My Church

Have I told you about my church? I like it a lot ... It has been a long time since I have really enjoyed a church. It's called Kononia PDX and is located in the St. Johns neighborhood of North Portland, the pastor is my cousen Mandy's husban Nick. Nick and Many just adopted two wonderful boys on Thanksgiving day and are learning very quickly what it means to be parents!



Yesterday we had donoughts and strawberry pastry and a fire. I ruined a pot of coffee by not puting a filter in and we almost used the communion juice for breakfast! There was a fire roaring in under the hearth and christmas icicle lights dangling above canvas artwork. We lost the keys to the cabinet and spent a good fifteen minutes searching everywhere. Finally I went in the Kitchen and asked the Lord to just make the keys appear, just then (seriously that moment!) Celina screamed and I heared the famaliar sound of jingling. Oh Lord, you do take care of your children.



We had I believe sixteen people yesterday, excluding Mandy and the boys (they have yet to make their formal entrance into the church family.) Sixteen, maybe you dont get it, but that is super exciting! There was a new face and in our attempt to be welcoming I fear we were a little overwhelming, we can only pray he saw the intentions of our hearts. The three little girls were really well behaved, they were able to sit at the kids table in the same room as the adults and play with stickers quietely. I was able to color and listen to the sermon, seriously the best of both worlds right there!



Nick gave a great message on the Advent, on what it looks like to get messy. He gives the story example in his blog. We are learning about the Advent Conspiracy theory which started a few years ago by the good people over at Imago Deo church. The theory is that we need to take the money would spend on christmas and give it away, for christmas presents we can make things, or give our time, our presence. I really love this, thought I dont have much money to give, I usually just give presents that I made or involve my time anyway, but it put everything into persepctive.



After church yesterday we had potato soup. It was delisous! Then I spent time with Mandy and Celina as we made a couple house visits and I met a wonderful woman named Cookie. We stopped at Julias house, and saw Jeff and Debbies dogs and chatted with the neighbor whose name we did not know about how much he enjoys the new little boys. We had tea and dropped Many back off, I think I saw little Richard through the window (I have yet to meet the boys.) My day was plesant, I was not in a hury, I anticipated spending my entire dy "at church" which if you havnt caught on by now is not really a place. Well, we do meet in a place, but that is not the essence of it. It is a community, maybe a small community for now, but a community of people living, growing and serving each other. I love my church and want to be a part of it for a long time. I am thankful for the Lord leading me to Portland where I can be a part of this church plant, I only hope that I can serve more and