What We Saw Yesterday.

I'm having better luck uploading pictures than I have had for a few days, so I'll try to give you a few sightseeing pictures.

Ministry in a beautiful place

We have been speaking, singing and having appointments every day, but the past two days we have fit in a couple sightseeing trips. Wednesday we went to Ostia Antica and Yesterday we saw some of Rome.

I was struck again with the primary place Mary has in everything. In the first picture she can be seen throwing Martin Luther and John Calvin into Hell while an Angel tears their names out of the book of life. This statue is in Chiesa Del Gesu. In the next picture from Chiesa di Trinata she is seen carrying her dead, helpless son. All throughout the Rome are signs of the adoption of pagan ideas into Catholicism.It is easy to see why the reformers we angry with the Catholic Church.



Marcia and I got to walk the beach near sunrise this morning. These pictures provide a good glimpse of Ostia.



Tonight our Bible conference begins. Expectations are high. Please pray that God's Spirit will work through His word to bring unity to this church and among evangelical churches. I will preach three times and Aaron will preach once tomorrow morning. Thank you for your prayers.

24 Hours of Prayer underway at New Life Church

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm. A Song.
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah. that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Selah. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him!
(Psalms 67:1-7 ESV)

Busy, Busy, Busy

We have had a busy week, so far.

Saturday night Aaron & Amanda helped lead a youth event at the church. The building was packed with 35 Giovani. Amanda's games were a hit! Aaron talked about what students in America have in common with them, sin and Christ. Then they prayed together.



Sunday morning I spoke on Jonah chapter one after Marcia and Amanda sang. I updated my powerpoint from our church into Italian. That was a new experience.

Sunday evening we celbrated the "un anno anniversario di chiesa nuova vita!" I read a letter from Pastor Nathan. Amanda and Marcia sang again. I also showed them the DVD we showed in our church. I shared with them some of our vision for starting churches and fielded their questions about what we are doing. Then I was delighted to share with them the baby clothes gift. The ladies of the church were SO excited. I also told them about the gifts from our kids to theirs. They are going to use the $280 or so dollars for scholarships to camp. Way to go kids! And, finally, I handed out Brian Janssen's CD's, "He is Lord of All" and pointed out that Marcia sings on it. What a blessed evening.



Yesterday we did something new. We exchanged formal Italian lessons for English lessons. Both met with limited success, but deepened our appreciation for one another. The highlight of the day was telling Michele and Anna about our gift for their apartment remodel. She broke into tears of joy at the news that New Life Church gave more than $24,000. They know better than I do that this gift will keep them in ministry for the rest of their lives. Dan and Alice were overjoyed to share this with such godly and faithful colaborers.

This morning Aaron and I went to visit Massimo, the young man who had a kidney replacement and got married within twenty days! He had such a sweet testimony about coming to faith after reading First Peter 2:25 & 3:18. The Spirit opened his eyes to see that Jesus died for his sins, and he believed. Tonight will be Bible study. Aaron will share with the 'young marrieds' and I will teach the rest of the church.

Thank you again for your prayers. We need them so much. It seems that our weakness is much more evident here. We pray that His strength will be, too.

WLHS Wins. NLC Celebrates

If there was consensous about anything going into Friday night, it was that WLHS was the underdog in their home game against Clackamas. The early score even reflected that mindset as Clackmas pulled ahead in the first quarter. However, that sense of security was short lived as WLHS scored a steady stream of unanswered touchdowns. The grandstand erupted with cheering with every step towards victory.

Meanwhile, most of the high school students wandered the track in search of God knows what. Relationships were nurtured, jokes were told, and yes, there was even a bit of flirting. After the game, more than 30 students piled into the church for pizza and a movie. Many were regulars, but many were also new faces. Smiles and laughter were plentiful as friends hung out and conversed, and others got comfortable in the high school room for a theatre quality setup.

All in all it's safe to say that God's love was expressed in some creative ways as newcomers expressed their thankfulness, not only for the evening, but for all that the church does for high school students, opening its doors for Coffee Cart, Young Life gatherings, etc. Thanks NLC for your ministry to high school students.

What's Missing From This Backpack II

Great responses from the "What's Missing From This Backpack" post. Taylor R. was the first to comment that the "person carrying it" was missing. We even got a response from Pastor Scott in Italy!

Do you know how to wear a backpack? Are you looking for a way to be a "Fisher of Men" in our day? Perhaps New Life's beverage backpack fits your back.

Every Saturday, throughout the city of West Linn people of all ages gather at soccer fields to cheer on their favorite teams. As the weather changes this Fall, many could use a warm beverage and a kind word.

And we have a solution - "THE HOT CHOCOLATE MAN" or woman. Enjoy soccer, hot chocolate, people? Looking for a way to share your treasure? You could be the next "HOT CHOCOLATE MAN"! Maybe your family wants to volunteer to be the HOT CHOCOLATE Family and serve together. Maybe your Life Group wants to be the HOT CHOCOLATE Life Group and volunteer once a month. Are you catching the HOT CHOCOLATE MAN vision?

Jesus said, "Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."
Mark 1:17 NIV

Contact Pastor Tim if you are interested in serving in the HOT CHOCOLATE ministry!

Young Fishers of Men

Last week at New Life Robinwood several children dedicated their lives to being fishers of men. Throughout the summer they heard stories about missionaries from around the world. Last Sunday, they committed their lives to being missionaries right where they live. Our missionary to Brazil, Bruce Tissell was in church to commission and pray for them in their new role as real live missionaries.

Throughout the fall, the kids of New Life Church will be participating in the "Be the Net" Campaign. They will be given several witnessing tools to put in their tackle boxes. Would you pray for the kids of New Life as they seek to spread the news of the excellence of Christ?

On The Ground

We had a safe trip to Italy without any mishaps. We all wish we could have slept more than we did and we are still behind on our sleep.

We went to prayer meeting initially and were proud to have stayed awake. Well, Marcia is most honest, she said she dozed once. The next day we all got lessons in Italian.

We have had a sweet reunion with old friends and Aaron and Amanda have made many new ones. My first appointment was with a young man, Valerio, who showed me our church website and blog -- he had them in his favorites!

This morning we passed out literature at the market. We gave away the gospel of John and a tract about soccer. They did win the World Cup here, you know. It was amazing and sad how many people, who when asked, "Would you like some good news?" said "No, thank you."

Dan has translated Pastor Bill's men's workbook into Italian and is excited about starting a men's group with it! We will be with him this evening when he makes two more invitations.

Aaron and Amanda have a youth event this evening. They are expecting one of the biggest crowds they have ever had here. Please pray for them.

BTW, Anna & Michele's son, Marco, will be leading a few Continental Singers concerts in Oregon this weekend. You can find out times and locations here. Type in Oregon and search.

Stephanie Rogers will join us for church tomorrow. She and a friend are touring Europe looking at Christian ministries here, and tomorrow she'll be joining us.

Sweet Hour of Prayer

Last night at New Life Robinwood, Andi Haugen played her harp as we spent an hour talking to God about the Spiritual Life of our church. What a sweet hour it was! This prayer meeting was a part of our 40 Days of Extraordinary Prayer emphasis that is going on right now at New Life Church.

The 40 Days of Prayer emphasis will be going on through the second week of October. Here are the next two opportunities for you to get involved:

1) From 7:00 PM on Monday September 25th to 7 PM on Tuesday September 26 we will be celeberating the 1st Anniversary of New Life Robinwood with a 24 hour prayer time. We are encouraging every person at New Life Church to take one hour or half hour during this time frame to pray at your own home and ask for God's blessing on our church. If you haven't yet signed up for an hour, why not leave a comment on this blog to tell us what hour you will be praying.

2) Our next corporate prayer time will be at New Life Riverfalls on Wednesday October 4th at 7 PM. We will be praying about physical needs of people at our church. If you are sick or in need or would like to pray for people who are sick or in need, please join us for this special night of prayer.

What's Missing From This Backpack?

Buon Voyage

The Italy team, Pastor Scott, Marcia, Aaron and Amanda Orendorff left today at 1:25 for Rome. We were given a blessed send-off.

Thank you for your prayers for us. I will insert a snippet of an email Marcia sent out to ask for prayer. Be assured you are in our prayers.

Here are some of the things we will be doing:

Scott and Aaron will be preaching and teaching several times.

We'll be involved in some sort of youth and a young married event.

We will be sharing our testimonies with as many people as we can.

We plan to meet with some small groups who want to learn or work on their English.

Amanda and I will be singing in church and at the special conference they are having while we are there.

If you would be so kind as to make a note to pray for us and ask God to remind you during the next two weeks, I would greatly appreciate it! Here are some things that come to mind right now:

1. Safety and health for us and our family. Taylor is driving now!

2. Joy and peace in our household while the kids are here with Grandma.

3. Joy and peace for us as a team as we live and work closely together for two weeks.

4. Effectiveness in communicating, in showing the love and joy of the Lord.

5. Growth and encouragement for the church as we seek to minister to them, and for us as they do the same.

6. Flexibility, wisdom, kindness, patience, unselfishness, basically the fruit of the Spirit :-)

7. For God to work in us and use us as He desires.

8. Changed lives, ours and as many others as God sees fit.

9. God's grace for every situation we find ourselves in.

10. Pray for our church here at home while we are gone.

Thank you again. It's encouraging whenever someone lets me know that they will pray!

Buon Voyage II (Pictures)

Lord's Day Eve

God of the passing hour,

Another week has gone and I have been
preserved
in my going out,
in my coming in.

Thine has been the vigilance that has turned
threatened evils aside;
Thine the supplies that have nourished me;
Thine the comforts that have indulged me;
Thine the relations and friends that have
delighted me;
Thine the means of grace which have edified me;
Thine the Book, which, amidst all my enjoyments,
has told me that this is not my rest,
that in all successes one thing alone is needful,
to love my Saviour.

Nothing can equal the number of thy mercies
but my imperfections and sins.

These, O God, I will neither conceal nor palliate,
but confess with a broken heart.

In what condition would secret reviews
of my life leave me
were it not for the assurance that with thee
there is plenteous redemption,
that thou art a forgiving God,
that thou mayest be feared!

While I hope for pardon through the blood
of the cross,
I pray to be clothed with humility,
to be quickened in thy way,
to be more devoted to thee,
to keep the end of my life in view,
to be cured of the folly of delay and indecision,
to know how frail I am,
to number my days and apply my heart
unto wisdom.

Valley of Vision, p. 193

Free This Month

Here is a free offer from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association for a book every Christian should read. This free offer only lasts this month. The free book is Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper. Happy reading!

Answers to Prayer

Have you had any answers to prayer since you've started praying more and better during these 40 days extraordinary prayer? Has the Lord encouraged you? If you have anything to share about what God has done in response to your prayers that might encourage someone else, please write them in the comments below or email them to the church office.

Men's Roundup 2006

Choose This Day
Who You Will Serve

September 8-10 at Camp TADMOR

But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." Jos 24:15 NIV

Click here to view a short video of 1400 men singing How Great Thou Art

Why Memorize Scripture

Pastor John Piper shares some compelling reasons to memorize God's Word - Check it out!
Why Memorize Scripture

Kids International Dinner

The Treasureland children celebrated the conclusion of their "Around the World in 90 Days" with an international dinner. A DVD recapped the world ministry efforts of our church highlighting each of our missionaries and some of our short-term teams. Sara gave them a quiz to see if they learned anything over the summer. They played games. And, of course, had a potluck with food from several different countries.

Happy Birthday Pastor Nathan!

Pastor Nathan celebrated a birthday today by sending Sara to work today on the Kids International dinner. Happy Birthday Nathan, we love you. Thank you for your service to New Life Church.

Put your birthday wishes and/or guesses about which birthday this was in the comments.

Phone Problems Fixed

We're smiling. Our phone problems should be fixed, thanks to extra effort on the part of Judy Cochran. Thank you for your patience.

Freda is supposed to be back in the office Monday afternoon after her July 7th surgery. You may want to use the fixed up phone system to call the fixed up church secretary. We are looking forward to her return.

PBPWUOPANW

Please be patient with us, our phones are not working.

We have at least figured out that when you call the church it doesn't even audibly ring, even though the caller hears it ring and ring. The voice mail doesn't pick up either. Please accept my apologies and please be patient with us.

Until this is fixed you can call in to the church on 503.656.5685.
We hope to have the problem fixed by the end of December. Thanks again.

Prayer Encouragement

"Pray, and let God worry." - Martin Luther

"When I pray, coincidences happen, and when I don't pray, they don't." - William Temple

"Prayer is to religion what original research is to science." -- P.T. Forsyth

Teach me to feel that thou are always nigh;
Teach me the struggles of the soul to bear.
To check the rising doubt, the rebel sigh;
Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.
-"Spirit of God,"19th century hymn, George Croly, 1854, verse 4.

"To clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against the disorder of the world."
--Karl Barth

Opportunities For Investing In God's Kingdom

On September 20th our team is heading to Italy to serve a precious church in Ostia. This is part of our ongoing effort to partner with this protestant church to bring the gospel and make disciples in this part of Rome.

We are working on two financial projects we are hoping to complete by the time we leave. The first project is a baby clothes project. We are hoping to take a large suitcase of new baby clothes for the church to resell in Italy. Baby clothes in Italy are expensive. We can carry a lot of them in a suitcase. If we can buy some inexpensively here, the gift will multiply itself there in a significant way.

The other project will remodel Anna and Michele Gandolfo's apartment so they can have an income by renting the additional space. The church there doesn't pay them a regular salary. Little is left over after the church pays its rent. This will help a faithful servant of Christ in a practical way. Your gifts to this project will be matched, so that every dollar you give becomes two.

I encourage your continued generosity with this precious church. Thank you on behalf of believers who will be greatly helped.

Mindset List

If you are having a hard time with the generation gap, wondering about "kids these days," or just feeling old, then the Beloit College Mindset List is for you. They have compiled a list of characteristics of students who are entering college this fall. You will probably find this interesting no matter what your age.