Worship Update 8/6

From Jay

The Routine of Church

The last thing you want from me is fitness advice. Anyone who knows me knows that I live in the extremes. Up, down, hot, cold, on, off. I once tried to say the word moderation out loud and I choked. I have people tell me about balance all the time when it comes to eating and exercise and, while intellectually I agree, I have never been able to apply that principle practically.

One thing I do know though is this, routine leads to plateau. Meaning if you stick with one type of exercise or movement over a long period of time, eventually your strength gain and benefit from that exercise lessens significantly. Eventually you are, in a sense, wasting your time doing something that is having very little effect on you.

Church on Sunday can be like that. Some of the things we do can be very routine. Here are a few routine things we do at Sunset: communion, prayer and healing, welcome and greet, baptisms, singing, offering, announcements, a message. These elements can have great significance, meaning and value. In communion we remember Christ’s sacrifice for us. When we welcome each other we remember that we are a community and that we are, in a real sense, family and not isolated. When we baptize we are celebrating together a life committed to God. When we sing together we are in a corporate conversation with our Creator that is unique and special. When we share what is going on in the life of our body through announcements we can connect people to areas of support and opportunity they might otherwise miss.

These elements can also reach a point where, for some, they reach a plateau of effectiveness because they have been done it exactly the same way for so long. People often ask me, “Why do you have to mess up that hymn by changing it? It’s just fine the way we’ve always done it.” The point of any type of change to anything we do in church is to highlight the deep meaning and significance and value of what we are doing… and to not let it grow so routine that we miss it and just go through the motions.

I believe with all my heart that what we should seek with all our hearts is not that we would do the same things or the same songs in the same way; rather, that we would seek to worship the same God who never changes, in ways that continue to stretch us, grow us, make us think, and that don’t become too routine.


Exciting Announcement!

From Jay…

Well…the search is over!! And what a search it was. I am pleased to announce that Sunset has hired a new choir director/arranger!!!! The search team, (Tom Davis, Bob Thomas, Heather Krieves, Travis, and myself) had a really impressive amount of candidates to interview. What separated the final pick, Eric Stearns, from the pack was his leadership, passion, and heart for the ministry as well as the family that is Sunset’s choir.

Eric is a music major at Western Oregon University. He has experience and extensive training in choral conducting, (currently on track for his masters level in conducting). He is currently a beloved worship leader at Warren Community Fellowship, and feels like God is calling him to Sunset. I don’t know if I have ever heard a better recommendation from a senior pastor for a music minister than I got from his senior pastor John Wecks, long time seminary prof from Western Seminary.

In addition to choral conducting, Eric is skilled and experienced in theatre, songwriting, singing, charting and arranging, and can play some serious keyboards.

Eric began working with us this week and I am so excited to have him join our community and for you to meet him. Please help me welcome Eric into our family. I am excited and grateful for this answer to our prayers!

Jay


From Eric…

Greetings!

First let me say how thrilled and excited I am about greeting you as the newest member of the Sunset Worship & Creative Arts team! I guess I should introduce myself, give you a little history, and then tell you about the great things we are going to accomplish together for the Lord.

My name is Eric Stearns, and I have been married for the last 8 years to Jennifer. We have two beautiful daughters; Grace, 6, and Rebekah, 5. Gracie is going into 2nd grade, and Bex is starting kindergarten next month. My wife is a middle school special education teacher in Tigard, and for the last 2½ years, I’ve worked as the worship guy at a church in Scappoose/St. Helens. We’ve lived in Oregon together for the last 6 years, having moved here from New York.

I’ve worked in worship ministry since 2002, the first couple of years balancing a theater career while learning how to be a worship arts pastor. Having worked at this full time for the last 8 years, I’m excited about this new opportunity at Sunset. I’ll be finishing up my Bachelor of Music soon, and continuing on to my Master’s of Contemporary Music at WOU. Finding this position at Sunset is a God-authored providence, as I’ll be able to do both at the same time!

As I start to look over some of where the choir has been, I get chills thinking about where we will be going soon! Obviously, Christmas and Easter are big times for us, performance-wise, but we have real opportunities to minister year-round, as well. Funny thing about choir music is that people seem to accept a choir singing about Jesus more freely than if a person stands up and speaks about Him publicly. I plan to take us outside the walls of this building in order to minister to the community around us in a non-threatening way. Over the next few years we will visit nursing homes, prisons, and perform at funerals for people who need some love. This Christmas, we’ll be singing at the Oregon Zoo, during their Zoolights celebration.

Jesus said, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35). As a group, people will know that we are followers of Jesus by the way we love each other and by the way we love our community. Sunset Choir is going to be a place where we will share Christ’s love freely, grow as disciples and musicians, and have quite a bit of fun along the way!

I can’t wait to meet you all at our first rehearsal! I won’t have a regular office schedule until September, as I’m finishing up my duties at Warren Community Fellowship over the month of August. Please feel free to contact me via email or phone if you have questions, though. Until then, remember to be the Church!

Blessings in His name!
E.C. Stearns


Seasons of Service Opportunities in August

Every Sunday in August we will be collecting School Supplies
This year we are joining with the efforts of Love In The Name of Christ (Love INC.) and will be asking you to provide supplies that will be given to several elementary & middle schools in our area, including William Walker & McKinley. Drop them in the supply boxes around the church. Supply lists are available on the supply boxes, our web site--www.sunsetpres.org/go/school_support, the lobby Welcome Kiosk, or in our office.

Sunday, August 29
Responding To A Community In Crisis: A Day of Support at Skyline Elementary School

In the wake of the disappearance of Kyron Horman, we want to encourage the staff and teachers, as well as the families of Skyline Elementary School as they look to begin the school year, by completing the work begun on 5-2-10. We need 150 people to serve. Bill and Maggie Schweinfurth, who led the Skyline team on 5-2-10 will be the project leaders. Here are the things that we will be doing that day:

Finish painting exterior metal handrails
Finish painting trim in two classrooms
Paint one wall in the library
Clean out and reorganize “volunteer” room in basement of school
Landscaping around the school (details not yet known)

For those who are physically unable to work we invite you to walk the school halls and grounds praying for the staff, faculty and students and families of Skyline

How to Register: If you want to help on that day signup by going to www.sunsetpres.org/go/skyline and follow the directions. You and your family can serve following the 9 am service or the 11 am service. Plan to serve for 3-4 hours. Eat before you go, or bring a lunch and your own water.


Opportunities To Serve

Baby Grand Piano
Needed, baby grand piano donation. We’re constantly working to meet the needs of those who come to our services. With some upcoming changes to other weekly services at Sunset, we need a baby grand piano (which is easier to lead worship from than an upright) for the Student Center. If you are able to help with this need, please contact Janet Fraser at janetfraser@sunsetpres.org or 503.292.9293 x341.

5:30p Volunteers needed
If you are a regular attender of the 5:30 gathering we would love to have you come and serve once a month. We are looking for people to help with in the following roles. Ushers, stage managers and powerpoint operators. For more information or to sign up contact janetfraser@sunsetpres.org

Serve Once A Month – With a Great Team
We are in need of ushers for the 11am service. If you are available and willing to serve once a month as an usher, it’s a great opportunity to get your feet wet in ministry. Interested? Please contact carriepeeples@sunsetpres.org or 503.292.9293 x3083.

Communion Help
We are looking for people willing to serve once a month helping with communion. Specific positions needed are prep, servers, and clean-up. If you are interested and willing to serve, please email to carriepeeples@sunsetpres.org or call 503.292.9293 x3083.

Come support and bolster the immune system of the weekend services.
Help us inoculate them with powerful prayers.
Each week, a few of us gather to pray over the weekend services. We typically meet on the night of the service rehearsal, which is generally on Thursday. We'd love to have you join us, whenever it might fit in your schedule. Come once, monthly or weekly.

What to expect: We enjoy a devotional time together first, with the whole service team, at 7pm. That lasts about a half hour. Then we break off for a time of prayer that lasts about 45 minutes to an hour. Join us?
Occasionally the day/time varies. With that in mind, contact Melinda melindalgroth@gmail.com to verify the schedule.


Upcoming Events
August 17-20, Kids Camp, click here for details

August 29, Serving at Skyline Elementary school, see above info