Weekly Update 6-22-2024

June 22, 2024

Hello Grace Vineyard Family and Friends!

It’s Saturday evening, so if I’m gonna send you an update email this week, I better hop to it!

What a beautiful day today was.  Many of us gathered for the wedding of Chris and Paola.  Congratulations to you!!  It was such a special celebration, and filled my heart with joy to see how our community came together to create a beautiful wedding for our dear sister and brother.

As most of you will remember, I was traveling last week.  I went to the Vineyard USA National Conference in Denver Colorado.  The conference began on Monday, but I flew out on Saturday so I could spend time with my mom and sister (well, technically my “step”-mom and sister, but they joined our family over 32 years ago after my first mom passed away, so I just know them as mom and sister).  It was a great week.  Great spending time with family, and great spending time with our extended Vineyard Family.  I wish you could have been there with me.  Vineyard USA is currently doing our national conferences in 2 locations – East and West – so there’s going to be another essentially duplicate conference in Cincinnati in July, and that one will be livestreamed, so some of  you might want join us in.  This year is the 50th anniversary of the very first Vineyard church service, so it was very special conference with some wonderful times of remembering and celebrating our history (especially our heritage of intimate worship).  I got home Friday night, and have had a very full weekend, hence the lateness of this email.

Last Sunday’s Father’s Day Message

Last Sunday was Father’s Day, and in my absence our faithful assistant pastor Steve Rogers brought the message he titled “The Strength of a Father”.  If you missed it, or just wanted to see it again or share it with a friend, we just uploaded it to YouTube.  You can watch it here:

This Sunday – The Message of 1 Thessalonians

We’ve been studying the message of 1 Thessalonians the last 2 Sundays that I was with you.  This weekend we’ll continue where we left off and get into the 3rd chapter.  I know it’s late, but if you can find 5 minutes or so, I’d recommend you read chapter 3 in preparation for tomorrow.  Paul is reviewing with the Thessalonians their recent history and why he sent Timothy to them.  They were suffering some pretty substantial persecution, and Paul was quite worried that it might be just too much for them – that they might not remain faithful to the end. So, Paul had sent his very faithful co-worker, young Timothy, to strengthen and encourage them in their faith.  As you read it, you’ll see that there was some kind of synergy that took place with both faith and love working to strengthen and encourage these new Jesus Followers.  We too face various trials and tribulations as we follow Jesus in this life, and we need to be continually strengthened and encouraged in our faith and love to stay faithful to the end.

BBQ and Worship Night at San Diego Rescue Mission in Oceanside Friday, July 12th 5pm

On Friday, July 12, at 5pm, we’re going to be serving at the San Diego Rescue Mission in Oceanside. We’ll bring grills and make hamburgers and hot dogs with all the fixings.  After we serve food, we’ll have a time of worship and prayer for the people in this program designed to help those facing homelessness.  It is a 30 day emergency shelter for men, women and children.    If you can help in any way, please sign up at the table in the lobby this  Sunday.  We need to know ahead of time who is participating.  There is a waiver to sign and a video to watch to be able to serve.

True Valor Men’s Conference

Here’s something cool for the men to put on their calendars.  On August 23-24 we are joining with Men from all over North County for a Men’s Conference at Oceanside Calvary Chapel.  If you don’t know, we live in a county that has unusual levels of unity and relationship amongst churches.  In fact I was just with a pastor from New York who is working with a multi-church outreach we are planning for July, and he mentioned how unique it is here in San Diego.  So men, we’re going to get together with men from churches all over our county for a conference designed to help us confront the deadliest manslayers of our times.  Here’s the details from the webpage for the conference:

Movement San Diego Returns Next Month

Some of you will remember last year’s Movement San Diego.  Well, we’re doing it again on July 19th.  Check it out at https://www.movementsd.com/.  Movement San Diego is an evangelistic revival event – an evening of evangelism and seeking God for revival in San Diego. The event will be led by worship teams lifting up the name of Jesus in public worship and prayer. There will be two gospel presentations with altar calls and follow up by Pastor Mike Doyle and evangelist and former professional skateboarder Bryan Sumner. Throughout the night there will also be ministry tents, teams available for prayer and counseling, and a baptismal for anyone desiring to be baptized.  Our church, along with all the other churches in North County, is invited to participate.  We’ll especially need teams to pray with people at the event.  If you’d like to participate, let me know and I’ll get you connected with the right people.

And that’s all we have for tonight’s edition of the weekly update.  See you all in the morning!  If you are not able to be with us in person this Sunday, you can always join online via the Zoom app with this info:  Zoom Meeting ID  153 112 432, Passcode 684814. You may also join us on Facebook Live at facebook.com/gracevcf.

With blessings and love to each of you,

Ron Ohst