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Orchard Community Church

Having Faith in an Unfaithful World

We are called to be counterculture by standing firm on our faith and seeking to love God in the midst of an unfaithful world.

Locations & Times

8180 Telephone Rd, Ventura, CA 93004, USA

Sunday 10:30 PM

OrchardCommunity.Online.Church

Sunday 10:00 PM

Counterculture (Part 1)

The Book of Daniel

We live in a culture that is often foreign and hostile to our faith. The book of Daniel is a collection of stories and prophecies written about Jewish believers living in the hostile foreign land of Babylon during the Exile. Therefore, the book of Daniel can teach us a lot about standing firm and living faithfully counter to the culture in which we find ourselves.

Online Service

Join us Sunday mornings either under the Tent at Orchard or at on our Live Stream! The Service begins at 10:30 am. We invite you to be a part of our interactive online service starting at 10 am with announcements and chatting before the live stream of the service begins.

https://orchardcommunity.online.church/

Let us know you were here today!

Let us know you were here and also share your prayer requests and praise reports.

https://orchardventura.wufoo.com/forms/m87ol4d0kaymt1/

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https://pushpay.com/pay/orchardventura

♪ Made New

You're calling me over You're pulling me close With love You surround me You give me hope You're taking me deeper You're making me whole With grace You redeem me yeah You restore my soul Now I'm made new because of You You hold my head up You remind me who I am You hold my head up I'm alive in You again I'm made new I'm made new You're making me stronger You're healing my heart With Your hands You hold me in You set me apart You are my salvation I will not fear no You're the strength of my life, I won't fear (2x) CCLI Song # 7026321

♪ Way Maker

You are here moving in our midst I worship You I worship You You are here working in this place I worship You I worship You You are here touching ev'ry heart I worship You I worship You You are here healing ev'ry heart I worship You I worship You (You are) Way Maker Miracle Worker Promise Keeper Light in the darkness my God that is who You are You are here turning lives around I worship You I worship You You are here mending ev'ry heart I worship You yeah I worship You Lord (You are) Even when I don't see it You're working Even when I don't feel it You're working You never stop You never stop working You never stop You never stop working CCLI Song # 7115744

♪ 10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord)

Bless the Lord O my soul O my soul Worship His holy name Sing like never before O my soul I'll worship Your holy name The sun comes up it's a new day dawning It's time to sing Your song again Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me Let me be singing when the evening comes You're rich in love and You're slow to anger Your name is great and Your heart is kind For all Your goodness I will keep on singing Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find And on that day when my strength is failing The end draws near and my time has come Still my soul will sing Your praise unending Ten thousand years and then forevermore CCLI Song # 6016351

♪ Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)

Amazing grace how sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me I once was lost but now I'm found Was blind but now I see 'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear And grace my fears relieved How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed My chains are gone I've been set free My God my Savior has ransomed me And like a flood His mercy rains Unending love amazing grace The Lord has promised good to me His word my hope secures He will my shield and portion be As long as life endures The earth shall soon dissolve like snow The sun forbear to shine But God who called me here below Will be forever mine Will be forever mine You are forever mine CCLI Song # 4768151

As believers, there are times in life when we need to take a stand for what we believe.

We began last week by focusing on how our culture is constantly seeking to both pressure and seduce us into being conformed to its image rather than Jesus'.

This week we’ll look at how in order to remind faithful and live counter to our culture there will be times when we’ll need to take a stand for our faith and draw lines that we won’t cross.

Daniel 1:8-21

Just about everything they knew and had was taken from them, but now they had an opportunity. An opportunity to be educated, given a job, to earn their freedom, to have a future. And all they have to do was conform.

Have you ever taken a stand for your faith?

There are lots of stands we can take privately that no one sees and don’t cost us much, but what about when it’s public?

What about when it’s a risk?

Their stand begins with Daniel in v. 8.
"Daniel resolved in his heart not to defile himself with the royal food and wine.”
This is where they decided to take a stand and draw a line.

We need to recognize that when comes to faith there are some places where we should all take a stand.

Yet, at other times, where and how we make a stand may differ at times from person to person because faith is lived out differently in each person.

The first key principle we can see as they take their stand is courage.

Respect is something a lot of Christians lose sight of when taking a stand. Yet, it’s the second key principle that marked Daniel’s response.

Persistence, the third key principle, they didn’t give up when the request was refused, they stuck to it and trusted God.

Another key principle we see in the way that these guys made their stand is simply faith.

In the same way, if Daniel and his friends hadn’t taken a stand here with food, in this somewhat simple place, if they’d gone the way of compromise, would they have been able to take a stand down the road when things got much harder, like with the lion’s den or fiery furnace?

vv. 17-21 - Here we’re told God blesses Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah and gives them what they need to excel.

But we see something important here. God blesses those who take a stand for their faith and draw lines and live counter to their culture.

The question for us is are we willing to take a stand?

Are we Christian enough to take the risks to honor God and do what is right in those places where this world pressing in on us to not to?

Will we remain faithful and live counter to our cutler?

♪ The Stand

You stood before creation Eternity in Your hand You spoke the earth into motion My soul now to stand You stood before my failure And carried the cross for my shame My sin weighed upon Your shoulders My soul now to stand So what can I say And what can I do But offer this heart O God Completely to You So I'll walk upon salvation Your Spirit alive in me My life to declare Your promise My soul now to stand So I'll stand, with arms high and heart abandoned In awe of the One who gave it all I'll stand, my soul Lord to You surrendered All I am is Yours CCLI Song # 4705248

Today's Music
Orchard's Streaming and Song Select CCLI# 160190

YOU”RE invited to join us on Zoom for FFFF (Food, Faces Facts & Fun), our Annual Congregational Meeting on January 24th at 4 pm. I know the term “Congregational Meeting” doesn’t sound exciting, but FFFF is really more like a family reunion. We usually share a potluck meal, which we won’t be able do this year, but there will still be the usual and great “Faces” slideshow of 2020, some sort of “Fun” entertainment or game, and also just a little bit of business and “Facts”.

We are pandemic exhausted...Medical staff and personnel at our hospitals are even more exhausted and morale is very low. Our Local Missions Committee wants to provide some care and support. With the guidance of Anthony Walls, MD at VCMC, we are "Paying it Forward" and purchasing a cup of coffee for VCMC and CMH hospital personnel on 2/1/21 from Simones located next to CMH. We are encouraging YOU to write notes of appreciation that will be made added to a banner decorated by the Children's Ministry kids. It will be delivered to the Ventura hospitals on 2/1/21 along with a letter from Pastor Matt. This is one small way to care and appreciate the staff and to say to our community "We Care". (Funds come from the Local Mission Tithed portion of the Thrive Campaign.)

Small groups are a big deal! They help you grow by connecting with others, studying the Bible, and praying together. Contact Jo Schultze (joanna.l.schulze@gmail.com) or Richard Smith (r_smith122@hotmail.com or text 805-766-6549) to learn more.

This winter (January through March) we desire to support the Foul Weather Shelter in three ways and invite you to join us! See how you can get involved in this months issue of the Orchard Life

January Issue of the Orchard Life

Orchard Life is our monthly publication highlighting all the great things going on at Orchard. In every issue, you will find Staff and Ministry articles, announcements, and much more!

https://orchardventura.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Jan-2021-OL.pdf

Worship Options

We are excited to be able to worship under the Tent together. If you are not wanting to be under the Tent, feel free to sit in the front row of parking spots of the Orchard Parking Lot your car and tune your radio to 100.1 FM to listen to the service.

1. Masks must be worn while on the Orchard Campus (both inside and out)
2. Please maintain the Social Distance
3. Sunday Morning Children's program. Children are always welcome in the service and we do not mind the noises that come with children. Children are a healthy sign of a healthy congregation.

Orchard Kids Sunday School (For preschool through 5th grade)
We encourage families to bring your own blanket and beach chairs and distance on the lawn as much as you like. Children will worship with their families and be dismissed following the kids’ message, escorted by our Orchard Kids’ Leaders to our beautiful outdoor classroom space in the children’s play yard. We will have our Bible story, activities, crafts, and games in a specially designed format following current health and safety guidelines. Parents, please come to the children’s area immediately following the worship service and find all of your children in one place. Each family will receive a “My Church Bag” to be brought each week with basic supplies already included plus items from home: water bottle and mask for each child and a blanket for all siblings. Our team is so excited to see your family! See you Sunday!

Nursery care for children birth to 3 years old is available by RSVP only to Melinda Hoyt at melinda@orchardventura.org.

Interested in being a Volunteer? Middle school through adult, please contact Melinda Hoyt at melinda@orchardventura.org.

While we understand that some may not feel comfortable coming back in person or having to wear masks while on the Orchard campus, we encourage you to stay home and join us online with our Live Stream.

Office Hours
Monday – Thursdays from 10 am to noon.
Masks and social distancing are required.
If you are unable to make it in during our office hours, please send an email to info@orchardventura.org and or leave a message at (805) 647-3757.

Are you looking for opportunities to connect with each other in new or deeper ways now and in the coming months?

There are several options for all ages! Some groups are low commitment with no homework and each meeting is a stand-alone study, so you don't have to worry if you can't make it each time. Some are more in-depth and encourage digging deeper on your own time and then coming back to discuss more! Most are still meeting on Zoom, however, there are a few in-person options! Visit our website for more information or call the church office to get connected! (805) 647-3757

Enjoy the company of other parents at 9:00 on Zoom (or in the library eventually) on Sunday mornings discussing what God says about life as a family. Make life more enjoyable and less frustrating by strengthening your relationship with God, Find life filled with opportunities, We will be following the children's curriculum, using stories from throughout the bible, taking some from unusual perspectives. This group is facilitated by Rich and LuAnn Smith. Please email Rich to get the Zoom Link and password at R_smith122@hotmail.com

Orchard Community Church

http://orchardventura.org/