Why Church? – Tuality Community of Christ

May 13, 2015

A summer that’s renewing, relevant and based in relationship…

If your family is like ours, you’re starting to dream of summer plans. The spring sunlight invites us to grab our calendar and quickly fill it with plans and ideas for grand adventures.

But is our church family’s calendar looking the same way? Are we looking for opportunities to participate in our church’s life with the same excitement and enthusiasm?

This summer, I invite you to focus not only on schedules and ‘busy’-ness, but also on renewal, relationships and being relevant. Many of us find these opportunties through communal worship in our faith community. How can you help provide worship at Tuality Community of Christ that is renewing and relevant and provides blessings to you and others this summer?

Are you good at planning and organizing, creating a welcoming and sacred space, putting words to Jesus’ message of mission, performing the sacraments, praying, singing, listening, being…all of these (and more) are talents and unique offerings which are crucial to our worship together. It is through our worship that we come into our identity and calling as a Community of Christ….

‘Community of Christ,’ your name, given as a divine blessing, is your identity and calling.
If you will discern and embrace its full meaning, you will not only discover your future,
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Do not be afraid to go where it beckons you to go. Doctrine and Covenants 163:1

Please consider where God is calling you to serve through worship at Tuality Community of Christ this summer. As a group, we have commited to a volunteer based schedule, so your stepping forward to provide ministry is crucial to our ability to provide a spiritual home. See 2015 Worship Calendar to volunteer.

Blessings,
co-Pastor Roberta

October 27, 2014October 27, 2014

God’s Beautiful and Familiar Music- Reflections on TCC’s Hymn Sing by Roberta LaHue Brown and Carla Nilsen

Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of the church’s unveiling of our new hymnal: Community of Christ Sings. In celebration of that anniversary, we gathered together for worship. Erik and Carla Nilsen led us in a variation on the traditional ‘song and testimony’ service, a style of worship very familiar to our faith tradition. For the testimony sharing portion of the service, Erik guided the congregation in a time of introspection and guided reflection. Asking the congregation to leaf through our ‘new’ hymnal, he asked us to find a hymn that spoke particularly to us or carried with it a memory or testimony of God in our lives.

As I leafed through the hymnal, looking for a hymn that might spark a testimony, I found myself remembering the first time I ever leafed through a hymnal. It was just before I was baptized during the summer that I was eight years old. I was sitting at a family church camp, being asked by my mom to help plan my baptismal service by selecting my favorite hymns. These hymns would be sung by those participating with me, through their singing, as I stepped into the waters of baptism.

There were three hymns that I chose that day, each of them with special meaning to me then, and now. As I sat in church yesterday, and remembered that first action as a member, the participation of planning a worship and sacrament, I wondered if that first action influenced my passions in the life of my congregation today. As a member of our congregation’s pastorate team, I am the community’s worship facilitator. In this role, I often find myself leafing through the hymnal, planning and presiding for worships. During this time of devotion I am listening and discerning for God’s voice to speak to me from those hymnal pages, guiding me to decision and action, and watching and participating in God’s unveiling story through our time together in worship. God’s voice always resounds through those familiar and new tunes and guides this Community of Christ to passion and action.

As I leafed through our new blue-covered hymnal on Sunday, I reflected on our congregation’s and church’s life and how many changes there have been over the decades. Our hymnal is so symbolic of our story. The book binding on the hymnal has changed over the years, some songs are sung through the decades without change or variation, other songs have lost favor and become obsolete, yet new ones are written and sung for the first time,. With these changes, the spirit of the hymnal is still the same. The music continues to enliven us and our awareness of God’s presence and call to mission. I think of how these same things are true with our church. The times and the context of our church’s story is also changing. Our understanding of God’s message takes a different shape, yet the message and the ‘familiar tune’ are the same. As we move forward in the world and life of our church, I hope we continue to find new and different ways to bring forth God’s message. I pray that the tune not only be heard by our own hearts, but also by the hearts of others, so that all may hear God’s beautiful and familiar music. By Roberta LaHue Brown

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August 13, 2014August 13, 2014

Why Church? – by Roberta LaHue Brown

In my years of attending church, I have had many wonderful relationships. Some have been friends, some have been mentors, some teachers, others family, some all of these things in one. I met my husband in church. My children attend church with me and are learning about and praising God right beside me. But my biggest reason for going to church is that attending devotes time to my relationship with God and the others I encounter. Being intentional keeps me focused on the purpose of all this. Intentional means ‘done with purpose.’ Forming ‘intentional relationships’ is one of the reasons I go to church. I go to church to remind myself to look at Him, to thank Him, to praise Him, to let Him embrace and heal me, to make me whole. It is through finding this wholeness that I am able to extend that amazing love to others. Others who are seeking wholeness extend amazing love to me. And in spreading and receiving that cultivated love in our relationships, something amazing happens. A moment that takes your breath away. Makes your heart skip a beat. That instant might be filled with joy, it might be filled with sorrow. Sometimes the miraculous juncture is so fleeting that you aern’t even sure in hindsight if it actually happened. Many times we are exposed to these touchstone moments and blessings through our interactions in intentional relationships that are formed by living in Christian Community.

Today, August 13th, is one of those touchstone days for me as I bid ‘adios’ to Emily and Andrew (TCC’s former co-pastors). These dear friends of mine are embarking on the international portion of their Peace Corps adventure. In all reality, they are probably frantically gathering their bags from the hotel room in DC right now so that they can catch a flight from there to Nicargua. They’ll be spending the next 2 years immersed in a new culture and in new relationships. In this day, and in this moment, I am filled with joy and sadness, tears and smiles, thoughts of past and future…and I am feeling blessed to have such wonderful people in my life. And because I simply can’t put into adequate words what I’m feeling as we say farewell, I decided to let Emily do the talking. Sometimes things are best said by another and we just need to listen. I’m posting Emily’s blog entitled ‘Blessed to be a Blessing‘ here. Emily posted this testimony on her and Andrew’s Peace Corps Blog (www.maywesuggest.com) the Sunday that we said our official congregational goodbye last month.

So, Emily and Andrew, as you leave this ‘land that you love,’ my prayer is that you will love the new land that you are in and it will love you back, and that through this adventure you continue to be intentional and let your blessings flow on.
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Thank you for your love, light, kindness, wisdom and friendship. I (and all of us at Tuality Community of Christ) will miss you. God be with you until we meet again.

Blessings, Roberta

co-pastor Tuality Community of Christ

March 26, 2014

Why Church? – by Dale Beerbohm

Our homework last Sunday @ Church was the question, “Why do I go to Church? I have different reasons: to hear the word, every Person @ Church has a perspective on This is not to deny the role of private insurance icks.org levitra overnight shipping companies. Some of the beneficial constituents of viagra from canada this herb. Below are stated the reasons why a man faces this problem, he gets difficulty to have hard and long-sized male organ. viagra samples australia Essentially, these pills enhance the blood flow to the genitals, which provides stamina tadalafil sample http://icks.org/n/data/ijks/1482467285_add_file_1.pdf & strength for stronger and long-lasting erections. the Bible that I didn’t think of, to Praise God, Fellowship & get help putting on My Armor when it gets to heavy for Me.

– Why Church? – by Dale Beerbohm

March 16, 2014March 26, 2014

Why Church? – Anonymous Responses

WHY CHURCH?

Anonymous Responses from March 16, 2014 Worship Service

Reorient personal perspectives
Closer relationships with other members
Gain scriptural knowledge in context of “community”
Experience God’s presence

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To keep one focused on God & blessings
To give one hope
To relate with people there
To feel wanted and loved (acceptance)
To broaden outlook on the world
To bring our cares and needs and share them
To help where we can at church and in our communities
To enjoy being with others
To remember what I think is my purpose for being here

Helps me get through the week
Look forward to see everyone and connect and share with them

Emotional and physical support for life’s issues

To be involved with people and learn about God and Jesus’ teachings.
We need to belong with people who believe like we do
I believe in what our community of Christ is teaching.

To learn of Christ and his teachings
To fellowship with other members
To serve in ways to help others
For my own spirit and happiness

It’s what I know
If I didn’t come to church, then I would not communicate with adults outside of work. This is my family.

Because I believe in Jesus Christ and the mission of the church and want to support it.
Connecting with others in worship allows a sharing of ideas and a support network of love.
Hearing the morning message, singing hymns, attending Sunday school class, etc. provides spiritual inspiration and insight.
Attending church provides a corporate connection and avenues to provide service to the community.
Church lifts me up with a positive and happy message that carries me through the week.

I believe in the savior Jesus Christ. I trust that his message and mission are the truth. I want to develop my spiritual understanding of His love. I come to be uplifted by His message through His influence in the lives of others as expressed when we worship together.

Jesus came for sinners, to save them. I come to be saved.

I must believe in Jesus and the things that he did because I want to have my second life, in heaven. I must believe that the Father raised Jesus from the dead as well.

Hmmm….Church or Shamrock Run in downtown Portland? No question – church! It’s a chance to be with my spiritual family, my tribe, my community, to recharge the spiritual battery that gets drained by dealing with issues in the real world and having to endure the insignificant stresses of those who lack awareness of a sense of beyond (where life is about more than what they think is important about work).

– Why Church? by Various participants during the March 16 worship

January 18, 2014January 18, 2014

Why Church? – by Erik Nilsen

Being a member of the Tuality Community of Christ congregation is all about “connecting” for me. I have opportunities in worship and service to connect with my higher self and to live out the principles of love and transformation and acceptance that I see modeled by the ministry of Christ. I attend because of the connections that I make with people who are like me in their desire to walk the path of discipleship and yet who are very different from me along so many different and interesting dimensions. I have church friends who are young and old, liberal and conservative, straight and queer, wealthy and homeless, black, tan and peach colored, healthy and infirm. I am privileged to be part of a community that openly shares their triumphs and struggles, joys and sorrows. On a regular basis, we live out the Apostle Paul’s counsel in Romans 12 to “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” By opening myself up to their story and participating in their lives, I feel more connected with humanity and yes, am constantly surprised by a connection with divine love that can break through in the most unexpected circumstances. I am a member because I The major factor is the stiffness in the upper body Side effects similar to stern abdominal soreness, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, unrelenting fever, vomiting and nausea, distorted hallucination or vision conflict, sensitive to reactions, and hearing troubles call for instantaneous medicinal concentration. cialis for cheap Some of the effects include organ dysfunction, cognitive issues, heart damage, osteoporosis and levitra 20 mg pdxcommercial.com neuropathy, among others. These spasms can send aggressive bile acid upwards or downwards, and cialis samples free neither option is pleasing. Although this is an uncomfortable subject, it IS an apt choice for all in generic cialis for sale search of a safe cure of the condition as mentioned. am connected with the diverse expression of gifts and perspectives that I experience in our worships. From this old college professor sharing spiritual insights derived from research in Neuroscience to a child playing piano, to a person struggling with serious health issues sharing their testimony of being fed and supported by church friends. Finally, my life is enriched by the connections between human experience and divine love that is available through the sacraments of the church http://www.cofchrist.org/sacraments/. They make visible God’s grace and generosity. The sacraments are a glimpse of who God is and what God calls us to be. As we are blessed by the sacraments, we receive power to share the peace of Jesus Christ and to fulfill our mission in the world. To finish, I would like to share a few words from a song in our new hymnal entitled “For Everyone Born” that captures the reason for hope that being a member of this faith community gives to me. For everyone born, a place at the table, to live without fear, and simply to be, to work to speak out, to witness and worship, for everyone born, the right to be free.

– Why Church? by Erik Nilsen

January 18, 2014

Why Church blog series begins!

In such a busy world, I often wonder why people would take the time/effort/energy to attend church on Sunday mornings. In a world where Christian can be a dirty word, I’ve also wondered why people would bother to associate with a church at all. Perhaps you’ve wondered the same question or a similar vein of Although ED can occur at any age, brand cialis for sale about 50% and 70% of men that are between 40 and 70 suffer from erectile dysfunction. ESPN Films — In conjunction with Emmy Award-winning NASCAR Media Group and Max Siegel viagra 100mg tablet Inc., ESPN Films will document the story of Wendell Scott, the only black driver to win a NASCAR race, with the first airing of Wendell Scott: A Race Story on Sunday, Feb. 15. You will discover also some side viagra sans prescription http://robertrobb.com/redfored-this-should-be-the-plan/ effects of this tablet. Night Fire capsule is one of the best natural cures and home robertrobb.com online pharmacy levitra remedies to get rid of ED. it before. This blog series is dedicated to letting people share their answer to the question, “Why Church?” Check out what some of our members and friends have to say in response to: “Why do you come to church? Why do you think church is important? Why do you worship with Community of Christ?”