Oside Update: Decemeber 2014

Greetings from Oceanside! This is definitely feeling like home now and we are all beginning to establish some deep relationships with the people who are part of our daily lives. With that being said, these last couple of months have taught us all what it means to be present. It’s about listening and being available to both people and the Holy Spirit. This, in turn, lets us enter into relationships where we have access to a person’s life and they in ours, while combining all that goes with it. Being present is also about learning from the places you clearly see God at work in people’s lives. But you only notice this when you live life in close relationship to others. 

The family is doing well. Here is a small snapshot of what’s going on in our world. Trent has many classmates in our neighborhood and is being invited to birthday parties and to hangout after school. Most afternoons you’ll find him riding his skateboard around the neighborhood and pulling off the sickest moves. Taralyn went to her first school dance, when she attended the Homecoming Dance at Vista High School. The girls from the water polo team have really welcomed her and many of them have become good friends. The girl’s high school water polo season has just begun. Her team is looking to do well in Division 1. Just a little side note: I’ve heard a couple people ask the question, which city do you live in, because you say Oceanside and your kids go to Vista schools? The eastern edge of Oceanside, which we live in, falls under the Vista Unified School District. So that’s why our kids are in Vista city schools. Trevor is wrapping up his first semester at California Baptist University in Riverside and are we looking forward to spending some time with him over the Christmas Break. Krystal has been busy making cards and expanding her stamping business. She has used it as an outreach opportunity by inviting women over that she has met. They make cards while getting to know each other. Scott had the opportunity to go back to Michigan to attend the Bast Preaching Festival (picture below is Scott with Eugene Peterson) at Western Theological Seminary and be part of a yearlong peer group exploring what it means to “dwell” or live in the scripture. He also meets each week with the local surfers who surf the Oceanside Pier. Many of them are business owners along PCH and church leaders in the North County San Diego area. This along with refereeing high school water polo gives him many opportunities to meet people in the community. 

For the past six months we have been helping with Infusion Church San Marcos church plant. After the New Year we will begin gathering people to begin Infusion Church Oceanside. This will include expanding our Wednesday night small group, putting on events such as block parties, open houses and outreaches to our neighborhood and community, with a Sunday gathering to follow. We have some vision regarding the next steps in the process and would invite you to join us in prayer, as we try to faithfully follow God in the work he has already begun in Oceanside.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support. If you feel God calling you to join us in this endeavor, give us a call. We’re pretty good at packing. Thanks again.

May the blessing of God, 

the giver of every good and perfect gift; 

and of Christ, 

who summons us to service; 

and of the Holy Spirit, 

who inspires generosity and love, 

be with us all. Amen.