MAY 27, 2022

Dear Church Family

Last Sunday morning, as we prayed together at the beginning of service, I was blessed. I know people weren’t talking to me, but to hear them give thanks to our Father was a joy. Specially to hear that sister thank God for the encouragement she received at the ladies’ breakfast on Saturday. And to hear that brother who gave God thanks for his experience at the men’s retreat. As we talked about both those events at our elders meeting this week, we reflected on the joy that comes from doing things together. We call it fellowship. At its essence is community.

The men’s retreat wasn’t just about going to hear a missionary from Russia talk about spiritual maturity from the book of Colossians. While hearing a sister’s testimony was a boost for the soul, the ladies didn’t need to set aside 90 minutes or so for it-- I’m guessing that if they had walked in, listened, and left, it would have all happened in well under 30 minutes. No, the secret sauce for what makes a men’s retreat good and a ladies’ breakfast encouraging is that we do it together.

Our speaker at Lake Retreat passed on a quote from Paul Tripp that’s stuck with me over the past week:

Your walk with God is a community project.

Our personal relationship with Jesus is best lived out communally, not individually. That’s why the bible calls us a “household” (Gal. 6:10, Eph. 2:19, 1Tim. 3:15). It’s why we call one another brother and sister. It’s why we’re exhorted with so many “one anothers” in the Scriptures. Being a disciple isn’t an individual sport. It’s best done together.

And, as some of us experienced this past weekend, discipleship is often a lot of fun!

At the men’s retreat, beyond a few hours learning together, we ate together (too much), we talked together, and we played together. Oh, the joy of playing together!

From cards to Crokinole (a Canadian game, eh). From ping pong to pickleball. From throwing horseshoes together to just hanging out together. There was something for everyone. And, I’m thinking, everyone had fun. As Nathan commented at our meeting on Tuesday, “Fun has everything to do with discipleship.”

Smiles. Joy. Even as some stepped aside from the games to talk to a brother about some tough stuff they were going through. Their souls lifted as, if even for just a moment, a brother stood with them and helped bear their burden.

It was fun. Fun to be together. Fun to talk together. Fun to eat together (did I mention, too much?) Fun, in a sense, even to commiserate together.

We need spaces to just be together. Sunday morning is such a place, but its primary purpose is to build us up as we lift up Jesus. Other spaces, like retreats and breakfasts, provide less structured environments where we can just be together and have fun together. And when we do that, it’s delightful says the psalmist.

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! (Psalm 133:1 NKJV)

Getting together isn’t always easy. But so often when we do, it’s like a breath of fresh air as we loosen up and laugh it up. As we compete with one another and kid with one another. Pleasant even when we’re just being playful.

Adding my amen to that brother grateful for the men’s retreat. Blessed to know that sister was glad she went to the breakfast. Our walk with God really is a community project.

On behalf of the elders,

Pete

P.S. There’s some more “together” time planned for July 1st when, as a church family, we plan to take in a Rainiers baseball game together. Whether you’re into baseball or not, it’s a great venue to hang out shoulder to shoulder and have some fun and see some smiles. To sign up and reserve your tickets, click here

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• Check out our Announcements page to find out What's Happening at LTCC this week and beyond!

• Read about this week's Missionary Spotlight, Bob & Teresa Reister

• Joining us via Livestream this Sunday? Click here to get the link for the Livestream.

MAY 20, 2022

Hello Church Family,

I hope this finds you well.

In his book, The Road to Character, David Brooks discusses the difference between resume virtues and eulogy virtues. Resume virtues, writes Brooks, are the conversations we might bring up at dinner parties or get-togethers. "What do you do?" "What is your role there?" "How much do they make there?" Generally speaking, the resume virtues fall under the external achievements category. But the eulogy virtues are the characteristics talked about at your funeral. "What was she like?" "What did she love to do?" Kindness, humility, and capacity to love are the terms often mentioned in that context.

These thoughts came to me this week as we discussed the passing of Carol Birkey in the elders meeting. When I announced that she had passed away in last Sunday's service, a collective gasp was heard throughout the room. We all felt and knew that we had lost someone special. For all who knew Carol, she set an example for all of us as a person who loved well, lived well, and was loved by many in our church family. We remember the internal virtues she embodied that are celebrated in the Scriptures.

As we talked about the beautiful life of Carol in the elders meeting, this led to a conversation around friendship. It's a word profoundly relevant as we slowly emerge from the last two challenging years. Isn't it amazing that when we lose a person we deeply love, it is indeed the eulogy virtues that come to mind? We do not think about that person through the lens of career skills. Rather, we think of that person in terms of friendship and their character—the things that rubbed off on us. The things that made us better people.

There will be many beautiful tributes to Carol at her memorial service in June, I am sure. But as I ponder a life well-lived, I am reminded of how the local church (LTCC) can be blessed simply when we choose to engage with others, serve, and receive from others in the church. This is only one of the gifts that we can partake in simply by being a part of the local church: giving, receiving, and sharing in each other’s lives.

May God give us His grace to live that out.

Nathan for the elders
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• Check out our Announcements page and/or our Events page to find out What's Happening at LTCC this week and beyond!

• Read about this week's Missionary Spotlight, our own Brian & Justine Peterson and the ministry of Reality Sports.

• Joining us via Livestream this Sunday? Click here to get the link for the Livestream.

MAY 13, 2022

Good morning, Lake Tapps.

If you’re like me, there are times when you want to slap your forehead and yell out in your best Homer Simpson impersonation, "D’OH!"  One time that comes to mind is after attempting to tell someone about the Lord, but not knowing how to move the conversation in that direction in a natural, smooth way.

If that’s your experience too, then I have good news for you.  The benevolence team regularly conducts short training sessions that teach you a couple of simple tools that help open up a conversation with someone about what the Gospel is and how it’s changed your life.  I’ve been to the training twice and I can testify that it does give me more confidence in sharing my faith.

Peter reminds us in his first letter to always be prepared to share the reason for the hope we have as a result of our faith in what Christ did for us (1 Peter 3:15).  I think this is a good reminder that the Holy Spirit ultimately is the One who draws people to Jesus, but He does this by using us in the process.  For me, this takes away the pressure.  We just need to learn how to be ready to talk to someone at any time and let the Spirit do the hard work of finding the person who might be open to hearing about the good news of the Gospel.

One of the core beliefs of LTCC is that the Great Commission given by Jesus (Matt. 28:18-20) “is the responsibility of the church until He returns”.  We take seriously the command of the Lord to make disciples of Jesus as we are going on our way through life.  Being able and comfortable to share the gospel is a key component to making disciples. We encourage you to consider setting aside a few hours to attend one of the training sessions that work with your schedule.  Look for an announcement for when the next session is scheduled.

For the men in our church, we want to remind you of the men’s retreat next week. The retreat runs from about 4:00 p.m. on Friday, May 20th through Saturday at 7:00 p.m., May 21st, at Lake Retreat in Ravensdale.  This year Kevin Brubaker (Karen Faires’ brother) will be leading us in a study from Colossians entitled “The Path to True Christian Maturity”.  Beside his teaching from the Word, we look forward to hearing Kevin’s firsthand knowledge of life in Russia.  As you may know, he and his family recently left Russia during the conflict in the Ukraine.  If you have not already registered, and are planning on attending, please register here so that the conference center can adequately plan for meal provisions.

Gary for the elders
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• Check out our Announcements page and/or our Events page to find out What's Happening at LTCC this week and beyond!

• Read about this week's Missionary Spotlight, Marty & Jeanette Windle with Bible Centered Ministries. 

Joining us via Livestream this Sunday?  Click here to get the link for the Livestream.

MAY 6, 2022

Dear Church Family,

Friday the 13th, 2020.  That’s the day we made the call to suspend gathering at LTCC while everyone was trying to figure out how to stem the tide of a pandemic. That’s also the day we sent out our first “LTCC Weekly Check-In”.   The weekly check-in was something we thought would be helpful in keeping us connected even when as we were disconnected.

Over two years later, while it’s not as necessary for keeping people in touch, the weekly check-in still seems to have value in keeping people in the loop.  At least that’s the feedback we’ve heard.

As overseers of the church, we’re conscious of trying to avoid a sense of “mystery” as to what work gets done in our weekly meetings.  Where confidentiality is not expected, we want to be as transparent as possible in the things we’re talking about and the reasons for the direction we seek to provide. So, with that in mind, this week I thought I would just give you a “fly on the wall” insight to this week’s meeting.

Often our agenda includes critical issues to work through or difficult matters to be handled, but this week’s meeting was more relaxed and offered room for reflection.

We began our meeting as we always do, sharing updates from our contacts with brothers and sisters in congregation and then praying for those in our church family.  (Quick reminder here:  we really value Wave Forms that submitted on Sundays with prayer requests.  Whether you want our prayer chain to intercede for you, or just the elders, please use the Wave Form to keep us in the loop.)

After prayer, we covered the first item on the agenda: Updates on Sr. Pastor Succession: Perry and the Succession Committee continue to make solid, deliberate progress.  Look for an update, probably through this check-in, in the next few weeks.

Second: On the student ministries leader front, posting our job to three national job boards has born some fruit, and Nathan is actively working connecting with four potential candidates – two local, one from Kansas, and one from Kentucky. Nathan and Brian also gave a brief recap of how well the youth event went Sunday afternoon. Capture the Flag was a hit with both our students and parents. There was a sense among us of God’s blessing as it was pointed out that these monthly youth events have been consistently attended and that a core group or our students are growing together in relationship and community.  Thank you, Lord!

Gary then shared how the Seniors Ministry continues to ramp up after its COVID imposed dormancy.  He shared how they’re addressing three areas for senior saint’s fellowship.  Social events, Bible studies, and service opportunities are all on the planning radar.  At the Senior’s Potluck today, they’ll be hearing from Trista on ways to connect with our benevolence and outreach efforts.

Also during the meeting, Brian shared how jazzed (my word, not his) he was after talking to some of our Bible Study leaders.  Each of them was excited about how their two study sessions went this year.   They saw the folks in their studies engaging in deeper relationships even as they went deeper into the things of God.  They also felt that aligning our studies around a common subject has been beneficial.  The feedback is that our studies on the attributes of God last fall and in 1 & 2 Peter between New Years and Easter, was of real benefit to the 70 or so who were involved in the classes.  We left that discussion with a “to do” – have a plan in place for this Fall soon so our study leaders have time to prepare.

Much to reflect on and thank the Lord for.  Pretty cool, to be part of the family of God.

Look forward to worshiping with you on Sunday.

On behalf of the elders,

Pete 

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• Check out our Announcements page and/or our Events page to find out What's Happening at LTCC this week and beyond!

• Read about this week's Missionary Spotlight, Dave & Sheila McIlroy.

• Joining us via Livestream this Sunday? Click here to get the link.

APRIL 29, 2022

Hello Church Family,

After walking through the book of Mark, we will be starting a new sermon series this coming Sunday on the book of Daniel entitled: “Living with Strong Faith in a Strange Land.”

On behalf of the elders, we are excited to enter this sermon series. Without giving too much away from what will be said in this Sunday’s sermon, let me share with you how we got here and why we chose Daniel as our next sermon series.

Although the book of Daniel takes place in the 600’s B.C., there are striking similarities to the challenges Daniel and his friends faced to the challenges we face today. As a young man, Daniel was taken out of his homeland of Judah and relocated to Babylon. He was separated from his family, distanced from his familiar surroundings, and immersed in a culture that was profoundly foreign to him. Daniel was in exile.

We, on the other hand, may not feel the same homesickness that Daniel felt, but in terms of our Christian faith, many of us do in fact feel as though we are strangers in a strange land. No, we might not be in exile, like Daniel, but we do carry a feeling of exile—a type of homelessness when it comes to our faith.

There are so many rich themes that run throughout the book of Daniel. We are going to start exploring those themes this Sunday. For me, what I find perhaps most challenging about the book of Daniel are the questions it presents. Questions such as, “Is God in control?” “Where is my allegiance?” “What or whom is my trust rooted in?” “Is God involved in this world?” “Is God involved in my life?” As we will see, these are questions that Daniel and his young friends grappled with and did so while under incredible pressure. Faithfulness to a faithful God in the fire.

The book of Daniel, and the whole of Scripture, is profoundly relevant for us today. My prayer is that the Lord would speak to us in our times together, challenge our hearts and minds, and give us a rich picture of who He is so that we would be counted faithful, even in trying times.

To help us get a quick overview of the book of Daniel, here is a video taken from The Bible Project. The video helps provide an aid for many of us who will be reading Daniel for the first time or simply reacquainting ourselves with the book. Here’s the link: Watch: Daniel Bible Book Overview Video | BibleProject™

See you on Sunday.

Nathan on behalf of the elders
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This week on our Announcements page you'll find details about this Sunday's youth event. In addition, dates are times are listed for the upcoming Men's Breakfast, Men's Retreat, Senior's Potluck, and our next Gospel Conversations Training. In addition, you'll find this week's prayer requests as well as our spotlight on missionaries Geoff and Connie Griffiths. Click here for the Announcements.

Also, just a reminder that on our web page, under "Sunday Online", we have a "Wave Form", a way for you to let us know you've attended Sunday and how we can pray for you. As elders, each week we pray for our congregation. Let us know how we can specifically pray for you and your family. Click here for the Wave Form.

Planning to join us via Livestream this Sunday? Click here to get the link for the Livestream.

APRIL 22, 2022

Dear Church Family,

During our elders meeting this week, we discussed the work of LTCC’s Love One Another team. The Love One Another team is our benevolence outreach initiative; a group of people within the church body

• working to coordinate meeting needs within our church body;

• equipping the body with tools to share the love of Jesus with others, as well as to meet friends’ and neighbors’ needs;

• promoting our ministry outreach partners’ service opportunities;

• and stewarding funds to individuals in need in our greater community.

Personally, the more I get to know what our church is doing in this regard, I am genuinely moved. It is just one of the many ways in which I have seen a Christ-like generosity expressed in our community. I know many of us have experienced the generosity of our church body in different ways.

As I was thinking about the word “benevolence”, I decided to look it up in The Oxford English Dictionary. Here are the first two (and most common) definitions cited there:

benevolence 1. “Disposition to do good; kindness, generosity, charitable feeling (towards humankind at large) 2. Affection, goodwill (towards a particular person or on a particular occasion).”

I am sure that for many of us, these words fit what comes to mind when we hear the word “benevolence.” But what perhaps reflects the heart of Christ is the fact that benevolence, in its most beautiful form, is an act of compassion that is done for someone who will never be able to repay us. A mentor of mine would often say, “make sure you do things for people who will never be able to do something for you.” Those words have stayed with me.

I am fully aware that many of us are busy! But perhaps after reading this note, I wonder if it could be worth spending a few minutes seeking the Lord as to how we might be able to embody this spirit of benevolence. For some of us, it could mean joining the Love One Another team. For others, it could simply mean becoming more intentional about praying for this work. Or, God might be pushing us to give a few hours to one of the outreaches at LTCC on a regular basis.

We felt it is important to mention the work of LTCC’s benevolence team this week because they are currently looking to engage more of the congregation in this work, and there are many opportunities to do so!

• Volunteer to serve at the Compassion Connect Clinic on June 25th

• Make phone calls to spread the word about the Compassion Clinic to potential guests on our Ignite Hope Outreach day, May 14th

• Serve meals at the Prairie Ridge community center &/or lead this effort

• Support our outreach partner organization and local missionaries with Reality Sports through the upcoming Volleyball fundraiser and/or the RS 5K

• Visit the Love One Another webpage to see what we are all about and other ways to engage personally and with partner organizations

• Join our private Facebook group to hear about & meet needs in our body and community

• Communicate ways you can serve others

• Join the benevolence leadership team to help with one or more of the following activities by emailing loveoneanother@laketappscc.org

  • Coordinate meeting needs in our body

  • Help equip the body to share Jesus and serve others

  • Promote our outreach partners’ activities

  • Help make decisions regarding meeting community members’ needs

• Learn tools to help share your hope in Jesus with your friends & neighbors

• Become an Ignite Hope partner and personally connect with benevolence recipients

However God might be leading each one of us, may He truly work in our hearts, anoint us, and help us to do good to others in His name, not to receive anything, but simply for the good of His kingdom.

With gratitude,


Nathan for the elders
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On our Announcements page this week, you'll find information and sign-up links for the upcoming membership class, our next youth event and men's breakfast. In addition, there's a Gospel Conversations Training and the Men's Retreat in May, as well as the Compassion Connect Clinic in June. Click here to see this week's announcements, prayer requests, and spotlight on missionaries Butch and Jennifer Hallenbeck.

Planning to join us by livestream this week? Click here to get the link.

APRIL 15, 2022

Good Friday Lake Tapps 

We’ve heard many times from the pulpit the need to intentionally prepare our hearts to worship on Sunday morning.  If this is true for an average Sunday, how much more is it necessary for this Good Friday and Easter Sunday?

I think it’s not a coincidence that many of us recently have been reminded in our Bible studies of Peter and Jude of the need to renew our understanding of and thankfulness for the Gospel, in order to strengthen our faith.  That’s a good question for us, “In what are we placing our hope and faith?”  This time of the year, prior to Easter, many are thinking about resurrection and eternal life.  That’s a great subject to think on, but exactly on what do we base our belief that we will experience a resurrected eternal life?  On what basis do we rely, when we hope to awake after we pass beyond the door that separates us from eternity; a door that we call death? 

For the Christian, we say we place our hope in the finished work of the Lord Jesus on the cross.  But exactly what is the basis for that hope?  Some of us might say “It’s because of the Gospel”.  Fine and good, but what is the Gospel anyway?  A dictionary defines it as Good News.  Next question, good news about what?  Here’s the short answer and something we might meditate on as we prepare for this weekend. 

The bad news first is that we all have come short of the standards that God set for the humans He created to follow.  The Apostle Paul puts it this way, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23).  And “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23)., That’s a pretty gloomy picture, isn’t it?  But Paul ends the verse this way, “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23).  Now that’s some really good news!! 

So, what was the plan that God came up with to make it possible for us to go from eternal death and separation from Him to eternal life presence and with Him?  Somehow, He had to find a way to punish sinners for breaking His laws to satisfy His character attribute of Justice, while at the same time granting Mercy and Forgiveness to those same sinners.  His solution was to find a satisfactory substitute who hadn’t broken His Laws and punish him just as if he did.  Someone on whom He could vent all His wrath.  Someone who completely represented all created humanity (a sinless human).  A couple weeks ago, Brian shared in his sermon, that although some claim there are many paths to God that satisfy these requirements, in reality there is only One that has lived the perfect sinless life required, and that One is the Lord Jesus Christ. 

2,000 years ago, the Father sent His Son to die the death we all deserve so that He could grant a pardon to us.  A pardon that satisfied both His Justice and His Mercy.  As we prepare to worship this Friday and Sunday, let us consider this ultimate act of love of Jesus for us “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) 

I trust that as we consider the question “What do we place our faith on?”, that we remember these facts of the Gospel stated above; that they would be at the heart of our answer.  “My hope and faith are based on the completed work of Christ”.  But that raises one final question.  How do we know His work was completed and that His sacrifice was sufficient to meet the requirements of God?  To answer that we just have to look again to the Apostle Paul.  In 1 Corinthians 15:17-19 he says essentially that the resurrection of Christ is the proof that His death was satisfactory payment for the penalty of our sins.  If the Father had left a sinless Son in the ground, it would have violated His attributes of Holiness and Justice.  A sinless Son could not stay dead and had to be raised; He was now free to convey Christ’s substitutionary sacrifice to us.  We truly are forgiven. 

As we greet one another this Easter with the traditional response to “He is Risen”, may we reply with gusto, “He is risen INDEED”. 

Gary for the Elders 

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In the announcements this week you'll find information about the need for help with grounds maintenance, and reminders about the upcoming ladies' breakfast, our next membership class, youth events, men's retreat and more.  Click here to see this week's announcements, missionary spotlight, and prayer requests.

Please join us for our Good Friday service (tonight at 6:30) and Easter Sunday services (9 & 11:15 with a continental breakfast between services).

Planning to join us by Livestream on Sunday?  Click here to get that link. 

APRIL 8, 2022

Dear Church family,

One of the things that excites me about our church is the momentum building around family ministries. I find a lot of encouragement in observing the Sunday school times for children during church services, Adventure Club on Wednesdays, and the focused seminars we have been having for parents.

There’s a sense in which this heart for families is not necessarily rare in a Christian community like ours. (At least, it shouldn’t be.) The Bible, from beginning to end, captures the beauty, goodness, life-giving power, and sheer hard work it takes to preserve and sustain a family. The Bible is pro-family, so to speak. In stark contrast, I’ve been struck recently how the general mood of our culture is very much not pro-family. Whether it be how families or marriages are portrayed on the movie screen or simply how there’s an increasing excluding of parents in the public discourse around fundamental wellbeing issues for children. This should not be cause for any alarm or panic, but yet another reminder for us to be vigilant in how we lead our families.

It is with that background that I’d like to share a brief update on our search for our next student ministries leader. Although we will continue to explore our various networks, we will begin posting online next week for our student ministries leader. To this point, we have had two serious conversations with prospective youth leaders for the position. After prayer and deliberation on their part, they declined. I am actually meeting today with one particular youth leader who comes recommended for this position at LTCC. Collectively, as elders, we have had several conversations with different people about the need here. And while we will continue to pursue those conversations, we are also serious about aiming to have a person in place here this September, so we feel it only right and wise to cast the net much wider.

The hope is that by posting on strategic youth websites, we will have applicants for the student ministries leader in the next two months. Once we’ve gathered a list of applicants, so to speak, we will then gather a small committee here to work through the interview process.

We are straddling the tension of being patient while at the same time practicing intentionality. We are praying for God to lead us to the right person for this role here at LTCC. We as elders ask and invite everyone at LTCC to join us in praying that God would truly do a work in this process and lead us. With all of the great ministry and activity happening with children here, we want to be faithful to ensure that when kids head into middle school and high school, we thoughtfully and faithfully take care of all of the children God has brought to us. Please join us in asking the Lord to anoint and lead our efforts in bringing the next student ministries leader to our church family.

I hope this provides a meaningful update for you regarding the search process.

Grateful to be a part of this church family.

Nathan for all the elders
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In the announcements this week you'll find information about the need for help with grounds maintenance, the plans for our Good Friday and Easter Sunday services, and reminders about the upcoming ladies' breakfast and our next membership class. We also welcome a new member into our church family this weekend. Click here to see this week's announcements, missionary spotlight, and prayer requests.
Planning to join us by Livestream on Sunday? Click here to get that link.

APRIL 1, 2022

Good morning, Church!

Well, there's another week in the rear-view mirror. And, while I'm certain many of us have had one or more days with "enough trouble of its own" (Matt. 6:34), I also trust there's been many opportunities to know afresh that God's mercies really are new every morning and that "the steadfast love of the LORD never ceases" (Lam. 3:21-23). Great is His faithfulness! Amen?

Before getting into our agenda at our elders meeting this week, a couple of us shared what we had heard, or had seen on social media, about last week's ladies' retreat. We were so encouraged we asked Justine to share a summary of last weekend's getaway for this week's check-in.

Last weekend, 30 women gathered together at Rainbow Lodge in North Bend. Our speaker, Jen Elton, educated, equipped and encouraged us on the subjects of grief, trauma, depression, and anxiety. These are heavy mental issues, but Jen used her 25 years as a therapist to give us tools we can use to help ourselves or others that we know who are struggling.

There was hope to be found as we looked at the lives of some women in the bible who went through very challenging situations, but God was always there providing strength and comfort. And Jen shared the truth of the gospel of how Jesus can change our hearts and minds through the power of the Holy Spirit. We were additionally encouraged by the worship leadership of Karli Peterson and by our small group facilitators who helped us feel safe to share openly and honestly.

Of course there was fun to be had with late night games, Saturday afternoon free time of hikes or shopping or hanging out, and conversations at meal times over delicious food created by chef Luke. I think we all walked away thankful that we had the opportunity to get to know one another at a much deeper level than just a "hi, how are you doing" on Sundays.

Thanx Justine. And thanks to all those who teamed with Justine and others to make the ladies retreat a reality this year. It really is good and pleasant when as brothers and sisters we get the chance to getaway and connect in a little deeper way.

Our announcements this week will let you know of other opportunities to hang together outside of Sunday mornings. There's a youth event this Sunday afternoon, a new bible study starting up next week, and a women's tea on the radar. Beyond that, for the rosarians in our fellowship (or those aspiring rosarians) there's an opportunity to team with others to care for the rose bushes recently planted at the parsonage in memory of Dan Simmons. For more details and other upcoming events at LTCC click here to see our Announcements page. For a full list of upcoming events, see our calendar of events here.

And just a reminder, tomorrow after the men's breakfast there's a work party to do some outdoor spring cleaning. Another chance to be together even as we get things looking their best for Easter.

For the elders,

Pete
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MARCH 25, 2022

Good morning, Lake Tapps

This past Saturday the elders and the council members met for a half day retreat. “Retreat”-- maybe not the best word for what we did. I had a friend who liked to call these gatherings “advances” rather than retreats. Because that’s what we did. We moved forward to new ground.

Advancing conjures up the image of a group of people on a journey to a destination, leaving behind that which was and looking forward to what will be. What we did Saturday was to consider what “church” would look like as we begin to reassemble in a post pandemic world.

To assist in our discussion, we used a small book entitled “Rediscover Church” by Collin Hansen and Jonathan Leeman. The premise of the book is that the church is at a pivotal point in our history. During the last two years or so, we have endured a time of separation due to the restrictions caused by COVID and its consequences. Now that the restrictions are lessening, the church is poised on the brink of returning to the way we worshipped before COVID. But that’s the rub.

The authors examine the consequences of our forced separation and ask whether we will be able to return to the way we were. They ask if we have grown so comfortable with the form of worship and community that has developed during the COVID crisis, that some may prefer to continue as they do now, rather than return. Some may prefer being an observer rather than a participant. To answer their question, they explore what a church was designed to be by God by looking at eight major characteristics of an ideal church.

I’m not going to re-write all eight chapters of the book, but I would like to call attention to a few of the characteristics of a church that the elders and deacons focused on given how we’ve worshipped during the last couple years.

At the beginning of the pandemic, we reminded ourselves that a church was not just a building but was defined as the people in it. That definition was true, but Hansen and Leeman encouraged us to expand it along the lines of how the writer to the Hebrews puts it in Hebrews 10:25, “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (ESV). A more precise understanding of a church is that it is a group of people assembled together. The key is the “assembling or meeting physically together” part. The church is designed to meet together in order to reveal the aspects of the kingdom of God that are demonstrated when people are physically in the presence of one another.

Some of those aspects are:

Building Up One Another This is done best, for example, when we look a person in the eye and touch their arm or hold their hand and say “I understand what you are going through right now. I will pray for you and support you”. It’s that physical connection that makes all the difference. It can’t be duplicated watching a computer screen.

Displaying the Love of God When God brings together a diverse group of people with very different views on politics, social issues, economic status, education level, race, etc. who are still able to hug one another and call them “bro” or “sis”, the love and forgiveness and grace of God are made real for the world to witness.

Worship Together When we sing, pray, are taught from the Word and share the communion table elbow to elbow, we understand that we are just as much in need of the Savior as the person next to us is. We have a feeling of sharing something with a family rather than viewing a performance as a bystander.

These are just a few of the aspects of what a church is when we assemble together.

We are thankful for the technological tools that provided a temporary solution to the problem created by the COVID restrictions. They allowed us to stay loosely connected, and even aided in our numeric growth when they were in use. But we are now at a point where each of us must decide if the temporary solution needs to be viewed as just that, temporary, and begin to return again to being “A Family Growing Together Assembling Together”.

In the past two years we’ve been wooed by how easy it is to Zoom or livestream. It’s much easier and tempting to grab a few extra minutes of sleep and still tune into an event while still in our pajamas. I wonder if the ease of the virtual world hasn’t caused some of us to become less intentional in our decision making of whether to do what’s necessary to get to church. Because I attend an event virtually, I may succumb to the illusion that I’ve really participated, when in reality, all I’ve done is look on from afar as others actually participated. I think this is what the authors of the book were suggesting. There is a danger that we could be so comfortable with our experience in the virtual world that it might tempt us to treat our church experience the same way.

I think this gives us something to ponder as we move forward. “Am I willing to give up the benefits of in-person attendance for the convenience of my virtual experience?”

Gary for the Elders
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To download a free e-copy of Rediscover Church click here
And click here for information on our next Senior's Potluck and Men's Breakfast as well as some requests for help for some spring cleaning and taking on a new rose garden at the parsonage. While you're on our Announcements page, be sure to see the latest update from our missionaries spotlighted this week as well some matters for prayer.
Finally, to join us this week by Livestream, click here for the link.

MARCH 18, 2022

Dear Church Family

This past Tuesday, our Sr. Pastor Succession Committee met to work on a job description for a role in our church that we’ve never really needed a job description for as Village Missions sent both Lyle Birkey, who served our church from 1968 to 1997, and Tim Heath, who served from 1997 until the end of last year, to fill the Sr. Pastor role at LTCC.

I couldn’t make the committee’s first meeting, so this was my first chance to watch our brothers and sisters in action. Blessed! Blessed because of the diversity, blessed because of the integrity, blessed by the unity. Focused, productive conversation. Open, honest questions. Room for everyone to share their perspectives. Respectful discussion when it came to counter-perspectives. All allowing a great deal of progress to be made Tuesday night.

Perhaps the most impactful interaction for me was a conversation with a couple of committee members after the meeting. A brother commented that at one point during the meeting he felt like he was “going to throw up” when he realized that not only was he helping to develop a job description and provide the criteria to assess whether someone fit the job description, but that he would be part of the group to actually do the assessing and would recommend to the congregation who should be called to the Sr. Pastor role. The weight of the responsibility hit him at that moment. Made him a bit queasy. But what settled his stomach was the discussion among the group which followed that weighty realization.

The job description being developed by the committee looks like it will have three sections. The first section will be background on LTCC and what we believe about church leadership. The second section is our view on what qualifies a man to be a pastor or, to use other equivalent terms, an elder or overseer in the church. The third section then details what we’d aspire to see in a “senior pastor”, the lead elder, or as some have phrased it “the first among equals."

Thus, it became clear that, while LTCC has only ever twice called someone from outside the congregation to come and pastor the church in a lead role, as a church we have some experience identifying pastors. We do it annually through our Affirmation Process. Every year we remind ourselves of what qualifies a man to shepherd the flock -- the biblical qualifications, the Spirit-filled character, the divine sense of calling, the demonstrated gifting, and the family-esque compatibility – and, at our annual members meeting, we affirm that we believe our elders, our pastors, “meet the job description.” So, you could argue, we have a fair amount of experience discerning those called to shepherd God's people at LTCC.

The task of the Succession Committee then is to provide a framework for discerning who God is calling to be the lead pastor among our pastors. That, in a sense, the new work for the committee is to come up with the unique qualifications and responsibilities of the Sr. Pastor and how the presence of those attributes can be identified. Still a pretty weighty matter. But one which builds on what we as a congregation have already put in place. No throwing up necessary. But humility, prayer, and dependency are very much required.

Again, so blessed by those God has prompted to give themselves to this task. Please continue to pray for our brothers and sisters who are giving their time and energies to helping us identify our next Sr. Pastor.

This Sunday, we’ll be announcing that Josh and Betsy Hall are our newest members at LTCC. The Halls have been attending LTCC for the past 4 years along with their children, Hannah, Sarah, and Jacob. Their presence within the body and their service to the body have been a blessing. We are so pleased to formally welcome them into fellowship as part of our family growing together.

For other announcements, prayer requests, and our missionary spotlight this week, click here to go to our Announcements web page.

Looking forward to worshiping together this weekend.

On behalf of the elders,

Pete
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MARCH 11, 2022

Dear LTCC Family,

I can fall asleep anywhere at any time. I think it’s in my family genes. Staying awake is hard business. It’s true spiritually as well. I can easily “take a nap” on certain things in my faith if I’m not careful.

Last Sunday Nathan showed us from Mark’s gospel what it means on Jesus’ terms to “stay awake”. Nathan laid out 2 points and 2 practices to not fall asleep in our walk with Him. The first point was to not get distracted, and the second was to demonstrate faithfulness under pressure. Thankfully, Jesus was not distracted on His mission to the cross, showing steadfastness when the heat was on. Filled with His Spirit, we are empowered to do the same.

We are also motivated by the Holy Spirit to engage two practices that help us “stay awake”. The first is to come together as a church. We gather each Sunday to remind one another why we believe what we believe. If masks have been a hindrance for you in gathering, this Sunday we will no longer be asking people to wear masks. Whether or not you have agreed with the way masks have been handled, one thing we can all agree on is that there is value in worshiping together in person. Join us if you are able as we awaken our souls in the gospel once again. (And remember this weekend to "spring forward" an hour on Saturday night as Daylight Saving Time officially begins early Sunday morning.)

The second practice Nathan pointed us to was to take time to listen to Jesus and obey Him. Obeying Jesus every time He speaks to us will ensure that we don’t fall asleep during these last days. One thing we know Jesus is calling us to is to pray. Will you continue to pray that He would lead our Succession Committee as they navigate the process of looking for our next Senior Pastor? Will you pray for the process to find a new Youth Leader as well?

As we are in transition with our youth, we are hosting “town halls” for parents, even parents/grandparents that do not have middle school or high school-age students. You won’t want to miss the next town hall slated for this Sunday the 13th. It will be an opportunity to continue to speak into the shaping of the youth ministry but also to be equipped with some tools to help our teenage students. Nathan will be speaking to the parents about the culturally explosive topic of gender and how we are to be thinking about it within a biblical framework.

Thank you for sharpening me as brothers and sisters in Christ. You help me “stay awake”. We help each other to be watchful. It is a pleasure to be on this journey with you.

For the elders,

Brian
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For other announcements, prayer requests, and our missionary spotlight, see our announcements web page.
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MARCH 4, 2022

Dear Church Family

Last week Gary gave you an update on the work of the Senior Pastor Succession Committee. This week, during our elders meeting, we talked about the status of identifying our next Youth Ministries Leader.

Led by Nathan, we’ve been taking a “let’s work our networks” approach. Who are people we know who might be potential candidates? Who are people we know who might know people who would be interested in such a role? We have been identifying contacts within our networks, contacting them, and then following up as appropriate. Status to date? No candidates.

At Tuesday’s meeting we identified a next set of leads and potential paths to leads that will be worked over the next month. If, by the end of March, we haven’t surfaced any candidates through our networks, we’ll determine how we make the need known to a broader base.

Would you continue to pray with us that this network approach might surface candidates to consider? Would we dare to pray it would eventually lead us to our next youth leader?

Whether it’s identifying our next Youth Ministries Leader or our next Senior Pastor, it’s about much more than just hiring the right person. It’s about discerning who God wants to place in our body to fill these roles (1 Corinthians 12:18). We’re not just looking to bring on a new employee, we’ll be inviting a brother, and along with him a sister and spiritual nieces and nephews, to become part of our family and to use their gifting, as God has apportioned to them, for the common good of our church family and for helping to equip us for the ministry and the mission of sharing the gospel. Less about adding to our staff and more about building up our body.

Kind of a big deal? Yes, it is.

So, please keep praying. Please pray as we work our networks for a youth leader. Pray as our succession committee develops a plan for discerning our next Senior Pastor. Pray that God works in our church family, and adds to our church family, those we believe He is calling to serve as part of our church family.

In terms of LTCC happenings, there's a Seniors' Potluck today at noon and tomorrow morning is our monthly men's breakfast (men, you can still register here for that). See the Announcements page for information on how to register for Sunday's Youth "VR" night and the Women's Retreat coming up on March 25th. You'll also be able access the update from this weekend's spotlight missionary couple, Micah & Laura Myers.

On behalf of the elders,

Pete
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FEBRUARY 25, 2022

Good Morning Lake Tapps

At the members meeting in January, Perry Maxfield said we would use the weekly update to report the progress of the Senior Pastor Succession Committee. This morning I’m happy to give you a short update of our first team meeting this past Tuesday.

The first thing you should know is that the team members are a good cross-section of our church body. We represent an age spectrum of a little over 50 years. We are also representative of those who have been church members from a little over a year to more than 35 years. Several of the team members have had prior experience by serving on pastor search or pulpit committees, so we are familiar with the process and what is required.

Tuesday night was devoted to establishing a first cut at a list of Biblical requirements for a pastor as well as the personal attributes we believe to be desirable in a senior pastor. These would include giftedness for the position, personality traits and leadership skills. Over the next few weeks, we will be refining this list (the What) and developing search process guidelines (the How).

We look forward to working together as we move forward toward the goal of calling a senior pastor. We continue to solicit your prayers for ourselves, the church as a whole and for the senior pastor.

Gary for the elders and the Senior Pastor Succession Committee.
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This week on our announcements page you'll find information about our next Seniors' Potluck, Men's Breakfast, and Youth event. There's also some details about LTCC's annual women's retreat in March and the next Compassion Connect Clinic being held in June. Click here to see this week's announcements.

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FEBRUARY 18, 2022

Good morning, Lake Tapps!

Did you know we were saved to love one another? It's true, check out 1 Peter 1:22. We talked about that last night at our bible study. Peter says to those undergoing “various trials” as they live increasingly like "exiles" in a hostile land, that they were born again and set apart by their obedience to the gospel "for a sincere brotherly (sisterly) love" (1 Peter 1:22). It's part of the "package" that comes with being a child of God and living as part of His family with others. I am so glad I'm a part of the family of God!

This week at our elders meeting our main topic of discussion was masks. Last week, it was masks too. Between the two meetings we prayed.

I think I speak for all the elders when I say talking about how to direct our church family when it comes to masks isn’t our favorite topic. It’s hard. Hard because it’s complex and nuanced. Hard because we know that no matter where we land and how we lead it’s going to cause discomfort for some in our congregation. Hard because each of us sees things a little differently on how the Scriptures should inform the discussion. Hard because, though there may not be a uniformity in our views, we are committed to unity as a body of elders and desire that same unity for the body of Christ at LTCC.

Unity’s a big deal for the church. Paul says that to “walk in a manner worthy” of our calling we are to be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” And that it will take humility, gentleness, patience, and a willingness to bear with one another in love (Ephesians 4:1-3). And so, we talk, we listen, we pray, and we talk some more about how best to shepherd our congregation in this area.

That masks are less needed now than a few weeks ago is clear. How long to wait before removing mask mandates entirely is still a matter of debate. Yesterday, Governor Inslee provided his latest guidance for masks and indoor gatherings. Mask mandates will be lifted March 21 for indoor group settings which includes “houses of worship.” As we talked Tuesday, before that guidance came down, we landed on heeding the Governor’s guidance as to the timing for exiting this phase of pandemic protocols. Thus, informed by Scripture and driven by a desire to love one another and consider others above ourselves, we feel that asking, not requiring, our church family to wear masks until March 21 is the right way forward for LTCC.

After considering and discussing the many factors and implications of deciding how to respond to governmental guidance at this point in the pandemic, as elders we left Tuesday’s meeting of one mind that this is what Jesus would have us ask of our church family at this time. We look forward to soon meeting fully face-to-face.

On a less controversial note, for those who have been joining us via livestream, we wanted to let you know that the quality issues you've experienced over the past couple of weeks are being worked. Our A/V team recently upgraded both the hardware and software we use for Sunday mornings in order to better serve those attending in person as well as those connecting from home. We’re still working out some of the bugs with the upgrade. Thank you for your patience.

Finally, a reminder that tomorrow our Gospel Conversations Training class is being held at LTCC at 8:00 a.m. It’s not too late to register for the class, click here if you’re able to attend. For the rest of our announcements, our missionary spotlight, and prayer requests you can click here to go to the LTCC Announcements web page.

For the elders,

Pete
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FEBRUARY 11, 2022

Dear Church Family,

I hope you have been able to enjoy some of the sunshine this week. It’s still striking to me how my perspective on different things can change just by seeing the sun peek through the clouds. Pessimism slowly turns to optimism. There’s a sense in which that is a metaphor to what I saw and observed at the youth “Teens versus Parents” game night last Sunday. In the opening game, before the teens wore down the parents, teens faced off against each other in floor hockey. As I sat and watched our students shoot the ball, pass the ball, or chase after it, I felt a tangible sense of play and fun in the room. Smiles on faces, sounds of laughter, and lightheartedness filled the air.

All of this made me think that these two things—play and fun—have been in short supply these last years. (Putting it lightly.) And students have taken a major hit. A feeling of loss has been all-pervasive, no doubt, and students have experienced that. At the games night this past Sunday, I was so encouraged to see that our church could be a place that facilitated such rich joy.

One leading sociologist calls joy a “signal of transcendence.” Yes, there are hard things to deal with in life, sometimes disproportionately so, but joy is something that tells us that there is another reality—a world in which joy is fundamental, not just peripheral. Joy, in the way I saw it on Sunday, is an embodied expression that reminds us that the difficulties of this world do not have the last say. Heaviness, weariness, and struggle are part of living in this broken world, but they too are not permanent. In Christ, joy wins out.

As the topic of joy came up in our staff meeting this week, Justine mentioned that the attribute of joy is the focus for Adventure Club and Sunday school this week. What a timely attribute to be focusing on.

We, the elders at LTCC, feel the weight of the last two years (as everyone does) in addition to the feeling of transition here in the church body. There has been a lot to endure. But as we look to the future, we also have a deep sense of gratitude for God’s leading us thus far. It’s this sense of gratitude that fills us with joy as we go forward.

One of the very practical ways in which we as Christ-followers find joy is in coming together. Here at the church, there are many ways in which we can gather together, encourage one another, and fix our eyes on Jesus. If you feel that you are experiencing a “joy deficit”, we’d encourage you to consider getting involved in one of the Bible study groups or even attend one of the events coming up.

Click here to see the studies underway and the events coming up over the next weeks next months.

Nathan
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To see this week's announcements, CLICK HERE. You'll find information about our Gospel Conversations Training on the 19th and the Women's Breakfast on the 26th. There’s also an update from Pam King, our missionary with Reality Sports. It's not too late to sign up for tomorrow's Family Matters class, click here to do that. Finally, if you took one the baby bottles for our annual CareNet Baby Bottle campaign, please bring it back to the office this Sunday.

WANTING TO JOIN BY LIVESTREAM THIS SUNDAY? . . . Click here to have the Livestream link emailed to you.

FEBRUARY 4, 2022

Dear LTCC Family

This past Tuesday our elders met in the morning for their weekly meeting and our deacons met in the evening for their monthly meeting.  On the agenda, for both meetings, was a debrief of our members’ meeting on Sunday night.

All in all, both groups were pretty encouraged.  We were encouraged by the attendance, as over 75% of our members were in attendance as well as many regular attenders who made the time to join us to conduct our annual family business.  We were encouraged by the perseverance.  While the meeting went longer than we had anticipated, of the 76 Zoom windows that were present at the beginning of the meeting, 71 were still there for the final amen after we prayed as a group to close the meeting.  And we were encouraged by your presence.  Even though it was a virtual meeting, to see faces engaged in what was being shared, to see the Zoom chat feature being used in a meaningful way, and to hear many ask questions and provide feedback at the end was a blessing.  A family cares about what goes on in the family -- thank you for caring.

However, at both the elders’ and deacons’ meetings we wondered if enough time had been available for questions, answers, and input.  Or, given the length of the meeting, if it was reasonable to expect there’d be a lot of energy left at the end for Q & A.  We thought this could be the case based on the number of questions some of our elders and deacons were asked after the meeting.

At the deacons’ meeting it was suggested we use the weekly check-in as a forum to address any questions or input related to the information covered at the meeting which might be of general interest to our church family.  So, to that end, we invite you to let us know if there’s something from the members meeting for which you’d like further clarification.  Or, if there’s feedback or comments you would have wanted to share at the meeting, we’d welcome that as well.  Perry Maxfield, our Church Council Chairman, volunteered to collect questions and feedback. So, if there’s a question you’d like answered or something you’d think would be beneficial to be addressed in a weekly check-in, please e-mail Perry at perry@laketappscc.org.

One thing we did discuss at the members meeting was whether we should entertain the possibility of moving to a single service on Sunday mornings.  There was a lot of good input as to what should be taken into consideration with such a change.  What we took away though, is that now is not the time for such change and that it probably warrants future discussion in the context of LTCC’s long-term direction.   Thanx to everyone who participated.

Finally, just a reminder about our next membership class on Saturday, February 12 at 8:00 a.m.  As we said at Sunday’s meeting, membership at LTCC isn’t about adding numbers to a roll.  Instead, it’s a matter of discipleship.  Being connected and committed to a local body of believers is integral for the Spirit’s sanctifying work in us.  Communicating our commitment to other believers through formal membership helps us to know who the family is and encourages us all as we see the Lord continuing to form the body of Christ known as Lake Tapps Community Church.  Click here to register for the class being held next Saturday. Attending the class is not a commitment to become a member, but it will provide an awareness of why we think membership is so important.

Again, questions / follow-up / input you’d like to see us address from the members meeting?  Please send Perry an email.

For the elders,

Pete
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PLEASE REMEMBER to familiarize yourself with this week’s announcements. There’s a Parent vs. Teens games night on Sunday, Family Matters on the 12th, and a Gospel Conversations Training on the 19th. Also, just a reminder that baby bottles from our annual CareNet Baby Bottle campaign are due back soon. There’s also an update from one of our missionaries being spotlighted this week, as well as some prayer requests to prime the pump for our time of prayer Sunday morning. Click here to go to our announcements page.

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JANUARY 28, 2022

Good Friday Morning LTCC

This week at the elder’s meeting we met with Perry Maxwell to review items that are on the agenda for the members meeting this Sunday. This is a meeting you’ll not want to miss.

Some of the significant items on the agenda are the status of the Pastor Succession Committee, and the status of youth ministry, both short-term, how we plan to continue to minister to our students, and long-term, how we are thinking about searching for a replacement for a youth ministry leader. We will also be reviewing the annual budget and affirming our leadership team for 2022.

Because we feel this meeting is so important in the life of LTCC we have made the decision to hold the meeting via Zoom and have moved the meeting time to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday evening. The reason for doing a Zoom meeting rather than an in-person meeting at the church is because of our awareness of the number of people in the congregation who are affected by the current spike of the Omicron variant of Covid. The information to access the meeting was sent out with the weekly check-in email. (If you did not receive the email, please contact the office at ltccoffice@laketappscc.org.)

We are very much aware that a virtual meeting is not the same as meeting in person with our spiritual brothers and sisters in the family of God. We believe the definition of “church” is an assembly of “called-out ones” who have made a living commitment to the Lord and other believers. This means that when we meet, we should be assembling in person. Although we are thankful for the technological tools available during this challenging time, we also are aware that they do not replace the real experience of being together.

We ask you to join with the elders in prayer as we seek wisdom of the Lord in how to come together in the way the Lord desires, while at the same time dealing prudently with the reality of the current challenge we face.

If you agree that personal contact is important, especially during this time of isolation, but are hesitant of being in large gatherings, we remind you of the opportunity to participate in small groups or Bible studies that started this week. Some of the groups are meeting in-person, some via Zoom and some in a hybrid mode. To register for one of these groups that still have available spaces, click here.

Gary for the Elders
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PLEASE REMEMBER to familiarize yourself with this week’s announcements. Our monthly men’s breakfast and a Parent vs. Teens games night are happening next weekend. In addition, you’ll find information about upcoming Gospel Conversations Training and an opportunity to take a book from Pastor Tim’s personal library as a memento of his years of service to LTCC. Click here to go to our Announcements page.

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JANUARY 21, 2022

Dear Church Family,

In the recent elders' meetings, we’ve been thinking about the upcoming members meeting on Sunday, January 30th. There will be a great deal of important material discussed at that meeting. Perhaps at the top of the list will be some details outlining the senior pastor succession committee. But in addition to that, other key discussion points will involve the interim time of youth ministry and also some thoughts regarding having a youth pastor in place later this year. The meeting will also be full of exciting updates which will include (but not be limited to) children’s ministry, missions, and outreach. In the elders' meetings, there has been a sense of gratitude for how God has provided for Lake Tapps Community Church. He has so clearly been gracious to us. Yes, there are many points of transition for us in this season, but we also sense God’s leading and presence.

In light of the members meeting coming up, we would encourage you to take a look at the members meeting preview notes that are up on the web. These notes will help give you a head’s up as to what will be discussed at the members meeting. In addition to being helpful and informative, the meeting’s notes serve the purpose of wanting to communicate as much as possible to you, our church family, the processes of what is happening here at LTCC.

To access the materials for review, see the weekly e-mail check-in from Friday. There you’ll find the link and password to access the website. If you didn’t receive the weekly e-mail, please contact the office (ltccoffice@laketappscc.org) for the information.

Warm regards,

Nathan on behalf of the elders

JANUARY 14, 2022

Greetings Lake Tapps

Lots of subjects discussed this week at the Elders meeting which we would like to bring to your attention.

Many of you have asked about Tim’s status. Thankfully he has not had any COVID symptoms, and he appreciates all your prayers for his continued health. As he shared a couple weeks ago, he will be tested and evaluated regularly every six weeks to determine the effectiveness of his T-cell procedure. His next evaluation is January 25th.

Recently there was a need expressed in a prayer request put on the prayer chain by someone outside of our church. Several of you responded with offers to provide help beyond just praying for the requested need. This is so encouraging. This is what it looks like to be a family growing together as we love others the way we love one another.

Another item we discussed was the registration thus far for the many Bible studies being offered this quarter. Registrations are lagging significantly behind what we saw last fall. Please consider participating in one of the studies. We grow in grace, and we grow as a fellowship, as we grow together in the knowledge of who God is, what God’s done, and how we’re to serve Him on mission. If you haven’t done so already, please click here to see the studies beginning the week of January 23rd. If you are planning to join a bible study, please register soon so we can have sufficient materials on hand for the first class.

As you know, our annual members meeting is quickly approaching. Whether you are a member or not, we invite all LTCC congregants to join us after 2nd service, January 30th, for a light lunch and then to participate in: reviewing the year behind us; approving the 2022 budget ahead of us; and affirming our leadership. To help you prepare for the meeting, we will have several documents ready for you to preview including the proposed budget for next year (all documents will be available by Sunday morning). We hope that by having this material available in advance, it will give you adequate time to review the information and be prepared to fully engage as we conduct our annual family business. Questions about any of the materials can be brought to the meeting or, if you prefer, sent in advance to Perry Maxfield (perry@laketappscc.org) or Pete Corak (pete@laketappscc.org). To access the password protected materials, see the link and password provided in the weekly check-in email you received on Friday.

Finally, one last reminder to please be prepared to affirm our elders and deacons at the meeting on January 30th. If you haven’t already, we urge you to visit our affirmation process website, review some of the materials, and complete the brief survey at the end. Click here to access our Affirmation website.


Gary for the Elders
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CHECK OUT this week’s announcements. Women’s breakfast on January 22nd, our membership class, Family Matters has been rescheduled, and we’re preparing to observe Sanctity of Human Life Sunday on the 23rd. For more information click here to go to our Announcements page.

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JANUARY 7, 2022

Good Morning, Lake Tapps

This week at the elders meeting we spent some time planning for the upcoming member’s meeting January 30th.  One of the issues we discussed was the need for prayer by the body in preparation for the meeting on some challenges we face as a church in the coming year.

Most of these needs have been mentioned in weekly updates or sermons over the last few months.  As I mentioned Sunday, the Pastor Succession committee and Youth Leader replacement committee are two of the needs we like you to be in prayer about.  Those that are serving on these teams need your prayers for wisdom and for an openness to the prompting of the Spirit as He leads in these activities.  We believe the Lord is already actively calling the individuals who will fill these two offices.  As He leads them, we also need to be sensitive to His leading of the rest of us in the body.

There are three other areas where we are in need of someone to sense the call of the Lord to step forward to serve His body.  The first is for someone to lead the Women’s Ministry.  This would be someone to oversee the planning and carrying out of the various activities supporting this vital ministry.  Another, very similar, need is for someone to oversee the activities of the Seniors Ministry.  The last need in this category is for someone to assume the Gospel Conversations training and outreach presently done by Evan Burton as part of the overall Benevolence Ministry.

We believe that just as the Lord calls each of us individually to be part of His family here at LTCC, He also calls individuals to serve His body.  Not only does He call, but those He calls, He equips through His Spirit (Ephesians 4:7-13).  You may recall in our sermon series on the letters to Timothy a couple years ago we identified a key attribute of an elder or deacon was that the person had a servant’s heart.  Not everyone is called to serve as an elder or deacon, but we believe that the Lord calls everyone to serve His body in some capacity.  That point is brought out in our Family Matters class.  Being part of the body means being a participant and not just an observer.  The Apostle Paul uses the metaphor of a human body to describe the Spiritual body of the church.  We can easily see what would happen to the human body if a member was not functioning for the health of the entire body.  The physical body would be less than it was intended to be, in the same way the Spiritual body would suffer if a member was not functioning as intended.

This last thought prompted us to consider an interesting possibility.  If servanthood is the objective, then, is being part of the demographic of a particular group essential in order to lead that group?  The answer is no, when we consider leading a youth group or teaching a Sunday School class to 5-year-olds, etc.  Might the Lord be calling someone other than a senior to lead that group?  One thing we do know for sure, “Nothing is too hard for the Lord”.

So, in preparation for the Members Meeting January 30th, we are asking you to join us in praying for the leading of the Spirit in these vital areas of church service.  Consider how the Lord might be calling each of us to service.

Gary for the elders
———————-
**Lots happening as we kickoff a new year. Men’s breakfast tomorrow, women’s breakfast a couple weeks after that. New bible studies beginning, our quarterly membership class coming up, and our members meeting, Lord willing, on January 30th. For more information click here to go to our Announcements page.

WANTING TO JOIN BY LIVESTREAM THIS SUNDAY? . . . Click here to have the Livestream link emailed to you.

DECEMBER 31, 2021

Dear LTCC Family,

As we set out into a new year, I wonder how all of us are feeling. Maybe some of us are anxious to merely put 2021 behind us. Perhaps some of us are eager to make a fresh start and recover some hope for better days than the ones experience these last two years. For others, January 1st might not be anything other than a calendar year switch.

Whatever we might make of the new year approaching, in a matter-of-fact way, it is indeed the beginning of a new year. Years ago in graduate school, I remember one of my professors telling us (his students) about his wedding ceremony. The pastor officiating the wedding made a point to remind the bride and groom that they were at the very beginning of something special. And to punctuate the moment, he slowly spoke the first three words of Genesis: “In the beginning God”.

The pastor spoke the words of Genesis and just let the words hang in mid-air for a long pause. He then told the bride and groom that if they were to make it through the hard, sometimes long, and sometimes sorrowful days of life, there only hope of doing it well would be by making God the beginning.

This is the story that comes to mind as I think of us at Lake Tapps embarking on a new year. We all have plans for the year ahead. Plans for our families, work goals, health goals, financial goals, vacation plans. The list might feel endless. But wherever we find ourselves, I pray that the first three words of Genesis would animate not only the start of the year but work its way into the core of our lives the whole way through. “In the beginning God.” May the Lord guide us from the very beginning of 2022 and carry us through by his strength and for his glory.

Nathan for all the elders
———————-
*** New Bible Studies are starting up later in January. For more information on these click here to go to our Announcements page.

WANTING TO JOIN BY LIVESTREAM THIS SUNDAY? . . . Click here to have the Livestream link emailed to you.

DECEMBER 24, 2021

Dear Church Family,

It has been a long time since I have been able to gather with you for worship. It has also been a long time since I have given the ‘weekly update.’ Thank you for your continued prayers for me and my family. I wish that I was able to gather with you in person but the chemo treatment I went through to prepare my body to receive the TIL treatment, removed any immunity that I had, even for diseases I was vaccinated against as a child. In a few months, I will begin the process of being revaccinated. Until then we have been told that we need to be extremely careful, and the doctors have advised us not to gather with large groups of people indoors. I’m looking forward to when I will once again be able to gather with you.

Earlier this year when it became apparent that I was not responding to any of the FDA approved therapies, we decided to go to Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA). We were told about a trial called “TIL therapy.” There were many obstacles and closed doors that needed to be opened. We let our need be known and asked for your prayers. In answer to your prayers, the Lord opened the doors and cleared the way for me to be accepted into the trial.

On October 26th, I was admitted to the UW Medical Center and began a week of intense chemo. One week later (November 2nd), I received billions (yes billions!) of my own T-cells that had been “harvested” from a tumor that they had surgically removed on September 30th. Following the infusion of the T-cells, I had four infusions of IL-2 (Interleukin) to “jump start” my immune system. It was an extremely difficult process, but the Lord’s grace sustained me. During that time, it was such an encouragement to know that you were praying for me. During the difficult IL-2 phase of the trial, I was in the ICU about a week. After I was discharged from UW Medical Center, we were told that we would need to stay near the SCCA for up to a month and moved into a small apartment near SCCA. But after less than a week in the apartment, they said that I could go home! When the doctors expressed amazement at my progress, I told them, “I have a lot of people praying for me.” Since being discharged, I have been feeling better and gaining strength each week. We believe that this too is an answer to prayer. Sue and I can’t thank you enough for your love, prayers and support. We have enjoyed so many delicious meals prepared for us.

On December 14th, I had a brain MRI and a CT scan to see how my tumors have responded to the treatment. On the 17th, we met with our doctors to go over the scans. They had good news for us. There was no further brain metastasis, and the CT scan showed a 50% reduction in my tumors. We are hopeful that my T-cells are now able to recognize and beat back the cancer in my body. Regardless of the outcome, Sue and I are learning to lay hold of the Lord’s peace. We want to represent Him well.

During this season of treatment and recovery, I am so grateful for my church family. I am especially grateful for the godly, faithful elders and deacons God has given our church. I am blessed by their care of me and our church family. Their wise leadership and commitment to the Lord and His Word, let me know that our best days as a church are in front of us.

Lord willing, tonight I’ll be joining you via livestream for our annual Christmas Eve service. If, like me, you’re unable to attend in person click here tonight at 6:30 p.m. to join online.

Also, we’ll be monitoring closely the weather situation as it develops this weekend. Late Christmas day, we’ll update our website’s home page and send out an all-church e-mail with any updates about Sunday morning services.

We hope you have a blessed Christmas.

In Christ's love,

Tim for all the elders
———

Click here for this week’s announcements and for the prayer requests for Sunday family prayer time.

WANTING TO JOIN BY LIVESTREAM THIS SUNDAY? . . . Click here to have the Livestream link emailed to you.

DECEMBER 17, 2021

Dear LTCC Family,

If there was ever a time in our culture where feeling disconnected has been at an all-time high, it’s been over the last year and a half. As a follower of Jesus, getting connected to smaller groups outside of Sunday gathering for community and further learning is essential.

During the fall we tried something “new”. We offered multiple studies centered on learning about the same topic – the attributes of God. Specifically, the studies focused on the non-communicable attributes of God, meaning those He does not share with us such as His omnipotence (we are not all-powerful). Some of the studies used a book as a guide and included Biblical texts with the study, while others started in the Scriptures and pulled out attributes of God within the text.

We offered studies from 5 different sources led by 8 teachers made available at 9 different times throughout the week. One of the goals was to make the learning accessible to all demographics during the week. Over 100 men and women participated in a study!

Another aim was for each study to create an “active learning environment” where learning was the highest stated value, but community was still a priority. “Active learning” included pre-work along with discussion of the pre-work, learning in a dialogue format, and a time to consider how each would pass on what was learned, all in the context of getting to know one another and developing community.

I was so blessed to be a part of a community of co-learners. Teaching one of the studies based on Jen Wilkin’s book, None Like Him, I learned as much from everyone in the group as they may have learned from me. We established community as we dug into learning some deep theology and furthering our understanding of, “Who is God?”

The truth is we cannot be disciples of Jesus outside of community. However, there are times where we can be in community without learning how to be disciples. So, we are striving to create both learning-driven spaces where community happens, and community-driven spaces where learning happens. That’s not easy and it doesn’t happen overnight. We do want to continue to take steps in that direction, however.

What we have called “small groups” in the past (what some churches call community groups or home groups) are extremely important. Small groups are a place to hang out, share a meal, carry one another’s burdens, establish accountability, pray with and for one another, and even engage in some learning. Most often, small groups are community-driven spaces where learning happens. Studies like we had this fall are learning-driven spaces where community happens.

We are looking at the calendar with two targeted “learning-driven” time segments in mind: Fall (Sept-Dec) and Winter/Spring (Jan-April). That said, we are looking forward to offering another round of studies starting in January. The studies will be focused on 1st Peter/2nd Peter/Jude or the communicable attributes of God. Be on the lookout in the new year to get connected to one of these learning spaces.

Here’s what we envision. Everyone at LTCC would be connected to a small group community-driven space during the year. During the two learning-driven segments of the year, people can feel free to jump into a learning-driven space and not feel compelled to have to do both at the same time. A baseline of community with opportunities for some deep learning throughout the year.

Will you be praying along with us how we can continue to connect our body to both deep community and in-depth learning as disciples of Jesus? We are very excited about what’s happening at LTCC and look forward to deepening our relationships with one another as we strive to know our Lord more intimately.

For the elders,

Brian
———

On our website’s ANNOUNCEMENTS PAGE, you’ll find a reminder that the “Joy-ful Ornament” gifts for the families we’re blessing through Bridges of Love NW need to be in the office by Tuesday, and there are details about our annual Christmas Eve service next Friday. The link for Adventure Club sign-up is also on the announcements page. Click here for more details and for the prayer requests for Sunday family prayer time.

WANTING TO JOIN BY LIVESTREAM THIS SUNDAY? . . . Click here to have the Livestream link emailed to you.

DECEMBER 10, 2021

Hello Lake Tapps Family,

At our elders meeting this week, as we were thinking about all the changes over the last couple years, and praying for the needs of the church, I was sensing through the requests, a feeling of fatigue.  Fatigue caused from the realization of the fight of faith so many of you are daily facing.

For some, the repeated challenges are like the ocean waves beating on the rocks; one issue after another.  Much like the sea billows rolling in the hymn “It is well with my soul”.  The author of that hymn tells why his soul should be well in light of the continued struggles.  He says:

“Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
and has shed His own blood for my soul”

 As we think about and prepare for the celebration of the birth of Christ, we so often focus on His birth, death and resurrection being the source of our forgiven sins.  But the hymn says, “His own blood was shed for my soul”.  My soul will surely be thankful for forgiven sin throughout all eternity.  But I think our souls need a blessing right now today as we fight through the daily struggles we were praying about.

The good news is that Christ “has regarded our souls” in our daily walk of faith – He has given us a Comforter (His Holy Spirit) to live within us as we travel the journey.  By faith we can rest from the fatigue and find joy in His strengthening resurrection life.

This year as you look at the nativity scenes, I hope you see more than the One who would one day pay the ransom (debt) for your sin.  I hope you see the One who would make you a new creation; a creation destined to overcome through faith in His life.

In the stress of the busyness of the season, may you find real comfort and peace through His abiding presence within you.

Gary for the Elders

On our website’s ANNOUNCEMENTS PAGE, you’ll find info about another set of ornaments that have been added to our Christmas tree in the foyer — our Love One Another team has provided us another way to be “Joy-ful”. Check it out. Also, a reminder that this is the last week for the Latvia ornaments and that Sunday night we have a Christmas singalong at the church. If you haven’t already, plan now to join us Christmas Eve at 6:30 p.m. for a time of family worship. Click here for more details and for the prayer requests for Sunday family prayer time.

WANTING TO JOIN BY LIVESTREAM THIS SUNDAY? . . . Click here to have the Livestream link emailed to you.

DECEMBER 3, 2021

Dear Church Family,

This coming Sunday Pete will be kicking off our Advent sermon series. Advent means “coming” or “arrival.” There are many Christmas carols that correspond to the themes within Advent. One of my favorite carols is “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” The fourth verse captures so much of the heart’s cry within Advent:

O holy Child of Bethlehem,
descend to us, we pray;
cast out our sin and enter in,
be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
our Lord Emmanuel!”

Personally, I find these words so centering, especially as we end another strange and difficult year. Ever so subtly, these words remind us of many central truths found within Christianity. Perhaps most notably is that our faith starts with a holy Child from Bethlehem. In a nutshell, Christianity is Christ. But more, the hymn tells us that when we pray, we are not merely praying to something, but to Someone. The Lord Jesus hears our prayers. This verse also affirms the reality of our needs and desires. We need God to come to us and to abide with us.

This is exactly what the coming of Christ just over two thousand years ago signifies. God hears the cries of His people. He comes to us. And when He comes to us, He comes to abide with us.

This year’s Advent sermon series will address the Christmas themes of hope, faith, joy, and peace.

Just one important event to flag before signing off.

Parents Town Hall: This coming Monday at 7pm we will be hosting a Parents “town hall” meeting. We are inviting parents of middle school, high school, and parents of soon-to-be middle schoolers to attend this meeting. This will be a time where we get to hear your thoughts and questions about the youth ministry at LTCC. We want to hear from you, and we want your input! We also want to tell you what is currently happening for youth here and what we see in the future. This will also be a time where we can help resource you in navigating some of the complex and challenging struggles facing youth today. (There are many!) If you are a parent in the category stated above, we would love to see you Monday evening! Click here to RSVP and let us know if you are planning to attend in person or via Zoom.

For the elders,

Nathan

On our website’s ANNOUNCEMENTS PAGE, you’ll find info about the upcoming Ladies’ Cup of Cheer breakfast, a Christmas Carol singalong, our Christmas Eve service, and how you join in helping our sister church in Latvia reach out to their community this Christmas.

WANTING TO JOIN BY LIVESTREAM THIS SUNDAY? . . . Click here to have the Livestream link emailed to you.

NOVEMBER 26, 2021

Pete, Brian, Gary, and Nathan, To the church at Lake Tapps in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers.

In writing his letters to the churches, Paul often started with giving thanks for them.  Thought I'd follow Paul's lead (1 Thessalonians 1:1-2) and do the same this week. 

I truly am thankful for the church at Lake Tapps.  For our unity, our endurance, and our desire to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus.  For our brothers, for our sisters, for our nieces and nephews in the Lord, as we have tried to live out "growing as a family together" as a pragmatic reality and not just a cute tagline.

As I pause, reflect, and give thanks this week, no escaping that we're still in a season that stretches and stresses us to the max.  Yet so thankful that we've done it together.  Grateful for every evidence of God's unchanging faithfulness and goodness to us.  If not for allowing us to escape trial, tribulation, and suffering, then for providing grace such that we flourish through it and bear witness to the power of the gospel to save and the power of God to sustain.

Trust we each had a great Thanksgiving Day yesterday.  Hope that LTCC made the list of gifts we're thankful for.

At this week's elders' meeting we decided to re-order our agenda a bit for the foreseeable future.  Beginning this week, we will have two standing agenda items at the top of our list for update and discussion.  Those two standing items are: 1) Senior Pastor Succession; 2) Youth Ministry.  Both are priorities for us.  Both, we believe, are priorities for our congregation.  So, we want to ensure we maintain focus and forward momentum on both fronts.

So, when the elder team wants to ensure a priority is treated as a priority, one of the things we do is make it a standing agenda item.  But what can we do as a church body with something which is a church priority?

Pray.  One of our core beliefs at LTCC is that "Nothing of eternal significance is accomplished apart from prayer."  Pastoring a congregation, shepherding our youth, both are things that sound like they could have eternal impact.  Commence prayer!

If there is anything that we've seen over the years, it's that God has consistently shown the way forward for LTCC when we have prayed together for His leading.  When next steps need to be determined, when matters need to be decided, we have experienced time and again God's faithfulness in providing the clarity needed in that moment.  "Call to Me," says the LORD, "and I will answer you" (Jeremiah 33:3).  Would we commit ourselves to pray together for these priority matters?  We should.

Participate.  While we have elders who serve by leading and deacons who lead by serving, as a congregation we all have a part in discerning the Lord's direction concerning our church leadership.  That's why we believe in our Affirmation Process and ask you to engage in it every year.  Similarly, there are ways you can participate as we seek to recognize a new Senior Pastor and Youth Leader.  We have already had people offer to sit on a succession committee for the Senior Pastor role.  And we are inviting our parents to engage in a "town hall" meeting on youth ministry at LTCC on December 6.  Beyond that, we invite any and all feedback and input from you as you pray about these roles within our church.  As a reminder, to reach out to one of us, every elder and deacon has an e-mail address at LTCC. Just send your e-mail to firstname@laketappscc.org.  If you'd rather give us a call, our phone numbers are in the Church Directory app.

Finally, we can all practice a confident Patience.  With calling on the Lord comes waiting on the Lord.  While we want to proceed with a sense of urgency (not panic) we also want to be in step with the Spirit's leading.  Ready to act, willing to wait.  Trusting in the Lord with all our heart, leaning not to our understanding.  In all our ways acknowledging Him, sure that He will direct our path (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Prayer.  Participation.  Patience.  It's how we can engage in this Priority.  (Sorry, couldn't resist the alliteration.)

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.  (1Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV)

Thankful for you all.

For the elders,

Pete

DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT OUR ANNOUNCEMENTS PAGE . . . Info there about our next men’s breakfast, an upcoming Christmas carol singalong, and our annual opportunity to partner with our sister church in Lativa.

WANTING TO JOIN BY LIVESTREAM THIS SUNDAY? . . . Click here to have the Livestream link emailed to you.

NOVEMBER 19, 2021

Dear Church Family

I know that we’re never going back to the “old normal.”  But, not gonna lie, I like it when I experience the few things that do feel like the old normal.  Things like us circling up after a members' meeting, holding hands, and praying together.  Brother on one side, sister on another.  Heads bowed; eyes closed.  Joined tactilely by hand in hand.  Joined in community by the gospel.  Joined in unity by the Spirit.  Just the people of God in the presence of God calling on the power of God.  What a great tradition!  Been doing this at LTCC members' meetings as long as I’ve been attending LTCC.  So, pretty normal?  Yup.  Pretty supernatural?  You betcha’!

If you couldn’t join us last Sunday, here’s a quick re-cap.

Brian talked about our go-forward plan for determining the process for identifying someone to succeed Tim in the Senior Pastor role.  As has been communicated before, for the immediate future the current elder team will shepherd and lead our congregation.  What was new information on Sunday, however, is that we are recommending that, when we meet in January to affirm our elders and deacons, Nathan Betts be affirmed as a full-time, paid elder, or to use an equivalent term, as a staff pastor.

In terms of how to fill a lead pastor role at LTCC, in our 50+ years as a congregation this is the first time we’ve had to figure this out.  Both Tim, and Lyle Birkey before him, were placed here by Village Missions.  So, we’re thinking that forming a Succession Committee is a prudent next step.  In addition to developing a job description for a Senior Pastor role at LTCC, the committee would also determine the process of how we would fill the role.  The committee will be comprised of representatives from the elders, the deacons, as well as folks from the church membership.  Our commitment is to have that committee identified by our annual members' meeting at the end of January.  If you are interested in participating in the succession process, please let one of the elders or deacons know.

Nathan then led the discussion on the current thinking concerning student ministry at LTCC as Evan and Kathryn will be stepping down at the end of the year.  At this point, we believe our next youth leader will be filled from outside the congregation. Our hope is that we would have someone in place for September of 2022.  In the interim, Nathan will partner with Justine Peterson and Daniel Geske to ensure we continue to minister to our students.  In addition to weekly small group studies and monthly larger group gatherings, the intent will be to "go out" to youth to connect and build relationships.  While details are still in the works, meeting with students outside of formal gatherings and more in their natural settings is what they'll be focusing on.   As to setting the course for the future, Nathan, Justine, and Daniel will be hosting a "Parent Town Hall" meeting in December (the first of what is hoped to be quarterly meetings) for input on how we should move forward.  While the primary audience for the meeting is all current youth parents, they encourage former youth parents and current elementary parents to join, as well.  That meeting will be held at LTCC on December 6th at 7:00 p.m.  For those wanting to connect virtually, Zoom access will be provided.  Click here to RSVP for that meeting.

Gary closed the meeting with a formal kickoff of our annual Affirmation Process.  See last week's update for his high-level summary of the process.  Whether a member or regular attender at LTCC, we'd encourage you to engage in the process.  Click here for more details and practical suggestions of how you can prepare to affirm our church leadership at our annual members' meeting in late January.

For more details from Sunday's meeting, and to hear the Q&A segment from the meeting, you can click here to view the livestream recording.

Finally, a quick update on Tim.  While the treatment was as brutal as Tim and Sue had been told to expect, Tim's recovery post treatment has been better than anticipated.  While it will take a while for Tim's body to fully recover from the treatment, he is ahead of schedule as of now.  Praise God!  Continue to pray for Tim -- his immediate recovery and long-term healing -- as well as for Sue and the rest of the family. 

By the way, that's another long-standing LTCC tradition that feels pretty normal and for which I am so thankful -- we pray for each other.

For the elders,


Pete

THIS WEEKEND . . . Remember there’s a Gospel Conversations training session tomorrow. See the announcements for more information and click here to RSVP if you plan on attending.

AND, TO PREPARE FOR SUNDAY . . . click here for this weeks announcements and suggested prayer requests. If you plan on joining us remotely on Sunday, click here to get the Livestream link.

 

NOVEMBER 12, 2021

Greetings Lake Tapps Family

This week at the Elders meeting we spent the whole 2 hours discussing/planning for the members meeting scheduled for this coming Sunday after the second service.  That should give you a good idea of how important we consider this meeting to be. 

Here are some of the items we plan to discuss:

• Lead pastor position

• Changes in youth leadership

• Annual affirmation process

As you can see, this agenda is full and it’s a meeting you won’t want to miss.  I’m not going to recap every subject, but I do want to highlight some of the details of the affirmation process.  I think this might be helpful to those that are new to LTCC and a good reminder for those who have participated in the process in the past.

Simply put, it’s an annual process whereby the church members affirm their support for those people we believe the Lord has called and led to serve the body for the coming year.  Now for some particulars.

WHY DO WE DO THIS?

We believe Jesus is the head of the local church (Ephesians 1:22).  As its head and Chief Shepherd, He has chosen to lead the flock through under-shepherds (Elders/Pastors) (1 Peter 5:1-4).

We believe the Word also describes the office of Deacon, men and women who assist the Elders by meeting the practical needs of the flock (Acts 6:1-4).

We also believe that a vital part of the leading/serving function is the support of the members of the body and their acknowledgement that the Lord has raised up the Elders and the Deacons for their individual responsibilities.  In doing this they are voicing that they agree to be led by these people for the coming year (Hebrews 13:17).

HOW DO WE DO THIS?

Each year, in November, we ask our members to prayerfully refresh their understanding of the role of Elders and Deacons and reaffirm their continued support for the people serving LTCC as Elders and Deacons.

As part of the process, in addition to praying for those led to lead LTCC, we ask that if there are any concerns with those recommended to lead and serve, that those concerns be  surfaced and addressed prior to the members meeting in January.  We ask that this be done following the spirit and guidelines in Matthew 18:15-16.

RESOURCES

For a more thorough explanation of our Affirmation Process, we’d encourage you to go to our Affirmation web page by clicking here. There you will find a number of scripture references and articles on church leadership, brief bios/testimonies for all those who are being recommended, as well as practical suggestions for how to engage in the process over the next couple of months.

One final note.  We know this affirmation process may seem different from what some are familiar with.  But we believe the principles which govern the process are biblical (Acts 6:3,6; 1Thessalonians 5:12-13, Hebrews 13:7) and provide a practical avenue for leader accountability while also reminding us of congregation responsibility.  By the members expressing their confidence in the leadership we also believe it will benefit our body with a greater sense of unity in the Spirit (Ephesians 4:1-3).

Finally, as a reminder, on Saturday, November 20th, our Ignite Hope Outreach Team is hosting a Gospel Conversations Training to equip us with simple tools to share the gospel and make disciples of our family, friends, and neighbors. Join us as we learn to share the reason for the hope that we have in Jesus! Register here if you'd like to attend or want more information.

Gary for the Elders

PREPARE FOR SUNDAY by clicking here for this weeks announcements and suggested prayer requests. If you plan on joining us remotely on Sunday, click here to get the Livestream link.

NOVEMBER 5, 2021

Dear Church Family,

Have you ever looked really close at a photograph in a newspaper?  Up close it’s just a series of black and white dots.  The whole picture takes on definition when you get back a distance.  I think this is a good metaphor for our spiritual encounter with the Living God.  When we are in the midst of some event or crisis we don’t always see the big picture of what God is doing, we only see the individual “dots” that represent the event.

I want to share with you a couple “dots” that I hope will encourage you to see how the Lord is working in our midst.  This week at our elder meeting we began by praying for the procedure that Tim was having on his melanoma (dot 1).  Later in our meeting we were discussing an issue that seems to have no good outcome.  No matter how we looked at it, it was a no-win situation.  One of the elders shared that just thinking about it depressed him (dot 2).  Monday night I received an email from a friend with an attached video with the song “He is” (dot 3).

So how are these “dots” connected?  What is the big picture that the Lord is trying to communicate?  In my opinion He is reminding us as elders and as a church that despite the many challenges and changes we’ve experience the last two years, He is still in control and He is the head of our body at LTCC.

So what’s the dot connecting truth here?  First, there is the unbelievable miracle of the medical technology that allows the doctors to take Pastor Tim’s own cells and so manipulate their DNA that each cell becomes a cancer fighting machine.  They have been taught to identify and destroy the melanoma cancer cells.  Are the doctors that discovered this ability to change the function of cells to be deified?  Actually the information and ability in the cells was there all the time.  It just took someone to uncover the technique.  The astronomer Johannes Kepler, who discovered the laws of planetary motion, put it this way.  “Scientists are just thinking God’s thoughts after Him”.  Think of that.  We have a God who from the instant of creation, built in the cells of our body the code that one day would allow doctors to use our cells to heal us.  That’s quite a God!!

Dots 2 and 3 are related this way.  After viewing the video my friend sent me I began to think about how I might encourage Tim by reminding him who our God was and how He was walking with Tim.  That led me to find other video’s on YouTube that told who our God is from Genesis to Revelation.  I found one that especially encouraged me.  I shared the video with the other elders, including Tim, to remind them “Greater is the One who is in us, than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

So zooming up to 20,000 feet, what is the Lord saying?  I think He’s recognizing those events and troubles we have, but He’s also reminding us that He’s the head of the church and we are members of His body (Col 1:17-18).  The more we focus on the real issues that trouble us, the less we will focus on the One who already knows about these troubles and is walking with us to comfort us.  He has promised to give us rest if we cast our burdens on Him (1 Peter 5:7, Psalm 55:22, Matthew 11:28-30)

Let me end this update by directing you to the video I mentioned.  If you can find 11 minutes in your day to view it, I know you will be blessed and will agree, “Great is the One who lives in us”.  Note the scripture references at the bottom of the screen.  These are a great tool for your daily devotion.  Here is the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NscHCa395-M

The more we realize who God is, the more those things that would depress or defeat us become opportunities for the Lord to call others to Himself, as they see the confidence He produces in us.

Gary for the elders

PREPARE FOR SUNDAY by clicking here for this weeks announcements and suggested prayer requests. If you plan on joining us remotely on Sunday, click here to get the Livestream link.

OCTOBER 29, 2021

Dear LTCC Family,

Since becoming an elder in-training earlier this fall, I have had the opportunity to see the strength of our church’s leadership up close and personal. One striking observation for me has been to see the sheer amount of careful thought and time given to shepherding the church family. I have seen how Pastor Tim along with the elders carry the burdens that are shared in the congregation. It is a beautiful and moving thing to watch and now experience.

Around the mid-point of 2020, the pastor and author Rick Warren was interviewed about his thoughts on the pandemic. He made a comment that left an impression on me. It went something along the lines of: “I have heard so many people say to me, ‘Pastor Rick, we are all in the same boat.’” He then interjected, “But that is actually not the case. We are not all in the same boat. We are all in the same storm, but not necessarily in the same boat. Some of us feel as though we are in a yacht in this storm. The storm is difficult, but we will be okay. Others of us feel as though we are floating in a rubber dinghy through a tempest while people are on both sides poking holes in the dinghy.” Put plainly, some of us are struggling!

I think that metaphor captures how many of us have felt these last two years. Indeed, there has been enough struggle for everyone. We have made it thus far, but not without challenges and difficulty.

Amidst the struggles, perhaps the timing could not be better for our Missions Emphasis Weekend. In addition to the many inspiring aspects that this weekend holds, Missions Weekend reminds us that God is still working, both locally and globally. Yes, life can be difficult and disproportionately so at times, but the reality of missions is a type of reset we all need. It helps us recapture the fact that God is speaking, acting, and calling many to Himself today. Truly, it’s a message we need to hear and internalize.

Although the Friday dinner has already been booked up, there is still room for the men’s breakfast, the women’s brunch, and the Saturday evening ice cream social with the Burton’s. If you haven’t yet, you can register for those here. For those not able to make it to the events they will all be livestreamed. Click here to go to the LTCC YouTube page and click on the LTCC Missions Emphasis Weekend ‘21 playlist to access the livestreams.

There is lots to look forward to this weekend. I pray that God will meet with us and that we will respond to His voice.

See below for more important links.

 

On behalf of the elders,

Nathan

PREPARE FOR SUNDAY by clicking here for this weeks announcements and suggested prayer requests. If you plan on joining us remotely on Sunday, click here to get the Livestream link.

  

OCTOBER 22, 2021

Dear LTCC Family,

When God told Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac on Mt. Moriah, he provided a substitute, a ram caught in the thicket by its horns. Abraham called that place Jehovah-Jireh meaning, “the LORD will provide” (Gen. 22:14). Literally, it means Jehovah “will see to it”.

We understand the incredible significance of Isaac climbing the mountain with the wood of sacrifice on his back pointing us ahead to the sacrifice of Jesus, ascending Golgotha with a wooden cross on his shoulders. It is there Christ would substitute himself and die in our place for our sin, satisfying our greatest spiritual need. God himself provided our substitute; he is Jehovah-Jireh.

This is the gospel, the good news that the LORD “will see to it” when it comes to our greatest opponents of sin and death. It’s from this faith in God’s provision that Tim addressed us last Sunday and exhorted us because of the gospel, or in light of the gospel, to press forward in being wise, courageous, and loving as a church family.

I’m not sure how Tim made it through his sermon. I had a frog in my throat almost the entire time. The LORD has used Tim to instill in us a confidence that is unshakeable. Because the LORD will provide. I can tell you that sitting next to Tim week after week in elder meetings, that what you heard and saw on Sunday is what we hear and see in private – a resounding confidence that Jehovah will see to it. That the LORD will heal him? Maybe. He certainly could. But Jehovah-Jireh has most definitely provided what we need most, a Savior. And if God has provided for our eternal needs, how much more will he “supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19).

I’m sure you have many questions about what’s next for LTCC. Tim referred to a congregational meeting we will be having on November 14th after second service. We will not have all the questions answered at that time, but we will certainly have a direction for where we sense the LORD leading and providing for us as a church family. Mark your calendars for the 14th.

Tim goes in this Tuesday the 26th to begin chemotherapy. He and Sue will have a room at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance throughout the clinical trial. Be praying for Tim’s body to respond to the experimental treatment and for opportunities for Tim and Sue to share the hope that they have in their LORD that “will see to it”.

For the elders,

Brian
———-
MISSIONS EMPHASIS WEEKEND REMINDER — If you haven’t already done so, please register today for the events you’re attending next week. You can register here. For more information about next weekend, click here.

PREPARE FOR SUNDAY by clicking here for this weeks announcements and suggested prayer requests. If you plan on joining us remotely on Sunday, click here to get the Livestream link.

OCTOBER 15, 2021

Dear Church Family,

Sue and I so grateful for your love and prayers. This last month was a busy one. On September 13th, I officially signed the consent forms for the TIL trial at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA). Since then, I have been doing a lot of tests and scans. On the 21st, an MRI showed metastasis to my brain — not what we wanted to hear. The doctors have warned us from the beginning that a “brain met”, as they call them, could derail the trial. After conferring with the TIL team, they said the trial could continue if the brain metastasis was treated with a “gamma knife” procedure. The surgery to “harvest” a tumor to grow my T-cells was scheduled for September 30th, but the trial protocol required the brain metastasis be dealt with first.  In less than a week, we saw the gamma knife doctor, had the gamma knife procedure at Harborview and on the 30th I had surgery at the University of Washington Medical Center (UWMC) to obtain a tumor for the T-cell harvest. In all of this we saw God’s gracious hand. He leads us in “paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” (Psalm 23:3)

This week we learned that my T-cells are being successfully grown in the lab and they have scheduled me to begin chemo at the University of Washington Medical Center (UWMC) on October 26th. Because of my previous brain metastasis, I had another MRI this week. If it is clear, I will be able to proceed with the TIL infusion. After a week of chemo, they will infuse my T-cells back into my body and put me on a regimen of Interleukin 2 (IL-2). They have said I will be in the hospital for about two weeks. After my discharge I will need to stay within 30 minutes of SCCA for 30 days.

Throughout this journey, we are seeing the Lord provide and open doors in many amazing and wonderful ways. We are confident that the Lord is leading us and know that He is with us. Thank you for supporting us with your love and prayers.

After much prayer and consideration, Sue and I have decided that the time has come for me to finish my time as pastor at Lake Tapps Community Church. Prior to my melanoma recurring, my hope was to continue serving at Lake Tapps until at least my Social Security retirement age of 67. However, we now think it is wise for me to formally step down at the end of 2021.

This has not been an easy decision. There have been a number of considerations in our decision, but a key one is our love for Lake Tapps. God has done and is doing an amazing work at Lake Tapps. He has provided a godly team of elders and deacons. During this time of the pandemic, the Lord has been refining and purifying His church. We have a church body with sincere followers of Jesus who are serious about serving Him. This is a time when Lake Tapps needs a lead pastor who can fully engage in the work of providing leadership for the church. While Sue and I are hopeful about the treatment I am receiving, even if the TIL therapy were to significantly extend my life, my ongoing medical situation would be a hindrance to me being able to fully engage in the work. We believe it is in the best interest of the church for me to take this step.

As the elders have walked with me on this journey, we have been prayerfully considering what the Lord would have us do regarding the pastoral team at Lake Tapps in the future. I am so thankful for the strong team of elders we have. They have already demonstrated their ability to provide godly, solid leadership in the midst of difficult circumstances. It is a blessing to me to know that my stepping down is in no way creating a crisis of pastoral leadership. We are confident the Lord is already at work providing for the needs of our church. On November 14th after the 2nd service, we will be having a special members meeting to kick off our annual affirmation process and share more with you about recommended next steps.

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, more than ever I am grateful for the opportunities I have to gather and worship with my church family. After I complete the TIL Therapy, I will be unable to gather with you for some time. Before I go into the hospital, I want to be able to share with you one more time from God’s Word. This Sunday, we will be taking a break from our series in Mark so I can share a message with you. I hope you will be able to join us.

In Christ’s love,

Pastor Tim

AND, AS A REMINDER . . . Please register as soon as a possible for our Annual Mission Emphasis Weekend, October 29-31. You can register here for the different events. (If you didn’t see the e-mail which came out on Tuesday click here to see a copy.)

ALSO . . . Though we will to highlight important church events in the weekly check-in or during our call to worship on Sunday mornings, the best way to keep in touch with what’s happening at LTCC is to bookmark our Announcements web page and check it out Friday afternoon or Saturday. There you’ll find not only the announcements but also our weekly “spotlighted” missionary and suggested prayer items for Sunday morning.   If you’re planning on joining us via livestream this week click here to get the livestream link.  And please let us pray for you by filling using our Wave Form.

 

OCTOBER 8, 2021

Good Friday Morning Lake Tapps

The elders wish to thank those of you who responded to the survey last week on continuing the weekly update.  Your response was overwhelming and confirmed that this weekly check-in email is a valuable source of information and connection to the LTCC body and should continue.

We appreciate your gracious comments regarding your recognition of the time and thought that go into the updates.  If the updates are a help to you then that is sufficient reward for the time spent.

There was a comment asking that the scripture reading for the following Sunday be included.  The good news is that the scripture is already shown on the home page of the LTCC website, www.laketappscc.org.  Just scroll down a little bit and you’ll find it there.  This too was an encouragement that many of you are following our exhortation to prepare yourselves for worship and are reading ahead to be ready to receive the Word of the Lord.

Speaking of reading ahead, I call your attention to verse Mark 9:7, “… This is My beloved Son; listen to Him!”.  At a time when we are flooded with a tsunami like wave of opinions and thoughts of others, it’s good to stop and meditate on what the Father says about His Son.

This week Tim gave us an update on his treatment.  He is scheduled to have an MRI to help evaluate the treatments he had last week.  The next big event is the start of chemo on the 26th followed by the infusion of his treated cells.  Pray that all these events will happen on time and without complication.  Pray also that throughout this path that he and Sue are called to travel on, that the Lord would be held high and magnified.

As we do each week, we concluded our elders meeting this week by praying for the requests sent in for the prayer chain, as well as those identified through the WAVE form.  We thank you for the privilege of coming alongside you in presenting these requests to the Lord.

As a reminder, while we’ll try to highlight important church events in the weekly check-in or during our call to worship on Sunday mornings, the best way to keep in touch with what’s happening at LTCC is to bookmark our Announcements web page and check it out Friday afternoon or Saturday. There you’ll find not only the announcements but also our weekly “spotlighted” missionary and suggested prayer items for Sunday morning.  

If you’re planning on joining us via livestream this week click here to get the livestream link.  Finally, whether you’ll be gathering in person or joining us virtually, please use the Wave Form to let us know how we can pray for you this week.

 

Gary for the elders

OCTOBER 1, 2021

Dear Church Family

I’d like to share a couple items with you that we discussed at this week’s elder meeting.

As you know, Tim is starting a more intensive treatment for his cancer this week.  The protocol for the treatment means that for the next number of weeks he will be focusing solely on his medical needs.

This week the elders spent time with Tim to determine how we might step in and cover various church related activities for which he is responsible.  Each of the elders has assumed a portion of Tim’s workload.  We feel confident that even though there might be a new face associated with some activity, the resulting effect will be constant.  This shows the advantage of having a plurality of leadership.  Each week as the elders discuss a particular issue, each of us contributes our own perspective.  At the end of the exchange there is a unity of purpose which represents the whole group.

As we experience this change in human responsibilities we all should remember that Christ is the head of the church (Ephesians 1:22-23, Colossians 1:18).  He is the One that ultimately leads, directs and supplies what we need to function as a local expression of His universal body.  This event in the life of our church has also emphasized the responsibility we all have to pray for one another and in particular for those that lead the flock in whatever capacity to which they have been called.

This week there is a particular need to pray for one another.  Through the week we have alerted the prayer chain to the special prayers needs for Dan and Adele Simmons, Lyle Melton, Cheryl Wilson and others. (If you are not part of the prayer chain but would like to be, please let the office know with an e-mail to ltccoffice@laketappscc.org).

Another item we talked about was the weekly update email sent to the entire congregation.  Originally this was instituted as a means of communicating with the church body during the COVID lockdown.  At that time we felt that the additional means of communication would help us fill the void created by not assembling together in person.  Now, as some of the restrictions caused by COVID have eased, we are able to meet weekly and we are asking ourselves if there is still value in this means of communication.  If you find the weekly update a help, or if it’s just something that fills up your e-mail inbox, we would like to hear from you.  Please share your thoughts through a very short survey by clicking here.

If you’re planning on joining us via livestream this week click here to get the livestream link.  Whether you’ll be gathering in person or joining us virtually, please let us know how we can pray for you at our elders’ meeting this week by clicking here to use our Wave Form. Please also spend some time on our Announcements page.  In addition to the announcements, you can click on the Missionary Spotlight button to find out which of our missionaries we’ll be praying for this week.  As well, familiarize yourself with the suggested list of items we might pray for during our family prayer time on Sunday.

Gary for the elders

SEPTEMBER 24, 2021

Dear Church Family,

As some of you know, I try and process my morning bible readings by putting pen to paper (actually fingers to keyboard) to articulate at least one thing I think the Spirit might be speaking to me about through the Word. Those musings end up in my computer-based journal and then find themselves as a post on an online blog I’ve had for many years. This past week, most mornings those musings have been colored by a spirit of weariness.

And, I'm thinking, I'm not the only one who’s been waking up a bit wearied lately.  A couple of weeks ago I talked with a sister from our congregation who said, "Pete, I need to be honest, my faith is kind of shaken with everything that keeps happening around us like Pastor Tim's situation."  In her "confession" I heard the ring of the psalmist's lament, "How long, O LORD? Will You hide Yourself forever?" (Psalm 89:46)

I tried to encourage her that all this "piling on" is actually intended to build our faith not destabilize it.  I reminded her that our faith can be shaken if it is founded on a belief that God has promised us the "good life" in this life, when in fact He wants to prepare us in this life to fully enter the life awaiting us.  That's why James could write,

Count it all joy, my brothers [and sisters], when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. . . . Blessed is the man [and woman] who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.  (James 1:2-3, 12)

The joy comes when the trials cause us to seek the face of our "hidden" God who beckons us to "Come!"  When the desert we sense about us creates a thirst to drink deep of His mercies new every morning and to know the reality of a grace that is sufficient for our weakness.  When heavy burden bearing seasons drive us to the feet of the Savior and to hear His invitation each morning to take afresh His yoke upon our shoulders and secure ourselves firmly to it.  For there we learn from Him and find rest for our souls in Him because, says the One who is gentle and lowly in heart, "My yoke is easy, and My burden is light."  (Matthew 11:29-30).  Translation: I am not hiding.

In our elders meetings we feel the weight.  We pray under the burden.  We get the "how long?" feeling.  But we also know He's not hiding. The evidences of God's active agency in our individual lives, and in the life of our church body, are many.

We see His power in the lives of many in our church family who are not only enduring hardship, but actually thriving amidst it, because they know the Lord uses trials in our lives as loving "discipline.” We can actually see in them the "harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it" (Hebrews 12:7-11). Let's continue to pray for these brothers and sisters.

We see His plans continue to play out for our church as evidenced by a children's Adventure Club which initially met a pandemic need but again this Fall has drawn close to 40 kids to come, gather, and learn of the God in our midst.  Pray for the kids and teens ministry in our church.

We see God's provision in raising up another shepherd to feed and care for the flock.  Still early in the process, but so far we have been so encouraged by Nathan’s heart and the contributions he has made at our meetings.  Pray for Nathan, his family, and our bonding together as a team.

We see God's moving in the hearts of more than 90 people who have signed up for one of the "Attributes of God" studies this Fall -- many of them saying it will challenge them as they're more familiar with mid-week studies that walk through a book of the Bible rather than take on trying to comprehend an infinite God. Pray for these studies. Not that we'd just gain more knowledge, but that we'd grow in our awe and wonder of the transcendent beauty of our God.

And, we see God's presence every time we gather.  Every time we connect, whether in person or via livestream, to demonstrate we are the body of Christ.  Pray for our church.  Pray for unity even in the midst of so many dynamics around us which would conspire to divide.  Pray for our witness to a world that is in desperate need of some light.

Wearying times?  For sure.  But hidden God?  Nope.

Nathan's preaching this week.  Looking forward to the Word being proclaimed again in our midst.  If you’re planning on joining us via livestream click here to get the livestream link.  Whether you’ll be gathering in person or joining us virtually, please let us know how we can pray for you at our elders’ meeting this week by clicking here to use our Wave Form. Please also spend some time on our Announcements page.  In addition to the announcements, you can click on the Missionary Spotlight button to find out which of our missionaries we’ll be praying for this week.  As well, familiarize yourself with the suggested list of items we might pray for during our family prayer time on Sunday.

On behalf of the elders,

Pete

SEPTEMBER 17, 2021

Dear Church Family,

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in Him.’” (Lamentations 3:22-24).

Each new day the Lord is extending His love and mercy to us. Because of His “steadfast love,” we can face the future with confidence. Even when He leads us down paths we would rather not walk, we have His assurance that His mercies are “new every morning.”

I encourage you to take time each morning to reflect on the Lord’s care and provision for you. Spend some time in His Word. Recognize what He is doing in your life and give thanks to Him. If you write down some of the ways God has been merciful to you, you can go back later and be encouraged again. As you read His Word and reflect on His goodness, submit your life to Him afresh.  Ask Him and trust Him to fill you with His Spirit. Knowing God’s unwavering commitment and work in our lives, brings a deep confidence. Isaiah 26:3 says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” My prayer is that the peace of Christ will be so evident in our lives that others will be drawn to Him and that the Lord will use us in powerful ways to share with others the hope that we have.

Over the last few weeks Nathan Betts has joined the elders for our weekly meetings.  We have been blessed by his wisdom, insights, and thoughtful questions concerning a number of church matters that have been on our agenda (Note: Nathan is not participating in people-specific, confidential discussions until after our members have had the opportunity to affirm him as an elder in January).  I speak for all the elders when I say that Nathan has already been such a help and encouragement within the team.  Also, last Saturday Nathan was able to share at our monthly men’s breakfast. While Nathan has shared a number of times with our men, this was an opportunity to share more of his personal story. We are thankful for Nathan’s willingness to consider becoming an elder at LTCC. Please pray that the Lord will continue to direct us and the Bett’s family as we move forward. We are confident that the Lord will continue to lead us.

As we enter the fall, there are continual reminders that the last year and a half has been a challenging time for our church. The pandemic has had a profound impact on our lives. Not being able to interact normally with each other has been hard. This last year I’ve realized in a new way just how important face to face interaction on a weekly basis is for our spiritual, emotional, and even physical health. Isolation from our brothers and sisters in Christ can bring not only a sense of disconnected-ness and isolation but also, for some, deep discouragement. This week we spent some time talking about how to reconnect with those who have been out of sight though not out of mind and how we may be able to more effectively provide pastoral care for those who are still unable to gather again in person.

While as under-shepherds of the Lord’s people we recognize our responsibility to shepherd the flock, it is also important that we all recognize the responsibility all believers have to encourage and help one another follow Jesus. In Hebrews 3:12-13 it says, “See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” As you pray for our church, please pray for the elders as we seek to shepherd. But also ask the Lord to show you someone He might have you reach out to encourage. Connect with them. Ask them how they are doing?  Commit to praying for them. Perhaps even share a passage of Scripture that has been meaningful to you. My prayer is that we will love one another well. Jesus said, “By this all people will know you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35).

Finally, thank you again for your continued prayers for my health and the clinical trial. This week I’ve had six appointments at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, and more are scheduled for next week. Things seem to be on track for my surgery on the 30th and for me to receive the TIL infusion in October. After I receive the TIL infusion, my body will be severely immune compromised, and I won’t be able to worship at LTCC for some time. Each week I’m able to attend church, I realize how special it is to be a part of the Body of Christ and how much I love you all.

Lord willing, I look forward to being with you this Sunday. If you’re planning on joining us via livestream click here to get the livestream link.  Whether you’ll be gathering in person or joining us virtually, please let us know how we can pray for you at our elders’ meeting this week by clicking here to use our Wave Form. Please also spend some time on our Announcements page.  In additions to the announcements, you can click on the Missionary Spotlight button to find out which of our missionaries we’ll be praying for this week.  As well, familiarize yourself with the suggested list of items we might pray for during our family prayer time on Sunday.

In Christ’s love,

Pastor Tim, for all the elders

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

Dear Church Family

Tim's back in Montana helping his son, Josh, relocate back to the area, so I've got this week's check-in.

Just a quick update on Tim . . . As Tim mentioned last week, the pace has picked up for he and Sue as they prepare for the clinical trial Tim's been approved for at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. And now they have some concrete dates to plan around. Surgery is scheduled for September 30. Later in October treatment will begin in earnest. During that time, about 6 weeks, Tim will either be in the hospital or staying nearby. If I'm understanding things correctly, it will be well into December before SCCA can determine the impact of the treatments. Let's continue to pray for Tim and Sue. Pray for Tim's drive home with Josh this weekend, and for the journey all the Heaths are on as Tim moves through the trial over the next couple of months.

Another quick update . . . There's a mountain out there! Who knew? This morning the RV left the property (not under it's own power, however). As it was pulled away, Rainier became visible again from the office. What a beautiful site. Thanx again to Trista Sutherland and Evan Burton for their continued faithfulness in loving others, even as they quarterback the final clean-up process (Lord willing, all the remaining vehicles should off the property within the next 2-3 weeks). I am so thankful for how our benevolence team has led us over these past several months in responding to what I believe has been the Lord's call for LTCC to love "the least of these." The end result we'll leave to our loving, compassionate, gracious, and patient Father. Ours is to be faithful. From my vantage point we have been.

As I stood with Trista and Evan and watched the RV being carried down the driveway, I thought of how almost everything Dennis had worked so hard to accumulate was gone. And now the motorhome which seemed to have been such a permanent fixture was vanishing out of site as well. What he had worked so hard for just didn’t last. Couldn’t help but think, “Is there a lesson here for us?” Something Jason Sutherland said to me during the clean-up "party" a couple of weeks ago came to mind, something to the effect, "I wonder if this is what it will look like to God when He looks at the things we've worked so hard to store up through our lives." Amen, brother.

As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. (1 Timothy 6:17-19 ESV)

Taking hold of that which is truly life, that's what Jesus wants us to do. That's what He's saved us to do. That's what He's empowered us to do. And what's the starting point for skillfully navigating this life in order to lay hold of the true life to come? Solomon says "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (aka "skillful living"). And the holy awe of God which is so necessary for living for God comes from knowing God. When Moses wanted to see God's glory, God revealed to Moses His character. And Moses knew the fear of the Lord as he "quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped" (Exodus 33:18-34:8).

None of us is a Moses. But God is still God. And He still calls men and women to know Him so that they would live for Him. That's our desire this Fall through our bible studies -- that we would know Him so as to follow and proclaim Him. If you haven't done so already, click here to check out our web page listing all the studies being starting the week of September 20.

Why commit to a Fall Bible Study? Well, there's at least a couple of good reasons. It's beneficial for community, meeting new people, and/or growing deeper with those we already know as we learn together. It's also beneficial for developing deeper theological insight and biblical understanding which is vital for maturing as a Christian. But while these are good reasons for connecting to a study, the best reason is to, like Moses, see God's glory. As J.T. English says in his book, Deep Discipleship, we want to ask God "to bring us into His inexhaustible presence, bottomless beauty, and infinite glory." Our greatest goal in studying together should be to know the presence of God as we know the essence of God. Christ is the goal, not just more knowledge about Christ. When we enter into the Father's glory, growing in the grace and knowledge of the Son, then we will want to make Him known in the power of the Spirit.

That's why the studies being offered this Fall should be of great interest, they all deal in some respect with the character of God. They all proclaim His glory through His nature. I'm hoping one of the days/times works for your schedule and you are able to join us on this journey of knowing God, so that we would fear God in way that shows us how to live wisely for God. If you're planning on connecting with a study this Fall please register here as soon as possible so we have time to order materials.

This Sunday Gary will be bringing us the word as we continue our series in Mark, "Who Do You Say That I Am?" Whether you'll be gathering with us in person or via livestream I look forward to us being the church this Sunday. The ask continues to be that you would please let us know how we can pray for you by clicking here to use our Wave Form. Also, please spend some time on our Announcements page, it will let you know what's happening at LTCC, spotlight one of our missionaries, and also be helpful in priming the pump for our time of Family prayer on Sunday. If you’re planning on joining us via livestream click here to get the livestream link.

See ya' Sunday, Lord willing.

On behalf of the elders,

Pete

p.s. Guys, if you haven’t already, click here to sign up for tomorrow morning’s breakfast.

SEPTEMBER 3, 2021

Dear Church Family,

Summer is almost over. This last week I noticed a ‘nip’ in the morning air. In my neighborhood the kids are returning to school. As much as I love summer, I am always ready to get back into the routine and rhythm of fall. One of the regular activities I look forward to is resuming mid-week Bible study. Growing deeper in our knowledge of the Word and in our relationships with other believers is an essential part of following Jesus. This fall we will be offering several studies exploring the nature and character of God. Knowing God is vital for wisdom and stability in life. We must know Him to carry out the mission the Lord Jesus gave us, to represent Him and make disciples. In these turbulent times, our need for a deep knowledge of God has never been greater. Information about the studies being offered can be found on our website. I encourage you to check out the various studies that are available and register for one that fits your schedule. Our Fall Bible Studies page can be found under the Resources tab or by clicking here.

If you read the announcements last week you know we asked you to save the date for a members’ meeting on September 12th as there were two major items we wanted to share with the church.  However, this week, based on our discussion at our elders meeting on Tuesday, one of those items has resolved itself and the other we’ll communicate through this check-in.

The primary reason for having the meeting was to update you regarding the situation with Dennis and get your thoughts regarding a possible plan for helping him transition off our property. As I shared with you in a recent update, Dennis is now off our property and the plan we were going to discuss at the members’ meeting is no longer under consideration.  Thus, our decision to cancel next Sunday’s meeting.

The other news we wanted to share with you concerns the proposed expansion of our elder team.  I am thrilled to let you know that we believe God is raising up Nathan Betts as another elder for our church. Many of you will be familiar with Nathan because he has preached several times at Lake Tapps over the last few years. Nathan, his wife Brittany, and their children, Samuel, Saskia, Curtis, and Sabrina have been attending LTCC since 2017.  Nathan and Brittany became members November of last year.  They have, on a number of occasions, shared how they believe the Lord has led them here and given them an affection for the saints at LTCC.  They have been a great blessing to me personally as well as to many others in our church family.

As our relationship with Nathan has deepened, the elders have seen Nathan’s pastoral heart and recognized that he meets the biblical qualifications for an elder (see 1 Timothy 3 for a list of those qualifications).  In a conversation with Nathan several weeks ago, Nathan expressed his desire to shepherd God’s people.  According to 1 Timothy 3:1, that’s the first and foremost qualification for an elder and so we approached Nathan and have been exploring with him the possibility of him becoming an elder at LTCC.  We believe the Lord’s hand is in this for many reasons.  Thus, we wanted to let you know that Nathan will begin meeting with our elder team regularly this Fall.  Together we hope to confirm what we believe is the Lord’s leading for Nathan and our church and anticipate that his name will be put before the membership to be affirmed through our annual affirmation process and members’ vote in January 2022.

I am so thankful for the godly team of leaders we have at Lake Tapps. The Lord has given us wise, Spirit-filled elders and deacons.  Please be praying for Nathan and our church as we seek to follow the Lord’s leading in adding to the team.

Also, I want to thank you for your continued prayers for my health. Sue and I are grateful that the Lord has opened the doors for me to do the clinical trial at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA). It is an involved process that has started slow but is quickly picking up speed. Over the next few weeks, we will have multiple visits to SCCA to meet with various doctors and undergo tests prior to my hospitalization. Please pray for the Lord’s timing and that I will remain healthy enough to continue in the trial.

Finally, I appreciate so much your willingness to once again “mask up” during our Sunday gatherings. The virus is continuing to spread in our area, and this really is a tangible way to care for one another. If you are at high risk or think you may have been exposed to COVID-19, please use our livestream to join us Sunday mornings. The best way to access it is to go to our website, www.laketappscc.org , and click on the “Get Livestream Link” either in the Sunday Online menu or on the Sermons page.  The link will be emailed to you upon registration.

As always, I am looking forward to being with you this Sunday, Lord willing. Please let us know if you will be attending and how we can pray for you by clicking here to use our Wave Form. Also, please spend some time on our Announcements page.  There are a number of things starting up in the next few weeks you’ll want to be aware of as well as a number of prayer requests you can familiarize yourself with for our Family prayer time on Sunday.  Again, if you’re planning on joining us via livestream click here to get the livestream link.

In Christ’s love,

Pastor Tim, for all the elders

AUGUST 27, 2021

Dear Church Family,

Last Sunday I wore a mask to church for the first time in a long time. They are uncomfortable and I wish there was no need to wear one, but because of the evolving nature of the COVID virus and my needing surgery soon, it seemed prudent to wear a mask. However, self-interest is only a part of the equation. We are learning that even fully vaccinated individuals can be carriers of the virus and infect others unwittingly. In our church family we have a number of people at significant risk for COVID complications should they contract the disease.

Earlier this week someone asked if we will be “requiring” masks this Sunday in view of the governor’s mandate that took effect on August 23rd. Our belief at Lake Tapps has always been that Jesus is the head of the church. While we respect the authority God has given to elected officials, the governor is not the head of our church. As elders our number one concern is, what is Jesus directing us to do?

As you know, there is not a unanimous consensus among believers regarding the right way to respond. Over the last week, I have heard from people telling me that they are not worshipping in person because they view the health situation as too dangerous. I have also heard from those who think masks are unnecessary and merely a power play by those in authority. We appreciate those who have taken the time to share their thoughts with us. We carefully consider what is shared. One of the burdens of leadership is realizing that in matters of this nature, it is unlikely that any decision we make will please everyone. But God has given us the responsibility to lead, and we do it the best we can before the Lord.

In view of the spread of variants of the COVID-19 virus, we think it is prudent to take additional precautions. Over the last few weeks we have had some of our own people battling COVID. Thankfully, all of them appear to be on the road to recovery, but the risk of transmission to other, more seriously compromised people is a real concern. On Sunday mornings we have a fairly large number of people gathered in a relatively small area singing. Even those who have been vaccinated, and are not personally at high risk, can be carriers of the virus to others. Because of this, we are “asking”, not requiring, those attending services to wear a mask. The spirit behind this ‘ask’ is that we do what we can to minimize the risk to others as an act of love and self-sacrifice.

If you feel you may have been exposed to COVID or are uncomfortable attending our worship services in person, Livestream access to our Sunday morning services is always available. The best way to access it is to go to our website, www.laketappscc.org , and click on the “Get Livestream Link” either in the Sunday Online menu or on the Sermons page.  The link will be emailed to you upon registration.

The Lord has His church in a time of testing. How will we continue to respond to the challenge of COVID? In the world around us we see many decidedly non-Christian responses – contempt, anger, hatred, terminated relationships, etc. God is giving us an opportunity to model something different. Not just something different – something supernatural. Romans 5:5 says that “God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.” Jesus told His disciples that, “All people will know that you are My disciples if you have love one for another.” My prayer is that the world around us will see in our church family the love and peace that flows from a vital relationship with Jesus as expressed in our care for one another.

Please pray for our church that we will continue to lift up and glorify Christ, who alone is “the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6).

I look forward to gathering this Sunday. Please do let us know you’ll be attending and how we can pray for you by clicking here to use our Wave Form. After submitting the Wave Form you’ll end up at our Announcements page where you’ll be able to: find out about upcoming events; review our Missionary Spotlight; and, see some suggested prayer items for Sunday. Again, if you’re planning on joining us via livestream click here to get the livestream link.

In His love,

Tim, for all the elders

AUGUST 20,2021

Dear Church Family,

Last week I told you that Sue and I were still up in the air regarding my being admitted into the clinical trial at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA). Thank you for praying. On Tuesday I received word from SCCA that they had received the funds needed from our healthcare plan and that we were now able to move ahead. Between now and the beginning of the trial, I need to have surgery and a number of scans and tests. We have been told that the surgery could come as early as this next week. Please continue to pray for God’s timing and provision as we move forward.

On the journey we are on, Sue and I have seen God’s tender care and amazing provision so many times. Psalm 96:2 says, “Sing to the Lord, bless His name; tell of His salvation from day to day.” I encourage you to take time each day to reflect on the ways His salvation is being worked out in your life. Pray for opportunities to “tell of His salvation,” by sharing how God has been at work in your life and the hope that you have in Him.

On Wednesday, we sent out an e-mail regarding Dennis, the man who has lived in his RV, with his two young daughters on our property. If you missed the e-mail please check your inbox. (If you are not receiving emails being sent to the congregation but would like to, let the office know at ltccoffice@laketappscc.org). Please continue to be in prayer for Dennis and his girls. Please also be praying for our benevolence team as they continue to deal with this situation. If you have any questions or concerns regarding Dennis and his girls, please contact any of our elders or deacons.

I look forward to Brian ministering from the word this Sunday. Please do let us know you’ll be attending and how we can pray for you by clicking here to use our Wave Form. After submitting the Wave Form you’ll end up at our Announcements page where you’ll be able to: find out about upcoming events; watch a video from the recent Compassion Connect Clinic in Sumner; review our Missionary Spotlight; and, see some suggested prayer items for Sunday. If you’re planning on joining us via livestream click here to get the livestream link.

In His love,

Tim, for all the elders

AUGUST 13, 2021

Dear Church Family,

On Monday, I told the other elders that I would do our weekly update this week. I was hoping I would be able to tell you that all the financial details had been worked out and that we had a start date for me to start the clinical trial at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance — but that hasn’t happened yet. We continue to pray that God will open that door, but for now we continue to wait. The waiting isn’t easy. As we wait, I know the “right” things to say. “God is in control.” “God’s timing is always perfect.” I believe those things, but every day I need to remind myself afresh of who God is and what He has promised. If I don’t, I soon feel a creeping anxiety start to build in my heart.

Yesterday morning in my devotional time, I read through John 14-17. It is called the “Upper Room Discourse.” In it, Jesus gives final instruction to His disciples before He goes to the cross. As I was reading, Jesus’ words from John 14:27 jumped out at me. He said,

“I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” (NLT).

The peace we have as believers — the peace we need, the world can’t give. It is not a peace we can achieve or work for, it is a peace we receive as a gift from Jesus. He is our peace.

If my peace depends on my getting into a clinical trial, I’m on shaky ground. If our peace is based on anything in this world, it is built on sand. The other day I read an article about how the new strains of COVID-19 (especially the “Delta variant”) is causing anxiety. In June, almost 60% of Americans reported that they were “thriving” (the highest score in 13 years). Most Americans were feeling optimistic about the future. But since June that score has been going down as the COVID numbers have begun ticking up in various areas. If our sense of peace and well-being is dependent on COVID numbers, or any other worldly circumstance, we are putting our trust in the wrong place. True peace is found only in Jesus.

We currently live in a fallen world. The effects of sin and death are evident all around us. But Jesus has conquered sin and death. Through faith, we are “in Him”. Through faith in Jesus, we have been forgiven all our sins and have been given Jesus’ life and righteousness. As the hymn “The Solid Rock” says we are “dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.”

In John 17:24, Jesus prayed and said,

“Father, I want these whom You have given Me to be with Me where I am.” (NLT).

Jesus’ prayer has been answered and is being answered. As believers our eternal home is in heaven with Jesus. But for now, we represent Him in a world that is not our home. As we act as His ambassadors, and make disciples, Jesus is not only with us – He is in us by His Holy Spirit.

As you face circumstances that might cause you to be troubled or afraid, I encourage you to read Jesus’ Upper Room Discourse. Jesus explicitly tells us why He gave His disciples this instruction.

“I have said these things to you, that in me, you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).

The world needs to know the hope that is found in Jesus. They need us to tell them about Jesus, but they also need to see our hope. They need to see Jesus’ peace in our lives. In 1 Peter 3:15, the apostle Peter said, “…in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” My prayer is that each of us will faithfully do that; that we will be a church where we help and encourage one another to live each day for the glory of our great God and King.

I am so looking forward to worshipping Him with you this Sunday. Let us know you’ll be attending and how we can pray for you by clicking here to use our Wave Form. After submitting the Wave Form you’ll end up at our Announcements page where you’ll find out about upcoming events and can review our Missionary Spotlight and suggested prayer items for Sunday. If you’re planning on joining us via livestream click here to get the livestream link.

In His love,

Tim, for all the elders

AUGUST 6, 2021

Dear Church Family,

I hope you have had a good week. I know some of you were camping at Mayfield Lake this week. While Sue and I were unable to go this year, we have been praying that it would be a great time of rest and Christian fellowship.

When the elders meet each week, we not only spend significant time praying together, but we often talk about the subject of prayer – specifically prayer at Lake Tapps. One of our core values (#5 to be exact) is that “Nothing of eternal significance is accomplished apart from prayer.” Prayer is the way we stay in vital connection with the Lord and “abide” in Christ. The work of Jesus on the cross has opened the way for us to directly commune with God. If we are to live fruitful Christian lives, prayer must be a daily, moment by moment, part of our lives. As a church, everything we do must be done in a spirit of prayer. Jesus said, “apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Recently we made the decision to devote the first part of our service to having a focused time of prayer together. After a brief “Call to Worship” from Scripture, the next part of our service is devoted to prayer. As elders we sensed the Lord was leading our church to call on Him in a more intentional way. In the Book of Acts, the church was keenly aware of their need for the Holy Spirit to enable them to represent Jesus and proclaim the Word of God. On one occasion after the church prayed together, they experienced the presence of God in a powerful way. In Acts 4:31, we read:

And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the Word of God with boldness.

When we pray together on Sunday mornings, we are acknowledging our need of God’s presence and enablement. We don’t want life as usual. We want to be “shaken” by the Holy Spirit. Our desire is that He would fill us and enable us to “speak the word of God with boldness” as ambassadors for Christ.

As we gather to worship each week, I encourage you to prepare your heart in advance. “Be alert and of sober mind so you can pray” (1 Peter 4:7 NIV). To pray effectively in our family prayer time, we need to come into the worship service ready to pray. When we gather as the church, we need to remember that we are the temple of the living God. God is present in our midst. I encourage you to reflect on that fact before Sunday morning and take some time to prepare to meet with Him. When I was growing up, my parents taught me that Saturday was not just a day off from work or school. It was also a time to prepare for worship. We tried to avoid events on Saturday evenings that would keep us from being ready to worship Sunday mornings. I was encouraged to have a quiet time with the Lord to prepare my heart for worship before church. I encourage you to do the same.

What would happen if every serious follower of Jesus at Lake Tapps intentionally prepared for worship? What would happen if we spent time preparing our hearts and praying for our worship service before gathering? What would happen if we earnestly prayed for those leading worship, those preaching, those attending, for our greeters and ushers, our children and their teachers? What would happen if we came into church with our hearts yielded to God; ready for the Spirit to prompt us to pray? I think we know the answer – revival would break out! Do we need revival? Do we want revival, or are we content with the status quo?

Coming to church with your heart prepared doesn’t necessarily mean the Spirit will prompt you to pray out loud. In a large group it would be hard for everyone to audibly pray. But I hope you will come prepared to be moved by the Spirit, ready to publicly pray if He prompts you to do so. I hope that in times of silence, we will all be engaged in meaningful prayer. My prayer is that whether we are praying with others or having a time of silent prayer, we will all be aware of the Lord’s presence; that we will commune with Him and call out to Him as individuals and as a church family. The Lord told Jeremiah, “Call to Me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known” (Jeremiah 33:3).

I look forward to calling on Him with you this Sunday. As part of your preparation access our Wave Form here to let us know you’re attending and how we can pray for you. After submitting the Wave Form you’ll end up at our Announcements page where you’ll find out about upcoming events and can review our Missionary Spotlight and suggested prayer items for Sunday. If you’re planning on joining us via livestream click here to get the livestream link.

In Christ’s love,

Tim, for all the elders

JULY 30, 2021

Dear Church Family

As Tim is speaking this Sunday, I've got the task of this week's check-in.  So, here are a few random thoughts that have been bouncing around my brain that I think tie together.

First, I'm grateful for a pastor who is able to preach not only from the pulpit but through his life as well.  While Tim's been unable to bring the spoken word to us over these past several weeks, haven't he and Sue spoken volumes as they've navigated the path before them?  Acknowledging the severity of the season, but demonstrating the confidence that comes from deeply knowing the Savior.  Not sure what tomorrow is going to bring but without a doubt as to who holds them in His hand.  Their world kind of turned upside down, yet their feet so clearly planted on solid ground.  We can talk about it.  We can sing about it.  But it's something else to see it.  While we're all part of a drama we'd rather not be part of, we are privileged to have ringside seats to witness the reality of a God whose mercies really are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23), and whose grace truly is sufficient as His power is made known through our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Next, I can't tell you how often I have left an elders meeting recently thinking, "That was a surreal experience."  One minute we're discussing the things of mortality, eternity, and the certainty of our hope in Christ.  The next minute we're talking details of what needs to be done before the Fall and the 2021/2022 ministry year.  So often I have noticed how the conversation seamlessly moves between contemplating unseen realities above and then dealing with urgent matters below.  More than once we've talked of how we're wired for life and yet how much anticipation there is through death.  As believers we really do straddle two worlds, two kingdoms, two realities.  One we deal with one day at a time, the other we can only imagine.

So how is this possible?  Where does such inner peace, outer strength, and prevailing confidence come from?  And how can we be sure it's gonna be there if/when we need it?

Jesus gives us a clue.

"EVERYONE THEN WHO HEARS THESE WORDS OF MINE AND DOES THEM WILL BE LIKE A WISE MAN WHO BUILT HIS HOUSE ON THE ROCK."  (MATTHEW 7:24)

Strong foundations are built on what we know about Jesus and His words.  Peace that passes understanding is the fruit of growing in the grace and knowledge or our Lord and Savior.  It comes from what we learn as learners, or disciples, of Christ.  Our God is a communicating God and for those who have ears to hear He is a confidence-building, comforting-giving God.

And the time to have ears to hear is before the storm. The time to go deep and establish a bedrock foundation is before the catastrophe. Brian highlighted that so well this past Sunday as he broke down Mark 4:23-25. The one with ears to hear will continually hear and store up truths of the King and His kingdom, and thus will be ready when the bottom falls out on earth. But for those who have stopped listening, for the one who has allowed their ears to hear to atrophy, "even what he has will be taken away." Kingdom knowledge, it would seem, has a shelf life. You can't just grab some, tuck it away and ignore it and then expect it'll be there when you need it.

Watching Tim and Sue, and others in our fellowship who have endured seasons of hardship with grace and confidence, is evidence that they have been learners of Christ.  They have followed Jesus and sought His voice.  Now they draw on the depth of that knowledge, their abiding relationship with Jesus, and the ever present power of the Spirit, to walk in a way which testifies to the truth of the gospel and brings glory to God.

This is part of the reason why, as an elder team, we have been burdened with the need to be more intentional in leading the LTCC family towards becoming deeper learners of Christ (Lord willing, we'll see some steps to that end in the Fall).  It's not about gaining knowledge for knowledge's sake, but believing that, as we grow in our knowledge of God, we will flourish in living for God.  Right behavior always come from right belief.  Divine power is sourced in divine truth.  Extravagant worship flows from knowing the mind of God, the heart of Jesus, and the ever-present dynamic of the Spirit. Flourishing as image bearers of God is dependent on knowing the God whose image we bear.  That's why Paul could say:

. . . I SUFFER AS I DO. BUT I AM NOT ASHAMED, FOR I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED, AND I AM CONVINCED THAT HE IS ABLE TO GUARD UNTIL THAT DAY WHAT HAS BEEN ENTRUSTED TO ME. (2 TIMOTHY 1:12)

We go deep so that the foundation is ready when the storm hits.  We seek to help others do the same so they too will be able to bear witness to the sustaining grace of God when the going gets tough.

Walking through trials.  Talking about heaven.  Building a firm foundation.  Making disciples who will help others grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ.  I think it all fits together.

I trust we all do.

As I said, Lord willing, Tim will be taking the pulpit this Sunday.  If you want to “wave” before you arrive on Sunday to let us know you plan on attending you can click here to access our Wave form. When you're there, tell us how we can pray for you as elders.  And, don't forget to familiarize yourself with the announcements, our missionaries spotlighted, and the prayer requests for this week.  If you’re planning on joining us via livestream, click here to get the livestream link.

For the elders,

 

Pete

JULY 23, 2021

Dear Church Family,

Thank you for praying for my scan and doctor’s appointment earlier this week. The scan confirmed what the doctors suspected. My body hasn’t responded to the treatments I’ve been given. My tumors are continuing to grow and spread. There are no longer any FDA approved therapies available. As I have mentioned previously there is a clinical trial that has shown some promise being conducted at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA). My doctor thinks I am a good candidate for this trial. The first hurdle to entering the trial is that all the financial details need to be worked out with our health plan. When and if we are given the financial greenlight, there are many other “moving parts” that need to come together. The trial will involve multiple tests, scans, surgery, chemo and close monitoring.

The day of our appointment with the doctor at SCCA, I was reading in Proverbs during my morning devotional time. Proverbs 21:1 says, “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord, He turns it wherever He will.” As the doctor was explaining all that needed to be done and scheduled, God brought the verse to mind. If this is the path the Lord has for us, He will open the doors. We are trusting in our Good Shepherd.

A number of years ago one of my instructors in Bible school named Pamela Reeve wrote a little coffee table book called “Faith is …” The other day I picked it up from our coffee table and read, “Faith is … confidence in God‘s faithfulness to me in an uncertain world, on an uncharted course, through an unknown future.” I’m so thankful that God has given us His Word. He calls us to believe it — have faith. We are daily reminding ourselves of His Word and His promises. I encourage you to do the same as you walk the path the Lord has you on.

In the days ahead my focus and energy will increasingly need to be directed towards my medical treatment. My heart will always be with you and the work God has given us. It is difficult to not be able to give myself to the church the way I would like. As you know, I haven’t been in the preaching rotation for some time. I want you to know how personally blessed I have been by the messages from the Gospel of Mark given by our elders. Each week I have been moved to tears as they have clearly proclaimed the truth about Jesus in Mark’s amazing Gospel. He is the answer for our every need. I am so thankful that the Gospel is faithfully proclaimed each week.

Because of the uncertainty of what lies ahead for me, I would like to be able to speak to you before I go into the clinical trial. Lord willing on Sunday, August 1st, I will be speaking at both services. We will take a break from our series in Mark. I am so looking forward to sharing with you what the Lord has put on my heart.

I’m thankful for every Sunday I can worship and be with my church family. This Sunday is no exception, and I am eager to hear Brian’s message from Mark 4:21-34. If you missed Brian’s sermon from Mark 4:1-20, you can watch it by clicking here. It was a powerful message. If you want to “wave” before you arrive on Sunday to let us know you’re attending you can click here to access our Wave form. By going to our website before our gathering you can also let us know how we can pray for you and familiarize yourself with the announcements, our missionaries spotlighted, and some prayer requests for this week. If you’re planning on joining us via livestream, click here to get the livestream link.

In Christ’s love,

Tim, for all the elders

JULY 16, 2021

Dear Church Family, 

Last Sunday we had our members meeting after church. Thank you to all of you who joined us in person as well as online. It was a blessing to be able to speak to you face to face. I miss not being able to share the Word with you on a more regular basis. While these weekly updates are not the same as being behind the pulpit, they are an opportunity for me to share with you what God is teaching me. I appreciate you letting me share my thoughts with you.

Many people ask me how I’m feeling — I struggle with that question. While I am not experiencing severe physical symptoms, the journey Sue and I are on has been difficult emotionally. Over the last couple of months, the news has not been encouraging regarding the spread of my cancer.

A verse that has helped to anchor my soul has been 2 Corinthians 4:18 where Paul says, “…we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.” What we “see” are test results that show cancer spreading. But there is another, deeper reality in our lives — even though we can’t see it with our physical eyes. It’s the comforting presence of God. It’s the reassuring promises of His Word.

We “see” these realities, through eyes of faith. We don’t “live by bread alone, but by every Word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Deuteronomy 8:3). When our world is shaking, God’s Word steadies our hearts. The reality that He is with us, that Jesus has paid our debt and has conquered the grave, gives us a deep hope.

We are growing in our dependence on Him — learning how to rely on Him moment by moment. Like the psalmist in Psalm 46:1, we are finding that He is “a very present help in trouble.”

We continue to ask for His healing, but we also know that His plan for me may not include physical healing.

We are thankful for the way God has given grace not only to Sue and me, but also to our children. Last month our entire family was able to be together. It brought me deep joy to hear my children praying for my healing, but also telling the Lord that they love and trust Him no matter what. Please continue to pray that we will continue to look to Lord and rely on His strength. We want to bring glory to God and represent the Lord Jesus well.  

On Tuesday, July 20th, I am scheduled to have a CT Scan. The results of the scan will help determine if I should enroll in a clinical trial at the University of Washington. Please pray for an accurate scan and wisdom as we meet with the doctor to plan next steps.

While it was a joy to be with you at our members meeting last Sunday, after the meeting the elders realized that we “dropped the ball” in a significant way. We let you know about the need we have in our women’s ministry, but failed to say thank you to Robin Goodwin for her faithful service as our women’s ministries deacon. For some time, Robin has had increasing family responsibilities caring for her elderly parents and felt that she needed to step down. We are so grateful for Robin’s leadership and hard work. Thank you Robin! Please join us in continuing to pray that God will raise up just the right person to take the baton in this important area of ministry.

In all the challenges and uncertainties of life, we have Jesus’ promise in Matthew 16:18. “… I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Jesus is the head of the church. He has made us a part of His body, given us His Spirit, gifted us to serve Him. He is coming soon. May our goal always be to please Him.

I am looking forward to worshipping with you on Sunday. If you want to “wave” before you arrive on Sunday to let us know you’re attending you can click here to access our Wave form. While you’re at it, let us know how we can pray for you, and review the announcements, missionary spotlight, and prayer requests for this week. If you’re planning on joining us via livestream, click here to get the livestream link.

For His glory,

 

Tim, for all the elders

JULY 9, 2021

Dear Church Family,

Last week I gave you a brief update on where I’m at medically, but I didn’t share much about how I am doing emotionally and spiritually. June was an intense month. On the 22nd my mom passed away. She was 96 and ready to go be with the Lord, but her passing was still somewhat sudden. When Sue and I received the news, we were with all our kids and grandkids in Colorado. I continually marvel at the graciousness of God. We were able to grieve and rejoice together that grandma was with the Lord. Her memorial service was on July 1st in Bellevue and all four of our kids were able to come home for her service. Her service was a wonderful reminder that this world is not our home. Our true home is in heaven with the Lord.

But as we live and serve Jesus in this fallen world, He is with us – and lives in us by the Holy Spirit. The gift of the Holy Spirit is God’s ultimate gift – the gift of Himself. Sue and I are growing in our appreciation that the Holy Spirit truly is the Comforter. One of the ways He is comforting us is through you. The church is not just an organization, it is the “body of Christ.” Through your love, prayers and encouragement, Jesus is ministering to us. Through His church, His Word, and His indwelling Spirit, the Lord is daily sustaining us and giving us hope, joy and peace, even in the midst of sadness and uncertainty. Because of His grace, we can genuinely say, “it is well with our souls.”

And, just as the Lord is leading our family, He continues to faithfully lead our church as well. As a leadership team of elders and deacons, I am confident in LTCC moving forward in whatever that would look like. Details may not be clear yet, but our leadership is unified and ready to move where He leads us in these times of uncertainty.

For example, last Sunday it was a joy to move to an extended prayer time as we began our worship service. Though during the 9:00 AM service the noise from the fans in the room made it difficult to hear, after turning the fans off in the 11:00 AM service it was much easier to hear. We will continue to turn the fans off during our time of prayer. We feel strongly that the Lord is continuing to move us to pray. We need Him to move in our hearts, in our church, in our nation and in our world. When we gather as His people, He is in our midst. I hope you will come on Sunday ready to pour out your heart to Him in prayer. As the Spirit leads, call out to Him and enter into the prayers of others as they pray.

As Brian mentioned last week, while we’ll no longer be going over the announcements during the service, the announcements, along with the call to worship and prayer requests, are accessible online and should be available by Friday morning each week. If you don’t have a smart phone (or don’t like to bring it with you to church), you can get online and fill out the Wave Form before Sunday. We would encourage you to do that. After filling out the Wave Form you’ll be taken to our Announcements page where, along with the announcements, you will find prayer requests for the week and a button for our missionary spotlight.

If you are planning to attend on Sunday, you can let us know now by clicking here to go to the Wave Form. If you are planning to join us via our livestream this week you can click here to get the link for the livestream.

Please also be in prayer for our members meeting this Sunday. We will begin with a meal together at 12:45 PM and start our meeting at 1:00 PM. Childcare will be provided after the meal. If you haven’t already, you can preview the materials we’ll be reviewing by clicking here and using the password sent to you in the weekly check-in. If you want to join us via livestream for the meeting, the link is also in the weekly check-in you received. We are looking forward to sharing with you some of what God is doing at Lake Tapps. I am praying that you will be challenged and encouraged. You do not need to be a member of Lake Tapps to attend. If you are considering making Lake Tapps your church home, we would encourage you to come.

I am looking forward to gathering with you on Sunday.

For His glory,

Tim, for all the elders

———————-

Again, click here to go to our Wave Form and Announcements pages. Click here to get the livestream link.

JULY 2, 2021

Dear Church Family,

On June 11th, I had a Pet Scan that showed growth in my existing tumors and spread of melanoma to some new sites. Earlier this week Sue and I met with a melanoma specialist at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA). If my body does not respond to the immunotherapy drugs I am currently taking, the next option will be to enter a clinical trial with something called TIL Therapy. TIL Therapy is a fairly severe process, and the trial is only open to those who are not responding to immunotherapy. I had my last dose of immunotherapy this week. The doctor at SCCA wants to wait three weeks and then have another scan. The results of that scan will direct our next steps. Waiting is always difficult, but the Lord is teaching us to daily rely on Him. Sue and I are so grateful for your prayers and thankful that we have a church family to wait with us.

While there are many unknowns with my health, what I do know is that things will be changing on Sunday mornings.

A few weeks ago, we asked for your feedback on our monthly family prayer time. It was clear that Sunday evenings are not a good time for many of you. Because prayer is one of our core values, we have been talking and praying about how to best facilitate prayer. Beginning this Sunday, we are going to increase the amount of time devoted to prayer at the beginning of each service. To ensure that we have adequate time for prayer, we are making some adjustments to the order of service.

We will no longer begin our service with an announcements time. As the weekly announcements are on our website, we’d encourage you to review them after you are seated and are waiting for the service to begin. This can be done by going to www.laketappscc.org on your electronic device. Or, to make it a little easier, you can access our website through a QR code which we will provide. The QR code will take you directly to our Wave Form, and from there to the Announcements. If you are unfamiliar with how to use a QR code with your phone’s camera, Brian will walk through it this Sunday morning.

Instead of announcements, we will open our services with a Call to Worship and then go to prayer. Accessing our announcements page will be helpful for preparing to pray as we will include weekly prayer requests with the announcements. As we pray together, those prayer items will also be displayed on the screen. We believe that pray is absolutely vital. Starting the service with prayer will help us come into the presence of the Lord and prepare us for a time of worship.

Another change beginning this week is that we will no longer ask you to register for in person attendance at our services. As of June 30th, the State has removed capacity restrictions for indoor gatherings. However, there has been no change regarding the mask guidance for indoor gatherings. For your safety, and the safety of others, if you are not fully vaccinated please continue to wear your mask.

Finally, because of the different restrictions for in person gatherings since March 2020, we began to livestream our services. We are so thankful for how the Lord has allowed us to use technology to stay connected. With more people attending in person, and in anticipation of capacity restrictions being removed, we have been discussing the role of livestreaming in the future. We recognize that there is benefit for those that are unable to attend in person to have a way to join in the service virtually and we will maintain that capability. We are also aware of the Biblical command to not neglect assembling together (Hebrews 10:25). So, beginning this week, in order to better understand the livestreaming need so that we can shepherd our shut-ins appropriately, we’ll be asking our livestream attendees to register to receive a link which they can use to access our services online.

As we continue to trust the Lord, we are confident that we will adjust to these changes in the same way we have adjusted to the many changes we’ve experienced over the past 16 months. If you have input concerning any of these changes, please do not hesitate to reach out to myself, Brian, Gary, or Pete.

As a family growing and worshiping together, may we do everything for His glory and the advancement of His kingdom.

In Christ’s love,

Tim, for all the elders

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To go review our announcements and prayer requests before Sunday, click here. And, to get the link for livestreaming, you can click here.

JUNE 25, 2021

So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart” (Acts 2:46 NKJV)

Dear Church Family

Most of us have laughed at the play on words joke based on the King James translation of Acts 2:46.  As a reminder, the joke asks what kind of car the disciples drove and the answer is a Honda, because “they were all in one accord”.  A better translation of this verse is “they were of one mind”.

This does not mean they were mindless robots, but that they were unified and in agreement in the way they worshipped and served the Lord.  A valid question might be “how do you get a group of individuals to act in this way?”  The answer to this question is given in verses 44-47.  They regularly gathered together for meals, study of the scriptures and worship of the Lord.

This Sunday, after the second service, we have an opportunity to gather together ourselves at our semi-annual members meeting.  We will share a lite meal and worship our Lord by doing part of the business of His church.  Although the elders and council members have the responsibility of leading the body and doing the day to day tasks required to function effectively, we don’t do this in a vacuum.  The members meeting is one way we all come together to do the business of the body as we discuss the direction we believe the Lord is leading.

The agenda is packed with a number of updates and proposed changes that affect us all.  To see the agenda and recommended pre-reading, click here. Please note: You'll need the password MM0621 to access the page.

I hope you will be able to join us.  As always, our members meetings are open to visitors, but any voting is limited to members only.  In preparation for the meeting, please be in prayer for wisdom and a sense of unity.

To register for one of our services this Sunday click here. To see this week’s announcements click here.

For the elders,

Gary

JUNE 18, 2021

Dear Church Family

As elders, there was a time when we met once a month for a couple of hours for formal discussions, decision-making, and prayer.  For the past few years, those meetings have been weekly.  And, for most meetings, two hours never seems enough to get through our agenda.  In addition to talking through what we call our “flock review”, we pray for people and needs in our church, and then have a list of items requiring discussion, decisions, or some intentional direction setting.

One of things on our radar this week was what to do with livestreaming. 

Last March, because of the pandemic and “shelter in place,” we quickly figured out how to go online with Sunday mornings.  And over the past 15 or 16 months we have continuously tweaked platforms, equipment, and processes as we’ve tried to improve the online “experience” while limited in our ability to gather together.  Now that we seem on the threshold of things “opening up,” we don’t want to just default into continuing to livestream our services because we can.  With the pandemic no longer being the “why”, are there other “why’s” we should be considering?  If not, then why continue to livestream?

To that end, before our discussions this week, as elders we read a couple of articles recently published by others who are thinking about the same thing.  One was titled “Why Our Church Will Keep Livestream.”  The other, “Why Our Church Will Unplug from Streaming.”

To be sure, livestreaming has enabled those within our church family to stay connected virtually during a time when we were not able to connect physically.  For some it was even a discipleship tool as they led their families or others to engage more actively in “church” as they worshiped at home.  And, for others in our congregation who were “shut ins” before the pandemic, it provided a way for them to be part of our Sunday mornings when they hadn’t been able to beforehand.

What’s more, our online presence was a way for those outside our church family to become connected.  There have been several instances where God used our livestream feed for people to find us, and even join us before they were able to actually be with us.  Wasn’t our goal, but what an un-anticipated blessing.  God can grow His church through the web!  Who knew?

We are so thankful for how technology has benefited LTCC, especially over these past several months.  Not just because it kept us connected, but because the Lord has used it to grow us as a family, both numerically and spiritually.

In addition, it’s also been pretty convenient.  A great way to do church when we couldn’t go to church.  But convenience can come with a downside when it becomes a barrier for the church being the church.

The “Why We’ll Unplug” article contends that worship is intended to be “an embodied experience in both its individual and communal dimensions.”  And so, in order to realize the communal dimension, we need bodies to actually be together – not just occupying the same time continuum via online church, but also the occupying the same space as the gathered church, the body of Christ.

So, as elders, we’re talking about the future of livestreaming at LTCC.  No thought that we’d discontinue livestreaming, but much discussion on how we could leverage it to meet the needs of those who are unable to gather at the building while not creating a barrier for those who are.

Would you pray for wisdom for us?  It’s not the biggest thing on our list, but it is an area where we want to be thoughtful, intentional, biblical, and in line with how we believe the Lord would have us steward this capability for our good and His glory.

And briefly, would you also be praying for us as we talk through addressing the input we’ve received on Family Prayer.  We’re considering several options and hope to be able to implement some changes for the first Sunday in July.  Our hope is to finalize a proposed plan and run it by everyone at our members meeting on June 27th. 

Thank you for your prayer cover.  We so need it.

Look forward to worshiping with you Sunday, whether in person or online.  You can click here to RSVP for in person participation, and click here to check out the announcements for the week.

On behalf of the elders,

Pete

JUNE 11, 2021

Dear Church Family,

This weekend I am looking forward to our new series in the Gospel of Mark. I hope you will be able to join us. If you are out of town or unable to attend in person, the messages are posted on our LTCC YouTube channel. As I mentioned last week, I believe the Gospel of Mark will help us prepare for the difficult days of ‘costly discipleship’ that lie ahead. If you haven’t already done so, I encourage you to read through Mark. It is the shortest of the four gospels and can be read in about an hour and a half. Some of you mentioned to me how helpful the Bible Project video on Mark was to you. The video is less than 10 minutes long. If you would like to watch it, click here. Please pray that as we study the Gospel of Mark together, the Holy Spirit will do a deep work in each of our lives.

This Sunday we will also be honoring our high school graduates. The last two school years have been unusually challenging for our students. As you acknowledge the graduates in your life, I encourage you to prayerfully consider writing more than just “Congratulations” in a card. Think about how you might encourage them in their faith. If a Bible verse has been especially meaningful to you, write it out for them and share how it has helped you. A gift accompanying your words will be blessing too.

Please don’t forget about our congregational meeting after second service on the 27th. We are excited about what God is doing at Lake Tapps. The church is not a building. It is the “called out” people of God. The members of Lake Tapps Community Church have made a living commitment to one another. Our members meetings help us stay connected and function as “A Family Growing Together.” We will begin with a meal together at 12:30 and start our meeting at 1:00. While non-members are welcome, participation in voting is for members only.

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday. Click here to RSVP for one of our services and click here to see this week’s announcements.

For His Glory,

Tim, for all the elders

JUNE 4, 2021

Dear Church Family,

This weekend we will be concluding our mini-series on “Baton Handoffs.” I am looking forward to learning with you about what the Word of God tells us about the handoff between Elijah and Elisha.

I am also looking forward to our next preaching series. On June 13th, we will be kicking off a series in the Gospel of Mark. Mark is a fast moving, action packed Gospel. It is the shortest of the four Gospels with a unique perspective. While Mark’s Gospel contains some of Jesus’ teaching, Marks’ primary purpose is to unveil for us the person and work of Jesus.

Today it is critical that we be crystal clear about who Jesus is and what it means to follow Him. I believe the Gospel of Mark will help us prepare for the difficult days of ‘costly discipleship’ that lie ahead.

I’d encourage you to prepare for our series in Mark. If you can only find a few minutes in the next week, watch the Bible Project’s short video on the Gospel of Mark. Click here to watch the 9.5 minute video. If you can make more time, read through the entire Gospel — that should take about 90 minutes. And, if you have even more time, read through it a couple of times in different translations.

As I mentioned in an earlier update, on June 27th, we are planning a congregational meeting. We want to update you on a number of important items. Our plan is to, after second service (around 12:30 PM), have lunch together and then start our meeting about 1:00 PM. If you are a member of Lake Tapps, please plan to attend. If you are not yet a member, but would like to attend, you are more than welcome to join us for lunch and the meeting.

This is a busy weekend. Please be praying for our men as they gather at Lake Retreat on Friday and Saturday. Also, this Sunday evening we will be having “Family Prayer” at the church at 6:30. This meeting will not be on Zoom. I encourage you to attend if you are able.

Lord willing, I will see you on Sunday. Click here to RSVP for one of our services and click here to see this week’s announcements.

In Christ,

Tim, for all the elders

MAY 28, 2021

Dear Church Family,

Some changes are obvious, others are a little harder to see. Since March, our ‘Love One Another’ benevolence team has been working with the family living in the RV parked at the church. Although it may not look like much has changed, a lot has happened. A number of our people have been working with Dennis and his girls, Bella and Kayla. The girls have been enrolled in school for the first time and have been attending since the end of April.  The girls have been learning about the Lord through Adventure Club and children’s church on Sunday mornings as well. Dennis has attended church a number of times and is learning more about the Lord during Bible studies with Evan. The Love One Another team has been in touch with multiple agencies in order to connect Dennis and the girls with needed services. They have learned a lot about the numerous barriers that exist between homelessness and stable housing.  Transportation and childcare continue to be two of the major barriers.  Dennis has focused a lot of his time getting his SUV up and running; however, that continues to be a challenge. Families within the church have welcomed Bella and Kayla into their homes and are making a lasting impact in their lives.

One of the services that is being considered by Dennis is the “Safe Families for Children” program through Olive Crest. This program provides a break to parents who are in crisis and need temporary care for their children while they address issues that caused them to be in their current situation. This program is offered in partnership with local churches and families who work together to support the family in need.  This would be a great option for the girls but would require another transition in their lives; to live with an unknown family and attend a new church. We would love for Bella and Kayla to be able to stay with a family in our church, so they could continue to attend LTCC and continue to see the same loving faces that they have for the last several months. Would you pray about the possibility of hosting Bella and Kayla? If you feel this is something the Lord might have you do, please contact Trista Sutherland at trista@laketappscc.org.

Please continue to pray for Dennis and his precious family. If you have an idea for how you might be able to help Dennis or the girls, please let Trista know.

I look forward to worshipping with you on this Memorial Day Weekend. Like you I am so thankful for those who sacrificed their lives that we might live and worship in freedom. I hope we will gather with grateful hearts. To RSVP for one of our services on Sunday click here. To see the announcements for this week click here.

 In Christ,

 

Tim, for all the elders

MAY 21, 2021

Dear Church Family,

Last week the Center for Disease Control (CDC) said that those who have been vaccinated against Covid 19 no longer need to wear a mask or social distance. Because of this new guidance, we will no longer be requiring the wearing of a mask by those who have been fully vaccinated. We are asking those who have not been vaccinated to continue to wear a mask on Sunday mornings for their own protection and the protection of others. This will be on the ‘honor system,’ as we will not be asking anyone for proof of vaccination. We do ask that all of us “love one another” by following the CDC recommended precautions to protect others. We are continuing to limit our seating capacity so please continue to go online and register for our services. Please feel free to sit wherever you feel comfortable. If you need space between yourself and others, please let the ushers know and they will place “not available” cards in your row to provide separation. Thank you for your patience and cooperation during this pandemic. My prayer is that the world will be drawn to Christ as they see our love and care for one another.

On Sunday, Brian mentioned the transition that Evan and Kathryn are making from youth ministry at Lake Tapps to being missionaries with e3 Partners to the greater Seattle metro area. As the Burton’s prepare for a new area of ministry, we are prayerfully evaluating our ministry needs at Lake Tapps.

The elders and deacons are looking carefully at the needs of our children, youth, and families. During this time of transition, we are already seeing God provide in some amazing ways. As we continue to pray and plan together, pray with us that God will give us wisdom and clear direction. We look forward to sharing more with you as we move ahead. On Sunday, June 27, we are planning a congregational meeting, where we can update you not only on this matter but on several other important issues as well. If possible, please keep your schedule open so you can attend the meeting.

This week I registered for our Men’s Retreat. Lord willing, we will be at Lake Retreat, June 4-5. We always have a great time of worship, learning and fellowship together. I encourage all you men to join us. To register click here. We have a great speaker, Bill Clem, who has blessed us before. Bill is a pastor, published author and an adjunct faculty member at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon. I know you will be blessed by what he shares.

I’m looking forward to worshiping with you on Sunday. Click here to RSVP for one of our services and to see this week’s announcements click here.

In Christ,

Tim, for all the elders

MAY 14, 2021

Dear Church Family,

In the April 30th update I asked for prayer regarding our summer camps. Thank you for praying. It looks like we will be able to go ahead with our summer camps. Lord willing, we will have three weeks of camp:

• High School Camp (grades 9-12) – July 5-10.

• Middle School Camp (grades 6-8) – July 12-17.

• Junior Camp (grades 4-6) – July 19-24.

Our camp association, rents Lakeview Christian Camp and Conference Center on Five Mile Lake in Federal Way. It is a great facility. If you would like to see some pictures and get more information about our camps you can go to our website pscya.org. Please help us get the word out about camp. If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me at tim@laketappscc.org or Evan at evan@laketappscc.org or give us a call. God has used our camps in many wonderful ways down through the years. Please pray that God will provide just the right staff and that the campers will have hearts that are open to the Lord. Registration is online and can be done at pscya.org.

Thank you to those who took the time to give us feedback about our Family Prayer time. We heard from 17 of you. If you would like to share your thoughts with us, you can take the survey by clicking here. We will keep the link active for one more week.

During my devotional time this week I was reading in Isaiah 37. The nation of Judah was being attacked by the Assyrians - the world’s “superpower” at the time. Hezekiah, Judah’s king humbled himself and prayed to the Lord. God gave Hezekiah a message through His prophet Isaiah.

“Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Because you have prayed to Me concerning Sennacherib, king of Assyria, this is the word that the LORD has spoken concerning him…” (Isaiah 37:21-22).

The message was that the Assyrians would be defeated. God explicitly said that He answered Hezekiah because he prayed. The Lord told Jeremiah,

“Call to Me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” (Jeremiah 33:3).

God calls us to pray. We are in great need. He hears and answers prayer. I am praying that God will increasingly give us a heart for prayer.

I’m looking forward to worshipping with you on Sunday. Click here to RSVP for one of our services and click here to see this week’s announcements.

In Christ,

Tim, for all the elders

MAY 7, 2021

Greetings Lake Tapps

If my gray hair doesn’t show my age, my recollection of a popular phrase when I was growing up surely will – “A Family that Prays Together Stays Together.”

That phrase was directed toward biological families and was intended to show the importance of a spiritual base for a stable family relationship.  If that is true for the stability of a biological family unit where there are inherent factors that unify the family like genes, family heritage and blood kinship; then it’s even more true and necessary for a group of unrelated people like the body of the Family of God.

The Bible makes it clear that prayer was a priority for both the Old and New Testament writers.  It was their connection to the Spirit as He directed their thoughts as they crafted the written word we have from the Lord.

If we needed more to convince us of the importance of prayer, we just have to look at the Lord Jesus.  In the Gospels He can be found adoring His Father, expressing His need for fellowship with His Father, thanking His Father for His provision for Jesus and praying for others’ needs.

It is with this importance of prayer in mind that the elders have recognized the need for our congregation to assemble regularly to pray together. Once a month we make available a time for Family Prayer. This last year with the restrictions of COVID we have also provided the opportunity to join the gathering virtually through the use of Zoom technology for the convenience and safety of our body.

In the last couple of years we have noticed a significant change in the participation level in Family Prayer. It has declined noticeably from when we met between services during the former equipping hour to now when we meet in the evening of the first Sunday of the month. We have some ideas of what might be causing this change, but we need to hear from you.

So to help us better understand the reason, and to aid us in future planning, we are asking you to take a few minutes to complete a very brief survey at the following link, www.laketappscc.org/prayer-survey.  The information you provide is completely anonymous and private. 

I want to thank you in advance for helping the body in this way.

Gary for the Elders.

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To RSVP for one of our Sunday services you can click here.
To see the announcements for this week, please click here.

APRIL 30, 2021

Dear Church Family,

2021 is flying by! This Sunday will be May 2nd. Before we know it, summer will be here.

Each summer, our church, in association with other like-minded churches in our area, puts on three weeks of camp (Junior, Middle School and High School). We hold our camps at Lakeview Christian Camp and Conference Center on Five Mile Lake in Federal Way. Last year, we were forced to cancel our 2020 summer camps due to the pandemic. At the time none of us dreamed that the effects of the pandemic would be hanging on into 2021. King County (where Lakeview is located) is currently in “Phase 3” of the state’s Covid 19 reopening plan. In “Phase 3,” we would be allowed to have overnight camps. While there would be Covid protocols to observe, camp would be able to operate on a fairly normal basis. We have recently learned that King County may soon go back to “Phase 2,” which would make it impossible for us to put on our camps. Would you please pray that we would be able to have camp this summer? A week at a Bible camp can be such a significant time in a young person’s life. Please make this a matter of urgent prayer as we need to make a decision this month in order to have enough time to prepare for camp.

Preparations for Sumner’s first Compassion Connect clinic, on June 26th, are well underway. Compassion Connect is a one-day medical and dental clinic. Faith Covenant Church in Sumner will be the site of the clinic. We have shown a couple of videos about Compassion Connect in our services. While doctors and dentists are required, many other volunteers are needed to put on this event. This week, I signed up on their website https://compassionconnectps.org/compassion-sumner/, to be a volunteer. I would love to have lots of volunteers from our church be a part of this outreach. Please consider joining us for this opportunity to share the love of Christ with our community.

This Sunday will be Micah and Laura Meyers last Sunday with us before heading back to the mission field. Lord willing, they will be flying back to Papua New Guinea on Tuesday, May 4th. During our worship services we will be having a special time of prayer for them.

I hope you will also join us for Family Prayer at 6:30 Sunday evening in the church foyer. Our practice is to have an evening prayer meeting on the first Sunday of each month. Increasingly my heart has been burdened to pray. I have a desire to unite with others who love the Lord and will join me in prayer. Even the Lord Jesus, wanted His disciples to “watch and pray” with Him. As elders we feel the burden of the needs of our church family and make Family Prayer a priority. Would you consider joining us for this time of prayer? Your prayers are needed, and your presence will be a great encouragement.

Last Sunday Pete encouraged us to get serious about engaging with Scripture. This morning I read an article about “The Key to Life-Changing Biblical Engagement,” by Jeff Martin, that highlighted the impact the Word has in lives of those who consistently engage with Scripture. I would encourage you to check it out. Click here.

I look forward to seeing you this weekend. To register for one of our services on Sunday click here. To read this week’s announcements click here.

In Christ’s love,


Tim, for all the elders

APRIL 23,2021

Dear Church family,

This week I received my first infusion of a new immunotherapy drug. It is a 12-week course of treatment. Lord willing, I will receive a dose every three weeks. Along with this new drug, I will continue to take the drug I have been on for the last year. I have been told the new drug tends to be a bit more toxic with some rather unpredictable side-effects. Thankfully, so far, I am not having any adverse effects. The two drugs I am taking are fairly new and there are not generic options. The ‘list price’ of the new drug is $30,000 per infusion. Because Sue and I belong to a Christian medical sharing plan, we asked the manufacture of these drugs if they would provide them at a reduced price. On Monday, we learned they will be providing both at no charge. We are thankful for their generosity. Sue and I see this as another indication of the Lord’s love and care for us. We are also thankful for your love and continued prayers.

Each week at our elders meeting, we have an extended time of prayer for the needs of our church family. Thank you for sharing your requests with us. Please pray for us as we shepherd the flock here at Lake Tapps. Specifically, please pray for us as we continue to discuss and consider how to be more intentional with our discipleship efforts. As a church, we want to be effective in helping every member “grow up” in the faith (Ephesians 4:15) and in equipping every member for the kingdom work God has prepared for them (Ephesians 2:10, 4:12). We want to provide different opportunities for our people to learn from the Word. As elders we are considering questions like; what key truths does every disciple of Jesus need to know? How do we help one another take ‘next steps’ in our walk with Christ? How do we train and send out disciples of Jesus who are ready to reach others? Please pray with us as we consider these vital questions. As you prayerfully reflect on these questions, please share your thoughts with us.

We thank God for the godly men and women He has raised up to serve as deacons by overseeing significant areas of ministry. One area where we have not had a deacon is in the area of missions. For many years our missions committee has served our church by helping to keep missions in focus. Among other things, they help us host a missions emphasis weekend each year, do our weekly ‘missionary spotlight’ and give recommendations to the Church Council regarding our missionary budget. For some time we have seen the need to have a deacon of missions interacting with our other deacons as part of our Church Council. The missions committee unanimously recommended that Ron Hubeek, who has served as the chairman of our missions committee for many years, be brought onto the Council to serve as the deacon of missions. The elders and deacons agree that Ron is the right person to serve in this role and Ron has graciously accepted the invitation to serve. Please be praying for Ron as he steps into this new role and that it would result in our being increasingly effective in fulfilling the Lord’s command to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20).

God is at work! What an exciting time to be alive and serve the King of Kings. I look forward to worshipping Him with you this weekend. You can click here to RSVP for for one of our services on Sunday and click here to see this week’s announcements.

In His Service,

Tim, for all the elders

APRIL 16, 2021

Dear Church family,

Last week I let you know that because of my cancer treatments that I would be stepping back from preaching on a regular basis. Because possible side-effects make my being ready to preach on a Sunday a bit unpredictable, others will be filling in for me for a season. While I won’t be preaching as often as usual, I will continue to be engaged in other areas of ministry and will continue to help shepherd the flock at Lake Tapps.

I am thankful for the opportunity to connect with you through our weekly updates. Last year when the pandemic broke out and we were unable to physically meet, we recognized the need to keep you up to date about important issues and decisions and began sending out a weekly update. Even when we resumed gathering in person, we decided to continue sending out the weekly updates as not everyone was able to attend our weekly gatherings and they provided a valuable communication link. In the weeks ahead, I look forward to sharing with you what is on our hearts as elders and where we believe God is leading our church.

As elders we are humbled and honored to serve the Good Shepherd, as under shepherds in His church. It is a solemn responsibility that we take very seriously. Each week we gather for at least two hours (often more), to consider the needs of our flock and pray. All the elders receive the prayer requests that are given each week. We consider it a privilege to pray for each person and situation. If you are sensing your need for prayer, please let us know how we can be praying for you. On Sundays, requests can be submitted via our “Wave Form” online (here's the URL: https://www.laketappscc.org/wave-form). Prayer requests can also be submitted throughout the week on our website at this link: https://www.laketappscc.org/prayer-requests. If the need is of an urgent nature, please feel free to call any of the elders (our phone numbers are in the church directory). We would love to visit and pray with you.

As you know we are living in difficult days. The Apostle Paul told us the “last days” would be days of difficulty (2 Timothy 3:1). I hope you will join us this Sunday as we study 2 Timothy 3:1-9. It is vital that we live in vital connection with Jesus and His body, which is the church. Jesus, warned His disciples in Matthew 24:12, that in the last days, “because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.” As a church we are to love one another and help each love and stay connected to Jesus. An essential way God has given us to keep our love for Him and one another strong is through gathering on the Lord’s Day to sing, pray, hear God’s Word and fellowship around the Lord’s Table. If worship hasn’t been a priority for you, I encourage you to make it a key priority in your life. To RSVP for a Sunday service, click here. If you are unable to join us in person, the services are live streamed each week on YouTube.

In His love,

Pastor Tim

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Again, to RSVP for in person service attendance at one of this weekend's services, click here.
Announcements for this week can be found here.

APRIL 9, 2021

Dear Church family,

About a month ago I let you know that a biopsy in February showed a melanoma in my right leg. Thank you so much for the love and prayers you have given to us. Over the last month I’ve had a number of scans and tests and have been working with my doctors on a course of treatment. My melanoma is now “stage 4,” which means that it has metastasized outside of my lymph system. While this is not the news we wanted to hear, we know God remains in complete control of our lives. Lord willing, this next week I will be beginning a 12-week course of treatment with an immunotherapy drug. The drug can have some difficult side-effects. Because we are not sure how I will respond to the drug, I will be stepping back from the regular preaching rotation. If the side-effects are not too severe, I may be able to preach more often, but we want to be wise in preparing for the future.

While I have a great team of doctors, ultimately Sue and I are trusting in our “Great Physician.” We are asking Him for healing but know that He knows what is best. We are thankful that there are drugs for melanoma which have been shown to be effective, but we also know that they don’t work for everyone. We truly are in God’s hands, which is the best place to be. Our desire is that we would represent the Lord Jesus well.

This Sunday, before I begin my treatment, we are going to take a break from our series in 2 Timothy, so I can share with you how God has been at work in this situation and the hope we have in Him. I would love to have you join us.

I am so thankful for our church. We have wonderful people at Lake Tapps. The church is the “Body of Christ” and He has provided just the right mix of “body parts” for us to do the work He has given us to do. As we look to Him, I know He will continue to lead and provide for us.

In His love,

Pastor Tim
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To register for in person service attendance at one of this weekend's services, click here. Announcements for this week can be found here.

APRIL 2, 2021

A Good Friday Greeting Lake Tapps

Last week we considered how the citizens of Jerusalem were anticipating the entry of the promised Savior. This week we have the opportunity to imagine what the impact of the events of the week had on them. In particular, what was going through the minds of the disciples of Jesus as they were gathered together on Friday night, mourning the loss of their King?

A King is coming
On Sunday those that were familiar with the prophesy of Zachariah, might have recognized that Jesus was riding on a donkey – the symbol of a coming King (Zachariah 9:9). But then others that knew Jesus might have thought “Could this carpenter’s son from Nazareth really be a King?” (John 1:46)

The King is here
On Monday Jesus came back to the city and entered the Temple where He overturned the tables of the money changers and drove them out, proclaiming that they had corrupted His Father’s house of prayer (Matthew 21:12-13). Some of those present recognized Jesus’ lineage and authority as King and began to proclaim “Hosanna to the Son of David” (Matthew 21:15-16). When the priests and the elders challenged the Kingship of Jesus, He affirmed that He was the King by stating that His authority was given by God and not men (Matthew 21:23-27).

On Tuesday Jesus began to teach about the future and the end of days. He then spoke of His return to earth (Mathew 24-25). This was strange talk. Was He going somewhere? What did He have in mind?

On Thursday Jesus sent Peter and John to Jerusalem to find a place to celebrate the Passover meal (Luke 22:7-13). At the Passover meal, Jesus again said some strange things. He said the bread and wine represented His body and blood as a memorial of His soon death (Luke 22:14-23). He then led His disciples to a garden on the Mount of Olives where He prayed to His Father in heaven to take away the cup that He had to bare (Luke 22:39-46). Still strange talk that the disciples couldn’t quite understand. As the disciples were in the garden, Judas arrived with a crowd, along with the chief priest and other officials who arrested Jesus and took Him away. Had they misread the signs? If Jesus is the King, what will this do to the advancement of His Kingdom?

Friday was the darkest day of the week. Jesus underwent a series of trials before the Sanhedrin, King Herod and the Romans, finally ending with His sentence of death; and all of this before dawn (Luke 22:54-23:25). At 9 am He was taken outside the city and crucified by the Romans (Luke 23:33-43). At 3 pm Jesus succumbed to His ordeal and died (Matthew 27:50). It was as if the whole creation was in turmoil. The sky became dark with lightning and thunder. A great earthquake shook the ground and some of the graves were opened. Even one of the Roman soldiers read the signs as anger from God when he proclaimed that Jesus must have been the King, ”the Son of God” (Matthew 27:51-54).

Our King is dead
Friday afternoon, the body of Jesus was taken down from the cross and buried in a nearby tomb (Matthew 27:57-61). At night the friends and disciples of Jesus gathered to mourn His death and to consider the events of the past week. What had happened to the glorious future they anticipated? They were sure Jesus was the King, but if He was, how could His kingdom take place now that He was gone? Mary had lost her son. His family had lost a brother. The disciples had lost a teacher and a friend. It seemed like all was lost. This mourning and questioning continued through the Sabbath until Sunday morning.

My King lives!!
Early Sunday morning a couple of the women went to the tomb of Jesus to complete the burial process by anointing His body. To their surprise and amazement His tomb was empty and His body was gone. When they returned to where the disciples were gathered they reported what they had seen. Of course the story was too fantastic, so Peter and John ran to the tomb to see for themselves. The women were right! Jesus wasn’t there! Then they remembered what the women had been told at the tomb, of what Jesus had said. He said that He would be killed in Jerusalem and would arise of the third day. It’s true! He is alive! The darkness and loss of Friday had been replaced by the brightness and the joy of Sunday!

It’s good sometimes to remember the events of Passion Week. Because we have the advantage of viewing those events through the lens of history in the recorded word of God, it’s difficult to feel the joy of the disciples as they saw their risen King once again. The great fear of the veil of death that we all feel had been removed.

Today in the twenty first century we have our own night of darkness and mourning. Sometimes it is actual mourning for the loss of a loved one. Sometimes it’s due to the loss of income and security due to events beyond our control, like the pandemic. Sometimes it’s the loss of faith in another person due to wrong choices they make that cause a broken relationship.

But our night of darkness is replaced like the disciples was, with the knowledge that “Because He lives, we live also”. The sentence of death we inherited because of sin has been replaced with new life by the death and resurrection of Jesus. We can experience that life now through fellowship with His Spirit while we still live and move and have our being in Him. We also have the promise that when we pass through the veil of physical death we will be joined with Him in a glorious newness of life beyond anything we can imagine.

For the Christian, Easter is truly a time of celebration. A celebration of who Jesus is and what He’s done for us. Like the women who ran excitedly from the tomb to tell the disciples that “He Lives”, we can now run excitedly to tell everyone we meet that because He lives and they too can have a new life in Him. We really do have Good News to share.

My prayer for you this Easter season is that your relationship with Jesus would grow continually stronger so that you would say He is no longer A King, but He is My King and He lives.

Gary for the elders
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Be sure to have a look at our announcements page for information about upcoming events at LTCC.
To register for in person service attendance at one of this weekend's Easter services, click here.

MARCH 26, 2021

Good Morning Lake Tapps Church Family

This Sunday is Palm Sunday, the day we celebrate Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, the week before He was crucified.  Most of us are so familiar with the story that we may fail to notice, or have forgotten, some of the details that still speak to us today.

The first detail that we notice is that the people who were celebrating His entrance were doing it with a strong sense of anticipation.  Some of them had heard His teaching and believed He was the long awaited One who would establish His kingdom that would overthrow the Roman occupation at the time.  To demonstrate their belief in this, the crowd waved palm branches, which were considered a sign of victory and triumph.  They also chanted “Hosanna” which means “Savior”.  They anticipated that Jesus would soon set things right in their lives.

This year, in particular, we are filled with all sorts of thoughts of anticipation.  As the population begins to get their Covid vaccinations, and there is a relaxing of the gathering together rules, we look forward to life resuming some sense of normality again.  We have come to realize how we’ve missed the close contact with family and friends.  Many of our school age kids are eager to return to schools as they prepare to re-open.  Who’d of thought that one day they would prefer school to enjoying staying at home?

Just as the crowd anticipated the changes that Jesus might bring, we recognize the signs all around us of changes soon to come.  Nature herself is shouting for all who would listen and see, “New life is Coming”.  The trees are budding, the spring flowers are emerging out of the ground from their winter slumber, and the birds are returning and starting their spring rituals.  Even we humans are trying on our new Easter clothes and putting away our plainer winter duds.  Those that cook, are dusting off new recipes for Easter dinner gatherings.  All signs that life is about to change.

A few weeks ago, Tim suggested in a weekly update that this period before Easter might be a time of fasting and contemplation.  Fasting, or refraining from some thing or activity to remind ourselves of the new relationship with the Lord that we have through Christ.  Contemplation or meditation as we remember who we were before we came to Him and who we are now as a result of that union.  Remembering who He is and what He’s doing in and through us.  Remembering that Jesus is King in our hearts, like the crowds were remembering the Old Testament scriptures proclaiming a coming Kingdom of God and its King.

This is also a time of the year that we might follow a tradition of the Jewish people as they prepared for the Passover celebration the next week.  According to the tradition they were to go throughout their houses looking for and removing any signs of dust or leaven they found.  This was a picture of examining their lives to look for the spiritual leaven or sin in their lives and remove it (confess and ask the Lord for forgiveness).  Our tradition of Spring Cleaning is not too different than the physical cleaning before Passover.  It should remind us to clean the leaven out of our own lives.  To honestly ask the Spirit to examine us with His Holy inspection light to reveal anything that might be hindering our relationship with the Lord.  And having found our spiritual leaven, to remove it as far as the East is from the West from out of our life.

And speaking of anticipating the things to come, we are reminded of a sermon point that Tim made a few Sundays back.  Our faith is strengthened, and we are better prepared to endure to the end, as we remember the future God has for those that are His.  We look forward to that eternal state where we are in the sinless presence of the King.  A state where the Kingship of Jesus is not just a thing to be anticipated, but a reality and present condition.  The good news is that we don’t have to wait for the by and by for that to be a reality.  When we accepted Jesus as Lord of our lives we entered into that eternal relationship here and now.  A little cloudy now, but one day it will be seen with crystal clarity when we are removed from the presence of sin (our leaven).

So let us resolve this week to enter into an intentional time of anticipation as we await the celebration of the coming King Jesus.  To help that anticipation, we hope you will join us as we celebrate Good Friday with a service at 6:30 pm on April 2.  If you haven't already RSVP'd for our Good Friday service, please do so now by clicking here.

Gary for the Elders

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To RSVP to attend one or our Sunday morning services click here.
Other information on LTCC happenings can be found here.

MARCH 19, 2021

Dear Church Family,

We are calling our current series in 2 Timothy, “Passing the Baton of Faith.” In Matthew 28:19, our Lord gave us a commission to “Go… and make disciples of all nations…” Our aim at Lake Tapps has always been to “make disciples.” Our purpose statement says, “The Lake Tapps Community Church is committed to honoring God by introducing people to Jesus Christ, helping them grow in the faith, and equipping them to reach others.” It has always been our goal to pass the baton of faith.

Over the last few years, the elders have had a growing sense of urgency regarding the need for us to be more intentional about making disciples who will be able to pass the faith on to others. We believe this is a prompting from the Holy Spirit. Our culture is increasingly “post-Christian.” Many institutions that previously supported Judeo-Christian values (courts, public schools, the business community, clubs, etc.) no longer do. The world around us is growing increasingly dark. In view of the moment we are living in, we simply must step up and “make disciples” in our families and in our church.

The elders and deacons are reading a book called “Deep Discipleship,” by J.T. English. The elders are spending an hour each week working through the book and Lord willing next month the elders and deacons will spend time together discussing the book. It is a very thought-provoking book. I would encourage you to pick up a copy and share your thoughts with us.

I’d like to share with you some of the ways the book is impacting me.

In the past we pondered the question, “How do we get people to stay at Lake Tapps?” We wanted to be a “sticky” church where people would be able to develop deep community with one another. While that is a necessary and vital component of discipleship, I think we focused on community so much that we failed to focus on the question of “How can we help believers grow in Christ and learn how to make disciples?” My mindset was that if we can get people into community, the learning they need to become a mature disciple of Jesus will naturally happen. We were more intentional about community than we were about learning. Yes, discipleship needs to happen in an environment of loving community, but the very definition of a disciple is someone who is being taught. A disciple is a learner. Following Jesus involves a lifetime of being taught by Him, through His Word, by the Spirit as a part of His church. Learning and community are not mutually exclusive. We must have both and it will take more than just 90 minutes, once a week on a Sunday morning.

Over the course of the last year God has been refining His church. I have sensed that those who remain committed to following Jesus are more ready than ever before to be equipped to represent Him in these last days. As elders we believe that God is calling us to raise the bar. We remain committed to being a loving community of believers. But we believe God is calling all of us to learn and grow in our faith in a more intentional and strenuous way so that we can not only be disciples but become more effective at making disciples. As a leadership team, “Deep Discipleship” is causing us to ask some important questions. What specifically would the Lord have us teach? What is essential for us to know? Where should this instruction take place? How do we help disciples of Jesus take “next steps” in their spiritual journey?

Please pray for Lake Tapps as the elders and deacons pray and discuss together the Lord’s direction for our church. The hour is late. The time is short. The need is great. We believe the Lord has us in the right place, at the right time, with the right mix of people to accomplish His kingdom purposes for us. I have a deep sense of expectancy and excitement over how God will move us in the days ahead. I’m thankful for each one of you and so glad that we are “A Family Growing Together.”

IHS,

Tim

For all the elders

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To RSVP to attend in person one of Sunday Services, click here.

Please take some time to review our announcements for the week here. In addition to information about upcoming events, we introduce another family which has recently met with the elders to make a living commitment to the church family at LTCC. In particular, please read the announcement about our youth ministries survey. The survey closes this Friday, March 26th. We really do value your input.

ONE MORE THING . . . Hey Folks, this is Pete tagging on to Tim’s check-in. I want to make you aware of a critical service need. A couple of years ago we had 7 people on our Audio/Visual team rotating to cover 2 positions, sound and lyrics. Over the last couple of years that team has shrunk. Since August last year, we have had, for the most part, 3 people covering 3 positions -- sound, lyrics, and now livestream. To be honest, A/V is one or our more demanding Sunday morning roles as the A/V team arrives at 7:00 a.m. and leave 5 ½ to 6 hours later. So, for the past 7 months three brothers have pretty much served all Sunday morning, every Sunday morning. With some new developments this past week, that team is now down to 2 people to cover 3 positions. We need your prayers as we need some people’s participation. Would you please seek the Lord about this need for our A/V team. Thanx.

MARCH 12, 2021

Dear LTCC Family,

Last week a non-Christian friend of mine asked me this question, not mockingly, but sincerely looking for an answer: How do you personally deal with a God who is supposedly all-knowing, all-powerful, and loving, and yet you see “innocent” suffering all around you? Ah, the age-old problem of evil. He isn’t the first one to ask that question. And, if we’re honest, as Christians we still ask various forms of this question.

Like you, my spirit is grieved for our pastor-shepherd, Tim, who received news this week of a return of melanoma. My heart breaks for every prayer request that comes through each week, and there are many, with regard to significant health issues within our church family. Why the suffering, God?

As Christians we understand that no one is truly “innocent”. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) and are under the sentence of death because of our first parents (Genesis 3). That doesn’t diminish, though, the real pain and the deep, in-the-moment groaning that comes with personal suffering.

“Share” is a word that lands on me with great force from our sermon text last Sunday. Paul tells Timothy to “share in suffering” (2 Timothy 2:3). There are numerous types of suffering, of which I only covered two in the sermon (suffering of sacrifice or hard work and persecution). We could list the many forms of suffering that we encounter as humans, but there is one word that puts steel in my bones, and that is the word “share”. God entered humanity, put on flesh, and shared in the suffering of his creation. Our God doesn’t stand from a distance. He enters into our suffering with us.

"Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things…" 
(Hebrews 2:14)

The writer of Hebrews finishes this thought saying, “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:18). “Tempted” has the same meaning as “trialed” or “put to the test.” It is the trial of suffering. We are put to the test in our suffering because we are tempted to doubt God’s goodness, love, wisdom, and power. Jesus was tempted to forsake his Father in his suffering. He shares and knows our physical, emotional, and spiritual pain. Our God enters into our suffering with us and is able to help us in it.

That does not necessarily answer the question of why God allows suffering, but it does allow us to deal personally with our suffering, knowing our God is near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18). Because God has shared in our suffering, it allows us to share in one another’s suffering. We cry with one another. We cry out to God on behalf of one another. We meet the practical needs of one another.

My unbelieving friend asked with all sincerity how I deal with the problem of suffering. I think I articulated some theologically accurate points, but it’s the truth that our God knows suffering, experienced suffering, and is with us in our suffering that anchors my faith. Even though we don’t fully understand the why in it, we look forward to the day when everything sad “will come untrue” (J.R.R. Tolkien).

For all of the elders,

Brian

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By way of reminder:
- Don't forget to set your clocks ahead 1 hour Saturday night as Daylight Savings Time begins Sunday morning.
- To RSVP that you'll be attending one of our Sunday services in person, click here
- And click here to see our Announcements page and important details concerning our youth ministry, this year's Good Friday service, and a planned return to the ballpark for a Rainiers game.

MARCH 5, 2021

Greetings Lake Tapps Family

A couple of weeks ago Pete wrote that the Elders and the Deacons were reading a book by J.T. English called Deep Discipleship. This week it’s my privilege to share with you some of the principles I’ve learned reading the book.

Some of you might be scratching your heads wondering how I could walk with the Lord and be in a church as long as I have and just now be discovering these things. In my defense, I may have heard them mentioned at some time in the past, but in the reading of this book, the way English states the principles brought the bits and pieces rattling around in my head into clear focus.

The first revelation to me was the word “Discipleship”. I had known the verse that says we are to go into the world and make disciples (Matthew 28:19). I realized that I’d been equating making disciples with just leading a person to the knowledge of Jesus and getting them to give their life to Him. Without realizing it, I had only been reading the first part of the command in verse 19. I had missed verse 20 which adds that making disciples includes more than just repentance and turning to Jesus, but it includes “teaching them to follow all that I command you”.

That second part of the process is the Christian journey from a babe in Christ to a mature and productive follower of Him. A person equipped to continue the disciple making process by passing on what they’ve learned and making other disciples. Discipleship, therefore, includes teaching a person about the One they are following, learning what He commanded, and learning to obey His commands. At this point I was tempted to slap my forehead and yell out a Homer Simpson “Dooh”. I should have had a better handle on what discipleship was, but I never had someone come along side me to mentor me in the faith.

That’s another revelation from the book. Discipleship includes a more mature Christian coming alongside of another less spiritually mature believer to guide them as they learn to walk on their journey. We do this with our children as they learn to walk, so why wouldn’t we want our Spiritual Children to learn how to walk the Spiritual walk too?

Another point that I particularly identified with is the premise that any discipleship program or emphasis in a church needs to be God centered. Again, that’s the point of Matthew 28:20. Making disciples of Jesus means introducing them to the Living Savior. If we teach people who Jesus is, they will begin to see how He is relevant to every aspect of life. They may get involved in various ministries like helping those in need, helping those who might be suffering from addiction or those considering an abortion. They’ll do this because Jesus has much to say about these and other issues.

Another “Aha” moment was the emphasis that deep (mature) discipleship involves intentionality. If we are to mature as followers of Jesus, we need to know that it will take work. We have no trouble understanding that maturing as a person from a child to an adult will involve many years of study and discipline. For some reason we seem fail to realize that Christian growth also requires a commitment by both church leaders and church members. The leaders need to make sure the learning opportunities are available and the church members need to avail themselves of the resources.

My final observation comes from where we are in the process of our reading in the book. Christian training is intended to be accomplished in the local church. God has uniquely gifted the church for the purpose of training the members for the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4:11-12). In providing pastors, teachers, etc., He intended that growth would happen in the context of the local church, rather than outsourcing the training to outside organizations. Don’t get me wrong. Outside ministries have their place. Over the years I’ve personally been blessed and grown because of their teaching. But we believe that these resources should supplement the training coordinated and provided by the local church, rather than being the primary source of education.

At this point you might be thinking “slow up”. Are we turning our back on the small group ministry at LTCC that we’ve emphasized for several years? The answer to that is definitely NO. The book stresses that teaching and fellowship are both needed to form deep disciples and complement each other. Either one existing without the other doesn’t build whole disciples.

You can tell from my comments that I’m excited about the possibility of more intentionally maturing the members of our local body. To show the possibility of where this home grown discipleship might lead, Pete mentioned in his update that we could be training up the next pastor to fill our pulpit. Although this is a really high bar to reach, it does show the potential for this emphasis. A local church who is using the gifts that God has provided to equip them for the work of the ministry; a church depending on the Holy Spirit to teach them all things (John 14:26), would be a body that surely would bring glory to God.

The Elders and council solicit your prayers for wisdom and guidance as we continue to see if the principles in this book are a good fit for LTCC.

Gary for the Elders

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To RSVP for in person attendance at one of our services this Sunday click here.

Men, a reminder that our monthly breakfast is tomorrow at 8:00 a.m.

Also a reminder to all that this Sunday at 6:30 p.m. we’ll be meeting both IN PERSON and through Zoom for our monthly time of Family Prayer.

More information on these gatherings, as well as other items of interest, can by found on our Announcements page. Click here to go there now.

FEBRUARY 26, 2021

Dear Church Family,

Have you noticed that the days are getting longer? In just a couple of weeks Day Light Saving time will begin. Soon spring will be here, and winter will be over. I don’t know if you are like me, but it feels like this has been an especially long winter. A year-long pandemic has felt like winter. I’m ready for both winter and the pandemic to be over. Spring has always been a season of anticipation and hope. For believers in Jesus, spring is also a reminder of His resurrection. I am so looking forward to Easter Sunday, when we celebrate Jesus’ triumph over sin and death.

How would God have us prepare to celebrate the resurrection? In some Christian traditions, believers prepare by observing Lent. I had never heard of Lent until I went to college. I was raised in a Christian home, but the church we attended didn’t observe special days or seasons.

The word Lent comes from an Old English word, meaning "spring season,” but Lent is not just a celebration of spring. Lent is a six-week period of “penitence” before Easter. Penitence is, “the action of feeling or showing sorrow and regret for having done wrong.” Lent is a time to acknowledge and confess sin. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. On Ash Wednesday, in churches that observe Lent, ashes are used to make a mark of the cross on a person’s forehead. The ashes are a reminder of death. As the ashes are applied, the pastor says, "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” The tradition of a forty-day period of penitence prior to Easter came from a belief that to properly celebrate the resurrection, there needed to be a recognition of what Jesus did for us on the cross and contrition for sin. During Lent, many Christians commit to fasting or foregoing certain luxuries. Many commit to reading a daily devotional and spending special time in prayer. For many Christians it is a meaningful time of preparation for Easter.

While our church does not formally observe Lent, our joy and celebration on Easter Sunday will be made full, if in the weeks leading up to it, we prepare our hearts. But if we are going to meaningfully prepare, we must be intentional.

I would urge you to consider fasting. Fasting is abstaining from something good, that normally is a part of our lives for the Lord’s sake. As we fast, we are not only expressing sorrow to God for our sins, we are also disciplining ourselves to put God first in our lives, not our own desires — even good ones. I would encourage you to consider fasting in some area. Perhaps skip a meal each day – or no snacking after dinner! Consider giving up desserts or soda. You might want to fast from TV or social media.

But don’t just fast. Lean into the goodness of God. If you are not currently having a daily devotional time, commit to spending some time each day reading the Bible and praying. If a devotional time is already your practice, consider adding an extra 15 or 30 minutes to it. Read through Matthew, Mark, Luke and John – especially the accounts of the crucifixion. Plan to attend our Good Friday service on April 2nd.

Talk to a friend or your spouse about what you might do. Quiet your heart before the Lord and ask Him what He would have you do – and then commit to doing it.

I am thankful for the coming of spring but most of all I am thankful for Jesus, and the forgiveness and new life that is in Him. It is my prayer that we will seek Him, not just during the season of Lent, but in every season of our lives and that we will boldly share Him with others.

Tim, for all the elders

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To RSVP for one of the in person services on Sunday morning, click here.
And be sure to check out our Announcements page for information on upcoming events.

FEBRUARY 19, 2021

Dear Church Family:

As elders we recently started reading a book together. We've done this in the past, but we don't do it very often. It might go without saying, but devoting significant time during our weekly elders’ meetings to discuss a book has only been undertaken when we've all recognized the need to get our arms around a topic. The book we're reading together? Deep Discipleship by J.T. English. The topic? You guessed it, making disciples. Important? We're thinking so.

If you've been around LTCC for any length of time, you've noticed that over the past several years we've talked more and more of the need for the church to be a place where discipleship happens. But while it's become more a part of our vocabulary, it's not apparent that we're always talking about the same thing. While we've seen an increased focus on the topic, we've yet to really formulate an intentional approach to what it looks like at LTCC. Don't get me wrong, it's happening in various contexts, but as elders we're seeing the need for greater intentionality and a more holistic approach.

English's book isn't a "what to do" book. It's more of a "what to ask" book. Like asking, "What would it take for your church to meet a nonbeliever and provide opportunities for training him to eventually become the next lead pastor in twenty years?" (English, J.T. Deep Discipleship (p. 76). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.) Okay, that's one of the more "out there, I'm trying to make a point" questions. But really, why wouldn't we think that a future pastor at LTCC, or deacon, or Sunday School teacher, or bible study or home group leader, or evangelist couldn't be grown internally as the church is being the church? So, English asks questions like:

1. Where should we make disciples?

2. What do disciples need?

3. How do we grow disciples?

4. Where do all disciples go?

5. Why would we not do this?

But beyond his "let's ask a few questions” approach, I think what hooked me was how English defined the goal of discipleship. It's wanting every brother and sister to mature into the fulness of Christ so that God might "bring us into His inexhaustible presence, bottomless beauty, and infinite glory."

"DEEP DISCIPLESHIP IS MORE ABOUT REVELING IN THE TRANSCENDENCE OF GOD THAN IT IS A MINISTRY PRACTICE. THE SOURCE OF TRUE DISCIPLESHIP IS NOT BETTER PROGRAMS, BETTER PREACHING, OR BETTER COMMUNITY. ALL OF THOSE, AND MORE, ARE HUGELY IMPORTANT TOOLS, BUT THE SOURCE OF DISCIPLESHIP IS GOD HIMSELF. THUS, AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING WE DO IS THE DESIRE TO GROW IN OUR LOVE AND KNOWLEDGE OF GOD."

English, J.T. Deep Discipleship (pp. 19-20). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

So, we're reading this book and will be discussing it during our elders’ meetings over the next several weeks. We're asking our deacons to read it, as well. We want to engage them on how asking and answering these questions might shape the ministries they lead while possibly providing a consistent framework for how we think about growing together as followers and learners of Jesus.

While it wasn't planned to coincide with reading this book (at least not by us), this Sunday, Lord willing, we'll be starting a new sermon series on 2 Timothy. If 1 Timothy was about "how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth" (1 Timothy 3:15), 2 Timothy is about passing on that mandate to Timothy and to others.

Paul's in prison, again. This time it doesn't look like he's going to get out alive. And so, according to The Bible Project, he writes to Timothy, still in Ephesus, "to come be with him in prison, so that he can pass on plans for a church planting mission." Paul, we are going to suggest, is passing the baton of faith. Paul, you could say, is continuing to disciple Timothy to disciple others. Encouraging him to "guard the good deposit entrusted" to him (2 Timothy 1:14), and then, to entrust it "to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" (2 Timothy 2:2). Sounds like disciple making.

So, discipleship, passing along the faith, is going to be a thing for us for the next while.

If you have the time, and you're ready for a good read, consider picking up a copy of Deep Discipleship. We'd love to hear your thoughts as you think through how you might answer the questions English suggests we should be asking.

If you want to be a bit more prepared for the start of our new series this Sunday, invest 8 minutes and watch The Bible Project overview of 2 Timothy by clicking here.

And, if you want LTCC to be the church God has called us to be, pray. Pray for the elders and the deacons as we think through ministry at LTCC together. Pray for our church, that as the body of Christ we'd be open to the Lord's leading over the next weeks and months. Pray for one another, that together we all would "attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood (and mature womanhood), to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13). And pray for our Sunday morning series. That through this letter, Paul's last letter, we'd be inspired to fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith (2 Timothy 4:7) -- even as we pass the faith along.

Disciples of Jesus making disciples of Jesus.

Only by His grace. Only for His glory.

For the elders,

Pete

FEBRUARY 12, 2021

Hello Take Tapps Family

At our last Mens’ Zoom Breakfast we used the Zoom polling capability to do a quick survey. We were asked, “Which camp are you in?” Our choices were: 1) Valentine’s Day is my favorite day; 2) It’s not my least favorite, but it’s close; 3) Overrated Hallmark holiday. Because what’s said at Mens’ Breakfast stays at Mens’ Breakfast, I can’t reveal the results. Suffice to say, we had respondents in each camp.

This Sunday is Valentine’s Day. For some, two words that strike fear in the heart. Others consider it a vast marketing victory for the greeting card companies. Just another day to sell cards. For others, who forgot the day, it’s a last minute scramble to find “something” to give to their special person. For some, it’s a day to express what they feel for another with candy or flowers. For the poet, it’s a day to plumb the depths of love as they “count the ways” to express their feelings. Unfortunately for some it’s a day filled with sad memories of a less than perfect expression of love. But for the Christian it can be a day to remember the meaning of the word LOVE. To remember that Love isn’t a four letter word, but it’s a three letter word, “GOD” (1 John 4:8).

We can remember that Love is a perfect expression of who God is. In His wisdom He made it one of His shared attributes when He created us in His image. So that we could understand what Love is, He gave us a definition of Godly Love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, the “Love chapter”. The Love described there is Agape Love. A Love that is given freely which doesn’t expect something in return. A Love that only wants the best for the person to whom it is given.

The Bible is filled with all sorts of commands that tell us to show this kind of love to others. Husbands are to Love their wives (Ephesians 5:25), we are to Love one another with this Love (John 13:34). We are to Love our enemies with this kind of Love (Matthew 5:44). And, by this kind of Love, we will be identified as Disciples of Jesus (John 13:35).

I think if we’re honest with ourselves, we know that this kind of selfless Love just isn’t in our DNA. So what are we to do? The answer is to keep looking to the One who is the source of that kind of Love.

God demonstrated for us what Agape kind of Love looks like. While we were still hostile toward God, He demonstrated His Love for us by sending His Son to die in our place, and take the penalty for our sin on Himself (Romans 5:8). But He wasn’t done there. He also gave us His Holy Spirit to live within those that trusted in Jesus by faith. The first fruit (evidence) of the indwelling Spirit is Agape Love (Galatians 5:22). So there’s the answer, God by His Spirit is willing to live out that kind of Love in, and through us, as we yield to His prompting.

The Spirit not only enables us to demonstrate God’s Love, but He reminds those that may be longing for a deeper Love that He is sufficient for every need. For the one who feels unworthy to be loved, God reminds the person that He accepts us just as we are (Romans 15:7). For the one who is alone while others experience companionship, He reminds them that Christ lives within them and will never leave them (Galatians 5:20, John 14:16). And for the one who feels useless, the Lord reminds that one that He has a purpose and plan for all who would call upon His name (Jeremiah 29:11).

So for those who might be wondering what to give to their special one to truly express the Love that’s in their heart for them, might I suggest looking beyond the candy and the flowers and give the person something that won’t just wilt or add calories. Give them God’s Agape Love. Ask the Spirit to so move you that Christ would demonstrate His Love through you. That 1 Corinthians 13 would describe the kind of Love by which you are known. (Take a minute and read and reflect on 1Corinthians 13).

But having said all that, take it from one who was married for 50 years, flowers do make a great gift. And why wait for February 14th to express what the person means to you. There are 365 opportunities each year to show your LOVE.

Gary for the elders.

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To RSVP for in person attendance this Sunday morning, click here.

And check out this week’s announcements by clicking here to learn more about the Ladies’ Breakfast on the 20th and signing up to serve on Sunday mornings.

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

Dear Church Family,

As Perry Maxfield mentioned in his e-mail earlier this week, we are so pleased with the turn-out and participation at our January 31 members meeting. The Lord is building His church. He faithfully met our needs in 2020. What's more, He graciously grew a number of our ministries during a time we didn't necessarily expect growth. Thus, as our ministries grow, we took a step of faith and increased our overall budget this year in a number of ministry areas. We continue to look to Him to provide for our needs. At Lake Tapps we are “A Family Growing Together,” and we are so thankful for God’s provision for us.

As I’ve been reflecting on our annual meeting, I have been reminded of several things for which I am grateful to God.

The first is that God has provided us with amazing leaders. Through the years we have been blessed with wonderful people who have sacrificially served our church. This has been a year of transition as a number of our leaders have passed the baton on to others. My words at the annual meeting were inadequate to convey our appreciation and gratitude.

For many years, Jeff and Millie DeMarre have sacrificially served our body. Jeff has served in leadership for decades and was most recently the chairman of our church council. Millie too has served for many years, leading our hospitality ministry. She has coordinated meals for those recovering from illness and led a team of ladies in providing hospitality for weddings, funerals and other special events. Jeff and Millie love to serve together and they make a great team. They both continue to serve on our missions committee. We are so grateful for them.

When our church was first started over 50 years ago, Al Kuehn, as a young boy, was a part of the congregation. Over the course of the years, he has served our body in many different ways; in church leadership, serving in various ministries, and has spent countless hours working on our building and grounds. We are so thankful for his sacrificial service.

Rayann Whitman, before becoming our Treasurer in 2017, served for many years as our Assistant Treasurer. The role of treasurer is very involved and requires not only a lot of time but a great deal of expertise. In addition to keeping our books, she spent countless hours creating a much simplified accounting and payroll system to be passed on to our current treasurer, Daniel Geske. Rayann has served with a spirit of joy and love for the Lord. We are so grateful to her.

Laura Sutherland, began serving as our church Clerk in 2015. Not only has she faithfully kept the minutes at our meetings, but she has also provided godly counsel and wisdom as a member of our church Council. We are thankful for her faithful service.

For almost twenty years Lynda Goodsell served in our church office. Lynda was the voice and face of Lake Tapps for those who called or dropped by the office. She has served our church in so many different ways. Her service wasn’t limited to the office and still isn’t. The words “thank you” are not enough.

As I think of all these wonderful people, I’m reminded of what the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 1:3, when he said, “I thank my God every time I remember you.” It is a joy to share Jesus’ life with one another.

At our meeting I was also reminded of how thankful I am for how we are growing in our commitment to one another. At the annual meeting the question was raised as to what areas of service require a person to be a member of the church. While we do not have a formal policy about it, Pete mentioned the desire for those serving in teaching positions to be members. We are accountable before God for what is taught in our church. Those who have made a “living commitment” to our body in membership have indicated their agreement with our doctrinal statement. We believe having only members teach is a wise safeguard for us. Our desire, however, is that anyone attending Lake Tapps on an ongoing basis would make a “living commitment” to our church and formally become a member. If you believe God has led you to Lake Tapps and that this is where He wants you to grow and serve, we encourage you to attend our next quarterly “Family Matters” membership class on April 24. To sign up for the class, go to our membership page here.

Finally, I am thankful for God’s provision regarding our building. At our meeting Pete mentioned that by God’s grace, all our buildings have been constructed debt fee. The building we are currently in was ‘phase 2’ of a plan that would eventually have had a sanctuary at the south end of our foyer (phase 3). The first phase of construction when we purchased our property was the construction of the parsonage. Over the years a number of our people gave to our “building fund” in hopes of seeing ‘phase 3’ completed. Over the last 20+ years we have never sensed the Lord leading us to take that step. At this time, we are not planning to build anytime in the foreseeable future.

Over the years, however, the building we currently occupy has aged and now needs some significant work done. The Church Council has recommended that we use the building fund to help pay for two major capital intensive projects -- replacing the roof and re-painting the exterior of the building. We then contacted members who had given over a $1000 to the building fund to ask for their input. Those we have heard back from are supportive of using these monies to help maintain the building. This recommendation was then presented at the annual meeting where it was approved along with the annual budget. We want to be good stewards of the building God has provided for us. Lord willing in this next year we will be able to put a new roof on that will protect our building and keep us dry for many years to come, as well as paint the building.

It was a good members meeting. God has been good to LTCC. If you have any questions or concerns about anything covered at the meeting, or the decisions made, please do not hesitate to reach out to any of the elders or deacons.

For God’s Glory,

Tim, for all the elders

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This weekend:

To register for in person attendance at one of our Sunday morning services click here.

Men, it’s not too late to sign up for our Men’s Breakfast via Zoom tomorrow at 8:00 AM. As men we'll be gathering online and Daniel Geske will be sharing with us. To register and receive the Zoom link click here.

Family Prayer: Last week when we announced Family Prayer, we completely forgot about the Super Bowl. We considered moving it to the next Sunday but that is Valentine’s Day. We are going to cancel for this month. Lord willing, we will have Family Prayer again on Sunday, March 7th. We hope you will join us then.

JANUARY 29, 2021

Dear LTCC Family,

I have been so blessed by the truths we have been hearing from Paul’s letter first letter to Timothy. Encouraged coming out of last Sunday’s sermon, I read ahead to this week’s text (1 Timothy 6:3-10). Three times in these eight verses Paul urges Timothy, and God’s people who Timothy is leading, to “godliness”. Repetition in the Scriptures is one way we can recognize the main point or theme of what the writer is trying to convey.

If there ever was a word that seems overwhelming to live up to, godliness would be it. I’ve always struggled with the word. The idea that we could be godly, or like God, almost seems blasphemous. And yet, Paul lays out godliness as a theme in his blueprints for the building of God’s people. We are to manifest godliness. In our work. In our play. In our family. In our politics. In our church life together. Our lives are not to be compartmentalized; every area is to be marked by godliness.

Godliness is holiness. Holy means set apart – set apart for and to God. Godliness is having such reverence for and devotion to God that it affects the way a person lives. It sets the Christian apart from the world. Throughout his letter to Timothy, Paul contrasts godly living with ungodly living.

We know as believers that our position before God has been established by the work of Christ. Jesus is truly the only one who is godly because he is God. He imputes or credits his righteousness, his holiness, his godliness to us by grace through faith. Positionally, we stand before God as holy. That’s ultimately where our godliness comes from. Complete gift.

Practically, however, we walk in godliness each moment by the power of the Holy Spirit, the very Spirit of Christ in us. We grow in godliness as we walk in step with the Spirit.

As I was reading these verses in chapter 6, I had to ask myself:  During these last almost 11 months, have I grown in godliness? Not, have I supported a godly political cause? Or, have I properly stood up to ungodliness? Those obviously are good and right. Rather, am I growing in my personal devotion to Christ in such a way that people can see godliness in the way I speak, in all aspects of my conduct, in my love for others including those who oppose me, in my faith, and in my purity (4:12)?

Obviously, our faith walk is not isolated, and it’s not “all about me” and how I’m doing. But, it starts with me. It starts with you. Collectively, as God’s people, we display godliness if each of us are growing in godliness. I’m certainly not saying that my life in godliness is all it should be. I want it to be, though. I want my words to reflect Jesus. I want even the tone of my words to drip with holiness such that they are set apart from the way the world is speaking; the way I speak and love would be different, and my purity would be evident in public and in private. I have a long way to go.

And I want this for us. I want Lake Tapps Community Church to be set apart in the way we talk, in the way we love, and in the way we conduct ourselves in tense and difficult situations. That our purity would distinguish us from the world.

Godliness is a high calling. Let’s walk in it together by the power of God’s Spirit.

For all of the elders,

Brian  

JANUARY 22, 2021

And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,
to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-12)

Hello Lake Tapps Family

The Lord has given various leaders to His bride (the church) for the work of the ministry. It is clear by this verse that work is part of being a member of God’s family. Usually we think of this work as external work; that is, going into the world and declaring the Gospel and making disciples. But there is also internal work needed to prepare the saints so that we can do the external work in an efficient and productive manner.

This is analogous to an earthly family planning an external project like a vacation. Each member of the family contributes to the success of the vacation by doing their individual tasks like assembling the food, supplies, itinerary, etc.

On January 31, our church family has an internal project to prepare us for our external work. It’s our annual members meeting. It’s what we do to plan and facilitate our functioning for the coming year. I believe it involves two parts.

The first part is to attend the meeting as we are able. This year it will be virtual by using Zoom. Please RSVP here to indicate that you plan to attend and to receive the Zoom meeting information.

The second part is to prepare ourselves in order to participate in the meeting. Members meetings are a way for us to continue to grow into our call to maturity as believers. While not the only method of accepting responsibility and influencing a church’s direction, the annual meeting is a key opportunity to align on several foundational areas as a church family on matters such as ministry, money, and our mission. As families grow together they set their course together.

To prepare for our meeting, we strongly recommend familiarizing ourselves with the documents to be referenced at the meeting. You can access the materials we will be reviewing by clicking here. You’ll be asked for a password when you click on the link. The password is: MM2021.

As you review this material, here are some questions you might consider asking yourself:

• Through the work we are doing as a church family, are we growing as a family? Not just numerically, but as disciples? As a fellowship? As ambassadors? As salt and light in our world and the world beyond us?

• Are we becoming increasingly a body where each member finds their part and each part does its part?

• Are we, as a family, appropriately and prudently stewarding the finances the Lord provides? If it was “my money” is this how I would be stewarding it?

• Can I affirm that those who feel called to lead have the character and competency to lead?

I’m sure there are other questions that will come to mind. Bring your questions and insights to our Zoom meeting on the 31st. There will be an open time at the end of the meeting to hear your thoughts and answer your questions.

I hope to see you on Zoom as we roll up our sleeves and “do the work of the ministry.”

Gary for the elders

JANUARY 15, 2021

Dear LTCC Church Family,

At our weekly elders meeting we usually wrap up with a brief discussion on what should be the topic for the Friday check-in e-mail and who will take on the task of writing it. We never thought back in March 2020, when we started these because we were sheltered in place and not gathering as a congregation, that we'd still be doing them 10 months later. And yet, though we have not received a ton of feedback, what input we have had from folks is that they are appreciated and, by some at least, even anticipated each week. So we'll continue, Lord willing.

At our meeting this week, I was tagged to write something up. The topic? Our upcoming annual members meeting.

If you know my story, you know that I was saved into a church tradition that didn't talk about "becoming a member" but instead talked of "being received into full fellowship." That for over 20 years, until we moved to the States from Canada, I viewed a membership process as an "extra-biblical" activity with little, if any, benefit. But again, if you know me, you know how sold I am now on the need for believers to somehow formally commit to a local church body. Not for the sake of adding to a church's numbers, but because I believe that the bible is clear that authentic, active, church involvement is integral to an individual’s sanctification. Paul says so when he addresses the believers at Ephesus:

Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (Ephesians 4:15-16 ESV)

One of the primary dynamics for maturing in Christ, for growing in our faith, is the body dynamic -- every part joined, each part doing its part, the body being built up, both as individuals and as a family community.

Since 2014, I've been teaching our membership class, Family Matters. The first "class" was a 13-week study during what was then our Equipping Hour between our two services. Since then, it has been a quarterly class offered for those interested in membership. Next Saturday's class, Lord willing, will be the 23rd time a group has gathered to talk about why we think membership in a local church is so important.

It's not just about getting your name on a roll. It's not about having a vote. It's not about extra perks. It's not about getting extra attention. It's about the privileges and responsibilities of being part of a gospel-based community. Part of entering into that dynamic, I want to suggest, is carving out the time for our members meetings.

On Sunday, January 31st, at 3:00 p.m. via Zoom, we'll be holding our annual members meeting. At the meeting we'll review the year that was, and talk about some of the ways God has continued to lead us and grow us even during a pandemic. We'll propose a budget for the next year, affirm our elders and deacons, and have an open time for input, questions, and discussion. Before January 24th, we will post all the materials we'll be discussing at the meeting so you have an opportunity to review them in advance and not be caught cold at the meeting.

One other thing, our members meetings ARE NOT just for members. We welcome all who are interested and vested in LTCC to join us as we conduct family business.

So, why attend our 2021 Annual Members Meeting? Here's a cut at a "Letterman's Top 10" (I know, I'm dating myself) approach for why we think you might want to be there.

TOP TEN REASONS FOR WHY I SHOULD ATTEND LTCC'S ANNUAL MEMBERS MEETING:

10. There's no football that Sunday afternoon? What else am I going to do?

9. It's a Zoom meeting. I can attend and not have to sit still in a chair at a table for over an hour.

8. It's a Zoom meeting. I won't have to wear pants.

7. It's a Zoom meeting. If I'm on mute and fall asleep, who's going to know?

6. My attendance affirms that I view church membership not only as a privilege but a responsibility, too.

5. I'll be reminded again that the governance of a church body is, at its core, vested in the church body itself.

4. It will encourage church leadership as I affirm their call to lead and support their stewardship of the resources God provides.

3. It will be a catalyst that primes the pump of praise as I marvel at God's active provision and moving in our church family -- even during a pandemic year.

2. It will be a time when I can again focus on the mission that unites us as a church rather than the distractions which seek to divide us.

1. It will be another reminder that, though I still feel so apart, I am not alone.

So, we hope you'll plan to attend our Annual Members meeting on the 31st. Next week in the check-in, look for a link to the materials we'll be reviewing during the meeting. The Friday after that we'll send out the Zoom information. If you haven't already spent time on our Affirmation Process Page, we'd encourage you to do so.

This weekend, we'll mark Sanctity of Human Life Sunday and will kick off our annual baby bottle drive in support of CareNet. Tim will continue our "Blueprints" series in 1 Timothy as we consider together "Accountable Leadership." You can RSVP for one our services by clicking here.

Look forward to worshiping with you all, whether in person or connected via video streaming. For those participating remotely, thank you for your feedback and patience as we continue to work the quality and reliability of both our video and audio feed.

For the elders,

Pete

JANUARY 8, 2021

Dear Church Family,

Like many of you I watched the news on Wednesday with a heavy heart. On the day Congress met to certify the presidential election, the President led a rally in Washington DC where he told his supporters that the election had been and was being stolen. After the rally, a mob formed and stormed the Capital building. They overwhelmed the police and broke into the House and Senate chambers. A police officer was killed and a woman in the mob was also shot and killed. As I watched the violence being carried out in our nation’s Capital I experienced some anger, but mostly I was filled with a deep sadness.

By God’s grace, since our nation’s founding, we have always had a peaceful transition of power. In our history, the integrity of our elections has rarely been an issue. However, in recent presidential elections, the margin of victory has been so slim that legal challenges have been raised, contesting the outcome in various jurisdictions. Since the presidential election in November, the President has challenged the vote count in a number of jurisdictions. None of his legal appeals have been successful, but he has adamantly refused to concede. He asked the Vice President to block the certification of the election in his role as President of the Senate. The Vice President said he lacked the authority to do that and refused to comply with the President’s request. Since the violence on Wednesday the President has issued some statements on social media, but a number of social media channels have frozen his accounts.

This is uncharted territory for our nation and is creating a great deal of uncertainty in the days leading up to the inauguration. Regardless of what you believe about the integrity of the election, what happened Wednesday deeply damaged our government and has brought shame and reproach to our nation.

As Christians how would God have us respond to what is happening? Our Sovereign God is still on the throne. He has reasons for allowing what has transpired. He has called His people to represent Him. As I have reflected on the events of the week, I’m convinced God would have us do at least three things.

#1. He wants us to put our hope and confidence, solely in Him. Not in democracy, not in a country, not in a political party, not in a man or woman, not in a movement or ideology – but in Him. He is the only One worthy of our worship. He is the only One worthy of our trust. We must turn to Him. Acknowledge that He is our Lord. That He is our only hope. Putting our hope in anyone or anything else is idolatry.

#2. God wants us to humble ourselves before Him. This is not a time for ‘finger pointing.’ This is not a time for the ‘blame game.’ This is not a time for us to point out the failings and sins of others. It is a time to grieve and like Daniel in the Bible, to humble ourselves in repentance and prayer before God. I encourage you to read Daniel’s prayer in Daniel 9:1-19.

How did we get to this place? Who is at fault? Who is responsible? Is it “them?” Is our problem “out there” or do we need look within? Alexander Solzhenitsyn in his classic book the Gulag Archipelago said, “If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?” The truth is, we all have a sin problem. We are all complicit in the situation we find ourselves in as a nation. We need God’s mercy and forgiveness – every one of us. The Apostle Peter in 1 Peter 4:17 said that “…it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God.” We need to be the first people on our knees. Our own Daniel Geske wrote an excellent article which he posted on social media. I encourage you to read it. I found myself saying, “amen,” and “me too” many times. You can link to a copy of his article here.

In 2 Chronicles 7:14, the Lord told Solomon after the dedication of the temple, that when He brought judgement upon His people, that if they would turn to Him, He would respond. He said, “if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” In Isaiah 55:6-7, we are told, “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” As individuals and as His church we need His forgiveness and pardon.

Is it too late for our nation? I don’t know. I do know that we need to cry out to God for His mercy. “Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him…” (Joel 2:12-14)

#3. Regardless of what happens we must each commit to following Jesus – walking in His way. It is time for Christians to truly “walk the talk” so that we will truly be “salt and light” in our world. The ‘way of Jesus’ is a radical contrast to the way so many, (sadly even those calling themselves Christians) live. I’m told that one of the men in the mob that broke into the Capitol on Wednesday was carrying a ‘Christian flag.’ In no way was he following Jesus. The ‘way of Jesus’ has been recorded for us in the Bible. On Wednesday evenings, our Men’s Study is just beginning a series on the “Sermon on the Mount.” (If you would like to join the study click here). In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus lays out what ‘His way’ – the way of the Kingdom of God looks like. His way is the path of wisdom. On Thursday evenings, beginning January 14th, the women will be beginning a study in the Book of Proverbs. Proverbs is the book of wisdom. (If you would like to join the study click here). Jesus is the ultimate personification of God’s wisdom. How different our country would be if all Christians would actually walk in wisdom – in the ‘way of Jesus.’

We are living in difficult days. We don’t know what the future holds. But God’s Kingdom has come! Jesus, our Lord and Savior has conquered sin and death. His Kingdom is coming, as the Good News of who He is and what He has done is proclaimed throughout our world. Soon He will appear in power and with great glory and we will enter into the fulness of His Kingdom. There will be a “new heaven and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:13). In the meantime, He has given us His Holy Spirit. He has promised, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5). This is not a time for despair or disengagement. It is a time to be alert and aware as “ambassador’s for Christ.” (2 Corinthians 5:20)

As you process the times we are living in, consider listening to the following short podcast segment featuring the president of the Colson Center, John Stonestreet. It is worth your time. You can access it here.

I look forward to worshipping with you on Sunday. We appreciate you continuing to register for our services. You can RSVP here. 

In Christ,

Tim, for all the elders

JANUARY 1, 2021

Dear Church Family,

As 2020 began to draw to a close I heard a number of people express that they wanted to stay up and see the new year in – not because they were excited for a new year but simply to make sure 2020 ended! While we laugh at that, it’s important that we look back at 2020 with a heart of thanksgiving. We are told to, “Rejoice in the Lord always.” (Philippians 4:4). Although 2020 was a difficult year in many ways, it was also a year where God’s mercy was “new every morning.” Along with Jeremiah we can say, “great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22). I encourage you to take some time today to reflect on the Lord’s great faithfulness to you, to your family and to our church family this last year.

As Pete reminded us last Sunday, God has given the gift of peace. Peace with God through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. The assurance of soon dwelling in the Kingdom of God where we will enjoy eternal peace. But even now, Jesus, the “Prince of Peace,” is teaching us to know God’s peace, as He lives in us by the Holy Spirit. He has used the events of 2020, to deepen our faith and reliance on Him – to lead us in the way of peace.

In 2021, our greatest need will be to continue to walk with the Lord in obedience and faith. While we hope that the new year will bring us relief from the pandemic, our greatest need will continue to be Jesus. The greatest need in our world will continue to be for a Savior. The Savior has come. He has told us to “…seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness…” (Matthew 6:33). In these dark days, He has sent us out with His authority to proclaim the Good News of His Kingdom. As we enter into a new year, may we like the Apostle Paul, say, “…one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13b-14).

This Sunday we will resume our series in 1 Timothy and look at “The Church as a Family,” As a believer in Jesus, I am so thankful that as the evil in our world increases, I have brothers and sisters in Christ. As we “…press on towards the goal…” we are not alone. We belong to God’s eternal family. The church is the “household of the living God.” We have the incredible privilege of sharing His life together. As members of His family, we get to help one another learn to love Him and one another. We get to work together to take the Good News of Jesus to the “ends of the earth.” More than ever, we do this with the realization that time is short. “Our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.” (Romans 13:11). Jesus is coming soon. “And now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink from Him in shame at His coming.” (1 John 2:28)

Maranatha!

Tim, for all the elders

As a reminder . . .

Click here to RSVP if you’ll be attending one of the morning services this Sunday.

Men, we hope you will join us via Zoom tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. for our first Men’s Breakfast of 2021. Click here to RSVP, you’ll receive the Zoom meeting info in the confirmation e-mail.

Everyone, please join us for Family Prayer via Zoom this Sunday evening at 6:30 p.m. Here’s the Zoom info for that meeting:

Topic: LTCC Monthly Family Prayer Meeting
Time: Jan 3, 2021 06:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86324224917?pwd=b2ZKV0hnVTNXSXRJVVEwTVRYV3BYUT09

Meeting ID: 863 2422 4917
Passcode: 472455

DECEMBER 20, 2020

Dear Church Family

Would it surprise you if I suggested that perhaps, just perhaps, some of us feel a bit of tension at Christmas? I'm guessing not. While the tension of over-flowing calendars in December has been greatly reduced by the year of the pandemic, other tensions remain.

For example, what about the tension of who to buy for? Who's on the "naughty list," who's on the "nice?" Is this the year we start to draw names from a hat so we don't bankrupt ourselves by feeling we have to buy for everyone?

Or, perhaps, there's the tension of anticipating that, at the family dinner this year, there's a fairly good chance that "blue" Uncle B. is gonna gloat a bit in front of the other "red" family members so that, though the food tastes great, everyone leaves with a distaste in their mouths. And maybe, this Christmas in particular, there is another family tension percolating. The tension of whether or not we should even gather as family as we wrestle with whether there really is a greater good to be served by sacrificing our near and dear traditions.

And then, there's the tension of dealing with the seasonal reminder that, regardless of what we decide about gathering, there are those who are no longer here to gather with. Whether this is the first Christmas they're "away from the body and at home with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8), or the fourth, or the fourteenth, there's tension in wanting what once was but can no longer be.

I'm sure you've got your own thoughts of the sources of tension that seem to arise during the Christmas season.

But there's one other tension which, if we wrestle with it, has a way of putting all other tensions in context, bringing them into a more helpful perspective. This tension is a holy tension.

Heard from a brother recently his concern that too many of us don't really look beyond the manger at this time of year. We like the warmth exuded by our nativity scenes. Mary, meek and mild, kneeling beside her newborn son. Joseph looking on proudly. The shepherds in awe. The magi (who really weren't there that night) worshipfully offering gifts. And the animals -- all those animals trying to figure out why their space had been invaded. We want the peace of that silent night. An escape from a sin-worn world. Peace on earth, we sing, even as we try to forget, if but for a moment, that there is so little peace on earth.

If you think about it, our Christmas preaching series in Isaiah 9:6-7 really is designed to combat that brother's concern. We've blown right past, "a Child is born" and have focused on the fact that He shall be called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Reminding ourselves that the babe in the manger was born to grow up, rescue a people from their sin through dying on a cross, and reign over a kingdom forever. Born to be the omnipotent wonder worker. To make Himself known as the only omniscient source of life-giving counsel. To be revealed as El Gibbor, the mighty warrior God who, having spoken all things into being, now wages battle alongside His people "against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12).

This week, Tim will look beyond that particular moment in time and space in Bethlehem and remind us that Jesus is the Father of eternity. That the confines of a manger, and the 33 years walking the earth, were but a minor deflection from all that is His to do as "the first and the last", the living One who died and is now alive forevermore, possessing the keys of Death and Hades (Revelation 1:17). Next week, Lord willing, we'll consider Him not as the helpless babe, but as the reigning Ruler who alone can bring shalom.

If you stick with us through these four Sunday's in December, it will be hard to not look past the manger scene and behold the Man who is God and fully God.

But also this week, during our small group, another brother wondered if we haven't become so used to the babe in the manger that we fail to fully consider what it means that God would take on human flesh. That maybe we need to pause and spend more time hovering over that nativity scene. Holy tension!

But He's right, isn't he? What was it for Jesus -- the Word who in the beginning was with God and was God, who Himself was the maker of all things (John 1:1-3) -- to empty Himself of His heavenly glory, be born in the likeness of men, and be found in human form (Philippians 2:6-7)? What's that about?

Think about it, it wasn't all a silent night. I know that from having been present at the births of my five daughters. After the agony of hearing their mother verbalize the pains of childbirth, I then rejoiced as I heard each of my newborn kids let us know they were taking their first breaths by screaming their lungs out. Did Jesus wail too as He came into the world He had created? I'm thinkin'.

God incarnate. How can we not stare into that manger with awe and wonder? Knowing that this baby is the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace who humbled Himself, being born after the manner of men. Why would we move off that scene? It reminds us how much God loves us! Enough to send His one and only Son to be our Rescuer (John 3:16).

So, why would we not welcome the holy tension of beholding how He came with believing who He is and what He came to do?

How can we not be gripped with worship as we feel the tension of the Wonderful Counselor coming as a child to make His way to a woeful cross? How can our jaws not drop as we meditate on Mighty God growing up as a kid so that one day He might be wrapped in mounds of gauze, His lifeless body placed in a cold tomb? Why would we rush past the meditation of the Author of Eternity condescending to be a developing teenager eager to be about His Father's business -- knowing that one day, He would confirm His true identity by exiting the tomb? Even as we wrestle with this holy tension, we come to experience the all-sufficient shalom He can impart to those who believe.

How can we not be like the one in our nativity scenes who holds the babe in swaddling cloths, whose womb was the chosen conduit for such wonder?

But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. (Luke 2:19 ESV)

Might we embrace the holy tension. Yes, to us a Son, Mary's son, has been given. Don’t rush past the manger. And yes, "in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell" (Col. 1:19). He is the babe born to rescue and reconcile and reign over a people for Himself.

O come let us adore Him!

Look forward to gathering with you, whether in person or virtually, this weekend.

For the elders,

Pete

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Couple of reminders . . .

• If you are planning on being with us Sunday but haven’t yet RSVP’d, you can click here.

• Given the number of people wanting to attend Christmas Eve service in person, we will be holding an earlier service at 5:30 p.m. While the 7:00 p.m. service is almost full, there’s still seating at the earlier service. Please let us know you’re planning to come by RSVP'ing here.

DECEMBER 13, 2020

Dear LTCC Family,

I am always fascinated reading Luke’s account of Mary’s interaction with the angel Gabriel around Christmas time. Recorded in Luke 1:26-38, Gabriel comes to Mary and reveals what God is going to do through her. Six times Gabriel uses the word “will” (my emphasis added):

“You WILL conceive in your womb and bear a son” (v. 31).
“He WILL be great” (v. 32).
“He WILL be called the Son of the Most High” (v. 32).
“God WILL give to him the throne of his father David” (v. 32).
“He WILL reign over the house of Jacob forever” (v. 33).
“Of his kingdom there WILL be no end” (v. 33).

This is unbelievable stuff! I am intrigued by Mary’s response: “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” (v. 34).

Two things strike me in this exchange. First, Mary has questions. She does not display unbelief, but she does have a question. Unbelief would simply say, “No way. That is impossible. I don’t believe it can happen.” Instead, Mary asks, “How?” That’s different than unbelief. She is thoughtful in her faith. She essentially says, “I believe. How is it going to happen, though?” Doubts and questions are not the same as unbelief. A believing, faithful person can have questions. And that is reassuring because I have all sorts of questions about how God is going to accomplish his purposes!

That brings me to my second observation. God’s will is such that when he speaks he also acts. His speaking is his doing. They are inseparable. God is true to his word and always accomplishes his purposes.

“and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth;
and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”
Daniel 4:35

Part of what Gabriel told Mary has already come true. She gave birth to the Son of the Most High, Jesus Christ, whom we celebrate each year at Christmas. We marvel at what God did and how he did it. We worship him for sending his Son who saves his people from their sins. Part of what Gabriel said will happen is still unfolding, however. God’s kingdom has already been inaugurated with the Messiah’s first Advent but will be fully realized when he comes a second time. He will reign forever; his kingdom will have no end.

How are you going to do it, God? How is what is going on right now in our lives a part of your purposes and plan to bring it to pass? With all that we’ve dealt with in 2020 and will continue to navigate, these questions loom larger than ever.

I know he will do it. I believe. I just don’t know how.

Our 4-week Advent sermon series titled, “The Rescuer Revealed” is looking at the names given to the Messiah through the prophet Isaiah in 9:6-7: Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Join us this Sunday for a further look into “Mighty God” who WILL accomplish his purposes. May we wait expectantly and worship him fervently this Advent season as we marvel at his first coming and look ahead to his second.

On behalf of the elders,

Brian

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If you are planning to gather in person at LTCC this Sunday please click here and let us know you are coming.
Also, hope you’ll be able to participate tomorrow morning in our LTCC Drive Through Christmas Party. For other happenings at LTCC this month see our Announcements page.

DECEMBER 7, 2020

Dear Church Family,

While 2020 has been a long and difficult year, paradoxically, it has also felt like the fastest year of my life. I can hardly believe we are in the month of December and will soon be celebrating Christmas. This year people began putting up Christmas lights even before Thanksgiving! For some Christmas can’t come soon enough. In the midst of a dark and chaotic world many are looking for hope.

I am so thankful that Jesus has come into our dark world to rescue us. The God who created us and loves us has not left us in our lost condition. At Christmas time we celebrate our Savior’s arrival. While we enjoy many Christmas traditions, it is so important that we “fix our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2). Over the next four Sundays, we will be giving a series of messages, focusing on Jesus. We are calling the series, “The Rescuer Revealed.”

In Isaiah 9:6-7 we read,

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

During the reign of Caesar Augustus, the “child” was “born.” The angel told Joseph to name Him Jesus (which means YHWH saves), “because He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). On the cross Jesus paid the penalty for our sin. God raised Him from the dead. Jesus ascended into heaven and reigns as our exalted King. Jesus’ Kingdom has come, is coming and someday soon will be fully revealed. Our King’s name is…

• Wonderful Counselor

• Mighty God

• Everlasting Father

• Prince of Peace

He is the total answer to our need. In the midst of the darkness, Jesus is “the light of the world” (John 8:12). As we study Isaiah 9 together, I am praying that we will be deeply encouraged and strengthened in our faith as we “fix our eyes on Jesus” together.

As we worship this Christmas season, I invite you to join us. If you are able to join us in person, please remember to pre-register online. If you join us online, please let us know you have joined us by going to the Sunday Online menu and clicking on the Wave! link. The Wave! link also has a place for prayer requests. Please let us know how we can be praying for you. We pray for every prayer request and consider it a privilege to pray for you throughout the week.

Because of Jesus,

Tim, for all the elders

Looking ahead . . .

Please join us via Zoom this Sunday night at 6:30 p.m. as we hear from Micah and Laura Myers and then pray together as a church family. To get the link for the Zoom meeting RSVP here and it will be sent with your confirmation email.

We are planning on having a Christmas Eve service at 7:00 PM. Lord willing the service will be held in our building but will also be available online. If you are planning on attending, whether in person or via Zoom, please RSVP as soon as possible by clicking here. If it looks like we will exceed our socially distanced seating capacity, we will consider adding a second service. For those who register to attend via Zoom we will send out the link closer to the 24th.

Also, on Saturday, December 12th, from 11:00 – noon, we will be having our first (and hopefully last) “LTCC Drive Through Christmas Party”. It replaces the annual ladies Christmas tea this year and the women’s ministry has invited the other ministries to join in. So there will be something for everyone. Women’s, Men’s, Children’s and Benevolence ministries will all be taking part. More information is available on our website under Announcements.

NOVEMBER 27, 2020

Hello Lake Tapps

As I sit down to write this Wednesday morning and think of us gathering around our Thanksgiving table with family and friends, one thing is for sure.  This will be anything but just another Thanksgiving. This will be a Thanksgiving about which we will tell our yet to be born children and grandchildren.  This is one of those “memory maker” occasions.

As we reflect on this year, we remember how the Lord has taught us new ways to gather and worship Him.  He has taught us that the “fellowship of believers” is not just words, but something tangible and real as we’ve felt loss when it wasn’t available.  And felt a sense of completeness as we’ve gathered together, side by side (at an appropriate distance) since August 9th.

We are instructed in Ephesians 5:20 to give thanks for all things.  When we consider Covid-19 in light of that verse, it would seem to be an impossible command.  When we look around at the economic impact, social turmoil and health impact, all we see is misery and loss.

But I think there is another way to look at it.  It’s because of the virus that we’ve been granted a chance to be thankful for the things that we have so often taken for granted.  Sometimes I think we have the attitude that these things are owed to us.  The things I’m talking about are a good job, good health, and freedom to make choices that affect our lives.  Things like, when and where to shop, when and where to dine out and freedom to worship as we wish.  As we enter the new year, I hope we will not take these sorts of things for granted anymore.

But still there’s something more for which we can give thanks.  Ephesians 1:3 says that we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places.  Not only can we be thankful for the earthly blessings mentioned before, just as our secular neighbors might do, but we have eternal blessings that will not rust or decay.

We can thank God for the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf and the new life it has produced in those that place their faith in Him.  We can thank Him for the Comforter who gives us fellowship with the Father and the Son, and guides our steps day by day.  It’s through Him that our prayers are interpreted to the Father.  And it is His Spiritual Gifts that enable us to be a productive member of Christ’s body.  What is best is that whereas earthly blessings may fade, our heavenly blessings will last for eternity.

This year as we look forward to the celebration of Jesus’ birth, may we do so with a heart of thanksgiving for all He is and all He’s done for us.

Gary for the Elders.

NOVEMBER 20, 2020

Dear Church Family,

Our elders meet weekly to pray and consider the needs of our church family. Our meetings usually last a couple of hours. This week at three and a half hours we still were not done! We were faced with a pressing issue. This week the governor mandated new regulations for “Religious and Faith-based Organizations.”

Throughout the pandemic we have made the safety of our church family a high priority. We have appreciated and done our best to follow the guidance given by the state. Because Covid-19 is a “novel” virus there has been disagreement not only in the scientific community but also in the general public about the level of precautions that should be taken. We have worked hard as a church to exercise due care and caution and to love and respect one another. I am thankful for the unity we have experienced throughout this potentially divisive time. God is teaching us how to love one another and depend on Him.

Our need to humbly trust God continues. On Sunday, one of the new regulations issued by the governor is that singing is no longer allowed in our worship services. How would God have us respond to this new mandate?

The Bible tells us that government officials are God’s servants for our good. (Romans 13:4). We are not to have an attitude of rebellion or insubordination towards the state. We are to “fear God” and “honor the king.” (1 Peter 2:17). However, the Bible also makes clear that God is our ultimate authority. Jesus is Lord – not the state (Matt 28:18, 1 Tim 6:15). There are times when Christians out of obedience and loyalty to Christ will need to disobey the commands of human authorities. In the early days of the church, the Apostles were commanded by the authorities not to preach about Jesus. They replied, “We must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29)

In his mandate the governor said, “congregational singing is prohibited.” When we gather as God's people, in obedience to Christ we read Scripture (1 Tim 4:13), pray (1 Tim 2:8), sing (Col 3:16, Eph 5:19), preach the Word (2 Tim 4:2), partake of the Lord's Table (1 Corinthians 11:23-26) and baptize those who have come to faith in Christ (Matthew 28:18-20). By forbidding us to sing during our worship, the governor has assumed a position of authority over the church that he does not have. Jesus is the head of the church not the governor (Col 1:18, Eph 1:22).

After much discussion and prayer, the elders have humbly and prayerfully made the decision to continue to have music and singing in our worship services. We will continue to observe all our other protocols as we think they are prudent precautions at this time. We want you to know this in advance so you can plan accordingly.

If you are ill or believe that attending our services will put you or others at risk, please join us online and do not attend in person.

These are difficult and complex issues that require much thought and prayer. Please feel free to reach out to any of the elders with any questions or comments you might have.

In our relationship with God, the condition of our hearts is of utmost importance. Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” May each of us walk humbly before Him, keeping a good conscience for the sake of the Gospel, the glory of God, and love for one another.

For His Glory,

Tim, for all the elders

NOVEMBER 13, 2020

Dear Church Family,

And that is what we are . . . family. Pause. Reflect. Let it sink in. The church known as LTCC is a family.

If we have ears to hear it and hearts to receive it, we’ll be reminded of it this Sunday. We'll read it, the Scriptures informing us afresh that, in addition to being His body, His bride, His place of dwelling through the Spirit, the church is also “the household of God!” And Tim will preach it -- and how it connects us to Christ, “the mystery of godliness.” Honestly, can’t wait to be reminded of these truths.

I can’t help but think of how perfect the timing has been in us walking through 1Timothy 3 in these weeks leading up to the formal kick-off of our annual Affirmation Process this Sunday. Not something we planned in advance. But, we think, God did.

This is our sixth annual call to the church family to actively prepare to confirm our elders and deacons for the roles for which we believe they’ve been raised up. Our elders serve by leading, our deacons lead by serving, so that the family is cared for, the body is built up, and we’re all better equipped to go and make disciples.

Six years ago, it was kind of a radical thought for us to suggest that every elder (including the senior Pastor) and every deacon should essentially serve for but a one-year term. That we needed to regularly go to the congregation and ask them each year, after the manner of Acts 6, to recognize “from among you” men and women of “good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom” who should be appointed to serve the church and its needs (Acts 6:3). But after six years we are more convinced than ever that this is a healthy practice for our church. So please participate in our Affirmation Process by reading, listening, praying, and engaging. More on the workings of the Affirmation Process and how you can become involved is on our website, under RESOURCES / AFFIRMATION. Or, you can go there now by clicking here.

And this year, it may be as important as any year because, while we have sheltered in place, had our calendars cleared, and have had things brought to a near standstill at times, God has been far from inactive within our church. This year God has raised up three new deacons to serve and has moved in the hearts of four of our current servant-leaders to pass the baton.

Jeff DeMarre, our Church Council Chairman, Laura Sutherland, our Church Council Clerk, Rayann Whitman, our Treasurer, and Al Kuehn, who has provided oversight for our physical facilities, will all be handing over the reigns to others for 2021.

In one sense, Rayann is the "rookie" among those retiring from the Council this year. But while she may have only stepped into the Treasurer role back in 2017, Rayann served as Assistant Treasurer for many years before that and has served the church in many different capacities over the 20+ years she and her husband, Jim, have been members at LTCC. She has served as Treasurer with integrity, diligence, and distinction, and we owe her a tremendous debt of gratitude for her many hours of work as keeper of our books.

Laura has served as Clerk for the past 6 years and has sacrificially allowed the role to grow through the many transitions we've seen since 2015 as we've moved from a Church Board to the Church Council. In addition to keeping minutes, she has modeled what it is to not only “do your job” but to also step up as needed to care for the family, above and beyond the job description. She has expanded the Clerk role by ensuring pre-work is done and an agenda is prepared, actively engaging in the decision making around the table, and has taken on extra work and provided leadership in areas for which she was uniquely qualified.

Jeff and Al are, by any definition of the word, our veterans, our sages around the table, and we'll miss their contribution at the Council. Jeff, serving the church family for many years as both a leader and a laborer, has been on the Board, then the Council, since 1998, becoming Chairman in 2014. Jeff's care and concern for the church has always been evident and we'll miss his watchful eye. Al, a member of LTCC since it's inception in 1967, has served in more ways than could possibly be listed. Look at the facilities and grounds we enjoy and, at some point, Al has had a hand in either making it, maintaining it, or upgrading it. And this, as he has been an active ambassador for the gospel, modeling the grace of Christ and speaking the grace of Christ to any who will listen.

Certainly, as Paul instructed Timothy, it can be said of Jeff, Al, Rayann, and Laura that "those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus" (1Tim. 3:13). Well done, good and faithful servants! Thank you!

But far from this being a sign of attrition within the Council, for those of us with a front-row seat, it is but a facet of the many ways we're seeing God moving in our church and readying LTCC for His purposes in the future.

Leeanne Needham was led of God to put her name forward for the Clerk position. She's been in the notes-taking seat for just two meetings and has already been used to move the Council towards a greater emphasis on prayer as part of our meetings.

Daniel Geske, who expressed interest in learning more about the Assistant Treasurer position back in 2018 when we made the need known at a members meetings, has been trained and mentored by Rayann, and this year moved of God to step up and offer to accept the responsibility of the Treasurer position.

Also this year, as a direct result of the potential impact of the pandemic on those in our church and our community, God moved in an amazing way to raise up Trista Sutherland to lead a team to reshape our benevolence ministry. Her leadership in launching our Love One Another initiative has blessed many already, and not just with the sharing of material means. Through our benevolence ministry's Ignite Hope outreach folks from LTCC have gone out to connect with those we've helped financially, ready to pray for them and equipped to share the gospel with them.

But wait . . . there's more. Justine Peterson, our deacon over Children's Ministry, was so moved of God to lean into our kids and their families this year that we felt we needed to "honor" this "laborer" as one deserving of financial support (1Tim. 5:18). Thus, as of September 1st, Justine came on staff in a paid part-time position. And most recently, at this week's Church Council meeting, Perry Maxfield was nominated for, and unanimously elected to, the role of Council Chairman. In addition to leading Men's Ministry, Perry willing accepted the baton of Council leadership from Jeff.

Alongside these servants, LTCC is blessed to also have Robin Goodwin, Women's Ministry; Carl Riesenweber, Senior's Ministry; Evan Burton, Youth Ministry; and Wayne Worthen, Facilities Leader, continuing to provide oversight for their respective areas in service to the church family. (Did I mention we are family?)

Please get to know our LTCC leaders, both the elders and the deacons. A good place to start is with the short bio's included on our Affirmation webpage. And please prepare to affirm them at our members' meeting at the end of January. Any questions / concerns about those we believe have been called to serve as leaders and lead as servers at LTCC? Now's the time to address them.

I'm so glad I'm a part of the family of God. You too?

For the elders,

Pete

NOVEMBER 6, 2020

Hello Lake Tapps Family

Like many of you I sat at my desk Wednesday morning with bleary eyes after staying up late Tuesday night to see who our next president was going to be. I patiently endured the seemingly endless “what if” scenarios of how each candidate might get the required 270 Electoral College votes. The back and forth comparison between 2016 and 2020 voting, this county and that county, rural verses urban and on and on it went into the night. All to no resolution I might add!

As I crawled into bed that night I was wondering if there was still anything I could think about that could provide some semblance of stability or surety? Then a verse came to mind, Philippians 4:8. “…whatever is true, whatever is honorable …think about these things”. And so as my mind drifted off to sleep, I wondered, what are some things that I can think about that are “right, pure & lovely”? The answer came to me in the morning -- What is happening right now at LTCC? Two things came to mind, Missions Emphasis Weekend, and our annual Leader Affirmation Process.

First up is Missions Emphasis this Saturday and Sunday. We at Lake Tapps believe strongly in the charge “to go into the world and spread the good news of the Gospel”. This weekend we have the privilege of hearing directly from one of our missionary couples, Bob & Teresa Reister on leave from Japan, as well as our newest missionary, our own Pam King who went fulltime with Reality Sports as of September 1.

Bob will be speaking at the men’s breakfast on Saturday (register here) and Teresa will be speaking at the women’s brunch on Saturday (register here). On Sunday Bob will be delivering the sermon at both services. Pam King will be sharing at both the men’s and women’s events Saturday about her missionary work with Reality Sports.

Something else to think about which brings a note of stability and reality is the LTCC Affirmation Process. This is the process that Tim mentioned recently in his sermon on the qualifications of elders and deacons. Our Affirmation Process web page explains what the Affirmation Process is, why it’s important at LTCC, and how you can engage in the process.

In addition to a list of resources to read, listen to, and pray for, it also contains a link to short bios for each of the people who have been called to serve the LTCC body as elders and deacons. This is a good way to “get to know” people with which you may have had only limited acquaintance in the past.

The Affirmation Process is also an invitation to maintaining unity in the body, particularly between those serving as leaders and those being served. While the passage in Matthew 18:15-17 is often seen only as a template for church discipline, it really is God’s instruction for resolving conflicts between believers. As it relates to the Affirmation Process, if there is something which might cause you to have a reservation about wholeheartedly affirming a person to serve as an elder or deacon, this is the time to go to that person in Christian love and work to resolve the stumbling block one-on-one. We believe that the Lord is glorified if we can live and work together in unity. The Affirmation Process is one way we can achieve this goal. More will said about the Affirmation Process and those willing to serve as leaders in 2021 in the upcoming weeks. You can access the Affirmation Process web page under the “Resources” tab on our home page or by clicking here.

Eventually the election will be determined here in this earthly kingdom, hopefully in the next two weeks. In the meantime we have these two opportunities to engage in some constructive activity in our heavenly kingdom.

Gary for the elders.

OCTOBER 30, 2020

Dear Church Family,

The “weekly update” this week has a little bit of everything. There is a lot going on!

• Don’t forget to “fall back” Saturday night. Daylight savings time comes to an end at 2:00 AM on November 1st. Be sure and set your clocks back before going to bed on the 31st.

• Don’t forget to vote. This Tuesday, November 3rd is Election Day. In addition to voting, let’s be in prayer for our nation and our leaders. We can do that together this Sunday night at 6:30 p.m. during our monthly Family Prayer time at LTCC. To join by Zoom, see the weekly check-in e-mail or contact ltccoffice@laketappscc.org.

  We have been reminded of the importance of prayer in 1 Timothy 2:1-4. “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

• Last but not least, mark your calendar for our Annual LTCC Missions Emphasis Weekend, November 7-8th. This year we are excited to have Bob and Teresa Reister as our special guests. Bob and Teresa were sent out from Lake Tapps in 1994 to serve as missionaries to Japan. We love it when they come “home” to Lake Tapps. They have been with us many times through the years and we have always been blessed and encouraged by their ministry.

  Because of Covid-19, we will not be having our normal International Potluck gathering on Friday night, but Bob will be speaking at our Men’s Breakfast on Saturday, November 7th at 8:00 AM and Teresa will be speaking to the women at a special Women’s Continental Breakfast at 11:00 AM. On Sunday, November 8th, Bob will be giving the message at both the 9:00 AM and the 11:00 AM services. As a reminder, we have limited seating at all events so please be sure to RSVP in advance. You can do that right now by click on the highlighted links above or later on our website (www.laketappscc.org) by accessing the appropriate ministry page.

  During our missions’ weekend we will also be hearing from our own Pam King. For several years Pam has been serving with Reality Sports, sharing the Gospel through the sport of volleyball. In September, she “retired” from public education to become a full-time missionary with Reality Sports. I know you will be encouraged and challenged by what God is doing through Reality Sports.

  On Wednesday, November 11th, during our Adventure Club, Bob and Teresa will be speaking to our kids. Our Adventure Club has been meeting since September 30th on Wednesday afternoons from 4:00 – 5:30. Each week the kids have been learning about the “fruit of the Spirit.” On the 11th, Bob and Teresa will be sharing about faithfulness. If you have any questions about Adventure Club you can contact Justine Peterson at justine@laketappscc.org.

• Missions is a priority at Lake Tapps. The Lord Jesus has commissioned us to take the Good News to “all nations”. The Gospel of Jesus is the only hope in our broken, fallen world. I am thankful that whatever the outcome of our election our ultimate citizenship is in the Kingdom of God. May we be faithful to our Savior and King. He is coming soon!

For His Glory,

Tim for all the elders

OCTOBER 23, 2020

Hello Lake Tapps

Last week we considered the subject of prayer and why it’s important and a worthy priority in our lives. Many of us thought “That’s right” or “I need to do that”. Over the years I’ve seen that when we agree with some premise or identify with some principle, that the Lord soon provides some circumstance where we can live out the principle we claim we believe in.

I believe the Lord has given us just such a circumstance. I don’t think it’s just a coincidence that in the past few weeks we’ve been hearing about prayer, studying about prayer for our government leaders and praying with a clean heart. I think the Lord has been setting us up to live out what we’ve learned.

PRAY FOR THE ELECTION

As I sit here writing, I’m reminded that in 13 days we will be voting, if we haven’t already, in a most important election in most of our lifetimes. The issues are great and the consequences will affect us for many years. The magnitude of the importance of the election has, in turn, raised our emotional levels to new heights. We find ourselves strongly for or against certain issues or candidates. There seems to be no middle ground. We clearly see this divide as we watch the debates, senate confirmation hearings or interviews on the evening news. Civility seems to be the first casualty in our land. We have gotten so entrenched in our own ideas that we fail to consider that the other person might have something worth hearing. In Isaiah 1, the LORD was speaking to the people of Judah who had gotten so into their own sinful lifestyle that they had forgotten the LORD. In verse 18 He called out to them to “come together and reason” with Him while there was still time before He had to judge their ways. Now is a time when it would be good to set aside our strong emotions and reason together with one another.

One might be tempted to think that praying for the election, or voting at all, would make no difference. I would remind that person of the discussion between Abraham and the LORD in Genesis 18:22-33; as Abraham pleaded for the people of Sodom. It seems that the LORD is influenced not so much by numbers of people as He was in the sincere hearts of the people. So, can our prayers affect the outcome of the election? We may never know; but one thing is certain, if we don’t pray we won’t change anything.

PRAY FOR OUR LEADERS

A couple weeks ago, Brian reminded us that Jesus died for all mankind. He didn’t die for just people of one political party or one particular platform, He was focused on the eternal destiny of the people’s souls. We would do well to remember this as we pray for those in authority over us. It was reported in 2019 that 88% of the members of congress claimed to have faith in Jesus. Note that there are no letters (I, D or R) associated with that number. That might help as we pray for them. Not that they would think the way we think or vote the way we would vote, but that they might listen to the Lord, and that His Spirit might influence the way they engage with their political associates. In 2 Chronicles 7:14 we are told that if we humble ourselves and pray, that the LORD will hear and heal the land. Certainly, praying for someone with whom you disagree, is a form of humbling ourselves. And not assuming that we have all the answers, no matter how right we believe we are, is a form of humbling ourselves.

This idea was brought home to me a couple weeks ago as I was listening to an interview on the news. I couldn’t help but notice the letter by the person’s name and since it was different than my letter I was instantly against whatever he was for. Then I noticed he was wearing a cross. A curious thing happened. I started to listen to what he was saying with new ears. I realized that the symbol of the cross was more important than the symbol of the letter by his name. I realized that if he really was a believer, that we might have more important issues in common than what separated us.

If the Lord has placed people in government to lead us, then there are some practical things we can pray for them so that their influence will be felt in whatever they do. Many have families that have sacrificed so that they might serve the public. They all have staff members that need good leading. Their relationships with others within and without of government are influenced by what they believe. And it wouldn’t hurt to drop them an email now and then to let them know we’re praying for them. It certainly would encourage believers and might cause non-believers to wonder why we’d do such a thing.

PRAY FOR OUR HEARTS

As we pray, I think it would be good to remember that the Lord has drawn people to His family that are not all alike in the way we think. It is our unity as a body of diverse individuals that proclaims the power of the Gospel to a watching world. I pray that whatever the outcome of the election, we would strive to love one another as joint heirs of the Kingdom. 1 Timothy 2:2 says that if we pray for those in authority we will be blessed with a life of peace and tranquility. That’s not bad advice as we pray for others in our body who hold differing views from ourselves. Much easier to have an atmosphere of peace when we’ve prayed for the person, than having prayed against a particular position they hold.

A final thought about the outcome of the election. We believe that our God is sovereign and that all events are within His knowledge and control. Daniel 2:21 states that the LORD establishes kings and rulers over the people for His purposes. Sometimes, though, He allows the people to select their own leaders not picked by Him (Hosea 8:4). He still exercises His sovereignty as He uses those decisions as an act of judgement. As we pray for God’s will to be done in the election, we might also pray that our response to the outcome might be honoring to Him. That we might be an example to those that would either gloat or complain about the outcome.

Gary for the elders

Recommendation: As we approach the election, an excellent resource is the short book Tim mentioned by David Platt, Before You Vote: Seven Questions Every Christian Should Ask. It can be ordered in either electronic or print form.

Reminder: If you’re planning to attend one of our services on Sunday please let us know in advance by clicking here.

OCTOBER 16, 2020

I was particularly blessed by Brian’s message last Sunday on Paul’s instructions to Timothy on the importance of prayer in the church. The wording of 1 Timothy 2:1 shows the importance Paul placed on prayer. “First of all”. Of all the issues that Paul could have addressed to a new pastor, he considered prayer of “first” importance. Brian explained that the reason for this is because we are engaged in a real spiritual battle here on planet earth, and so we need to fight with spiritual weapons.

I would be the first to admit that I don’t fully or completely understand how prayer in the earthly realm affects events in the heavenly realm, but it’s sufficient for me that the Lord says to do it. Jesus modeled this for us. If there was anyone who was tuned into the heavenly frequency it was Him. Even though He had a direct channel to the Father through the Spirit, as well as having countless angels at His disposal, He still demonstrated His need to make prayer a priority.

Jesus found it necessary to pray prior to some big ministry event, such as the raising of Lazarus (John 11:25-26), or before some trial like the night in the Garden (Mark 14:32-42). These prayers were clearly to strengthen Him for an upcoming battle. He also prayed after some significant demonstration of the power of God, like after the healing of the leper and the paralytic (Luke 5:11-16), or the feeding of the five thousand (Matthew 14:15-23). I suspect these were undoubtedly times to humble Him as a man and keep Him on mission to glorify God (John 17).

We are at a time when the foundations of our country and our faith are being tested as never before. Considering that the source of the substance of many of our laws, institutions and practices are based on the Word of God, the conclusion is that the attack on such is, at its root, spiritual in nature. This makes the choice of the weapons that we use in the battle, more important than ever that they be spiritual weapons. That’s why prayer is so vital to the outcome at this time.

Because the elders feel so strongly about prayer, and because prayer is one of the core values that we proclaim as a church, we have devoted a portion of time at the beginning of each worship service for family prayer. We believe it’s the way we can focus our energy, minds, and spirits to be in a more receptive mood for what the Lord is going to say to us through the music and Word that follow. It is a time too that we can express our needs to the Lord, and through which He may prompt another to come along side of us to minister His grace as a member of His family. We have also set aside a longer period of time once a month to come together as a family for corporate prayer.

We are aware that we live in extraordinary times and that time itself is a precious commodity. The number of people attending the prayer time, pre-Covid when we met between services, and post-Covid when we gather in the evening, suggest that that the ease of gathering affects how many show up. To that end, we have structured the monthly prayer time with both in-person and Zoom capabilities. I want to encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity to talk to the God we serve in whatever way you are comfortable.

If you will indulge me a little, I’d like to share my experience with prayer. It has not always been comfortable for me. In the beginning, the thought of praying out loud in a group of people terrified me. Would I stumble in my words? Would I pray something that wasn’t theologically sound? Then I realized that I was talking, either out loud or in my heart, to my heavenly Daddy. I knew He would forgive an innocent blunder here or there, but He wanted desperately to talk to me. That’s when I learned that the silent periods weren’t something to fear. They were the times He was talking to me in my spirit, and just maybe, He was pointing out something in my life that needed changing. It’s a risky thing to ask God, “Search me and reveal anything in me that’s not right” (Psalm 139:23-24 – My paraphrase). We may not like His answer.

So I challenge and encourage all of us to take advantage of every opportunity to pray. I hope that, not only might we be recognized by our love for one another, but also that we might be known as a praying people, a praying church, and a family praying together.

Gary for the elders.

OCTOBER 9, 2020

Dear Church Family,

It is no exaggeration to say that our nation is at a critical moment. 2020 has been a year unlike any other. Covid-19, racial tensions, economic uncertainty, natural disasters (hurricanes and wildfires) and now a contentious presidential election in less than a month.

Is God involved? Is He up to something? How would He have us respond?

Some believers are lying low, waiting for things to get back to normal. They feel overwhelmed and don’t know how to respond.

Other believers have forcefully engaged in public debate. They are strongly advocating for the positions they think are in accord with the Bible. What makes this season so challenging, is that even Christians don’t see eye to eye on the issues.

• How serious is Covid -19? Should we wear masks or not?

• How significant is the problem of racism?

• What is causing the increase in natural disasters?

• What should be most decisive in choosing a candidate; character or issues?

Our nation is facing a number of questions where the “biblical answer” isn’t as clear as some would like us to think.

Our nation is more polarized today than ever before in our history. The extreme polarization has led to disturbing acts of violence and a breakdown of civility. Words are “hot.” Disrespect, anger and name calling are becoming common place. In Romans 12:2, we are exhorted to, “Be not conformed to this world…” We are not to adopt the patterns of the world. We must be different.

What would the Lord have us do as His ambassadors in this moment? How would He have us respond?

As I have been prayerfully considering this, my thinking has been shaped by the Psalms, particularly some of the Psalms of David. I’d like to suggest three ways God would have us respond in this season.

1. God wants us to prayerfully wait on Him. This is a time for us to express our trust in Him by quietly waiting for Him to act. This is a time for us to earnestly pray and look to the Lord.

David was a man of conviction and action, but he also knew there were times when he needed to wait on the Lord. It wasn’t escapism or passivity. David recognized there were situations where God had to intervene; where only God could deal with the situation. During those times, David humbly realized he didn’t need to fret, speak out, or take action. He could be still. This is a major theme in Psalm 37. In Psalm 38, David was dealing with a situation where only the Lord could help. In verses 13b-15, David wrote,

“But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear, like a mute man who does not open his mouth. I have become like a man who does not hear, and in whose mouth are no rebukes. But for you, O Lord, do I wait; it is you O Lord my God, who will answer.”

Because David’s trust was ultimately in God, he could be silent. He was like one, “in whose mouth are no rebukes.” Rather than rail against his enemies, he instead quieted his heart before the Lord in prayer.

Where is your trust? Who or what are you counting on? If it’s a political party, a candidate, or your ability to get others to do what you think they should do, your trust is in an idol. When we put our trust in an idol there is no peace – we can’t rest. Like the servants of Baal in 1 Kings 18, we will be loud, we will feel the need to yell and clamor. David, because his confidence was in the Lord, was able to be still.

In his short book, Before You Vote: Seven Questions Every Christian Should Ask, David Platt writes: “Even if we lose every freedom and protection we have as followers of Jesus in the United States, and even if our government were to become a completely totalitarian regime, we could still live an abundant life as long as we didn’t look to political leaders, platforms, or policies for our ultimate security and satisfaction. We can still have hope, peace and joy, and confidence regardless of what happens in our government, as long as… we look to Jesus alone for these things, and all of our hope hinges on him.”

My prayer is that in these tumultuous times, others will see “the peace of Christ” in our lives. May our quiet trust in the Lord cause non-believers to ask the “reason for the hope that is in us.” (1 Peter 3:15).

2. God wants us to acknowledge and confess our own sins rather than focus on the sins and failures of others. As we see the difficulties we face as a nation, there is no shortage of people who are quick to assign blame. We are experts at “finger pointing.” We so easily see the sins of others – but what about our own?

The Psalm I quoted from above, Psalm 38, is a “penitential psalm.” David had sinned and was experiencing God’s discipline in his life. David was crying out to God for mercy. Because of what David was going through, his enemies thought it was an opportune time to attack him. It was in that context that David, wrote verses 13b-15,

“But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear, like a mute man who does not open his mouth. I have become like a man who does not hear, and in whose mouth are no rebukes. But for you, O Lord, do I wait; it is you O Lord my God, who will answer.”

A few verses later in verse 18, David wrote, “I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin.” Rather, than focus on the wrongs that were being done to him, David focused on his own sin.

In this season of suffering and difficulty, God wants us to humbly seek His face. It begins with asking God to search our hearts. We must confess of our own sin and turn to Him with all our hearts.

3. Finally, like Jesus we must continue to entrust our lives to God and do His will. God calls us to sacrificially love and serve others. David’s descendant, the Lord Jesus Christ, didn’t fight against His enemies, He died for them – for us.

“For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” (1 Peter 2:21-25).

May we follow in the steps of our Savior and Lord.

For His Glory,

Tim, for all the elders

Recommendation: As we approach the election, an excellent resource is the short book I mentioned by David Platt, Before You Vote: Seven Questions Every Christian Should Ask. It can be ordered in either electronic or print form.

OCTOBER 2, 2020

Dear LTCC Family,

As God’s people He has called us to a mission. We know it as the “Great Commission” given by Jesus to his disciples before ascending back to the Father:  Make disciples. We have heard the command and read it many times in Matthew 28. 

Last week as I was preparing for the first session of our Disciples Making Disciples growth group, I read through the Great Commission yet again. Before I got to verse 19 where Jesus gives the command to make disciples, however, I was stopped in my tracks by verse 17. 

And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted.
Matthew 28:17

They worshiped him. Before the disciples ever took a step of obedience to the command to make disciples, they worshiped him. The Great Commandment summed up in loving God and loving others, took place before the Great Commission. And I had to ask if that’s happening in my own life. Do I worship God consistently before engaging and running into the mission of making disciples? It was a penetrating question. 

The word “worship” here has the idea of bowing or falling before someone to pay homage to them. There is action in this verb. An overflow of thanks, gratitude, honor, and glory are demonstrated not only in posture but many times in words. This is called prayer. Prayer is not the only way to directly worship the Savior, but it is central.

Prayer can be both individual and corporate. Setting aside consistent times where we can be alone with our Lord and speak to Him in prayer is crucial in our worship and growth as disciples. In addition, we pray together as God’s people as an act of worship.

As a church family we want to be intentional about gathering to pray. On the first Sunday of each month, we gather at 6:30 pm at the church to pray (we call it “Family Prayer”). We praise God for who He is. We thank Him for His many blessings. We confess sin. We pray for one another. We pray for ourselves. Worshiping God (Great Commandment) precedes our work of making disciples of all nations (Great Commission).

Will you join us this Sunday night, either in the church foyer or on Zoom at 6:30 pm, to worship our Savior together through prayer?

Topic: LTCC Family Prayer

Time: Oct 4, 2020 06:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82700909495?pwd=Y2szR2dzNnpyczBxTklWUlZXcE1UQT09

Meeting ID: 827 0090 9495
Passcode: 368032

We aim to make disciples in our own families, in our communities, in our surrounding cities, and in all nations throughout the earth. Before we go, let’s worship Him.

On behalf of the elders,

Brian

———

If you are planning on joining us in person this Sunday morning, if you haven't already please let us know you are coming by RVSP'ing here.

SEPTEMBER 25, 2020

If you've heard my story, you know that when I was saved as a 19 year old God led me to a group of believers known as "Plymouth Brethren" (a movement of God that birthed "back to the Bible" independent churches in Plymouth, England back in the 1800's).  Most of us preferred to be simply known as "The Brethren" as we were pretty intentional to avoid using any language for the church that wasn't in the Bible (and the King James bible at that :)).  I was part of a Brethren fellowship for 25 years.  As you can imagine, those early influences, such as our careful use of words, have shaped much of my Christian walk to this day.

Doctrinally we lined up with denominations like the Baptists.  What set us apart were some of our distinctives in how we gathered.  One of those distinctives is that we met three times on Sunday.  First, we had a full 1+ hour meeting devoted to remembering the person and work of Christ around  the Lord's Table.  After a coffee break, we'd have another 1+ hour meeting made up of singing, Sunday School, and sermonizing -- much like the services at LTCC.  And then, on Sunday night we'd be back at the "chapel" for another hour long meeting, our Sunday Night Gospel meeting.  The purpose of the evening meeting?  Just what it sounds like, to preach the gospel.

Not gonna lie, while it was all new and fresh and exciting to this young believer at first, over time my enthusiasm for the Sunday Night Gospel meeting waned -- as it did for a number of others in our fellowship.  It always had the smallest attendance, and that, I think, because the gospel was always preached in the same way, as good news for unbelievers.  You see, this was the meeting we were supposed to bring our unsaved friends and family to.  But that rarely happened (though my brother was saved at one of these meetings).  And so, the meeting got the bad rap of just preaching to believers what they already believed.   The way of deliverance for those already delivered.  The need for, and the way of conversion to the converted.  I don't think many churches, Brethren or otherwise, have a Sunday Night Gospel meeting these days.

But as I look back, I wonder if we did our fellowship a disservice by presenting the gospel as something just for the unbeliever.  Implicitly at least, we sent the message that the gospel is needed to get saved, but we really didn't talk about the gospel as vital for being saved.  We perhaps communicated that while you needed the gospel to begin the Christian walk it wasn't all that applicable when it came to walking the walk and maturing in Christ.  But it is!

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith."  (Romans 1:16-17)

The Holy Spirit through Paul is pretty clear, the gospel is the power of God for salvation.  And we need to know that salvation is more than just becoming a Christian, it's also about being a Christian.

To be sure, when we first responded to the gospel we were saved from the penalty of sin when we first trusted in Jesus's finished work on the cross.  But the Bible also tells we are being saved from the power of sin.  That's what sanctification is about, the work of the Holy Spirit in transforming us into the likeness of Christ.  And the gospel is the power of God for that dynamic of salvation, as well.  The cross is just as vital and important, as it was when we first believed, in dealing with our frequent failures in trying to imitate Christ and the need to deal with the sin which so easily ensnares us (Heb. 12:1).  How we need to have a well worn path to the foot of the cross where the shame and guilt from our current transgressions are dealt with just as they were when we first believed.  Where forgiveness is found for the contrite and repentant heart.  Where power and freedom are found to again try to walk in a manner worthy of our calling (Eph. 4:1).

And then, there is the abiding hope that one day we will be saved from the presence of sin.  Our salvation complete when we are with Jesus.  And that too is dependent on the gospel, the power of God for salvation -- past, present, and future -- for everyone who believes.  That's why Paul says that not only were we saved by faith, but equally true, the power of the gospel is found in that we were saved for faith.  Continuing, abiding, life-living faith in the finished work of the cross.  Faith in the risen life of Christ.  Faith in the promise of God that He will "save to the uttermost" (Heb. 7:25) those who believe.

Honestly, I'm so thankful for the "gospel-centered" movement of the past few years.  For the emphasis placed on the need to preach the gospel to ourselves.  For the reminder that it really is the power of God for salvation -- all of salvation!

Looking forward to this week's text in Timothy.  Looking forward to this week's gathering in the building.  Looking forward to this week's worship as the household of God.  Trust you are too.

Make sure to RSVP here if you're planning on gathering in person with us this week.  If you've been thinking about meeting in the building again, let me encourage you to give it a try this week.  Not aware of anyone who has taken the "step of faith" and has not been back.  The added risk, I think, is minimal.  The reward experienced?  Priceless.

And, be sure to check out our announcements page on the web and the opportunities to engage with the body both in-person and virtually outside of Sunday morning.

For the elders,

Pete

SEPTEMBER 18, 2020

Hello Lake Tapps Church,

Consider for a moment that you, for some undisclosed reason, have only a limited time to live. Consider further that you want to write down your final, most important thoughts. The thoughts for which you want to be remembered. What would you say?

As Pastor Tim pointed out last Sunday, this is exactly the situation the Apostle Paul found himself in as he was again imprisoned in Rome. He had a special relationship with his young friend Timothy and wanted to pass on to him his final words of wisdom. Lord willing, it’s those words in 1 & 2 Timothy we’re going to study the remainder of this year and into 2021.

Considering the passion that Paul had for spreading and teaching the Gospel, we might expect his last letter would be something theologically heavy like the book of Romans. This would be his last chance to highlight and explain those mysteries of the Gospel that were hidden and now are being brought to light. However that’s not the intent of these two books. Instead, Paul’s letters to Timothy give instructions on how the church, the household of God, should conduct itself (1 Timothy 3:14-15) and, the importance of passing the faith on to others who will then pass the faith on (2 Timothy 2:1-2). And this, until the Lord returns which, as Tim reminded us, really could be at any time.

In reality, Paul saw the church as the people to carry on the work of the Apostles when they were gone. He saw the church as the steward of the faith passed down from the Apostles.

We have named our series in 1 Timothy “Blueprints – Being the Household of God”. At first glance, without reading the Timothy letters, one might be tempted to dismiss these “blueprints” as just a list of To Do’s and To Don’ts. But that’s where the “Being” comes in. These letters show the connection between theology and actions. If we have the right theology, then our response to it will affect our actions. Right theology results in right actions. Actions in accordance with the plan (the Blueprints) of the Lord.

Another way to look at blueprints is that they are a set of instructions from the designer that, if followed, will result in the desired building. The designer doesn’t build the building, but leaves that task to a contractor or builder. In the case of the church, the designer is the Lord and the builder is the Lord acting through His Holy Spirit. Psalm 127:1a says it well, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it”. Without the leading and empowering of the Spirit, then all our works are of the flesh and are as meaningless as trash.

As we dig into 1 & 2 Timothy we will see that the Lord has revealed His intended plan for His Bride. In these last days our theology will be put to the test to see if our actions match our words. Just as a piece of metal is repeatedly reheated and cooled to remove impurities and strengthen it, I believe the church will be increasingly tested to purify and strengthen us. We believe that the words the Lord impressed on Paul as he wrote are the same words that He is intending for us in our world at this time.

I’m eager to begin this study to see how we draw closer to the Lord and to each other as the household of the Lord. May each of us draw strength from these words of God and place our hope for the future on the only sure and stable rock, the Lord Jesus. May our faith in Him be a beacon of light to those around us, and may we be ready always to proclaim the reason for the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:15).

Gary for the Elders

And, by way of reminder . . .

• Last week we were at capacity for first service, so please let us know in advance you’re coming by RSVP’ing here. Note: second service has been at about 1/2 capacity.

• Men, our next breakfast is in a couple of weeks — in person and via Zoom. Sign up through the Men’s Ministry page.

SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

Dear Church Family,

Sunday we were meeting, in person and via livestream.  We were singing praises, smiling with our eyes, receiving the Word, and remembering together at the Lord's Table.  Then, Monday night the wind starts blowing.  Early Tuesday morning the fires start burning.  And then, people start evacuating.  What just happened?

With everything we've had to deal with in 2020, feels a little like piling on to me.  Yet I was reminded this week during morning devo’s that our God is not just the God of “well-being” but He is also the God who “creates calamity” (Isa. 45:7).  (Shared some thoughts on that on mymorningmeal.)

As I try and maintain some focus on getting ready for this Sunday, I’m pausing long enough to ask, “Am I engaging in the reality of this week in light of the truths that were preached on Sunday?”  Or, to say it a different way, shouldn't lessons learned make a difference in life lived?

Change is Hard.  The Flesh is Real.  Unity is Work.  God is Sovereign.  Those are the lessons learned we've considered over the past four weeks.  And this week, another hard thing has entered our lives upsetting the apple cart of the plans we thought we had in place.  For some, the old nature in us just wants to lash out. Everything in us wants to react.  To cry "foul!" at God.  Perhaps to snap at those around us.  To wallow in self-pity.  To retreat and watch out for our own skin.  How many of us need one more thing to deal with this week?

But we've also seen the effort the church, the people of God, has put forth in displaying our unity and declaring we are disciples of Jesus by how we love one another.  People coming alongside others to help protect homes from fire.  Homes being opened to those who have been evacuated.  And, just as vital, prayer cover going up for the saints and the surrounding area.  The church can be its best at times when, around us, it's the worst of times.

And what keeps us going?  I think Gary said it well this weekend: Our God is a Sovereign God.  Always in charge.  Never out of control.  Past, present, and future.  That was Sunday's message.  Is it making a difference today?  It  should.  Our God reigns!  And we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us.  I also really appreciated Gary's down-to-earth evidence of God's Sovereignty by pointing out the number of ways God has left "footprints in the sand" with how He's been working in our midst.

We saw it again this week as our expanded benevolence ministry, "Love One Another", provided a point of coordination between those needing a place to stay and those with room available.  Whether you need housing or some other practical assistance at this time, please let the "Love One Another" ministry know and they'll see what resources might be available.  Click here to make your need known.

How does this reveal God's sovereign working in our midst?  The benevolence team didn't exist in February.  It has only been since COVID that God led Trista Sutherland to quarterback this expanded ministry.

And that's but one change.  Far from being dormant over the past 6 months our Council of deacons, those leading our various ministries, has been quite dynamic.  In addition to Trista being asked to develop and lead the expanded benevolence ministry, Perry Maxfield led up a team which met frequently and worked hard to make sure we were ready to meet again in the building when we sensed the Lord was leading us to meet again in the building.

But wait, there's more.  Daniel Geske, our assistant treasurer, has been asked to succeed Rayann Whitman as the deacon of finance when she steps down from the role early next year.  Justine Peterson's time-consuming dedication to our children's ministry has been recognized as the elders and Council recommended her role be converted to a paid part-time role effective September 1st.  And, most recently, the Council recommended that Leeanne Needham be affirmed this Fall as our next Council clerk, succeeding Laura Sutherland who, earlier this year, expressed her desire to step down from the role.  Your feedback and support concerning these recommendations will be sought during our annual affirmation process which will be formally announced in late October.

We've seen God's sovereign hand in all of these changes.  The Head of the Church has been very much at work in the church even as the church has been sheltering in place.  This is what gives us confidence -- in this week's present circumstance, and in whatever the weeks ahead may bring.  Our God is actively working His purpose in our midst.  He is faithful.  His steadfast love is never ceasing.  And His mercies will be new every morning (Lam. 3:23-23).

I'm looking forward to being with you all this weekend, whether in person or via the video feed.  Numbers were up this past Sunday so please register here in advance so we are able to plan and accommodate accordingly.

And thanks to those who have let us know they are ready, willing, and able to help serve on Sunday mornings.  If you have been meaning to do that as well, you can let us know here.

On behalf of the elders,

Pete

SEPTEMBER 4, 2020

Dear Church Family,

It seems hard to believe but we are in the month of September! While technically summer isn’t over until September 21, for most of us the Labor Day weekend marks the end of summer. After Labor Day it’s time to get back to a more normal schedule. September is typically a time of reconnection and reengagement. But this year, many children will not be returning to the classroom. Many, who have been working from home will continue working from home.

To limit the spread of COVID-19, we were told to “socially distance” ourselves from each other. But that didn’t include family members. Even as we were trying to isolate the virus, we realized that there were some relationships so significant that they could not be separated. We were told to “stay home” -- not be alone. The family was and is essential.

For followers of Jesus, it is vital that we recognize that as important as the natural family is, the family of God is even more important. In 1 Timothy 3:14 we are told that the church is the “household of the living God.” The church really is the family of God. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. While the pandemic has in some ways changed how we do church life together, we still need our church family. Family life really is essential.

As you probably know, this time of the pandemic has put great pressure and stress on the natural family. It has been a time of testing. While many families have responded well, sadly some have not. Across the United States the number of couples filing for divorce has increased dramatically. Instances of child abuse are on the rise.

Sadly, there are Christian families that have done poorly as well. Some who study church life predict that up to 30% of those who have sheltered in place will not return to gathering in person in the future. For the church, the pandemic has been, and still is, a time of testing. Many believers have seen their need of God in a deeper way. Many believers have grown spiritually during this time. Couples have grown closer as they have sought the Lord together. Families have been strengthened spiritually, as dads and moms have recognized the opportunity this time has provided for them to take an even more active role in guiding and directing their children spiritually. God has used this time of testing to purify and refine His people. But as we know, not all believers grown spiritually during this time.

How can we strengthen our church family? How can we help one another to grow spiritually during these difficult times?

Let me encourage you to do the following:

• First and foremost, pray. Pray for our church. Pray for your brothers and sisters in Christ. Pray that God would draw our hearts to Him. Pray for Him to meet our needs. Pray that we will make “every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:3). God is using this time of testing to purify our lives and draw us to Him. Satan is seeking to discourage us, to make us frustrated and angry. He wants us to grumble and complain. He wants us to turn away from God and each other. We are in a spiritual battle. We must pray.

• Make an extra effort to stay connected. During this time when we are not able to be together the way we would like to be, it will take extra work to stay close as a church family. Prayerfully think about who the Lord would have you to reach out to. Send them a text. Better yet call them. Even better, see if you can come by and see them (be willing to wear a mask and social distance). Let them know that you are praying for them. Ask how they are doing. Share your own struggles. Share how God has encouraged you from His Word. Ask if there is anything you can do to help. This time, when so many regular activities are on hold, is a unique opportunity to connect with other brothers and sisters in Christ in a deeper way, to help one another follow Jesus — it’s called “making disciples!”

• Finally, don’t forget the priority of the church gathering together. Even if you are not yet ready to join us in corporate worship, recognize how vital it is for God’s people to gather — to sing — to pray –- to hear God’s Word read and taught –- to gather around the Lord’s Table. Something incredibly sacred and special happens when God’s people gather in His name. We recognize that it is probably wise for some in our church family to not attend services in person yet. We don’t want anyone in that position to feel pressured. But I also don’t want any of us to start thinking that our corporate gatherings are not important. It would be a shame if the last place we are willing to risk exposure is gathering with our brothers and sisters in Christ. If you do not yet feel comfortable returning to worship in our building, ask God to give you wisdom about when you should return. If you have any specific concerns or questions, please let us know. We want what is best for you.

In these difficult days, I am so glad we have a Loving, Saving, Sovereign God. May we love Him with all of our hearts and love one another as we love ourselves.

In His Service,

Tim, for all the elders
——————————————————————

Reminder: Men: Saturday morning we will be having Men’s Breakfast on Zoom at 8:00 AM. See the e-mail from Perry for the Zoom info or contact Perry at Pete for the info (perry@laketappscc.org, pete@laketappscc.org).

For everyone: Sunday evening at 6:30 (note the new time), we will be having Family Prayer in the foyer. We would love to have you join us. Here’s the Zoom meeting info if you want to join us remotely:

Topic: LTCC Family Prayer
Time: Sep 6, 2020 06:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83036393396?pwd=QVhqV0VxYjJTTmp1NG1KT2IwWVl6Zz09
Meeting ID: 830 3639 3396 Passcode: 750166

AUGUST 28, 2020

Dear LTCC Family,

Ripe or rotten fruit? That is the question. We are called to produce ripe fruit as Spirit-filled followers of Jesus, sweet to God and tasty to those around us. There is a very real battle between the desires of the flesh and the desires of the Spirit leading to ripe or rotten fruit (Galatians 5:16-26).

Perhaps you have been able to employ the R.I.P.E. tool mentioned in the sermon last Sunday in your battle against the flesh.

R = REPENT and renounce the patterns of the flesh.
I = INTERRUPT the flesh’s desire by waiting to immediately respond.
P = PRAY and follow the leading of the Spirit.
E = ENGAGE with God personally, alone and in community.

The flesh is sneaky and will seize any opportunity to fulfill itself. We must fight. Theologian John Owen famously said, “Be killing sin or it will be killing you.” The flesh dies by degrees as we respond to the Spirit; crucifixion in action. Holiness is formed in us, setting us apart from the world and its ways.

We certainly engage the battle of the flesh individually, but we also have the privilege of doing it together as a community of God’s people. Meeting together again in the building on Sunday mornings has been a real joy. If you are connecting on Sundays via livestream, I trust you are experiencing God’s presence and power in a palpable way. In order to navigate the complexities of our cultural climate, it takes all of the “body parts” in the church family to walk in righteousness and in a way that draws people to Christ. To see so many people using their spiritual gifts to serve the body has been truly remarkable.

As God leads us through the milieu of issues at hand, let’s sharpen one another with the sweetness of our fruit; God’s Spirit filling and leading us as we engage with Him and with one another.

See you Sunday!

On behalf of the elders,

Brian

As a reminder, if you are planning on attending one of our services this Sunday, please register and let us know you’re coming by clicking here.

AUGUST 21, 2020

Dear LTCC Church Family

If you've been able to gather with the saints in the building at 17017 Forest Canyon Rd E. these past couple of Sundays then maybe you've noticed we've updated the welcome slide displayed before each service. Same beautiful picture of Lake Tapps, but the all caps "WELCOME" has been replaced with "Good Morning Lake Tapps!" Most notable though is that we've added a verse of Scripture:

I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD!“ (Psalm 122:1)

While I haven't seen a lot of smiling faces during these first two weeks back in the building, I've sure seen a lot of smiling eyes peeping out above the masks. It is evident that people truly are glad to gather again in the house of the LORD.

We know that the church is so much more than just gathering in a geographic location. But we should realize, too, that the church is also no less than gathering together. After all, that's what the original word for church, ekklesia, literally means: "a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly." Called out -- from our sin, from the world, from our homes, to a place where we are together. Paul called it being "assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus" (1Cor. 5:4). And repeatedly, as he encouraged the church at Corinth to be the church, he taught on how they should conduct themselves "when you come together as a church." (See how many times you can spot that phrase in 1Cor. 11:17-34).

To be sure, the first century church knew seasons, such as our recent season, where it had to be the church in dispersion (1Peter 1:1, James 1:1). But when they could, the church preferred to continue together, "devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers" (Acts 2:42). That should be the twenty-first century church's desire as well. If we can assemble, we should assemble.

So, if you've been comfortable gathering in the building, please continue to do so. It's been such a blessing to see you and talk with you half-face to half-face. If you've been on the fence about attending, I'd encourage you to mask up and see what it's like. Many I've talked to have said how safe they have felt and have been surprised how much it can "feel like church" even with all the safety precautions in place. But beyond safe, they also have felt joy, great joy. So glad that they were with others who said, "Let us go to the house of the LORD!" (As a reminder of the safety precautions we're observing and what to expect, click here. To register for a service, click here).

If you're not ready to gather in a large crowd, no pressure. We really do want people to be safe. But, might I suggest, if you're not ready for a full-on congregation, maybe now's the time to take a next step. Perhaps it’s a time to invite another couple or family into your "bubble" and start a Sunday morning gathering group in your home. I have not talked to one person who was involved in a home gathering group who regretted it. Not one who wasn't blessed by being with other believers for worship and receiving of the Word on Sunday mornings.

As Tim so transparently reminded us in the first message of our "Lessons Learned" series, Change is Hard. This season is hard. But that's exactly what it is, a season. Our reading in Ecclesiastes this past Sunday reminded us of that. And did you notice, Solomon even knew about COVID-19? He wrote that there was "a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing" (Eccl. 3:5b). How'd he know? God knew. There really is "a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven" (Eccl. 3:1 NIV). This Sunday, Brian's going to share another lesson learned -- The Flesh is Real.

We all may not be in the same boat, but we're all encountering the same storm. The lessons learned may not all be the same, but it would be a shame if we weren't all learning lessons. As Winston Churchill said so aptly during WWII, "Never let a good crisis go to waste."

And honestly, hard times and hard lessons are best experienced together -- as the family of God, as the body of Christ, as the assembly of called-out ones glad to go to the house of the Lord together.

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)

Whether you'll be worshiping in the building this Sunday, or in your homes, please know that, as your shepherds, each of you is dear to us. We want to care for you as best we can. Please let us know how to pray for you by using the "Wave" link on our website. Feel free to schedule time to connect with us, or, if it works better, just drop into the office anytime between 9 AM and 2 PM, Tuesday through Friday. We're confident that God has called us to walk this season together.

Look forward to being with you this Sunday, whether in person or via livestream.

On behalf of the elders,

Pete

AUGUST 14, 2020

Dear Church Family,

It was a joy last Sunday to be able to worship in our building. After nearly five months, it was such a blessing to be able to fellowship, sing, pray, study God’s Word and take the Lord’s Table with so many of you who I haven’t seen in such a long time. I am so thankful to the Lord for His goodness in allowing us to meet in person. May we never take the privilege of gathering for granted.

Last Sunday we finished our series in Exodus and hopefully finished having our worship only occurring in homes. While not everyone is able to join us in person yet, Lord willing we are beginning a new season. In my message last Sunday, I mentioned that when students finish High School, it is called a “commencement,” which means to “begin – to start.” As a church we are facing a new beginning – a new start. I can truly say that I am excited about where the Lord is leading us.

The period we have just lived through and are still living in, has been unprecedented. All of our lives have been deeply impacted. Lord willing, for the next four Sundays, in our messages the elder’s will be sharing in a personal way, what God has been teaching us, from His Word during this time. We are calling the series, “Lessons Learned During Shelter in Place.” We think it is important as a church family to reflect on “lessons learned.” Of course, we also realize this difficult season may not be over and could become even more difficult. While we hope that will not be the case, we know that the lessons we have learned so far, have been to prepare us for what lies ahead.

This period of testing that we have been through has caused all of us to evaluate our priorities. What is essential? As a church we know, on the authority of God’s Word, that the Church is essential! Jesus’ command for us to “make disciples” is essential. While there is uncertainty over what we might face as a church, what is not uncertain is the mission God has given to us. God’s plan to reach the world with the Gospel is through the Church, the Body of Christ. The Lord has commanded us to “make disciples of all nations.” (Matthew 28:18-20). God has used this period of testing to remind us of what is essential for the church.

Lord willing, on September 13th, we will begin a series in the Apostle Paul’s letters to Timothy. 1 Timothy is a letter where the focus is on the church and how we need to operate. Paul wrote it so that the church would, “know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:15). The focus of 2 Timothy is on intentionally passing on to others the Gospel. “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:2). We are excited about studying this portion of God’s Word in the Fall.

Please plan to join us (either in person or on our livestream) as we consider “Lessons Learned During Shelter in Place.” And please be praying for our upcoming series in 1 and 2 Timothy. I encourage you even now to read through 1 and 2 Timothy. Do it several times, using several different versions if you have them. As you do, I am sure you will have a sense of excitement and anticipation build in your heart.

While we are living in a time of great darkness, we are also living in a time of great opportunity. The greater the darkness the greater the impact of the light. May God give us courage and boldness to shine for Him.

In His Service,

Tim, for all the elders

A quick reminder: If you are able to gather with us at our building please remember to register in advance. On our church website’s Home Page there is a button that will take you to our registration page.

AUGUST 7, 2020

“Gooood Morning Lake Tapps!“ (think Robin Williams’ Voice)

Some of us remember a few years ago when we were sending astronauts into space for the first time and we heard those memorable words “10, 9, 8, 7, . . . 2, 1, ZERO!” Remember the excitement that focused all our thoughts on the lift-off? We wondered if there would be a last-minute delay or hold? Would everything go as planned? Then it happened!! They were OFF!!

Well, Lord willing, Lake Tapps Community Church will have our own launching into the vast unknown this Sunday. All the preparations have been made, all the people are in place, the clock has finally counted down and “away we go”.

There will be some obvious changes right from the start. It’s likely that less than half the congregation will be at the physical church building with the others continuing to watch the service at home either as a family, with a Sunday morning gathering group, or in a Zoom meeting.

Another change? The Lake Tapps SUNDAY ONLINE web page has been removed and replaced with an easy-to-follow drop down menu that follows the order of service. We’ll ask those in the building to access it with their phones to “WAVE” as there will be no Blue Cards to register attendance or submit prayer requests. Those offsite will access it to view the service, end to end, through livestreaming. Or, they may choose to do parts of the service themselves, like announcements, missionary spotlight, and prayer. Speaking of prayer, we will now be setting aside a short time for family prayer during our services. It will be a time where we can join together with short, one sentence prayers of adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and/or supplication. We’re referring to these as “family focus” activities and they will occur during the first 20 minutes of the service. For those viewing the service remotely, we would encourage you to prepare and participate in these activities as a group at home like many of you have been doing during the last few months, instead of just watching others do it.

After these initial activities, the service will continue in song. Since those viewing the service remotely will likely find it very difficult to see the lyrics on the sanctuary screen, we have provided a link in the SUNDAY ONLINE menu where you can access the lyrics. You can either view the lyrics on your phone or print out a hard copy in advance to follow along.

Following the sermon we will celebrate the Lord’s Table. As you recall, back in March, before shelter in place and we were all still in the building, we had moved to pre-packaged, individual elements that you picked up at tables in the back of the sanctuary. Those packets will now be set out on your seat before you arrive to avoid us handling a common tray. For those taking communion at home you can either stay with the livestream for the communion devotion or share some thoughts of your own with your group. The service will then conclude with a final song.

One other change, at least for the immediate future we will not be providing nursery or children’s church for our families with younger kids. But we encourage our families with kids to attend as they’re comfortable doing so. As a congregation we will welcome the sound of little children in our sanctuary as part of our gathering. “Let the little children come to Me and do not hinder them,” said Jesus. That’s our heart as well.

For those of you who will be attending the service in person, please ensure you are familiar with the ways we plan to love others as we take precautions to avoid spreading the virus. The Together Again Task Force (Perry Maxfield, Karen Faires, Justine Peterson, Carl Riesenweber, and Pete Corak), as part of working the details for our return to meeting in the building, have compiled a brief summary of what to expect when we gather again in person. Both the safety measures and the “what to expect” summary can be found by clicking here.

Because of limited capacity at each service we need you to let us know you’re coming in advance. Please register yourself and everyone coming with you for either our 9 AM or 11 AM service. To register click here.

Lastly, I want to encourage all of us to face the changes we’ll encounter with the expectation that the Lord Jesus is what our focus should be on. He is the Great Shepherd and we are members of His flock. Just as earthly shepherds are always looking for new pastures to feed their sheep, our Shepherd has demonstrated over the last few months that the new pastures we find ourselves in provide for new and fresh ways of worshiping Him. The surroundings may be a little different, the ways of doing worship may be a little different, but the Shepherd is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. As earthly sheep draw their security from their shepherd, we can rest in the security of our Shepherd.

This Sunday we’ll be concluding our two year study in Exodus. Then, over the next few weeks, the elders will be sharing with you some lessons that we believe the Lord has taught us over the last 5+ months. We look forward to a sweet time of reflection and expectation of where the Lord will lead us. Not sure exactly what it will look like, but confident He will continue to lead us to new, grassy meadows alongside still and refreshing waters.

One more reminder. Because of the church campout at Mayfield Lake this week, the corporate family prayer time was rescheduled to this coming Sunday at 6:00 pm. And, we’ve made a couple of changes here as well. We will be meeting in the church foyer again, observing proper social distancing and wearing masks. But we will also try to provide a Zoom meeting connection for those who wish to attend virtually at home. The info for the Zoom meeting can be found in the weekly check-in e-mail you received Friday.

Gary

On behalf of the elders

JULY 31, 2020

Dear LTCC Family,

Paul reminded the Christians in Corinth that “church” was not a building, rather a people filled with the Holy Spirit:

Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
1 Corinthians 3:16

Oh, how we’ve had to hold on to this truth over the last five months! More than ever we understand that God’s Holy Spirit compels us to gather as His people, but that a building is not required in order to worship as His people. God’s Spirit has united us despite quarantine and distancing, and we have worshiped Him uniquely and powerfully during this odd moment in human history.

All along we have prepared and anticipated coming together as a church family again to worship. And the time has come, Lord willing, to gather in our church building on Sunday, August 9th!

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD!”
Psalm 122:1

We may now be able to relate more acutely to the psalmist who penned his excitement about coming together as God’s people to worship in a building.

However, we know that many will not be gathering in the building on the 9th for a variety of reasons. What we have learned, though, is that wherever we are the Holy Spirit will unite us in glorifying the Son. Whether you are in the building or home worshiping via livestream, let’s prepare ourselves for the Sabbath.

The Day of Preparation was the day before the Sabbath when the Jews would purify and prepare themselves to “remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8). Thankfully, on this side of the cross of Christ, we are purified by faith in the blood sacrifice of Jesus, not by performing any rituals to cleanse ourselves.

We do, though, prepare our hearts on Saturday in order to “set apart” (the meaning of “holy”) our Sunday. Part of the aim of the “Sunday Online” page on the website as well as our Gathering Groups was to prepare and then participate in worship. Someone would prepare the Call to Worship, another would read the Scripture text for the sermon, and perhaps another lead communion. Rather than passive consumers of “church”, we have been learning to prepare and participate in worship together as the church. This will be the continued aim as we gather on the 9th.

May we sense the anticipation of what God has planned for us as a “church” as we gather again!

On behalf of the elders,

Brian

Speaking of preparation . . . . three things to bring to your attention:

1. If you have not yet filled out our survey letting us know how you and your family are thinking about gathering again at the building, please click here and do so now.. It has been so helpful to hear from those who have taken the few minutes needed to complete it.

2. Also, I thought I would highlight the safety protocols highlighted in the survey which we plan to observe when we gather again:

WITH A DESIRE TO “LOOK TO THE INTERESTS OF OTHERS” (PHP. 2:4), IN ACCORDANCE WITH CDC GUIDELINES AND WASHINGTON STATE GUIDANCE SUNDAY MORNING SAFETY PRECAUTIONS WILL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

• The building will be sanitized prior to each service.

• Entry will be through the Foyer Doors only. (Handicap parking will be moved to the parking area in front of the office.) Greeters will be available to open doors.

• Exit from the building should be from one of the exit doors near the sanctuary. We hope to have a covered area out back for those wanting to fellowship outdoors before they leave.

• Washroom capacity will be restricted to two people at a time.

• Four hand sanitizer stations will be available. Two in the foyer. One in the kitchen hallway. And one in the sanctuary.

• Seating in the sanctuary has been set up with 6 feet between rows. To observe social distancing guidelines, three chairs should be left empty between family groups. Ushers will assist with helping maintain social distancing.

• To limit the potential of cross-contamination:

  • We will not provide bulletins or notes pages. Announcements will be available through our website.

  • We will not collect blue cards. Prayer requests, comments, and inquiries can be submitted via our website.

  • Elements for communion will be set out on each chair before each service.

  • Boxes will be available at each of the sanctuary doors for collecting tithes and offerings. (We’d recommend using online giving through our website, if that works for you).

• Whether inside or outside the building, we’ll ask that when fellowshipping together everyone wear a mask and social distance as appropriate.

3. Finally, I thought I’d include a document, put together by our Together Again Task Force, which tries to outline what to expect when you return. Click here to read the document.

JULY 24, 2020

Dear Church Family,

Total transparency . . . we walked out of our elder’s meeting this week without talking about the weekly update – what topics to cover, who would draft it. We were kind of busy with connecting about our people, coming to one mind on planning & preparation, and going before the throne in prayer. Can’t really talk about people or prayer but thought perhaps some thoughts on planning and preparation might be in order. Because, I’m thinking, we’re not the only ones needing to think ahead as we get ready for gathering again in the building. It’s a family thing.

Last week Gary said that we’d be targeting “sooner in August rather than later in September” for gathering as the church at 17017 Forest Canyon Rd E. Well, Lord willing, “sooner in August” is now August 9th. That should coincide with our last message in Exodus, the one where the tabernacle’s construction is completed, and the glory comes down and fills the place (Ex.40:34-35). Seems somewhat appropriate, I think.

It's gonna be a big deal. While we’ve been acting as the church in our home groups, whether as individuals, families, or small gathering groups, this is going to be the first opportunity we have had since March 8th for gathering again as the church. And that’s a big part of what constitutes the church, gathering. Coming together. Assembling together. Meeting together. Worshiping together as a physical representation of the body of Christ.

If there’s something we hope we’ve learned about the church over the past months, it’s that the church is a people. Not a place. Not a program or service. But redeemed souls made into living stones that become a holy habitation for the presence of God. And while that divine dynamic occurs to some degree wherever “two or three are gathered in His Name”, it happens in a special way when the whole body comes together for the express purpose of worshiping God and building one another up.

The other thing we hope we’ve learned through our Sunday Online experience is that, whatever it looks like, church requires preparation. Whether leading yourself, your family, or your home group, it takes a bit of prep and effort to get ready for Sunday morning worship. Effort needed to know what’s going on in the body through the announcements. Planning required for our in-home groups as to who is going to do the call to worship, read the Scripture, lead in communion, and pray. This in addition to preparing our hearts to worship in song and receive the Word via video. Hopefully, we’ve come to appreciate a bit more that it’s really hard just to walk in, wing it, and worship. That authentic worship is going to require a bit of intentional preparation. And it’s been our desire that more of us have become more adept at preparing and serving each other in our homes.

Thus, I want to suggest that preparation should be on all our radars as we anticipate the building opening in a couple of weeks – whether we’re comfortable being there for week one or not. Certainly true for those who have been working on readying the building, thinking through safety protocols, trying to get full-service livestreaming in place, and getting ready to minister again in person. But also true for those ready to gather in the building as the church. And, even true for those who will continue to meet in their homes for the next while.

Since last Friday’s update we’ve received over 60 surveys from those in our church letting us know how they’re thinking about coming together again. (If you have not yet replied to the survey, would you please do so now by clicking here. Only four questions. Only takes a few minutes. And it will help so much with our preparation as we will have limited capacity in the building). Assuming those we’ve heard from so far are representative of the whole, while many are ready to gather as soon as the doors open, others are not. Totally expected. No pressure for anyone to act in a way they feel compromises their safety or the safety of others. It’s why we’ll be livestreaming the entire first service, so that those who continue to meet at home can connect virtually with the body gathering at the church.

For those who are ready to gather, it shouldn’t be surprising that we’re “well represented” on the “various options” for meeting. Some are okay with the safety precautions we’ve outlined, some think we should have less, some have suggested adding additional protocols. There are those who are concerned about singing at all in the building, and those who would like us to sing more than we used to. Some who think masking up is a less-than-necessary annoyance to be endured, and some who say it’s crucial to them feeling safe. And, in light of such knowledge, each of us needs to prepare.

At the very least, we need to prepare to gather with brothers and sisters in Christ who are of a different mind on some things, but with whom we are knit together as one family “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” in “one body and one Spirit — just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call — one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Eph. 4:4-6).

Preparing not just for experiencing and receiving again what we have so missed for the past several months, but preparing also to look to the “interests of others” (Php. 2:4). Some are worried that it won’t be the same when we come back. That with social distancing, masks, and other safety precautions it won’t feel the same for them. But what if we gathered just to minister to the shepherd who has had to endure preaching to a wall for months? Who’s had to try and feed the flock without seeing the flock? What if gathering together is less about how much the “new normal” meets our expectations and is, instead, about our chance to minister to him, as well as to others? Less about our needs being met and more about the new opportunities we have to serve our brothers and sisters through the ministry of presence.

Preparing our hearts to use those moments of gathering, which we haven’t had for weeks and weeks, to love on one another, encourage one another, rejoice and/or weep with another, even if from an artificially enforced distance. Doing so because we want to show physically that we care for one another dearly.

No, it won’t look the same. Probably won’t feel the same. But the church isn’t about how things feel. The church is about the people present. And church happens when we gather. And in that sense, nothing’s changed. When we meet in the building as the church, we will be the church.

And, for those brothers and sisters who are not yet ready to meet with the larger body at the building, there’s encouragement to you as well to reflect on your preparation for virtually connecting to the gathering. Prepare by praying for the gathering in advance. Pray for those who will be meeting at the building. For protection from viruses. For technology to cooperate. For the Spirit’s presence to be known even as social distancing is endured.

What’s more, even if not present on Sunday mornings, prepare to engage at some next level with the body. As we’ve learned through necessity over the past months, there are numerous ways to connect and minister to one another. So plan to connect with more of the body beyond yourselves — whether through video connection, telephone, or an e-mail. As AT&T exhorted us back in the ‘80’s, “Reach out and touch someone!” Perhaps this “next phase” for you might involve intentional preparation to engage more with the body at large, though not yet ready to be with the body in person.

Preparation. Thinking it’s something we should all be thinking about, praying about, and doing something about as we enter our own next “re-opening phase,” regardless of who is present or how it feels. For, while our gathering is certainly for our good, ultimately it is for God’s glory (Eph. 3:10). While it might not feel like the church we knew pre-COVID, it is still very much the church Jesus said He would build (Matt. 16:18). And that, as we gather to the One who has called us to gather. The One who is Sovereign. The One who says He will be present, enthroned on the praises of His people (Ps. 22:3). The One who is unchanging – the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8).

For the elders,

Pete

(Again, if you have not replied to the survey yet, would you please do so now by clicking here. )

JULY 17, 2020

Hello Church,

As I sit down to compose this week’s update I keep thinking of a verse in Philippians. Paul wrote: “forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead” (Philippians 3:13). That’s where we are in the process to move toward meeting together again in the church building. It’s time to look forward to joining together again as the family of God.

Five weeks ago, we said that our target for in-person gathering was the Labor Day weekend. While that date factored in guidance from government sources, we wanted to provide enough time for those wanting to, to experience gathering in smaller home groups on Sunday mornings. We wanted as many in our body as were comfortable to experience leading one another in worship and discipling others to do likewise. We’ve been encouraged that we’ve seen 10 Sunday morning homegroups formed and enjoying in-person fellowship even as they grow together by serving one another.

Each week when we meet as elders, we review the Wave Forms, pray for the flock, and talk about how we think the Lord might be leading us as to the timing of meeting again as a congregation. Over the past couple of weeks, we have felt the Lord leading us to target gathering sooner in August rather than later in September.

Since the shelter in place requirement was initiated in the spring, we have not been idle at LTCC. Rather, our deacons formed a task force to identify physical changes and procedures that would be required once we gathered together again. The overall guideline that the task force operated under was to do what is necessary to protect the health and safety of the congregation. That work has now been underway for the past several weeks. The target date given to the task force was to have everything in place by the end of July, though we anticipate that as we go forward we will continue to learn what additional changes to the facility and procedures need to be tweaked. This could continue for some time. Be prepared for changes.

One of the changes we will encounter is the format of the worship service itself. In a previous weekly update we said that we believed the Lord might be using the Sunday Online format and our Sunday morning “gathering groups” to prepare us for something new and different at LTCC. The exact changes to the worship service are still to be determined, but we think it will build off our Sunday Online structure and the discipleship that’s been happening in our home groups. And, in consideration of those not ready to gather in person, and wanting to continue to worship remotely, we will be livestreaming the full Sunday morning service. The key take-away from all this is that “Change Happens”, and that change will continue to happen.

I believe that there is a principle to keep in mind that will comfort and enable us as we wade into the uncertain waters of whatever the “New Normal” looks like. That principle is that when we keep our gaze on the One who is traveling this path with us, He will faithfully lead and we will arrive at the place He’s prepared for us. When we begin to focus on the unusual circumstances, we will falter. Just ask Peter what happens when you take your eyes off the Lord and start looking around at where

Even while the timing of our vision for the future is changing, each of us can take a little time to review what we’ve personally learned from the last few months. Just as we believe the Lord has directed us as a group to try new ways of being the church, each of us should look at our individual lives and ask “How has the Lord changed me?” Has He shown you new ways to worship Him? Has He given you new desires and ways of communicating with friends and family? Has He shown you that you have new untapped skills you never knew you had?

We serve a great and awesome God. If He can make an axe head float (2 Kings 6:5-7) or make a donkey speak (Numbers 22:28), He can use this season we are in to mature, refine, and perfect His Bride. Our confidence is not in us having the road ahead all mapped out, but it’s the fact that He does. Our trust is in His sovereignty and His attributes by which we know He is a Good, Good Father to us.

Gary
For the elders.

A couple of other things . . .

1. To help the task force prepare for gathering again in the building would you please take a few minutes to let us know how you are thinking about gathering again at the building by clicking here to fill out a short survey. As always, we want to hear from you.

2. As we desire to continue to love one another well, please click here and let the benevolence ministry know how we can serve you, as well as how you may like to serve others in need.

JULY 10, 2020

Dear Church Family,

When you read through the Book of Psalms, over twenty times you will find God’s people asking the Lord, “how long?” Moses, in Psalm 90:13 writes, “Relent, O LORD! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants.” After months of not being able to corporately gather with our church family, I have found myself praying Moses’ prayer and asking, “how long?”

This has been a difficult season. How would God have us respond during this time of testing? In Hebrews 12, we are reminded that the Christian life is a long-distance race. We are not going in circles. We are not just passing time. Like our Lord, we are headed for glory. To prepare us for glory, our Heavenly Father disciplines us like sons and daughters.

In Hebrews 12:5-7, the author of Hebrews reminds us of a word of encouragement from the Old Testament: ‘My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those He loves, and he punishes everyone He accepts as a son.’ Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons.” The author of Hebrews then goes on to give additional reasons for encouragement in the face of hardships.

In the midst of this difficult season I have found myself returning to Hebrews 12 again and again. Please read and reflect on Hebrews 12:1-12, I know you will be blessed.

May the following truths from Hebrews 12 encourage you to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us” and “endure hardships.”

• Times of hardship (discipline) don’t mean God doesn’t care for us. Discipline demonstrates the opposite; it shows that we really are God’s children (vs. 7-8). If we submitted to our earthly father’s discipline, we should submit even more to our Heavenly Father’s discipline.

• God’s discipline has a high purpose. It is “for our good, that we may share in His holiness” (vs. 10). God purpose is to make us like Jesus. Jesus, as a human being experienced hardships and suffering. Even as a perfect human being, he learned how to deeply trust and obey His Father through what He suffered (see Hebrews 5:8). Enduring suffering is an essential aspect of being a disciple of Jesus and becoming like Him.

• While discipline is “painful,” it “produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (vs. 11). We don’t have to pretend to like discipline. It is not pleasant. But it produces something of infinite worth.

God lovingly allows us to experience hardships for His good purposes, but we must be willing to be “trained by it.” That requires that we cooperate with God. Allowing God’s discipline to do its work in our lives requires that we “not make light” of it or “lose heart.”

We “make light” of the Lord discipline by proudly acting like we can easily handle whatever circumstance we are going through. We “make light” of the Lord’s discipline when we think that we don’t really need the Lord.

We “lose heart” by arrogantly thinking that God is being too hard on us; that He has given us more than we can handle. If we believe the lie that God is not treating us right, we will think we are justified in taking matters into our own hands; to get angry and complain.

Rather than “make light” or “lose heart,” of His discipline, God calls us to trust in Him. He is our Heavenly Father, who in His great love and wisdom, disciplines us for our good, “that we might share in his holiness.”

I urge you to let God do His deep work in our lives. We don’t have to pretend it is easy. God wants us to pour out our hearts to Him, like Moses did in Psalm 90:13. But He also wants us to know that he is our “Good, Good Father” and to be encouraged by the truth of His Word.

“How long” will this season last? I don’t know. “Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best…” (vs.10) Discipline and testing is “for a little while.” In eternity, anything we have gone through on this earth will seem “light and momentary.” (2 Corinthians 4:17). My prayer is that we will all respond in a godly way to His discipline in our lives and that we will see a great “harvest of righteousness.”

In His Service,

Tim, for all the elders

JULY 3, 2020

Greetings Lake Tapps

I trust that you are like me and are eager to come together again as a church family. The good news is that our re-gathering is slowly beginning to happen. Last week the women met at the church for a socially distanced bonfire. And tonight, Lord willing, we are planning to gather in the parking lot for a time of worship through some praise music. All these events encourage us that life is returning to “normal” again.

However, these events also bring to light something that has become exposed by the Covid-19 virus. It should come as no shock to any of us that as individuals we may not view the events around us the same way as others in the body might.

Specifically, we don’t all view the various aspects of the restrictions and recommendations imposed on us during the last few months in the same way. We don’t all agree on the science behind the need for personal protective equipment or on the distance bubble around us to slow or halt the possibility of exposure to ourselves or others. Others may have contrary views on the extent of government overreach than ourselves. No matter what the issue, we need to recognize and agree that we have a wide spectrum of beliefs within the body.

This situation is not too unlike the issue Paul faced in the church at Corinth, where there was a dispute over whether it was ok to eat meat sacrificed to idols. Some felt that eating the meat was wrong, while others like Paul held the belief that it was just meat. So for the sake of those that did eat meat, Paul was willing to abstain from eating it too, so that he wouldn’t cause a brother or sister to stumble in their walk (1 Cor 8-9). Some of us, when we read those scriptures, are tempted to think “I’d never be like that”. But this current situation tests us in much the same way as the Corinthian believers with the question, “Am I willing to put aside my opinions (no matter how right I think I am) in order to work with my brother or sister for unity in the body?” I believe the Lord loves His Bride too much to allow us to live with a feeling of division against our brother or sister. He delights when we strive to live in unity (Eph 4:1-4).

So this brings us back to an opportunity we have as we come together again; an opportunity created by the virus. Whether the issue is the wearing of masks, observing socially approved distance, shaking hands or something else – Do we love the Lord enough to temporarily put aside our personal preferences, in order to preserve the unity of the body by respecting the beliefs of others and what makes them personally comfortable in the social gathering?

A person might ask, why should I be the one to “give in” instead of the other person? “Shouldn’t the other person respect my preference too?” That’s a reasonable question. But just maybe that’s the core issue that Paul was dealing with at Corinth. Both sides may have valid points, but are each willing to voluntarily put aside their “rights” for the good of body unity? In the end it comes down to a choice between priorities; unity of the body or personal preferences.

I wonder what might happen if LTCC was known for our love for one another (Jn 13:35); known for how we demonstrated that love, by the way we re-gathered, by considering others above ourselves in a spirit of unity. In a country marked by a lessening ability to come together in harmony, we would stand out as a shining example of the power of the love of Christ.

Gary for the Elders.

P.S. By way of reminder, please join us for our monthly Family Prayer Meeting on Sunday at 6:00 p.m via Zoom.  The Zoom meeting info was sent out with Friday’s weekly check-in. If you didn’t receive it and want to join the prayer meeting, let the office know (ltccoffice@laketappscc.org).

And be sure to check out this week’s Announcements on our Sunday Online page for information about our next Men’s Breakfast and this week’s Missionary Spotlight.

JUNE 26, 2020

Dear Church Family,

COVID. BLM. CHOP. Acronyms that are challenging us if not changing us as a society. Over the last few months we have experienced issues of deep physical, intellectual, moral, and spiritual significance. If you are fatigued in any of those areas of your being, call yourself human.

There is one thing we know from the history of the Christian faith in times like these: The gates of hell will not prevail against the building up of God’s people (Matt. 16:18). Throughout the ages, the Church has not only survived under the harshest of conditions but has thrived by multiplying. As God’s people are built up in their faith through trial, they continue to make disciples who make more disciples to reach to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8, Matt. 28:19-20). God is continuing that work in the moment in which we find ourselves. How encouraging!

Though we are not yet gathering corporately as we once did in our building each Sunday, God is still giving us the opportunity to gather and worship Him. Gathering Groups are being formed for those who desire to meet in person or for those who want to gather virtually. These Sunday groups are experiencing sweet fellowship and worship as they follow the “Sunday Online” page on our website. We want to encourage you to gather in some way (in person or virtually) with others in our church family. We are still working to get people placed and can connect you with a few others on a Sunday morning.

Two things can happen in Gathering Groups that otherwise may not happen for us on a typical Sunday morning. First, people in the group PARTICIPATE. It might be as simple as reading the announcements for that week from the website to let everyone in the group know what’s going on. Could everyone just read the website for themselves? Absolutely. But this gets people involved. Or, it might be someone leading communion and then teaching someone else how to lead communion in future weeks. This is disciple-making in action. Secondly, participation leads to PREPARATION. If leading in some way, we have to begin thinking about it on Saturday. Our hearts and minds “get in the game” for Sunday worship ahead of time.

A word of exhortation during this valuable time that God has given us:

• Allow yourself to be challenged so that your faith is built up in perhaps a new way.

• Be ready to multiply. This begins with leading, however “small” (there really are no small things in the Kingdom). As we lead, we are passing on the faith.

Through challenging times, God is refining us. These months and days have not been easy. But I am grateful. I am thankful that God is building His people, and it is a pleasure to be in it with you.

Looking ahead, there will be a praise night on Fri, July 3 in the church parking lot where social distancing will be in effect to gather and sing outdoors. For more information and to RSVP, see the Announcements on our Sunday Online page. Also, next Sunday night (July 5) we will gather and pray as a church family at 6:00 pm. A Zoom ID will be sent out in next week’s update. May these be additional times of being built up in our faith together.

On behalf of the elders,

Brian

JUNE 19, 2020

Dear Church Family,

Last Sunday (June 14th), Sue and I gathered for church in our home. We have been doing that for several months. What was different about last Sunday is that five other people joined us! We had a sweet time of worship together. It was so good to worship with others face to face. It was another significant step in our journey to fully reengage with others. Like you, I am anticipating the time when we will be able to meet with less restrictions.

As much as I am looking forward to returning to larger gatherings, I don’t want to miss what God has for us in this moment. As spiritual shepherds seeking to faithfully care for the Lord’s church, the elders have been asking the Lord to lead us in how to respond during these unprecedented times. We have been meeting often and have spent much time in prayer. More than ever we feel our desperate need for God’s enablement.

As we have sought the Lord, we believe He has led us to use this time of quarantine as an opportunity to re-focus on what the church is ultimately all about. We all know that the church isn’t just a building. But the church isn’t just a service that we attend either. The church is the “body of Christ.” Every true believer in Jesus, has been baptized into His church and has been gifted by the Holy Spirit to fulfill a critical role within His body. Jesus has given us a mission to “make disciples.” Every member of His body needs to participate if we are going to grow in a spiritually healthy way and have the impact God wants us to have on our world.

In our “Gathering Survey,” several mentioned their deep longing to connect with others. We believe that God is giving us a unique opportunity to do just that during this time. As we begin to come together again in our home gathering groups it is clear that we are not just attending a service. We can’t just sit passively and merely observe what is going on. We are drawn to enter in and more fully participate. The deeper level of relationship allows us to more intentionally “spur one another on,” as we follow Jesus. Meeting in smaller groups gives us an opportunity to share our lives with one another in a deeper way.

Pursuing deeper relationships within our church family isn’t confined to gathering on a Sunday morning. God has used this time of isolation to remind us of what a blessing it is to share life with others. As we begin to expand our social circles, consider who you might connect with for a walk, a cup of coffee, or to share a meal with in your home. As you meet, think about how you might encourage them in following Christ. This was the practice of the early church. In Acts 2:46 we read, “And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts…”

We must take seriously our responsibility to “make disciples.” Those within our church family need help growing in Christ. Those outside the church need to know the Good News about Jesus. We believe God is using this time to help us catch the vision of Jesus’ call to the church to “make disciples” in a fresh new way.

We are encouraged by those in our body who have stepped forward to facilitate our gathering groups. If you are willing to open your home for a Sunday gathering, please let us know. On our website we have some helpful instruction on how to lead and host a gathering. As we prayerfully begin our gathering groups, we also recognize that because of health considerations, not everyone will be able to gather with others in person. For those in that position, a Sunday morning Zoom meeting, sharing the online service with others, is a possibility. If you would be interested in doing that please let us know. For everyone, our “Sunday Online” is available for you to enter into worship, individually or with your family.

Just as the elders are praying that we make the most of this moment, I encourage you to pray about how you, by God’s grace might make the most of this season. Because we are confident of God leading, we have a sense of anticipation as we move into the future. Pray with us that God will give us a renewed commitment to Christ and His call to “make disciples.”

For His Glory,

Tim for all the elders

A Few Reminders:

We appreciate those who have taken the survey. If you consider Lake Tapps your church home, we really want and need your input. So, if you haven’t already done so, please take a few minutes and take the survey. It can be accessed by clicking here.

The church office is open Monday – Thursday, 9AM -2 PM and on Fridays from 12 PM - 2:00 PM. We would love to see if you are comfortable meeting face to face. Feel free to stop by or, if you prefer, schedule a time to meet with Pete, Evan, or myself.

Our “Sunday Online” has a new feature this week. Some of you mentioned that you were missing our “Missionary Spotlight.” This week we will begin highlighting one of our missionaries each week. Please pray for them in your gathering and encourage your people to pray for them throughout the week.

JUNE 12, 2020

Dear Church Family

Don't know about you, but since Tim's message last Sunday, the Imago Dei has been a constant filter as I continue to process what's happening in our world these days.  God is redeeming the image of God in image-bearers through the gospel and, as Tim exhorted us so well, He is making His appeal through us, the church.  He has given us the ministry of reconciliation and calls us to be ambassadors for Christ.

To that end, He doesn't leave us on our own.  First, He has given Himself fully through the indwelling Spirit, promising never to leave us nor forsake us.  And then, He has given us to each other.  As believers in the body of Christ we build each other up for the work of the ministry (Eph. 4:12, 16).  And a big part of that is through the assembling of ourselves together, something which we have not been able to do for almost three months.

But that's changing.  This past Sunday we saw a number of new home groups gather for worship and mutual encouragement.  We anticipate this will increase over the next few weeks as we step ourselves towards meeting together as a congregation.

As you're aware, we've asked every family who regularly attends LTCC to complete a short survey and let us know how they are thinking about gathering again with other people.  We have heard back from about half our families.  If you have not yet responded to this brief survey please click here now and get 'er done -- it will only take a few minutes.

Of the 72 surveys received, about half have indicated that, for various reasons, they are not yet ready to gather with other people at this time.  Of the other half ready to start connecting with people on Sunday mornings, 2/3's are forming home groups with friends or families from their small group.  For the rest, we are working to connect them with a home group.  Our desire is that everyone who wants to meet face to face with brothers and sisters in Christ is in a home group shortly.

Beyond forming home groups though, what has been so valuable through the surveys is the feedback you have provided.  And it comes as no surprise that there is a diverse set of views as to our plan to gather first in home groups before gathering as a congregation.  While some have indicated their support for our current direction, others have expressed a belief that we should plan to meet again in the building as soon as we are able.   In terms of Washington State's guidance for Phase 2 of its phased approach for reopening the state, today we could meet in the building with a congregation of up to 50 people with the appropriate safety protocols in place.  In phase 4, that cap is removed.

Having processed the input to date, we still feel there is value in following our own "phased approach" to gathering.  While satisfying, at least in part, the desire to be face-to-face with other believers and enjoy corporate worship together, we do believe this is also a way for our church body to "build muscle" as we continue to grow in our ability to lead one another in worship.  At our home group leaders training session last week, Brian Peterson walked through how this might look, not only as a way of worshiping together, but also as a way of making disciples.  That training is available on our website under "Resources | Home Group Training" or by clicking here.

But something we did feel we needed to address was the concern that our proposed approach to gathering again has been absent any timeframe.  As one sister expressed, "The unknown time frame is really a big deal to me. . . Why is it so ambiguous?"  Understood.  At this week’s elders meeting, as an elder team we felt we needed to provide our flock a sense of timeline.

After much discussion, we'd like to suggest that we target the Labor Day Weekend for our first gathering again in the building.  Washington State should be well into Phase 4 by then and it will give us sufficient time for people to become more comfortable meeting together and starting to do so with "baby steps" in a home group.  It also provides opportunities for those of us who are comfortable meeting in person to open our homes and welcome others as they are ready to start meeting with a few others.  Having said that, as an older brother once counseled me, we are "prepared but not determined."  While we have sought the mind of Christ as we lead our congregation, we are also mindful that "many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand" (Prov. 19:21).  While we will continue to walk down this path we will also continue before the LORD as to His timing and any course corrections needed.

Finally, one last piece of feedback to acknowledge.  In reference to our members meeting a couple of weeks ago where we laid out our proposed direction, one family member commented, "It did not feel like those with other points of view who wanted to give feedback would have been welcomed or valued at the time."  Our apologies for giving such an impression.  Please know the intent of the elders is that LTCC be marked by an open and transparent family atmosphere.  Anything we do as leadership which indicates otherwise is unintentional.  We so want to hear from our brothers and sisters as we seek the Lord on how we do church at LTCC.  That really is the purpose of easy to remember e-mail id’s, this current survey, and every other time we ask for input and feedback. It’s also part of why we’re opening the office again (see our homepage). Please feel free to drop in any time for a chat.

Please know that while these have been tense times, there is a sense among the elders and deacons that God is doing a work in us and around us.  That while this difficult time seems "painful rather than pleasant", if we'll allow the Lord to use it to "discipline" us, it will yield "the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it" (Hebrews 12:11).

In Him,

Pete

JUNE 5, 2020

Dear Lake Tapps Family

We’ve all been astonished these past two weeks of the scenes of violence from major cities across America, including demonstrations in various cities in our own state. It’s clear that there are two factions at work. One group is clearly using the protests as an excuse for violence and destruction. But it’s the other group who comprise the vast majority of the protestors that we would like to focus on. We believe that those who are voicing outrage over the death of George Floyd are highlighting an issue that few like to talk about – the issue of racism.

If, as believers, we think that racism is only a problem for those who don’t know the Lord, we would do well to remember the parable Jesus gave of the Good Samaritan. Samaritans were discriminated against because of their ethnic heritage by “religious Jews.” But the Samaritan was the one who had a true heart of compassion and love for his neighbor regardless of who they were. It was those that professed “righteousness” that demonstrated through their actions that their hearts were not right with the Lord. We also remember our own national history where certain portions of the Bible were used by churches to justify segregation and laws that discriminated against African Americans.

It is with these thoughts in mind that we wish to come before the Lord this Sunday at our monthly family prayer time. As a church we need to pray and be focused specifically on asking God to “heal our land.”

• Because of the horrific reminder of deep systemic racism in our land.

• Because of the violence we have witnessed in our streets.

• Because, as the church, we need wisdom, compassion, and boldness as we seek to be salt and light in a decaying and dark world.

So to that end, we encourage everyone to join together this Sunday at 6:00 pm for our monthly corporate family prayer time. (The Zoom meeting link was sent to everyone in our weekly check-in e-mail. If you need the link, please contact Evan, evan@laketappscc.org, or Pete, pete@laketappscc.org.)

We would like to follow the admonition and promise of the Lord in 2 Chronicles 7:14, that if we who are called by His name will humble ourselves and confess the sin in our land, He will hear our pleas and will heal this land. We also need to humbly and prayerfully ask the Lord to examine our own hearts (Psalm 26:2) to see if there is a seed of alienation toward others within us. Although we may not have participated in the recent demonstrations, we are still citizens of the USA, and like the prayers of Daniel in 9:1-19 and Nehemiah in 1:4-11, we can admit that we are also in need of His mighty and strong healing hand to cleanse us.

I’ve included some helpful links to shed light on the subject of racism in America and to prepare our hearts for praying together Sunday evening.

• The first is a sermon given at the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King. Click here to listen to Racial Justice and the Uneasy Conscience of American Christianity by Russel Moore, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention.

• The second is a blog post that addresses the only real final solution, a return to our living Savior.
  Click here to read one pastor’s Prayer of Help and Lament During Racial Injustice and Riots.

So in closing, I again urge you to join us Sunday night at 6:00 p.m. as we seek the Lord our Father as His family for His wisdom and healing.

Gary for the elders

MAY 29, 2020

Dear Church Family,

Last weekend we observed Memorial Day. In Washington state, after a long winter and usually rainy Spring there is a pent-up desire to get outdoors and Memorial Day is the unofficial start to Summer. This year because of the Coronavirus pandemic and quarantine, we are all feeling the desire to get out of our homes even more than usual. We are all hoping we will soon be able to get back into a more normal routine.

While the pandemic is still with us, all fifty states have begun to take steps to “re-open.” Governmental restrictions are gradually being loosened and people are beginning to reengage in some of the activities that have been put on hold for the last few months. However, as things begin to open up it is becoming abundantly clear that not everyone agrees on the right course of action.

The guidelines issued by the government are not uniform. The President recently declared that all churches were to be considered “essential” and allowed to reopen with guidance from the CDC. State governors however have issued more restrictive regulations. This pandemic is exposing deep divisions in our country and the conflicting messages can certainly cause confusion.

The divisions we see in society at large regarding the appropriate response to this pandemic are also found in the church. Some Christians have a deep conviction that it is imperative that the church begin to gather corporately right away. Others think it is too early and would needlessly jeopardize the health of others. Sincere Christians have differing convictions about the right way to respond. As elders we have had different perspectives as we have discussed the right course of action. Clearly this is a time of testing for our church and the church at large. God is calling us to depend on Him.

What all Christians need to be clear about, is that we are ambassadors for Christ. How we respond during this pandemic will impact our testimony for Jesus. In Colossians 4:5 we read, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders...” How do “outsiders” (those who don’t know Jesus) view followers of Jesus? Do our attitudes and actions draw people to Jesus, or do we turn people off to the Gospel?

God calls us to be people of conviction. He has given each of us a conscience. We don’t honor God by being “wishy washy” about what we believe, or by violating our conscience. But how do we as Christians with differing convictions love one another in a way that glorifies God and draws others to want to know Him too?

The Bible speaks to this situation. While the circumstances were different, in the early church there were believers who had different convictions about various issues. Some followers of Jesus believed they were obligated to act in a certain way. Other equally sincere and devoted followers of Jesus believed they had freedom to not act that way. These disagreements were not over matters of right and wrong clearly addressed in Scripture. Paul called them “disputable matters” or “opinions.” How could brothers and sisters in Christ who held differing opinions get along in a way that would bring glory to God?

In Romans 14:1 – 15:7, the Apostle Paul gave instruction inspired by the Holy Spirit, on how to navigate these situations. This section is loaded with vital principles that have application to the situation we find ourselves in today. God calls us to…

• “Welcome” each other. Receive one another as Christ has received us (see 15:7)

• To not “quarrel.”

• If you have freedom to not do something, don’t “despise” those who feel obligated to act a certain way.

• If you feel obligated to act a certain way, don’t “pass judgement” on those who have freedom to not do what you feel is required of you.

• Make sure you act in a loving way towards one another.

• Don’t pressure others to violate their conscience.

Paul ends this section with these verses:

“May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” (Romans 15:5-7 ESV)

That is my prayer for Lake Tapps as we work our way through this pandemic. I hope it will be your prayer as well. As we pray for God honoring harmony, we need to take to heart the instructions given in Romans 14:1 – 15:7. I urge you to carefully read and reflect on this important passage. (If you have a few more minutes, click here to read a short article that appeals to the church to not let the coronavirus divide us.)

Looking Ahead:

It was encouraging to have such a good turnout for our members meeting last Sunday. Please remember to complete the survey on our website. It only takes a couple of minutes and will give us vital information as we seek to facilitate regathering. Click here now and let us know your plans for gathering again.

Note: Beginning this week, we will no longer be streaming the Sunday sermon using Facebook. For those of you who have gone directly to our Facebook page, beginning this Sunday that option will no longer work! The sermon will be imbedded directly into our “Sunday Online” page using YouTube.

Until we can once again gather at our building, I hope you will take advantage of our “Sunday Online” page. We can worship the Lord together in our homes. Plan to begin at 9:30 AM. Pray together, not just for your own gathering but for the church as a whole, meeting in many different places. Read the Scripture and sing together. Open your Bible and take notes as the Word is preached. Take the Lord’s Table together. I am praying that God will richly bless our gatherings.

For His Glory,

Tim

MAY 22, 2020

Good Morning Lake Tapps Community Church!

Another Friday, another week of "shelter in place" in the history books. But there's evidence all around us that the world around us is starting to emerge from their shelters.

I run up and down SR 167 fairly regularly to connect with my daughter's family . . . mostly my new grandson, born March 9th, just before everything slammed shut. And I've noticed the "Sunday afternoon" traffic (or lack thereof) that characterized SR167 in March and April, has started to give way to the slow downs and backups we're more used to. More cars on the road, more people on the move, for sure. It's a visible sign that the community around us is moving towards coming back online.

And, as elders and deacons, we've also been talking, planning, and praying about when and how our church community will eventually gather together as the church in the building at 17017 Forest Canyon Rd. That's what we want to talk about at our members meeting this Sunday at 11:30 a.m. (If you're new to LTCC, you don't have to be a member to attend -- all are welcome.)

We've talked a bit about it over the past few weeks in our Friday updates -- that we think the way back to gathering together for LTCC is to start gathering as small, home groups on Sunday mornings, increasing the size of those gatherings until we're ready to gather as a larger congregation in the building. This Sunday we want to give you more detail on the why, the what, and the how of what we're thinking. And then, we want to hear your feedback and input, as well as answer your questions.

As you'll hear at our meeting on Sunday, we have not just "conceded" to being forced into a small-at-first strategy. Actually, we're pretty excited as we think it's been the Lord's leading since before we knew where we needed to be led. We see our Sunday Online web structure as enduring through these next weeks, maybe months, as we come back together as a church body. And we see the practice we've had, of "being the church" in our homes as families and couples, flowing easily into "being the church" as paired up families and couples.

In my Bible reading yesterday morning, I was reminded by Paul that, as "saints and members of the household of God", we're being grown into "a holy temple of the Lord" and are "being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit" (Ephesians 2:19-22). Whether we're just two or three gathered together, with others or just as a family, we are a dwelling place for God! Crazy! And Peter reinforces the idea when he says that "like living stones" we are "being built up as a spiritual house" (1Peter 2:5).

So, think of it this way: beginning in June, Lord willing and as we're comfortable doing so, as living stones we are going to start gathering with other living stones to worship together on Sunday mornings. And we'll be, if only in part, a visible reflection of "the manifold wisdom of God . . . made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places" through the church (Ephesians 3:10). Eventually, these Sunday morning gatherings of living stones will connect with other gatherings, forming more of the holy temple until, when the time is right and we're ready, the spiritual house is gathering together back in our building.

Again, more will be shared on this on Sunday and you'll have a chance to ask any questions or share any concerns you might have.

The Zoom info for the meeting was sent out as part of our weekly Friday check-in emailed to the congregation. (If you didn’t get the email and want the Zoom info, let Pete know at pete@laketappscc.org)

I hope you're finding our Sunday Online website helpful in supporting your Sunday morning worship. Be sure to check out the announcements page -- a lot on the radar. And, prepare your hearts before the sermon with our call to worship, the songs provided, and the Scripture reading for this week's sermon.

As a fellow living stone, I'm looking forward to Sunday when we’ll gather together, though apart, through the Spirit who makes us one.

By His grace. For His glory.

For the elders,

Pete

MAY 15, 2020

Dear Church Family

As Tim pointed out last week in the weekly update, the elders sense that the Lord is using the current Virus situation to do a deep work within the Body of Christ. He has given us all a chance to examine what we mean when we use the word “Church”. For some the meaning generates a vision of a building. For others it represents a collection of believers in the Son of God. When Jesus was teaching on church discipline in Mt 18:17, He clearly was talking about a group of people. When the Apostle Paul used the term, he too was clearly referring to a group of people (1 Cor 11:18).

We believe that the encouragement to assemble together (Heb 10:25) does not put a limit on the number of people gathered together (neither large or small). The context would point toward the purpose as encouraging and stimulating one another for love and good deeds. So, until it makes sense to meet together in a large unrestricted body as we did before, we feel that the Lord is moving us to assemble together in numerically smaller groups that will no doubt grow in size as restrictions are eased.

One way to look at this is to look to the way we express the core value of LTCC, “A Family Growing Together”. Right now we see us “Gathering Together as a Family” on Sunday mornings through the use of our on-line streaming worship structure, Sunday Online. Initially, the “Family” might be just one biological family unit worshiping together in their home. Singing, reading scripture, listening to the Word and discussing it, and fellowshipping together around the communion table. Eventually, that might evolve into several families meeting together to view the service as restrictions are lifted and individuals feel comfortable meeting together. Already there are a couple families gathering together in this way on Sunday.

The “Growing Together” phase is already being done as some of us gather in smaller groups (virtually or physically). Today some of these groups dig deeper into the Sunday message while others meet to study other material that enhances their spiritual growth. We see these groups as a real opportunity to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. The purpose of growing spiritually, or maturing in the faith, is not just to make us smarter so we can win Bible trivia games, but it’s to enable us to make disciples of others as we go (Mt 28:19). Our goal is to introduce others to the saving life of Christ, help them grow in their faith, and equip them to reach others. That’s what discipling is all about.

We believe that this work is best accomplished in smaller, more personal, settings like these gathering groups. They are not intended to replace the Sunday family gatherings or the larger corporate worship setting, but are an integral part of the whole mission of the “Church”. So, our proposed approach going forward is to start gathering together on Sundays as smaller groups in our homes until we’re able to meet as a congregation in the church building.

Since there is wisdom gained from a multitude of counselors, and since these are uncharted waters for all of us, the elders would like to provide a way for all of us to voice questions and encouragements as the LTCC Family. To that end we are planning on an all-church Zoom meeting on May 24th from 11:30-12:30 after the worship service. Please plan to attend. The Zoom meeting information will be published in next week’s Friday update.

This week, please be sure to use the WAVE form on the LTCC web page, whether you watch the service from the church webpage or directly through Facebook. What you enter on the form provides us with valuable information on how you are doing, if you have any needs or concerns, and how we can pray for you. Like the old paper blue cards, your input helps us to keep connected to you. And, make sure to have a look at our announcements page for information about an upcoming Online Ladies Bible Conference and, a new “Men’s Study” that everyone’s welcome to attend.

We anticipate that there are still many changes ahead as society ramps back up. Our desire is to continue to be good examples of the Body of Christ wherever He has placed us in the world (Rom 13:1-3). But we also want to follow the leading of the Spirit as He moves in and through us. We want to be used as His instruments to a world looking for answers in these uncertain times. We really are the bearers of Good News, the Gospel.

On behalf of the Elders

Gary

p.s. Until that day when we will begin to meet together again physically, I would encourage those of you that have a Zoom account to host a Zoom worship gathering and to invite others to join you in Sunday morning worship. If this is something you’d like to try and would like some direction and tips on how best to facilitate such a meeting, please reach out to me and I can share some lessons learned.

MAY 8, 2020

Dear Church Family,

Happy Mother’s Day Weekend. I wish I could relay that to you face to face.

Like many of you, I have been asking the question, “What is God up to?” For many, this is a stressful time. Why is God allowing this pandemic to impact our lives in such a profound way? I think we all sense that God is doing a deep work – in our world, in the church and in our individual lives.

As an elder team, we have been discussing and praying about how God would have us use this unique time when we are unable to have our normal worship services. As elders we have a common conviction that real growth and progress in following Jesus occurs in the context of significant relationships with other believers. Having those significant relationships is not dependent on having a quarantine lifted. While we are praying that we will soon be able to gather corporately and are preparing for that, we believe that this is a time when God is calling us to engage with one another in a deeper and more focused way through our smaller groups. This time of quarantine has been a God-given reminder that the church is so much more than just our Sunday worship services.

It seems likely that restrictions on large gatherings will continue for some time. When larger groups are allowed to meet, we believe there will be significant “social distancing” rules in place. Those rules would dramatically impact how we have typically worshipped. Rather than trying to have multiple services in our building with “social distancing,” we sense that God is leading us to meet and worship in homes until the most disruptive restrictions have been lifted.

As a church, we are currently gathering virtually each week using our “Sunday Online” page. This allows individuals, couples and families to worship remotely. As things begin to open up, our “Sunday Online” page provides us with a way for smaller groups of people to begin to gather and worship together. Based on the government’s guidelines and our own level of concern and care for one another, these gatherings could grow to include several families or a number of couples and individuals over time. Some of these groups are already meeting on Zoom and, we hope, will be able to meet soon in person. We will be encouraging everyone in our church family to eventually connect with a small group of others for Sunday morning worship. We will work hard to make sure that everyone who wants to, will have a place to go.

We have always said smaller gatherings are essential for discipleship. They need to be the hub of church life, regardless of a church’s size. Our desire is that in this season, smaller groups would truly become a part of the DNA of our church family. Our hope is that even when we are able to resume our normal worship services, we will all recognize that smaller family-sized gatherings are where the work of real discipleship takes place.

Please pray for our church. This is a time of great opportunity. Already God has used this time of the Coronavirus to draw many into a deeper walk with Him. As a church, our purpose remains unchanged. We are, “…committed to honoring God by introducing people to Jesus Christ, helping them grow in the faith, and equipping them to reach others.” I trust we all sense the urgency of giving ourselves fully to this great purpose as the Lord’s return draws near.

If you have any questions or concerns about this proposed direction, please do not hesitate to reach out to me or any of the other elders.

As we worship together through our “Sunday Online” page, we appreciate you letting us know you have joined us online through the “Wave” form. We also appreciate getting your prayer requests. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us if there is any way we can serve you.

I’m trusting the Lord to meet with us in a powerful way this Sunday. Please don’t just go online for the sermon. Take the time to engage with the “Call to Worship” and sing together. Read the Scripture passage and prepare for taking the Lord’s Table together as well as engage with the message.

We are praying for you and excited about what God is doing.

On behalf of the elders,

Tim

MAY 1, 2020

Dear Church Family,

One of the more head-scratching vignettes of Jesus with his disciples is the time when he is asleep in the boat as a furious storm begins to overtake them on the Sea of Galilee (Mark 4:34-41). "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" These professional fishermen thought they were going to die, and Jesus acutely commands nature to be quiet, saving them from imminent disaster. Yet, it says they were terrified (v. 41). Scared? Everything was calm! They had been rescued! They could be on their way to their destination. But standing in front of them was the sovereign LORD, creator of heaven and earth. Jesus, fully human and fully God, all-powerful to handle the most precarious of situations was with them in the boat.

I have found myself with a range of emotions over the last few weeks that are likely similar to the disciples in the boat that day looking at Jesus asleep during the storm. Frustrated. Angry. Scared. Forgotten. Alone. Confused. Numb. The storm of COVID-19 is out of my control. Everything around us seems unstable and ready to collapse. "Don't you care if we drown?" Yes, He does. And, He has the power to change everything in an instant. Why He doesn't is not for me to know. The question Jesus asks his disciples is the question He is asking you and I, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" (v. 40). The question is whether we will trust Him when we don't understand everything going on around us.

We believe in the midst of this storm that God is in complete control and that He cares for us. Deeply. But, He is training us for our good and His glory. Paul says in Romans 8:28, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." We may not understand why God does things the way He does, but we know that He loved us enough to put on skin and enter into our human experience. God came near to us, so near that He bore our sin on the cross to rescue us from the imminent death of unbelief. He is working out His purposes through us so that a lost and dying world would confess His name as LORD.

To that end, I believe God is doing a mighty work in our midst. God is mobilizing Lake Tapps Community Church as an outpost for making disciples to reach our community, our region, and the nations. And it's happening in the middle of a pandemic storm. Our families are gathering to worship in a new way. Small groups are connecting and ministering to one another via Zoom. Hurting people are being served in our community (see the announcements). God is training us up for His purposes in new ways.

Christian editor Andy Crouch recently described our pandemic situation not as a "blizzard" but as the onset of "winter". In other words, this pandemic is not a short, intense onslaught like a blizzard but a longer, more drawn out season. In fact, maybe even longer than a season. Wherever we land on our opinions of how the government is reacting to COVID-19, the reality is that phasing back to "normal" may take quite some time. In understanding this, meeting in smaller groups will be our primary means of fellowship, worship, and discipleship. Let's be praying together as our LTCC family grows together "on the ground" in homes and groups in Sumner, Lake Tapps, Bonney Lake, Buckley and beyond for the glory of His name!

Until then, we are so encouraged by all the family units who are letting us know they are gathering with us on Sunday mornings. We may not be sharing a physical location together on Sunday mornings, the same “holy ground,” but we can share the same holy time.

This week’s announcements include a missionary spotlight video. Please access the Sunday Online web page earlier enough to check it out as well as leaving enough time to contemplate our call to worship, sing a song or two, and read the Scripture before Tim preaches on Israel’s rebellion and the golden calf.

Also, a reminder that Sunday at 6:00 p.m. we will gather through a Zoom meeting for our monthly Family Prayer time. Last month we had a really good turn out, and praying together over video conferencing worked out pretty well. You can join us this Sunday night with the link and password sent with this update through email. If you didn’t get the email but would like to join us for prayer, reach out to Evan or Pete (evan@laketappscc.org or pete@laketappscc.org).

Look forward to being together this Sunday.

On behalf of the elders,

Brian

APRIL 24, 2020

Dear Church Family

As our government leaders consider how best to transition from stay at home to re-entering the work and social environment, we have the opportunity to examine the subject of change in our lives.

There is little doubt that change will occur.  If we think back 19 years we see how our lives changed after 9/11.  Now we
consider the long waits at airport security gates fairly “normal”, we don’t think twice of walking through a magnetic detector as we enter some buildings or sporting events.  We accept that life will never be the way it was before the Twin Towers. 

Although many of us don’t especially like change, if we are honest we know that change can be a good thing.  If we never changed, we all would still be as babes, in stature as well as intellect.  Relationships would never progress beyond the mere acquaintance level.  Spiritually we would still be estranged from God, never knowing the sweet savor of His grace and mercy, and His offer of salvation in Jesus.

As we’ve been observing in our study of Exodus, Israel underwent changes continually after leaving Egypt until, and even after, they reached the Promised Land.  The changes they went through were not devoid of dangers and unknowns.  But they had something they could rely on even when facing something none of them had ever experienced before.  They had the promise that the LORD (Yahweh) was going before them.  He promised that not only would His presence (all that He is) would go with them, but He would give them rest and confidence and peace for the journey.

The LORD didn’t expect Israel to face the journey unprepared.  He prepared Joshua and his mighty men to fight.  He gave Israel practical instructions on food preservation and sanitation to ensure their health in a hostile wilderness environment.  And He went before them in the form of stories of His miraculous power in delivering Israel from the Egyptians, which caused the hearts of the defending armies to quiver as children.

I believe that the LORD is still going before His people.  Today His methods may be different, but He is the same LORD.  As we re-enter the society around us we will use common sense precautions as recommended by health officials.  But we have something that can’t be ordered through Walmart or Amazon.  We have the LORD who drives out fear.  We place our ultimate confidence in Him and not in masks or a 6 foot “cone of silence” around us.  As we face our unknown, we might take time to ponder the words in Psalm 23 that many of us were taught as children to give us a sense of trust in the LORD.  “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me.”

Trusting in the One who is with us always,

Gary Warne

p.s. We hope you’re in the habit of joining us through our Sunday Online page on Sunday mornings. If not, give it a try this weekend. Be sure to give yourself some time before the sermon goes live at 10:00 a.m. to prepare your hearts through our call to worship, the music provided for your in-house choir, and by reading the Scripture passage for the sermon.   Thank you to everyone who has used the “Wave” form to not only let us know you’re gathering with us, but to help us know how we can pray for you during the week as well. Also be sure to check out this week’s announcements for information on next Saturday’s Men’s Breakfast and how you can access our church library from home.

APRIL 17, 2020

Dear Church Family,

He is Risen! We don’t just proclaim it on Easter Sunday. Every week, the church gathers on the “first day of the week” in part, to remember that it was on this day that Jesus rose from the dead. The death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, and the coming of the Holy Spirit changed everything! Today, people from “every tribe and nation” can know God’s forgiveness and experience the transforming presence of Jesus in their lives through the Holy Spirit.

Jesus, the Light of the World, lives in us! He has sent us out into the world to bring His light to all people. We are His ambassadors and He has given us His power. Jesus told His apostles in Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” In many ways this pandemic is a dark time. But it is also a time when the light of Christ is being seen more clearly than ever.

As His people, we gather each week to worship Him, be encouraged in our faith, and be equipped, through the study of God’s Word, to better carry out the work Jesus has entrusted to us. While we are unable to physically gather the way we would like to, it is still vital that we come together each week.

I hope you are making it a priority to worship with us each Sunday. We’ve provided “Sunday Online” on our website as a way for you to keep in touch, lead your families in worship, and join us, if only virtually, for the preaching of God’s word.

Plan to gather at 9:30, so you have time to sing, pray and read the Scriptures before the livestream of the message at 10:00 AM. I encourage you to gather with your household and fully enter into this time of worship with us. Or, if you have a Zoom account, maybe gather with others before the meeting and then have someone share their screen when the message is livestreamed. And let me encourage you to give yourself a few extra minutes this week in advance of the livestream to check out some “special music” based on Psalm 91.

And make sure to check out the announcements. They’re updated every week. This week there’s some Men’s Ministry info as well as a special treat from our Children’s Ministry Leader.

If you have been observing communion as part of your weekly home gathering, remember to prepare the elements for the Lord’s Table in advance and to be prepared yourself to lead your family in this solemn remembrance of the Savior. If you’re a believer and haven’t been observing communion on a weekly basis, consider doing so this Sunday (some tips for how to lead Communion are on the webpage).

I am praying that while we may be physically apart, we will be united in spirit by the Spirit. Please let us know you’ve joined us online by filling out the “Wave” information. Also, you can use the “Wave” form to let us know your prayer requests, your praises, and how we might be of help to you. We would love to hear from you this week.

He is Risen!

In Him,

Pastor Tim

— APRIL 10, 2020 —

Good afternoon Lake Tapps:

Hard to believe it’s been 4 weeks without gathering in the building at the top of the hill, but as a brother texted me this week, “The building sits empty but the church lives on.”  And live on it does because the church is the body of Christ and, as we will be reminding ourselves this weekend, HE LIVES!

Trust that, as the body, we’re figuring out how to stay connected and love one another even though we’re apart.  For many of us, through video conferencing we’re back in the normal rhythms of meeting together throughout the week in our bible studies and small groups.  For those of you able to join us last Sunday night we even prayed together as a family.  Over 20 Zoom windows and about 40 people “in attendance.”  No wonder that when it came to thanksgiving we couldn’t help but thank God for the common grace shown us in the technology that allows us to be together though apart.

Tonight we’ll be gathering online for our annual Good Friday service.  Hope you’ll make time to join us, reflect with us, and worship with us.  If you plan on remembering the Lord through communion afterward, make sure you’ve prepared the elements in advance. And, all it takes to invite a friend is to send them a link to our website.  See you tonight, in a manner of speaking.

And on Sunday?  Well as some meme going around seeks to remind us, our building might be empty, but so is the tomb.  Might take a bit more effort to celebrate Easter this Sunday, but an effort well worth taking.  For our Lord IS risen, isn’t He?  Yes, He is risen indeed!  

And here’s a thought, if you have a paid Zoom account why not invite people to join you as you worship and then watch the sermon together.  Give folks your personal meeting room id and invite them to join you around 9:30 and then, just before 10:00, access the livestream and share your screen (including audio) with them.  And for those familiar with initiating a “watch party” on Facebook, you might “gather” there.  Whether on our website or directly via Facebook make sure to “wave” and let us know you’re with us.

Brothers, sisters, I can sincerely say I miss seeing you so much every week.  But I can also say sincerely that when I pause and think of you, and pray for you, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you” (Php. 1:3).

May our joy overflow this weekend as we remember our risen Lord and Savior.  

In Him

Pete

— APRIL 3, 2020 —

Dear Church Family,

To say these are strange times is almost cliché at this point and certainly an understatement. I am thankful for the solid rock foundation we stand on in Christ; everything else is shifting and sinking sand.

Two things I have learned (amongst many others) over these last few weeks:

• Work is a gift

• Isolation is not

God blessed Adam and Eve by giving them work: The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it (Gen. 2:15). I know we all enjoy vacation and don't always rejoice in going to work, but I am understanding more than ever that our work, even "secular" work, is a holy endeavor given to us by our Creator. There is fulfillment in it.

Not being in community with our extended family, friends, co-workers, and our church family just doesn't feel right. It's annoying. It's claustrophobic. That's because God is a community within Himself:  Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Creating us in His image (Gen. 1:26), we are hard-wired for community -- even those of us who are introverts. I pray I never take for granted a Sunday in the future when we are able to gather as God's redeemed people.

Many of us have still been "meeting" via Zoom or some other video conferencing tool. Though it's not as good as being in person, the technology is definitely a blessing. Instructions on how to access the Zoom meeting were sent out by e-mail on Friday. If you didn’t get the e-mail, on our web homepage there is a place to request that the access information be sent to you.

I was on a Zoom call with 86 people this past week and it actually worked. Evan will moderate for us, and we'll still be able to gather and take our requests before the Lord. We hope you will join us.

Also, let's continue worshiping together online via the livestream on the church website. Tim will be bringing a Palm Sunday message to us this week. Next week, on Good Friday, we will have a special service online in the evening. You won't want to miss it. 

As we enter this Holy Week, may we celebrate more than ever the steps of our Savior as He entered Jerusalem, took his final steps to the Cross on our behalf, and rose from the grave with power to defeat sin and death!

In Jesus,

Brian

— MARCH 27, 2020 —

Dear Church Family,

As Pete pointed out last week, whatever stresses you have in your life – they are certainly magnified by the Coronavirus. For so many, these really are stressful times. As Christians we don’t have to try and pretend that we are unaffected or live above it all. 

An important genre of literature in the Bible is “lament.” Lament in the Bible is where God’s people honestly cry out to the Lord and admit the reality of their situation. One book of the Bible is so characterized by lament that the book is called “Lamentations.” It was written by the prophet Jeremiah during a time of great stress and uncertainty in Judah, just prior to Judah going into exile in Babylon. In the book, Jeremiah pours out his heart to God and vividly expresses his anguish. Yet in the midst of his lament, he also expresses his confidence in God’s character. In Lamentations 3:22-24 we read, “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him.” (NLT). 

Jeremiah not only reminded himself of the character of God, but he experienced God’s presence even in the midst of severe suffering. In chapter 3:54-57 we read, “The water rose over my head, and I cried out, “This is the end!” But I called on your name, Lord, from deep within the pit. You heard me when I cried, “Listen to my pleading! Hear my cry for help!” Yes, you came when I called; you told me, “Do not fear.”

Take time to draw near to God. Take time to quiet your heart before Him and honestly share with Him the burdens on your heart. But as you do, like Jeremiah anchor yourself in the reality of God's character. Read through Lamentations (it’s only five chapters). The Lord is a God of unfailing love, who keeps His promises. Call on Him. Let Him speak the words “Do not fear” to your heart, through His Word, by the Spirit. I am praying that during these difficult times we will all grow deeper in our relationship with the Lord and come to love and trust Him more than ever before.

On a personal note, thank you so much for all your prayers for me. I am making good progress in my recovery. Last Friday, the drains in my leg were removed and yesterday a port was put in my chest. Lord willing, on Tuesday I will receive my first infusion of Opdivo, a fairly new drug for melanoma, that shows great promise. The plan is for me to receive Opdivo every two weeks for the next year. Please pray that I will tolerate the drug well and that it will keep the cancer from returning. 

Once again, this weekend we will meet as a church online. While we are not able to meet “face to face,” I am praying that we will be together “in Spirit.” Last Sunday morning, Sue and I prepared the Communion elements and had them on our coffee table. We gathered in front of our computer at 9:30. We prayed for the service, read the Scripture passage, sang along with the songs (with tears running down my cheeks – the songs were just what I needed!) At 10:00 AM we joined the “live stream” and listened to Pete’s great message. After the message we shared Communion together. It was a special time – made even more special knowing that so many others in our church family were entering into it with us. It is possible that some in our church family are not aware of our online service or don’t quite know how to engage with it. Please help us get the word out and encourage them to join us.

This week as we gather online, please don’t forget to “Wave” – let us know who is gathering with you. Also please use the “prayer request” field to let us know how we can be praying for you. 

The purposes of God are not being thwarted by this virus. The church is not a building, but the “called out”, redeemed, people of God. We are “ambassadors for Christ”, called to represent Him. To enable us in this great task, we have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit. We have an opportunity to represent Christ and “be the church” in new and exciting ways. As God uses you to “share the hope that you have,” please call me or send me an e-mail at tim@laketappscc.org. The other elders and I would love to know about it so we can be glad with you and join you in prayer.

In Christ’s Great Love,

Pastor Tim

— MARCH 20, 2020 —

Dear Church Family,

In Isaiah 41:13, the Lord told Israel, “I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your righthand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” The LORD who spoke those words hasn’t changed.  He is present with us and has promised to meet our needs.  While it is important to monitor the spread of the Coronavirus and seek to follow the guidelines issued by our government officials it is also vital that we stay in close fellowship with the LORD.  I encourage you to spend some time each day quieting your heart before the LORD, reading His Word and in prayer.  In Philippians 4:4-7, the Apostle Paul exhorted us to “Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christs Jesus.” This is a wonderful promise – may we claim it together, by faith.

We are in “uncharted territory” as a church family.  Please pray for wisdom for our elders and council members during these challenging days.  Our prayer is that we will honor and lift up the Lord Jesus Christ in all that we do.

We have made some great changes to our website.  During this time our website is more important than it has ever been – I encourage you to utilize it.  (www. laketappscc. org)This Sunday, we will again “livestream” our service from our website.  The message will begin at10:00 a. m.  but I encourage you to “start church” in your home in time to leverage the structure of our “Sunday Online” web page.  Take note of the announcements.  If you don’t have a musician in your family, use the music lyric videos provided on the page and worship in song together as a family (Note: The music videos no longer point to YouTube and their associated ads.  Reminder: The Scriptures say make a joyful noise unto the Lord, so don’t be shy about singing it out together).  Make sure you have time to read the day’s Scripture reading together before going to the livestream.  And afterwards, take some time to remember the Lord in communion and talk through some of the sermon questions.

Also, please use the “Prayer Request” button and the “Contact Page” to let us know of any needs you might have and how we can pray for you and to provide any input/feedback you might have for us.

During this time when we are not able to meet face to face, I encourage you to also check in on folks in our church family by phone.  If someone has a need you are not able to meet, please let us know.

In Christ’s Great Love,

Pastor Tim

— MARCH 13, 2020 —

Dear Church Family,

This morning at our elders meeting, we prayerfully made the hard decision to suspend gathering at LTCC until further notice.  We are convinced the concern around the spread of the COVID-19 is real and that we need to support those in authority, and the experts who are counselling them, in doing our part to try and stem the tide of its spread.  As you know, the World Health Organization has identified the spread of this coronavirus as a pandemic and urging drastic
measures towards “social distancing” and stringent regulations for those gathering in groups.

Having said that, while we will not be meeting this Sunday morning at the building we call Lake Tapps Community Church, we will still be gathering as the church, the body of Christ, the family of God, known as Lake Tapps Community Church.

Lord willing, our plan is to have the technology in place to stream a message from Pastor Tim at 10:00 a.m.  on our website.  And our desire is that, while we won’t meet as the whole church, we will meet in smaller groups on Sunday morning for worship and fellowship, more like the house churches in Acts (Acts 2:46-47, 5:42).  To that end, we will have a web page live with some guidance on how you might think about gathering as a small group.  (We hope to have the web page up by noon tomorrow and will send out another email with the link to it when it’s live).

So, here’s how we’d recommend you think about gathering this Sunday morning:

• If you’re already part of a small group, gather as a small group on Sunday morning.  If you’re not part of group currently, think about two or three other couples or families you could invite over to “do church” with.

• The guidance being given is that groups of less than ten people can meet together with minimal risk, provided that:

  • no one present is sick (fever, cold symptoms) or has any reason to think they have been exposed to the virus,

  • shared surfaces are disinfected before and after the meeting,

  • everyone washes their hands thoroughly (more than 20 seconds) upon arrival and upon returning to their home,

  • food and drink (think Communion) are served individually, and

  • as much distance as possible is maintained between members of different households and their belongings.

• Think about meeting at 9:30 or 9:45 to prepare yourselves for the message.  The website will have a welcome, some announcements, a place to let us know you’re gathering, and some worship music (if you don’t have a musician already in your group).  Come together with the intent of being the church and doing what the church does.

• After the message, we’d encourage you to be thinking about observing the Lord’s Supper together.  If that’s something you and your group want to do, make sure to be prepared in advance with juice and some form of bread. (There will be more information on observing Communion as a small group on the web page).

• Also, we’ll have a couple of sermon questions on the page that you might talk through and encourage one another with.

• The web page will have a link for online giving if you’d rather not mail your offering into the church office.  As well, there will be a link for submitting prayer requests so we can continue to pray for one another.

For many of us, this is our first encounter with a bona fide “natural disaster” and this unprecedented response might be somewhat unsettling.  Know that we are not panicking but believe we are being prudent. Not thinking about how we can sequester ourselves, but how we can be light and salt in a world that desperately needs light and salt.  Responding in this manner because we believe it:

• honors those who God has placed in authority for such a time as this as “God’s servant for our good” (Romans 13:4, 1 Peter 2:13-17)

• is a way of loving one another as we consider and care for those among us who are at risk and, as a way of loving our community by doing our part to slow the spread of the coronavirus (Galatians 6:10).

We believe we have an unprecedented opportunity to be the church.  Not defined by a physical building but by gospel community through Christian fellowship.  We’d encourage you to use this an opportunity to lean into one another and care for one another.

It’s also an unprecedented opportunity to be ambassadors for of the Kingdom of Heaven.  Life’s uncertainty and man’s mortality are clearly in the spotlight these days.  During this time of widespread stress and fear, let’s love those in our community well and be “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15).

Look forward to our gathering – though in a different manner – on Sunday.