TC Update/Announcement- Dec 2019

Hey Friends,

It’s hard to believe we are already at December.  At this time last year we were just finishing up construction on the new church building… and scrambling to get things “ready enough” t

o start meeting in the new church building.  Our goal was to be able to celebrate our first Christmas Eve in the new building… and we made it!  What a blessing and gift it was for our church family… that we were able to celebrate Christ’s birth as our first worship service in the new building. A lot has happened that we have to be thankful for since then… and we are a year later… looking forward to celebrating Christmas Eve here once again in our new church “home”.  But… before we get any further into what’s coming up at TC this month, let us catch you up on what we were up to at TC this past month.

THANKSGIVING GATHERING
One of the highlights of this past month was that we celebrated our first Thanksgiving Gathering here in the new church.  We had a record 140-150 people in attendance this year.  To fit everyone, we had to put chairs and tables 

out on the front porch… pretty cool problem to have.  The turkey and all of the fixin’s  were amazingly delicious as usual.  And it was a great time of fellowship… as well as a great opportunity to welcome friends from the community to join us.  And while I told folks to not to load their plates too much on their first round to the buffet table so that we could be sure everyone got food… there were still MOUNTAINS of leftovers!  THANK YOU to everyone who pitched in by bringing delicious side dishes and desserts!  And a special thanks to Lori, Mike, Keilyn, Steph, Stacey, Mary, Justin, and others… who served behind the scenes to keep the buffet table filled with fresh sides and warm Turkey.

BEACH BAPTISM

On the same day that we celebrated Thanksgiving at TC, we also celebrated the baptism of Toby & Scout Nivens!  Toby and Scout had some family in town visiting, and we thought that this would be a great opportunity for family to be present with Scout & Toby on their special day.  May God bless their faith and deepen their knowledge of His love for them as they continue to follow Him!

And….. for those of you thinking of being baptized… remember we have another beach baptism scheduled for this Sunday after church.  Please contact Pastor Lyle if you or your children are interested in being baptized.

THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS

This past month we also took time to say “Thank you” to the many folks who regularly volunteer in various roles to serve at Tamarindo Church such as: Youth Ministry, Worship Team, Children’s Church, Sunday Set-up, Lord’s Supper, Offering, Women’s Ministry, Hospitality, Administrative Tasks, Bookkeeping, building maintenance, landscaping, etc.  In all, there are 38 people who have regularly served in various volunteer roles at TC.  That’s a pretty good chunk of our congregation… and we are thankful for that.  Thank you volunteers… for being the life and ministry of Tamarindo Church!
PLEDGE DRIVE 2020 UPDATE

As many of you may have noticed from emails sent over the past few weeks, we are in the midst of our Pledge Drive for Tamarindo Church  to meet the financial needs of the church in the coming year.  For those of you who have already responded with your pledge… THANK YOU for making your pledge and helping us to continue to have an impact in our community in the year ahead.  So far we have reached $73,900 in pledges toward our budget of $125,600.  We are about 60% of the way there.  Thank you!

If you have not made your pledge already but are interested in doing so…. please click the two links below to learn more about the pledge drive…. and how to make your donation.  Thank you! 
Pledge Drive 2020: Part I  / Pledge Drive 2020: Part II

MARK YOUR CALENDARAs we look to the months ahead be sure to read below about upcoming events and 

mark your calendars.  You can find out details about these events by scrolling down further in the newsletter.  
TC Sailing Day- 
   Sunday, Dec 8th 

Baptism- Sunday, Dec  8th

~ Christmas Eve Service- Tues, Dec 24th

Nicaragua Mission Trip- Jan 25-Feb 1

Scroll down to find out more info on all of these events.

PASTOR’S PERSECTIVEIn the month of December, each year we take time to reflect on the Incarnation.  This is the historical event of when God took on human flesh… and was born into our world as the person of Jesus.  It’s mind-boggling to think how the infinite God of the universe could become a finite being… and walk our earth as 

one of us.  Or how the all-powerful God who created the cosmos would become fragile and vulnerable.. being born in our world as an infant… for us.  This is one of the great mysteries of our faith… the Incarnation.  And while it is impossible to explain exactly how the Incarnation happened… we are convinced that it happened.

  • Jesus’ miracles.
  • Jesus’ teachings.
  • His resurrection from the dead, 
  • The numerous prophesies from the Old Testament that he fulfilled during his life, death, and resurrection.
  • The written testimonies of those who were his early followers. 
  • The powerful testimonies of many lives throughout history that have been radically impacted by His grace, His mercy, His forgiveness, His healing, His truth, His teachings, His example. 

All of these factors.. and more… give us ample reason for believing that 2000 years ago… God was born on this earth… and He walked among us in the person of Jesus.  There has never been anyone like him before… and has never been anyone like him since.  

As you take time to reflect on the wonder of Christmas and the Incarnation this year… I pray that you are blown away by God’s love for you… and for all of us. The reason he came into this world was to communicate His love for us… to reach us, to save us, and to restore us more and more into who he created us to be.  The Incarnation is a mystery… that is not only meant to blow us away because it happened, but even more so, it should blow us away because it reveals the depth of God’s love for us.

During this time of year, when we reflect on this mystery of God’s love for us, we should also be reminded that there are many who don’t know about God’s love.  God has given us this wonderful gift of coming into our world… and is bestowing on us the many blessings we receive from our faith in Christ.  But we need to remember that this is gift was meant to be shared with others… with the world.  (Matt. 28:19-20). So I encourage you this month… to pray and ask God… who He would have you invite to come and worship with you at your church this Christmas Eve.  And pray that, by revelation from the Holy Spirit, they may be blown away by the mystery of God’s love for them too.

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

Romans 10:14-15

Peace,
Lyle & Stacey

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ANNUAL SAILING DAY
Sunday, Dec 8th
YOU’RE INVITED~ 

Join us for our exclusive Tamarindo Church sailing day on the Marlin Del Rey! 

It’s a great time for fellowship, enjoying God’s creation together, and experiencing an amazing Costa Rica sunset as we sail back to port!  The cruise includes sailing, swimming, snorkeling, paddle boarding, and great food and drinks. 


*  Cost is $40 for adults and $25 for kids 12 and under.  Toddlers 5 & under free.

*  You can pay in advance at church starting Sunday, Nov 17th,  or bring the money with you and pay that day.  Exact change is appreciated.

*  Meet at Tamarindo beach, one hundred mts south of Nogui’s at 1:00pm.  Look for the Panga boats shuttling groups out to the catamaran. 

*  Sunset is at 5:30pm, and arrive back at the beach around 6:00pm.

RESERVE YOUR SPOT!  CLICK HERE to be taken to the “SIGN UP ZONE” website where you can sign up and reserve your spot.
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THINKING ABOUT BEING BAPTIZED?
Beach Baptism, Sunday, Dec 8th

Have you or your children been thinking about being baptized?  Baptism is a significant step of obedience in the faith that followers of Christ have been doing for the past 2000 years, and we’re inviting you to take that step with us at Tamarindo Church.  I will be preaching on baptism on December 1st, and our Youth and Children’s leaders will be teaching our kids about baptism as well on the same day.  For those who make the decision to be baptized, we will be having a baptism on the beach the following Sunday, December 8th.  If you or your children are interested in being baptized, or if are you are just curious and have questions about baptism, please contact pastor Lyle at lyletamarindo@gmail.com.  To learn more about baptism CLICK HERE.

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NICARAGUA MISSION TRIP
January 27th-Feb 1st  
On January 27th, Tamarindo Church will be headed up to Cristo Rey in Nicaragua for our annual church mission trip.  This year, we will be spending a couple of days helping Funda Cristo School as well as building homes in the community.  
While many children in the neighborhood don’t make it past a 6th grade education, FundaCristo has a vision for seeing that these children have the opportunity to one day graduate from high school.  Here are some statistics that I gathered from their website on elementary education in Nicaragua… 
 
Only 72% of children finished primary school in 2009, the latest year for which data is available. This low figure hides bigger inequalities as only 65% of children from the poorest 20% of families completed primary school compared to 98% from the richest homes.

Secondary school figures are unsurprisingly much worse:  46% finished the first tier (9th grade/year 10), and only 19% completed 11th grade (year 12). In the poorest families, only 6% of children finished secondary school.
 
GET INVOLVED
If you would like to be involved in making a difference in the community of Cristo Rey, please consider the following ways of helping.
 
1.  Come on the trip-  The dates for the trip are January 27th-31st.  If you would like to join us on the trip, please contact pastor Lyle Watson for more info.  lyletamarindo@gmail.com

2.  Pray for us & the community-  There are always a lot of logistical challenges and surprises on a trip in Central America.  Please pray God’s grace, wisdom, and protection on our group.  And please pray that our group would represent the love of Christ as we serve.  Please pray also for community leaders and pastors… that God would guide them on how best to love and lead their people in community development and spiritual renewal. 

3.  Give Financially- To accomplish various projects on the trip, we have a goal of raising $8,000 to build homes, distribute food bags, and purchase school supplies for Fundacristo School.  If you would like to contribute toward thise efforts, please make your donation through the Tamarindo Church Giving page.  Just make your donation to Tamarindo Church, and be sure to send a follow up email at tamarindochurch@gmail.com to let us know that you would like your donation to be designated for the Nicaragua trip in January.  

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TC BUSINESS DIRECTORY

Do you own or operate a business in or near Tamarindo? If so, why not include your business information in our brand new TC Business Directory! We plan to have hard copies to hand out to church members and interested visitors, as well as a digital copy available online. CLICK HERE to fill out the form online, or fill out a form on Sunday at church and place it in the basket located in the church foyer by Dec 16th. The directory is open to church members–whether your business is at a location in the Tamarindo area, online, or direct sales, you are welcome to include your info. Let’s support one another!

WEEKLY MEETINGS FOR YOUTH
FRIDAY NIGHTS– Join us for Youth Group every Friday, 7 – 8:30 pm at Tamarindo Church!  

Youth nights at Tamarindo Church create an environment where teenagers feel welcomed and feel safe to be themselves..  Each week, we start Youth Group with some crazy games… followed by a time of learning about God and how to apply God’s truth in their lives.  All 6th – 12th grade students are welcome!
SUNDAY MORNINGS– Teens can grow deeper in their faith on Sunday mornings at 10:00am where they have the opportunity to dive deeper into God’s truth together  at church.  Ages 13 and older welcome!

Join our facebook group “TC Youth” and follow our instagram account “tcyouthcr” to stay up to date on what’s happening!  Be sure to “LIKE” our Facebook page for Tamarindo Church Youth to stay updated on any changes in schedule or special events.  Click here to go to our page.  

For more information, contact Justin Novgrod: 8765-8310  
lionsgatekungfu@gmail.com

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TC WISH LIST 

From time to time, Tamarindo Church will have wants/needs for the church that we do not currently have in our budget.  If you would like to help by contributing toward any of the items below, please contact Lyle Watson: lyletamarindo@gmail.com

  • New Chairs for the Sanctuary- An opportunity recently came up for Tamarindo Church to buy quality, comfy, durable, sturdy, padded chairs for the sanctuary for a VERY VERY good price.  They are used, but in good condition.  The total cost for 130 of these chairs is $3640.   If you’d like to contribute toward the purchase of these chairs, please contact pastor Lyle.  lyletamarindo@gmail.com
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MUSICIANS WANTED – 
Psalm 95:1
“Come let us sing a song
for joy to the Lord;
Let us shout aloud
to the rock of our salvation”


Has God gifted you with musical or technical talent that you want to use for His glory? If so, we are looking for people to join our worship team.  Whatever instrument you play, we’re open to give it a try.  Here are the first few steps for becoming part of the worship team…Prayerfully consider your involvement.Contact Elizabeth:eguntonbunn@gmail.com  expressing your interest. The email should include:Musical or technical experience and skill.The reason you are interested in joining the worship team.Elizabeth, our worship team leader, will review your information and schedule time when you can join us for an audition. 

TC PRAYER REQUESTS- 
Please continue to pray for Tamarindo Church……TC VISION – That God would guide us in our vision and strategy for reaching and serving our community.

MINISTRY TEAM-  That God would grow our church board, staff and volunteers who serve at TC in unity of Spirit, in wisdom, and in humility as we serve Him.  Please also pray spiritual guidance and protection over our church leaders.  

VOLUNTEERS-  Thanks be to God for our volunteers who serve in many roles in the church. Please pray that God would give us discernment in finding the best places for individuals to serve… and that God bless our volunteers in their service to Him.

FINANCES- Please pray that God would continue to provide and meet Tamarindo Church’s financial needs for 2020 through our pledge drive that we are currently in the midst of.  May God meet our financial needs in 2020. 

OUTREACH- That God would create a spiritual hunger in our community, and that we would see many come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ.  And pray for our church members to be sensitive to open doors to the love of Christ, to share the gospel, and to invite someone to church.

CHURCH LIFE- 

  • Prayer that our church family would be successful in engaging  and reaching unchurched folks in the community through our Sailing Day, and Christmas Eve service.
  • Prayer for deepened spiritual maturity and unity in the church body.
  • Prayer that God would use our church family to reach and bless the community around us.

THE WATSON FAMILY- 
Please pray spiritual wisdom and direction for Pastor Lyle as he leads the church.  For Stacey to find good balance between family, ministry and work.  For their children Olivia and Wolfie… that they would continue to grow to know, love, and serve Him.  Please also pray for spiritual protection over their family.