OK, I won’t say much at all. What I have to say is that the Aug. 24th prelaunch service was amazing! Here are a few pics…

The Worship Band and Tech Teams worked fast and furiously…and very well…together to get ready for the worship time.

West Pasco’s view of Pastor Dave on the theater screen.

Jenny & Sarah…the kids are all in the right places…You did it! Great Job!

Here we go! Two events for you to know about…

Dust Devils Tailgate Party - YES! The crew will be gathering at 5:45 on Saturday, August 23rd in the parking lot of GESA stadium in West Pasco to eat, get to know each other and hand out free Hot Dogs to fans entering the stadium.

Our first Pre-Launch Service is this Sunday, August 24, 9am at the Fairchild Cinemas. This service is a dry-run of what is to come but will be a normal worship service with children’s ministry, live worship and a DVD message from Dave Bechtel. Anyone from Bethel’s West Pasco and Richland campus is invited to attend.

See you then!

That All-American pastime, the BBQ. It is a great way to spend time and build relationships with your neighbors. Too often our best connection with a neighbor is a friendly wave and a smile as we pull out of the driveway and drive off!

As Bethel prepares to launch the West Pasco Campus I encourage you to host a BBQ. Invite a neighbor, or some friends, maybe some relatives, anyone you have been praying for. It is a great opportunity to connect with them, hear their story and reflect Christ’s love for them by being a real neighbor.

If you will host a BBQ in the West Pasco area give me a call or email me and I’ll send you some info to help you get started.

Saturday July 26 | 9:30a Everyone is invited to this weekend’s Prayer Walk in West Pasco! We will meet at the South end of the Fairchild Cinemas parking lot and then hit the neighborhood streets to pray for Bethel’s ministry to the families of West Pasco. (Bring a water bottle.)

Prepare for the warm day and bring a water bottle! We’ll have maps and some prayer items to get you started on the right foot.

…and don’t forget…

Sunday July 27 | 11:00a Pasco Prayer & Preview in the Desert View Room. This is an opportunity to find out more about the West Pasco Campus and find out how you can be a part! Come see if it was just a rumor that popcorn, red vines and soda is being served - just to get us in the theater mode!

On a recent shopping trip to the local Costco Karen and I encountered community in an unlikely spot. Huddled around the milk cooler was a small group of people peering through the glass checking out Costco’s newest imporvement on the milk container. Goodbye to the familiar white and pink box (if your a non-fat consumer) containing two 1-gallon jugs of milk, hello to the plastic wrapped pair of newly  designed milk jugs. You may be thinking, “Tim needs to spend more time in a grocery store”, but what struck me was this group of people were laughing and discussing the new design in great detail. One lady added as she picked up her milk, “I think I’ll need to go home and take a nap now, this excitement has tired me out!” People connected for a few moments in the day. It really was a great moment.

All of this made me think about Bethel’s West Pasco campus being located in a theater. Community can be caught ANYWHERE! A familiar spot. A place to connect. An event that causes people to talk…laugh…share in a moment. A Samaritan woman’s life was altered at a place where community happened. The interchange at a well brought about great change her life. She had a moment with Jesus.

Where do you find community? Are you ready to find it in West Pasco?! Post a comment and share with us your experience of life changing community.

The vision of sending Bethel into West Pasco as a satellite campus was shared with the congregation in February of this year. It is the vision of reaching the people of West Pasco…people in need of Jesus Christ. This is why we are compelled to go. Closer to home? Maybe. A new place to serve? Possibly. But, neither of these, nor any other reason will send us out except a heart for God and a burden for the people.

At Bethel we believe that as a diciple of Jesus Christ we are to be God-Lovers, Relationship-Builders, Obedient-Followers and World-Influencers (oh, yeah, G.R.0.W). Let’s go straight to the “W“.

Here are a few ideas to think about…well, now that I look at it, we gotta read the whole thing because it is great! And as you read through it think “the unsaved people of West Pasco” wherever a word is written in bold letters.

A World-Influcencer…

· Influences the world in the name of Jesus to bring glory to God
· Believes the gospel is God’s only plan for salvation
· Loves non-believers because God loves them
· Lives a life so distinct from the world that it establishes a credible testimony
· Participates in God’s worldwide work of reaching all social, economic, and ethnic groups
· Prays for the salvation of specific people and God’s work throughout the world
· Watches for and seizes opportunities to share the gospel
· Builds relational bridges to non-believers in order to win them to Christ
· Acts boldly in the authority of Jesus, relying on the power of the Holy Spirit to bring about change
· Promotes what is good and exposes evil
· Meets needs of the poor and powerless

Pray On!

Karen and I have decided to tackle Badger Mountain this year. At almost a mile it provides us with a pretty good workout. Our son, Ben, likes to run the trail all the way to the top, I’ve tried a couple times but for some reason my lungs won’t allow me to make it very far, enough said on that topic.

Badger Mountain’s summit view of the Columbia Basin is amazing. I can’t believe I never experienced it as a kid growing up in Richland, but then again, Badger Mtn. was miles away back then. Upon reaching the top I take in the full scope of the landscape. The area of West Pasco is in full view to the North East and I stop to pray. I pray for the community, it’s residents, it’s businesses and it’s leaders. Then I can’t help but stop to pray, “How will You use me to reach the unchurched in West Pasco?” God is directing us, the people of Bethel, to a great opportunity to reach into the lives of people in this new area. Have you prayed and asked God, “How will You use Me?”

I’d love to hear from you. Email me at tim.phillips@bethel-church.org or click on the title above to leave a comment. In the mean time take a walk, a hike, a run, a second and pray!

There is an awful lot of sand in West Pasco, but don’t worry, we’ll actually be on the sidewalk.

We will meet Saturday, May 17th at 5 PM in the parking lot near the soccer fields/baseball stadium on Burden Blvd. in West Paso.

Prepare for the warm day and bring a water bottle! We’ll have maps and some prayer items to get you started on the right foot. I’ll be wearing a hat for sure (no comments please!).