Creative Worship Continues Despite Crisis

Mountain Home Worship Continues, Indoors or Out!

It was nice to join Mountain Home Church of Elwood for an inspiring outdoor service Sunday.  Drizzly October weather in the midst of a pandemic and just a month after a raging wildfire isn’t enough to stop worship at Mountain Home.  Faithful fellowshippers gathered Sunday morning in their cars, or in metal folding chairs beneath pop-up tents, to sing God’s praises and hear His Word.  It was the latest version of the Mtn Home “drive-in” service, an accommodation to Covid-19 precautions.  Pastor Dan Wentworth’s congregation has met on the lawn in front of the 128-year-old Elwood schoolhouse several times now.  The small sanctuary in in their century old church building (just across the street) is still being cleansed of smoke from September’s Riverside fire, which destroyed the Dodge Community Church building a few miles north of Elwood.  Pastor Dan and the elders of Elwood have been putting their creative gifts to good use to make sure their community continues to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ throughout all the struggles of 2020.  In recognition of pastor appreciation month Sunday, the congregation surprised Pastor Dan and his wife Nancy with gift certificates for a few nights away at a quiet vacation spot.

Sandy Area Pastors Break Bread
Pastors and leaders of InFaith: Northwest Oregon Churches in the Sandy area are gathering at Tollgate Inn this Wednesday (Oct 21) for our monthly no-host, no-agenda breakfast.  The Lord only knows what is going to happen at each of these monthly get-togethers.  Sometimes it’s a rousing theological discussion; other times it’s an hour or so of sharing ministry ideas; and other months its just a couple of jokes, good food and prayer.  Bring your masks, your appetites and your charming personalities.  Please let me know if we can save a seat for you.  Drop me a note at thiscox@infaith.org.

NWxNW Church Leaders Meet Again in Rainier
The NWxNW fellowship continues to grow, with some pastors inviting their elders and other church leaders to get involved.  Monday, October 26th  Columbia Bible Church of Rainier will host our fourth monthly gathering.  Once again, please let us know if you might be coming, and we will have a seat for you.  The fellowship begins at 10 AM in the church fellowship hall (downstairs).

Typos Rule the Day!
Thanks for your patience with my multiple communication errors in recent weeks.  Sometimes even my corrections have needed corrections.  Some of my more embarrassing gaffs recently: calling our Field Director Nathan Van Voorst (His real name is Nathan Bath and he is succeeding Jim Van Voorst); releasing the WRONG date for the NWxNW meeting (not once, but twice…the second time was after I had already sent a correction, and then made the mistake again); calling Columbia Bible Church (in Rainier)  by the name of Columbia Community Bible Church (which is in Portland).  So if you only got the uncorrected versions of those announcements, you may be showing up at the wrong church on the wrong date!  Hopefully, I won’t get anything worng before I end this memo!

May the Lord Bless you, even in your blunders, this week and always!

Tom Hiscox, NW Oregon Area Missionary thiscox@infaith.org