of our recent Shoeboxes made their way to this country, we found this an interesting, uplifting, and encouraging update and I'd like to share some of it with you now.

Cattle rustlers by trade, the Bara people marked themselves by thievery, violence, and isolation. Instead of sending their children to school, the Bara adults gave them wooden rifles to play with — to train them at a young age to perpetuate the hostility that has raged for generations. They finally allowed a local pastor to step in and help, and with God preparing the way, he was able to build up several local private schools. As they were building the schools, Operation Christmas Child was able to send in 2500 Shoeboxes. After traveling six hours across treacherous terrain, the team arrived in a Bara village and presented the Gospel to the boys and girls while rifle-carrying fathers stood listening around the edges of the group. To their surprise at the end of the presentation, 75 percent of the crowd raised their hands indicating that they wanted to receive Jesus Christ as their Savior!

The children are now learning how to have healthy play and use soccer balls and marbles in place of their "toy" wooden rifles and violent practice of throwing rocks and heavy seeds at each other. The latter often left the children seriously injured, vowing revenge as their families pitted themselves against one another. The shouts of anger and pain are now replaced by joyous laughter. The school supplies in the Shoeboxes are being used in schools to learn how to read and write. Members of three communities asked for churches and those congregations are healthy and growing.

One of our main goals in the last few years of our Community Packing Party is to include a soccer ball, with a pump, in every Shoebox that is packed and marked for 5-9 and 10-14 year old boys. This gives the kids the chance to invite their friends to gather not just to play, but more importantly to share the Good News they've been learning through the Bible Study classes they are offered.

Therefore, our Item of the Month for May is a soccer ball. We are able to get some good OCC discounts from an online company, which allows us to purchase these at around $6 each. If you feel that this is something you'd like to help with, it's as simple as marking your financial gift for Shoeboxes. We'll do the rest for you. Thank you for your support of these Gospel Opportunities.

P.S. - - Our new storage and workspace, officially and affectionately called the Shoebox Work Shoppe, is in full swing these days as we prepare for August's Fourth Annual Community Packing Party in Salem. Each Tuesday, around noon, a few of us meet in the Work Shoppe to, well, work. If you are interested in stopping by to see what we're all about, we'd love to have you do so.          
                                                                                                                         ―Ann Stoker

Shirley Allen
became a member of Turner Christian Church
and was welcomed into the fellowship of TCC
on Sunday April 14, 2024.

to Don Campbell
After serving 8 years as  Church Custodian,  Don will be retiring at the end of May.
We thank him for his service and ask God's blessing upon him and Jeanette!

Spring Sunday Classes!
 Classes that are offered:

A Christian’s Guide to the Church (Ephesians Study),
led by Matt Holmes,

A Guide to Celtic Prayer,
led by Frank Loyd

New Testament for Everyone Bible Study,
led by Carol George.

Children’s Classes and Nursery Care are Available
Teens are invited to join Pastor Matt’s Class

Thursday Evening Worship Service
Every Thursday, 6:00—7:30 pm
 
Identical to the Sunday morning worship service;
providing opportunities for worship and fellowship
to those unable to attend on Sundays.

All ladies are invited to enjoy fellowship with one another watching a movie
and praying together.  We will be watching the movie, “Grace Unplugged.”

Beautiful, extraordinarily talented and restless, Grace is so far undiscovered outside church. No longer satisfied with being dad's sidekick, she dreams of the day when she can carve her own path toward music immortality. Grace seems prepared to walk away from her Christian faith and music to achieve her long-suppressed fantasy of pop stardom.
Will she reject her faith, or rediscover it?

After the movie, we will pray for our church and community.
Bring a friend with you and a snack to share!

Friday, May 10th at 6:00 pm
All daughters, moms, sisters, aunts, grandmothers are invited to come
and celebrate being Daughters of God and Sisters in Christ!
Please RSVP by clicking here.

Successful relationships are not just about being compatible--
they're about communicating well in those moments when you're incompatible.
Andrew Arthur, founding partner of Genesis Christian Mediations,
will be here to teach us why communication can be so tricky
and how we can listen well to lay the foundation for effective communication!
Breakfast and childcare are provided.
You can register on the website or the church app.

Saturday, May 25th
at 3:00 pm
    
Erik & Sydnee Jakubowski
are expecting their first child!
The congregation is invited to celebrate and bless them and their baby.
The shower will be held in the TCC Fellowship Hall.

Seniors Events in May

Meals on Wheels Luncheon
Friday, May 3rd  •  11:00 am - 1:00 pm
  The Senior Ministry Team is planning a fieldtrip to Stayton to enjoy a meal at the Community Center provided by the “Meals On Wheels” program on May 3.
The bus or van will leave at 11:00. The cost will be $3.00 at the door.


 Seniorfest @ Northwest Christian Network
Thursday, May 16th • 10:00 am―4:00 pm
More information available in the church foyer
 

    Trip to Schreiner’s Iris Farm
Thursday, May 23rd
It’s our second annual fieldtrip to the Schreiner's Iris Gardens!
A picnic lunch will be provided. There will be an admission charge.
The bus will leave at 9:30. Please sign up in the foyer.

   

This month I am starting a new Sunday class called “A Christian’s Guide to the Church.” Originally I was going to call it “A Beginner’s Guide to the Church,” but I changed it because I realized that even Christians who have been in the church for a long time struggle to understand what the church really is, and what it means to be part of the church. The reason we struggle to understand the church is because it runs so counter to the culture we are a part of. The world really makes no room for a community like the one Jesus preached and then built through the Apostles. It is so much more than we think it is.

Since not everyone can take this class (after all, there are two other excellent classes too!) I want to use my articles during this quarter to share some of the key insights from the class about what it means to be part of the church. Today I want to look at the way we refer to the church and how that shapes our thinking. Unfortunately, we talk about the church in ways that do not square with the New Testament.

We use the word church to mean different things, depending on the article we choose. “A church” means a particular gathering of Christians. Turner Christian Church is “a church.” We also talk about “the church.” What is “the church?” That depends on who you’re asking. We use the phrase “the church” today to refer to all Christians in a particular place. We might talk about “the American church” or “the church in the Northwest.” In these cases, we are not referring to actual institutions–the “American Church” is not a church. What we really mean is, “Christian culture in America” or “the Christian movement in the North-west.” The Bible does not talk about the church this way.

In the Bible, there are two levels of the church: there are churches–local congregations of believers who connect, grow and serve together–and The Church–the whole body of Christ, including every believer in every place, past and present. There is nothing in between. The New Testament does sometimes refer to “the church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria” (Acts 9:31) or “the church of God at Corinth” or “the church of the Thessalonians,” both of which were networks of house churches throughout the city, but in each of these cases the Bible is not talking about a disconnected Christian “culture”--these are connected congregations who know and communicate with each other. In each case, “the church in X” refers to the network of churches in that area.
 
This may seem like nit-picking, but the difference is important. We live in an individualistic culture, and we like to think that I can satisfy the New Testament design simply by being an individual Christian in “the American church.” We think that participating in “Christian culture,” listening to “Christian music,” watching “Christian media” makes me part of the church. Unfortunately, this mentality has weakened our actual churches because it weakens our connection to our own congregation. Our beliefs become a muddle of what we’ve heard on youtube and read in blogs, we find our community in fanpages on Facebook and Twitter, and we treat our local church as just another branch of the “American church,” like our local McDonald’s.
 
I was reading a book by Preston Sprinkle about Christian politics, and he argued that Christians should approach social problems like gun violence by “being the church.” I would have totally agreed with him, except for what he meant by “being the church:” his example was a pair of Christians who started a non-profit to coordinate businesses, churches and government agencies. Now, I’m sure that the non-profit is fantastic–but it’s not the church. How can you be the church without being a church? In the Bible, a church is a group of Christians who know each other, who submit to each other, who support each other. That is the only kind of church you can actually find acting on earth.

It cannot be avoided: the only way to “be the church” in the Biblical sense is to “be (in) a church.” Being the church means being a distinct community of people who love Jesus and love each other because we all love Jesus. Being the church means submitting together to Jesus Christ. Being the church means gathering together for worship; it means learning and growing together; it means serving together; it means bearing with each other; it means forgiving each other. It does not mean acting out in the world as an individual person. That’s being a Christian (which is also important, but not the same thing).

Turner Christian Church is a church–an imperfect group of misfits who submit to Jesus together. We do our best to live out the commands of Jesus together. We are not huge, we do not have overpowering cultural influence–but the Bible says nothing of overwhelming cultural influence. It tells us to form communities of Christians, and to hold each other tightly, and to be a community shaped by the radical love of Jesus. That’s our job. And I am excited to be doing it with you!

I've Been Thinking About. . .Faithfulness!

I came to this congregation almost 3 years ago, while covid mandates were still in place. I came to this congregation and witnessed the small miracle of a faithful church still finding ways to offer children’s programming. In a season where most churches were unable to offer anything, TCC had amazing volunteers putting together Jr. Worship each Sunday.
They weren’t meeting in a classroom but were in the fellowship hall where they could spread out on a few tables. Some Sundays there were a small handful of kids, and some Sundays there were none. The volunteers were prepared either way.

When there weren’t children, the volunteers stayed patient. They would pack up their supplies, and often assure me that they could re-use the lesson they had prepared. I cannot speak highly enough of these servants of the Lord, who were faithful to the children that God brought them, and faithful when the children did not come.

My first summer there were multiple Sundays without children.

My second summer there was one Sunday without children. By that time God had provided us a core base of regular families. And that fall we were able to launch two classes, instead of one.

My third summer, anticipating lower attendance during the travel months, we went down to one class for 8 weeks. We barely made it through. The number of kids across an expanded age range made the class both a surprising joy and a challenge! We realized we had passed the days when one class would work for us.

A few weeks ago, we transitioned to four classes, each with a class list of 6-10 children. We are already having conversations around what adding a fifth class would look like.

I’ve been thinking about the prayers of those volunteers three years ago. I’ve been thinking about them poring over a lesson, praying that God would bring children. I’ve been thinking about their prayers for the children that came, and their prayers that God would grow their program.

I’ve been thinking about the prayers of the volunteers before them. And the prayers of the parents that their children would have more church friends.

I’ve been thinking that my ministry here is built on the prayers of a lot of faithful saints.

We don’t know what next month or next year looks like in Jr. Worship. But we know that God has heard the heartfelt prayers of His children. He has brought us kids to invest in and disciple.

And, like the covid-era volunteers, we will be faithful to those that God brings.

May God continue to bless and guide this ministry. May every aspect of it glorify Him.
And may you be encouraged to be faithful to whatever God has called you to, trusting that it will bear fruit in due season.

March brought a sense of adventure and exploration to our preschool as we delved into the theme of hiking throughout the month. Our little ones eagerly practiced for an upcoming hiking field trip by embarking on nature walks around our school premises and venturing over to the tabernacle. One of the memorable activities was a listening nature walk, where our preschoolers embraced the beauty of silence and attentively listened to the sounds of nature around them, sparking their curiosity and wonder. Another engaging experience was the five senses nature walk, where each child collected a nature item representing one of their senses, fostering a deeper connection with the natural world. During our nature explorations, we emphasized the importance of gentle foraging, teaching the children to respect nature by only picking up items that had fallen to the ground naturally.

Our final nature walk took us on a meaningful journey through holy week, with stops along the way to discuss the stories of Jesus and the events leading up to Easter. As we approached the Easter season, our preschoolers joyfully celebrated with an Easter party, embracing the message of hope and renewal that comes with Jesus's resurrection. Witnessing their young minds absorb the stories of Jesus's life, death, and resurrection with awe and innocence (some for the first time) has been a heartwarming experience for me.

Registration for next year is already upon us and I can't help but look back at the students' physical, emotional, spiritual, and educational development. To have a front row seat to their little lives brings me so much joy. As we look to the future, we are committed to creating an environment where growth and transformation are cherished and embraced and we couldn't do this without you!

We extend our heartfelt thanks to members of our church community for their generosity in enhancing our outdoor play area with new bark chips. This improvement will provide a safe and engaging space for our students to play and interact. We invite you to come and see the new bark chips for yourself, and experience the change they bring to our outdoor play area. If you're unable to visit, below are some pictures to give you a glimpse of this exciting transformation.

Ok, Church, we're ready!! For what, you ask? Well, we're ready for the donations to start pouring in for our annual Community Packing Party. We now have an awesome space that will not only allow ample storage for all of our donations, but also a workspace to prep all of the wonderful donations.

If you remember a few years ago, God blessed and multiplied your generous giving and we packed over 600 Shoeboxes here at TCC. The "problem" with that was that there was no longer a room in the building that could contain your giving. We then switched our focus to a bigger plan and began a Community Packing Party which takes place in Salem each August. We started the Party with 600 Shoeboxes the first year and then packed 1200 Shoeboxes each of the past two years. The storage of the donated inventory for this event has been scattered all over two counties and the work parties to prepare the inventory for the Party has at times been a logistical hardship.

Now, thanks to the ministry―and mission―minded Administration and Boards of TRH, we have a wonderful space to store and prep all of the goodies that we'll be sending out in the Shoeboxes. We are so grateful to have use of the Davis Hall basement, aka The Shoebox Work Shoppe. Thank you, Tim and all who were able to share our vision, for your acceptance and support of Operation Christmas Child.

We are excited to be able to welcome you into our space and into this ministry of getting the Gospel to kids all over this Earth. We will still collect donations in the receptacles in the TCC lobby. We will still gladly accept your monetary donations through the TCC offering. We are hoping to soon have a regular work day scheduled at The Shoebox Work Shoppe where you can stop in and say hi or lend a hand with some of the prep work. We remove tags from each stuffed animal, open all the Hot Wheels packaging, separate notebook paper out into sheet protectors, assemble hair accessory bags and pencil pouches, and many, many more tasks to make the Packing Party run more smoothly. I would love to talk with you more individually if you're interested in helping with any or all of this.

Thank you again for all you've done in support of this ministry in years past. Thank you for considering how you can continue to support this ministry this year and beyond.            
                                                                                                                         ―Ann Stoker

(Note: You can start donations with School supplies―Pencils, pens, scissors, erasers, 6" rulers, pencil sharpeners, and index cards!)

Lauretta Peterson 
passed away and went home to the Lord on March 19, 2024.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Turner Christian Church
on April 27, 2024 at 10:30 am.

Jerry Campbell
passed away and went home to the Lord on March 22, 2024.
A Memorial Service will be held at Turner Christian Church on April 6, 2024
at 12:00 Noon with lunch served after the service.

Irene Douglass 
passed away and went home to the Lord on April 1, 2024.
She would have celebrated her 100th birthday on April 6th
and the Open House Celebration that was planned
at Turner Retirement Homes Dining Hall
will still go on from 2:00–4:00 pm,
with a special Service of Remembrance at 3:00 pm.

Tyler Foley 
was baptized into Christ on Easter Sunday, March 31, 2024.


Kim Clokey 
was baptized into Christ on Easter Sunday, March 31, 2024.

Kyle, Brooke and Hunter Brinlee
became members of Turner Christian Church
and were welcomed into the fellowship of TCC
on Easter Sunday, March 31, 2024.

Seniors Events in April

Luncheon
The Senior Ministry Team is planning a
Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwich Luncheon
on Hans Christian Anderson's birthday, April 2, 2024 at 11:30.
The lunch will be followed by the movie
depicting Han's life starring Danny Kaye.

Bowling
The TCCSBT (Turner Christian Church Senior Bowling "Team")
and Cheerleaders group is growing! Come join the fun!
We plan to have a bowling outing every other month. April 12 is our next trip.
The bus leaves the church at 1:00 or meet us at Northgate Bowl at 1:30
The cost is $5.00 for bowlers and FREE for cheerleaders.
Please sign up in the foyer or church office.

Spring Sunday Classes!
 Spring Sunday Classes will start on Sunday, April 7th.
Classes that will be offered:

A Christian’s Guide to the Church (Ephesians Study),
led by Matt Holmes,

A Guide to Celtic Prayer,
led by Frank Loyd

New Testament for Everyone Bible Study,
led by Carol George.

Children’s Classes and Nursery Care are Available
Teens are invited to join Pastor Matt’s Class

_______________________
 

Thursday Evening Worship Service
Launches April 11th, 6:00—7:30 pm
 
Identical to the Sunday morning worship service;
providing opportunities for those unable to attend on Sundays.

_______________________

 
The April Ladies Movie & Prayer Night
 . . .has been rescheduled to meet on April 12th at 6:30 pm.

_______________________

 
Little Lamb Christian Preschool Open House
Wednesday, April 17th from 4—7 pm

_______________________

 
Youth Group Game Night
April 21st • 6:00―7:30 pm

_______________________

 
Worship Reset - An Evening of Renewal
Sunday, April 28th at 6:00 pm
 
In the midst of life's chaos, join us for an evening
dedicated to resetting your harried spirit.
Allow the worship of the one true God
wash away your weariness and revive your soul.
Let this event be the sanctuary where you press "pause",
realign and find the refreshment needed to run this race of life
with renewed strength and endurance.
Come, renew your heart, mind and soul.