September 2, 2020
“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy;”
Psalm 98: 4, 7-8 NIV
Oh friends,
What a joy it was to see so many of you in person Sunday! Thank you, Jesus, for the picture-perfect setting. Someone shared with me, “Rob, your message was beautiful. I’m not sure if you could see it in the trees behind the audience, but as you preached, the wind would pick up and it was as if the trees were praising God right along with us. They were confirming and agreeing with the words you were speaking.”
It was a powerful reminder that all of creation ‘sings’ praise back to the Creator. We are simply doing what we are designed to do when we worship.
It was a powerful reminder that worship isn’t about “me” but worship does include “us.” Watching the varied voices on the stage and seeing people enjoy communion and conversation was not only beautiful, it was worship.
It was also fun to watch as people walked by on the path and stopped to listen for awhile. Some stopped for just a few minutes, others lingered and even had conversations with our community. In fact, one Restoration member told me Sunday that she never would have found Restoration if the person who invited her hadn’t stumbled on one of our outdoor services.
Oh, church! In the midst of all the craziness this season has brought us, let us thank God for how He has worked and ask Him for the strength and sight to join Him in it, wherever we are.
I look forward to seeing you online September 6 and in-person (and online) September 13!
With hope,
Pastor Rob
Fall Schedule
In-person and Online Sundays – Sept 13, 27, Oct 11, 25
Arrive before 10am to grab a chair and be a part of our “studio congregation” at The Family Life Center Building at 14201 Cedar Avenue, Apple Valley, or tune in at 10am for our live stream on Facebook or our website online.restorationcov.org. For parking and worship follow the Restoration signs.
*THIS SUNDAY*
Online Only Sundays – Sept 6, 20, Oct 4, 18
Tune in at 10am for our live stream on Facebook or our website online.restorationcov.org. Host a watch party and invite some friends to join you in-person or in a digital small group to connect and grow.
Regathering Information – Sept 13 & 27
We’re excited to be offering in-person worship at our new location at 14201 Cedar Avenue, along with continuing to stream our worship gatherings online. Please know that there will be things that will look and feel different as we regather together. Regardless of how your family chooses to participate in church, we want you to know we’re glad that you’re a part of our church family. The foundation of why we gather together is not changing. We gather together to worship Jesus and to spread the hope He brings as one body in Him.
For complete information about our in-person guidelines, click HERE. Here’s a quick recap:
- Worship will still be streamed online
- Come early for in-person worship – must set up and be in seats for a prompt 10am start
- No Restoration Kids ministry or nursery; bring your own activities, busy bags available
- Bring your own mask, notebook, pen, and a phone if you’d like to access the digital worship folder
- Social distancing and masks required by state mandates
- No coffee or bagel service for the time being
Immerse: Beginnings at Restoration
These days more than ever we need a hopeful story of God taking care of His people. It feels like divine planning then that our goal has us slotted to read Immerse: Beginnings. Starting September 28, we will be reading Immerse: Beginnings; finishing the entire Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) in 8 weeks. What better way to combat fear and uncertainty than reading the promises of God? For those 8 weeks, Pastor Rob will preach about the week’s reading and small groups will discuss what they have read in a format similar to that of a book club, and the students will be studying the same material. Thanks to an anonymous donor, we can provide one free Immerse: Beginnings book per family, with additional copies available for $5 per book. Join us as we find hope and comfort in the beginning of God’s story. To find out more or to join a small group, contact danielmorgenstern@restorationcov.org.
How you can participate – Weekly sermons, join a small group, follow the Reading Plan, read the Family Discussion Guide with your family, watch the weekly videos or listen to the audiobook free HERE.
How you can get a book – In-person service 9/13 or 9/27, pick up from the Ministry Center during the week, call or email the office for delivery, or buy the e-book.
Online Giving
There’s no time like the present to set up online giving. Because our regularly scheduled worship service will be online for the next few weeks, online tithing is a way to remain faithful in your giving even in the most uncertain of times. Decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves a person who gives cheerfully. And God will generously provide all you need. We encourage you to consider giving online so that your giving is regular and easy to manage – it’s easy to sign up HERE.
Pray or Receive Prayer
Now more than ever, people are turning toward prayer or are in desperate need of prayer. We have an amazingly gifted prayer team you can depend on for prayer. They’re always looking for other prayer warriors if you want to join or if you need prayer for any situation, you can contact them. We believe in the power of prayer and know that God is listening. We would love to pray for you. If you’re interested in joining the prayer team or have any prayer requests, send them to our prayer team at prayer@restorationcov.org
We’re very excited to launch a new season of small groups soon. If you’re looking for a deeper connection with others within our church, we highly encourage you to plug in to one of the many small groups starting soon, both in-person and virtually. If you want to learn more or you’re not sure which group would be the best fit for you or your family, please contact Daniel.
- Men’s Group – Every Saturday morning at 7am – led by Chad White
- Prayer Group – Every Tuesday 7-9pm – led by Mary Beshara and Michael Nybakken
- Adultish? Group – Friday evenings – led by Daniel Morgenstern
These groups are all easy to join. Please reach out to Daniel to get connected to these zoom chats or to find the group that fits best.
You are invited to Family Game Night! – September 14
We want to stay connected and have fun through these times, so every Monday from 7:30-8:30pm we will be gathering through Zoom to play some fun party games together! No installation or purchase required. Anyone age 12+ can join the game via computer, phone, or any other device that can browse the internet. If you’re interested and would like to know more, please contact Matthew at: matthewgoerdt@restorationcov.org
Sunday Coffee Time
Are you missing after service chats by the coffee cart? Join us after the message Sunday on a zoom call for our virtual coffee meeting; we’ll bring the company you bring the coffee. We will break up into groups of 3-4 callers to give you a chance to chat and check in on folks you might not have connected with otherwise. Use this link to join. A link will also be posted in the chat at the end of the service on Sunday.
This fall as we begin regathering as a church, we will be waiting a few weeks before adding nursery and Kids Ministry classes. During this time, families will worship together during intergenerational worship services. We will have busy bags with activities available for kids to take, use during worship services and then take home and bring back with them on following Sundays. Stay tuned for information on fall events for families coming soon!
*NEW*
Bible Presentations – September 27
If you have a child entering 2nd grade this year or if your child is past 2nd grade but doesn’t own their own Bible yet, please let us know! On Sunday, September 27, we’ll be presenting Bibles and celebrating a milestone where we recognize that kids are going from an age where they are learning to read to a time when they are reading to learn. Our goal as a church is to support parents so they can be their child’s spiritual champion. Part of achieving that goal is providing children with an age-appropriate Bible so they can really understand God’s Word.
Restoration Kids’ Lessons
We believe that every moment with your kids matters and that as parents, we have the opportunity to impress Biblical truth in a kid’s life, especially during these unprecedented circumstances.
Follow this link to access each week’s video lesson that your kids can complete on their own or with you.
Email Daniel with questions about any Restoration Students events or call him at 952-686-8408.
View past News & Notes by clicking HERE.