Category Archives: News

Book Excerpt

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Below I have posted an excerpt from the back page of our first book.  We are getting very close to having it published!  I am excited to see how God is going to use this book to impact the lives of others.  May your curiosity peak a little with this sneak preview.


Abandonment. Abuse. Accidental death. Addiction. Anger. Deception. Disappointment. Divorce. Fatal illness. Hatred. Heartbreak. Injustice. Murder. Poverty. Prison. Robbery. Sexual confusion. Temptation to suicide. Violence.

 

Sound familiar? Too close to home? Too much like reality? It’s all too easy to believe that these are the words used to tell the stories of people of today, people who may be your near neighbors in Gig Harbor, Washington — perhaps even your story.

 

But where will it end? Is there any hope, any healing? Is life an endless round of trouble, with no way out?

 

This book contains the stories of seven very real people who have experienced all the above troubles and more — and yet have found the reality of what happens when faith and life connect, a reality that has made them Products of Grace.

The Missions Challenge

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So…I hear that you are up for a challenge?   The challenge is on – beginning in November.  Below you will find four simple ways to make November a memorable missions experience for you and your family.  Please leave a comment letting us know if you are up to the challenge and how the challenge is affecting you and your family.

The CHALLENGE:

>Fast one meal a week to pray for missionaries

>Adopt a missionary as a family

to pray for | to encourage | to learn about the culture

>Make a monthly financial pledge

>Be a missionary to our community

to reach out and connect with one other family in our community

SUMMER FINALE

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Fun For The Whole Family

AUGUST 24

3:30 – 7:30pm

Featuring

Speaker Richard Thomas former UW and Raven Fullback

Inflatables

GiveAways

BBQ free hotdogs and hamburgers

DON’T MISS THIS BIG EVENT

Questions? Call 851-1734

Especially For Dad’s

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This past week I went online and looked up the word hero on dictionary.com. A hero is defined as “a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.”

This weekend, on a grand scale, dads all over our great Nation will be honored for who they are. Some dads are looked upon as heroes, while others find it hard to live beyond the shadow of what could have been because of the mistakes that they have made with their children. Regardless of how you see your father – hero or not – may we take the time to honor and affirm our fathers. Dad’s, Sunday, is about you – enjoy it! May your day not be spent hiding in the shadows. Instead, may it be filled with the joy and honor of being a father.

I would love to hear about what you appreciate about your dad.

Pivotal Gathering

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Last night we had a great time together as the core team of Harbor Life. The food was amazing, the atmosphere was exciting, the fellowship was great, and the business of the evening progressed smoothly. Who said that annual business meetings have to be dry and boring? It was a memorable evening, at least for me. We added 13 new members and celebrated some of the great victories of the past year. Debbie had a great idea to blog to see if we could get some feedback on the event. Let us know your thoughts…

Here is what Debbie had to say:

What a fantastic annual meeting!

I felt some very encouraging news from the reports. A few inspiring thoughts:

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Because of your ministry, we as a church have been better able to align the old members to connect with the visitors who walk in the door. PT, you are doing an awesome job in leading us in this capacity. Thirteen new members is a huge reason for celebration! We are creating opportunities to connect with at least 2/3rds of our new members and visitors.

One step we have taken here at my company is the following, because our membership retention is down a bit. Where I work at, the more things change the more they stay the same. When we launched the membership initiative on April 1, 2004 we promoted – Know their names, small groups, one more time and volunteer. Know their names is still the ripest low hanging fruit for us. One of the branches leads the way at 35%…leading the way with 1 in 3. The low is only about 1 in 4. Could we achieve and celebrate 1 in 2 at the company I work for? I believe we could. Everyone wants to be known, loved and acknowledged. I think I will take this first step again in church, as I have not been as intentional in this as I have in the past, how wonderful it would be if everyone knew personally the names of all new members and visitors at church?

What we do with members and each other really matters. A sense of meaning and belonging. And I am so glad to have you and Amy here to help our church with that. We can transform lives in our community. Thank you for your leadership and commitment!

Debbie Ash

A Special Word to Mothers

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On Sunday, we will have the opportunity to honor the significant investment that mothers make in the lives of their children.  Moms, we want you to know that we think you are amazing!  From the care and concern that you carry for your children, to the sacrifices and selfless acts that you demonstrate on a daily basis -we honor you for who you are and what you do.  May the expressions of love, coming from your children and those closest to you, remind you once again of the incredible role that you have in the life and function of your family.  May they also remind you just how loved you are.

A Personal Note

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We want everyone to know that we are doing just fine. Our home is high and dry! I must say that it has been rather weird though driving around town seeing the effects of the weather. Several parking lots are flooded leaving many businesses closed until the waters recede. It was also rather strange seeing near empty shelves at Safeway. The bread isle was bare besides a few loaves of bread and other specialty items such as dinner rolls. The last of the milk was in the fridges and a lot of people were out today buying food. It is crazy how much we rely on I-5 and just trust that we will always be able to get what we want when we want it.

It is good to know that people are willing to rally in times of tragedy. I was just thinking of how hard it must be for people who live in areas of frequent flooding. It seems to me that they would be on rebound mode from the previous years flooding only to be hit again with further flooding and the potential for greater damage. In reference to my earlier statement – it is nice to know that there are people and resources available to help navigate through loss and hardship.

In the same way I am grateful to be part of a community of people who are committed to each other. Who truly care. Who are not afraid to get involved in the lives of others. We need such a community to help us navigate through the waters of life.

Are you part of such a community?