F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 6

UPCOMING EVENTS

Providing a loving atmosphere where people and

cities are transformed by the presence of God.

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

10

11

12

13

18

19

20

25

26

27

COLLEGE GROUP Sundays at 7:30PM at 1535

5th Ave. Apt. C in San Rafael. Contact Jon Riley
at 415.828.9761.
YOUNG LIFE JR. HIGH & HIGH SCHOOL CLUB
Mondays at 7PM at 118 Circle Rd. in San Rafael.
Contact Sandee Morgan at 415.324.0001.
MENS BIBLE STUDY Tuesdays at 7AM at Joes
Caf in Terra Linda. Contact Jon Riley at
415.828.9761.
WOMENS BIBLE STUDY Tuesdays at 10AM at
659 Las Colindas Rd. in Terra Linda. Contact Mona Riley at 415.479.0822.
PRAYER MEETING Tuesdays at 7:30PM at 234
Johnstone Dr. in Marinwood. Contact Steve Johnson at 415.479.8312.
CELEBRATE RECOVERY Tuesdays at 6:30PM
at Lucas Valley Community Church in San Rafael. Contact Dave Weaver at 415.382.0419.
COMMUNITY GROUPS

7
Worship 10AM
College Group
7:30PM

14

Terra LindaWednesdays at 7:30PM

1068 Los Gamos Unit E in Terra Linda
Contact Laura Boyd at 818.731.8722
For more information visit:
www.opendoorsanrafael.com

15

Worship 10AM
College Group
7:30PM
VALENTINES DAY

21
College Group
7:30PM

28
College Group
7:30PM

17

23

24

Mens Bible Study Community Groups

Young Life Jr. High
7AM
Central San Rafael
& High School Club Womens Bible Study 7PM
7PM
Terra Linda
10AM
7:30PM
Prayer Meeting
7:30PM

29

Worship 10AM

16

Mens Bible Study Community Groups

Young Life Jr. High
7AM
Central San Rafael
& High School Club Womens Bible Study 7PM
7PM
Terra Linda
10AM
7:30PM
Prayer Meeting
7:30PM

22

Worship 10AM

Central San RafaelWednesdays at 7PM

206 Marin St. in San Rafael
Contact Rebecca Riley at 415.847.8456

Mens Bible Study Community Groups

Young Life Jr. High
7AM
Central San Rafael
& High School Club Womens Bible Study 7PM
7PM
Terra Linda
10AM
7:30PM
Prayer Meeting
7:30PM

Young Life Jr. High

& High School Club
7PM

TESTIMONY

B I R T H D AY S & AN N I V E R S AR I E S

GUIDANCE & PROTECTION

about the thought of this happening, I realized that this experience had been arranged
for me so as to provide guidance to me as to
which path to follow. I looked around in the
spiritual world/plane that I was in and realized that I could sense the presence of
Christ just outside the door to my apartment.
I also looked for any presence or spirit from
Tibetan Buddhism and could not feel or
sense one. I knew, at that moment, that
Christ could protect me from this coming evil
spirit. I also knew that there was no spirit
from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition that
could stop this evil spirit.
At that point, I was thankful that my request
for guidance had been answered, even if the
answer was delivered in a most unusual unexpected way. I accepted Christ as my Savior and Lord and the next day went to a local
church as a Christian. For a few weeks after
this, I could sense an evil spirit sometimes
outside my apartment. This presence had
much less power than my earlier awareness
and I knew that it could not enter my apartment and that Christ was a shield against it.
I still have that rocking chair.

by Walter Bess
After many years of seeking meaning and trying to
discover what seemed
most real in life, I reached
a point where I was convinced of a benevolent
spiritual guidance that
was moving me in the direction of what was good. However, I also
felt that I needed to make a commitment to a
faith community path. Around the time of my
conversion, I had narrowed down my search
to two traditions: Tibetan Buddhism and
Christianity. At that time, I knew that I could
ask for wisdom and guidance as to which
path was the most true and which path was
the one I should choose.
I asked for guidance and waited. About
two weeks after this I returned home to my
apartment and upon entering it I was struck
by a very strong presence of evil there. The
presence was so strong that I I barely made
it to a rocking chair to sit down. I felt like I
had been transported to a spiritual plane,
though I retained my normal waking consciousness. I saw a very clear vision of myself dead in front of me lying on the floor.
Then I sensed an evil spirit in the body of a
man, about a quarter mile down the road
heading for my apartment. I also realized
that this evil spirit was capable of taking possession of me, even against my own will.
After a few moments of feeling terrorized

Walter and his wife Rebecca have been

attending Open Door for two years.
FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS
David Rose 2/3, Arran Cannan 2/10, Jon
Riley 2/14, Barbara Driskill 2/19, Peggy Burtt
2/24, Frank Worthen 2/24, Bryttain Cannan
2/28

P AS T O R S C O R N E R
LOST SHEEP
A recent story in Our Daily Bread got me
thinking about all those who have drifted
away from their faith in Christ and his
church. I'm guessing that we all know of at
least one person where this is the case. In
the Gospels, the parable of the lost son and
the lost sheep reveals the heart of God toward those who are missing. He is grieved
and longs for their return.
It is my prayer for this new year that we will
all be mindful of those who have drifted away
and will make an effort to reach out to
them. If you do, remember to choose your
words wisely and to be a good listener. And
most of all, remember that your prayers of
intercession will make the difference. God is
always looking down the road hoping to see
his sons and daughters coming home.

CH U RCH of t he OPEN D OOR

F E B R U AR Y 2 0 1 6 C AL E N D AR

Pastor Mike
Matthew 18:12-14 & Luke 15:11-32Phillipians
1:6

Senior Pastor
Associate Pastor
Elders

Michael Riley
Jon Riley
Frank Worthen
Steve Johnson
Howard Hervey

Worship Service 10AM

San Rafael Community Center, 618 B Street
Office Hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 11AM3PM
P.O. Box 6217
San Rafael, CA 94903

415.459.1980
www.opendoorsanrafael.com

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