Discovery Church of The Nazarene

DISTRICT CALL TO PRAYER FOR OUR NATION The election is two days away. As you may have heard, the NorCal District has designated today, Sunday, Nov. 1, as a Day ...of Prayer for the 92 congregations that belong to our district family. Many have been praying for the outcome of this election. However, what kind of people we will be on Nov. 4 is equally if not more important. As followers of Jesus, our hope is in Christ and our citizenship is in heaven. We are called to be peacemakers and have been given the ministry of reconciliation. In an article published on Friday by Time Magazine, Pastor Andy Stanley wrote: "Your political candidate will win or lose based on how American citizens vote on a Tuesday in November. But the church wins or loses, the community wins or loses - and in some way. our nation wins or loses - based on how Christians love each other. "I have two suggestions for Christians during the days before and after this election. First, pray like Jesus prayed. Let’s pray for oneness among Christians. Second, find a way to love someone with whom you disagree politically. Listen, learn and love unconditionally. "If you’re thinking, 'Well, I don’t even know anybody I disagree with politically,' that’s a problem. Can I push a little bit? Maybe that’s why you’re so convinced you’re right. If you’re thinking, 'I can’t understand how anybody could believe that,' then you just made a confession. There’s something you don’t understand, and you can seek understanding. I invite you to seek out an opportunity to unconditionally love someone with whom you disagree politically. "Christians can disagree politically, but we must love unconditionally and pray for unity. Fear should not fuel our actions. Love is the power we need, and love must fuel both our conversations and choices. The gospel will spread just as Jesus intended when we, Christians across America, are willing to humble ourselves and seek unity in love." Friends, please join us in prayer for our nation today. If we have been careless with our words and witness and harmed our neighbors, let us repent and ask the Lord to soften our hearts. May we clothe ourselves in humility, kindness, grace, and love in the days to come. https://time.com/5905783/christians-election-2020

Hello NorCal Family, During our annual District Assembly, we normally have the privilege of ordaining women and men who have been recognized by the body of Chri...st as having the calling, gifts, and graces for pastoral service in the church. This is a special and holy moment that our ordinands will never forget. Unfortunately, due to the complications brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, we made the difficult choice to postpone our ordination ceremony to October 16. We are looking forward to gathering in the fall for this once-in-a-lifetime experience for our friends. This year's ordinands are: Pastor Monalie Ambi (International Christian Center, San Bruno) Pastor Adan Bárcenas (Salinas Bet-El, King City) Pastor Sophie Callahan (Heirloom East Bay, Castro Valley) Pastor Elizenda Chavez (Fuente de Vida, Hayward) Pastor Juan Lopez (La Gran Comision, San Jose) Pastor Alicia McClintic (Selah Church of the Nazarene, WA) Pastor Karla Sanchez (Oasis de Esperanza, Cambrian Park) Pastor Courtney Turner (NorCal District Staff) The Church of the Nazarene depends largely upon the spiritual qualifications, character, and manner of life of its ministers (Manual 502.1). Each of the pastors being ordained this year is a fulfillment of God's promise to give the world shepherds after God's own heart, who will lead God's people with knowledge and understanding" (Jeremiah 3:15). Please join us in celebrating these faithful servants of Christ!

TBC is an inter-denominational Christian organization, connecting churches all over the Bay Area around the work of Christ. Today they hosted four area black Christians who serve the Church in a variety of ways. They unpacked Scripture, shared their own experiences, and urged the Church to engage in the work of racial justice. Some of you might recognize Corey Leak who lives and serves here in the Tri-Valley.... Listen and learn.

Spread the word. This is good news for some of our friends without shelter.

Day 1: Psalms 1-8 Psalm 1 is quiet, gathering our distracted lives into a act of supreme attention. Psalm 2 is vigorous, countering the bullying world that intimidates us into hiding.... By means of Psalm we become a tree, putting down roots into the soil and streams of Torah, collected and recollected before God’s word. By means of Psalm 2 we observe Messiah, God personally involved in this world, often incognito, but here, and ruling. Psalm 1 concentrates our energies into listening attention. Psalm 2 expands our vision to take in the messianic revelation. At attention and in adoration, we are ready to pray. - Eugene Peterson, Answering God p. 32

We begin Ordinary Time. Check out our Chronicles Bible Study and 30 Days With the Prayers of God’s People.... #loveforGodandneighbor

Pentecost has come! Praise God for the gift of God's very own Spirit. This song by Audrey Assad will help us prepare for worship tomorrow morning.

Rusty and Lauren Brian hung out with us during our Midweek Connection yesterday. It was great to hear about God’s call on their lives and consider God’s call on our own. Check out their message, here: https://youtu.be/XfEMiprz7hU

Midweek Connection TONIGHT! 6pm on Zoom (same link as Sundays). Looking forward to having Rusty and Lauren Brian with us to share their story of how God has called them from Concord, CA to Nairobi, Kenya!

When is it okay to disobey the laws of the land? This is one of the central questions wrestled with in the Book of Esther. Queen Vashti said, "No," disobeyed, and brought suffering upon every woman in the empire. Mordecai said, "No," disobeyed, and brought suffering upon every Jew in the empire.... Esther... did something else. She discerned when and how to disobey. And when she said "No" to Persia's law, it was only because she was saying "Yes" to a higher law: the law of love.

Join us for our annual District Assembly! It's live right now.

Nazarenes and Pandemics; not the first time they've gone at it. https://www.pbusa.org/index.p/enews-leftmenu/may-june-2020

National Day of Prayer Zoom Gathering