Soma

Community Conversation on the 29th

2012-01-16T05:42:00.000-08:00

On January 29th, during our regular worship gathering time we'll be talking about where we are as a worshiping community: where God has taken us so far AND what we're hoping to see Him do through us in the days/weeks/months/years ahead! Please try to come be a part of this conversation, as there is enormous value in prayerful, Kingdom-centered input from everyone who is invested in this community. Hope to see you there!

Christmas weekend plans updated...

2011-12-21T13:24:00.000-08:00

This year we'll be hosting our very first Christmas Eve worship gathering in Beaver Falls. We'll meet in the Berkshire (same space as always) at 7pm for an evening of Scripture, Song, and Celebration. That's (of course) Saturday, December 24th.

Then, on Christmas Day, instead of asking all of you to come to the Berkshire on Sunday morning for our usual worship gathering, we're going to join our brothers and sisters from the Beaver Falls Christian Assembly (Church) in their annual Community Christmas Dinner. Last year they served about 1,200 people, and we've been given a wonderful opportunity to spend some time in this context with our neighbors - specifically as 'table hosts'.

Here's how you can be a part of the action:

1. Beginning at 11am & going to 1pm, you can come to the cafeteria of the Beaver Falls High School (1701 8th Ave) and tell the volunteers that you are from The SOMA Gathering and are there to volunteer as a table host.

2. You'll be asked to sit at a table with the other folks who are there to have dinner, and you'll:

- make sure the guests feel welcome and comfortable

- be open to conversation: listening, praying with someone if they ask for it, and pointing to the heart of the Christmas story if the opportunity arises (without being overbearing in your approach)

- be there to serve in any way that's requested of you

This is a great chance for us to serve alongside other brothers and sisters in Christ, to spend a couple of hours with neighbors in Beaver Falls, and to live out one of the deep realities of Christmas - that 'the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve.' (Matthew 20:28).

Hope to see you on Christmas Eve @ 7pm at the Berkshire, and for anyone who is wanting to gather with others for corporate worship on Christmas morning, FPC Beaver (our sending congregation) will be having a worship service at 10am.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Gatherings

2011-12-12T06:25:00.001-08:00

Then on Christmas morning (the next day), we'll meet at our regular place and time for a very low-key gathering - unplugged, simple, meaningful.

Hope to see you there!

Blessed are the Un-Cool

2011-11-09T06:50:00.000-08:00

Some thoughts by blogger Rachel Held Evans worth thinking about in regards to the Church as the Christ's body on earth:

BLESSED ARE THE UN-COOL

People sometimes assume that because I’m a progressive 30-year-old who enjoys Mumford and Sons and has no children, I must want a super-hip church—you know, the kind that’s called “Thrive” or “Be” and which boasts “an awesome worship experience,” a fair-trade coffee bar, its own iPhone app, and a pastor who looks like a Jonas Brother.

While none of these features are inherently wrong, (and can of course be used by good people to do good things), these days I find myself longing for a church with a cool factor of about 0.

That’s right.

I want a church that includes fussy kids, old liturgy, bad sound, weird congregants, and…brace yourself…painfully amateur “special music” now and then.

Why?

See the full post by clicking here.

Crossroads Emergency Men's Shelter in Beaver Falls

2011-10-24T07:16:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, October 30th, the Director of Harbor Point Housing in Beaver County, Laura DiMuzio, will be sharing with us at our worship gathering about the Crossroads Emergency Men's Shelter in Beaver Falls, which is going to be operating every night over the winter in a local church building from November 1-March 31. They're looking for volunteers to help staff it, you can find more info about volunteering/training by contacting:

Laura DiMuzio

Director, Harbor Point Housing, Inc.

501 7th Avenue

Beaver Falls, PA 15010

Phone: 724 847-8807

21 Days of Prayer - Water

2011-10-04T08:12:00.000-07:00

Living Water International, a Jesus-inspired organization seeking to provide clean, accessible water to the 884 million people around the world who don't have, is inviting us to join them in 21 Days of Prayer - that all people will have water, and that more will come to know the Living Water, Jesus Christ.

Find out more about Living Water International here.

Download the 21 Day prayer guide here.

Clean Out Your Pantry

2011-09-20T04:48:00.000-07:00

As a part of our conversation about faith, justice, and poverty, we're going to join FPC Beaver (our planting congregation) for a week-long experiment: we want to see if we can skip grocery shopping for an entire week and live off of what's already in our pantries at home! During this week, if you're able to participate, you'll save up the money you would have used at the grocery store and bring it (and/or some canned/boxed goods) to our worship gathering on October 2nd.

All donations will go to local and international food/water relief organizations supporting our brothers and sisters struggling with hunger (Salvation Army Food Bank in Beaver Falls and Grace Mission to Haiti).

When Helping Hurts...

2011-09-13T06:08:00.000-07:00

A book we'd all benefit from reading:

www.whenhelpinghurts.org

2011-09-06T06:45:00.000-07:00

Here's what SOMA's up to:

THIS WEEK

Leadership Team Retreat: September 9th-10th
As we move into the Fall season, we're continuing to seek God's direction for the unique part our worshiping body has to play in making God's Kingdom known in Beaver Falls. As a part of this process, the leadership team (Marc de Jeu, Ian Graves, Paul & Brandie Pupi, Dave Slebodnik, and Todd & Dawn Smith) are going to be spending concentrated time praying together, studying together, and looking at SOMA's gifts along with our city's assets & challenges. We're asking all of you to be a part of this time by praying with us and for us, and also by sharing with us what you feel are SOMA's unique gifts as a community of faith, and how those could be put to use to share the good news of Jesus in Beaver Falls. Email me with any thoughts you have, and thanks for contributing in this way.

Sunday, September 11th
Our regular time gathering for worship in Beaver Falls @ 11:15am. We'll begin our 8-week conversation on Christians, Poverty, & Justice as we get into the Scriptures together, then share in our weekly meal. We're celebrating Communion this week as well.

UPCOMING

Baptism Conversation: Sunday, September 18th
Right after our worship gathering on Sunday, September 18th, Marc will be facilitating a class on baptism: what it is & why we do it. If you or your infant/toddler has never been baptized, and you'd like to know more about it, plan to be there for this time.

Clean out your Pantry, September 26th-October 2nd
As a part of our conversation about faith, justice, and poverty, we're going to join FPC Beaver (our planting congregation) for a week-long experiment: we want to see if we can skip grocery shopping for an entire week and live off of what's already in our pantries at home! During this week, if you're able to participate, you'll save up the money you would have used at the grocery store and bring it (and/or some canned/boxed goods) to our worship gathering on October 2nd. All donations will go to local and international food/water relief organizations - supporting our brothers and sisters struggling under issues of hunger.

Beaver Falls Homecoming Football Game, October 7th
A great way to 'show up' & celebrate with our neighbors on an evening filled with Tiger Pride. It's a 7:30pm game, played at Geneva College's Reeves Field. SOMA will cover tickets for anyone who lets me know they'd like to come!

Be God's,

Marc
www.thesomagathering.org

Block Party

2011-08-29T09:18:00.001-07:00

Well, it's been done. The Block Party we hosted on Saturday, August 27th was a blast! Over 70 volunteers helped put it on & over 200 more of our neighbors came out to enjoy the food, fun, and had a very good time.

Check out a quick video of that time here:

Block Party!

2011-08-09T05:35:00.001-07:00

On Saturday, August 27th, SOMA will be joining up with Tiger Pause ministry, TRAILS ministry, and several other services/businesses in Beaver Falls to throw a community block party. Food, games, crafts, face painting, bouncy castle - a bunch of fun stuff! We want to introduce ourselves to our new city in a broad way, give kids and their families a fun time before school starts, and work together with our neighbors to pull it off.

11am-2pm, check out more details here.

Get in touch with Marc here if you'd like to help out.

In Action

2011-07-25T05:06:00.000-07:00

Here's what SOMA's up to:

THIS WEEK

Monday - Friday - Serving Lunches this Summer in Beaver Falls with the YMCA
 For 9 weeks during the summer of 2011, SOMA is partnering with the YMCA to provide lunches for children in Beaver Falls. This is a great way for us to 'show up' in the city. We’ll need people to spend a couple of hours at lunchtime serving the food (provided by the YMCA), Monday - Friday, from June 20 – August 19. If you can help one day a week, great! If you can help one day during the entire summer, great! Let Marc know if you're interested in volunteering and/or getting more info, or just show up at noon at the Berkshire!

Monday, July 25th
There is a Bible study for young adults ages 18-25 being held at First Presbyterian Church in Beaver at 9pm. We're studying the book of Philippians.

Thursday, July 28th
The Thursday Community Group is planning to meet in the evening.
If you'd like to find out more about being a part of one of our Community Groups, get in touch with Marc by replying to this email or visit www.thesomagathering.org/c-groups.html.

Saturday, July 30th
We'll join Tiger Pause Ministry to continue their renovations of the 7th Ave. storefront properties we helped them purchase last year. We'll meet at 1326 7th Ave (former Catholic bookstore) at 9am and work until lunch. Wear shoes and bring work gloves if you have them. Let Marc know if you have any questions.

Sunday, July 31st
Our now-regular time gathering for worship in Beaver Falls @ 11:15am. We'll worship and then share our fellowship meal together.

UPCOMING

Sunday, August 7th
Our next potluck lunch! Immediately following our worship gathering. Bring whatever you want and enough for 6-8 people.

In Action

2011-07-19T04:33:00.000-07:00

Here's what SOMA's up to:

THIS WEEK

Monday - Friday - Serving Lunches this Summer in Beaver Falls with the YMCA
 For 9 weeks during the summer of 2011, SOMA is partnering with the YMCA to provide lunches for children in Beaver Falls. This is a great way for us to 'show up' in the city. We’ll need people to spend a couple of hours at lunchtime serving the food (provided by the YMCA), Monday - Friday, from June 20 – August 19. If you can help one day a week, great! If you can help one day during the entire summer, great! Let Marc know if you're interested in volunteering and/or getting more info, or just show up at noon at the Berkshire!

Monday, July 18th
There is a Bible study for young adults ages 18-25 being held at First Presbyterian Church in Beaver at 9pm. We're studying the book of Philippians.

Wednesday, July 20th
Dave Slebodnik's Community Group is planning to meet in the evening.

Thursday, July 21st
The Thursday Community Group is planning to meet in the evening.
If you'd like to find out more about being a part of one of our Community Groups, get in touch with Marc by replying to this email or visit www.thesomagathering.org/c-groups.html.

Sunday, July 24th
Our now-regular time gathering for worship in Beaver Falls @ 11:15am. We'll worship and then share our fellowship meal together.

UPCOMING

Saturday, July 30th
We'll join Tiger Pause Ministry to continue their renovations of the 7th Ave. storefront properties we helped them purchase last year. We'll meet at 1326 7th Ave (former Catholic bookstore) at 9am and work until lunch. Wear shoes and bring work gloves if you have them. Let Marc know if you have any questions.

Sunday, August 7th
Our next potluck lunch! Immediately following our worship gathering. Bring whatever you want and enough for 6-8 people.

COMMUNITY CONCERNS

If you've got something to share with SOMA's community by way of prayer request or a call for help from the body, let me know and I'll put those here.

Car need
If anyone knows about an old car that is available for cheap (thinking free up to $500 or so), let me know. There is a young woman for whom it would be a major blessing. Thanks for looking out.

Contact info here

In Action

2011-07-12T09:17:00.000-07:00

Here's what SOMA's up to in the days to come:

THIS WEEK

Monday - Friday - Serving Lunches this Summer in Beaver Falls with the YMCA
 For 9 weeks during the summer of 2011, SOMA is partnering with the YMCA to provide lunches for children in Beaver Falls. This is a great way for us to 'show up' in the city. We’ll need people to spend a couple of hours at lunchtime serving the food (provided by the YMCA), Monday - Friday, from June 20 – August 19. If you can help one day a week, great! If you can help one day during the entire summer, great! Let Marc know if you're interested in volunteering and/or getting more info, or just show up at noon at the Berkshire!

Monday, July 11th - there is a Bible study for young adults ages 18-25 being held at First Presbyterian Church in Beaver at 9pm. We're studying the book of Philippians.

Thursday, July 14th - The Thursday Community Group is planning to meet in the evening.
If you'd like to find out more about being a part of one of our Community Groups, get in touch with Marc by replying to this email or visit www.thesomagathering.org/c-groups.html.

Sunday, July 17th - Our now-regular time gathering for worship in Beaver Falls @ 11:15am. We'll worship and then share our fellowship meal together.

UPCOMING:

Saturday, July 30th - we'll join Tiger Pause Ministry to continue their renovations of the 7th Ave. storefront properties we helped them purchase last year. We'll meet at 1326 7th Ave (former Catholic bookstore) at 9am and work until lunch. Wear shoes and bring work gloves if you have them. Let Marc know if you have any questions.

COMMUNITY CONCERNS:

If you've got something to share with SOMA's community by way of prayer request or a call for help from the body, let me know and I'll put those here.

Car need - if anyone knows about an old car that is available for cheap (thinking free up to $500 or so), let me know. There is a young woman for whom it would be a major blessing. Thanks for looking out.

Contact info here

Community

2011-07-06T08:41:00.000-07:00

God is community, and has designed us to crave and join in his kind of community.

Like this:

First Sunday in Beaver Falls

2011-06-07T14:56:00.000-07:00

To everyone who has been praying for SOMA & our move to Beaver Falls,
Thank you for your continued prayers, donations, and words of encouragement as our community took on the task of moving into the Berkshire banquet facility in Beaver Falls. Sunday, June 5th, was our first time gathering for worship in our new location, and it was a wonderful piece of confirmation that this was the right move. We had a good turnout (66 total - 55 in the main space and 11 young children), saw several new people from Beaver Falls join us, experienced the baptism of a child in one of our newer families, and enjoyed a fantastic potluck lunch. I'd encourage you to check out the video of this time by clicking here.

So much work went into preparing the space itself (which I hope you can appreciate via the video, or better yet - come by and join us sometime!), but we're convinced that the real work now begins. We're wanting to get to know our new neighbors better, spend time in the city, and learn what it means to be a unique announcement of the Reign of God in Jesus. During the summer we're encouraging our folks to show up in the city (ala the Car Cruise on Saturday, June 11th), to listen well (ala our June 15th listening day, where we'll be asking people questions on the street, in restaurants, businesses, etc. about what they feel their city needs), and to serve well (ala serving summer lunches to children and youth, Monday through Friday, June 20th - August 18th).

Please continue to pray. We're off to a great start here, and we're privileged to share in the work of God's Kingdom, desiring to see His name lifted high.

And as always, you can keep up with what we're up to by visiting www.thesomagathering.org.

It starts with God's mission

2011-05-04T06:57:00.000-07:00

From the point of view of Michael Frost:

Beaver Falls Forever

2011-04-25T07:52:00.001-07:00

A new group in Beaver Falls - everyday citizens who want to make a difference, and are coming together to try to do it.

Check it out: www.bffbuzz.org

Easter = Resurrection!

2011-04-15T07:25:00.000-07:00

Here are SOMA's Easter week plans:

Maundy Thursday service @ FPC Beaver - 7:30pm in the Sanctuary

Good Friday service @ FPC Beaver - 7:30pm in the Sanctuary

Easter morning worship:

We'll gather at 11:15am in FPC Beaver's Fellowship Hall. This is in place of our usual 5pm gathering at the YMCA (the YMCA is closed for the weekend).

All are invited to come celebrate Jesus' resurrection with us!

Feast

2011-03-23T17:14:00.000-07:00

A stunning excerpt from the book To Live in Peace: Biblical Faith and the Changing Inner City, written by Mark R. Gornik:

"Scripture invites us [the Church] to enact ways of Christian community that demonstrate the anticipation of God's eternal feast. The Messianic feast is that of the assembled community, which proclaims the gospel, responds to the liberation experienced, baptizes with the token of the new beginning and, at the table of the Lord, anticipates the fellowship of God's Kingdom.

By creatively continuing God's feast - by being a community that faithfully proclaims forgiveness, lives in joy, reverses status roles, and opens the table more and more to the least of these - the church is a foretaste of the fullness of God and the redemption of all creation.

The Church doesn't simply proclaim good news; it is good news" (pg. 69).

The latest

2011-02-23T12:59:00.001-08:00

We've been pressing ahead with this move to Beaver Falls. It looks like we're going to worship together for the first time in the city on Sunday, June 5, 2011 @ 11:15am, meeting in the basement space of the Berkshire Banquet Facility.

Here's a link where you can find more info about the move: SOMA to Beaver Falls

Thanks for your prayers.

SOMA & Beaver Falls

2011-01-10T12:52:00.000-08:00

Click here to see more about our move into the city of Beaver Falls

Happy New Year

2011-01-05T08:33:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve

2010-12-22T08:28:00.001-08:00

On Friday the 24th we'll have our Christmas Eve service @ 4pm at First Presbyterian Church in Beaver. Join us if you can!

2010-12-07T09:46:00.000-08:00

As we're getting deeper into the Advent season with Christmas day on the way, we've got a great opportunity to live out what Scripture means when it tells us that "it's better to give than to receive."

Every year the YMCA selects 10-12 families in the community to be a part of their Christmas of Giving program. Each family will receive presents for the holidays and a free one-year membership to the YMCA. On the morning of December 18th, we've got a chance to join in! If you'd like to volunteer to be a part of this time, you'll need to come to the YMCA's multi-purpose room (where we meet for our worship gatherings) at 8:45am.

We’re looking for:

* At least 3 SOMA families to volunteer to go Christmas shopping with one child, who will be shopping for presents for his/her family. And as you shop, one member of your family will be secretly shopping for that child. The money is already donated, so you’re basically shopping for a family with someone else’s cash – not a bad deal!
* Volunteers to wrap presents when they are bought back
* People to help serve breakfast & lunch
* People to help setup/teardown for the event

While the shopping is happening, the parents will also spend the morning learning about financial management and nutritional cooking on a budget. We’ll be sharing breakfast, lunch, and a Christmas devotional time from Scripture with these families.

If you’d like to be a blessing to a family in this way during the Christmas season, email Marc @ mdejeu@fpcbeaver.com. If you’re planning to help wrap presents or setup/teardown on the 18th, you can also call the YMCA’s front desk (724-891-8439) and just give them a heads up that you’re coming.

Hope you’ll consider being a part of this chance to experience the joy of giving this Christmas!

What's ahead?

2010-11-17T05:57:00.000-08:00

SOMA’s stated mission: to glorify God by introducing people to Jesus Christ.

As we’re more than 7 months into publicly worshiping together, SOMA’s leadership team has been taking note of how we’re doing. We’re asking ‘is there anything holding us back?’ One recurring question related to this has been: ‘Is our mission field too broad?’ Right now we’re essentially trying to reach out to the entire Beaver Valley – that’s a huge group, and we’re a small community.

SOMA’s Leadership Team spent a Friday/Saturday retreat in August asking 2 big questions:
1. Would we better be able to carry out our mission if we were more focused? We decided ‘yes.’
2. Who should we focus on engaging? We were just planning to start that conversation, but were surprised that through our prayer and discussion we found a lot of energy/momentum on one particular community: Beaver Falls

Why explore focusing on the city of Beaver Falls?
• When a group of people gets in a room and honestly prays for God’s direction, and everyone senses the same direction, we’ve got a responsibility to check it out!
• We’re seeing small but emerging partnerships in Beaver Falls (such as with Tiger Pause Ministry)
• There are quality churches in the city of Beaver Falls, but nothing that looks quite like we do
• Our ethos tends to resonate w/ younger folks, and we’re seeing increased participation from Geneva College
• Our worshiping community’s gifts may match some of the felt needs in the city of Beaver Falls

We put together a task force to answer the question: “what would it look like for SOMA to take root in Beaver Falls?”
• Part of that process is getting the input of the people who are a regular part of this worshiping community. Through the first half of December 2010, members of our leadership team will be contacting people who are a regular part of SOMA’s worshiping community to talk with you about making this move. We’ll be asking:
 Are you willing to worship together with us in the city of Beaver Falls?
• We’d most likely gather on Sunday mornings
• The earliest this would happen is May 2011
 Beyond the weekly worship gatherings, are you willing to make the city of Beaver Falls your primary mission field?
• Levels of ‘moving in’: Some already live there, others would move there. If you don’t live there or move there, are you willing to commit to spending intentional time there on a regular basis?
• Praying for the people of Beaver Falls, that those who don’t yet know Jesus would come to find life in him.
• In the Beaver Valley, this is akin to a cross-cultural move for many. We realize this and plan to have intentional training time together in the months leading up to the move.

Five years from now, we want this worshiping community to be a reflection of God’s Kingdom:
• A worshiping community that’s diverse: multi-racial, multi-generational, blue collar & white collar, devoted followers of Jesus who are journeying alongside curious skeptics
• Where we love God, love each other, and love our community sacrificially
• Where people are finding life, hope, real healing, and freedom – coming to know Jesus deeply!

We think this may be the next step in our journey to get there, but we know: “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Proverbs 19:21). So please be praying:
• For your part in this: not just ‘is it more convenient for me in that time or that place?’, but ‘As SOMA’s leadership starts to sense this direction, do I sense myself/my family being led to be a part of that mission to see the unchurched in the city of Beaver Falls experience Jesus?”
• For SOMA’s leadership team: we’d like to make a decision one way or the other to starting moving forward at the beginning of 2011. We haven’t made this decision yet; part of that discernment is seeking your prayerful input
 The leadership team is spending a lot of time in discussion & prayer about this
 FPC’s Session (our sending congregation) is a part of this process as well

We need to come together as a community to pray about these things - big things, exciting things, risky things. And if it’s God’s desire, eternal things.

I’m glad to be taking this journey with you. May God teach us what it means that we are blessed to be a blessing.

Be God’s

Consummation

2010-11-03T08:05:00.001-07:00

As we're ending up our series on "The Story", here's a great take on the consummation, when Jesus returns and everything is finally the way it's supposed to be. Click here to check it out.

Creation

2010-10-20T07:22:00.001-07:00

As we spend the next month talking about the Redemptive Story of the gospel, here's a great piece on Act 1 of the Drama: Creation. As you watch this, consider what almost sounds like a throwaway line in Genesis 1:16 - "...and he also made the stars."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ya12I036lg

The Army of God

2010-10-06T12:23:00.000-07:00

This Sunday we'll be talking about what it means that the Church is called out for a purpose. A great old-school reminder from William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army:

I had a vision.

I saw a dark and stormy ocean. Over it the black clouds hung heavily; through them every now and then vivid lightening flashed and loud thunder rolled, while the winds moaned, and the waves rose and foamed, towered and broke, only to rise and foam, tower and break again.

In that ocean I thought I saw myriads of poor human beings plunging and floating, shouting and shrieking, cursing and struggling and drowning; and as they cursed and screamed they rose and shrieked again, and then some sank to rise no more.

And I saw out of this dark angry ocean, a mighty rock that rose up with it’s summit towering high above the black clouds that overhung the stormy sea. And all around the base of this great rock I saw a vast platform. Onto this platform, I saw with delight a number of the poor struggling, drowning wretches continually climbing out of the angry ocean. And I saw that a few of those who were already safe on the platform were helping the poor creatures still in the angry waters to reach the place of safety.

On looking more closely I found a number of those who had been rescued, industriously working and scheming by ladders, ropes, boats and other means more effective, to deliver the poor strugglers out of the sea. Here and there were some who actually jumped into the water, regardless of the consequences in their passion to "rescue the perishing." And I hardly know which gladdened me the most - the sight of the poor drowning people climbing onto the rocks reaching a place of safety, or the devotion and self-sacrifice of those whose whole being was wrapped up in the effort for their deliverance.

As I looked on, I saw that the occupants of that platform were quite a mixed company. That is, they were divided into different "sets" or classes, and they occupied themselves with different pleasures and employments. But only a very few of them seemed to make it their business to get the people out of the sea.

But what puzzled me most was the fact that though all of them had been rescued at one time or another from the ocean, nearly everyone seemed to have forgotten all about it. Anyway, it seemed the memory of its darkness and danger no longer troubled them at all. And what seemed equally strange and perplexing to me was that these people did not even seem to have any care - that is any agonizing care - about the poor perishing ones who were struggling and drowning right before their very eyes . . . many of whom were their own husbands and wives, brothers and sisters and even their own children.

Now this astonishing unconcern could not have been the result of ignorance or lack of knowledge, because they lived right there in full sight of it all and even talked about it sometimes. Many even went regularly to hear lectures and sermons in which the awful state of these poor drowning creatures was described.

I have always said that the occupants of this platform were engaged in different pursuits and pastimes. Some of them were absorbed day and night in trading and business in order to make gain, storing up their savings in boxes, safes and the like.

Many spent their time in amusing themselves with growing flowers on the side of the rock, others in painting pieces of cloth or in playing music, or in dressing themselves up in different styles and walking about to be admired. Some occupied themselves chiefly in eating and drinking, others were taken up with arguing about the poor drowning creatures that had already been rescued.

But the thing to me that seemed the most amazing was that those on the platform to whom He called, who heard His voice and felt that they ought to obey it - at least they said they did - those who confessed to love Him much were in full sympathy with Him in the task He had undertaken - who worshipped Him or who professed to do so - were so taken up with their trades and professions, their money saving and pleasures, their families and circles, their religions and arguments about it, and their preparation for going to the mainland, that they did not listen to the cry that came to them from this Wonderful Being who had Himself gone down into the sea. Anyway, if they heard it they did not heed it. They did not care. And so the multitude went on right before them struggling and shrieking and drowning in the darkness.

And then I saw something that seemed to me even more strange than anything that had gone on before in this strange vision. I saw that some of these people on the platform whom this Wonderful Being had called to, wanting them to come and help Him in His difficult task of saving these perishing creatures, were always praying and crying out to Him to come to them!

Some wanted Him to come and stay with them, and spend His time and strength in making them happier. Others wanted Him to come and take away various doubts and misgivings they had concerning the truth of some letters He had written them. Some wanted Him to come and make them feel more secure on the rock - so secure that they would be quite sure that they should never slip off again into the ocean. Numbers of others wanted Him to make them feel quite certain that they would really get off the rock and onto the mainland someday: because as a matter of fact, it was well known that some had walked so carelessly as to loose their footing, and had fallen back again into the stormy waters.

So these people used to meet and get up as high on the rock as they could, and looking towards the mainland (where they thought the Great Being was) they would cry out, "Come to us! Come and help us!" And all the while He was down (by His Spirit) among the poor struggling, drowning creatures in the angry deep, with His arms around them trying to drag them out, and looking up - oh! so longingly but all in vain - to those on the rock, crying to them with His voice all hoarse from calling, "Come to Me! Come, and help Me!

And then I understood it all. It was plain enough. The sea was the ocean of life - the sea of real, actual human existence. That lightening was the gleaming of piercing truth coming from Jehovah’s Throne. That thunder was the distant echoing of the wrath of God. Those multitudes of people shrieking, struggling and agonizing in the stormy sea, was the thousands and thousands of poor harlots and harlot-makers, of drunkards and drunkard makers, of thieves, liars, blasphemers and ungodly people of every kindred, tongue and nation.

Oh what a black sea it was! And oh, what multitudes of rich and poor, ignorant and educated were there. They were all so unalike in their outward circumstances and conditions, yet all alike in one thing - all sinners before God - all held by, and holding onto, some iniquity, fascinated by some idol, the slaves of some devilish lust, and ruled by the foul fiend from the bottomless pit!

"All alike in one thing?" No, all alike in two things - not only the same in their wickedness but, unless rescued, the same in their sinking, sinking . . . down, down, down . . . to the same terrible doom. That great sheltering rock represented Calvary, the place where Jesus had died for them. And the people on it were those who had been rescued. The way they used their energies, gifts and time represented the occupations and amusements of those who professed to be saved from sin and hell - followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. The handful of fierce, determined ones, who were risking their own lives in saving the perishing were true soldiers of the cross of Jesus. That Mighty Being who was calling to them from the midst of the angry waters was the Son of God, "the same yesterday, today and forever" who is still struggling and interceding to save the dying multitudes about us from this terrible doom of damnation, and whose voice can be heard above the music, machinery, and noise of life, calling on the rescued to come and help Him save the world.

My friends in Christ, you are rescued from the waters, you are on the rock, He is in the dark sea calling on you to come to Him and help Him. Will you go? Look for yourselves. The surging sea of life, crowded with perishing multitudes rolls up to the very spot on which you stand. Leaving the vision, I now come to speak of the fact - a fact that is as real as the Bible, as real as the Christ who hung upon the cross, as real as the judgment day will be, and as real as the heaven and hell that will follow it.

Look! Don’t be deceived by appearances - men and things are not what they seem. All who are not on the rock are in the sea! Look at them from the standpoint of the great White Throne, and what a sight you have! Jesus Christ, the Son of God is, through His Spirit, in the midst of this dying multitude, struggling to save them. And He is calling on you to jump into the sea - to go right away to His side and help Him in the holy strife. Will you jump? That is, will you go to His feet and place yourself absolutely at His disposal?

A young Christian once came to me, and told me that for some time she had been giving the Lord her profession and prayers and money, but now she wanted to give Him her life. She wanted to go right into the fight. In other words, she wanted to go to His assistance in the sea. As when a man from the shore, seeing another struggling in the water, takes off those outer garments that would hinder his efforts and leaps to the rescue, so will you who still linger on the bank, thinking and singing and praying about the poor perishing souls, lay aside your shame, your pride, your cares about other people’s opinions, your love of ease and all the selfish loves that have kept you back for so long, and rush to the rescue of this multitude of dying men and women.

Does the surging sea look dark and dangerous? Unquestionably it is so. There is no doubt that the leap for you, as for everyone who takes it, means difficulty and scorn and suffering. For you it may mean more than this. It may mean death. He who beckons you from the sea however, knows what it will mean - and knowing, He still calls to you and bids to you to come.

You must do it! You cannot hold back. You have enjoyed yourself in Christianity long enough. You have had pleasant feelings, pleasant songs, pleasant meetings, pleasant prospects. There has been much of human happiness, much clapping of hands and shouting of praises - very much of heaven on earth.

Now then, go to God and tell Him you are prepared as much as necessary to turn your back upon it all, and that you are willing to spend the rest of your days struggling in the midst of these perishing multitudes, whatever it may cost you.

You must do it. With the light that is now broken in upon your mind and the call that is now sounding in your ears, and the beckoning hands that are now before your eyes, you have no alternative. To go down among the perishing crowds is your duty. Your happiness from now on will consist in sharing their misery, your ease in sharing their pain, your crown in helping them to bear their cross, and your heaven in going into the very jaws of hell to rescue them.

Melody Olson

2010-09-29T13:16:00.002-07:00

Check out info about her concert this Monday at FPC Beaver!

http://www.thesomagathering.org/events.html
(copy and paste link in your address bar)

Melody Olson

2010-09-29T13:16:00.001-07:00

Check out info about this upcoming concert at: http://www.thesomagathering.org/events.html

Jesus' body

2010-09-14T13:10:00.001-07:00

At our weekly worship gatherings for the next month or so, we're asking the question:

What is Church?

And to help us answer this question, we're looking at 6 metaphors that Scripture uses to describe the eternal community of friends and followers of Jesus. The first week we explored the metaphor from which we get the name SOMA.

1 Corinthians 12:27 - "Now you are the body of Christ, and individually you're all members of it."

What does it mean that we're described as Jesus' body? I'd encourage you to reflect on this statement made by Teresa of Avila, a 15th century Christian mystic. You don't have to agree with it 100%, but consider what it might mean if it were true that:

Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

The Narrow Way

2010-08-23T08:21:00.000-07:00

We spent the past two weeks talking about the "narrow way" Jesus describes in his Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:13-23). Here's a couple of clips from well-known guys about this reality - hope they're meaningful for you!

Places to serve

2010-08-11T07:48:00.001-07:00

As we're connecting with area efforts engaged in community renewal, we're getting a good sense of relationship and finding places where we can be servants in our neighboring community. Here are a couple of ways you can plug into good work that's already going on and serve:

1. Habitat for Humanity ReStore is looking for volunteers:
ReStore is the means by which Habitat sells used and surplus building materials at a fraction of retail prices. This raises money and diverts materials away from landfills.

The ReStore is located in back of the Habitat Office – 47 Bridge Street Beaver Falls, PA
ReStore Hours:
Tues., Wed., and Friday – 10am-4pm; Saturday – 8am – 2pm

Volunteers need not bring anything. Habitat does strongly recommend that long pants and hard soled shoes be worn.

-The following items are inappropriate and unsafe for the job site and will not be permitted: sandals, open toed shoes, tank tops & t-shirt with cut off sleeves
- Please bring a bag lunch and drink (if working a full day).

2. Tiger Pause Ministry After-School Volunteers
Tiger Pause is looking for folks to work with the youth of their ministry in the afternoons during the week at their Beaver Falls after-school programs. If you're interested in helping out, get in touch with Matt Nance via their website: www.tigerpause.net

Judging

2010-08-04T06:55:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday we talked about Jesus words about judging one another in Matthew 7:1-6. Basically, they go like this: "don't do it." And when you find these words just after he's been talking about these hard things of the Kingdom of God, it's that much more important as a reminder: when we see what it means to live in the reality of God's Kingdom, a defensive posture will lead us to start saying, "And how's the other guy doing with that?" But we're not supposed to judge each other. Tall order, especially for the Church, with our reputation for being judgmental folks.

So what does Jesus mean?

Check out the teaching from this past week: July 31, 2010

Sunday

2010-07-18T06:10:00.001-07:00

Beginning September 5th, we're going to be moving our worship gatherings to Sunday's @ 5pm. We'll still be meeting @ the YMCA, and much of what we do will be unchanged. This move does give us more freedom in our Saturday Outreach Efforts (don't have to be done by early afternoon each week to allow folks to get cleaned up and back to the YMCA), and it also will prayerfully allow us to engage with more of the unchurched people in our neighboring community.

This was a decision full of discussion, deliberation, and prayer, and we'll keep praying that God's work is done through us as we try to introduce Jesus to people who don't yet know him.

Forgiveness

2010-07-06T07:05:00.000-07:00

Here's the passage we're going to get into @ our worship gathering this week:

"For if you forgive people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." - Matthew 6:14-15

Wow - Jesus says hard things. Who hasn't been wronged, and who hasn't had to make the choice between revenge or forgiveness? And maybe revenge isn't even an active plan to hurt that person. Maybe it's simply choosing to live with a heart without love for that person. Maybe you wouldn't push them into traffic, but maybe you wouldn't be warning them of the car speeding around the corner either.

But what if God's kind of forgiveness is more than simply not hurting that person in return? What if God's kind of forgiveness means we are actively working for that person's good? That we are able to extend to others the kind of forgiveness that God has extended to us?

Maybe forgiveness - the real, life-giving kind - is only truly possible when we've experienced it ourselves from the source of all redemption.

Here's a good take on this idea from Rob Bell, in his NOOMA video entitled "Luggage":

2010-06-21T17:43:00.000-07:00

I told the story this past week about Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, and the 3 others who went to the Auca people in Ecuador back in 1956. The context of the telling of this story was Jesus' hard teaching in Matthew 5:43-48..."love your enemies." Here's a little more on that story. The production is a little cheezy, but still worth the watch.

Living it

2010-06-16T10:23:00.001-07:00

It's so easy to get lost in the programmatic aspect of "church" that we lose the plot of God's 24-7 mission for our lives as his friends and followers. Here's a helpful narrative for living it where we are:

MISSIONAL COMMUNITY...SIMPLE from jeff maguire on Vimeo.

Coming Up

2010-06-01T10:17:00.000-07:00

Here are some things we're going to be doing in the next few weeks:

1. We're meeting at the Beaver County YMCA this Saturday at 10:30am, then going into the housing development behind the Y to pray for and invite folks to our worship gathering. We'll plan to be done about 11:30, so we can set up for the evening - this will let us get to John and Timi's wedding @ 2pm (congrats you two!).

2. On Saturday the 12th, we're heading back to the house in New Brighton to do our very best to work with the family to finish up their roof. If you've got roofing experience/equipment, we'd love to have you! If you don't, we're also planning on handing out water bottles to folks walking by, as well as offering to wash folks' windows in the neighborhood. Meet at the YMCA at 9am if you're interested in helping out.

3. On the 19th, Hoops for Haiti is going down at FPC's Fellowship Hall. There's more info in the blog entry just below this one - come, shoot, help.

Hoops for Haiti

2010-05-19T08:32:00.001-07:00

One of the things we really try to encourage is the Spirit-inspired, organic expressions of God's love through individual's passions and dreams. A great example of this is something called "Hoops for Haiti", which'll be taking place on June 19th as a fundraiser to continue in the efforts of loving relief on behalf of our brothers and sisters after the earthquake has changed their lives forever. Check out more about it at this site:

http://www.hoopsforhaiti.viviti.com/

This isn't something we came up with as a part of SOMA's programmed ministry - it's something one person got really excited about and we want to support the heck out of. This is what it's about - people finding life in Jesus and sharing that life with others - thanks be to God!

Integrity

2010-05-12T08:36:00.000-07:00

Someone this past week made a comment after visiting with us during our worship gathering on Saturday. They said that what impressed them most was our obvious desire to be active serving people who live in our surrounding community; that it wasn't just about getting together for a couple of hours on Saturday for corporate worship and a meal, but there was this other thing that we seemed really focused on as well.

You hear some feedback that isn't very helpful, and some that is. This definitely falls into the latter category. It's in our very makeup to live with integrity in that rhythm of "breathe in, breathe out" when it comes to the Spirit of God. As we're blessed, we want to share that blessing with others in our neighboring community.

It's my serious prayer that we continue to give this kind of impression - that we're not in this just for ourselves, but that we earnestly desire to be participants in God's Kingdom for the sake of our neighbors.

Generosity - online?

2010-05-04T17:47:00.000-07:00

It seems that there are some unique things about a community of people who find their commonality in Jesus. One of those characteristics is a radical kind of generosity. We see it in play in the very beginning of the Christian Church in Acts 2:42-45:

"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need."

So when the spiritual reality of unity in God roots deeply, it's makes its way into the practical things of our everyday life together. We've got the chance to experience that same radical generosity in community as well, since we have the same Spirit alive in us.

To help us in that end, we've got an online discussion board up and running where you can publicize:
1. What you're looking to give away
2. What you're willing to lend out
3. What you need (to borrow or for keeps)

It's kind of like Craig's List, but without the money thing.

Here is it:
http://somagathering.proboards.com/index.cgi
(copy and paste this link in your web browser address bar)

There's so much we can learn when we're living generously in community - let share in it together.

Hospitality

2010-04-27T16:49:00.001-07:00

A whole lot is communicated when we open our doors, our conversations, and our lives to another person. It tells the other that we value their presence, their input, and their selves. For some it seems to come more naturally than others, and it can even look different from person to person from the outside point-of-view. True hospitality begins in the heart and works its way out into the practical expressions that make us appear to be a welcoming people. Our truest example of this is found in Jesus himself, who invited regular Joe's and Jane's, impressive people, guilty people, children, seemingly anyone to share in his life.

We want to experience that welcomeness Jesus offers us, and in turn offer it to others. A great example of this so far in our life together has been the above-and-beyond hospitality offered to us by the Beaver County YMCA. Use of their space on Saturday's, storage throughout the week, permanent signage outside the Y, childcare provided for us, opening their facilities to anyone who was a part of SOMA that day - it's been blessing to us. In return, we want to bless them. That's the nature of hospitality: it calls forth a welcoming spirit in return.

Big thanks to the YMCA, and thanks to God for welcoming us all to come as we are.

Tear it down, then grow it up

2010-04-20T14:10:00.000-07:00

We've spent the last couple of weeks, and will be spending the next two as well, working with Tiger Pause ministry in Beaver Falls to tear down an old dilapidated house, clean up the lot, and begin to cultivate a community garden. My excitement in getting folks with SOMA involved with this effort was wrapped up in a couple of pieces:

First, the chance to start partnering with a group like Tiger Pause is huge for a brand new group like ours. Tiger Pause has been doing hard, hands-on, relationally-centered ministry in Beaver Falls for years, and they've impacted lives and earned the respect of so many in that community. As we try to develop relationships in that community ourselves, this is a great place to start.

Second, it's a powerful image of the old, useless, and dead being torn down, stripped away, and something new and literally life-giving taking its place. For communities and individuals to have a tangible, drive-past-and-look-out-the-window example of death giving way to life can be a tremendously helpful encouragement to experience new life that never ends - found only in the life-giver Jesus Christ.

Thanks to everyone who's helped so far, and if you'd still like to get on board with this effort, stop by the YMCA at 10am this Saturday and we'll head over to the house together.

And let's be the kind of people who take part in God's sharing of new life every day.

Launch day - success!

2010-04-11T05:24:00.000-07:00

What a tricky word to define in church-world: success.

We've been talking about the need for a consistent rhythm of breathing in and breathing out the life that God's pours into us by the Spirit of Jesus. We began the day yesterday by trying to care for our neighboring community in Beaver Falls, working with Tiger Pause ministry to demolish an old house so that a community garden can go in its place. We had about 20 folks come out for that.

During our worship gathering at 5pm, our very first at the YMCA, we had 84 chairs set out...and 80 people come in! Some of those were supporters from FPC (our sending congregation) who won't be coming regularly, but we also saw brand new faces for the very first time - God deserves thanks for that.

A big work crew in the morning and a full room in the late afternoon - success, right?

I believe it was, but not because of those things.

The values of God's Kingdom were lived out yesterday as people gave of themselves for the betterment of others. A group of people gathered to sing together, pray together, open the Scriptures together, and fellowship with one another IN JESUS' NAME. Some may have heard the message for the very first time, and God is at work in bringing life to dead places.

It's for those reasons that I'd call yesterday a success. The immeasurable goodness that Jesus lets us join in on - let's keep our focus on that and celebrate what God will continue to do in us and through us.

t-minus: one week

2010-04-03T06:02:00.000-07:00

We're exactly 7 days from kicking off at the YMCA. Lots of thoughts and feelings associated with this, but I wanted to highlight the timing and context of not only what we're about to do, but when we're doing it.

We've been moving through the Lenten season - the time leading up to the crucifixion (yesterday) and resurrection (tomorrow) of Jesus. Tomorrow is when followers of Jesus all around the world join together in saying "He is risen!"

That's a reality that holds true every day, and I think it's worth pointing out that as we get ready to introduce people to Jesus, we're introducing them to the God who is alive and well. Of course it's true every moment, but maybe we're especially attune to it right now - this week. And if it's the life-giving power of God's Spirit that will make our mission possible, maybe now is the perfect time to get on with it: while the glow of the risen Christ is still so fresh in our experience. And here's praying that in relying on that power, we'll keep resurrection in the front of our hearts and minds all the time.

New life springing from new life - sounds like a God-thing!

Update

2010-03-29T17:55:00.000-07:00

Lots to talk about!

First off, our 'incubation' time @ FPC is nearly at an end. We've got two weeks left in the Fellowship Hall - Palm Sunday weekend and Easter weekend. Then, come April 10th, we're good to go @ 5pm in the YMCA's Multi-purpose room. If you've been joining us regularly on Saturdays, I hope you sense the anticipation as we get on with the mission we believe God's given us! If you've been a faithful prayer partner, keep it up!

Secondly, the corporate "breathing out" part of our life together - the weekly community outreach efforts, are ready to go:
- We're all set to help the YMCA staff clean up their facility on April 3rd.
- On April 24th there's an opportunity to receive some training in a Christian Literacy program: teaching us to teach others how to read.
- We're also good to go for April 10th - May 1st in the tear-down of a dilapidated house in Beaver Falls in conjunction with Tiger Pause Ministry. When the tear-down is complete, something fruitful for the community will take its place.
If you'd still like to be a part of any of these efforts, you can either sign up this Saturday when SOMA gets together or drop an email to Dave Bretch at davebretch@gmail.com.

Third, we're gauging interest for our Community Groups - the smaller groups of ten or fewer people from SOMA's worshiping community who will meet together regularly to grow deeper in relationship with God, each other, and their neighboring community. We won't officially ask people to sign up for these groups until sometime in May, but you can express your interest in joining one now by emailing me (mdejeu@fpcbeaver.com) and letting me know.

Fourth, we're getting the word out about our public launch. Relationships and word of mouth are the #1 ways this will happen - this only makes sense if we're inviting people into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. We've got business card-sized invitation cards that you can hand people when you invite them: they include the place, time, etc. We're doing some other advertising with the YMCA, the Beaver County Times, etc., but the most effective way is US PERSONALLY INVITING PEOPLE WE KNOW who don't know Jesus. Even if you aren't a part of SOMA's regular worshiping community, you can still invite folks.

Lastly, let's keep in prayer that God's Spirit will continue to be our guide in all of this. In John 1 we see Jesus calling his first friends and followers. Here's a snapshot we can hold onto:
43The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me."
44Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.
45Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."
46"Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked.
"Come and see," said Philip.

We believe God's called us out to introduce people to Jesus - may Jesus be shown in everything we say, do, and are.

best,
marc