PCF Los Angeles
By Praise Christian Fellowship Los Angeles
PCF Los AngelesOct 23, 2022
Keep God's Command | Pastor Art Cabrera
SCRIPTURE TEXT: 1 John 2: 1-29 Christ Our Advocate 2 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. The New Commandment 7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. 8 At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because[a] the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. 9 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. 10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him[b] there is no cause for stumbling. 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. 12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. 14 I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. Do Not Love the World 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life[c]—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. Warning Concerning Antichrists 18 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. 20 But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.[d] 21 I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he made to us[e]—eternal life. 26 I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 27 But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him. Children of God 28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. Preacher: Pastor Art Cabrera Series: Psalms of Perseverance (Pt. 5) Sermon Title: Keep God's Command July 9, 2023 at 11:00:00 AM
Walk in the Light | Assoc. Pastor Venida Antonio
SCRIPTURE TEXT: 1 John 1:1-10 With this message, we begin a new sermon series studying together the first epistle of John to the Early Church, progressing through one chapter per week. This inspired letter gives lessons on how to LIVE IN THE LIGHT OF GOD’S LOVE. John wrote to believers living through a time of persecution, confusion, and growing division even among Christians about the essentials of the faith and the falsities of heresy. This series offers sermon outlines prepared by Pastor Court and presented by various associate pastors of PCF-LA. Pastora Venida Antonio leads our examination of the first chapter of 1 John and its admonition to Walk in the Light according to God’s Word of life, light of love, & clear truth within, a pathway for partnership in the Body, fellowship in the Spirit, & perseverance in the faith. *For those participating online: prepare your supplies to join us in Communion. Preacher: Assoc. Pastor Venida Antonio Series: Live in the Light of God's Love - A Study in 1st John (Pt. 1) Sermon Title: Walk in the Light July 2, 2023 at 11:00:00 AM
A Song of Healing from the Sickbed | Pastor Courtney Hall
SCRIPTURE TEXT: Psalm 41:1-17 In this concluding message of our “PSALMS OF PERSEVERANCE” sermon series, Pastor Court looks at Psalm 41 and one of the most challenging experiences of life: major illness. In this psalm of David, the situation includes the further aggravation of enemies who malign and, even worse, a friend who betrays. Yet through it all, the overarching assurance of the psalmist is once again that God’s faithfulness invites & undergirds our perseverance, confident that the Lord will sustain His own people from everlasting to everlasting. Preacher: Pastor Courtney Hall Series: Psalms of Perseverance (Pt. 5) Sermon Title: A Song of Healing from the Sickbed June 25, 2023 at 11:00:00 AM
A Song of Praise from a Soul in Need | Pastor Courtney Hall
SCRIPTURE TEXT: Psalm 40:1-17 Psalm 40, yet another Psalm of David in our “PSALMS OF PERSEVERANCE” sermon series, affirms the Father’s faithfulness to His people to see them through times of trouble & trial. Here the psalmist affirms, “I waited patiently for the LORD &... He heard my cry” (v1). The psalmist notably describes real praise for their delivering God as including effusive worship, effective witness, and earnest walking in obedience to God’s ways. In times in which we may feel “mired in the mud” (v2), an effective response is to praise the Lord who always hears our cry & will answer our need in His righteousness. Preacher: Pastor Courtney Hall Series: Psalms of Perseverance (Pt. 4) Sermon Title: A Song of Praise from a Soul in Need June 18, 2023 at 11:00:00 AM
The Human Spirit & The Holy Spirit | Bruno Alge
SCRIPTURE TEXT: 2 Timothy 1:7; Matthew 3:11 Preacher: Bruno Alge Series: Year of Perseverance June 11, 2023 at 11:00:00 AM
A Song of Deliverance from Secret Sin | Pastor Courtney Hall
SCRIPTURE TEXT: Psalm 32:1-11 As we continue our series on PSALMS OF PERSEVERANCE, we come to Psalm 32, a psalm of David that confronts the problem of silence about sin. But the alternative (making a clean breast of things through clear confession) brings both the comfort of Christ and the clarity of God’s holy counsel into our lives. Through our confession, God thus equips us all the more to persevere in purity even as He delivers us out of the folly of stubbornly sustaining our sin. *For those participating online: prepare your supplies to join us in Communion. Preacher: Pastor Courtney Hall Series: Psalms of Perseverance (Pt. 3) June 4, 2023 at 10:30:00 AM
A Prayer of Trust in God at All Times | Pastor Courtney Hall
SCRIPTURE TEXT: Psalm 4:1-8 We begin our new sermon series on “PSALMS OF PERSEVERANCE” with an examination of Psalm 4 and its prayer of trust in God at all times. This psalm of David carries the king’s character of persevering in prayer through all times of trial & troubles, offering assurance that the Lord hears our cries to Him. As we pray this poem of trust, we’re reminded that God alone brings true peace to His people. Preacher: Pastor Courtney Hall Series: Psalms of Perseverance (Pt. 1) Sermon Title: A Prayer of Trust in God at All Times Date: 05/21/2023 | Time: 10:30 am
Ang Diyos ang Kanlungan, Kapahingahan, at Kapayapaan | Pastor Henjie Pimenta
SCRIPTURE TEXT: Mga Awit 4: 1-8 Damdaming Nag-aalanganin o Oras ng Panalangin (Feeling hesitated or Prayer Time) 1. Kay Yahweh ang takbuhan at hingahan (To Yahweh, whom one unbosom his feeling) 2. Kay Yahweh Manahan at tumahan (Dwell on Yahweh) 3. Kay Yahweh walang maihahambing, pag-ibig Niya ay umaapaw sa lambing. (To Yahweh nothing can be compared, His Love is overflowing with tenderness) 4. Kay Yahweh ay may kapayapaan at may kasaganaan. (With Yahweh there is peace and prosperity) Preacher: Pastor Henjie Pimenta Series: Taon ng Pagpupursige Date: 05/21/2023 | Time: 08:30 am
Proclaim the Truth | Pastor Courtney Hall
SCRIPTURE TEXT: 2 Timothy 4:1-22 In this fourth & final message of our spring sermon series on the book of II Timothy, we find an effective summary by the Apostle to his protégé Timothy of how, even when facing life-threatening circumstances, believers need to be ready at all times to Persevere Like Paul--that is, to carry on with confident faith as we proclaim God's truth "in season & out" (2 Tim 4:2). Preacher: Pastor Courtney Hall Series: Persevere Like Paul - A Study of II Timothy (Pt. 4) Sermon Title: Proclaim the Truth Date: 05/14/2023 | Time: 10:30 am Sermon Notes
Ang Pagpupursige ng Ina Para sa Anak | Pastor Art Cabrera
Si Eliseo at ang Sunamita 8 Minsan, si Eliseo'y pumunta sa Sunem. May isang mayamang babae roon at siya'y inanyayahang kumain sa kanila. Mula noon, doon siya kumakain tuwing pupunta sa lugar na iyon. 9 Sinabi ng babae sa kanyang asawa, “Natitiyak kong isang banal na lingkod ng Diyos ang taong ito. 10 Bakit di natin siya ipagpagawa ng isang silid para matuluyan niya tuwing pupunta rito? Bigyan natin siya ng higaan, mesa, upuan at ilawan.” 11 Isang araw, bumalik nga roon si Eliseo at doon siya nagpahinga sa silid na inihanda para sa kanya. 12 Tinawag niya ang katulong niyang si Gehazi at sinabi, “Tawagin mo ang babaing Sunamita.” Tinawag nga nito ang babae at di nagtagal ay dumating ang babae. 13 Sinabi niya sa kanyang katulong, “Sabihin mong pinasasalamatan natin ang pagpapagawa niya ng tuluyan nating ito. Itanong mo kung ano ang maitutulong natin sa kanya bilang ganti sa kaabalahan niya sa atin. Baka may gusto siyang ipasabi sa hari o sa pinuno ng hukbo.” “Wala kayong dapat alalahanin. Nasisiyahan na po kami sa pamumuhay rito sa piling ng aming mga kababayan,” sagot ng babae. 14 Pagkaalis ng babae, tinanong ni Eliseo si Gehazi, “Ano kaya ang maitutulong natin sa kanya?” Sumagot si Gehazi, “Wala po siyang anak at matanda na ang kanyang asawa.” 15 “Tawagin mo siyang muli,” utos ni Eliseo. Kaya't bumalik ang babae at tumayo sa may pintuan. 16 Sinabi sa kanya ni Eliseo, “Isang taon mula ngayon ay mayroon ka nang anak na lalaking kakalungin.” Sinabi ng babae, “Mahal na lingkod ng Diyos, huwag na po ninyo akong paasahin.” 17 Ngunit dumating ang araw at naglihi ang Sunamita. At tulad ng sinabi ni Eliseo, nanganak siya ng isang lalaki makalipas ng halos isang taon mula nang sabihin ito sa kanya. 18 At lumaki ang bata. Isang araw, sumunod ito sa kanyang ama kasama ang iba pang gumagapas sa bukid. 19 Bigla na lamang dumaing ang bata na masakit ang kanyang ulo. Sinabi ng ama sa isang katulong, “Iuwi mo na siya sa kanyang ina.” 20 Sumunod naman ang inutusan at inilagay ang bata sa kandungan ng ina nito. Ngunit nang magtatanghaling-tapat, namatay ang bata. 21 Ang bangkay ay ipinasok ng ina sa silid ni Eliseo. Inilagay niya ito sa higaan, isinara ang pinto at dali-daling lumabas. 22 Tinawag niya ang kanyang asawa at sinabi, “Madali ka! Pagayakin mo ang isang utusan at ipahanda ang isang asnong masasakyan ko. Pupunta ako sa lingkod ng Diyos.” 23 “Anong gagawin mo roon?” tanong ng asawa. “Hindi ngayon Araw ng Pamamahinga at hindi rin Kapistahan ng Bagong Buwan.” “Kahit na. Kailangan ko siyang makausap,” sagot ng babae. 24 Nang maihanda na ang asno, dali-dali siyang sumakay at sinabi sa kanyang katulong, “Sige, pabilisin mo ang asno at huwag mong pababagalin hanggang hindi ko sinasabi sa iyo.” 25 At naglakbay sila, papunta sa Bundok ng Carmel sa kinaroroonan ni Eliseo. Nasa daan pa lamang, natanaw na sila ni Eliseo. Sinabi nito kay Gehazi, “Dumarating ang Sunamita. 26 Salubungin mo. Kumustahin mo siya, ang kanyang asawa at ang kanyang anak.” Nang kumustahin ni Gehazi, sumagot ang babae, “Mabuti po.” 27 Paglapit niya kay Eliseo, nagpatirapa ang babae at hinawakan ang mga paa ni Eliseo. Itutulak sanang palayo ni Gehazi ang babae ngunit sinabi ni Eliseo, “Pabayaan mo siya. Tiyak na may malaki siyang problema. Hindi pa lang ipinapaalam sa akin ni Yahweh.” 28 Sinabi ng babae, “Humingi ba ako sa inyo ng anak? Hindi ba't sinabi kong huwag na ninyo akong paasahin?” 29 Nilingon ni Eliseo si Gehazi at sinabi, “Magbalabal ka. Dalhin mo ang aking tungkod at tumakbo ka. Kapag may nakasalubong ka sa daan, huwag mong babatiin. Kapag may bumati sa iyo, huwag mong papansinin. Tumuloy ka sa bahay nila at ipatong mo ang tungkod sa mukha ng bata.” 30 Sinabi ng Sunamita, “Saksi si Yahweh, ang Diyos na buháy,[a] at hangga't buháy ka, hindi ako aalis nang hindi ka kasama.” Pagkasabi nito'y lumakad siyang papalabas ng bahay. Kaya, tumindig na si Eliseo at sumunod sa kanya. Date: 05/14/2023 | Time: 8:30 am Sermon Notes
Wounds Are Healed, but Scars Are Testimonies of Victories | Pastor Joemarie Sulmaca
SCRIPTURE TEXT: Revelation 13:1-9; Psalm 103:1-5 PCF-LA is honored to once again host Pastor Joemarie Sulmaca in our pulpit. In addition to being Supervisor of the Western Visayas District of Foursquare Philippines, Pastor Joe also serves as senior pastor of Restoration Life Center Church in Iloilo City. In this communion service, Pastor Joe shares from the Book of Revelation and from the Psalms as he encourages us to remember the realities of what believers are called to endure, trusting always in the truth that it is God alone “who pardons all your iniquities [&] heals all your diseases” (Psalm 103:3). For, the faithful shall persevere & overcome “by the Blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony” (Rev 12:11). *For those online: prepare your supplies to join us in Communion. Date: 05/07/2023 | Time: 10:30 am
Withstand the Wicked | Pastor Courtney Hall
SCRIPTURE TEXT: 2 Timothy 3:1-17 In Part Three of our series on II Timothy, we hear the Apostle Paul's warning that "everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Tim 3:12). In order in order to Persevere Like Paul, we will need to "Withstand the Wicked" while we hold tightly to the truth of God. In this third chapter of his letter, Paul helps us toward that end by illuminating the clear folly of the wicked with the plain warning of God's word and the full faith of God's promises. Preacher: Pastor Courtney Hall Series: Persevere Like Paul - A Study of II Timothy (Pt. 3) Sermon Title: Withstand the Wicked Date: 04/23/2023 | Time: 10:30 am Sermon Notes
PAG-UNAWA SA MUNDONG KINABIBILANGAN NATIN (Understanding the world we live in) | Pastora Pastora Blanche
SCRIPTURE TEXT: 2 Timoteo 3:1-17 1. Mga inaasahan sa huling kapanahuan. (Realistic expectation of the Last Days) 2 Timoteo 3:1-9 2. Pamumuhay para sa Diyos sa isang lipunan na walang Diyos. (Living for God in a Godless Society) 2 Timoteo 3:10-17 Preacher: Pastora Blanche Sermon Title: PAG-UNAWA SA MUNDONG KINABIBILANGAN NATIN Date: 04/30/2023 | Time: 8:30 am Sermon Notes
Learn the Word of God | Pastor Courtney Hall
SCRIPTURE TEXT: 2 Timothy 2:1-26 In Part Two of our series on II Timothy, we see that in order to Persevere Like Paul, we need to know, apply, & proclaim the word of God in our lives. In the second chapter of Paul's letter to his pastoral protégé Timothy, the apostle utilizes the metaphors of a soldier, an athlete, a worker, and even household articles, along with an Early Christian hymn, to illustrate the importance & utility of God's word in enabling us to persevere, fully prepared to do every good work for God (2 Timothy 2:21). Preacher: Pastor Courtney Hall Series: Persevere Like Paul - A Study of II Timothy (Pt. 2) Sermon Title: Learn the Word of God Date: 04/23/2023 | Time: 10:30 am Sermon Notes
Matuto sa Salita nang Dyos (Learn the word of God) | Bro Anthony Catalan
SCRIPTURE TEXT: 2 Timoteo 2: 1-26 A. Ang Salita nang Dyos ay magligligtas sa atin sa mga huwand na guro. (God's Word Protect us from False Teachers) -2 Timoteo 2: 16-18 B. Ang Salita nang Dyos ay syang lumilinis sa atin. (God's Word Purify Us) 2 Timoteo 2: 21-22 C. Ang Salita nang Dyos ay Nabibigay nang Tamang Direksyon sa ating buhay. (God's Word Gives Direction to our Path) 2 Timoteo 2: 24-25 D. Nagtitiyaga tayo dahil Salita nang Dyos. (God's Word Makes Us Persevere) 2 Timoteo 2: 1, 3, 9-13 E. Ang Salita nang Dyos ang Nagbibigay sa atin nang karunungan para maging mabisa Nyang Manggagawa. (God's Word Gives Us Wisdom to be Effective Workers) 2 Timoteo 2: 14-15, 23-25 Preacher: Bro. Anthony Catalan Sermon Matuto sa Salita nang Dyos (Learn the word of God) Date: 04/23/2023 | Time: 8:30 am | Tagalog Service Srmon Notes
Fan the Flames of Faith | Pastor Courtney Hall
SCRIPTURE TEXT: 2 Timothy 1:1-18 Beginning our sermon series on the book of Second Timothy, we find the Apostle Paul imprisoned in Rome and advising his protégé Timothy, now pastoring the church in Ephesus founded by Paul, how to hold strong to the faith & continue to proclaim the gospel truth despite the growing influence of heretical teachers threatening to take root in the church. In what is likely Paul's final Biblical letter prior to his martyrdom, he provides an effective treatise on how we as believers facing challenging times in the "latter days" can also Persevere Like Paul, holding firm to God's word & relying on God's Spirit as we face any obstacles to our faith, in order to overcome in Christ. Preacher: Pastor Courtney Hall Series: Persevere Like Paul - A Study of II Timothy (Pt. 1) Sermon Title: Fan the Flames of Faith Date: 04/16/2023 | Time: 10:30 am Sermon Notes
A New Day Dawning - The Persevering Power of Resurrection | Pastor Courtney Hall
SCRIPTURE TEXT: Luke 1:76-79; Matthew 28:1-8; Hebrews 7:15-25 Every Easter we celebrate again Jesus' Resurrection from the grave by "the power of an indestructible life" (Hebrews 7:16). In our Resurrection Sunday message for 2023 & the Year of Perservance, Pastor Court concludes his Passion Week Sermon Series on "Passionate Perseverance" with a focus on the persevering power of resurrection. The 1964 song "Feeling Good" famously includes a chorus proclaiming, "It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life, and I'm feeling good." Though not written with this focus, few words could more succintly describe our joy on Easter morning, when "the light of the Dayspring from on high [shines] on those living in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace" (Luke 1:79) -- for our Jesus "is able to save forever those who come to...Him, because He lives forever to intercede for them" (Hebrews 7:25). Preacher: Pastor Courtney Hall Series: Passionate Perseverance (Pt. 3) Sermon Title: A New Day Dawning - The Persevering Power of Resurrection Date: 04/09/2023 | Time: 10:30 am
Taon ng Pagiging Masigsig | Pastor Art Cabrera
Mag Awit 32:8-9
Preacher: Pastor Art Cabrera Series: 2023 - The Year of Perseverance
Date: 1/08/2023 | Time: 8:30 am Tagalog
The PURPOSE of Perseverance | Pastor Courtney Hall
SCRIPTURE TEXTS: Habakkuk 2:1-4; Hebrews 10:32-39
As we ring in the New Year on Sunday January 1st, 2023, Pastor Court officially announces 2023 as "The Year of Perseverance" for PCF-LA. As a congregation, each year the Lord guides us in a spiritual point of special focus for our lives and times. In the midst of "Five Years of Purpose," this New Year of Perseverance calls us to press on and pursue all that God has for us in the fulfilling of His will in our lives and world. In this first message of a new sermon series on PERSEVERANCE, Pastor Court teaches out of the Old Testament prophet of Habakkuk and the New Testament epistle of Hebrews on "The PURPOSE of Perseverance."
Preacher: Pastor Courtney Hall Series: 2023 - The Year of Perseverance (Part 1)
Date: 1/01/2023 | Time: 10:30 am
Patience in a Sudden Flight | Pastor Courtney Hall
SCRIPTURE TEXT: Matthew 2:13-23
The Christmas holiday corresponds also to the end of one year on the calendar & turning the page to a New Year ahead. Likewise, the arrival of Jesus as a baby in Bethlehem is the fulfillment of one set of promises but also the beginning of another cycle of patient expectation, for all He will do in His earthly life & ministry. And immediately, the Holy Family faces fresh challenges that call for quick action yet enduring patience & perseverance. Christmas carries the same message for God's people today who also await the Return of the Christ & the Day of the Lord in the midst of ongoing persecutions, trials, & tests.
Preacher: Pastor Courtney Hall
Series: ADVENT - A Season of Waiting (Pt. 6)
Date: 12/25/2022 | Time: 10:30 am
Patience in a Silent Night | Pastor Courtney Hall
SCRIPTURE TEXT: Luke 2:21-40
Our annual Christmas Eve candle lighting service in our sanctuary (& streaming live online) is when we gather as a family of faith to conclude the season of Advent. We'll celebrate the arrival of our Lord with Christmas worship and a message from Pastor Court on finding God’s “Patience in a Silent Night.” We’ll conclude our service hour with the lighting of candles to fill our sanctuary—and our souls—with God’s light.
Preacher: Pastor Courtney Hall
Series: ADVENT - A Season of Waiting (Pt. 5)
Date: 12/24/2022 | Time: 6:00 pm
Patience for the Present | Pastor Courtney Hall
SCRIPTURE TEXT: Matthew 1:18-25; 2:1-12
Every year at Christmastime, while most of us are gearing up for festivities with family & friends, some among us experience tremendous emotional challenges: the first Christmas without a loved one, yet another Christmas alone, or sometimes just the challenge of awaiting an answer from God in the seemingly interminable burden of the present moment. Like the Magi following a star in the dark or Joseph heeding the guidance of God in his dream, the Christmas story reminds us that sometimes—like children waiting to open their gifts on Christmas Day—we need to look to the Father with persevering patient trust while we wait on Him in the present moment of our challenge.
Preacher: Pastor Courtney Hall
Series: ADVENT - A Season of Waiting (Pt. 4)
Date: 12/18/2022 | Time: 10:30 am
Patience in a Hurry | Pastor Courtney Hall
SCRIPTURE TEXT: Luke 1:26-38; 2:1-20
Some of our favorite Christmastime images are postcard-perfect scenes of quaintly lit cabins in the snow & families lounging in the warm glow of a fireside. Yet despite these visions of calm & quiet, our holiday season reality often presents us with pressure & HURRY: the rush & crush of shopping, traffic on the roads, demands of parties & meals, wrapping & decorating, bills & costs...and sometimes a tumult of turmoil even in our souls. None of this seems very conducive to a simple, peace-filled, submitted & attentive lifestyle of spiritual preparation. Yet the Nativity story includes many pressures & urgencies, too, and the people in it reveal how God leads His own in the ways of patient submission to His perfect plan, even in the most pressing circumstances.
Preacher: Pastor Courtney Hall
Series: ADVENT - A Season of Waiting (Pt. 3)
Date: 12/11/2022 | Time: 10:30 am
Pasensya sa gitna ng Pagmamadali | Pastor Art Cabrera
Patience in Planning | Pastor Courtney Hall
SCRIPTURE TEXT: Luke 1:5-79
The Christmas season of December is also the Advent season of preparation, a time in which most of us find ourselves dealing with much PLANNING: of family & work gatherings, shopping & gift buying, festivities & meals, and so on. With our schedules so heavy-laden, we can find the joys of Christmastime overshadowed by stress as we struggle to maintain a spiritual sense of the season. In this message for the second week of Advent, we’ll consider the patient hope demonstrated by Zechariah & Elisabeth, parents of John the Baptist, as an antidote to overly-stressed seasonal fatigue & a tonic of spiritual centering in God’s word that can remind us of the reason for the season & the higher call of planning for the purposes of the Lord.
*For those online: prepare your supplies to join us in Communion.
Preacher: Pastor Courtney Hall
Series: ADVENT - A Season of Waiting (Pt. 2)
Date: 12/04/2022 | Time: 10:30 am
Patience in Waiting | Pastor Courtney Hall
SCRIPTURE TEXT: Isaiah 7:10-25
Advent, the traditional period of anticipating the arrival of Christmas that came in the birth of the Christ, is by its very nature “A Season of Waiting.” In this sermon series leading up to Christmas Day 2022, we’ll consider how our patient preparation for Christmas celebration relates to the ancient story of how God brings light, life, & hope to our world darkened by sin, death, & despair. In this first week of Advent, we focus on the prophetic power of WAITING in readiness based on the prophetic purpose of God’s promises reflected in His abiding word.
Preacher: Pastor Courtney Hall
Series: ADVENT - A Season of Waiting (Pt. 1)
Date: 11/27/2022 | Time: 10:30 am
Thanksgiving Eve Service | Patient Praise | Pastor Courtney Hall
SCRIPTURE TEXT: Isaiah 40
Our annual Wednesday night "Thanksgiving Eve" service in our sanctuary (and also streaming live online via our website & social media platforms) is always a joyous occasion. We'll worship and express our thanks to God for who He is and all He's done throughout our lives, in our church, and in our world in this Year of Patience. Pastor Court will share a message on how we can approach the praise-centered action of giving thanks with a special focus on faith-filled trust in God that will inspire our Thanksgiving celebrations and refresh our daily living.
*For those online: prepare your supplies to join us in Communion.
Preacher: Pastor Courtney Hall
Date: 11/23/2022 | Time: 7:00 pm
Sermon Notes
The Traveler & the Good Samaritan | Pastor Courtney Hall
SCRIPTURE TEXT: Luke 10:25-37
We conclude our sermon series on “Parables of Patience” with one of Jesus’ best-known tales, the Parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10. Though the Jewish people of His day generally distained their northern neighbors (and close cousins) the Samaritans, Jesus framed His story around a Samaritan hero whose kindness to a Jewish stranger forms Jesus’ answer to the question “Who is my neighbor?” Thus Jesus underscores that those of genuine faith should prioritize patient sacrifice & care in the Name of the Lord, even unto those who would classify themselves as their enemies.
Preacher: Pastor Courtney Hall
Series: Parables of Patience (Pt. 6)
Date: 11/20/2022 | Time: 10:30 am
Ang Tamang Pamumuhay Kristiyano | Pastor Fred Mañalac
SCRIPTURE TEXT: Ephesians 4: 1-16
I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Guest Preacher: Pastor Fred Mañalac
Date: 11/20/2022 | Time: 8:30 am
Remember the Lord Your God | Guest Pastor Maureen Broderson
SCRIPTURE TEXT: Isaiah 46:9
Author, Pastor, & Life Coach Maureen Broderson reminds us in this message to remember the Lord our God & all that He's done for us. Remembering is an act of faith that reminds us--not to take us back into the past, but rather to prepare us for the future. Faith's greatest encouragement is remembering. And so, as Hebrews 2:1 admonishes us, "we must pay closer attention to what we've heard [from God], lest we drift away from it." Remembering can help anchor us to the word, will, and ways of God. We will hold fast to our faith as we remember the Lord.
Guest Preacher: Pastor Maureen Broderson
Series: 2022 The Year of Patience
Date: 11/13/2022 | Time: 8:30 am
Sermon Notes
The Ten Ladies & Their Lamps | Pastor Courtney Hall
SCRIPTURE TEXT: Matthew 25:1-13
In His teaching story commonly known as the Parable of the Ten Virgins, Jesus describes ten young women of a bridal party engaged in the common ancient custom of awaiting the arrival of the bridegroom. Half of these prepared their lamps wisely, not knowing when the bridegroom would come. But the other five foolishly lacked sufficient fuel to keep their lamps lit & thus ended up missing out on the wedding feast. In yet another sample of Jesus’ “Parables of Patience,” we see how patient expectation of Jesus’ return forms a pivotal point in our patient readiness to perceive, believe, & receive God’s promises.
Preacher: Pastor Courtney Hall
Series: Parables of Patience (Pt. 4)
Date: 11/6/2022 | Time: 10:30 am
The Landowner & the Laborers | Pastor Courtney Hall
SCRIPTURE TEXT: Matthew 20:1-16
Jesus gives one of His most challenging “Parables of Patience” in Matthew 20’s Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard. In it, a generous landowner surprises his workers by paying those hired near the very end of the day a wage equivalent to those hired at the beginning. Many who hear this story find their patience challenged by its message that “the last shall be first” (v.16). Yet the parable calls us to a kind of patient partnership & trust with & in the Lord that also holds special promise: no matter how long we may have presumed on God’s patience, all the rewards of repentance are ready & waiting to be received by anyone willing to believe & obey Jesus today.
Preacher: Pastor Courtney Hall
Series: Parables of Patience (Pt. 3)
Date: 10/30/2022 | Time: 10:30 am
Huwag Ng Magdahilan (Make No Excuses) | Pastor Art Cabrera
Tagalog Servise
SCRIPTURE TEXT: Jeremias 1:4-19
Preacher: Pastor Art Cabrera
Date: 10/30/2022 Time: 8:30 am *Online and In-person.
Maging Laging Handa | Pastora Blanche Sol Cruz
Patiently Awaiting the Return of the King | Pastor Courtney Hall
SCRIPTURE TEXT: Matthew 24:32-51
Parables (short & simple stories often using symbolic meanings to convey a moral or spiritual lesson) formed a cornerstone of Jesus’ earthly teaching & preaching. Many of Jesus’ parables reflect the key role patience plays in the development of our character & faith. As we begin a sermon series looking at some of Jesus’ “Parables of Patience,” we focus on Matthew 24, in which Jesus deploys a number of pithy parables, including that of the Fig Tree, to teach His disciples how best to patiently prepare for His promised return. Jesus’ words continue to call us to a place of expectant observance, faithful service, and active yet patient preparation in our daily living to fix our faith on an eternal future in Christ.
SUNDAY SERVICE
PREACHER: Pastor Courtney Hall
DATE: Oct. 16, 2022 SERVICE TIME: 10:30 am (PDT) | In-Person & Online*
SERIES: Parables of Patience (Pt. 1) SERMON: Patiently Awaiting the Return of the King
Ang Paghahari Ng Diyos (Ang Kaharian Ng Diyos) | Pastor Wilfredo Manalac
SCRIPTURE TEXT: Juan 3:1-15
SUNDAY TAGALOG SERVICE
GUEST PREACHER: Pastor Wilfredo Manalac
DATE: Oct. 16, 2022.
SERVICE TIME: 8:30 am (PDT) | In-Person & Online*
Sermon Slides
Building Jesus-Reflecting & Spirit-Filled Community | Pastor Jack Witt
SCRIPTURE TEXT: Philippians 2:1-4
According to Jesus, the whole Old Testament Law could be summed up in two actions: loving God & loving others. Yet it can be easy to miss that Jesus’ call to love is still a commandment. Most of us struggle with that command because relationships are messy & regularly difficult. The good news is that God generously supplies everything we need to obey His commands. In this message, guest speaker Pastor Jack Witt explores how agreeableness with God provides access to the help He has prepared for our obedience. We have the promise of the Holy Spirit enabling us to obey the command to love God & to live in loving, Christ-honoring relationships.
SUNDAY SERVICE GUEST PREACHER: Pastor Jack Witt
DATE: Oct. 9, 2022.
SERVICE TIME: 10:30 am (PDT) | In-Person & Online*
2022: The Year of Patience
SERMON: Building Jesus-Reflecting & Spirit-Filled Community
Itayo Ang Bahay Sambahan | Pastora Blanche Sol Cruz
Hagai 1:8
SUNDAY TAGALOG SERVICE
PREACHER: Pastora Blanche Sol Cruz
DATE: Oct. 9, 2022.
SERVICE TIME: 8:30 am (PDT) | In-Person & Online*
Saul's Fall (III) - The Importance of Saul | Pastor Courtney Hall
SCRIPTURE TEXT: 1 Samuel 15:1-35
As we come to the conclusion of our sermon series on “The Samuel Story” that takes us through the first half of the Old Testament book of 1 Samuel, we’re looking at “The Importance of Saul,” the first King of Israel, asked for by the people in a rebellious turn away from God, yet also appointed by God & anointed by God’s Spirit in order to provide the people a leader led by the Holy Spirit. Yet Saul elected to be led more by his fears, foolishness, & frustration. Thus, the impatience of Saul in following God shows us the importance of Saul, for there’s a little bit of Saul in us all. And the lesson of Saul’s negative example also reinforces the positive principle illustrated in the life of Samuel the Prophet & later David the King: in the eyes of God, obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Sam 15:22). God sees our hearts and looks for sincerity in our submission to Him.
SUNDAY SERVICE PREACHER: Pastor Courtney Hall
DATE: Oct. 2, 2022.
SERVICE TIME: 10:30 am (PDT) | In-Person & Online*
SERIES: The Samuel Story (Part 11) | SERMON: Saul's Fall (III) - The Importance of Saul
Saul's Fall (II) - The Imprudence of Saul | Pastor Courtney Hall
SCRIPTURE TEXT: 1 Samuel 14:1-52 There’s a little bit of Saul in us all. God appointed & anointed that first King of Israel to lead His people in purity of spirit, with the integrity of heart. But Saul used his royal position according to his own terms & agenda. In the prior lesson from 1 Samuel 13, we saw how Saul’s fear of failure in battling the Philistines led him to jump ahead of God, trying to force God to follow Saul’s timeline, by offering the priestly sacrifice himself in violation of God’s command. Next, in 1 Samuel 14, we see how Saul’s impatience begot imprudence, as the effects of his fear produced the fruit of foolishness in his reign & created added risks for his people. To avoid such imprudence ourselves, we can ask God to grant us the patience & wisdom, found in His living word, and we can obey Him.
SUNDAY ENGLISH SERVICE
PREACHER: Pastor Courtney Hall
DATE: Sep. 25, 2022. SERVICE TIME: 10:30 am (PDT) | In-Person & Online*
SERIES: The Samuel Story (Part 10) | SERMON: Saul's Fall (II) - The Imprudence of Saul
Ang Hahalagahan Ng Pagsunod Sa Diyos | Brother Ivan Castro
SCRIPTURE TEXT: 1 Samuel 15:22 22. At sinabi ni Samuel, Nagtataglay kaya ang Panginoon ng napakadakilang pagkatuwa sa mga handog na susunugn at sa mga hain. na gaya sa pag-sunod tinig ng Panginoon? Narito, ang pagsunod ay maigi kay sa hain, at ang pagdining kay sa taba ng mga tupang lalake.
SUNDAY TAGALOG SERVICE
PREACHER: Brother Ivan Castro
DATE: Sep. 25, 2022. SERVICE TIME: 8:30 am (PDT) | In-Person & Online*
Sermon Slides
Saul's Fall (I) - The Impatience of Saul | Pastor Courtney Hall
SCRIPTURE TEXT: 1 Samuel 13:1-25
Surely all human beings are susceptible to fear, foolishness, & frustration. Yet in the Lord, all human beings have an invitation to live by faith with trust in God & the wisdom He grants fostering fruitfulness & spiritual fulfillment. While fear, foolishness, & frustration lead to impatience of heart & imprudence of action, trust, hope, & love in the Lord lead to patient faith & faithful living. Unfortunately, Israel’s first King would not be her best. Saul’s impatience & lack of trust in the Lord evidenced the pride of his heart that went before his fall from favor & into frustration—a lesson for all to live by faith, with patient trust in God, obedient to His will & receptive to His love.
SUNDAY ENGLISH SERVICE
Preacher: Pastor Courtney Hall
Date: Sep. 18, 2022. | Service Time: 10:30 am (PDT) | In-Person & Online*
Series: The Samuel Story (Part 9)
Sermon: Saul's Fall (I) - The Impatience of Saul
Ikamamatay mo ang iyong kasalanan | Pastor Arturo Cabrera
Tagalog Sunday Service
PREACHER: Pastor Arturo Cabrera
DATE: Sep. 18, 2022.
SERVICE TIME: 8:30 am (PDT) | In-Person & Online*
SERMON: Ikamamatay mo ang iyong kasalanan
The Prophet's Speech | Pastor Courtney Hall
SCRIPTURE TEXT: 1 Samuel 12:1-25
As Samuel, great priest, prophet, & judge of Ancient Israel, entered the latter years of his life overseeing the nation’s transition to the rule of a monarch in the person of King Saul, he gathered the people once more for a major address in the mode of Moses in Deuteronomy & Joshua at the end of the Canaan Conquest. The Prophet’s Speech in 1 Samuel 12 provides a pattern for what good & godly living of a leader’s legacy entails: a clear conscience derived from a consistent commitment to serving God’s people with integrity; a true testimony to the goodness of God at work in our days; & a pure profession of God’s glorious prophetic promises to His people. May we all strive to live in this character of integrity, testimony, & prophetic witness, by God’s grace.
SUNDAY SERVICE
PREACHER: Pastor Courtney Hall
DATE: Sep. 11, 2022.
SERVICE TIME: 10:30 am (PDT) | In-Person & Online*
SERIES: The Samuel Story (Part 8) SERMON: The Prophet's Speech
Pagtawid At Pagturo | Pastor Blanche Sol Cruz
Mga Awit 78:4 Hindi namin ikukubli sa kanilang mga anak, na isasaysay sa slin ng lahing darating ang mga pagpuri sa Panginoon, at and kaniyang kalakasan, at ang kaniyang mga kagilagilalas na mga gawa na kaniyang ginawa.
SUNDAY TAGALOG SERVICE
DATE: Sep. 11, 2022.
SERVICE TIME: 8:30 am (PDT) | In-Person & Online*
Unafraid to Cross | Pastor Henjie Pimenta
SCRIPTURE TEXT: 1 Corinthians 2:9
Over 2,500 years ago the prophet Isaiah wrote of the Lord, “Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides You, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him.” The Apostle Paul quoted this Scripture to the believers in Corinth to remind that the unimaginable glories of what God has prepared for His patient people have now been revealed to us in Christ Jesus by His holy Spirit. This Labor Day weekend message of Pastor Henjie Pimenta will inspire & refresh the Lord’s faithful laborers with the word of His promise: the best is yet to come.
SUNDAY SERVICE
DATE: Sep. 4, 2022.
SERVICE TIME: 10:30 am (PDT) | In-Person & Online*
2022: The Year of Patience
SERMON: Unafraid to Cross
Sermon Slides
A Victorious Warrior | Pastor Courtney Hall
SCRIPTURE TEXT: 1 Samuel 11:1-15
God’s people faced many foes who sought to “divide & conquer” the tribes of Ancient Israel. But when the Lord anointed Saul as king, he unified those tribes into a nation in which the people pulled together as one (1 Sam 11:7). Similarly in our lives, the enemy of our souls seeks to blind our spiritual vision, dash our faith-filled hope, & strike division among God’s people. Yet the same Holy Spirit who invigorated & inspired Saul to become a victorious warrior, delivering his people, also equips believers today to be “more than conquerors” united as one in Christ (Rom 8:37; 1 Cor 1:10).
SUNDAY SERVICE
PREACHER: Lead Pastor Courtney Hall
DATE: Aug. 28, 2022 SERVICE TIME: 10:30 am (PDT) | In-Person & Online*
SERIES: The Samuel Story (Pt. 7) SERMON: A Victorious Warrior
Kapistahan ng Ikinasal an Anak ng Hari | Assoc. Pastor Ludy Faulan
SUNDAY TAGALOG SERVICE
DATE: Aug. 28, 2022.
SERVICE TIME: 8:30 am (PDT) | In-Person & Online*
The Anointing of Saul | Pastor Courtney Hall
SCRIPTURE TEXT: 1 Samuel 10:1-27
The ancient story of anointing Saul to be the first king of Israel offers a plethora of present applications for followers of the Lord today, describing the power, provision, and prophetic potential for personal transformation that God affords His people. Yet it also offers a helpful reminder that though Saul began his reign well, his end was not so good because his heart was not so faithful. Walking faithfully in the anointing of the Holy Spirit will help us to live wisely today as well as to “finish our race” well in the future.
SUNDAY SERVICE
PREACHER: Lead Pastor Courtney Hall
DATE: Aug. 21, 2022. SERVICE TIME: 10:30 am (PDT) | In-Person & Online*
SERIES: The Samuel Story (Pt. 6) SERMON: The Anointing of Saul
In Search of a King | Pastor Courtney Hall
SCRIPTURE TEXT: 1 Samuel 8:1-22; 9:1-27
When the people of ancient Israel clamored for a king to rule over them so “that we also may be like all the other nations” (1 Sam 8:20), Samuel the Prophet knew that the hearts & motives of the people weren’t fixed on God, who was already their Lord & King. Nevertheless, God told Samuel to follow the people’s wishes, for He had a man prepared who would be king. In looking at this section of Scripture today, modern believers must consider: who rules our world? Are we “in search of a king” to comfort us, win our battles, and make us more like other people around us? Or is the Lord Jesus Christ King of our hearts and enthroned in our lives?
SUNDAY SERVICE
PREACHER: Lead Pastor Courtney Hall
DATE: Aug. 14, 2022.
SERVICE TIME: 10:30 am (PDT) | In-Person & Online*
SERIES: The Samuel Story (Pt. 5) SERMON: In Search of a King