March 2010 March 2010 Pastor Mark: Work in His strength and wait for His timing! Team Impact: Sharing the Love of God Until the whole world hears: Be a blessing—get a blessing! Team Outreach What am I going to do? Labor for your neighbor: Convoy of Hope Outreach Day Just around the corner: This month @ DC3 This month; Desert Cross is “Reaching out, Touching lives and Changing this World” His hands, his feet His hands, his feet to a hurting world! to a hurting world!
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Transcript
March 2010March 2010
Pastor Mark:
Work in His strength and wait for His timing!
Team Impact:
Sharing the Love of God
Until the whole world hears:
Be a blessing—get a blessing!
Team Outreach
What am I going to do?
Labor for your neighbor:
Convoy of Hope Outreach Day
Just around the corner:
This month @ DC3
This month;
Desert Cross is
“Reaching out, Touching lives and Changing this World”
His hands, his feetHis hands, his feet
to a hurting world!to a hurting world!
Page 2
Our beginning. . .
Desert Cross has a rich heritage and long standing tradition. What is today Desert Cross was once known as Phoenix Japanese Free Methodist Church. This all began in 1929 when Mr. Kiichi Sagawa
came to a life changing faith in Jesus Christ and began a Sunday School in his home in Tolleson. That Sunday School was later relocated to the Japanese Language School on the corner of 43rd Avenue and
Indian School Road.
In 1932 the church was officially organized and dedicated on May 8, with Rev. J. A. Kashitani who served as our first pastor. Our present sanctuary was built in 1964 on land that was donated by Mr. Kiichi
Sagawa. The original buildings were moved from their original locations and placed on our current church property.
As time moved forward the world around the church was changing and now Phoenix Japanese Free
Methodist Church was changing too. In 2007 the name of the church was changed from Phoenix Japa-nese Free Methodist Church to Desert Cross Community Church. This new name is more reflective of
the wonderful diversity of the family we know and enjoy at Desert Cross.
Today we are a multi-generational, multi-ethnic church family. We are a church family with a wonderful past, and a promising future. Come join us as we work together to advance the Kingdom of God into the
lives of many people.
Welcome Home!
Come join us this Sunday @ 10AM for exciting worship, great bible teaching
in a warm family atmosphere.
Bring the kids—there’s something for everyone!
Desert Cross Community Church 4143 N 43rd Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85301
602-278-0917 www.dc3fmc.org
Do you long for the day when you see our loved ones turn to Jesus?
We all do. There’s a longing in all of our hearts for things to be the way
we know they should be. What’s odd is we really don’t know how we
know this; we just know things were meant to be right. There is a deep
place in our spirit that remembers back to a time when we were in face
to face communion with God. We all long in our spirit for what we lost
in the Garden; spiritual reality. And until we find it, we search in all the
wrong places.
As a church we have been preparing for two outreach events; Matsuri – A Festival of
Japan and Convoy of Hope. They both took place on the last weekend in February. Convoy
was focused on the people struggling in this current economy, who live in the area sur-
rounding a local college. Matsuri was a community event, with people traveling from all
over the Phoenix area to enjoy the sights, sounds and great food.
And while these events were very different, they had a single common denominator;
people who were searching for spiritual reality. Longing for love, hope and lasting peace.
They were searching for God and we wanted to help them find their way to Him. We spoke
to so many across the course of the weekend. Honestly, it became tiring after a while. Jesus
understands the weariness that comes with ministry; he grew tired in the process of loving
people just like we do. I take comfort in knowing he knows our weaknesses. He knows us.
Jesus wants to do and accomplish so much through us. He gave us His Holy Spirit to
empower us to get it accomplished. But, do you ever wonder “When will it happen?” It is so
easy to desire results, but Jesus focused on people and pleasing the heart of his father. He
spoke to all who would listen, but Jesus left the results up to His father. He moved in the
strength and timing of God. We should too. The Apostle Paul said it this way, “So let’s not
get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we
don’t give up.” Paul gives us the synergy of evangelism; If we don’t give up – our part - at
the right time – that’s getting into alignment with God’s timing. That’s the real key to it all.
We have the privilege of sharing how Jesus has changed our lives with those who will
hear us. When the timing is right, the seed of the gospel will take root and grow. Be encour-
aged; God is at work in hearts and lives. Stay faithful. Wait for His timing.
As we do our part, God will bring in the harvest in His time!
Pastor Mark
Work in His strength and wait for His timing!
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You know you can listen to a podcast of all Pastor Mark’s weekly teaching, right?
Did you know that soon we will offer video podcasting?
Keep your eyes on www.dc3fmc.org
Team Impact — Children & Youth Ministry
God’s Love is Amazing!
In February, Team Impact has been learning about the love of God and about sharing
that Love with others. Several of the volunteers in Team Impact were able to be a part of
an incredible outreach opportunity last month called Convoy of Hope. Through this event,
we were able to pray with many people about many different needs. As a result of the event
as a whole, 135 adults and 109 children accepted Christ into their lives. Praise God!
That is what sharing the love of God is all about! In the future we hope and pray that Team
Impact can have part in more outreach events like this.
We are also excited about Easter approaching. In addition to the adult Easter musical, the
kids in Team Impact are preparing to share in song as well. We hope you will all join us for
this time of worship through music.
There is always plenty going on in Team Impact and we are so excited for all He is doing!
Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we seek and follow God’s will for the ministry
Convoy of Hope gave us the opportunity to be a blessing to others by helping to Convoy of Hope gave us the opportunity to be a blessing to others by helping to
meet their spiritual and physical needs.meet their spiritual and physical needs. For those of you who don’t know, Convoy of For those of you who don’t know, Convoy of
Hope is an outreach ministry that helps people with their physical needs. Typically Hope is an outreach ministry that helps people with their physical needs. Typically
they step in and help communities with somethey step in and help communities with some of life's basic needs such as community of life's basic needs such as community
services, health and vision screening as well as groceries and many other much services, health and vision screening as well as groceries and many other much
needed services. This all provided free of charge inneeded services. This all provided free of charge in an effort to extend the love of an effort to extend the love of
Jesus to a hurting world. Jesus to a hurting world.
Some us here at Desert Cross had the awesomeSome us here at Desert Cross had the awesome privilege of serving the privilege of serving the
community in the prayer tent at Convoy of Hope. Guests from the community who community in the prayer tent at Convoy of Hope. Guests from the community who
attended passed through the prayer tent on their way to pick up their groceries. We attended passed through the prayer tent on their way to pick up their groceries. We
were privileged towere privileged to pray with many people that day. There where more than 100 pray with many people that day. There where more than 100
guests who made a profession of faith that day. It was an awesome time where we guests who made a profession of faith that day. It was an awesome time where we
got to see God not only touch their lives, but ours as well. I know some of you wanted got to see God not only touch their lives, but ours as well. I know some of you wanted
to come but couldn’t make it. Well the good news is you still can still help. to come but couldn’t make it. Well the good news is you still can still help.
A lot of times we think that conversion is the end of salvation but in reality is only A lot of times we think that conversion is the end of salvation but in reality is only
the beginning of our walk with Christ. Don’t get me wrong, we are saved the moment the beginning of our walk with Christ. Don’t get me wrong, we are saved the moment
we put our faith in Christ's finished work on the cross and nothing we do can add to we put our faith in Christ's finished work on the cross and nothing we do can add to
that. It is only by the blood of Christ that we are saved. We are saved for more than that. It is only by the blood of Christ that we are saved. We are saved for more than
just heaven, although that is a big part of it. just heaven, although that is a big part of it.
We are called to be holy. (For I am holy 1 Pt 1:16) That simply means that we are We are called to be holy. (For I am holy 1 Pt 1:16) That simply means that we are
set apart. That is to say thatset apart. That is to say that we are different than the world in the way we think and we are different than the world in the way we think and
act.act. We are set apart to serve God. We are not on this journey alone We are set apart to serve God. We are not on this journey alone 24 And let us 24 And let us
consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not
give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one
anotheranother——and all the more as you see the Day approaching.and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10; 24, 25) (Hebrews 10; 24, 25)
The author of Hebrews reminds us that we need to be there for each other The author of Hebrews reminds us that we need to be there for each other
encouraging one other to grow in Christ. encouraging one other to grow in Christ.
So if you see someone this coming Sunday who had an encounter with God at So if you see someone this coming Sunday who had an encounter with God at
Convoy or any place on their earthly walkConvoy or any place on their earthly walk treat them as family. Let us as a church treat them as family. Let us as a church
help them to mature in their walk with Christ. Let them know we are here for them as help them to mature in their walk with Christ. Let them know we are here for them as
their family of believers in Christ. their family of believers in Christ.