Dear Family,
I just heard that our dear friends Ian and Robyn Cooper (and their four young children) need our help tomorrow (Saturday) and Sunday. Here’s the need:
1. loading furniture & boxes onto a truck from 3 pm – 6 pm Saturday at 1087 Morris Ct, San Jose, CA 95126
2. unloading furniture & boxes into a storage unit 10 am -1 pm Sunday at Gilroy Self Storage Depot (9080 San Ysidro Ave, Gilroy, CA 95020).
Any help is greatly appreciated!
The Coopers have been a HUGE blessing to Valley Church in worship, prayer, prophetic words, encouragement and I could go on. They’re traveling for a year but will be back (Lord willing). Let’s send them off with armfuls of love (literally). YOU CAN SKIP SERVICES ON SUNDAY TO HELP IN GILROY, THAT OK. Here’s how to contact Ian.
Ian B. Cooper | +1.404.219.7835
ian.blake.cooper@gmail.com
OK, there’s a famous country music song called “Stand by Your Man” by Tammy Wynette. Well, the caption for the picture below could read: “Stand by Your Woman.” What’s going on? Daniel Kim and Dennis Mack are recording Kathy Auer as she shares about her life and faith in God. Notice that seated in the first row and silently cheering her on is her husband, Alex. I like that!
Alex is standing by his woman, as his woman stands by her God (Luke 12:8). Getting up in front of a camera and putting faith into words isn’t easy, but Kathy’s discomfort is the King’s honor. 
You’ll hear Kathy’s story in both of our online services and LIVE at our two Church on the Grass services at 9:00 AM and 10:45 AM. You won’t forget it. You can still sign up for Church on the Grass by visiting valleychurch.org and clicking on the large “Church on the Grass” banner at the top when it appears.
SiuLin has a Children’s Worship Bulletin ready for your kids so they can color a sheet entitled “Jesus can make sick people well.” Yes, he can and that’s our theme for Sunday as we open Matthew 9:18-26. (I heard that Lillian Trageser did indeed pick up crayons and the blank coloring page last week, but I don’t know if she produced anything of worth. Lillian, we want to see it!) If you didn’t color last week, well, I’m sorry but you missed your chance, because we’re only putting out the Ziploc bags for the kids this week. Although you probably could discretely swipe a bag if you REALLY want to color.
Now about the message. I’ve addressed it to Cheryl Strayed, author of the bestselling book, Wild. If you don’t know, it’s a memoir about her summer-long journey on the Pacific Crest Trail in the summer of 1995 after having lost her mother to cancer and her marriage to divorce. I really enjoyed the book, and my heart goes out to this woman. I think — actually, I know — that the hole in her heart can only be filled by reaching for Jesus when he walks by. My prayer is that He’ll walk by her life this week and that somehow she’ll hear the stories about Jesus. I’m going to try to get a message to her through her website. Please pray that God opens her eyes — and the eyes of all like her who have sinned, been sinned against, and who need their fingertips to touch Jesus’.
Micayla Jones — one of our resident “Bezalels” — interpreted with paint and brush (and in cooperation with the Sprit) the three interconnected stories that we’ll share with Cheryl on Sunday. You’ll want to take it home and pin it up somewhere. It’s…well, just wait until you see it!
Finally, please consider joining me, Pastor Jaime and others from Valley Church at the Bayshore Christian Ministries Virtual Fundraising and Vision Banquet on Sunday, Oct. 25 from 6:00- 7:00 PM. Here’s what Pastor Jaime said: “…we hope to serve with this ministry in getting engaged with the poor and giving real help towards their lives with the Gospel [as] the priority [and other] mercies such as financial, tutoring, friendship.” Sign up at www.bayshore.org and click on “Join us for our Virtual Event!” and mark “Darren” as your host.
See you on “the screen or the green.”
Touched by Jesus,
Darren