Fishers Landing Blog

Gresham House Church

2008-03-11T11:30:00.001-07:00

Confusion on where to go...

2007-11-24T19:59:00.001-08:00

I know that there have been a lot of changes recently with the LHC main web site down, the launching of lhcfishers.com, and the campus blog changing hands from blogger to wordpress. Let me quickly run through what is happening and what isn't.

1. Campus website: http://lhcfishers.com Here you'll find the latest information on what's happening at Fisher's Landing. I'll be checking this blog and working with pastor Seth to keep this site updated. We will also post new videos here as well so that you can receive a podcast feed if you wish.

2. Campus blogsite: http://fisherscampus.wordpress.com This is new official blog site for the Fisher's Landing campus. Here you'll find the latest thoughts of pastor Seth and sometimes Washington Man (Fisher's Tech Guy). The blog series 'Where in the Java' will appear here as well. You may also catch The Man Cave video blogs and promos to the right in our "vod:pod" section.

3. Men's ministry blog: http://themancave.wordpress.com Here you'll find all you ever wanted to know about the happenings of the Men's ministry of Living Hope Church; led by pastor Seth. Check the V-Blog page for a quick video intro to the purpose of The Man Cave. We may also bring you live streaming video as part of this blog. The streaming video may also be found on the campus web site under the title "We're LIVE."

4. Fisher's Tech Guy: http://fisherstechguy.wordpress.com For those that are interested, this is my personal blog page where you can find most of the videos I put together for the campus, thoughts on life as a college student, maybe some tech stuff every now and then. You can also find some of my photos that I take of different places within a reasonable drive of Vancouver.

New Campus Blog Site

2007-11-21T00:42:00.001-08:00

OUR BLOG SITE HAS MOVED TO:

www.fisherscampus.wordpress.com

Where in the Java - Episode 8

2007-11-20T19:22:00.000-08:00

Hey all,
We've got the latest in Java searching ready for you now! Dan, good luck with this one, unless you spend a lot of time in the area of this shop, or you've just heard about it.

What is The Man Cave?

2007-11-20T00:48:00.000-08:00

Pastor Seth's Man Cave is introduced in this short clip.

We Are Fishers.

2007-11-19T17:54:00.001-08:00

The Bible speaks to us that “without a vision a people perish,” that said, with vision people thrive, people flourish, people are driven to take on the world. Last night was an incredible time to simply sit back, and recapture a vision for what campuses are all about. Which what we’re about, is simply focusing on what God focused on, which is that one lost neighbor, friend, spouse. Jesus didn’t come with a to-do list of countless things, He had one to-do and one to-do only, and that was to reach the lost, the hurting, the broken (”I’ve come not to call the righteous, but sinners.” –Jesus). And that’s what campuses are about, they’re a vital piece to the vision of reaching and speaking life, hope, and freedom into the lives of countless individuals. They’re communities where the one, isn’t simply another person, but it’s a spouse who finally came home to God after 20 years…it’s a co-worker who decided to finally give God a try, it’s a son or daughter who proclaimed their decision for Christ through baptism, it’s friends who weekly band together to serve for the cause of Christ. Campuses are one body, with one vision, full of stories of that one life-changing moment they came to Christ. “Without a vision a people perish,” that said “without people a vision perishes.” I just want to say how genuinely blessed Holli and I are to serve and minister alongside such amazing friends. Without the efforts, and the sacrifices of the countless volunteers at Fishers, we’d never be where we’re at as a campus. We’d never hear the countless stories of a life-changed because a volunteer who simply took the time to be Jesus to someone…through an encouraging word, through a simple handshake, through an investment in the lives of someones kids, through a creative set, through the love and care they have for each other as a team. Fishers would not be Fishers without you guys! Simply put, we love you guys, and are so thankful to what each of you bring into our lives, through your support, encouragement, your faithfulness. “And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is right.” 2 Thess. 3:13

Seasonal Celebration: A Benefit for Local Homeless Youth

2007-11-16T12:17:00.000-08:00

In this season of giving, we have such an opportunity to bless and support the community around. On November 28th, I believe is one of those opportunities, as transitionalyouth.org will be holding a fundrasinig event at Arlene Schnitzer Hall at 7:00p.m, with the proceeds going to help out homeless youth in our area. If your interested in attending tickets can be purchased at TicketMaster. I know that Holli and I would love to connect with you there as well, so if your thinking of attending maybe shoot me an e-mail at sethm@livinghopechurch.com. Hope to see you there!

Local performers Michael Allen Harrison, Patrick Lamb, Aaron Meyer, Julianne Johnson and Chad & Rachel Hamar are donating their time and talent to help us raise funds. This is a concert you don't want to miss!

Tickets are on sale now at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 503-248-4335. Reserved seats are $20 & $25, plus fees. Please get yours today and help us continue to provide housing, outreach and support to local homeless youth.

Preview of the upcoming LHC Fisher's site

2007-11-13T20:22:00.001-08:00

That's right...
We're currently constructing a campus specific website for you! All of our blogs (most likely) will be moving to this site. We'll also have a list of upcoming events and our videos will finally be available as podcasts! We are using Apple QuickTime compression for the videos. If you cant view them please click here and download the latest version of QuickTime - it's free and easy.

To check out the new site, click here!

Guys Night Promo

2007-11-10T16:56:00.001-08:00

Fisher's Is Moving...

2007-11-10T12:37:00.000-08:00

Where in the Java - Episode 7

2007-11-07T12:20:00.000-08:00

Congratulations, Dan! Yes, our last Java location was Cafe Piccolo Paradisio in downtown Camas. This shop also serves Gelato it's sort of like ice cream - but it's not. If you're looking for a good cup of coffee, I'd highly encourage you to check this place out. They serve Cafe Umbria coffee as you saw in the video. It's a coffee roasted in Seattle. I was impressed.

Here's your next challenge!

Good luck!

Where in the Java - Episode 6

2007-11-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

Well, folks, we've officially closed the polls for our last episode of "Where in the Java... ?" Because no body has guessed the correct coffee shop, we may use it in a future episode, so remember those "tight" clues we've sent you, maybe make a couple trips to some new Java joints and see if you can find it! Then next time you'll be ready with the answer. I'll help narrow your searches through the massive quantities of coffee shops around here - we're still North of the river. Good luck!

Hey, I just wanted to let everyone know that I've changed my URL for my blog page to http://fisherstechguy.blogspot.com. Sorry about the change, but you'll understand why soon enough...

Dying to live!

2007-11-01T10:31:00.000-07:00

In Twin Falls, Idaho, a small group gathers for a small breakfast at what is ominously called Death Camp. It's here this group begins to talk about the days jump from 486-foot high Perrine Bridge. Tom Aiello, who heads up this group begins off the morning with what one might perceive to be a kind of pre-game speech..."Expect to get injured. It's going to happen. You can avoid dying, but the only way to be sure is to walk away. You're going to meet great people, share great experiences with them, bond with them and then they die. Expect this to happen." It's at this point one might ask why would those known as base-jumpers...take such a risk? I think one guy might have answered it best..."In facing death, I feel most alive."

Now it's here I have to pause, for like many of you my initial response to such a sport is simply this... are you nuts! I mean come on, jumping from a building, or bridge...crazy! Yet behind the insanity of the sport itself one has to wonder, are they on to something...this idea of facing death to feel if but for a moment alive? Interesting enough their were a lot of people 2,000 years ago that would of thought of 12 men willing to leave it all behind just as crazy. Twelve men who would be led by a similar motto...that in facing death they'd find life. That if they wanted to really know what it is to live, they'd have to be willing to face the death of self. That if they wanted to truly live, they needed to be willing to let go of the need to make life all about them. To truly live they had to be willing to let go of past fears, failures, and shame. To truly live, meant leaving behind the desire for the good-life and diving head first, and without abandoned into a God-life. And today our choice is no different. See everyday I believe we have opportunities to really experience what it is to be alive, moments that only happen when we're willing to face death and make the choice to let go of our desire to stay safe, to stay comfortable...and to dive into the needs of a neighbor who is hurting, to dive into time with our spouse, to dive into helping a stranger in need. It's noteworthy that when Paul speaks of freedom, and what it really is to live he doesn't speak of living for ourselves...but rather living for God, and out of that living for others. "For you have been called to live in freedom--not freedom to satisfy your sinful nature, but freedom to serve one another in love [Gal. 5:13]." Let me ask, are you willing to die to live? Are you willing to let go of whatever it is you've been clinging onto a past, a fear, stuff, yourself...and dive into the leadings and promptings of the Holy Spirit's work in your life. Quit playing it so safe! Quit clinging onto that which God never called you to hold onto! You know Paul says that when we make that jump into freedom, by responding to the needs the Holy Spirit calls us to, listen to what we find...(Gal. 5:22) love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control..."life to the fullest.". Everyday we have a choice to hold onto ourselves, or let go, dive into the God opportunities around us...and discover what it is to truly live life to the fullest!

To read more about the ESPN article on base-jumping go to... http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=basejump&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab4pos1

Where in the Java - Episode 5

2007-10-25T18:00:00.000-07:00

OK, since no one has won this week for "Where in the Java" I'm going to leave this one up for another week! Next week we'll be posting new episode. If you haven't guessed this shop by then, we may give you the name and location of this shop. But we may not either, just in case we want to use it in a future episode! Once, again, good luck and may your day be caffeinated!

The Seventh Hole.

2007-10-23T17:09:00.000-07:00

Oh golf, what can I say, between holes 1 & 3, all seems right about the sport. But somewhere around holes 4-6, the game turns at least for me, to a game of frustration. I start to get tired (I know, pretty sad when I’m tired after only 3 holes of golf…hey it is a sport), and so when I get tired like most golfers I begin to lose my focus and patience and begin to hack away at the ball. This leads me on an inevitable journey through the woods to look for another lost golfball. Now it’s here, somewhere between a thorn bush and endless weeds I begin to question why I’m out here? Why do I play golf? When is this thing ever going to end? And just when I want to call it quits and walk off the course comes hole #7. I can’t explain it, but almost everytime around the 7^th hole I get this second wind when it comes to golf. It’s weird but there’s this moment of realization that hits me around then, that no matter how bad or good I’m playing, the simple reality is… I’m playing golf. I could be at an office desk, I could be out having to do some house project…but instead I get to play golf…I get to play a game. I think if many of us were honest, we can see our lives a lot in that round of golf. As for many of us our lives feel stuck at hole #6 or hole #3…that point where we hack away at life through weariness, frustration, and questioning. For many of us we need a 7^th hole, a second wind in life and ministry. So how do we get there how do we tee up with a new vigor, energy, and joy? In a word, I think it happens when we’re willing to step onto the tee box of gratitude and thankfulness. It’s when we can get to that place where we can thank God for the simple blessing of being alive… as we stand looking out on the fairway of His plans and purposes for us. Recently in my life God has been speaking into my heart this simple truth…”My greatest challenge, and your greatest challenge is not what we don’t have in life, it’s a failure to see what we do have in life.” This life is so short, none of us have time to waste it simply hacking away at it…swinging wildly for more stuff, for more money, or for more recognition and approval. See I believe this if we’d start our days with less “to do lists” and few more “what’s been done lists” we’d find ourselves less on hole #4 and 5 and more on hole #7, that place of refreshment, renewal, and refocus. So let me ask you, what has God done in your life, how have you been blessed, and what do you have to be thankful for?

Memories of Justin

2007-10-21T20:31:00.000-07:00

Celebrating the life of Justin Bacon.

When life is boring

2007-10-21T00:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been in one of those strange reflective moods, but not know what to say? That's where I'm at right now. I've had an average week. Not good. Not bad. Nothing unexpected. It's almost... boring. You know what I'm talking about. Some of you are right there too. It always seems that when we lose that continuing drive to surrender to God that this happens. I know that's where I'm at. How about you? What is it that you need surrender? How do the people in your life need to challenge you, how do they need to push you so you can experience real life again?

Let me try and put this a different way if that's not tugging on your heartstrings. What season would you say is your favorite? Spring? Summer? Fall? Winter? Why? Now look at yourself. What characteristics of yours match your favorite season? For me, I'm a Fall guy. I like the wild unsettledness of the air. I love the trees bursting into color. I like the crisp, cold mornings with frost lightly lying over everything. That also describes how my life is when I let God take control. It's unsettled. It's feeling your heart sing praise. It's truly being alive.

It seems that when we fall into that rut, that boring life, that Satan has won. Our hearts become hardened. We stop listening to God. We stop surrendering. We stop living.

So how about you?
What is it you need to surrender?

God didn't create us to be boring.
He created us to live in Him.

Where in the Java - Episode 4

2007-10-07T15:41:00.000-07:00

That's right folks, we're bringing you the fourth installment of our "Where in the Java" series! This week we're introducing a new host and coffee critic.

Will Work for Starbucks?

2007-10-03T11:56:00.000-07:00

As many of you know one of the great joys of finally moving into a new home is that you have no money! And with no money comes household budget cuts. With budget cuts come the inevitable words I so dread to hear..."Seth, we've got to cut out the Starbucks fund." I know, inhumane you say, but cuts have to be made. Yep, no more hearing that warm greeting "Hey Seth, your usual," no more free samples of various mystery pastries, no more chasing down the New York Times Sports section. Yes, it was a sad but inevitable day. To Holli's credit she did make sure I had plenty of fresh Starbucks coffee in bulk to make at home. Now it's a funny thing about making your own coffee, while it's the same Starbucks coffee they use at my favorite coffee shop, isn't it amazing how it never seems to taste as good. No matter how many different ways I try to make it, no matter whether it's in my favorite travel mug, no matter how many times I filter the water...it's amazing to me how it never seems to be as good as when I get my morning cup at Starbucks. Now stay with me, because I think there is something to this. I mean let's be honest when you go into Starbucks to get your cup 'o' joe, really you get so much more than just coffee don't you? See at home it's just a cup of coffee but at Starbucks...it's a way of life, it's a mood, it's an experience. All of this got me thinking, I wonder if faith can be like that? A faith that when kept to ourselves, when lived out in the realm of myself does little more than help us to simply get by. But isn't it true that when our faith is lived out with others, lived out in a community of friends and believers that know us by name, our faith...like Starbucks...becomes so much more. It's in community that we find the faith that God has in each of us. It's in community we find the faith and courage to move on in life. It's in community we find our faith strengthened and stretched. One verse in particular that speaks of how community can stretch and strenghten our faith is James 5:16 "Confess your sins to another...that you may be healed." Now just a little side note when it comes to this word "confession," I think we tend to do this more than we think. See too often we hear that word confess and we think of it in such formal terms, something that is done simply within the context of church. Reality is, confessing one to another is just as likely to happen in a conversation with a good friend over coffee than in a pew on Sunday. That's what happened to me this past week, I was having coffee with a friend and without even realizing it started confessing and sharing some junk in relation to my attitude in recent days. And it's amazing to me that as I shared, and as I listened to my friends encouragement, I began to find healing. I saw some areas in my life I needed to surrender to God, mostly that of my tendency to wait for someday and miss the opportunity of today. Here's the point of all this, I could be content to live out my faith in the small box of myself and simply get by, or I can choose to get more out of my faith by living it out in the context of community. What will you choose?

" If we love each other God lives in us, and his love has been brought to full expression through us." -1 John 4:12

Wake Up Fisher's Landing - Promo 2

2007-10-02T12:40:00.000-07:00

Yes, we are inching ever closer to our new blog format, "Wake Up Fisher's Landing!" Seth and Erik will be your hosts with occasional guest appearances and all new segments. Be on the lookout when we change over for our revamped "Were in the Java..." segment.

Where in the Java - Episode 3

2007-09-28T20:18:00.000-07:00

Join Seth and Erik for another episode of "Where in the Java?" This week Erik is on vacation so Shane is filling in. Remember, if you guess the correct cafe, then you get a StarBucks card!

Wake Up Fisher's Landing!

2007-09-28T17:08:00.000-07:00

Coming later this fall, a new video blog series for you. Wake Up Fisher's Landing!

The Sheep

2007-09-25T20:55:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's our pre-service video, live on the blog. Now you can come and watch Seth's sheep-tipping adventure whenever you'd like as well as share it with your friends!

Where In the Java - Episode 2

2007-09-22T01:41:00.000-07:00

Thank you to those of you who commented on the last "Where in the Java..." blog. Congrats to the "finders" of the last mystery coffee shop. For those of you who may have missed it, we were at the Albina Press in Portland. This week we're actually in Fisher's Landing, check it out!

One Bad Hair Day.

2007-09-20T11:03:00.000-07:00

Oops. Call it a mid-life crisis, or a failed attempt to make it on a "Just for Men" commercial. What happened you ask? Well last night I got the inspiration, if you want to call it that, to have my wife lighten my hair a few shades (key phrase there...a few). So last night my wife went to work, putting on this layer of bleach to my hair. Now to my wifes credit about five minutes into this process she recommended that I probably rinse it off, yet destined to be the next Val Kilmer I chose to press on. 30 minutes later amidst the strange looks of my wife, I finally rinsed this stuff off, to reveal a head full of almost white hair. In a word...horrific...so much so, my wife and I hopped in the car around midnight and sped off to the nearest Albertsons for hair coloring. Now to give you a glimpse into how light my hair got, it's important to note that the picture you see above is after the hair coloring. I share this with you for a couple of reasons, one to hopefully give you a laugh in your day, two to share with you what I learned. And what I learned is this, is that bleach is some pretty powerful stuff, and if left on your hair too long it can drain the color and life right out of it. I know, pretty deep. thought...huh? But really, I think there is something to be gained from the reality of bleach. See everyday many of us sometimes by choice, sometimes by necessity, allow bleach into our lives... something that literally drains the color and vibrancy, and life out of us...maybe it's a job, maybe it's a neglected relationship, maybe it's an addiction or routine in life. Simply put, all of us can think of something that's a bleach in our life. And yet while we can't avoid encountering bleaches each day, we can choose how long we allow those bleaches to linger in our lives . I have to be honest, recently I haven't done a very good job rinsing off when I've gotten home from the bleach of life, especially the bleach of worry. In fact, I'd have to say that worry is probably the bleach I struggle with most. Too often I get home and rather than rinsing off from the day by taking time to rest in Him and rest in His blessings (My wife, friends, family, etc.), I allow the bleach to linger. I worry about about things that are beyond my control, I worry about others, I worry about our mortgage and bills, I worry about what people will think about my orange/ blonde hair. That said, here's what I'm learning, while none of us can avoid the bleach of life, we can make a choice to rinse it off when it begins to drain rather than enhance our lives. Perhaps that's why when Jesus encountered a Samaritan woman by a well, bleached out of the joy and fulfillment she was created for He in so many words called her to rinse, by stopping long enough to rest in the "living water" of Him. How about you? How are you doing when it comes to the bleach of life, and are you about due for a rinse?