Hey guys,

On March 8th, we will have a video guy taking footage of our services. It would be great to have as many of you as possible there and some of your friends, too. We know that video can enhance things…. make them look emptier than they actually are. If you are concerned about having your children on camera, or yourself, please let me know and I will make sure that they are edited out and not make it into the final product. We are going to use this video on our web site and possibly on a local commerical.

Let’s pray together that God would use this medium for HIS glory…. to bring people to Selah and ultimately to Christ.

Peace
Pastor Jon

  Selah meets on Sundays at 4pm at Fryelands Elementary

 School, located at 15286 Fryelands Blvd., Monroe, WA 

98272. For more information, please contact Pastor Jon

Swanson at 360.863.2211 or jonswanson@selahmonroe.com

 

 

 

 

 

Are you ready to live for something bigger than yourself?

Are you searching for authentic community?

Do you want to experience REAL life with REAL people?

Do you desire to make a difference in the community where you live?

Join us!

July

On July 18, we closed on our home in Littleton, CO. We were blessed to be able to move into the home of a very dear friend, who is part of our “Colorado Family.” Most of our earthly belongings were in the garage of our friends, Cheryl and Aaron Eichman (thank you so much). So, we were living out of suitcases and boxes and baskets. I think our time touring and traveling prepared us for this. The kids (and us) saw it as an adventure of sorts.

Also, in July, we had the pleasure of attending Table Mountain Church (TMC) in Colorado City, CO. TMC is the church plant of a friend that used to be on staff with Jon at Bethany Evangelical Free Church. Rob and his family moved down a couple of years ago. After praying for the Chadwick’s and TMC, it was so cool to see them worship as a church family. Jon and I led worship with TMC’s team and Jon spoke and shared with the congregation about Selah. We were overwhelmed at TMC’s support and encouragement–a new church plant supporting a baby church plant. WOW!!! Thank you, Lord, for true sacrificial giving and their desire to ‘plant a seed’ into our ministry.

August

The first two weeks in August were our last weeks in Colorado. So, I spent those two weeks filling the kids’ days with fun things, things we wanted to do in CO, but never did, or experiencing activities that we loved to do and would miss after we moved. We attended Elitch’s (Thanks, Dave!!) and even went to the Denver Art Museum, which the kids LOVED! (Did you know every first Saturday, CO residents get in free?) As well, we had many play dates with friends and lots of good meals and fellowship with families that we will greatly miss.

August 10th was a day filled with emotions, happy and sad. Talk about riding the fence. That Sunday was filled with the excitement of a new adventure, but also with the sadness of leaving people who had become family to us. I think for both Jon and I getting through the service was difficult. Okay, he got through the service. I, on the other hand, began crying before service even started and didn’t stop until we hit the Wyoming line the next day.

Bethany gave us a most wonderful farewell luncheon, complete with food catered by our favorite restaurant, which is owned by a member of Iglesia Vida Nueva. The food is absolutely INCREDIBLE!!  The event was filled with laughter, tears and kind words of support and encouragement. We were shocked to see the number of people in attendance and that all the generations were represented. As I sat through the event I kept thinking, “I had no idea that people loved us this much.” Bethany Evangelical Free Church, and the State of Colorado, will always hold a very special place in our hearts.

Moving onward, August 11th was Moving Day. We pulled out of the driveway at 5:45 a.m. I love driving before the sun comes up, such beautiful scenery that God has created. One area was simply breathtaking. Bethany gave us a painting, which was created by a local artist, called “First Light.” This is a beautiful landscape painting of a mountain range.  As we approached the outskirts of Denver, I looked to my left and gasped. What I was looking at was what the artist used as inspiration for the painting, “First Light.” Immediately, I phoned Jon, who was driving in the U-haul ahead of me. It was absolutely gorgeous. Ironically, while driving past this picturesque scene, I was listening to Matthew West’s song, “More”, which has a line in it, “take a look at the mountains, stretching a mile high…”.

We arrived in WA State on Wednesday afternoon and was pleased to receive a message from our realtor stating we could close on our house a day early. We raced around making sure we had all our ‘ducks in a row’ and the papers we needed, etc. We signed all of the papers, loaded boxes in, and more boxes, and still, more boxes. (Oh, and we left a lot in Colorado that will be moved for us later this month–thanks again, Aaron and Ryan!)

The last two weeks of August, we went to Montana to see Jon’s folks and have a time of rest and restoration. And, it was exactly that. If you haven’t been to Montana, you need to go, especially where we go. I am from rural Louisiana, but where his folks live is even more rural and obscure. It is simply wonderful. We had fun just being and not having to be anywhere, plan anything, etc. Riding ATV’s filled our days, along with reading, chasing the kids, a boat ride on the lake, and just spending time with Jon’s parents. (Can I say, Jamison has named Jon’s mom after “Hannah Montana.” Grams is now “Grandma Montana”, that is how they identify her!!)

September

Now, here we are, already in September. Where has the year gone? It seems like just yesterday that it was January and this adventure really became a reality to us. WOW!!! We are settling into our home, slowly getting things arranged and organized. This week, I started teaching at a small Christian school in the area. Next week, the kids start school. Jadon begins his first day of Kindergarten on Monday, Sept. 8. I cannot believe it!

We have met some of our neighbors and are praying to build relationships with them and many others. It is so nice to begin to feel a part of the community again. As I was driving to work on Tuesday, I looked out across the fields and thought to myself, “We are in Washington State. We live here again. This is like déjà vu!”

Years ago, when I was just a girl, I became intrigued by Washington State. I remember cutting out articles from the newspaper, watching documentaries on television and who can forget “Sleepless in Seattle.” Never once did I dream I would not only live here, but marry someone from the area, and now be planting a church here. Isn’t it amazing how God connects the dots of various areas of our lives. I think it is just brilliant how he works.

We have a long road ahead of us. We have much to do, much to plan and much to prepare. Please pray for our family, our marriage, and for Selah. Pray for us not to get so busy with the immediate details of church planting that we forget about the important and essential details of our daily lives (staying in the word, making time for each other and our family).

Thanks for all of your prayers, support and encouragement. We truly could not begin to do this without all of you.

~Jada Swanson

Have you ever had one of those encounters that leaves you shaking your head asking yourself, “What just happened?” We did on Wednesday.

Wednesday night, we were at the Sea-Tac airport awaiting our flight back to Denver. As usual, we were looking for an outlet for the computer. Ironically, so was another couple. We spotted a wall outlet at the same time. Little did we know that this encounter was actually a divine appointment.

We sat down and all of us were laughing at how we were looking for outlets. Then, we found out that our new acquaintances were from Las Vegas, waiting for a plane from Denver that had been delayed. We shared with them that we were flying home to Denver, but moving to WA State. We began talking and found out that although they lived in Las Vegas, they had once lived very near to us in Littleton, CO and originally, were from WA State. Guess where? Yep, you guessed it Monroe. Oh, it gets better…

On Wednesday, Jon and I had been house hunting. We found a house, put in an offer and I was looking at the house details on-line as we talked to this couple. When we found out they were from Monroe, WA, we were stunned and we shared with them we, actually, were moving to Monroe. Of course, the questions began and we found out they were believers. Jon shared how he was a pastor and that we were moving to Monroe to plant a church. Oh, it gets better…

I told them that we had put an offer on a house in Monroe that morning. They asked, “Where?” I told them, “Oh, well come and look.” Guess what? They have a family member who lives so close to the house that we bought (or praying we have, if everything goes through). In fact, the lady had been walking in our area of the neighborhood that morning. How FREAKY is that?

We shared our hearts about the church plant. They shared with us how they new so many people in Monroe and wanted to connect us with their friends. PRAISE GOD!!!!!!!!!!!

At the end of our conversation (which Jon and I wished could have lasted longer), the wife told me, “I don’t believe in coincidences. God ordained this meeting and we will see each other again.”

We gave them a copy of our July newsletter and exchanged contact information. They will be back in WA State a few times in August. I just can’t believe this, but then again, there have been so many steps in this process that I, humanly, can not beieve have happened—-being able to see our dream of planting a church come true, being able to live near family, selling our house in five weeks in a seriously depressed real estate market, and it goes on and on.

Walking into the airport, I had a heavy heart. While I know that we are called to plant this church, there are still so many unknowns, so many questions, so many concerns. For a left-brained, list-maker, control-freak person, well, this process has been a true step of faith for me. Thankfully, I have a husband who has that “mustard seed faith” that is discussed in the Bible and I have learned a lot from him. Yet, there have been a few of these God-moments in this process. Honestly, that is all I know to call these moments.

This “divine appointment” gave both of us such encouragement, such hope, such peace. Perfect strangers to the human eye, but family connected by salvation in Christ.

 ”Trust in the LORD with all your heart
       and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge him,
       and he will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

On July 18, we closed on our home in Littleton, CO. This in and of itself is truly a miracle. Just last week the Denver news channels were reporting that homes listed below $250,000 were literally sitting on the market with few showings and even fewer offers. Our home, which was listed under $250,000, was on the market five weeks when we received our first and last offer.

Our journey of trust has only just begun. Tomorrow, we head out looking for homes in the Monroe, WA area. We are praying for God to show us when we are to buy, what we are to buy, etc. Ideally, we would like a home that can also be used for teaching private piano and voice lessons, as well as potentially beginning Children’s Music Academy  . Strategically, we desire to live within the Monroe city limits in order to get to know that culture, the people and our neighbors, so that we can impact that community for Christ. Please pray with us as we begin the search for our home.

Regarding Selah, the church plant, we continue to trust God to provide us a place to meet, as well as a core team of people who share our vision for planting a church in Monroe, WA. We are, also, trusting God to provide the financial and material needs for both our family and Selah.

Please pray with us about meaningful ways that Selah can impact the Monroe community. Currently, Jon is praying about obtaining his substitute teaching license to be able to work in the Monroe public schools, which would provide our family monetary support, but also allow Selah to have an inital presence in our community.

We are in the beginning stages of cultivating ways in which we can serve Monroe. One idea is to go to the schools, specifically, the elementary grades, and obtain supply lists for various classes and provide the supplies of needed items for students who may not be able to purchase them. We are considering focusing on Kindergarten classes, specifically, but desire to help where needed.

Aug. 10 is Jon’s last Sunday at Bethany Evangelical Free Church. This will be a bittersweet day, as it will be the closing of one chapter of our lives and the beginning of a new chapter. We have had five great years in CO and anticipate many wonderful years in WA State. On Monday, Aug. 11, we will begin the big trek from CO to WA State. Please pray for traveling mercies for our family.

Peace,
Jada

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts an your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Several of you have asked how you can pray for SELAH. Below is a list that we have compiled of both ministry and prayer needs. We thank all of you so much for praying for our family, Selah (the church plant), and for divine opportunities to share Christ and to serve others.

Ministry Needs

1) Core Team

2) Staff

3) Sound equipment

4) Video projector

5) Computers

6) Flat-screen monitors (17-19 inches)

7) Facility to meet in

8 ) Office Space

9) 10 tables

10) 200 chairs

11) Office furniture

12) Shelving

13) Filing cabinets

14) Blank CD’s

15) Bland DVD’s

16) I-tunes cards

17) Cases of white paper

18) Coffee beans

19) Espresso machine

20) Espresso supplies

21) Rolls of stamps for mailings

22) Safe

23) Communion goblets

24) Fabrics

25) Candles

26) Grand piano

27) Digital piano

28) Percussion instruments

Prayer Needs

1) For 100’s of people to be saved

2) A home for our family

3) A facility for Selah to meet

4) Enough financial support for us to live and do ministry

5) For a core team of 50 people to gather by Dec. 1, 2008

6) For a core of 100 people to gather by Easter Sunday April 12, 2009

7) For God to bring us staff members

8 ) Artists: drummers, horn players, rhythm players, actors, painters, poets, writers, interior designers, videographers, and technicians.

9) Administrative help: for God to provide high-end administrative help

10) For God to bring us Evangelists

11) For God to give us ideas on how to ministry to the poor.

12) For Spanish translators so that we can minister effectively to the Hispanic community.

Hi, we are the Swanson’s (Jon, Jada, Jadon and Jamison).

We will be moving back to Washington State, where Jon was raised, in just a few short weeks. We are so excited for this adventure.

Several years ago, while we still lived in WA State, we were attending a district conference where the Superintendent of the conference was casting vision for the next five years. One of the components of the vision was to plant churches in WA State to reach others for Christ. At the time, we had no idea that God had us in mind for this adventure.

About three years ago, Jada mentioned to me that during that conference her heart lurched out of her chest in excitement as she listened to the Superintendent cast the vision for church planting. However, she kept this to herself; little did she know that God was also stirring in my heart. For the last couple of years, we have been praying and wondering what the pull to church planting meant. We continued to pray, as we did not know what else to do.

A few months ago, God made it very clear what we were to do–move back to Washington State and plant a church. And, well, that is exactly what we are going to do.

~Pastor Jon Swanson