WestSide Community Church

As we approach Easter, it’s a great time to imagine what it would have been like to walk beside
Jesus like the disciples did. They saw Him do so many amazing things, then they saw Him go to
the cross—and then rise again! Though we weren’t there to see these things happen in person,
the very real events of Jesus’ life are the great story that still impacts every part of our Christian
life. This collection of books, from paraphrases of Scripture, to devotional writings, to dramatic
novelizations, is meant to give you a fresh experience of that story and help you deepen your
relationship with your living Savior and Lord.

The Message New Testament by Eugene Peterson
This paraphrase of the New Testament in modern language is meant not to replace your Bible
translation but to offer a new way to look at familiar stories without the distraction of formal
language, or even verse divisions. Read it as the genuine and personal narrative that it is!
Audiobook: https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/audio/?recording=msg-dolan

The Jesus Trilogy by J. Daniel Small
Written as a legacy gift to his grandchildren, this paraphrase covers the story of Jesus in three
parts: the story of Christ’s ministry (the Gospels), the spread of Jesus’ followers (Acts), and the
culmination of the Lord’s work in the future (Revelation).

Jesus, the One and Only by Beth Moore
This beautiful and tender book invites you to take an intimate look at the events of Jesus’ life
and fall deeply in love with the Son of God, the one and only Lover of your soul, like those who
walked alongside Him in Galilee.

Imagine Meeting Him by Robert Rasmussen
Is Jesus just someone you admire from a distance, never really able to grasp His nearness to you
in your everyday life? This book is sure to inspire you with the amazing reality of Christ’s active
presence and help you draw closer to Him.

The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey
Philip Yancey thought he knew Jesus—he’d been to Sunday school, and even Bible College. Yet
the Jesus he thought he knew wasn’t the ultimately satisfying Jesus he found when he let go of
his preconceived ideas and encountered the incredible God-Man revealed in the Gospels.
Audiobook: Hoopla*

No Wonder They Call Him the Savior by Max Lucado
If religion seems empty and you need a reminder of why your faith in Jesus matters in the first
place, maybe it’s time to go back to the culmination of Christ’s life: the cross. Dive back into the
wisdom of this most important moment of all and come away more in awe of the Savior.
Audiobook: Hoopla*

Risen by Angela Hunt
Based on the 2015 film by the same name, this thrilling novel follows Clavius, a Roman tribune
on a desperate quest to find out what really happened that Sunday morning when the body of
Jesus turned up missing. The truth will change his life, and the world, forever.
Audiobook: Hoopla*

Jesus by Walter Wangerin Jr.
Take an imaginative journey through the life of Christ through the eyes of some of those who
knew Him best. This novel focuses on the perspectives of Mary and John, seeing Jesus as a Son
and Friend, but so much more.
Audiobook: Hoopla*

Baby’s First Easter Story by Rachel Elliot
This colorful board book retells six beloved stories about Jesus’ last days, death, resurrection,
and ascension in easy language for parents to read to young children. Each story closes with a
short prayer to engage children in response.

Easter by Fiona French
With text adapted directly from Scripture, this vibrant and reverent book retraces the Lord’s
journey from the Triumphal Entry to the Ascension, all illustrated in a beautiful classic stained
glass style based on real English cathedral windows. A delight for children (and adults)!

*Access the free online Hoopla library and download the app at https://www.hoopladigital.com
(you will need a valid email and library card).

Posted in Library | No Comments »

WestSide 2024 Easter Season Schedule

March 3rd, 2024

Easter Season is upon us (and early this year!)

WestSide has several ministries for this Easter Season, kicking off with..Our new Pastor, Douglas Solomon

Other opportunities for ministry, outreach and fellowship this Month

March 17th – Sunday – Potluck (followed by games such as Dominos) and our Change 4 Change Giveaway to local ministries
Matthew 10:8 …. You have received freely, freely give.

March 24th – Palm Sunday – Bread Ministry – Distributing Bread to our neighbors around the Church
John 6:35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.

March 29th – Good Friday – Way of Sorrows – 5-7pm (Come any time)
An interpretation of the traditional Stations of the Cross. A time of meditation and prayer before Easter Sunday.

March 31st – Easter – He has Risen – Easter Service will be at 5:05pm followed by a pie fellowship (eating of pie to celebrate)
1 Corinthians 15:3-6 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received, that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, (4) and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures; (5) and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the Twelve. (6) Afterward He was seen by over five hundred brothers at once, of whom the greater part remain until this present day, but also some fell asleep.

April 1st – April Fools
In the Greek Orthodox Tradition the Monday after Easter is reserved for Joke Telling – When Jesus died, the devil thought he had won, but three days later our Savior rose from the dead crushing the devil and death once for all.

Posted in General Church News | No Comments »