Giving Thanks In All Circumstances

TCC • November 26, 2020

I’m thankful for you. Did you know that you are a blessing to me? Each of you in your own way add meaning and joy to my life. Kim and I just prepared a Thanksgiving video for you that I hope you have watched. If not, we hope you will watch it soon because we talked about the power of gratitude that helps us lift our eyes off the difficulties of life that can cause us to grumble.

We shared a concept from a book by neurologist Rick Hansen where he describes our brains as either Velcro or Teflon. Our natural tendency (we all have this) is for negative experiences, thoughts, words and actions to stick like Velcro to our brains. They’re hard to get unstuck. On the other hand, the positive or good events of our lives slip off our brains like an egg does in a frying pan coated with Teflon. Therefore, we have to act forcefully to pull the negative thoughts from our brains and at the same time purposefully act to stop the positive thoughts from slipping right out of our memories after we experience them.

Gratitude is the key to doing both. As I focus on the good, the bad is released. As I focus on the good, I can slow its departure from my brain and hopefully even lodge it there. Wow, that’s a lot of head stuff, and God didn’t leave us with just information about gratitude… He shows us how to make it work. In 1 Thessalonians 5 we find one of the key biblical commands concerning gratitude. Paul wrote, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” I love that verse, but it’s not easy to live out in our daily lives – especially in this COVID logjam we’ve been stuck in since March.

I want to invite you to join me on a 30-day gratitude challenge beginning today, Thanksgiving, and ending on Christmas day. My plan is to spend five minutes each morning and five minutes each evening for the next 30 days expressing my gratitude to God for His blessings in my life. Since gratitude is the seedbed for joy, I want to plant as many seeds as possible and hopefully reap the benefits of expressing gratitude for 30 days. I want to begin the practice of unsticking the negative thoughts and making the positive ones stick through expressing gratitude.

Will you join me in this 30-day gratitude experiment? Here are a couple of suggestions on how to make this work for you and your family. Use a journal that you dedicate as your gratitude journal. Use a daily/monthly planner and write what you’re thankful for. Use a gratitude jar – a mason jar works great – and place it on your table with scraps of paper so the entire family can join in on this gratitude adventure. Whatever you do, make sure it’s simple and easy and memorable. Maybe it would help you, and others, if you posted your gratitude to your social media platform.

After Christmas, I’ll ask you if the gratitude experiment made a difference in your attitude, joy, contentment, peace, and overall satisfaction. Let’s increase our joy together. Just make sure that when you post about gratitude that you use #TCC30DayGratitudeExperiment. Gratitude reminds us of how we’ve been blessed and generates the emotional inertia to bless others.

I hope you’ll go to our website and look at our Holiday Serve Opportunities to see how you can bless others during this holiday season. You’ll discover how you can bless a family by making a Christmas basket. You can bless an At-Risk Student by filling a Christmas stocking. You can serve your neighbors through intentional acts of kindness. You can donate to help Interfaith Food Ministry supply meals to resource-challenged families. You can give generously to our annual Year-End Gift fund so that our church is prepared to pivot to meet new needs in the upcoming year. Whatever you do, your generosity will allow God to be seen through your actions as you spread the love of Jesus to our community.

We begin Advent this Sunday. I’m so thrilled at this opportunity to walk through this tradition with you. When we tap into the meaningful expressions handed down through the generations, we are reminded that God is faithful to His people to deliver His message of hope and love to the world. We will begin our Advent series which is called “A Messy Christmas,” to acknowledge the mess we’re experiencing together in this COVID-19 Christmas season.

Our young families are entering into this experience through the Advent Family Wreath craft. We had planned on having this as an onsite activity, but we’ve now moved it to an "At Home" event. Please call our Children’s Ministry staff at the church office, and they’ll be glad to serve you by making your own at-home Advent kit.

During this time when it’s impossible for us to be on campus together, please make sure to stay engaged online. Let me encourage you to keep your Sunday rhythms by watching the service live at either 9:00 or 11:00am. I believe that will help you stay disciplined as we walk this road of COVID restrictions together.

If you need, you can watch the current service or any archived service on demand any time you want right from our website or APP. Here’s an idea: When you’re watching online, please invite your friends to join you. If you haven’t downloaded the TCC APP, just go to the APP store and search for TCC GRASS VALLEY and download it today. You can watch the service right from your device.

Joyfully living everyday life on mission in intimacy with Jesus and others, 

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Welcome to the Resistance + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • April 4, 2025

This weekend, we wrap up our study through Ephesians with a powerful call to stand firm in our God-given identity. Throughout this letter, Paul has reminded us that we are not meant to be shaped by the world around us. Just as the Ephesian believers faced immense pressure to conform — socially, politically, ethically, and spiritually — we, too, are constantly tempted to fit into the mold of our culture. But Paul’s message is clear: Don’t give in. Don’t be shaped by the world. Stand firm IN CHRIST. Join us this Sunday as we embrace our role in God’s quiet, subversive revolution. We’re also in a special season of investing in the future — both here at Twin Cities and in Uganda. This is a unique opportunity to strengthen our church home while helping build a new church for our partners in Uganda. Click here to learn how you can help make a lasting impact. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry Looking forward to seeing you Sunday!

Power Play + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • March 28, 2025

Last weekend, it was such a joy watching Ron and Kim unpack Paul’s exhortations to husbands and wives. But marriage is only one of the relationships that Paul addresses in Ephesians. He also speaks about the dynamics between parents and children as well as the first century version of employers and employees. However, rather than just providing some tips on how to be a better parent, employer, or spouse , we are going to dig beneath the surface to the underlying power dynamics that often make relationships so contentious. And we will discover that what Paul is offering us is far more than some tips for a better marriage. He’s actually offering a radically different vision for how to approach every relationship. I can’t wait to explore this incredibly rich and relevant topic with you this Sunday. We’re also in a special season of investing in the future — both here at Twin Cities and in Uganda. This is a unique opportunity to strengthen our church home while helping build a new church for our partners in Uganda. Click here to learn how you can help make a lasting impact. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry Looking forward to seeing you Sunday!

The Spirit of Marriage + An Exciting Opportunity! + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • March 21, 2025

This Sunday is going to be an exciting one. Our founding couple, Ron and Kim Thompson, will be unpacking Paul’s words about how to honor Christ and support one another in marriage. Whether you’re married, single, or somewhere in between, this message will be deeply relevant and will help us grapple with what it means to live as Children of God within relationship with other imperfect image bearers. You won’t want to miss it! Investing in Our Future We’re in an exciting season of growth — both here at Twin Cities and in Uganda. As I shared last weekend, our church home needs a few critical updates, and we also have the opportunity to help build a new home for a sister church in Uganda. We’d love for you to be part of this lasting impact. Click here to learn how you can invest in the future. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry In His grip,

Appetite for Destruction + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • March 7, 2025

Have you ever felt the pull of old habits, the struggle between who you were and who God is calling you to be? As we continue our study through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he will challenge us to leave behind our former way of life and embrace our true identity in Christ. This weekend, we will explore the destructive nature of sin – the way it deadens our sensitivity and hinders us from ever finding true satisfaction. Thankfully, there’s hope! True transformation and freedom are possible if we will allow the Holy Spirit to help us clean house. Our lives depend on it. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry In His grip,

Gifted and Equipped — What’s Your Role? + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • February 28, 2025

As we step into the second half of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, the focus shifts from who we are in Christ to how we are called to live in light of that truth. This Sunday, we’ll explore what it means to be gifted and equipped by the Holy Spirit — not just for our own benefit, but for the strengthening of the Church. Each of us has been entrusted with spiritual gifts, uniquely intended to build up the body of Christ. But if we don’t recognize or use them, we miss out on the part God has called us to play in being the body of Christ. What are spiritual gifts really for? How do we discover them? And what does it look like when we fully embrace them as a church? Join us as we dig into Ephesians 4 and uncover how we can step into the fullness of God’s calling. Also, a quick reminder — Grow University begins next week! If you're looking for a way to get more connected and discover how God has uniquely shaped you, this is your next step. Click here to learn more or to sign up. Looking forward to diving into this together! Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry In His grip,

Embodying the Fullness of God + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • February 21, 2025

As we reach the midpoint of our journey through Ephesians, we come to a pivotal transition. Paul has reminded us that we are deeply rooted in God’s love — but what does that mean for how we live ? This Sunday, we’ll explore what it truly means to embody the fullness of God — not just as individuals, but as a church. We are called to be more than attendees; we are the dwelling place of His Spirit, sent to reflect His heart in the world. This conversation will challenge the way we define success as a church. If we truly are the body of Christ, how do we measure whether we’re living out that calling? Hint: it’s not about counting attendance or the quality of our programs. Below, you’ll find resources to help you prepare your heart and mind for this weekend. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry In His grip,

Resting in the Father’s Love + An Opportunity to Serve

By TCC • February 14, 2025

Over the last couple of weekends, we have been exploring the good news that, in Christ, God has broken down every dividing wall to create one united family. Though we may come from different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, God weaves us together into a beautiful mosaic — His Church. Yet, many of us struggle to believe that we truly belong. We carry doubts about our worthiness, shaped by our past, our insecurities, and even our earthly relationships. This week, we’ll explore Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21, where he prays that we might not only know, but rest in the overwhelming love of our Heavenly Father. By the way, you don’t have to go halfway around the world to make a difference. Next Thursday, a group from TCC will be heading down to Convoy of Hope’s facility in Sacramento to help pack up a shipment of supplies to help those impacted by the fires in SoCal. If you’re interested in participating, please contact Kathy Arnoldi for more details. We look forward to seeing you this Sunday! Below, you’ll find resources to help you prepare your heart and mind for this weekend. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry In His grip of grace,

Embracing Grace + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • February 7, 2025

As we continue our study of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, we will continue to unpack the transformative power of grace, both on our identities and our community. Pastor Mark will help us see that the amazing grace of God doesn’t just save us, but shapes every aspect of our lives. We will also celebrate communion together as a church family. Below, you’ll find resources to help you prepare your heart and mind for this weekend. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry In His grace,

The Great Leveling + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • January 31, 2025

Last week, we explored how God’s amazing grace transforms our relationship with Him. This week, we’ll see how it also changes the way we relate to one another. As we dive into the second half of Ephesians 2, we’ll discover that God’s grace is the great equalizer that levels the playing field for all of us, no matter our background. In addition, we’ll be celebrating baptisms in both services this Sunday. If you're ready to make a public declaration of your faith, come prepared to be baptized — just arrive 30 minutes before service to get a t-shirt and a brief orientation. Whether you're being baptized or coming to celebrate the public declarations of your new brothers and sisters in Christ, it’s going to be an exciting and powerful Sunday that you won’t want to miss! Below, you’ll find resources to help you prepare your heart and mind for this weekend. I look forward to worshipping with you! Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry In His grace,