RIVERGATE
2002-2011 Rivergate, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Site Maintained by Pacfic Communications
Site Maintained by Pacfic Communications
Master
Dear Rivergate Family,
Finally – Springtime! Longer days and warmer temperatures. Yes!!! I love this season. Trees blossoming and color returning to the landscape. It’s nature’s way of reminding us of Resurrection life. After the “death” of winter comes the “new’ life of spring.
We will be celebrating the Resurrection with our annual Passover Seder on April 20th and with Pastor George Chaima speaking on Resurrection Sunday! Though Jan and I will not be in Malawi, “Malawi” will be with us! We’re looking forward to hearing about what has been happening in and through Pastor George’s ministry and life.
On Palm Sunday I’m excited to have Matt and Cheryl Tallman as special speakers – that is if they’re back from Kenya without travel delays. Jan and I have known Matt since the late 80’s. he worked with our team ministering to the youth and college age at Grace Community Church in Tualatin. We then have supported Matt in his Chi Alpha ministries at UO and universities in the Virginia Beach area, first at our church in Canyonville and then through Rivergate. Matt and Cheryl began ministering in Kenya with Open Arms International a few years ago. I’m looking forward to hearing what’s next for them.
Jan and I will be in Salem on April 4th for the, Pastor’s Day at the Capitol, spon-sored by the Oregon Family Council. While there, we will receive info regarding public policy issues dealing with religious freedom and family values. Some of the key leaders of the Oregon State Legislature will speak to us. Also, we’ll be able to pray for and encourage some of the Legislators from our area. I’m really looking forward to hearing the special speaker for us, Dinesh D’Souza. He is a writer, scholar, and an intellectual. He’s written “What’s So Great About America?” and “What’s So Great About Christianity?”, among several others. I once saw him in a debate w/Christopher Hutchin, the avid atheist. Dinesh more than just held his ground. He also proved himself to be the more gracious and respectful debater.
Don’t forget the ROOTED Conference coming up with Brandon Hammonds as the speaker and Justin Rizzo leading worship. Both are with IHOP/KC.
And as a final note, Jeannine Rodriguez is officially engaged to be married! Details coming later.
Take time to get outside and enjoy Spring!!
For His Kingdom!
Pastor Ron & Jan
Finally – Springtime! Longer days and warmer temperatures. Yes!!! I love this season. Trees blossoming and color returning to the landscape. It’s nature’s way of reminding us of Resurrection life. After the “death” of winter comes the “new’ life of spring.
We will be celebrating the Resurrection with our annual Passover Seder on April 20th and with Pastor George Chaima speaking on Resurrection Sunday! Though Jan and I will not be in Malawi, “Malawi” will be with us! We’re looking forward to hearing about what has been happening in and through Pastor George’s ministry and life.
On Palm Sunday I’m excited to have Matt and Cheryl Tallman as special speakers – that is if they’re back from Kenya without travel delays. Jan and I have known Matt since the late 80’s. he worked with our team ministering to the youth and college age at Grace Community Church in Tualatin. We then have supported Matt in his Chi Alpha ministries at UO and universities in the Virginia Beach area, first at our church in Canyonville and then through Rivergate. Matt and Cheryl began ministering in Kenya with Open Arms International a few years ago. I’m looking forward to hearing what’s next for them.
Jan and I will be in Salem on April 4th for the, Pastor’s Day at the Capitol, spon-sored by the Oregon Family Council. While there, we will receive info regarding public policy issues dealing with religious freedom and family values. Some of the key leaders of the Oregon State Legislature will speak to us. Also, we’ll be able to pray for and encourage some of the Legislators from our area. I’m really looking forward to hearing the special speaker for us, Dinesh D’Souza. He is a writer, scholar, and an intellectual. He’s written “What’s So Great About America?” and “What’s So Great About Christianity?”, among several others. I once saw him in a debate w/Christopher Hutchin, the avid atheist. Dinesh more than just held his ground. He also proved himself to be the more gracious and respectful debater.
Don’t forget the ROOTED Conference coming up with Brandon Hammonds as the speaker and Justin Rizzo leading worship. Both are with IHOP/KC.
And as a final note, Jeannine Rodriguez is officially engaged to be married! Details coming later.
Take time to get outside and enjoy Spring!!
For His Kingdom!
Pastor Ron & Jan
RIVERGATE
2002-2011 Rivergate, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Site Maintained by Pacfic Communications
Site Maintained by Pacfic Communications
Newsletter
January 2012
Dear Rivergate/AHOP family,
"For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." Rom. 15:4 JKJV
2011, the year for preparation and transition, has drawn to a close. We are entering into one of the most anticipated, feared, discussed and pivotal years yet. So much prognostic banter has been put out through the various media that even Christians have gotten fearful for 2012. No wonder - we've had talk of the earth's magnetic poles reversing, solar flares engulfing the earth, collisions with either asteroids or the "mystery planet".
Earthquakes with tsunamis, the end of the Mayan calendar and apocalyptic movies like "2012" have all helped to fuel the fire.
Indeed, the Bible does say that, "Yet once more I shake not only the earth but also heaven." Whoa! So, should we go through 2012 w/paranoid tendencies? Should we just "hunker down" in our well-stocked bomb shelters? Of course not. The writer of Hebrews went on to say, "The phrase 'one last shaking' means a thorough housecleaning, getting rid of all the historical and religious junk so that the unshakable essentials stand clear and uncluttered. "Do you see what we've got? An unshakable kingdom! Do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander."
Hebrews 12:27,28 The Message
So, shaking will continue but it works to our good. Testing times test our faith and trust. They reveal our true motivations and thoughts. We will discover where our hope lies. It is found in Jesus! "This hope we have as an anchor for the soul,
"For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." Rom. 15:4 JKJV
2011, the year for preparation and transition, has drawn to a close. We are entering into one of the most anticipated, feared, discussed and pivotal years yet. So much prognostic banter has been put out through the various media that even Christians have gotten fearful for 2012. No wonder - we've had talk of the earth's magnetic poles reversing, solar flares engulfing the earth, collisions with either asteroids or the "mystery planet".
Earthquakes with tsunamis, the end of the Mayan calendar and apocalyptic movies like "2012" have all helped to fuel the fire.
Indeed, the Bible does say that, "Yet once more I shake not only the earth but also heaven." Whoa! So, should we go through 2012 w/paranoid tendencies? Should we just "hunker down" in our well-stocked bomb shelters? Of course not. The writer of Hebrews went on to say, "The phrase 'one last shaking' means a thorough housecleaning, getting rid of all the historical and religious junk so that the unshakable essentials stand clear and uncluttered. "Do you see what we've got? An unshakable kingdom! Do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander."
Hebrews 12:27,28 The Message
So, shaking will continue but it works to our good. Testing times test our faith and trust. They reveal our true motivations and thoughts. We will discover where our hope lies. It is found in Jesus! "This hope we have as an anchor for the soul,
both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus…." Heb. 6:19,20 NKJV
Hope will be some of the most precious of Heaven's currencies in 2012. We will want to cultivate lifestyles where hope can grow. One of the ways you can develop a deeper spiritual "root system" will be to take part in the up-coming IHOPU class we're offering called "A Life of Communion w/God". Along w/teaching on the deeper Christian life, there will be assign-ments of spending days in silence. So, to start off 2012, we'll hurry up and slow down!
If we want to hear God's Voice and catch His "suddenlies" in the new year, we'd best learn how to get really quiet and really listen. This will not be an easy assignment. Os Guinness in his book, "Prophetic Untimeliness" writes, "In our world, a lot happens all the time, so much so that we not only expect it, we require it. Change has to be unceasing, voices have to be rudely grabbing, and the latest has to be replaced instantly by the newest and latest. All this has gone so far and has become so natural that for many people jam-packed eventfulness is a necessity and attention deficit disorder a common condition".
What we have here is a possible conspiracy of the world, the flesh, and the devil working together to insure we lead unexamined, non-discerning, non-threatening lives. I think it's time we quit buying into the A.D.D. stronghold and begin to pay attention to our lives and the life of the world.
We're looking forward to our annual visit from our heroes- Ron and Shirley DeVore on Jan. 8th.
Hope will be some of the most precious of Heaven's currencies in 2012. We will want to cultivate lifestyles where hope can grow. One of the ways you can develop a deeper spiritual "root system" will be to take part in the up-coming IHOPU class we're offering called "A Life of Communion w/God". Along w/teaching on the deeper Christian life, there will be assign-ments of spending days in silence. So, to start off 2012, we'll hurry up and slow down!
If we want to hear God's Voice and catch His "suddenlies" in the new year, we'd best learn how to get really quiet and really listen. This will not be an easy assignment. Os Guinness in his book, "Prophetic Untimeliness" writes, "In our world, a lot happens all the time, so much so that we not only expect it, we require it. Change has to be unceasing, voices have to be rudely grabbing, and the latest has to be replaced instantly by the newest and latest. All this has gone so far and has become so natural that for many people jam-packed eventfulness is a necessity and attention deficit disorder a common condition".
What we have here is a possible conspiracy of the world, the flesh, and the devil working together to insure we lead unexamined, non-discerning, non-threatening lives. I think it's time we quit buying into the A.D.D. stronghold and begin to pay attention to our lives and the life of the world.
We're looking forward to our annual visit from our heroes- Ron and Shirley DeVore on Jan. 8th.
Beginning Weds., Jan 11th, we'll be getting rid of some of that internal "junk" via the "Waking the Dead" class taught by Jan! Also, heads up for February- with Ted Pearce and Winter Converge will be happening.
"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT." Rom. 15:13 NKJV
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Pastor Ron & Jan
"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT." Rom. 15:13 NKJV
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Pastor Ron & Jan