NOVEMBER 2015

UPCOMING EVENTS

Providing a loving atmosphere where people and

cities are transformed by the presence of God.

Sun

1
Celebrate Recovery
6PM

CELEBRATE RECOVERY Sundays at 6PM at

the New Hope office in San Rafael. Contact Dave
Weaver at 416.382.0419.
COLLEGE GROUP Sundays at 7:30pm at 1535
5th Ave. Apt. C in San Rafael. Contact Jon Riley
at 415.828.9761.
YOUNG LIFE JR. HIGH & HIGH SCHOOL CLUB
Mondays at 7PM at 118 Circle Rd. in San Rafael.
Contact Sandee Morgan at 415.324-0001.
MENS BIBLE STUDY Tuesdays at 7AM at Joes
Caf in Terra Linda. Contact Jon Riley at
415.828.9761.
WOMENS BIBLE STUDY Tuesdays at 10AM at
659 Las Colindas Rd. in Terra Linda. Contact Mona Riley at 415.479.0822.
PRAYER MEETING Tuesdays at 7:30PM at 234
Johnstone Dr. in Marinwood. Contact Steve Johnson at 415.479.8312.
COMMUNITY GROUPS
Central San RafaelWednesdays at 7PM
206 Marin St. in San Rafael
Contact Rebecca Riley at 415.847.8456
Terra LindaWednesdays at 7:30PM
1068 Los Gamos Unit E in Terra Linda
Contact Laura Boyd at 818.731.8722
For more information visit:
www.opendoorsanrafael.com

2
Worship 10AM

SET CLOCKS BACK 1 HOUR ON OCTOBER 31

Mon

College Group
7:30PM

8
Celebrate Recovery
6PM
College Group
7:30PM

15
Celebrate Recovery
6PM
College Group
7:30PM

22
Celebrate Recovery
6PM
College Group
7:30PM

29
Celebrate Recovery
6PM
College Group
7:30PM

10

11

17

18

24

25

Mens Bible Study

7AM
Community Groups
Young Life Jr. High
Central San Rafael
Womens
Bible
Study
& High School Club
7PM
10AM
7PM
Terra Linda
Prayer Meeting
7:30PM
7:30PM

30

Worship 10AM

Fri

Sat

12

13

14

19

20

21

26

27

28

Mens Bible Study

7AM
Community Groups
Young Life Jr. High
& High School Club Womens Bible Study Central San Rafael
7PM
10AM
7PM
Terra Linda
Prayer Meeting
7:30PM
7:30PM

23

Worship 10AM

Thu

Mens Bible Study

7AM
Community Groups
Young Life Jr. High
& High School Club Womens Bible Study Central San Rafael
7PM
10AM
7PM
Terra Linda
Prayer Meeting
7:30PM
7:30PM

16

Worship 10AM

Wed

Mens Bible Study

Community Groups
Young Life Jr. High
7AM
& High School Club Womens Bible Study Central San Rafael
7PM
7PM
10AM
Terra Linda
Prayer Meeting
7:30PM
7:30PM

9
Worship 10AM

Tue

TESTIMONY
GODS LOVE AMIDST THE DARKNESS
by Brian Jones
By the time I was
in the fourth grade I had
been sexually abused
many times. Once by
someone in my church,
once by a group of Satanists after they had
tricked me into dedicating myself to Satan,
once by a family friend and several times by a
group of neighborhood boys. I remember one
day after the neighborhood kids had abused me
my legs were shaking so bad I could barely make
it home. When I got to my house my dad started
screaming at me for leaving my shoes in front of
the door. I went to my room and cried myself to
sleep asking God to kill me because my dad didnt love me. As I awoke the next morning I remember hearing the birds sing and feeling such
awe and wonder. It was my hope to live just one
more day and that continued until the abuse
stopped.
My sister tried to kill herself when I was a teen
and our family unraveled. But through it all my
dad and mom got saved. I didnt care at first, but
something happened with my dad. His violent
temper got less and less and then he stopped
hitting me. My brother and I began to believe
there might be something to this Christianity
thing.
I tried to find my own way of salvation. I didnt
waste my time with Buddha or Allah but I did try
Toa de Ching only to give up when I saw there

B I R T H D AY S & AN N I V E R S AR I E S

was no practical spiritual achievement. I hoped

against hope there was a god, but I didnt want it
to be Jesus. I felt I had been burned by Christianity. At the same time, however, my lifestyle of
drinking, pot and porn was killing me and I knew
it. It was then I decided to reach out and let God
be God in my life. Jesus was the last God on the
block for me, but I didnt realize he was the one I
had been looking for the whole time. When I gave
life to Christ all the areas of my life I had tried unsuccessfully to fill with wine, women and song
were satisfied.
It has been eighteen years since that day. I
dont know why I suffered like I did as a child.
Many Christians who have suffered the way I did
have found it difficult to walk away and reconcile
the goodness of God and their experience. Mary
and Martha found it difficult to understand why
Jesus decided to arrive after their brother Lazarus
had died. But Jesus revealed his power and love
by raising Lazarus from the dead. Will we trust
Jesus that he is the God of the resurrection? That
he will bring back what is dead in us?

P AS T O R S C O R N E R
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
XVI President of the United States
Proclamation 118-Thanksgiving Day
Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of
the United States, do hereby appoint and set
apart the last Thursday in November next as a
day which I desire to be observed by all my fellow
-citizens, wherever they may then be, as a day of
thanksgiving and praise to Almighty God, the beneficent Creator and Ruler of the Universe. And I
do further recommend to my fellow-citizens aforesaid that on that occasion they do reverently humble themselves in the dust and from thence offer
up penitent and fervent prayers and supplications
to the Great Disposer of Events for a return of the
inestimable blessings of peace, union, and harmony throughout the land which it has pleased
Him to assign as a dwelling place for ourselves
and for our posterity throughout all generations.

CH U RCH of t he OPEN D OOR

N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 5 C AL E N D AR

Even if you have previously shared your testimony, if God has done something recently in
your life, and you would like to encourage the
rest of our church family, please contact Pastor
Mike at 415.459.1980 to share your story.

NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS
Brittany Hernandez 11/2, Nicole Baldenebro
11/10, Jerusha Emerson 11/11, Rob Short 11/15,
Wesley Howard 11/29

Senior Pastor
Associate Pastor
Elders

NOVEMBER ANNIVERSARIES
John & Angeleah Donahue 11/2, Jon & Elena
Riley 11/8, Steven & Sandra Aslesen 11/16, Sean
& Mary Holleman 11/17, Frank & Anita Worthen
11/24

Michael Riley
Jon Riley
Frank Worthen
Steve Johnson
Howard Hervey

Worship Service 10AM

San Rafael Community Center, 618 B Street
Office Hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 11AM3PM
P.O. Box 6217
San Rafael, CA 94903

415.459.1980
www.opendoorsanrafael.com

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