The Pastor’s Blog

Notes, news, information, lessons, and updates from the Pastor’s desk and others.

Something’s Afoot in the Church and it’s not at the End of Your Leg

Posted on Dec 20, 2024 by Brian Casey in General, Pastor's Blog | Tags: Service, Volunteer

One of the neat things about coming into a new situation — for example joining a church you’ve never been part of before — is that you have no idea really about what is and isn’t possible. When you don’t know whether a thing can be done or not and you’ve got a sort of eager go-getter mentality that for better or worse believes there isn’t anything you can’t learn or be taught to do, there aren’t a lot of barriers to you when you say you want to do things that no one else has looked at in a while. Libraries, for instance. Coffee service, for another. Websites for a third.

On my first day at MFC, as I am sure he will confirm, the big question I felt lead to ask Pastor Jesse was, “What does your church need most?”

“Volunteers,” he said.

So, I took him at his word (which you should definitely always do with Pastors) and, as I walked around the church building with him the next week on his tour, I asked him a lot of annoying questions about who was doing what every time I saw something I thought needed doing. Which is how I ended up sorting out the library. And why the renamed Sunday coffee ministry, Fellowsip, is back. And why you are now looking at a shiny new website for the Church.

I was pleased to discover that the church Facebook page had become a sort of repository of Church History and photographs. I’ve incorporated many of those from the earliest days of the church right up to the most current ones into the redesign of the website. I hope it will bring fond memories to those of you who are seasoned enough to remember some of the people in them or the events that occasioned their taking. Eventually, I’d love to add a dedicated Church History page to the site, showcasing documents and photographs that tell the story of MFC from its beginnings to today.

Another project close to my heart is reviving the Pastor’s Blog. One of my goals has been to make it easy for Jesse to communicate informally with the congregation through the website. While there are still a few technical details to work out, we’re much closer to making this a reality today than we were yesterday. This post is proof of that.

Now, I know it can be daunting to see the new guy come in and just sort of leap into doing things that you might have been wondering if you’d ever see again, but, as someone told me last Sunday before service, “You came with your skates on.”

To which I could not help but reply, “Yes I did. And anyone else who wants to hitch on can come along for the ride.” Because as Peter reminds us in his first letter:

7 For the culmination of all things is near. So be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of prayer. 8 Above all keep your love for one another fervent because love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without complaining. 10 Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of the varied grace of God. 11 Whoever speaks, let it be with God’s words. Whoever serves, do so with the strength that God supplies, so that in everything God will be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

–1 Peter 4:7-11 NET

I came to MFC in that spirit, confident from the start that this was where I needed to be after a long absence away from any church whatsoever. Did God pick me up and send me here? I won’t claim that. I can’t say for certain. But I know this: it feels right, and I am committed to serving with all the energy and love I can muster.

–Brian

May Touchstone

Posted on May 19, 2022 by Alisha Banks in General |

Touchstone Newsletter for May 2022

Medford Friends Church

525 De Barr Avenue, Medford, OR 97501

Office Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday – Thursday

Office Phone: 541-772-6926

Pastor – Jesse Davis

jesse.davis@medfordfriendschurch.org

From Jesse Davis

Hyperspeed

Did you ever watch Star Wars? I know, silly question. In Star Wars the space ships have a way to move faster than light, to travel between star systems in a very quick time, this is called Hyperspeed. It makes a galaxy spanning civilization plausible, otherwise it would take hundreds or thousands of years to move between solar systems. Anyway, you can go real fast to get where you want to go = Hyperspeed. Sometimes I wish that following Jesus had a hyperspeed mode. That we could just plug in the place we wanted to be and hit the throttle to get there as soon as possible. But following Jesus is a lot more like the Oregon Trail than Star Wars. You have to move at a normal pace and go where your leader takes you. Jesus walks with us and teaches us along the way, so if we skipped the in-between we would miss out on all that He had to teach us as we journeyed together. What I am trying to say is, if you aren’t where you want to be in your faith journey yet don’t worry. Keep following Jesus and He will get you there.

Elders Committee Meeting, May 10^th, at 6 p.m.

Stewards Committee Meeting, Thursday, May 12^th, at 2 p.m. at MFC.

Financial Report for March 2022

February YTD

Income 16916.13 32154.11

Expense 14109.60 29366.47

Difference 2806.53 2787.64

May Birthdays

Josh Nicholson May 1^st, Patsy Burton May 2^nd, Rich Mann May 3^rd, Jesse Davis May 6^th, Ilene Ogier and Erica Chan May 8^th, Charlie Swingle May 10^th, Ashley Krupp May 12^th, Amanda Matheisen May 15^th, Liam Krupp May 17^th, Jim Redford May 19^th, Billie Taylor May 25^th, Jeremy Hayes May 27^th, Phil Chan May 28^th, and Phebe Archibald May 31^st.

Please join the Elders on Sunday May 1^st in the Fellowship Hall after church to help Terry Wilson celebrate her retirement.

Friends Women – The Friends Women Fellowship regular monthly meeting for business is scheduled for Wednesday, May 11^th, at 10:30 a.m. in the conference room unless posted otherwise. This month’s mission history story time features the story of the Bolivian Friends Church highlighting the decade of the 40’s, a time of much conflict (ideology, personality, culture), yet a time of much growth as God’s plan prevailed.

Special Days in May – May 1^st is May Day, National Loyalty Day, and Silver Star Service Banner Day. The first week of May – from May 1^st to 7^th– is National Correctional Officers Week, Public Service Recognition Week, and National Small Business Week. The whole month of May is recognized as Military Appreciation Month. The National Day of Prayer is on May 5^th. National Military Spouse Appreciation Day falls on May 6^th this year. Mother’s Day is on May 9^th. Peace Officers Memorial Day falls on May 15^th. This year, May 26^th is Ascension Day, commemorating Jesus Christ’s ascension into heaven. Memorial Day is May 30^th. This is a busy month, with much to celebrate and remember. And a final observance, National Smile Day, tops off the month’s final day, May 31^st.

Prayerfully consider propelling the Luke 10 Initiative forward through EFM’s 2022 Easter Offering. Your gifts will help us fuel the movement that was the essence of Jesus’ passion – that all would experience the transforming power of the Resurrection. Our goal is to send ten new missionary households to five new fields by 2025.

Your Easter Offering can be given directly at that website or mailed to Evangelical Friends Mission, P.O. Box 771139, Wichita, KS 67277.

Be Joyful Always…

Posted on Aug 27, 2020 by Jesse Davis in News and Events |

Be joyful always; pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

I Thessalonians 5: 16

During these days of rising numbers of covid virus in Jackson County and Oregon, we all realize the serious aspect of these times. In these times I find myself looking for joyous events and things that will lift our spirits and allow us to feel some normal. In the Tappero family we have experienced some “normal” things in new ways.

We love tea parties with our 5-year-old granddaughter who lives in Portland so we have learned to have tele-tea parties via face time on our phones. We stay in touch with family near and far, sharing events on line and face time. Our nephews are on two separate continents and we so appreciate we are in their lives via long distance calls and videos. (Our grand-nephew is the cutest little guy ever!) Our family is very excited that our son Joseph and wife Leah are having a baby girl in Sept. During this exciting time they have created a variety of new ways to continue to share the joy without in-person events. We even had an online shower complete with games and prizes!

While these currents times are stress-filled, I encourage you to look to your life for simple, happy events, finding new ways to share these joyous events, large and small with family, church family and friends. Individual calls, letters, notes, postcards, e-mails, texts, etc. are some ways we can share the joy in our lives and stay close. Your joy brings joy to us all!

Life continues and thankfully Christ is in our life in many wonderful ways. Let us remember He is with us in all our days. It is to Him we give thanks for all our blessings.

Be safe, please find and share hope and joy in each day.

Blessings to each and every one of you,

Carla, MFC Elders

NWYM Friends Women’s Virtual Retreat Oregon shine Retreat will be held at Twin Rocks Friends Camp October 3-9, 2020. The speaker this year is Liz Seume from Quaker Cove Camp. Because of COVID no paper registrations are available, register online! If you need help with registration call Ellen Morse at 208-850-3131. She will make it happen! We’ll be posting daily videos from Oct. 3-9 for a virtual version of our annual Friends Women’s Retreat! There will be some Bible Study, inspirational messages, & a chance for some fellowship online. We’ll have some fun tutorials and giveaways too!

Birthdays Being Celebrated in September include: Drew Krupp, Chuck Taylor, Raeleigh Cadd, Dave Wolff, Terry DuLong, Cody Taylor, Lena Anderson, Camille Ralph, and Carla Tappero.

From the Stewards: Breathe – to take air into the lungs and then expel it.

Breath is the source of life. God’s breath is mentioned multiple times in scripture, from the creation of Adam in Genesis 2, when God breathed the breath of life into Adam, to John 20, when Jesus breathed on His disciples to fill them with the Holy Spirit.

Breathing is essential to life and I suspect that in these days of Covid-19, we’ve all been thinking a little more about the air that we breathe. That’s why, as a lifelong asthmatic who knows how it feels to struggle to take a breath, when I am in a public space I wear a mask, to protect other people from the air I expel, and that’s why I am thankful for those around me who wear a mask to protect me. For me, wearing a mask, and wearing it right, is an act of Christian love.

All of the recent focus on breathing and air quality has lead the Stewards to install air purifiers in the fellowship hall, fireside room and main hallway. While we can’t stop viruses with these, or with any air purifier, they will go a long way towards maintaining a safer breathing environment. In conjunction with our existing electronic filter in the sanctuary, we hope to keep cleaner and fresher air in that end of the building.

We hope, with this improvement, we will all be able to breathe a little easier when we are able to meet again, and for years to come. Mark

Let’s Work Together to Collect for Howard – Elementary School & Operation Shoebox!

Whether its classroom or online learning, back to school takes supplies, and this year is no different. If you would like to participate by donating supplies to Howard Elementary, you can bring them to the church office or contribute funds and the CE committee will shop for you. Ideas: scissors, Kleenex, Crayola crayons- 8 count and 24 count Crayola markers-regular & thin, glue sticks, wide rule spiral notebooks, colored pencils, erasers, backpacks and Ticonderoga pencils. This is also a great time to start collecting these items for Operation Shoebox – and watch for small toys, hygiene items, socks, t-shirts, etc. Thank you, CE Committee

NEWS FROM OUR CHURCH FAMILY:

We are trying something new for our MFC Church Family, if you have news that you would like to be included in the monthly Touchstone newsletter please email terry@medfordfriendschurch.org or call the office with the information you would like to share.

From Phyllis Krupp: I’ve been reminded this week of Eve in the Garden of Eden. In Genesis 3 Satan, in the form of a serpent, approached Eve and questioned her contentment. He was able to get Eve to shift her focus from all that God had done and instead look at the one thing he had withheld. This is purely human nature.

During this pandemic it is so much easier to look at all that we have lost instead of focusing on what we still have. One thing that we have lost is the ability to worship together in church. Satan may think that he has won the battle taking us out of church, but has he really won? When Emily suggested that we do a zoom meeting together on Sunday morning, several came back saying they had other plans, time with grandkids, hiking with friends, etc. Are we, instead of meeting Christ in the building, taking Christ with us in our everyday lives?

As I look at the future of the church, I have been challenged to think outside the box. What is God telling us through this pandemic? I remember Jack Hamilton telling me years ago that he heard that the church would be non-existent in five years. Of course the church has outlived that prediction, but is it time to think about a new direction for the Church of Christ? Will you pray with me for clarity on what God wants for His Church? When God reveals his plans for Medford Friends Church are you willing to accept his plan and go forward with it?

In the meantime, let’s put I Thessalonians 5:16-18 into practice: “Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

Financial Report

July 2020 Year-to-date
Income $10,886.65 $104,907.12
Expenses 13,929.18 90,150.36
Difference -3,042.53 14,756.76

We are very thankful for God’s continuing provision for us as His people and His church. And we thank everyone who continues to support the ministry of Medford Friends Church is these unique times with your prayers, financial gifts and time.

Correction to Richard Anderson’s address: 639 Miles Avenue, Billings, MT 59101

William Anderson’s college address: George Fox University 420 N Meridian Street #8074, Newberg, OR 97312

There Will Be a Day

Posted on Aug 27, 2020 by Jesse Davis in Pastor's Blog |

Jeremy Camp has a song called “There Will Be a Day” which talks about the hope that we have in the resurrection and a new life with God in Heaven. One section stands out to me in this time, “I know the journey seems so long, You feel you’re walking on your own, But there has never been a step, Where you’ve walked out all alone.” Many of us might be wrestling with the long separation that has been caused by the virus we are trying to deal with as a country. We are not alone in these times, we have the Comforter, Counselor, and Helper present with us in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We might feel distant to other humans but the God who created us all is present with us. He longs for close connection and relationship with us and is calling out for us to come near and be held by Him in this and all our times of struggle or sorrow. Jeremy’s song reminds us that God will be faithful to us and all these things will pass away, leaving us with joy and peace in the presence of the Lord.