Mars Hill Church | Downtown Seattle » Joel Fariss

Sex and The City

Joel Fariss — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:49:32 +0000

For those of you who are new to Seattle and Mars Hill Downtown, 6 months ago we began this campus in the heart of Seattle in the building formerly known as the Tabella Nightclub. Tabella was famous city-wide for making sex a god and infamous for installing a $200K CO2 aphrodisiac apparatus. God, in his incredible irony, decided to turn this house of sex into a house of worship. It was so incredible to begin our newest series examining the Song of Solomon where God reveals, frankly, beautifully and bluntly, how sex is a gift to be used to glorify God. What an awesome turn of events.

Since we began Mars Hill Downtown I have actually met people who were physically and sexually abused, tarnished, and battered at Tabella. I know many of us have used our bodies in ways that have brought us shame and that have hurt others. We have turned God’s good gifts into idols and have abused them while abusing others. However, Jesus Christ came so that the condemnation we face and the guilt that buries us, would never have to happen. God, in his incredible goodness, rescues us from our hurts, pains and the shame that we created. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, Romans 8:1.

As God continues this incredible story of redemption in downtown Seattle, may we be passionate and fervent to share this message with our friends, relatives, co-workers and neighbors. The Peasant Princess series is a great opportunity to invite people to church as this topic is a front-burner topic and applicable to us all.

Speaking of Sex and The City…make sure you are connected to The City and using our online social network to find out all that is going on at Mars Hill Downtown and to connect with others for community.

Things to Know:

Last Wednesday’s – Downtown Business Ministry

This Wednesday, September 24 – Mars Hill Downtown Campus
“The 10 Most Important Things God Has Taught Me About Business” with Jim Mischel (a Mars Hill Member and Successful Businessman) 5-6pm: Social/Networking; 6-7pm: Discussion with Jim Mischel – More details on The City

New Member Party – Friday September 26 7-9pm, hosted by Pastor Tim and Brittany Gaydos
- Please see The City for address and RSVP

Learning To Lead – Starts this Sunday September 28 at 4:15pm led by Pastor Dave Kraft
- Please RSVP on The City

Women’s Ministry Kick-Off Event – October 3, 5-7pm $15
- More details on The City

Called To A Time, Called To A Place

Joel Fariss — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:46:30 +0000

We’ve seen this month through the story of Jonah that God calls us to specific places during specific times. Sometimes it’s easy, most of the time it’s not. As Mars Hill Church continues to grow and replicate into more campuses around the Puget Sound, some of us will have to consider what campus we are called to, what neighborhood are we to plant our roots, in what community will we be on mission for the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Here is the story of Cameron, a former Downtown member who with her husband, made the transition to Bellvue campus.

When I think about the reasons why my husband Tim and I decided to move to the Bellevue campus from Downtown about a month ago, some are obvious and some are subtle. The obvious reasons include Tim’s long commute from where we were living on Queen Anne to his job in Redmond, and a break-in at our rental home in February that left us feeling shocked and vulnerable. Our community group, which had really been a surrogate family to us since we moved to Seattle last summer, rallied around us during that time, and so when we physically moved to an apartment in Bellevue, we kept coming back to Queen Anne for group on Tuesday nights, and to the downtown campus to serve and attend church on Sundays.

And that’s where the subtle reasons come in. The drive wasn’t really an issue, though because we were serving in children’s ministry it was necessary to make the Bellevue—downtown roundtrip twice on Sundays if we wanted to hear the sermon. During this time the various campuses started becoming visibly more autonomous, and I remember a renewed focus on the concept of community as described in Acts 2: “And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” In fact, our Queen Anne community group read and discussed this passage nearly every week. Tim and I began to think: We live on the Eastside. We work on the Eastside (now that my part-time job in Seattle had ended). The only thing that is bringing us into Seattle on a regular basis is church.

In mid-July we decided to officially transfer to the Bellevue campus and join a new community group. That was a hard move, because we’d already felt some guilt over our new zip code and the extra planning it took to hang out with our dear Seattle friends. We weren’t exactly excited about leaving a year’s worth of deep, growing relationships only to start out new somewhere else. But we were also experiencing God’s blessing through a new physical community: an apartment I felt safe in, a shorter commute for my husband (and therefore more time together for us, still newlyweds), and the ability to spend more time with non-believing coworkers and other friends. God used our circumstances to propel us into a new situation, and though it was uncomfortable at first, He has opened doors for new community and service opportunities that use our gifts—music and youth discipleship. We know God has placed us here in Bellevue for this specific time, and for a purpose, so we’ve responded to his call to steward that. We’re excited to be part of the growing Bellevue campus, and happy to say that we’re all in.

Be There or Be There

Joel Fariss — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:16:01 +0000

Work Nights: Wednesdays, 6pm

Remember? It was only six months ago that the building we now call the Mars Hill Church Downtown Campus was a gutted nightclub, cold and dim, it echoed of hammers and saws. Now, because of hundreds of volunteer hours we have a beautiful campus in which we worship Jesus, have concerts, and use to serve the community.

Well, the time has come to finish the job. Starting this Wednesday at 6pm we will attack the unfinished room downstairs with simple green, brooms and paint. The purpose of this effort will be to create a lounge, equipped with a bookstore, an espresso machine, DJ booth and seating areas. It will be a great space to hang out and use as an intimate live music venue, as well as a place for coffee tasting nights and art shows. So join us every Wednesday until September 17th to work for Jesus. Bring your community group!

Summer Concert – Fight the Current

Come out for a great summer show on August 15th at 7pm, all proceeds go to benefit the Downtown Campus. $7 at the door.

Summer BBQ’s every Thursday Nights in August

Thursday Night BBQs will be at Madrona Park East of Capitol Hill from 6-9pm. The grills will be hot so bring your food of choice and join us for wake boarding, tubing and skiing, lawn games provided but you bring the fun! Carpooling leaves at 6pm from the Downtown Campus. If you wish to help out, please email Joe Hafenrichter: jhafenrichter@yahoo.com

Seattle Paint-Out (Formally known as the Green and Clean)

Come out on August 23rd to help pick up trash and paint over graffiti all over Belltown! See www.paintout.org for details!

Cooking With Fire, Worshiping Jesus, Prophets and Whales

Joel Fariss — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 20:29:32 +0000

These are things you shouldn’t miss this month:

Summer BBQ’s every Thursday Nights in August

Night of Worship and Prayer w/ Tooth and Nail artist The Glorious Unseen

On August 10th MHC Downtown is hosting a night of worship and prayer. Join us as Tooth and Nail artist The Glorious Unseen brings their incredible Brit-rock sound to lead this night of worship and prayer as we give honor to our great, glorious and majestic God. This will begin after the Sunday evening service at 8pm and is open to the public. This event is free.

Summer Concert – Fight the Current

Come out for a great summer show on August 15th at 7pm, all proceeds go to benefit the Downtown Campus. $7 at the door.

Mid Summer Preaching Series: Jonah, Being on God’s Mission

Come hear Pastor Tim Gaydos teach through the book of Jonah, a story of God’s mercy, redemption, second chances and love for the city. It will be a month of learning how we as individuals are more like Jonah than we think, and how God conforms our hearts to His for His will and Glory.

Starts August 10th.

“I’m Larry, This is My Brother Darryl…”

Joel Fariss — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:01:17 +0000

Introducing yourself to someone you don’t know can be an intimidating thing, especially when they introduce themselves first with concrete cracking confidence. Meeting people can be overwhelming as well when you walk away from post service hang time trying to remember the names of the seventeen people you just met and are now going to grab a beer with. But as risky as it is, meeting people is intrinsic to community. And community is intrinsic to what it is to be the Body Of Christ, to be The Church. Paul urges us in Ephesians 4 to be unified in the Body of Christ through the Spirit. This unity is found in the bonds of love, peace and grace given to us by Jesus. We seek relationship with each other because Jesus seeks a relationship with us, we love and forgive each other because Jesus loves and forgives us, we show grace to each other because Jesus shows grace to us, we find satisfaction in community because the Trinity is wholly satisfied within Himself. Community is the means that God uses to sanctify us, to equip us, to teach us, all for the purpose of growing in Christ-likeness to better reflect His radiant glory.

So if you’re not in community, get into community. Introduce yourself to someone new this weekend after service. Spend five minutes looking for an unfamiliar face and make yourself known. Jesus did it for you, He’ll help you do it for others.

Outreach Magazine Explores Mars Hill Downtown Seattle

Joel Fariss — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:48:51 +0000

The July/August edition of Outreach Magazine includes a feature article by Tim Gaydos, Campus Pastor of Mars Hill Downtown Seattle. The article talks about the story, the vision, and the identity of this unique congregation.

In the following excerpt, Pastor Tim describes some of the ways God was working through Mars Hill Downtown before it even opened for Sunday services:

Already, I’ve seen people respond to our desire to serve, love and work for the betterment of the city. The same day The Seattle Times ran its front-page story on our downtown campus, I received a phone call from a guy who works in the condominium complex Brittany and I live in. He said that his ex-girlfriend was a go-go dancer at the Tabella [nightclub that previously occupied the church’s space] and to him, she represented his past life of debauchery and revelry (he has four children with four different women). When he read that the go-go dancers were leaving and Jesus was coming into the building, he knew God was making it clear that his life was to be transformed.

Another guy is homeless and has been coming by our church while we work on renovating it. Initially, he was just looking for some food, so we gave him things to eat and put him to work. We told him, “If you want to come and help us work, we’d be glad to feed and take care of you.” He continues to come back and now, some of our guys are having conversations with him about Jesus. During two or three of those conversations, [he] literally teared up and expressed his need for Jesus.

30 Seconds to Mars Hill Pastor Tim Gaydos

Joel Fariss — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:44:12 +0000

We at Mars Hill Church use technology as an opportunity to be missional, using the resources our culture gives us to serve people more effectively for the name of Jesus. But when that technology doesn’t work as expected, you make due. Pastor Tim Gaydos learned he had thirty seconds to prepare a sermon after hearing our video feed wasn’t going to work for the morning service on June 29. It was a great message in which Pastor Tim questioned our legalistic motives and helped us to refocus on Jesus. You can listen to that message by clicking ‘Finishing Strong’ under the featured Downtown Seattle media.

Four Things You Need To Know About The Month of August

Joel Fariss — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 07:22:05 +0000

All-Campus Sync | August 3rd

This is for every single volunteer of the Downtown campus and it will happen the first Sunday of August. This is an opportunity for those who serve at the downtown campus to unite together under the banner of Jesus, cast vision, and communicate with each other. Lunch will be provided. Starts at 12:30pm

“Urban Grills and Thrills” every Thursday Night in August

Downtown Baptism @ Madrona Park!

If you have never been baptized, on August 28th you will have the opportunity to obey Jesus’ command to do that and to publicly declare your faith in Jesus. This will happen at our last Summer Thursday BBQ at Madrona Park on Lake Washington. This will be an exciting night to worship Jesus and to celebrate his goodness through baptism with others. If you would like to be baptized, email eric@marshillchurch.org

Night of Worship and Prayer w/ Tooth and Nail artist The Glorious Unseen

Belltown Green And Clean Was A Blast

Joel Fariss — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 19:26:38 +0000

On Saturday July 12th, 115 volunteers met in the parking lot of the downtown campus. Armed with elbow grease and a love for the city, they dispersed as teams and covered over fifty city blocks, picking up trash and painting over graffiti. It was amazing to see the community come together for the purpose of making our neighborhood a safer and cleaner place to live and work. What a great way to incarnate Jesus’ love; as one man said “it’s really great you guys are doing this, even though you’re Christian.”