A Note From Jeff

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I’m somewhat haunted by the words in the middle of the message outline from last week: AWARENESS REQUIRES ACTION. In the moment we’re aware of an earthquake we act as we’ve been taught. We crawl under a desk (mine happens to be made of large pane of glass, however) and cover our necks and wait until we’re certain the shaking has subsided. But, the point of Doug Fields’ message this past weekend was about an awareness of our neighbors. Specifically, it was about an awareness of the neighbors that live within our own home. To an even greater degree, the awareness to which we were being called wasn’t merely to identify the people who are our neighbors within our homes. Rather, it was about loving them according to the definition given to us in Jesus:

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.” (1 John 3:16)

Why is it that the people I’m called to love with the greatest and most sacrificial love are the ones who often wind up getting only my leftovers? Amanda and I had a weighty conversation about the way we love our kids–about how we manage to treat them in a less-than-neighborly way from time-to-time. We talked about our own desire to love each other more intentionally. But, beyond all the conversation, hangs those words:

AWARENESS REQUIRES ACTION.

What will you do, specifically, to love, with greater sacrifice, the neighbors in your own home? This week we’ll continue in our NEIGHBORGOOD series and we’ll look at the quintessential neighbor story in the Bible.

See you this Sunday,
Jeff

NOTE: If you’re looking for the best way to get connected in the Mariners community, ROOTED is your best bet. This weekend is the final weekend to sign up for the Fall session of ROOTED.

A Note From Kyle

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For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7

Have you been tip-toeing through your week or have you been running at life, living with a sense of anticipation and freedom? It was so inspiring to be together, launching into this fall season last week, choosing to trust wholeheartedly in the Spirit God has given us, using fear as an indicator of where to aim instead of shrinking away. I’m so excited for all of you who are choosing to reignite your connection to God and one another through Life Groups as we move forward, so be sure to explore the options below in the Compass or talk with one of our staff or volunteers this weekend. For those of you feeling alone, looking for community, or wrestling with big questions about God, the Church, or His plans for you, I encourage you to take the step into Rooted. You can find out more here.

This weekend – I’m so excited (as I know you are:) – Kenton will be back! I can’t wait for him to share what God has placed on his heart for our church and community, inviting and encouraging us to become all of what God is calling us to be. And don’t forget to invite your friends and family who are teachers, educators, counselors, administrators, as Kenton will be affirming and blessing their commitment to teach and love the next generation.

See you this weekend.

peace…

kyle

A Note From Caleb

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MY NEAR DEATH EXPERIMENT is in full swing this weekend. If you missed last week’s message, listen here.

This week we’ll be talking about what matters most, and why we tend to lose sight of what matters most. Reach out and invite anyone who has told you in the past year that they need to re-prioritize their life–or that life is chaotic. If you’re reading along in the book, read a couple chapters from the “Ordering Affairs” section.

Next, if you’re still not in a Life Group, now’s the time. All our groups a going through MY NEAR DEATH EXPERIMENT, and this is an easy way to test one out and make some new friends. Email Mike Myers and he’ll get you plugged in.

Finally, if you still haven’t experienced Rooted, sign-up today. Rooted is the foundation for all our groups and growth material. You gotta jump in!

See you Sunday!
8:30 | 10:00 | 11:30am

caleb