TC Update/Announcements- April 2020

Hey Friends,

Ok… I usually start out these update letters reflecting on the past month of ministry activity and life in the church, but as I look back on the last month….wow. (no exclamation point) Just a

“wow”. A month ago none of us could ever have imagined the events of the past four weeks and the change in reality it would bring for our world in the time that has transpired. Our new reality is… “nothing is normal.” We don’t see each other on a weekly basis at church, we log onto facebook for church services, we do bible study on zoom, kids are schooling at home, and we are all getting at least a glimpse of what its like to have OCD, panic disorder, and germaphobia… all rolled into one. Okay.. so how many you have gone through more hand sanitizer in the last three weeks than you have in the last three years!? Nothing is normal! lol 🙁

But looking back on the past month, I think most of us have taken note of some rays of light shining through. One of those rays of light at TC has been that…. while we were expecting a mission team from Texas to come and serve in our community in early March, they had to cancel their trip. But the ray of light is God still showed up anyway… and in awesome ways that are worth celebrating and being thankful for. The team from Houston’s First Baptist Church was intending to come and serve the impoverished barrio of Los Pochotes in Santa

where TC has been serving over the past couple of years. The plan was to build a church, host a community meal/celebration, and give bibles to the community. Those plans changed when HFBC had to cancel their trip. BUT, despite the fact that they weren’t able to come… God still showed up big. With the funds that HFBC had sent us for the projects that they were planning, we were able to buy materials and hire local workers for the church to be built. The community was also able to celebrate their first church service in the new building. And… in God’s providence… this was perfect timing. Because with so many in the neighborhood now out of work… the church in Los Pochotes is now using the new church space as a feeding center for the community. In the coming weeks/months, Tamarindo Church will be sending food to the church in Los Pochotes each week where they will be preparing food and feeding the community. And if that wasn’t awesome enough already… about week after completing the church, our friend Evelyn sent us pictures to show us that there are several members of the community who have come to faith in Jesus and who were baptized!

So awesome to see God showing up over and over again in that community. And this is just one of many rays of light I’ve seen shining amidst this pandemic. I’d love to hear what rays of light you’ve seen too… feel free to shoot me an email if you have a story to share.

Now as we look to the month ahead… I repeat my our mantra… “nothing is normal” lol. So please do scroll down and read through the announcement to take note of updates and changes at TC this month.

SUNDAY MORNING LIVE-STREAMING
Tamarindo Church is now live-streaming our Sunday church services onlin. Join us on Sunday mornings at 10:00AM! Last Sunday, in addition to having our church service on Facebook, we began making our service available via Zoom as well. For those who have Facebook, just go to our Tamarindo Church Facebook Page to Join us for service. And for those who don’t have Facebook, keep an eye out for Zoom link that will be sent your way via WhatsApp or go to the Tamarindo Church welcome page on our website where you’ll find the Zoom link. And if for some reason you are not available to join us on Sunday mornings… you can always view the sermons laster in the week as they will be saved to our TC Facebook feed. Just scroll down on our FB page posts until you find the Sunday video you missed.

LOCAL EFFORTS TO HELP THOSE IN NEED
In the wake of so many people losing their jobs in our community, it has been encouraging to see individuals, businesses, and local non-profs stepping up to make sure that their employees, friends, and neighbors have their basic needs met. Some of you may be wondering where these organizations are, where to point people who need help, and how you can jump in to make a difference. To bring more awareness to these efforts, we have put together a website that lists these organizations and businesses that are making a difference. CLICKhere to view a website we put together called Local Food Bank & Resources Website. And feel free to share this website with others.

TC BOARD UPDATE

We would like to say a huge THANK YOU to Kevin Bailey for serving on the Tamarindo Church Board for the past three years. Kevin resigned from the board in good standing with Tamarind Church, and we are sad to see him go. Kevin and his wife Connie are the folks who graciously sponsored the Marriage Retreat we had at Tamarindo Church three years ago… and they have been great friends to us and our church over the past several years. Thank you Kevin for the wisdom and grace you have brought to the situations and decisions we have been making over the past several years.

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.

~ Prayer Night–
Join us for prayer or send in prayer request for our Prayer Gathering on Tues, April 7th @ 6:30pm. See more info below.

~ Easter Sunday Celebration- Sunday, April 12th
For Easter Sunday, we will be hosting our service online via the TC Facebook page and Zoom. Scroll down to find more detail in the announcement below.

PASTOR’S PERSECTIVEAs we all are waiting for this pandemic to run its course… some of us are hoping that this will be the month when we see this pandemic peak and begin to subside. And as I sit here in my office writing this letter, I like to imagine that by the end of this month there will be celebration and relief as the virus has stopped spreading. I imagine us looking back on this pandemic as something that has passed and is over. I imagine being able to gather together with friends again in our homes and at church on Sundays. And I imagine local businesses being open again for business and people starting to return to work. And while I like to imagine those those “images” of things moving forward… the reality is that none of us knows when those things will become a reality for us . And it’s a bit unnerving… to sit with the unknown… of not knowing exactly when all of this will end and when life will begin moving forward. Okay… so our hands are sort of tied right now. And I say “sort of” tied because… while there may be some things we can’tcontrol… we need to remember that there is still much that we can control. What we can control? We can control what we do while we wait. Kind of like, how in Costa Rica, when you go to the bank you bring a book so that… while you wait… you have something productive you can do. So the question is… what are you doing while you wait… for things to get back to “normal”. My hope and prayer for our church and for Christ followers around the world will is that… while we are waiting… that we discover opportunities and divine appointments for what God would have us do while we wait. Maybe it… connecting in new ways with neighbors, friends, family, or your kids. Maybe it’s connecting in new ways with God… via online messages, podcasts, bible studies. Maybe it’s connecting with the needs of many in our world right now by showing acts of compassion, giving financially, and praying for others. Circumstances like the one we are in now, where our lives are radically disrupted, and our faith and trust in God is stretched to its limits, always gives rise to an occasion for our faith in God and our character to mature and grow. It was Paul the Apostle who reminded the church in Rome… and whose words reminds us today that through our faith in Christ…

… suffering produces perseverance;
perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Romans 5:3-4

Yeah… that’s not a fun one to hear. But we know it’s true. As we look back on our lives… we find that it is in the times of suffering, trial, tests of faith… that we have experience some of the most fruitful growth in our character and our faith. So one of the lessons we can take from Paul’s words here is… don’t let this trail that we are all going though together go to waste… and be for nothing. Draw nearer to God in these times. And draw nearer to one another in these times (with social distancing of course 🙂 And may the Holy Spirit open our hearts and minds to know how we can parter in the new work that God wills to do in and through us… while we wait.

Peace,
Lyle & Stacey

PRAYER GATHERING
Wednesday, April 15th
6:30pm online via Zoom

On Tuesday April 15th, we will be hosting a prayer meeting online via Zoom. Join us for an hour or prayer together as we pray for for our church, our community, and for requests shared among those gathered. If you would like to join the meeting, please email/message pastor Lyle to let him know and he will send you the Zoom link for the meeting. If you are unable to make the meeting but have a prayer request, please send your prayer requests to tamarindochurch@gmail.com

MUSICIANS WANTED – 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. Please pray that the Holy Spirit would give us creativity on how to do this best in our current context of the pandemic and social distancing.

MINISTRY TEAM- That God would grow our church board, staff and volunteers 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 meet the rest of our financial needs for 2020 through unforeseen gifts and Sunday offerings. Pray also that God would give us wisdom in being good stewards of the resources he has given us.

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 God would raise up a team of prayer warriors for our monthly prayer meetings.Prayer for God’s blessing over the new church community in Los Pochotes.Prayer for the barrio of Cristo Rey Nicaragua… for God’s provision and protection over our friends there during this pandemic.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.