Hybrid Approach to CitySalt Sunday Services | March 7, 2021

Dusty Johnson March 2, 2021

CitySalt Church,

We are coming upon the one-year anniversary of our first live-streamed service! Can you believe it was March 15th, 2020 that John, Dusty, and Mike sat at bistro tables in front of Dusty’s iPhone attempting our first Facebook live video? We have learned a ton since then, maybe more than we ever wanted to know about Zoom, live streams, and handwashing.

We would like to take this opportunity to update you on our current “when” and “how” plans for what we are calling a “hybrid” approach to CitySalt Sunday Services in the weeks ahead.

There have been many ups and downs this last year regarding churches, that include questions about the legality of limiting worship gatherings and the safety of meeting indoors. CitySalt has continued to opt to engage virtually for our Sunday services, knowing that our community is strong and that gathering in a common space, while wonderful and beautiful, is not the only means to worship Jesus.

That said, we do dream of the day we get to all worship together in the same space! We want to walk in-step with the Oregon Health Authority’s (OHA) recommendations for gatherings, sanitization, masks, and physical distance, as well as their analysis of positive COVID cases in our area. After all, we as the church can be the “experts” on loving God, loving our neighbors, studying scripture, and prayer; and we can let the epidemiologists study the spread of infectious disease and give guidance to mitigating any unnecessary risks associated with public gatherings.

As Lane County has regularly landed in the most extreme risk category for positive COVID cases per 100,000, we have all lived with restrictions on our regular routines. As of last week, we have moved out of this “Extreme Risk” category (>200 cases per 100,000) to the next category, “High Risk” (100-200 cases per 100,000). We started seeing restaurants begin to open for indoor dining, gyms increase their capacity, and even schools making arrangements to welcome students.

So what does that mean for CitySalt?

To the question of WHEN:

Our goal has been to begin Hybrid Sunday Evening Services when Lane County moves from “Extreme Risk” to “High Risk” categories according to the OHA metrics as listed above. Now that we have met this benchmark we will begin these services! Last Sunday (February 28th) we explored with the “walk through communion service” in our space, and this coming weekend (March 7th) our regular 5:30 Sunday Service will be in the “Hybrid” format. This is short notice. Our heart is to maintain our commitment to quality online services while welcoming folks to join in person at The Box.

These first “Phase 1” services will look different from the last time we worshiped together in person. And future phases of reopening will look different from this first phase. As we are a community together, we ask for your grace as we explore this new territory.

To the question of HOW:

Here is what to expect with our Hybrid Service Reopening Plan:

Service starts at 5:30, doors open at 5:15
Those in attendance will be documented, for the intent of contact tracing
Masks will be required at all times
Live-stream cameras will be on the stage area and around the room (you may be seen on the live-streamed broadcast)
Chairs will be arranged to accommodate household groups at least 6 feet apart
No Kids Ministry or Childcare will be provided during these services
- If your child is interested in participating in the “adult” service and can remain seated with their mask on they are welcome to attend
- If not, consider partners coming on alternate weeks so that the kids can stay home
- CitySalt Kids Ministry will continue monthly zoom parties and other projects
No food or drinks will be provided
A cleaning team will sanitize with The Box with EPA recommended cleaners prior to the doors opening
Music -- Will still be a part of our services
- Depending on who is leading worship, we may have teams live in The Box or live-streamed from home projected on the overhead screens
- Worship leaders who are live in The Box will maintain a 20-foot distance from front row seats and may remove their masks while singing
- The congregation is encouraged to sing while keeping a mask over the mouth and nose

Final Remarks:

We hope this outline helps you know “what” we have been watching for to initiate this new phase, and “how” you can expect the in-person portion of a worship service to look. It will be strange, it will be different, but there is no other church body we’d rather be taking on this challenge with than with all of you. Being the church, and worship itself, is a community endeavor. We are in this together no matter what room(s) we are in.

While some of us will be gathering at The Box, we will continue to prioritize our online participation. For those at home, please, continue to engage with Facebook comments, Big Table Sunday Zoom Fellowships, Kids Ministry Zoom Parties, and virtual small groups. You are absolutely a crucial part of our CitySalt body!

As the country makes its way back to normal and we get closer to the day we can safely gather in person, indoors, singing our hearts out without masks, and embracing each other with holy hugs. We are on a timeline that we don’t get to control, and we’ll phase back one step at a time--with grace, generous assumptions, and love for one another.

Grace and Peace,
CitySalt Church Leadership Team

Further Helpful Information from the Oregon Health Authority:

OHA Covid-19 Current Risk Level by County Map

OHA Guidance Chart based on Sector and Risk Level

Community Prayer Guide | March 2021

Darla Beardsley March 1, 2021

Each month we receive an updated Community Prayer Guide from One Hope ministry network that helps the church draw near to God and pray for various areas of our city life together. We invite you to take time to join hundreds of people who are praying each month for 10 strategic areas that shape our community's culture.

Community Prayer Guide March 2021

“I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
John 17:23

Church
Pray for the Lord to give local Jesus-following churches unity, so that Jesus can be known & followed by all.
Pray for every pastor and leadership team to have the Lord’s direction in preparing for Easter celebrations.
Pray for unity in every local church: to be filled with the Spirit to focus on and follow Jesus daily.

Education
Pray for peace and clear information about the vaccine for all educators; that it will not be a divisive issue.
Pray for students to have resiliency and motivation to return to new classroom environments.
Pray for educators to have hope, joy, and creative ideas as students return.
Pray for every classroom to overflow with the God’s peace and goodness.
Pray for innovative and engaging outreach strategies to high schoolers, bringing hope and purpose where they feel loss, especially for athletes.

Government
Pray for God’s wisdom upon every local governments’ mayors, commissioners, councils and staff.
Pray for Community Safety: for wise & well-coordinated efforts among local police, Cahoots & other agencies.
Pray for county, city, business, church and non-profit leaders to work collaboratively for community solutions.
Pray for the effective implementation of the “homeless systems transformation,” and for wisdom to guide the community’s efforts for more youth emergency housing.

Business
Pray for business leaders to have God’s wisdom to lead now and into a post pandemic paradigm.
Pray for God to help businesses most impacted by the shutdown (restaurants, gyms, hotels, etc.).
Pray for the local “workplace:” health, encouragement, good morale and healthy productivity.
Pray for a healthy and fast vaccine distribution so business can reopen.

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! …For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.”
Psalm 133:1,3b

“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; he LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.”
Numbers 6:24-26

Arts
Pray for local artists to remain encouraged and find new ways to create and display art.
Pray for students to remain engaged in the arts & for teachers to discover new ways to perform.
Pray for provision and guidance for those who lead the Very Little Theater and local art galleries.
Pray for God to touch the hearts of community members through the CAFA art show this Spring.

Family
Pray for God to strengthen marriages with joy, agape love, and good communication.
Pray for parents to discern truth and have wisdom to lead their kids in life and in the education system.
Pray for families to engage in healthy activities, relationships and resources that strengthen them.

Health Care
Pray for HCPs to bring peace & provide true, accurate vaccine information in the midst of misinformation.
Pray for God’s healing hand & wisdom to be upon COVID-19 treatments and the administration of the vaccine.
Pray for local medical leadership to remain healthy & hopeful, while embracing peace, wisdom & truth.
Pray for Dove Medical, our local pregnancy center, to bring hope and peace as they expand their services.

Police & Fire Departments
Pray for the Lord’s love, peace and blessing upon the families of our first responders.
Pray for the endurance, wisdom, peace and safety of those serving in our police and fire departments.
Pray for First Responders to be “ambassadors of peace,” bringing peace to every situation.
Pray for God’s wisdom and plans to lead the Oregon State Legislature as they consider police reform.
Pray for more first responders to be hired, and for those hired to be of noble character.

Media
Pray for God’s Spirit to draw the hearts of local media leaders to follow Jesus.
Pray for the staff of the Register Guard and the Eugene Weekly newspapers to be guided by the Lord.
Pray for God’s hand to be on local TV and radio stations to cultivate greater community understanding.
Pray for employees impacted by the closure of Register Guard’s print department: God’s peace and provision.

Sports
Pray for God to lead the plans for the Olympic Track & Field trials this June, and the World Athletics Championships in July 2022.
Pray for wisdom & blessing on all local youth sports organizations: schools, Kidsports, YMCA, Little League, etc.
Pray for God’s guidance for high school/college athletic programs, as they decide how and when to compete.

“Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”
Jeremiah 29:7

Find answers to prayer on our website: onehopenetwork.org/testimonies.

Love Your Enemies | Generous Assumptions

Terry Sheldon February 26, 2021

Lately I've been fascinated by our modern cultural definition of “enemies.” In perhaps more raw and uncivilized times in our history, an enemy literally meant a physical threat or actual harm. Certainly people do still experience terror and violence from others, but now it seems in our Western culture, more often than not our enemies are “only” people we disagree with (on social media), and from a distance - someone we don't even know!

A root word keeps reappearing in my thinking as I walk forward - assumptions. I want to learn more, I want God to teach me more about how we think. How our thoughts affect our ideas, our speech and ultimately our actions towards others. It appears our objective conclusions aren’t so, well, objective...

Remember the ancient fable of the three blind men and the elephant? Having never encountered one before, each of them touches one specific part of the huge beast. All three quarrel with the other because each thinks he knows what it is based entirely on his own limited experience. And all three are wrong.

In our own attempt to make sense of our world, we constantly do the same. We filter our judgments through our limited experiences, and worse, distort them even more with latent pessimism, cynicism, and tragically misplaced anger. Ignorance is a killer, and not caring to seek the bigger picture of the whole elephant, is inexcusable. But we all do it daily. God help us. And forgive us!

Why is our country so divided right now? The real truth, a wise man once said, frequently lies somewhere near the middle of two extremes. That is not to say there aren't stands that need to be taken, very real wrongs that need to be righted, and certain absolutes that are, well, absolute. But I maintain that most of our disagreements are exaggerated and misplaced. I have been humbled as a parent when I realized that the very thing I was so frustrated about with my own child, was my own personal failure as well.

The human condition has plenty of inherent common ground, if we are honest and humble to seek it.

So why are generous assumptions important - even essential? First, assumptions are by nature flawed because they are so quickly adopted and emotionally held. Irresistible thought candy. Secondly, even if "true", assumptions are typically only a very small part of the whole truth. We must redeem assumptions for the good, and then build on them. And we must gather more nuggets of information, while snacking on humble pie.

Yes, there for the grace of God, go we.

We are all quite complicated and always in process. Isn't giving another the benefit of the doubt something that Jesus would do? Tragically, Amazing Grace isn't a song we think much about singing to others.

Generous assumptions are a gift to us. They are one of God's most powerful tools in our employ, but they must be given away!

About the Author

Terry is a man in constant motion to explore new horizons. He has a thirst for new places and faces, and a deep love for the natural world - with a weakness for waterfalls and sunsets. All of this venturing out helps to both ground and inspire him, because it opens him up to people, with their vast, collective array of experiences, outlooks and responses.

He finds all of this fascinating and sees that it has encouraged the growth of something crucial in his Christian development: empathy and compassion toward his brothers and sisters on this planet.

Love Your Enemies | The Freedom of Forgiveness

Sara Gore February 12, 2021

What started out as an innocent misunderstanding with a neighbor has turned into a cold war of unforgiveness and limited contact. We live in the same townhouse complex, directly across the driveway from each other. Our last regular conversation ended last year, with her shouting at me “I will never talk to you again!” This is difficult to do, because she has developed a surrogate mother-daughter relationship with my immediate, next-door neighbor, whose front door is less than 6 feet from mine. I see this angry neighbor every day.

She turns her back to me if we pass each other on the sidewalk. And when she sees me pulling weeds in my front yard as she walks her dog past my home, she will say critical things about me to her dog, in a voice loud enough for me to hear.

I hate this! I’ve apologized, but my invitations to talk things over with her are ignored with no eye contact. I am no stranger to the silent treatment. One of my primary relatives would not talk to me for days even when I was a child, while we lived in the same house.

When I chose my personal relationship with Christ as my life’s priority, and took time to read my Bible, I learned it was my responsibility to initiate the healing by forgiving others first. I would make attempts to forgive regardless of the other person’s response, but I did not know how to manage my childhood pattern of responding with resentment and anxiety. Over the years, I found it easier to withdraw in self-protection.

Matthew 5:44-45 TPT
“However, I say to you, love your enemy, bless the one who curses you, do something wonderful for the one who hates you, and respond to the very ones who persecute you by praying for them. For that will reveal your identity as children of our heavenly Father.”

This tense situation has slowly escalated over the last year. And I’ve had the growing suspicion that Christ is giving me an opportunity to create new habits and better manage my emotions in a godly way. I started praying for my resistant neighbor, and a surprising thing happened.

On a particular morning I woke up feeling like a storm had passed. The usual buzz of tension and guilt I would wake up with was gone, and the air around my mind was quiet. I strongly felt this was no coincidence. Freedom comes with obedience. And I felt this glimpse of freedom was my reward. Praying for my neighbor is still not easy, but I am pressing into this obedience which is delivering me from my mind’s jail.

Importantly, this uncomfortable situation continues to reveal my incomplete areas. And I pray, ‘Lord help me to remember to bring my broken places to you so you can repair them with your healing love.’ My childhood pattern was to withdraw from the pain of being shut out. My broken relationship with my neighbor is teaching me to stop denying my dysfunction, face my responsibility, and choose instead to pray for her. This is the key part of my battle.

Matthew 5:45-46 TPT
“He is kind to all by bringing the sunrise to warm and rainfall to refresh, whether a person does what is good or evil. What reward do you deserve if you only love the loveable? Don’t even the tax collectors do that?”

I used to feel imprisoned and condemned by my relative’s anger and silent treatment, but Christ has spared me from spiritual death in a sustained rescue that has spanned decades. I see it clearly as I review my past life events. And I know that nothing can separate me from his love, and His love is all I need.

I feel Christ’s nudge guiding me to refuse darkness, as a type of victory, by turning my back on the disabling resentment that would try to attach itself to me. And to learn to laugh at the imperfect situations, because Christ has disarmed our spiritual adversary, who can no longer hurt us. This frees me to have empathy for my perceived enemies. Even to go the further step and pray for them!

About the Author

Sara has attended CitySalt Church since 2004, the year it was founded. She studied Journalism, wrote for her college newspaper, and is a member of Oregon Christian Writers. Sara also enjoys singing hymns with friends: “there is a sermon in every hymn waiting to be discovered and enjoyed.”

Community Prayer Guide | February 2021

Darla Beardsley February 1, 2021

Community Prayer Guide February 2021

“My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
Psalm 121:2

Church
Pray for every pastor to be encouraged, empowered and filled with God’s love.
Pray for unity in every local church: to be filled with the Spirit to focus on and follow Jesus daily.
Pray for God’s wisdom and presence to lead the One Hope strategic planning process; for local churches to function in unity and collaboration for the long-run.

Education
Pray for wisdom for district and school leaders as they are tasked with making school re-entry happen.
Pray for a peaceful, safe, and optimistic return for teachers and families.
Pray for families that they will have grace and wisdom to help their kids through another transition.
Pray for teachers to have hope, strength and positive attitudes vs. anxiety.
Pray for older students, that they would not be overlooked, and for meaningful connections to happen.

Government
Pray for God’s wisdom upon every local city governments’ mayors, councils and staff.
Pray for Community Safety: for wise & well-coordinated efforts among local police, Cahoots & other agencies.
Pray for county, city, business and non-profit leaders to work collaboratively for greater fruitfulness.
Pray for the effective implementation of the “homeless systems transformation,” and for wisdom to guide the community’s efforts for more youth emergency housing.
Pray for God’s wisdom and grace to be upon Sean VanGordon, the new interim Springfield mayor.

Business
Pray for God to help businesses most impacted by the shutdown (restaurants, gyms, hotels, etc.).
Pray for healthy and fast vaccine distribution so business can reopen.
Pray for the local “workplace:” health, encouragement, good morale and healthy productivity.

“May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.”
Psalm 20:1

“May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name of our God.
May the Lord grant all your requests.”
Psalm 20:5

Arts
Pray for high school seniors to remain engaged in the arts, even as performances are canceled.
Pray for God's wisdom & provision over local theaters & galleries to engage new ways to perform this season.
Pray for God to touch the hearts of community members through the CAFA art show this Spring.

Family
Pray for parents to discern truth and have wisdom to lead their kids in life and in the education system.
Pray for God to strengthen marriages with joy, agape love, and good communication.
Pray for families to engage in healthy activities, relationships and resources that strengthen them.

Health Care
Pray for God’s healing hand & wisdom to be upon COVID-19 treatments and the administration of the vaccine.
Pray for local medical leadership to remain healthy & hopeful, while embracing peace, wisdom & truth.
Pray for health care providers to have solutions & endurance to bring healing to those suffering in addiction.
Pray for HCPs to gently and wisely speak truth on medical issues that are in conflict with God’s design.

Police & Fire Departments
Pray for God’s wisdom and plans to lead the Oregon State Legislature as they consider police reform.
Pray for the endurance, wisdom, peace and safety of those serving in our police and fire departments.
Pray for First Responders to be “ambassadors of peace,” bringing peace to every situation.
Pray for more first responders to be hired, and for those hired to be of noble character.

Sports
Pray for wisdom & blessing on all local youth sports organizations: schools, Kidsports, YMCA, Little League, etc.
Pray for God to guide those who oversee athletics as the UO, LCC, Bushnell University and New Hope college.
Pray for God’s guidance for high school/college athletic programs, as they decide how and when to compete.

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
… Answer us when we call!”
Psalm 20:7, 9b

Find answers to prayer on our website: onehopenetwork.org/testimonies.

Love Your Enemies | Don’t Be Your Own Worst Enemy

Mark Beardsley January 29, 2021

Loving your enemy is hard. It’s really, REALLY hard. It takes patience, restraint and understanding. The work of considering who my enemies are, what they believe, and how to understand where they are coming from can take a lot of energy. This requires more than just normal, daily living, and God would have us forgive our enemies daily.

One of the ways I have found to help with this is to consider God’s greatest commandment, according to Jesus:

Matt 22: 37-40
“ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

After loving God, I find I am supposed to love my neighbor as myself. This implies I love myself, which I suppose I do, but I don’t think about it much. More often, I am harder on myself than I have ever been on another human being. This has been especially trying during this past year--feeling trapped at home and surrounded by the scourge of disease. I have been blessed with much support, thankfully, and my wife and I pray often for those who have not. My wife has told me to stop being so hard on her husband because she loves him and he is the beloved child of God. That makes me stop and consider: Am I not following God’s commandments by not loving myself as I would love my neighbor?

In addition to praying and seeking God, we must actually be the stewards of our bodies and minds in order to be able to love our enemies more fully – and to not become an enemy to self.

In taking care of my body, I try to see my physical self, in spite of its many flaws, as a gift from God. I try to exercise and eat well, but have failed at times. But I keep trying to stop the negative self talk, give it to God and move forward.

In taking care of my mind, I indulge in reading and watching shows with my wife. We both like playing games and have been enjoying some new ones as the pandemic months have dragged on. We take walks throughout the neighborhood, enjoying each other’s company and getting some physical exercise to boot!

In taking care of my spirit, my wife and I pray together. We continue to enjoy our Sunday church services with CitySalt on Sunday, albeit through YouTube, and also have enjoyed participating in other socially- distanced time with our church, friends and family.

In order to be ready to serve God in all that He asks: loving myself, loving my loved ones and loving my enemies, I am practicing loving myself first to fill up that well, that all might drink from it.

Matt 6:35-36
But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

About the Author

Mark lives in Oregon with his lovely wife, Darla and enjoys reading, writing, playing games and working to make the world a better place. He currently serves CitySalt church as a sound engineer and on the church council.

Love Your Enemies | Praying for our Enemies

Jessie Carter January 15, 2021

Luke 23:34
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His clothes by casting lots.

Matthew 5:44
“But I [Jesus] tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

The idea of loving your enemies is, in my opinion, one of the things that sets Christianity apart from many other religions. Unfortunately, it’s also one that we fail at miserably. I am heartbroken when I see Christians setting such a terrible example for the world. Dehumanizing politicians, using insulting names for people who want a better world in a different way than they do, even desiring the extermination of entire people groups-- I’ve seen it all, from family, friends, and former students of mine who claim to be Christ-followers.

But am I any better? Who are my enemies? How have I treated them?

I have lashed out in anger against people who I deemed to be working against me. I have held grudges long after I should have forgiven someone. I have cultivated resentment. I have thrown people under the proverbial bus because I was frustrated with them. And probably much more.

All of this could have been avoided, I’m sure, if I’d taken the time to pray for my enemies before I spoke or acted. Praying for them serves several purposes. It gives us compassion. It reminds us that we have all been sinners. We are all just as guilty as the people who were actively participating in the death of Jesus. Thank God for His grace, mercy, and sacrifice in the form of His Son. We can remember that if the person we’re at odds with isn’t a Christian, then they may not know what they are doing, and we can ask for them to know God’s forgiveness like we have. And if the person is a Christian, we can ask God to guide us both.

Praying for them also gives us the strength and ability to love them in a way that we are incapable of in our own power. I experienced this firsthand while living in Central Asia. Though the details of this experience might be better shared over coffee, I can tell you that God gave me a supernatural love for a group that I had every reason to hate. I’ve also had this experience in teaching, when a student is acting disruptively or disrespectfully. Of course I love my students and don’t see them as enemies, but I don’t always feel that love toward them at the moment. Even teachers are human! But when I pray for them, my attitude changes and sometimes even their attitude/behavior does, too.

Now I’m not saying that we need to coddle everyone or condone everyone’s actions. I think it’s okay to vehemently disagree with someone’s actions or policies or attitudes, and to call them on it. But we can do this without dehumanizing them. They are made in God’s image, just like the rest of us; and we need to honor that, even when they don’t deserve it. Because all of us have “not deserved it” at some point. Thank God that He, in His love, made a way for us all to be forgiven. And Jesus, who knew that He would be killed violently, gave us the ultimate example of loving our enemies.

Dear Lord, please guide us as we deal with our natural human emotions, including hate. Help us to remember that humans are never the ultimate enemy. And since we have all deserved the worst, help us to have compassion for those we don’t like as we remember our own guilt and how we’ve received grace. And fill us with love for them, so we can pray for them to know You more. Or nudge us to pray for them, so we can be filled with love for them. Whichever needs to come first in each case. You know our needs, and You know their needs. Thank you for loving us all. Amen.

About the Author

Jessie is an educator, she currently teaches teens and has taught overseas. She is also a novice writer, with several books in various stages and a (long-neglected) blog about the journeys of women. She is very excited to be a part of the CitySalt blog team. She has been blessed by a few communities of Christian writers that have encouraged her dream. She lives with her trusty sidekick cat, Arwen in the foothills of South Eugene, where she can go hiking within minutes of the sun coming out from behind the clouds.

Love Your Enemies | The Enemy of The People

Terry Sheldon January 1, 2021

Wow, what a time we live in right now, and what a timely topic: enemies. The bible tells us to love them. I certainly don't want to downplay that essential command, but I do want to give the idea of enemies a closer look.

In the extreme sense of the word, enemies wage war - a physical battle with life and death consequences. In peacetime and comfortable culture, and certainly in these times of heightened anxiety, our enemies can be more contrived and personal. Out of our fear and insecurity, we tend to blame and shame others, often exaggerating cause and effects. We need a villain. Our enemies don't accidentally appear. We make them!

Inflamed emotions mix with lazy thinking (generalizations), and lead to negative assumptions that infect our interpersonal relationships and taint our notions about distant people - ironically, whom we don't even know. The sad result can be a self-centered personal and cultural strife (tribalism), with all the negativity that comes with it.

Our present reality in this exhausting, toxic political climate is being called a culture war. It's worsened by this isolating pandemic, social unrest and people who fan the flames of division to achieve selfish goals. I believe our biggest imperative right now is not to agree on everything, but instead to somehow turn down the thermostat and learn how to be civil again. And to do that, we need to identify our real enemy.

First let's take a step back.

The scriptures say we are ALL made in His image. That means all of God's created beings are relational - and connected, even though some aren't yet at a place of saving grace. Sin damaged our relating, but it did not disconnect us from each other. Relationship is in our creation DNA, and it is certainly our best earthly common ground.

I think it's all too easy for us believers to look at our sin in our rearview mirror and our earthly brothers and sisters in that view as well. We create an "us versus them" separation, where pride invades our hearts. But "for the grace of God go I." How we think of and how we relate to our "enemies" cannot only cause struggle, strife and even hatred, but it can render our witness ineffective. We not only get in our own way, tragically, we get in God's as well!

Our human bonds are frayed - but still are connected!

And linked by this: "For we all like sheep have gone astray". Would any good father disown his prodigal child, as the siblings wanted? No! In the biblical story, the father still welcomes his son with open arms, even after the other son complains about him squandering the inheritance. It appears that his father's long-suffering faith and support is what enabled his son to make his way home, and reconnect with his family. Vilifying his son would have prevented the completion of his change of heart (his repentance). I believe this humble and loving, God-centered view of our human brothers and sisters is an essential first step in helping to ease our divisions.

I know, I know, we all love our doctrine. But to what end? Or what is its service? How can we assume the best about and for people when they are not acting in a way we agree with? Maybe we start by putting people before our list of grievances. That does not dilute our own convictions, but it certainly can help clear our head of ignorant assumptions and clear a path back home, just like the prodigal son. It's so humbling to think someone's path back could go through me and you!

We really are in this together.

One thing I am convinced about - we must seek real conversations with our "enemies" (not online drive-by rants), and really listen to their personal stories! Our stories are our real cultural currency. We are all the sum of our storied parts--still in progress and influenced by the Holy Spirit in real time. Our Lord is inviting us to be more involved in others’ lives! He is entreating us to love - this biggest and best commandment.

And this: we really cannot affect change in someone without their permission. It's basic trust.

Here is my personal list of "rules of engagement" (no I am not very good at this yet):

Take the initiative (it takes courage), but be gentle
Look for common ground (it's there, look for it early on)
Be polite and show humility
Listen more than talk (I should get my turn to speak as I gain their trust)
Share, don't snare (I'm not the judge, just a witness)
Stay opened minded to creative Holy Spirit-inspired solutions

The real enemy? Yes it's the Liar, the enemy of our souls. But his methods can be as deceiving as his lies. His grand and calculated plan is to divide and conquer with emotional isolation. To get us to avoid authentic conversations and settling for lazy and incomplete information.

Romans 13:9-10 ESV
For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

About the Author

He finds all of this fascinating and sees that it has encouraged the growth of something crucial in his Christian development: empathy and compassion toward his brothers and sisters on this planet.

Community Prayer Guide | January 2021

Darla Beardsley January 1, 2021

Community Prayer Guide January 2021

“He said to them, ‘When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.’”
Luke 11:3

Church
Pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to transform every Christ-follower into the image of Jesus more.
Pray for church and ministry leadership teams: God’s vision, wisdom and power for 2021.
Pray for the Eugene Mission after the COVID-19 outbreak: healing, wisdom, health and protection.

Education
Pray for Students: that they would have hope, focus and the ability to learn at home.
Pray for Families: for grace and understanding as they interact together and with their schools.
Pray for Teachers: for peace and grace to balance their workload, student needs and their home life.

Government
Pray for God’s wisdom upon every local city governments’ mayors, councils and staff.
Pray for county, city, business and non-profit leaders to work collaboratively for greater fruitfulness.
Pray for the effective implementation of the “homeless systems transformation,” and for wisdom to guide the community’s efforts for more youth emergency housing.

Business
Pray for local businesses to rebuild, rehire employees, and become profitable again.
Pray for local business leaders to have perseverance, wisdom and hope to navigate this season.
Pray for the local “workplace:” encouragement, good morale and healthy productivity.
Pray for local business leaders to have a healthy work/life balance: personal health, family relationships, etc.

“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
Luke 11:9

“For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”
Luke 11:10

Arts
Pray for Christ-honoring writers, musicians & visual artists to receive a fresh anointing to create with God.
Pray for God's wisdom and provision over local theaters & galleries; for peace & safety when venues reopen.
Pray for Jesus-following artists to lead the way with a hopeful tone through their art in 2021.

Family
Pray for families as they engage this unique school season: God’s guidance, strength, and peace.
Pray for God to strengthen marriages with joy, agape love, and good communication.
Pray for families to engage in healthy activities, relationships and resources that strengthen them.

Health Care
Pray for God’s healing hand to be upon COVID-19 treatments and the administration of the vaccine.
Pray for protection and resilience for health care providers (HCPs) and their families.
Pray for HCPs to have God’s wisdom, strength, perseverance and good health.

Police and Fire Departments
Pray for the encouragement, wisdom, peace and safety of those serving in our police and fire departments.
Pray for First Responders to be “ambassadors of peace,” bringing peace to every situation.
Pray for more first responders to be hired, and for those hired to be of noble character.

Sports
Pray for all local athletes to find ways to be strengthened and developed as athletes.
Pray for God to guide those who oversee the UO athletic department: God’s wisdom and eternal perspective.
Pray for God’s guidance for high school/college athletic programs, as they decide how and when to compete.

“If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Luke 11:13

Find answers to prayer on our website: onehopenetwork.org/testimonies.

Advent: He is Love | The Love Language of Inclusion

Sara Gore December 18, 2020

Everyone has a different way they receive love from others. For some, love is perceived as sharing a delicious home-cooked meal at a friend’s house, for others it’s an agreed upon splurge purchase with the family credit card. For me, I feel loved when my friends invite me to share part of their day. It can be as simple as helping my friend weed their garden, allowing us to have a conversation while we pull weeds. Just welcome and include me.

When I think of Advent, I remember that one of my favorite parts of the Christmas story is the Angel’s annunciation of Christ’s birth to the shepherds in the fields. God included them in the events of that incredible night.

Luke 2:8-15 TPT
“That night, in a field near Bethlehem, there were shepherds watching over their flocks. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared in radiant splendor before them, lighting up the field with the blazing glory of God. And the shepherds were terrified!”

Shepherds belonged to the lowest working class, which was due, at least in part, to the poverty associated with their humble vocation. They learned to live and work on the outskirts of town and community. It must have been a lonely life. God knew His announcement would be a shock, considering the limited nature of the shepherds’ understanding, and He sent His angel to mercifully prepare them. Out of God’s infinitely abundant love, they received a calming message with the wonderful news of the arrival of Jesus, our Savior.

“…the angel reassured them, saying, ‘Don’t be afraid. For I have come to bring you good news, the most joyous news the world has ever heard! And it is for everyone everywhere! For today in Bethlehem a rescuer was born for you. He is the Lord Yahweh, the Messiah. You will recognize him by this miracle sign: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a feeding trough!’”

Because the joyous news was for all people, God included the shepherds, and brought the announcement to them by special delivery! They were not left out. Their presence at the stable was evidence that Jesus’ birth was for every human being, no matter their station in life. Even the lowly shepherds were on God’s invitation list.

“Then all at once, a vast number of glorious angels appeared, the very armies of heaven! And they all praised God, singing: ‘Glory to God in the highest realms of heaven!
For there is peace and a good hope given to the sons of men.’”

Since the candlelight Christmas services of my childhood, I’ve enjoyed imagining what this part of the story looked like. The Message version phrases it as “a huge angelic choir singing God’s praises.” In my mind I can “see” the golden light of God’s Glory surrounding the angels as they floated, flew, or maybe even danced to the sound of their praise songs to God! The image of the golden light against the deep blue of the night sky must have been a breath-taking sight! And God gave this spectacular experience to the shepherds!

“When the choir of angels disappeared back to heaven, the shepherds said to one another,
‘Let’s go! Let’s hurry and find this Word that is born in Bethlehem and see for ourselves what the Lord has revealed to us.’”

After a lifetime of feeling shunned and excluded, the shepherds lost their inhibitions long enough to want to see the great event with their own eyes. God’s redemptive love and mercy gave the shepherds a place in history. We do not know their names, but their mention in the biblical account of Christ’s birth has been read by a countless number of people for over two thousand years. God saw to it they were not forgotten. I am so very thankful for this further evidence of God’s eternal and inclusive love.

I think this story remains one of my favorites because it reminds me how our God sees us and includes us all in His gift of redemption. And our loving Lord also gives us an endless amount of opportunities for renewal by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

About the Author

Advent: He is Our Joy | Complete Joy

Jessie Carter December 11, 2020

John 15:11 (NIV)
“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”

These words of Jesus are offered in the middle of a speech to His disciples where he comforts them, talks about abiding in Him and remaining in His love, and exhorts them to love one another. In the midst of these thoughts, He explains why He’s telling them all this: so that His joy can be in them and so that it will be complete.

What does this mean? Joy is a confusing word. Merriam-Webster has three definitions for the noun joy. One is “The emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune, or by the prospect of possessing what one desires.” The second is “A state of happiness or felicity.” The last one is “A source or cause of delight.”

I tend to think of joy as the second definition most often when I think about the concept in general. But I feel that the third definition is the most helpful when thinking about it spiritually. Happiness can come and go depending on my circumstances. But if my joy is in the Lord, then He is the source or cause of my delight, and that joy is available no matter my circumstances (very helpful this crazy year!). I love how this saint put it: “Jesus is honey in the mouth, music in the ear, and a shout of joy in the heart.” ~St. Bernard of Clairvaux

So in considering all of this, I think this is how we can have joy: Jesus is the source of our joy. If we follow His directions in John 15 by abiding in Him, remaining in His love, loving each other, and having faith and hope in Him; His joy will be in us, and it will be complete. This doesn’t mean that we’ll always feel happy. Sorrow and other sad emotions are part of life. But we can have an inner joy, knowing the Source of our delight, that sustains us when life is tough.

If Jesus is the source of our joy, then that explains why we can sing, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come.” We can have joy because He came. And we don’t sing it in the past tense. He is come! He is with us here and now. That is definitely a reason to celebrate. Merry Christmas!

About the Author

Advent: He is Our Peace | Memories

Mark Beardsley December 4, 2020

When I think about Peace, I think of the times when I was a kid on Christmas vacation. I could sleep in and enjoy the morning, play with the dogs outside in the snow, then do some chores like chopping wood and bringing it inside for the fire. After that, I could warm up, change into some comfy clothes and sip a cup of hot chocolate—freshly made from scratch by my mom. I’d curl up on the couch by the fire and read a good sci-fi novel like something by Isaac Asimov.

It feels significant that these times happened during Christmas vacations. My family would stay home and enjoy each other’s company. I could enjoy being with my family, my loving parents and brother, in our dwelling place, with few burdens and the joy of not worrying about things.

Now that I am older, I realize that I was privileged to have a home where such times of peace could occur. It was a gift that models living in the new Kingdom, with a loving Father who cares for us and the ability to feel His Presence in our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Knowing him as a Peace that can dwell inside of us in times of trouble. These special times were a reflection of the promise of the Peace that Jesus brings to us.

John 16:33
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

If 2020 has given us anything, it has given us trouble. But I take heart that, even though I might be isolated, I can shelter with my wife in our home and with the comfort of the Peace that Jesus has given us. I pray that in these times of trouble and dissent, you may also find the Peace that surpasses understanding, which is a gift from our Father in Heaven, His Son, Jesus and in His Holy Spirit.

About the Author

Community Prayer Guide | December 2020

Darla Beardsley December 1, 2020

Community Prayer Guide December 2020

“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel
– which means, ‘God with us.’”
Matthew 1:23

Church
Pray for God’s people to have overflowing hope and vision for the future.
Pray for local Jesus-followers to be salt, light and ambassadors of peace.
Pray for God’s power to provide wisdom and direction for pastors and ministry leaders.

Education
Students: that they would have hope, focus and the ability to learn at home.
Families: for grace and understanding as they interact together and with their schools.
Teachers: for peace and grace to balance their workload, student needs and their home life.
Connections: for vulnerable students (who have yet to connect with their school) to connect with schools, caring adults, and the resources they need.

Government
Pray for God to give wisdom to the county’s Equity & Access Advisory Board.
Pray for county, city, business and non-profit leaders to work collaboratively for greater fruitfulness.
Pray for the fruitful implementation of the “homeless systems transformation,” and for wisdom to guide the community’s efforts for youth emergency housing.

Business
Pray for local business leaders to have a healthy work/life balance: personal health, family relationships, etc.
Pray for local business leaders to have perseverance, wisdom and hope to navigate this season.
Pray for local businesses to rebuild, rehire employees, and become profitable again.
Pray for the local “workplace:” encouragement, good morale and healthy productivity.

“We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers.”
1 Thessalonians 1:2

“The Lord reigns, let the nations tremble; he sits enthroned between the cherubim, let the earth shake.”
Psalm 99:1

Arts
Pray for Jesus-following artists to connect with other artists and remain encouraged and creative.
Pray for God's wisdom and provision over local theaters & galleries; for peace & safety when venues reopen.
Pray for the Lord’s blessing and the Holy Spirit to minister through every artistic Christmas expression.

Family
Pray for the holiday season in families: reconciliation, good conversations, and God’s peace.
Pray for families as they engage a unique school season: God’s guidance, strength, and peace.
Pray for God to strengthen marriages with joy, agape love, and good communication.
Pray for families to engage in healthy activities, relationships and resources that strengthen them.

Health Care
Pray for God to provide a safe vaccine and other effective treatment for COVID-19.
Pray for protection and resilience for health care providers (HCPs) and their families.
Pray for HCPs to have God’s wisdom, strength, perseverance and good health.
Pray for HCPs to be advocates and provide access to health care for vulnerable populations.
Pray for HCPs to be empowered to care for those struggling with mental illness and suicide.

Police and Fire Departments
Pray for the encouragement, wisdom, peace and safety of those serving in our police and fire departments.
Pray for our community to have accurate knowledge, confidence and peace about how local law enforcement operates with higher standards and different policies (as compared to other cities).
Pray that all First Responders will be “ambassadors of peace,” bringing peace to every situation.
Pray for more first responders to be hired and for those hired to be of noble character.

Media
Pray for hope-filled stories to be highlighted in all local media.
Pray for genuine God-transformation stories to be broadcasted and celebrated locally.
Pray for our local news outlets to have clear vision to bring accurate reporting through all types of media.

Sports
Pray for the Lord’s strategies for all who oversee youth sports: Kid Sports, YMCA, and others.
Pray for the Lord’s presence to be upon all of UO athletics, revealing the eternal hope we have in Jesus.
Pray for God’s guidance for high school/college athletic programs, as they decide how and when to compete.

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.”
1 John 3:16

Find answers to prayer on our website: onehopenetwork.org/testimonies.

Advent: He is Our Hope | Big Hope

Terry Sheldon November 27, 2020

We all want hope. Lots of it. By nature, it seems to come in very small ways, in between the layered pains of life - a “glimmer of hope.” Hope is truly essential to our mental health. It brightens our moments and mood, and it gives us something to look forward to. Hope is a small word, but with huge implications.

In its noun form, it appears to just be an emotion: "The feeling that what is wanted can be had, or that events will turn out for the best". And as a verb it seems more active, but still, is based on our attitude: "To look forward to, with desire and reasonable confidence".

Our bible treats hope with more weight because of what is hoped for. Rather than just that our earthly concerns will turn out well for us, biblical hope takes on an eternal dimension. In Hebrews (6:19) our inspired, heavenly hope is a point of strength: "This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls". Okay, now we're getting somewhere.

I love the way the bible describes the perfect trifecta of faith, hope and love. Hope by itself seems a bit “lonely” and perhaps can be too self-centered? To me that's significant because our lives were not intended to be only about just one of these. They all work together for us in beautiful concert.

As dynamic elements of our personal story, consider this:

Faith is action. A request to step out of the boat into the violent waves. It's all in!

Hope is about our attitude, how we view our current lessons of the soul. Good hope sustains this process for the long haul. And it gives us a future.

Love is always the goal -- the real reason for what we go through in life. We are to be fully invested in God's purifying of our love; with ourselves, towards the people in our lives, and back to Father God.

Corinthians 13:12-13
"Now we see a dim reflection in a mirror; but then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love."

Yes, love is the endgame. But what about hope? To me, it's the dim reflection - the glimmer. It's also our promise, a down payment for our later reward. And it's a choice - our daily (or more) choice.

Our hearts are home to hope, and we are to invite it in. In this day of rampant cynicism amidst high expectations, our constant challenge is to hit refresh, purify our hearts, and return to our blessed hope.

Proverbs 4:23
"Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life".

In this season of advent, we all need hope. Even BIG hope!

About the Author

He finds all of this fascinating and sees that it has encouraged the growth of something crucial in his Christian development: empathy and compassion toward his brothers and sisters on this planet.

Gratitude | Searching for Gratitude in Dark Times

Ursula Crawford November 20, 2020

This has been a dark year, and with the recent switch to daylight savings time, we now find ourselves rapidly losing daylight. So our physical environment now matches the psychological and spiritual darkness we've been experiencing these many months since the pandemic began. Now is the time to increase my Vitamin D intake, and find the happy light I purchased on Amazon last winter. The lack of light can have a big impact on mood, and this year it's already hard enough to have a positive outlook.

I think it's important to be able to name the things we've lost and grieve them. My children have lost 5 months of in-person school and counting. This includes my son's last year with his preschool friends, and the beginning of kindergarten. We've lost birthday parties, playdates, sports, visits with relatives. My favorite special occasion restaurant in Eugene went out of business. I've had to take two months of leave from my job to help manage things at home.

But — I'm continuing to feel cautiously optimistic about the future. For all that's been lost during this pandemic, it's given me an opportunity to focus on the things I still have. Much has been lost, but perhaps some things have also been gained.

John 1:5
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

I've managed to fill almost an entire journal with gratitude lists since March, in an attempt to stay focused on the positive.

In July, my family and I took a weekend trip to Central Oregon to stay at a lakeside cabin. We'd been there a few years before, and had fun, but this time I was struck by just how beautiful the surroundings were. I hadn't realized how beautiful it was the first time I'd visited — but after months of quarantine, it seemed spectacular.

As I write this, my daughter is doing online school at the kitchen table, and I'm thankful for how far we've come. My daughter and I both hated the online school experience in the spring — it was just a horrible experience for our family. Now I'm just filled with gratitude that it's actually working for us on so many levels. I have the ability to be at home with her to help support and supervise. The district provided her with an iPad to do her work on so she has her own device. She's actually learning and has in fact made fantastic progress in her reading since schools closed in March, and seems to be above grade level in math. Online school is even fulfilling some of her social needs, as they're providing lots of quick opportunities for chatting.

I'm thankful for the opportunity I have right now to take leave from my job. I'd been trying to just keep going and try to make things work, and suddenly a few weeks ago I felt like I couldn't do it anymore. I was getting chronic headaches, the kids were watching way too much TV, Paul was sneaking sweets everytime I turned my back, and my house looked like a disaster zone. So I made a plan with my work to take November and December off (with partial pay). On my first official day off, I spent most of the day doing chores. I tackled the bathroom over the weekend, and am now working on a deep clean of the kids’ bedrooms (not a project for the faint of heart). I could devote the bulk of my time off to housework, but I'm hoping to be mindful of also taking time for myself for things I enjoy like exercise and writing.

As for my candy-sneaking son, he's been spending a lot of time with Grandma, which is another thing I'm thankful for. I'm also thankful that he is enrolled in a low-tech, play-based kindergarten program. He only has three 15-minute Zoom meetings per week, compared to my 3rd grader, who spends about 5 hours per day completing schoolwork on her iPad. I think he's a bit bored and understimulated, but I'm trying to make up for that in other ways. The kids are taking a PE class two afternoons a week this month, so hopefully that will be a positive experience for both of them. I've also discovered that Paul loves crafts! Part of his kindergarten curriculum involves a weekly sewing craft, and it is his favorite part of kindergarten. This month I also purchased a package of 16 craft projects for the month from our local children's museum, and each of my kids will get to do eight of them. Paul and I had fun making a toy watch for daylight savings time and various other crafts over the past two weeks.

I celebrated a birthday recently, and to kick off the day Spencer made me a special breakfast — cornmeal biscuits with shiitake mushroom gravy, topped with fried eggs. This was in remembrance of my favorite breakfast place in Portland, where we lived during our twenties. I had a sweet day with my family, and challenged myself to a long (for me) run of 3.5 miles. I also got some new books that I'm super excited to dig into. Caste by Isabel Wilkerson, The Rosie Result by Graeme Simsion (the end of a hilarious trilogy), The Once and Future Witches by Alix Harrow (loved her last book), and Freckled: A Memoir of Growing Up Wild in Hawaii by TW Neal. Dark and stormy days ahead means the perfect time for curling up with some good books.

Are you able to find gratitude in these dark times?

“People who have come to know the joy of God do not deny the darkness, but they choose not to live in it. They claim that the light that shines in the darkness can be trusted more than the darkness itself, and that a little bit of light can dispel a lot of darkness.” — Henri Nouwen

Bringing light to the darkness on a lantern walk in November. Lantern walks are part of the traditional celebration of the Christian feast of St. Martin (Martinmas), and a precursor to modern-day jack-o-lanterns.

About the Author

Ursula and her husband Spencer have two young children, and their family enjoys playing hide-and-seek and dancing in the living room. She works as a communications and events coordinator with the University of Oregon.

You can read more from Ursula at motherbearblog.com.

Gratitude | Wearing Gratitude as Armor

Sara Gore November 13, 2020

Important Note: I will not be discussing my, nor anyone else’s political views in this blog post.

On election day, I planned to start my day as usual, at my desk reviewing my list of priority tasks to accomplish. But I couldn’t get myself to look at my calendar app. I was distracted, restless, and unsettled. The only things I could manage to do were to read the latest election commentary, listen to live interviews, and watch the projected vote counts. Later that night I made phone calls to friends and I discovered we all felt the same thing that day: strong subconscious anxiety. This was a familiar feeling I have fought too often about a variety of topics.

I remembered times in my life in which painful situations that I couldn’t change left me feeling stuck. I remembered the intense frustration of not knowing which corrective actions to take for the sake of my emotional, spiritual, and physical health. I kept thinking about what I needed to do and how I felt virtually handcuffed, which intensified my anxiety.

It’s interesting how anxieties and fears can so easily attach themselves to us. Lies that jump on our backs, and once there, become increasingly heavy, weighing us down with an ungodly burden. Lies that want to limit what we can do and who we can be. Why would anyone believe a lie that would hurt them and rob them of God’s richest blessings? It’s an insidious process. These lies bombard us in such high quantities that it can be very hard to fight them off. And they try very hard to convince us that they do not exist. They work hard at becoming invisible to us. What we cannot detect, we cannot fight.

2 Thessalonians 3:3 NLT
“But the lord is faithful; He will strengthen you, and guard you from the evil one.”

We can trust our Heavenly Father to faithfully protect and provide for us. He is the creator of all good things. His truth enables us to see how things really are. No shadows, nothing is hidden. Our God is the author of truth who gifts us with many things.

I remembered a sermon from years ago which described one of the most powerful pieces of our spiritual armor: thankfulness for God’s love and faithfulness. I made a mental list of the things I am thankful for. It quickly became a longer list than I first expected.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT
“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

I have adopted this strategy: When I feel bombarded with a heavy burden of lies, I list the many, many occasions and ways God has blessed me! As I do this, I am filled with relief and gratitude. And as I thank God for His many gifts and freedoms, I have felt the shouting lies fade into peaceful quiet. Gratitude protects us from spiritual and emotional illness, and frees us to continue our pursuit of becoming the person that God created us to be. Christ is patiently helping me grow into a more spiritually mature version of myself.

Philippians 4:8 NLT
“Fix your thoughts on what is true, honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely and admirable. Think about these things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

An ongoing practice of gratitude is the precious antidote to the poisonous lies that assault us all day long. And as you keep living in thankfulness, you get better at focusing on what is true by remembering all that God has already done for you. You realize how rich you really are. You have all that you could ever need in Christ.

James 1:17 NLT
“Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.”

What life experiences are on your thankfulness list? This new habit is changing my life. I encourage you to create your personal gratitude armor today!

About the Author

Special Letter from Pastor Dusty | November 12, 2020

Dusty Johnson November 12, 2020

Dear Friends of CitySalt:

After months of many social adjustments and “new normals” brought on by this pandemic, I wanted to reach out with an update on church related matters. Please know that I am grateful for your understanding as our church continues to support collective efforts to minimize the spread of the coronavirus, protect our vulnerable citizens, and follow the recommendations of Lane County Public Health and state officials.

With coronavirus cases and concerns on the rise, and expected to continue through the Fall/Winter season, I feel it is important to communicate our position as it relates to any kind of indoor worship gathering at this time. I have continued to meet and discuss our present situation with our church council and ministry leaders and we feel it does not seem appropriate for our church to be hosting public indoor worship services until further notice and likely through the winter season.

In the meantime I understand the fatigue brought on by the restrictions and the overwhelming desire to get many aspects of our lives back to normal. As we all patiently work with the present limitations, CitySalt will continue to make available a number of ways for us to stay connected. I realized this does not address many of the vital connections we enjoy when meeting together physically, but feel it is in the best interest of our entire community that we not create unnecessary health risks for people during this pandemic.

Moving forward, I encourage you to be creative and proactive with finding ways to connect with friends and family as you mitigate the risk within your social circles. Below you will find a number of ways I encourage you to fellowship and worship with us as we press through this awkward season together.

Sunday Evening Live Stream Service*

We continue to provide a live Sunday evening service each week at 5:30pm. This includes sharing, music, prayer, a message and ministry time that we trust will be timely and encouraging. You can participate personally, or as a family or small group. This service can be viewed or listened to in real time in one of the following ways:

*If you miss a live broadcast and would like to catch it later, you can find an archive of video recordings from previous services available on our YouTube channel or our Sunday Live Stream Archive.

Big Table Sunday/Communion

The last Sunday of each month includes sharing in the Lord’s Table and taking communion together and in solidarity with The Body of Christ around the world. This will be facilitated by our pastors as part of our Sunday live broadcast and you simply prepare and participate along with the group from wherever you view the broadcast.

Kid’s Meet Ups

Once a month families are invited to meet up with other parents and kids to do something physical and active. These plans are made with physical distancing measures in place to keep everyone safe, yet allow for getting out and doing something together. For more information on how to participate, contact Abby Wilday at abby@citysalt.org.

Sunshine Parades - (NEW)

Stay tuned for more information as we invite you to help us spread a little love throughout our CitySalt family during this pandemic. On Sunday’s each week from 1:00-2:30pm we plan to highlight a number of homes to visit and organize a follow-the-leader style parade of cars to circle the block and share a little light and joy throughout this holiday season. For more information, contact Julia Johnson at julia@citysalt.org.

Kids Zoom Fellowship

Kids and families are invited to connect on Zoom at 4:00-4:30pm on the last Sunday of each month (Big Table Sunday). This takes place right before our live broadcast of our Sunday Evening Service. For more information on how to participate, contact Abby Wilday at abby@citysalt.org.

All-Church Zoom Fellowships

Stay tuned for future Zoom fellowships (video conference tool) where we gather together to fellowship, see and hear from each other.

Weekly Email Newsletter

Tune in each week as the newsletter comes out Friday morning. You will find church updates, devotional thoughts and other details regarding outreach and events. If you are not on our email list, feel free to subscribe on our Homepage.

Salt Blog

Devotional writings each week as a source of inspiration, encouragement and reflection from various writers sharing from their lives and experiences. You can find an ongoing list of submissions on our Salt Blog

CitySalt Facebook Page

Another way to stay updated as to what’s happening at https://www.facebook.com/citysalt/

Prayer Team

Should a need arise and you would like to request prayer, you may fill out a prayer request by clicking HERE or sending an email request to Pastor John at john@citysalt.org.

Pastoral Contact

If you would like to request contact by our pastoral staff, you may do so by sending a request to info@citysalt.org or by calling (541) 632-4182.

Kindness Fund

This fund is intended to be a resource bank and network to help folks who are connected with CitySalt Church who find themselves in a unique time of need. Contributions can be made to this fund and are intended to meet immediate short term needs. If you need help or would like to submit a situation to be considered, you may access more information on our Kindness Fund page.

Online Tithes and Offerings

As part of our individual stewardship and commitment to each other we encourage you to practice this form of worship and trust in God. We appreciate the generosity of our members and contributors who support the mission, ministry and practical needs of CitySalt. As a charter member of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, we are a 501(c)(3) religious non-profit, which means your donations are tax deductible. For more information on ways to contribute, you may access our giving page on our Give page.

In addition to these, we will likely have online gatherings, small groups and classes that you can learn about on our website, Facebook page or in our Newsletter. Some may require pre-registration and are conducted via Zoom.

No doubt we are walking through complex and heightened social challenges that add a level of stress that we all swim in daily. I encourage you to press in and continue to practice the disciplines that keep your mind, body, soul and spirit alive and refreshed. This may be more important now than ever. Even though our normal rhythms, preferences and options may be limited, it does not mean we can’t be creative with how we live, love, serve and engage with life and those around us.

Julia and I love you and remain grateful for you.

We value the love and trust you have extended to us as we walk through this difficult season and we look to God for perspective and strength. May the love, grace, hope, inclusion and mindfulness we find in Christ Jesus, be our light and salvation for all, even in a global pandemic.

Praying and contending for you!

Pastor Dusty

“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
Psalm 27:13-14 NLT

Community Prayer Guide | November 2020

Darla Beardsley November 1, 2020

Community Prayer Guide November 2020

“Through the Spirit of holiness (He) was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Romans 1:4

Church
Pray for God’s power and refreshing to be upon pastors, ministry leaders and those they serve.
Pray for pastors, leaders and their families to be strengthened by God’s love and peace.
Pray for God’s people to wisely discern the times and follow God’s leading vs. reacting emotionally.
Pray for Jesus-followers to bring an increased sense of peace wherever they live, work, learn & recreate.

Education
Pray for educators to have sustainable, realistic goals, and wisdom to focus on essential learning priorities.
Pray for encouragement, refreshing, and creative strategies for all educators.
Pray for connections to happen for students/families who have yet to connect with their school this year.
Pray for churches to see and engage the new supportive role they have with schools and families this year.

Government
Pray for God to give grace and wisdom to the new interim Springfield mayor.
Pray for God’s peace and peacemaking-wisdom to be upon all national government leaders.
Pray that local government, business and non-profit leaders cultivate healthy & trusting relationships.z
Pray for the leadership & fruitful implementation of the “TAC Report, a homeless systems transformation.”

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.”
Psalm 136:1

“And he will be called, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.”
Isaiah 9:6b-7a

Arts
Pray for Jesus-following artists to go where God sends them to express their artistic gifts.
Pray for God's wisdom and provision over local theaters & galleries; for peace & safety as venues reopen.
Pray for Christ-honoring artists to be inspired to create art that brings hope & encouragement.
Pray for God’s presence to increase among the artists involved in “Art City,” a local artisans group.

Family
Pray for families as they engage a unique school season: God’s guidance, strength, and peace.
Pray for God to strengthen marriages with joy, agape love, and good communication.
Pray for families to engage in healthy activities, relationships and resources that strengthen them.
Pray for God’s power and peace to be upon families facing mental health challenges.

Health Care
Pray for God to provide a safe vaccine and other effective treatment for COVID-19.
Pray for peace and resilience for health care providers (HCPs) and their families.
Pray for HCPs to have God’s wisdom, strength, perseverance and good health.
Pray for HCPs to provide wise leadership that promotes health and respects life (the elderly and unborn).
Pray for HCPs to be empowered to care for and bring healing hope to those struggling with suicide.

Police and Fire Departments
Pray for more first responders to be hired and for those hired to be of noble character.
Pray for the encouragement, wisdom, peace and safety of those serving in our police and fire departments.
Pray for our community to have accurate knowledge, confidence and peace about how local law enforcement operates with higher standards and different policies (as compared to other cities).
Pray that all First Responders will be “ambassadors of peace,” bringing peace to every situation.

Sports
Pray for the Lord’s presence to be upon all of UO athletics to reveal the eternal hope we have in Jesus.
Pray for coaches to have strength and wisdom to lead teams while sports seasons are modified.
Pray for God’s guidance for high school/college athletic programs, as they decide how and when to compete.
Pray for the Lord’s strategies for all who oversee youth sports: Kid Sports, YMCA, and others.

“Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Revelation 3:22

Find answers to prayer on our website: onehopenetwork.org/testimonies.

Gratitude | Thankful for God Himself

Jessie Carter October 30, 2020

1 Chronicles 16:34, Psalm 107:1, Psalm 136:1, Psalm 118:1
Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever.

There are so many Bible verses about gratitude/thankfulness, in both the Old and New Testaments. In fact, many of them are almost exactly the same! 1 Chronicles 16:34, Psalm 107:1, Psalm 136:1, Psalm 118:1, and probably many others, all say to give thanks to the Lord because He is good and because His love endures forever. Amen!

The concerns of our hearts, whether personal, political, or anything else, can be overwhelming and weigh us down. They have for me lately, at least! I think that’s why God calls us to declare our gratitude, so we can refocus our attention on Him. Of course, I don’t think that we should ignore our concerns or the stress that they cause us. We can take these to Him, but with a heart willing to thank Him despite these burdens, and for any silver linings that they come with.

I love how these verses focus us on being thankful for Him specifically, for who He is and how great His love is. We can be thankful for the things in our lives, good news or hope that we see in the world, and many other things. But sometimes we can’t see these, or they just seem too small compared to our concerns, or we get focused on them instead of Him. I think that’s why it’s so important to be thankful for Him, as a foundation of our gratitude.

This morning, I was listening to this song from Everybody Duck in my car. I think it captures the gratefulness for God’s love that the Scriptures above declare. If you get a chance to listen to it, I hope it helps you as it did me to thank Him for who He is.

Lyrics: Great Affection by Everybody Duck

God of my awakening, I thank You for this day
And master of my breath, I thank You for the life to pray
Oh Jesus light behind my eyes, to you this praise I bring
And keeper of my heartbeat, to you rhythm now I sing

Cause I've been seized by the power of Your great affection
Taken captive by the size and scope of Your amazing love
I'm so incapacitated that You'd send it my direction
You fill me up with Your huge love like a hand inside a glove

Architect of joy, all happiness comes from Your hand
Shepherd of my mind, you take the time to help me understand
O Jesus, light behind my eyes, it was for this I was made
Great composer on my heartstrings, now Your masterpiece is played

Father thank you doesn't seem enough for sending Jesus
And Jesus, no word can suffice to thank You that you died
I praise You, Holy Spirit, for it's Your embrace that frees us
One yet three Your love for me the hope I hold inside, inside

I've been seized by the power of Your great affection
Overwhelmed and overcome by all the love You have to give
Saviour, Your bright shining love light warms my soul with it's reflection
You fill me up with Your huge love giving me the strength to live

About the Author

Miracles Welcome | Miracles Give Me Hope

Mike D'Eliso October 9, 2020

I find MIRACLES to be a daunting topic to write about. Not sure what images come to your mind, but I see Jesus calming the storm after being asleep on the boat, dividing a little boy’s lunch into enough to feed thousands of people, or comforting a grieving mother and raising her child from the dead. I think of the disciples spilling into the streets after experiencing the Holy Spirit or Paul reviving the guy who fell out of the window when he was preaching. I think of today watching video testimonies of men and women with restored sight or marginalized people reaching success despite overwhelming odds and hardships.

I’m not sure that every follower of Jesus sees one of those “biggie” miracles in their lifetime. Not that they aren’t happening today and not that I don’t ask for them. I would just propose that there may be something the Lord teaches in the example of those who came before us. When the Hebrew people were freed from slavery in Egypt and crossed the Red Sea, the Lord taught them to annually remember and celebrate the Passover. When they crossed the Jordan River on dry ground, they were instructed to collect 12 large stones from the river bed to construct an altar on the other side as a remembrance. Jesus did the same thing at the last supper. “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

Those big moments were important and powerful for those who witnessed them as miraculous, and the stories have since been passed down from generation to generation. When people found themselves in the middle of a hardship, they were comforted with the reminders of hope that God did it before and could do it again. You see, Miracles Give Us Hope! This hope for the things unseen.

I often challenge myself to read a Psalm a day. The psalms are full of these “hope in the hardship” remembrance reflections. Psalm 77 struck me recently with this. It starts low:

1 I cried out to God for help;
I cried out to God to hear me.
2 When I was in distress, I sought the Lord;
at night I stretched out untiring hands,
and I would not be comforted.

7 “Will the Lord reject forever?
Will he never show his favor again?
8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
Has his promise failed for all time?

And then in the second half the author begins to reflect on God’s previous miracles and feels the hope begin to well up:

10 Then I thought, “To this I will appeal:
the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand.
11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
12 I will consider all your works
and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”

I mentioned at the beginning of this blog that I didn’t think most Jesus followers necessarily experience the “biggie” miracles. And though that may be true, I do get to reflect back on my own simple, beautiful life. The valleys that God walked through with me remind me of my Healer, the recognition of my failures reminds me of my Savior, and the order in which these events were strung together points me to my Creator.

About the Author

Mike has been serving as an Assistant Pastor at CitySalt Church for over three years, while working as a part time stay-at-home dad to his two awesome children. He loves connecting with people over coffee to hear their story and helping people discover the fullness that God has for them through His Scriptures and His Spirit.

We would like to take this opportunity to update you on our current “when” and “how” plans for what we are calling a “hybrid” approach to CitySalt Sunday Services in the weeks ahead.

So what does that mean for CitySalt?

To the question of WHEN:

To the question of HOW:

Final Remarks:

Further Helpful Information from the Oregon Health Authority:

Community Prayer Guide March 2021

Community Prayer Guide February 2021

Community Prayer Guide January 2021

Community Prayer Guide December 2020

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Community Prayer Guide November 2020

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