I am going to die. (And hopefully not of heat exhaustion). Its true. Someday I am going to die and believe it or not you will too! Isn't that an encouraging topic to talk about? Well, actually it can be and hopefully it will be as that's my focus this Sunday at PCC. Well talk a lot about DEATH. NO ORDINARY DEATH. We will look into John 11 and Jesus "no ordinary day" with Lazarus. (Our whole church is going through the book of John and studying the extraordinary life of Jesus.)
Talking about death can make us feel uncomfortable. When a death occurs it can bring sadness, confusion, and grief. Jesus himself experienced trouble in his spirit because of Lazarus' death. But maybe, like in John 11, there are extraordinary things that can happen when we have to experience or talk about death. For me, the two places that stir my nerves the most are hospitals and funerals. But these same places have also been extremely redemptive, supernatural, and well extraordinary because of what God has done (And it seems God has a tendency to send me to these places that I might have extraordinary days). Maybe we can prepare, live freely with out fear, and reconcile with others in our life so that when death comes it doesn't cause regret for things unsaid or undone. And with the right perspective, we can prevent unholy anger toward God because of his timing by seeing that death is not the end and God is glorified in death. I know that this is not an easy topic to discuss. For some of us, death is so fresh, as we have recently suffered the loss of a loved one, maybe others still carry the unresolved pain caused by the death of a spouse, relative, or friend for years, while for others this topic is equally challenging for fear of accidental death enslaves or impending sickness threatens to take the life of someone you deeply love. Whatever you are feeling, come and wrestle. Come and cry if you need to. It's OK because Jesus wept, too.
Peninsula Covenant Church
9:15am, 11am, 6pm
3560 Farm Hill Blvd.
Redwood City Ca 94061
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Monday, July 24, 2006
Italy comes to Cali
Wendy and I welcomed in Antonio and Ignatia Fante, our friends and pastors from Italy this weekend.
They happened to be at a conference in New Jersey and our church flew them out to the West Coast for the weekend. So we threw a little Italian Party with all our friends, family, mission supporters, and former team members. It was a cool time to reflect on all that God has done, watch our video, and pray together. We ended the night with GOOD pizza, as good as it can get in California: Lucia's! That was just Friday.
Saturday, bright eyed and bushy tailed, I (Tony) got up to PCC by 7:30 am to help serve the women for their all day conference. It was a cool time to help and support the ladies of PCC. Wendy went and had some cool times connecting with her friends.
The whole day ended with a concert by Sara Groves (www.saragroves.com) who is a very great writer and story teller and my friend and fellow PCC pastor Matt Nightinale (www.mattnightingale.net) blasting the night away to a couple hundred sweaty souls. The Kerrs came and joined in the sweat fest with us which was cool! (Saturday Night July 22nd 8pm)
It has been so HOT here. Over 110 degrees. And no one has AC--most houses, our "church building", etc. Ahhhhh, our house is a sauna, and all over our county the window AC things have been sold out. So we have on on order to come by Wednesday!
In between doing the women's conference and the concert. I snuck the Fantes to San Francsico for a quick mini-tour. I took them to our Favorite Italian Restuarant in North Beach called MONA LISA (which they loved and our waiter, Luciano, of course was a cool Italian guy) and our favorite CAFE GRECO and then to Coit tower (the site of our first Kiss and engagement http://www.aviewoncities.com/sf/coittower.htm)
to Lombard St, and a quick Wharf perusal.
The Fantes came over to our house Sunday morning for cappucino! Wendy made it and they liked it. Thankfully. I was worried because when I took them to Starbucks and they called it "dirty foot water!" It's ok for them to be coffee snobs-cause because of Italy and Chicago, I am a pizza snob!
Here is a picture of four years of Italy teams
trying to all fit at one table in a cafe in California. Sunday afternoon for lunch July 23rd.
They happened to be at a conference in New Jersey and our church flew them out to the West Coast for the weekend. So we threw a little Italian Party with all our friends, family, mission supporters, and former team members. It was a cool time to reflect on all that God has done, watch our video, and pray together. We ended the night with GOOD pizza, as good as it can get in California: Lucia's! That was just Friday.
Saturday, bright eyed and bushy tailed, I (Tony) got up to PCC by 7:30 am to help serve the women for their all day conference. It was a cool time to help and support the ladies of PCC. Wendy went and had some cool times connecting with her friends.
The whole day ended with a concert by Sara Groves (www.saragroves.com) who is a very great writer and story teller and my friend and fellow PCC pastor Matt Nightinale (www.mattnightingale.net) blasting the night away to a couple hundred sweaty souls. The Kerrs came and joined in the sweat fest with us which was cool! (Saturday Night July 22nd 8pm)
It has been so HOT here. Over 110 degrees. And no one has AC--most houses, our "church building", etc. Ahhhhh, our house is a sauna, and all over our county the window AC things have been sold out. So we have on on order to come by Wednesday!
In between doing the women's conference and the concert. I snuck the Fantes to San Francsico for a quick mini-tour. I took them to our Favorite Italian Restuarant in North Beach called MONA LISA (which they loved and our waiter, Luciano, of course was a cool Italian guy) and our favorite CAFE GRECO and then to Coit tower (the site of our first Kiss and engagement http://www.aviewoncities.com/sf/coittower.htm)
to Lombard St, and a quick Wharf perusal.
The Fantes came over to our house Sunday morning for cappucino! Wendy made it and they liked it. Thankfully. I was worried because when I took them to Starbucks and they called it "dirty foot water!" It's ok for them to be coffee snobs-cause because of Italy and Chicago, I am a pizza snob!
Here is a picture of four years of Italy teams
trying to all fit at one table in a cafe in California. Sunday afternoon for lunch July 23rd.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Granita on July 4th
MI PIACE GRANITA
Granita like you have never had
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!! We started of our independence day celebration with GRANITA. Our team is being treated up! We woke up this morning and Marco and Cinzia took us to Cafe Mito..and we had this amazing gelato type morning breakfast meal. You order your flavor (coffee, almond, peach, strawberry, chocolate, limone, etc) And then you get a warm brioche (Italian Crossiant) and dip it in. This is a Sicilian tradition. Soo good. If you ever come to Sicily, eat some Granita. And of course sip some cappucino!
Granita like you have never had
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!! We started of our independence day celebration with GRANITA. Our team is being treated up! We woke up this morning and Marco and Cinzia took us to Cafe Mito..and we had this amazing gelato type morning breakfast meal. You order your flavor (coffee, almond, peach, strawberry, chocolate, limone, etc) And then you get a warm brioche (Italian Crossiant) and dip it in. This is a Sicilian tradition. Soo good. If you ever come to Sicily, eat some Granita. And of course sip some cappucino!
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