Impact Christmas Party in San Jose - December 20th

You and your friends are invited to Impact's Christmas Party! 

We'll have soup, bread, hot chocolate and Christmas caroling! We'll also be looking at Christmas lights and watch the famous Charlie Brown Christmas special!

Time: Thursday 12/20 any time after 6:30 pm

Where: Christian's house: 
1134 Glenn Ave. 
San Jose CA 95125
(408) 416-1802

Bring? A warm coat for looking at the lights. Do not bring food, dinner is provided. 

Healthy Relationships with Each Other

Join Impact for our next series: "Healthy Relationships with Each Other", taught by guest speaker Dr. David Eckman. In this series we will look at how God's example of a loving relationship with us can help form healthy relationships with each other.

Series Dates: November 8th - December 13th 2012

Thursday Nights 7-9PM

“David Eckman, Ph.D., has been a pastor for 16 years followed by 7 years as a Dean and Vice-President for Western Seminary in San Jose and Portland. He holds an M.Div., M.Th., and Ph.D. He has studied at Oxford University in England working on his doctorate, and received his Ph.D. in Old Testament and Hebrew from Golden Gate Seminary. He is presently part-time faculty for Western Seminary and full-time with Becoming What God Intended Ministries. He is an author of numerous books and an international speaker and educator He has authored Becoming Who God Intended, Knowing the Heart of the Father and Sex, Food, and God.”

Thursday Night Study, Nov. 1

Thursday Night Study - John 17

Please read John 17, you may use the questions below to prepare for the study this Thursday. 

Introduction

1.  What going away gift have you received or given that still warms your heart or brings a smile?

2. What is the best reason you have heard for not believing in Jesus as Savior?

Study

1. What event is it now "time" for (v. 1;  12:23-24)?

2. What does it mean to "glorify" someone (v. 4 – 5, 10, 22, 24)? How is Jesus is deity emphasized here?

3. Who is the focal point of Jesus' prayer in verses 6-19? Why? If you had to file a report to the Father of Jesus' activities, how would you verify verses 6-8?

4. What is Jesus' concern in verses 11 and 15?  What does he mean by "the name you gave me" (see 8:58; Ex 3:14)? What do the events surrounding the original revelation of this name show about its power to save (Ex 3:7-10)?

5. What does he mean by his request in verse 17? What is its purpose?

6. Who is the focus of Jesus's prayer in verses 20 through 26? Toward what end? What kind of unity exists between God and Jesus that we should copy?

7. What does Jesus'  ultimate desire (v. 24) reveal about his love for us?

8. How do verses 25 - 26 some of the major concerns of Jesus in chapter 13 – 16?

Personal

1. This week, whom have you glorified by the way you lived? How so? 

2. What two phrases sum up your goal for the past year? 

3.How are your prayers for others like and unlike Jesus' prayer? Do your prayers reflect the short-term urgent, or the long-term important needs that people have? What can you apply to your prayer skills from this chapter?

4. How does the fact that Jesus existed before the world began affect the way you live?

5. How important to you is unity with other believers? With whom do you share this unity? How can you experience more unity?

"Serendipity Bible for Groups" third edition c. 1998 pp. 1506-1507; Zondervan Publishing House

Healthy Relationships for Singles, a new Launch group hosted by Impact

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM, 700 Santa Cruz Ave. behind Ace Hardware, Menlo Park, CA


Start Date: 9/27/2012 (6 sessions)

This six-week series will look at how we communicate with God and what that reveals to us about ourselves – particularly in how we build (or don’t) healthy relationships with others. We will do this through a series of teachings from guest speaker Dr. David Eckman and small group discussions. Dr. Eckman’s acclaimed book “Becoming Who God Intended” is the basis for the series (more on Dr. Eckman, below). Our gatherings will include time for connecting, discussion, and for prayer.



“David Eckman, Ph.D., has been a pastor for 16 years followed by 7 years as a Dean and Vice-President for Western Seminary in San Jose and Portland. He holds an M.Div., M.Th., and Ph.D. He has studied at Oxford University in England working on his doctorate, and received his Ph.D. in Old Testament and Hebrew from Golden Gate Seminary. He is presently part-time faculty for Western Seminary and full-time with Becoming What God Intended Ministries. He is an author of numerous books and an international speaker and educator He has authored Becoming Who God Intended, Knowing the Heart of the Father and Sex, Food, and God.”



• Becoming What God Intended: A New Picture for Your Past, A Healthy Way of Managing Your Emotions, A Fresh Perspective on Relationships (on Amazon.com and http://www.whatgodintended.org)

• Becoming What God Intended Ministries: http://www.whatgodintended.org



Series Topics and Schedule

- 9/27 –Start of Impact and Healthy Relationships Launch group series with guest speaker, Dr. David Eckman



- Part I – Communicating with a Good Father, the One in Heaven , Dr. Eckman: 9/27, 10/4, 10/11



- Part II – Bible teaching and study based on Part I, large and small group fellowship: 10/18, 10/25, 11/1



- Part III – – Communicating with One Another: From Miscommunication to Healthy Communication, Dr. Eckman: 11/8, 11/15,11/29



- Impact as usual - Great lessons, study, and fellowship: 12/6 onwards –

Please note WellSpring is open to both men and women.  For more information you may also contact Lori Ronning at lori_ronning@yahoo.com or contact WellSpring directly.

Dear Impacters,

If you are looking for an opportunity to go deeper with God, Wellspring has opportunites for the Fall. Please see information below or call the WellSpring Office at 650 328 8966 or info@wellspringca.org

Lori Ronning from Impact also has information and experience with WellSpring. She can be contacted at lori ronning@yahoo.com

Dear friends of WellSpring, The difference between knowing about God and actually knowing God is huge—and it is the difference many of us long to enter into more fully. Yet we might also wonder how one actually goes about knowing God in this way. Jesus himself answered the question by saying, “If you knew me, you would know my Father also” (John 8:19) We now have two opportunities for you to deepen your intimacy with God by spending time with Jesus in the gospels, opening yourself to actually encountering Jesus through what have come to be called the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius. (My own experience three years ago of spending 30 weeks in the Exercises deepened my intimacy with God in ways that continue to this day!) The first is a 9 week small group experience at WellSpring in Menlo Park. The second is in partnership with the Comtemplative Center of Silicon Valley in offering the full Ignatian Spiritual Exercises. I highly recommend both the Exercises and the leaders (Patty Martin/Janet Perez and Liz Lawhead/Melinda Kaewert ) who have been involved with WellSpring over the past several years. Following is a full description of what to expect and how to participate. Summer Blessings, Patti 1. AT WELLSPRING IN MENLO PARK: Introduction to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Join us as we walk through an nine-week journey encountering the deep love of God as uniquely expressed in the life of Jesus.  This nine-week study is also known as the preparation study or the introduction for the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, a 30-week study of the life of Jesus. This small group experience will introduce the participants to Ignatian practices such as contemplative Scripture reading, praying the Examen, and solitude. Each participant will be asked to attend the group each week, to receive individual spiritual direction from one of the leaders (at least twice), and to set aside time each day to pray with the weekly “exercises” or prayer practices. WEDNESDAY EVENINGS: 7:00 – 9:00 pm from October 3  – December 5 (skipping Thanksgiving week) Leaders:  Patty Martin and Janet Perez. Where: The Wellspring Center 1142 Crane Street, Menlo Park, CA Study material: Journey with Jesus, by Larry Warner Cost: $225 includes 9 group meetings and 2-3 individual spiritual direction sessions. To register by September 15, 2012 or to get more information call or e-mail the WellSpring Office at 650 328 8966 or info@wellspringca.org

 

John 21

1.) What is another name for the Sea of Tiberius and why do you think they
were there?

2.) Why do you think the disciples did not immediately recognize Jesus?

3.) What is the significance of this miracle catch of fish? Is this just
part of the historical narrative or is there a reason why the author John
chose to include this story.

4.) In verse 15, what do you think ³these² refers to? Why do you think
Jesus asks Peter three times, ³do you love me?² Is this a rebuke or an
affirmation? What does this interaction say about the relationship between
Jesus and Peter?

5.) What is it that Jesus wants Peter to do? i.e. What is the larger
change in life that Jesus is asking of Peter. Are you willing to make
these changes in your life-why or why not?

7.) Why do you think Peter asked Jesus about John? What is Jesus response
and what does it mean in the larger sense for us today?

8.) What do you think is the/a main theme of the book of John? What is
your favorite verse or story from the Gospel of John?

9.) Ask the group your own question from this week or from any story from
the Gospel of John.

10.) What have you learned about Jesus from this study of the Gospel of
John that has blessed you?

John 21

1.) What is another name for the Sea of Tiberius and why do you think they
were there?

2.) Why do you think the disciples did not immediately recognize Jesus?

3.) What is the significance of this miracle catch of fish? Is this just
part of the historical narrative or is there a reason why the author John
chose to include this story.

4.) In verse 15, what do you think ³these² refers to? Why do you think
Jesus asks Peter three times, ³do you love me?² Is this a rebuke or an
affirmation? What does this interaction say about the relationship between
Jesus and Peter?

5.) What is it that Jesus wants Peter to do? i.e. What is the larger
change in life that Jesus is asking of Peter. Are you willing to make
these changes in your life-why or why not?

7.) Why do you think Peter asked Jesus about John? What is Jesus response
and what does it mean in the larger sense for us today?

8.) What do you think is the/a main theme of the book of John? What is
your favorite verse or story from the Gospel of John?

9.) Ask the group your own question from this week or from any story from
the Gospel of John.

10.) What have you learned about Jesus from this study of the Gospel of
John that has blessed you?

John 8

Verses 1 - 11

1. Cite at least one lesson relating to the story of the woman caught in adultery. What could you do differently in your life to put that lesson into practice?

Verses 12 – 20; also skim I John 1-2

2. What do we have to do to walk in darkness? What do we have to do to walk in the light? How has Jesus been the light of your life?

Verses 21 – 30

3. Compare John 8:24 with Exodus 3:14, Deut. 32:39, Isaiah 43:10, John 8:58. Who does Jesus claim to be? Who do you say He is? Why?

4. Verse 24 contains the primary reason for Jesus’ conversation with the religious leaders. How would you explain the significance of this verse to someone?

5. What might change in your personal, family, business, or church life if you had Jesus’ attitude in verse 28? In verse 29?

Verses 31 – 59

6. From verse 32, how do you define truth? How do you define freedom?

7. What condition does Jesus place on freedom and truth? Have you been set free by the truth of Jesus Christ in some particular thing? What freedom are you asking God to give you today?

8. Jesus’ opponents also claim to have both Abraham and God as their father. According to Jesus, how does their conduct contradict their claim (vv. 39-47)?

9. Why is our conduct the truest test of our beliefs?