Weekly Update Archive

Merry Christmas SanLo Community! An update for the week of December 25, 2011…

Thank you to Pastor Brian Tekawa for the message from Luke 2:17-20, “Pondering His Presence.” This message concludes our Christmas series “Light of Salvation,” which focused on the gift of Jesus. Sadly, giving and receiving gifts has become such a major part of Christmas that Jesus is often neglected or overlooked. Christmas for some is a treasured time for family gatherings. Others treasure time off from school or work. Studying the story of Jesus’ birth according to Luke, we are reminded of the meaning of Christmas and God’s remarkable gift of Jesus. Think about what is important to you. What is it you value? What do you commit your time to? What do you treasure?

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Dear SanLo Community, an update for the 4^th week of Advent, December 18, 2011…

Thank you to Pastor Rod Yee, for the message from Luke 2:12-17, “What’s Your Sign? Some believe that their astrological sign influences their lives. One sign continues to influence all life. That is Jesus Christ.  How did God reveal Himself to us?

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Dear SanLo Community, an update for the week of December 11, 2011…

Thank you to Pastor Scott Shimada for the message from Luke 2:6-11, “A Significant Birth.” Like many people I thought Christmas was all about Santa and Rudolph and Frosty, trading presents and decorating the tree. I had heard the name Jesus and knew Christmas was about His birth but I could not grasp the magnitude of the importance.  As I got older I wanted to find out why we celebrate Christmas every year. Is it wrong to exchange gifts, put up a tree, hang a wreath or put up stockings by the fire?  No – but when we forget that Christmas is much more than these things, we miss out. The truth is, Jesus’ birth has more significance and meaning than we realize.  What does Jesus’ birth mean to us?

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Dear San Lo Community, an update for the 2^nd week of Advent…

Thank you to Pastor Eric Yata for the message from Luke 2:1-7, “The Chosen One.”  There are many things during the busy time of the Christmas holidays that call out for our attention. This year we have the NBA to have its first game of the season on Christmas Day! We don’t want the celebration of the coming of the Chosen One to be lost in all of the hustle and bustle. We can keep our focus when we consider, “Who is the Chosen One”?

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Dear SanLo Community, an update for the week of November 27, 2011…

Thank you to Pastor Rod Yee for the message from Acts 12:13-16, “Asked and Answered.” We would consider speaking directly to the president of a large business about a customer service issue as very special, so how much more should we appreciate the privilege to have direct communication with the founder of the universe through prayer and praise?

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Dear Church Family, an update of Thanksgiving to the Lord…

Thank you to Pastor George Toda for sharing his personal testimony from 1 Thessalonians 5:18 and Philippians 4:6-7, in a message entitled, “A Journey Unexpected.”  Giving a timeline of events beginning on 1/1/11 of having a shortness of breath, followed by several doctor visits to going into the emergency room on 1/17 to be admitted to be checked out for any possible heart condition, then came the diagnosis of stage 4 Non-Hodgkin’s Burkitt’s Lymphoma. By the 21^st, his kidneys stopped functioning, and as his family gathered around him, the Lord gave them the grace to say their goodbyes. He was told he had a 10% chance of making it through the rigorous chemotherapy treatments. This journey allowed him to observe and process many of the Bible scriptures that he once preached on, but now was living through them. God’s grace was evidenced in so many ways: in saying their goodbyes; the side effects of the chemo were not as difficult as expected; his physician was the best qualified for this kind of cancer, and so much more. Pastor George proclaimed, “It is so much better to go through the darkest of times with God, rather than have the best of times without Him.”

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Dear San Lo Community, an update for the week of November 13, 2011…

Thank you to Pastor Eric Yata for the message from Acts 11:1-18, “A Fresh Start”. It is amazing to see what God did and how God can do the same things in our church. A major merger takes place in Acts 10-11, there is a new beginning and fresh start. Maybe you are seeking a fresh start in life. God desires for us to understand and to see that through the gospel, He is always creating, moving, and acting to bring about new beginnings and vibrancy in our lives and in our church. To experience God’s design, let’s address one main question: How does the gospel create new beginnings in the church?

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Dear San Lo Community, update for the week of Nov. 6, 2011,

Thank you to Pastor Brian for bringing us the message, “Game Changer” from Acts 10. Just as the presentation of the Congressional Gold Medal was a historical moment that will be shared for generations to come, we have been recalling the history of the church in our study of Acts. Key Verse: Acts 10:34 “Opening his mouth, Peter said, “I most certainly understand that God is not one to show partiality.” Acts is a historical narrative, a story of the beginnings of the Christian church from which we can learn valuable lessons about God and ourselves as we seek to glorify Him.

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Dear SanLo Community, an update for the week of October 23, 2011…

Thank you to Pastor Rod Yee for the message from Acts 8:9-13, “Person to Person.” There are many things that can distract us from our most valuable relationship, being person to person with Jesus Christ. As we continue in the book of Acts, Stephen is martyred, as Saul continues to ravage the church. Philip was also one of the seven deacons, yet knowing what happened to Stephen, instead of going into hiding, he is focused as he goes about spreading the gospel of Jesus. Where is your own focus in life?

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Dear San Lo Community, an update for the week of October 9, 2011…

Thank you to Pastor Brian Tekawa for the message from Acts 5:17-6:7, “Turning Obstacles Into Opportunities.” There is an old saying, “Adversity is the mother of invention.” This is a good thought to remember this when facing hardships. The well known Bible teacher Howard Hendricks (former Bible teacher and chaplain for the Dallas Cowboys football team) says in his book, Taking a Stand, “We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insolvable problems.” How does God change obstacles to opportunities?

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