College Group Dinner and Game Night

This tuesday night for our tuesday night gathering we will be meeting for Dinner and Games. This will be a great time of hanging out with old friends and making new friends. We will provide some eats but feel free to bring something along with you to share. This will be a relaxed time of hanging out and playing games. We would love to see you there and as always feel free to bring friends.

Where:

13025 reservation road    salinas  93908    (Thomas and Shannon Hugo’s house)                                do the google map thingy

When:

Tuesday Feb 2nd @ 8pm

who:

you

Check back next week for info on our tuesday night group. Or get more info from our podcast on itunes – search for oxygenmonterey.

Oxygen Podcast on iTunes

We are excited to have the first episode of the Oxygen podcast on iTunes and ready for download or streaming play. Every week we will be talking about the upcoming sunday teachings tuesday night activities and pretty much what ever else pops in our heads at the time. We hope in the near future to expand this from an informative podcast to also include sharing from students, info on church wide events, reviews of local stores and restaurants, and much more. If you think you have some good ideas or maybe you just think your opinion should be known. Then talk to Pastor Andrew and Jon Ryan and we will get you in for one of our next recording sessions. Hope you enjoy it and don’t forget to subscribe so it auto downloads.

You can get the podcast at oxygenmonterey.com or on itunes by searching for oxygenmonterey.

Click the link to go to the iTunes page.

http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=350224607

Oxygen Online Resources

We want you to stay informed about what’s going on in our college group Oxygen.  Be sure to check out these tools that will help you stay connected to what’s going on and what’s coming up.  We’ll also keep you informed about other ministry opportunities here at Shoreline, so be sure to check back often!

Twitter Updates: Follow us at @oxygenmonterey

Facebook Group: Search “oxygen” in the groups section of facebook, and become a member!

Weekly Blog Posts: Right here on the Shoreline website, or bookmark oxygenmonterey.wordpress.com

This Sunday night (October 25th), we will be having Emmy award winning special guest John Wineglass join our band, as well as other special guests to end the month with a great acoustic set.  We’ll also be doing a worship art experience during the last set of music, so be sure to be there for this creative evening!

Stay tuned for an Oxygen bowling night, coming up in November.

The Wild

As I write this, my only light is a citronella candle, and the stars that linger in the summer sky above the western hills.  The sound of crickets and frogs wafts through our campground, along with the laughter of other campers.  As I have set up camp, made shelter, and swam in the swimming holes of the nearby river, I can’t help but recall this feeling that I’ve felt many times when deep in the wilderness.  The question that comes to mind is ‘what if this is what it’s really suppose to be like?’

When we go out into the wild it brings to life something inside us that is suppressed deep in our hearts…the brutal, raw landscape absent of luxurious amenities and concrete seas brings out a need for survival…a need for basic things like fire and water and food to get us through the night.  It also strips us of our reliance on the technology of our cell phones and computers, and tunes us into the surrounding wild.  The forest comes alive as the different bugs and animals come out in the differing times of day.  The stars at night command an awe that little else can match.  I cannot help but feel that God can commune and speak to us in a more pure, effective way while we are in the wild.  His creation screams at us as it surrounds and envelopes us.  The raw beauty that presents itself cuts deep to the core of our hearts, and in a primitive and strange way, it feels as if this is how it was always meant to be.

As we live in the most beautiful of places, we have every opportunity to immerse ourselves in nature daily.  Let us seek out God’s raw beauty and grace in our daily lives, and let us remember the simplicity and clarity that nature can show us.

Jonathan

A thought on Prayer this St. Patricks Day

When I came into my office today I took a few minutes to read as I try to start most mornings with a little jump start for the brain. Today since it is St. Patricks day I pulled a wonderful book of Irish folk Lore from my shelf. The story of St Patrick is one that not many people in our area know but it is an amazing story. I would try to retell it here but I don’t think I could do it justice. There is one part that I love and will go into for a minute but make a point to check out the whole story some time.

One of the many incredible pieces of the story comes at a time when at a young age he was kidnapped and sold as a slave. He spent many years in servitude and grew to understand much of the culture he was intrenched in. After much time he began to see that their lives were missing an important port and that his was as well, he had forgotten his faith. At that point he made it a point to pray as much as he could. He would pray night and day as he labor for his master. Some of the stories say he prayed without ever stopping. Some say he prayed hundreds of times a day for everything big and small he did. No matter how the story is told it’s very clear that opening up this channel of conversation with God changed his life in a huge way.

Later in life through many years and many adventures he came to serve God as a Bishop in England. From there God put on his heart to return to the Irish people with the word of God and he established the first Christian community there in Ireland. St. Patrick’s story is one of a normal person who made prayer the center of his life and through that Changed much of the world he knew.

So this St. Patrick’s day as you take time to put on a little Green or perhaps sit down for some cornbeef and cabbage remember St. Patrick’s commitment to prayer and maybe, just maybe it’s time to make a commitment of your own.

Pastor Andrew

Thomas Hugo Speaking this Sunday Night @ Oxygen

Make sure to be at Oxygen this Sunday night as we will be having a guest speaker. Well kind of a guest speaker, it’s Thomas Hugo. Thomas Hugo drums in the Band at Oxygen most weeks and is friend to most who attend. He also worked here at Shoreline for several years in our student ministries department with the high school and college groups. Now Thomas works here in the Monterey area doing network consulting, repair, and maintenance. Thomas may spend his days with computers but his knowledge of scripture and philosophy lead his mind to interesting places. It’s been about 6 months since last time Thomas shared with us at Oxygen and we look forward to what he is bringing for us this week. 

So come out this Sunday Night @ 7pm for Oxygen here @ Shoreline

Message Series

Join us Sunday nights at 7:00 in the Youth Room as we explore the lives of those who had encounters with Jesus. We will look at their lives and their encounters with Jesus and what that means to us today. We look forward to seeing you there!

Celebrating Peace! Advent week 2 @ Oxygen

Last week we began Advent at Oxygen with the week of Hope. Pastor Andrew shared about finding and seeking hope in this season and our lives. This week we are moving forward into the week of Peace. 

The idea of peace in this day and age is such an exciting concept but it seems very far from something attainable. We have gone through so many ups and downs around the world in the last few years. Everywhere we go we hear talk of war, famine, hunger, pain, genocide, and so much hate. Peace seems like something only a child could dream of or ever think could happen. What does peace look like in your mind? Some of us may think peace will come with freedom from debt, or finding the right job. Maybe it’s finding the perfect guy or girl, some it may seem as simple as finishing school. So what’s peace look like to you? Take a moment and picture peace. 

We all have our own idea of what may bring us peace but as we move through this time of Advent we see a greater peace then any of us could ever dream up. This peace that comes with Christ is a peace that surpasses all understanding. Isaiah 9:6 calls Jesus the Prince of Peace, I love that idea. He not only brings peace but He is the ruler of peace. Who better to seek true peace from then the only one with the power to offer it.

I pray and hope that in this advent season you can seek peace in your life from Christ who freely provides.

Pastor Andrew

Pastor Keith speaks @ Otter Christian Fellowship

Last night several of us went at to Otter Christian Fellowship at C.S.U.M.B. Otter Christian Fellowship, other wise known as O.C.F., is the christian club out out our local state college. We had a great time with John Ryan and Arizona leading us in several songs making sure to toss is a couple Christmas tunes. Keith shared about the importance and need for reading the bible. His focus was on the way that the bible helps lead us in our daily lives and gives us wisdom to plan for our future. This ended their semester long study on the basics of the Christian faith. It’s always great to join together with O.C.F. for an evening or two now and then.

If you are a student at C.S.U.M.B. and have interest in O.C.F. contact Pastor Andrew to get the latest information on when and where they meet. Next Monday night @ 8pm is there Christmas party in building 98 at C.S.U.M.B.

Enjoying Advent @ Oxygen

This last Sunday night we started the lighting of the advent wreath at Oxygen. It’s wonderful to explore some of the older church traditions together. Several weeks ago I was asked what we were planning on doing for the Christmas season at Oxygen. It got me thinking about all kinds of great traditions I have been exposed to throughout my life and advent has by far had the greatest meaning.

My earliest memories of Advent come from time spent at my Grand Parents country church in Washington. I can remember singing songs and the pastor reading some scripture those were all the normal things we did each week at church. After a few more songs an older couple stood up from the front row and read a poem about hope followed by a prayer asking God to help us be a people and thanking Him for the hope he gave in the birth of his son the Christ. So being a little boy anytime there was fire involved my interest was sparked. The ride home in my Grandpa’s old farm truck was full of question from me about the candles and the lighting and the wreath. I was very concerned that they had forgotten to put out the candle, but once those fears were squelched my Grandpa began explaining. He told me about the three purple candles. The first standing for Hope then Love and Peace. Then the pink candle to represent the Joy brought through Christ. The center candle being a white candle showing Christ as the center. All of the candles as part of an evergreen wreath to stand for the unchanging nature of God. It was allot for a little guy to take in but even then it I greatly enjoyed the Advent tradition.

Looking back at my own love of Advent it was an easy choice as a way for us at Oxygen to experience this Christmas season together. I hope that if your reading this and have not been part of the advent tradition in the past that perhaps you will explore this for yourself. It’s an easy tradition to learn about with a quick Google or two. Or if you are part of the Oxygen group or you are in college or college aged (18 – 26) then come by this coming Sunday night @ 7pm in the youth room here at Shoreline and join us for this celebration of Advent.

Pastor Andrew

Here’s a little special Christmas treat for you! Click the link!

09-hark-the-herald-angels-sing

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