We will be having an Easter Sunday celebration at 10:30 AM at John D. Morgan Park in Campbell on March 31. Join us and invite all your friends, coworkers and family! All are welcome. There will be free lunch and Easter Egg hunt for the kids. Most importantly, we will spend some time talking about Jesus.
Please help us by RSVPing on the Easter page if you plan on attending so we can prepare enough food.
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, (Matt 28:35 NIV)
In the Fall finals of 2010 Haven partnered with the San Jose State Asian American Christian Fellowship (AACF) to find a way to love the student community during finals week. An idea to make “survival packs” of a Capri drink, granola bar, mini-cookie pack and chewing gum to hand out to students studying for finals. That quarter, 250 packs where assembled by the Haven house church and accompanied AACF members to hand out free packs to students without any speeches or “strings attached”. If someone would asked we told them we were showing love to the SJSU community. At first, the givers and receivers were both wary of what this was all about. Only 250 packs were given away and AACF experienced a different way to “love” their fellow students.
In the Spring finals of 2011, 500 packs were made by Haven. More AACF members participated and word got around the library of free packs. Students were looking for the packs at the library .
In the 2012 Fall Finals, AACF were embolden to not only hand out packs but to also assemble the packs as a part of their fellowship meeting. AACF/Haven assembled 1000 packs and handed out not only at the library but also at the engineering college and fine arts college. Word began to reach to many students and now there was anticipation during dead week to receive a survival pack. Conversations were beginning to take place between givers and receivers. With a thousand packs, AACF asked other campus fellowships if they wanted to hand out packs and the fellowships partnered together to hand them out.
Spring of 2012 saw this little seed grow. As AACF/Haven packed one thousand snack packs, the AACF leaders shared how the other campus ministries are looking forward to hand out the packs and to share time with the student community. Another church heard from their college students of this and they were encouraged to assemble snack packs for their college group to hand out during finals week.
This started because two of our brothers felt a need to find a way to love the San Jose State students. The Lord brought the resources, the brothers and sisters together to bring a blessing upon those would were thirst and hungry.
Loading the car
Finished packages
Assembly line with little guy keeping everyone in line!
There’s no age limit in contributing to the kingdom of God =)
Dave, Alan and John have worked with the South Valley YMCA youth basketball league by sponsoring a team and coaching. This inspired another member of Haven to sponsor and volunteer for the YMCA soccer program. See how God can change lives through a simple “Yes”.
A couple years ago I read a book from Donalad Miller (one of my fave authors) called “To Own a Dragon: Reflections On Growing Up Without A Father”. Here are some summaries (thanks Amazon!) so you have some context:
With honest humor and raw self-revelation, bestselling author Donald Miller tells the story of growing up without a father and openly talks about the issues that befall the fatherless generation. Raw and candid, Miller moves from self-pity and brokenness to hope and strength, highlighting a path for millions who are floundering in an age without positive male role models.
Through Millers personal narrative and MacMurrays wisdom, children of absent fathers will discover how to pick up the broken pieces of a fatherless childhood…and put them back together. Even though I grew up in a home that was no more dysfunctional than the average one, the book really stuck with me for some reason. The book talks about how young mens lives are so strongly affected by the presence (and absence) or strong male presence in their life. Ever since then I’ve really felt a calling to just spend some time with young men in my community… I’m not even sure I’m that great of a role model but I’d like to think that I’m slightly better than average =)
So this led me to last year where I had the chance to mentor a high school youth. It was an interesting journey that is still ongoing but through that I knew that I had to do continue to mentor more but I had to do it through something I loved, something like footy. Luckily Haven was already involved in working with young kids through sport at our local Y sponsoring a basketball team… and now I’m coaching a small soccer team through the Y too.
Those are some of the kids up top, some are crazy a few are quiet some are whiny and most don’t pay attention… but I do have to say that in a few short weeks I’ve become totally attached. Like most of these kinds of things, its probably been more of a blessing to me than its been to them. I don’t know where this thing is headed, I don’t even know if we’ll even be coaching the kids beyond this season. But I do know that this is where God has called me to be right now, luckily all I had to do was say yes.
Stay tuned for more updates from Billy!
Our last few gatherings, we have been discussing what it means to make disciples and grow as a church and how we get there. It’s a journey we as a church are taking together. We recently watched these videos of missional churches from the Verge Network to help us understand what it kind of looks like. Sometimes we get tunnel vision and need to gain perspective. I think watching these videos helped us do that and evaluate ourselves as a church. We were encouraged and motivated again and it was a great time of discussion. The beauty of the body of Christ is the edification we are able to offer each other through Him.
Jeff Vanderstelt and his Missional Community at Soma Communities share their heart for wanting to see Jesus glorified in his neighborhood and all of Tacoma.
Leonce Crump and his Missional Community at Renovation Church talk about the joys and challenges of planting a church in a diverse neighborhood in Atlanta.
The Austin Stone: Lawson and Paul talk about how God is using their Missional Community to make disciples in their current context with international students at The University of Texas at Austin.
Last month, we held our baby dedication for 4 kids. It was a blessed time. For us as a community, it is incredibly important to incorporate our children into our community–that what we do includes them as well.
As each child was blessed and anointed by one of our leaders and our own loved ones. The community and parents made vows to each other to be spiritual leaders and examples for the children and to keep each other accountable as family would. We offered the congregation to make this commitment to the children of Haven.
This was also a great opportunity for us to invite our loved ones and friends who don’t typically attend a church and to see what we are doing and why. Why as parents we find it significant to dedicate our child unto the Lord–that these little ones are a blessing from him and every good and perfect gift comes from up above.
A small outline of our baby dedication 
*In OT, God decreed the firstborn belonged to Him. Every firstborn had to be redeemed. (for all the firstborn are mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set apart for myself every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal. They are to be mine. I am the Lord.” – Numbers 3:13 NIV)
*We are not Israelites and we are not bound to offering a sacrifice in place of our children because Jesus was sacrificed in place of our firstborn.
*We are responsible to raise our firstborns to know the Jesus who died for in their place.
*As a community of believers, we have a responsibility. Jesus says: (…whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me; but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. -Matthew 18:5, 6 NASB)… basically, don’t be stumbling blocks.
*We can take a higher calling: participate in the raising, praying for, edifying, teaching, disciplining, and loving our the children.
The lady of the group, Miss Juliette was not present for this dedication but we had a separate dedication for her on Easter Sunday.
And now, some photos!
GOOD FRIDAY :: ENCANTO CLUBHOUSE :: APR 6th, 7:30PM
This Friday, folks! Directions to Encanto Clubhouse. Refreshments (but no dinner) will be provided.
EASTER SUNDAY :: HELLYER PARK :: APR 8th, 11AM
Directions to Hellyer Park. NO SUNRISE SERVICE THIS YEAR!!! But instead of waking up early, Invite FRIENDS for a nice time of BBQ and Easter Eggs (so make sure you invite your friends who have kids!). There will be an Easter program as well, of course.
Our house communities have been involved in a few Love projects this holiday season. Here’s an update on what we’ve been up to!
SJSU CARE PACKAGES
This past December, we teamed up again with SJSU’s AACF (Asian American Christian Fellowship) to anonymously pass out care packages on the school campus. From past experiences, they were widely well received and people liked that there no strings attached–that we were simply there to show an act of love and kindness without a speech or “recruiting” them to go to church. We also were able to have the other Christian fellowships involved this time around as well. We were encouraged from the students at AACF that took time out of their studying schedule to help us pack 1000 care packages! We hope that this will spark a flame to pass on for others to show unconditional love.
Shopping at Costco for the snacks!
Packing in the SJSU engineering building with the AACF students
Students who received the care packages in the library and tweeted about it
CARE PACKAGES & CLOTHES DRIVE FOR THE VICTORIANS
Every 3rd Sunday, we meet for a all-church worship gathering at Le Petit Trianon Theater in downtown San Jose. Next to do is a housing program called the Victorians. A few of them join us for Sunday worship and sometimes we go over there to hang out. This past Christmas, we celebrated with them with a pizza party because they LOVE their pizza. We also put together hygeine packs for them that consisted of shampoo, socks, toothbrushes and other toiletry necessities. Additionally, one of our church members organized a clothing drive for them so they could go “shopping” and get some clothing. Everyone pitched in and had a great time.
Putting together the hygiene packs
Pizza time!
CHRISTMAS COOKIE PARTY
Every year for the past 3 years, a couple in our community hosts a cookie exchange. Not only do we have a fantastic cookie contest but we also bake extras to pack up and donate to Unity Care, a transitional foster care program. We also sewed together some funky sock monkeys for the kids!
We hope everyone had a great holiday season in remembering the birth of our Savior.
Here is a special Christmas song that Warren recorded!
SAN JOSE STATE / AACF CARE PACKAGES PREPPING! @ SAN JOSE STATE 7PM.
Some of our house community groups have teamed up with AACF from San Jose State to pass out care packages during finals week. The packages have a few snacks for the students to enjoy! It is a LOVE project and we are trying to maintain anonymity so there should be no identity of who is giving these out except that they are from people to love other people. They will be passing these out the week of December 5! Contact rachel (at) kingsfamily.net for more info!
BLESSING THE VICTORIANS :: LUNCH, HYGIENE PACKS AND POSSIBLE CLOTHING DRIVE :: 12/18 @12PM
I’m excited to announce that after next LPT Worship service, we’re going have lunch with and pass out hygiene packs to the Victorians who are neighbors next door! We’d like to do a clothing drive too, so let’s start it now, if we don’t get enough it can be ongoing.
To make these hygiene packs, we’ll be having an…
ALL HAVEN HYGIENE PACKING PARTY :: CARD MAKING :: POTLUCK :: 12/13 @ 7PM Contact missjenniferhuang (at) gmail.com for more info!
The Tuesday before LPT, we’ll be packing essential hygiene items for the Victorians. We’ll also write some cards and blessing to them =] Please plan what to bring for the potluck with your house group. Directions to the Brizuelas’.
Items that the Victorians need most are (these and others will be provided):
Soap
Shampoo
Combs
Disposable razors
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
You DO NOT NEED TO BRING the above. Haven will be providing the contents of these hygiene packs. Two Tuesdays from now on the 13th, we will be PACKING them together. This is a great opportunity to invite your friends, especially those who don’t know Jesus!
CLOTHING DRIVE :: BRING CLOTHES ON 12/13
Please bring your old clothes (or new underwear)! Last time friends and co-workers contributed too, so ask yours!
Items the Victorians need the most are:
Socks
T-shirts
New Underwear
Heavy Jackets
We need you to BRING THE ABOVE for this to be a success!
***
Questions, comments, or suggestions?
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From our Thursday Night House Community:
One week prior to Thanksgiving, our young home group had our very first holiday meal together. We had an early Thanksgiving pot luck feast, with plenty of food to go around. It was a great time for everybody to catch up with each other. And, since our group has only been meeting for two months at this point, we also used the time to know one another better through sharing and stories.
Giving the diverse nature of our group, there were plenty of tales from the recent and not-so-recent past. As mashed potatoes and gravy were passed around, we discussed jobs, school, and family, as well as random and silly topics. Despite the varied nature of the members, each could relate to the others’ struggles, or, at the very least, lend a sympathetic ear.
Sooner than anybody expected, the hour grew late, and it was time wipe the cupcake crumbs from our mouths, pack up leftovers, and head off into the night. Even without any games or ice breakers, our Thanksgiving dinner went by quickly, and we all came away with stronger ties of friendship–and maybe a pound or two heavier.