The Good Fight of Faith + Sunday Morning Resources

TCC • July 23, 2021

As I walk out my door each morning, I stop to look at two items we placed there when I began this cancer treatment classroom. Here is a photo. One is a set of red boxing gloves. These represent the constant reminder that I’m going to fight the good fight of faith. The opposite would be to be ruled by fear. Last week, I was reminded that the Bible says, “DO NOT FEAR” over 365 times. I want to get to the end of this journey knowing that even though it’s been difficult and challenging, that I lived each day with faith as I fight this fight.


The second item is a cross with a Bible verse inscribed on it. Here’s what it says in Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all this through Christ who strengthens me.” This verse reminds me of my friend Don and his journey through cancer. He had a phobia of being confined in the CT tube to get his scan, so he asked me to come with him and his wife, Linda, to pray for him. We prayed for him, and he received the strength of Jesus to get the scans he needed. I think of the courage of my friend a lot as I enter this classroom daily. It’s a difficult place to be, but Jesus has promised to be with me in a very tangible way to hold me and even carry me when I’m weak, just as He was there for Don.


Today is my last radiation treatment. I met with my radiation oncologist, and he told me that the next two weeks will still be challenging and to take heart because I should be mostly recovered in four weeks. I look forward to that so much. However, please keep me in your prayers because there are still problems that could arise. I am experiencing neuropathy in my right leg from the chemo, which is a concern. 


I’m so grateful for all of you who have shared this classroom with me. Your prayers, words of encouragement, cards, and acts of service have boosted my spirits. Thank you. I love you. 


Our next BAPTISM will be on August 22. It’s a great time to go public for Jesus as you take this step of identification and intimacy with Him. Last Sunday, we heard a great testimony from Dawn Simmons of the power of baptism in her journey to grow in her faith. If you’ve never been baptized after you said “YES” to Jesus, please pray about this opportunity for you. Check it out and register on our website.


GROWTH PATH is August 22. We’ve mentioned that over 40 families have moved out of Nevada County since COVID began. We will miss these people immensely. At the same time, several families have discovered Twin Cities and have started regularly attending either in-person or online. Growth Path is a great time to find out more about our church and how you can fit in here. We all need a place where we can know and be known, love and be loved, serve and be served, and celebrate and be celebrated. I hope you’ll go to our website and register to attend the class that fits you best. 


Sunday, we will begin a section of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus begins to talk about our vertical relationship with God. The past couple of weeks, we’ve looked at His ethical teaching about how to treat one another with love, and now He begins to challenge us with our hearts toward God. This week we will listen as Jesus talks about Following the Way of Authenticity. He helps us realize that God wants more than our outward expressions of worship. He wants our hearts as well. He wants our outer actions to be integrated with our hearts. 


Here are the links you’ll need to be fully prepared for Sunday’s Service:


   

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

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Secure in the Spirit + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • September 12, 2025
Last week, we saw how Jesus’ ministry began with the Father’s blessing and identity spoken over Him . But what came next? Rejection, criticism, and pressure to compromise or conform at every turn. How did Jesus stand strong when others doubted, opposed, or even tried to silence Him ? He was secure in His Father’s love and empowered by the Holy Spirit. This Sunday, we’ll look at what it means to live with that same Spirit-filled confidence, rooted in God’s voice and empowered by His presence, not the world’s opinions. 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 See you Sunday.

Let’s Take a Walk With Jesus + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • September 5, 2025
This Sunday we’re kicking off a new series, Walking With Jesus . Together, we’ll journey through Luke’s Gospel and learn how Jesus stayed rooted in the Father’s love, stood firm against pressure, and never lost sight of what mattered most. Our journey will begin where His public ministry began, grounded in identity, love, and blessing from the Father. That secure foundation shaped everything Jesus did, and it’s the same foundation we desperately need today. I hope you’ll join us as we take the first step in Walking With Jesus . 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 See you Sunday.

Don’t Just Go to Church — Be the Church + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • August 29, 2025
It’s so easy to think of church as a place we go for 70 minutes on Sunday. But Jesus had something far bigger in mind. The church isn’t a building or a service; it’s people. WE are the church. We comprise this brand-new movement that Jesus came to start and it’s a movement that moves beyond a building and permeates every area in our community. When you step into your school, workplace, neighborhood, or family, you bring the presence of Jesus with you.  This Sunday we’ll wrap up our Brand: New series by exploring what it means to live as the church everywhere we go and how each of us has a unique role to play in God’s mission. 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 See you Sunday.

The Way Up is Down + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • August 22, 2025
Have you ever noticed how the world works? The ones on top call the shots, set the rules, and expect others to fall in line. And deep down, we tend to think that’s how change happens, by overpowering those who oppose us. Jesus had a different idea. He looked His disciples in the eye and said, “Not so with you.” True leadership isn’t about getting your way; it’s about giving yourself away. This Sunday, we’ll explore what it means to lead, serve, and live in a way that flips the world’s expectations upside down. Take the Next Step: If you’re ready to go deeper in your relationship with Jesus and connect more with our church community, join us after 2nd service for Growth Path classes. This is your chance to learn, grow, and discover how you can make a difference where you are. Click here to learn more. 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 See you Sunday.

What Does Love Require of Me? + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • August 15, 2025
This week we continue our Brand: New series with a question that can reshape every relationship, every decision, and every interaction you have: What does love require of me? Jesus replaced rule-keeping religion with something far simpler, yet far more demanding. He taught that our devotion to God is best demonstrated by the way we treat the people around us, especially those who are hardest to love. Join us Sunday as we explore how to live out this radical, world-changing way of love. Then, join us Sunday afternoon from 4:00-7:30 for our annual Picnic at the Park & Baptisms at Pioneer Park in Nevada City. Our cooking team will be grilling chicken and hot dogs for everyone. We just ask that you bring either an app, salad, or dessert to share. Then at 7:00 we’ll head over to the Pioneer Park pool to cheer on those taking the next step in their faith journey through baptism. You can find out more details about the picnic and baptisms here . 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 See you Sunday.

What’s Love Got to Do With It? + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • August 8, 2025
This weekend, we continue our series Brand: Ne w with a look at how Jesus launched a movement unlike anything the world had seen before. The night before His crucifixion, Jesus gave a defining command: "Love one another... By this, everyone will know that you are My disciples." John 13:34–35 This wasn’t just another rule — it was the foundation of a brand-new way of living. Early believers embraced this wholeheartedly, building a community marked by generosity, grace, and sacrificial love that even the unbelieving world couldn’t ignore. But over time, the Church drifted back toward an old, rule-based, temple-model mindset — sacred places, sacred people, sacred texts in the hands of a select few. Power replaced love, belief trumped behavior, and this simple command of Jesus got buried under layers of religion. This Sunday, we’ll explore how we can reject the temple model in our own lives and return to the movement Jesus intended, one where relationship replaces religion, love outweighs law, and people matter more than places. 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 See you Sunday.

Brand: New – Why the Old Way No Longer Works + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • August 1, 2025
This weekend, we’re continuing our Brand: New series by looking at why the “Temple Model” of religion, with all its rules, rituals, and spiritual scorecards, is incompatible with the brand-new covenant of grace Jesus came to give us. Paul says it best in Galatians 5: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. ” But for many of us, letting go of old ways of earning God’s love feels almost impossible. We like the idea of grace… but we still want to “pay what we can.” This Sunday, we’ll see why Jesus’ new covenant isn’t just an upgrade to the old system. It’s a completely different way of life. Bring a friend and join us as we discover how freeing and powerful this brand-new movement really is. 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 See you Sunday.

The Benefit of Doubt and a Chance to Make a Difference + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • July 18, 2025
This Sunday, we wrap up our Beyond Doubt series, not because the questions have run out, but because they never will. Doubt isn’t a detour from faith; it’s part of the path. So we’ll end where we began: exploring how our honest questions can actually lead to deeper trust in God. We’ll look at one of the psalms of lament and discover how engaging our doubts can strengthen a resilient, grounded faith. Also, don’t forget that our Hope for Nevada County Backpack Giveaway is just one week away! We’re excited to bless local families with the tools their kids need to start school strong, but we’re still in need of several key supplies: • 1" binders • 70-page spiral notebooks • Pencils (both regular and mechanical) • Colored pencils • Glue sticks • Scissors • Highlighters Please choose one or more items, purchase multiples of them and bring them with you to church on Sunday or have them shipped directly to the church. Click here to find out more about the event. Thank you for being a church that shows up for our community in real, practical ways. 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 See you Sunday.

Living on a Prayer + Sunday Morning Resources

By TCC • July 11, 2025
Prayer. It’s something many of us struggle with and long to understand better. What is it really for? Does it actually change anything? And how do we pray when we’re not sure what to say? This Sunday, as part of our Beyond Doubt series, I’ll be joined by Pastor Dan Prout, who heads the California Prayer Coalition. Dan has spent decades leading prayer efforts in our region and across the state, and I can’t think of a better guide to help us wrestle with some of our biggest questions about prayer, including, “Does prayer change God’s mind?” and “If God already knows what’s going to happen, why should we pray at all?” I hope you’ll join us for this honest, encouraging, and practical conversation. And if it leaves you wanting more, Dan will also be leading this week’s Grow University session to help you take the next step in your prayer life. Click here for details on that midweek conversation. Finally, we are two weeks away from Hope for Nevada County, our countywide back-to-school effort to help struggling families prepare for the start of the school year. We have all the backpacks, but what we really need are back-to-school supplies to fill those backpacks: pencils, mechanical pencils, glue sticks, binder paper, pens, 2-pocket folders, 1" binders, 70-page spiral notebooks, colored markers or pencils, scissors, dry erase markers, and highlighters. You can purchase multiples of one of these items and drop them off at church by Sunday, July 20 or just have them shipped directly to the church. Click here to find out more about the event. 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 See you Sunday.
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