During Lent our community is focusing upon the theme of Upside Down & Inside Out. We are being called not just to grow, but to "grow up." Growing up asks us to take a second look at what we thought we knew, what we thought was decided, what we thought we were done with, and to discover that there is more than we saw at first glance.
Growing up means not only saying but actually knowing in our bones that God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom. Growing up means realizing that it's possible to follow the rules perfectly and still have a heart of stone. Growing up means recognizing that death is absolutely real - and also, absolutely powerless to stop God's reign from coming, here on earth, as in heaven.
During the Fourth Sunday of Lent our focus on "God Amidst the Shadows" recognizes that life is hard - and that many, if not most of us, are sure that we are in it alone. Yet in our supposed abandonment, God not only hears our distress but responds to it. How can we recognize God's presence in the shadows and see the life that is there?
Link to Message: God Amidst the Shadows
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Sixth Sunday after Epiphany - February 15, 2015 Courageous Conversations on Sexuality: Exalting Christ
During Epiphany we are focusing on Christ being revealed through our lives, our actions. Also, as our community begins a courageous conversation on sexuality and same-gender relationships, we are seeking to discover how this conversation can take place in ways which places Christ first, honors the purposes and mission of God. The theme of Epiphany is to see and reveal the presence of God in the midst of our conversing together with one another - especially as we address these issues from theologically diverse positions.
This Sunday focuses on Paul encouraging us to focus not on ourselves, but seek to exalt Christ in all of our conversations. It is not about us - it is rather about Christ and his reign being exalted and glorified. As we exalt Christ in our difficult conversations, our focus is to explore and do what seeks to honor God.
Link to Message: Exalting Christ
This Sunday focuses on Paul encouraging us to focus not on ourselves, but seek to exalt Christ in all of our conversations. It is not about us - it is rather about Christ and his reign being exalted and glorified. As we exalt Christ in our difficult conversations, our focus is to explore and do what seeks to honor God.
Link to Message: Exalting Christ
Fifth Sunday after Epiphany - February 8, 2015 Courageous Conversations on Sexuality: Speaking and Living for the Sake of the Gospel
During Epiphany we are focusing on Christ being revealed through our lives, our actions. Also, as our community begins a courageous conversation on sexuality and same-gender relationships, we are seeking to discover how this conversation can take place in ways which places Christ first, honors the purposes and mission of God. The theme of Epiphany is to see and reveal the presence of God in the midst of our conversing together with one another - especially as we address these issues from theologically diverse positions.
This Sunday focuses on Paul encouraging the Corinthian church to do all for the sake of the Gospel. Jesus is not to be used as a weapon - Jesus is to be worshiped, not wielded. As we engage in difficult conversations, it is not about making our opinions, views know, rather we are called to speak and live for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are called to engage in conversation in very different ways.
Link to Message: Speaking and Living for the Sake of the Gospel
This Sunday focuses on Paul encouraging the Corinthian church to do all for the sake of the Gospel. Jesus is not to be used as a weapon - Jesus is to be worshiped, not wielded. As we engage in difficult conversations, it is not about making our opinions, views know, rather we are called to speak and live for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are called to engage in conversation in very different ways.
Link to Message: Speaking and Living for the Sake of the Gospel
Friday, January 23, 2015
Second Sunday after Epiphany - January 18, 2015 Courageous Conversations on Sexuality: Honoring God in Our Bodies
During Epiphany we are focusing on Christ being revealed through our lives, our actions. Also, as our community begins a courageous conversation on sexuality and same-gender relationships, we are seeking to discover how this conversation can take place in ways which places Christ first, honors the purposes and mission of God. The theme of Epiphany is to see and reveal the presence of God in the midst of our conversing together with one another - especially as we address these issues from theologically diverse positions.
This Sunday focuses on Paul's admonition of the Corinthian church and their ambivalence towards sexual immorality. We are called to honor God with our bodies - what does that mean when we engage in this conversation on sexuality? In one sense, we realize it is not only about our pleasure, we seek to honor God with and in our bodies as we follow after Christ.
Link to Message: Honoring God with Our Bodies
This Sunday focuses on Paul's admonition of the Corinthian church and their ambivalence towards sexual immorality. We are called to honor God with our bodies - what does that mean when we engage in this conversation on sexuality? In one sense, we realize it is not only about our pleasure, we seek to honor God with and in our bodies as we follow after Christ.
Link to Message: Honoring God with Our Bodies
First Sunday after Epiphany - January 11, 2015 Courageous Conversations on Sexuality: Baptized into God's Pleasure
During Epiphany we are focusing on Christ being revealed through our lives, our actions. Also, as our community begins a courageous conversation on sexuality and same-gender relationships, we are seeking to discover how this conversation can take place in ways which places Christ first, honors the purposes and mission of God. The theme of Epiphany is to see and reveal the presence of God in the midst of our conversing together with one another - especially as we address these issues from theologically diverse positions.
This Sunday focuses on Jesus' baptism as being baptized in to God's pleasure. The learning we draw from this is that in all we do, and also in how we converse, are we able to do it in such a way that we bring pleasure to God.
Link to Message: Baptized into God's Pleasure
This Sunday focuses on Jesus' baptism as being baptized in to God's pleasure. The learning we draw from this is that in all we do, and also in how we converse, are we able to do it in such a way that we bring pleasure to God.
Link to Message: Baptized into God's Pleasure
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Sunday, December 7, 2014 - Advent 2 - O, That You Would Reveal Your Peace
This is the second Sunday of Advent, in which we reflect not only on God's incarnation in Christ over 2 millennia ago, but also looking forward to Christ's return.
Focus: On this second Sunday of Advent, our focus is on peace. It does not take much to realize that we live in a world filled with suffering, calamity and it is difficult to see God's peace amidst the strife and wars. We complain to God, but the Psalmist calls us to listen to God.
We are called to listen to God even before we understand God or God's ways. It is in listening and obeying God, in living out new actions (even before we understand), repenting, walking in the way of Jesus, even before we understand what repentance will bring about in us, or what walking in Jesus' way will bring about in our lives, that we come across peace.
We struggle with listening to God, but as we do, we open our lives to receive the peace of God in a peaceless world.
Link to message: Advent 2 - O, That You Would Reveal Your Peace
Focus: On this second Sunday of Advent, our focus is on peace. It does not take much to realize that we live in a world filled with suffering, calamity and it is difficult to see God's peace amidst the strife and wars. We complain to God, but the Psalmist calls us to listen to God.
We are called to listen to God even before we understand God or God's ways. It is in listening and obeying God, in living out new actions (even before we understand), repenting, walking in the way of Jesus, even before we understand what repentance will bring about in us, or what walking in Jesus' way will bring about in our lives, that we come across peace.
We struggle with listening to God, but as we do, we open our lives to receive the peace of God in a peaceless world.
Link to message: Advent 2 - O, That You Would Reveal Your Peace
Friday, December 5, 2014
Sunday, November 30, 2014 - Advent 1 - O, That You Would Reveal Your Hope
This is the first Sunday of Advent, the first Sunday of a new church year, and the first Sunday of focusing on our Advent texts - not only reflecting on God's incarnation in Christ over 2 millennia ago, but also looking forward to Christ's return.
Focus: On this first Sunday of Advent, our focus is on hope. It does not take much to realize that we live in a world filled with suffering, calamity. We live in the midst of Ferguson, Iraq, Afghanistan, hunger, poverty, homelessness - and we are more apt to cry out, "How long O Lord?" rather than being comforted by God's hope. And so we pray, "O, that you would reveal your hope."
Link to message: Advent 1 - O, That You Would Reveal Your Hope
Focus: On this first Sunday of Advent, our focus is on hope. It does not take much to realize that we live in a world filled with suffering, calamity. We live in the midst of Ferguson, Iraq, Afghanistan, hunger, poverty, homelessness - and we are more apt to cry out, "How long O Lord?" rather than being comforted by God's hope. And so we pray, "O, that you would reveal your hope."
Link to message: Advent 1 - O, That You Would Reveal Your Hope
Sunday, November 23, 2014 Walk Humbly with God
This message is the last message on a brief series on Micah 6:8.
This focus on walking humbly with God also coincides with our annual Covenant Sunday in which we renew our commitment to follow Jesus Christ and to be stubbornly loyal to one another as a community.
Focus: Walking humbly with God calls us to live mindful of God in every area and aspect of our lives. It is not about our being "good." It is about recognizing that only God is good and that as we live wide open to God, God's Spirit works in us to shape us and transform us into the image of Christ.
Walking humbly with God is not about us, but about living in such a way that God's presence is revealed in and through us in the going ons of our daily lives.
Link to Message: Walk Humbly with God
This focus on walking humbly with God also coincides with our annual Covenant Sunday in which we renew our commitment to follow Jesus Christ and to be stubbornly loyal to one another as a community.
Focus: Walking humbly with God calls us to live mindful of God in every area and aspect of our lives. It is not about our being "good." It is about recognizing that only God is good and that as we live wide open to God, God's Spirit works in us to shape us and transform us into the image of Christ.
Walking humbly with God is not about us, but about living in such a way that God's presence is revealed in and through us in the going ons of our daily lives.
Link to Message: Walk Humbly with God
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Sunday, October 19, 2014 - What Do You Want Out of Church? Tradition? Being the People of God
What Do You Want Out of Church?
This is a continuing series within our Fall Focus of Walking with Christ Jesus.
We have many reasons for coming to church - though we may not know how to articulate them. We may be better able to articulate what we do not like about church.
So in these next four weeks we will be exploring four primary images of the church in the New Testament to discover what it is to be church - Body of Christ, People of God, Fellowship of Faith, and New Creation. These relate to issues of comfort and diversity, tradition and Story, Community, and being a sign of a new way of being human in the world.
This week our focus was upon rehearsing our tradition in the story of being God's people, being a part of God's Story.
Link to message: Tradition - Rooted in God's Story: Being the People of God
This is a continuing series within our Fall Focus of Walking with Christ Jesus.
We have many reasons for coming to church - though we may not know how to articulate them. We may be better able to articulate what we do not like about church.
So in these next four weeks we will be exploring four primary images of the church in the New Testament to discover what it is to be church - Body of Christ, People of God, Fellowship of Faith, and New Creation. These relate to issues of comfort and diversity, tradition and Story, Community, and being a sign of a new way of being human in the world.
This week our focus was upon rehearsing our tradition in the story of being God's people, being a part of God's Story.
Focus: Being the people of God is to realize that we are God’s people – a people who
share in God’s Story. In this Story, we
are a people to whom God has shown mercy, people to whom God has taken for
God’s own. Therefore, our response is to
share this Story, by worshiping and giving thanks for God’s mercy, for God’s
inclusion in the fulfilling of God’s redemptive Story in the world. As we gather as God’s people, we engage in
rehearsing this Story week after week.
Link to message: Tradition - Rooted in God's Story: Being the People of God
Friday, October 17, 2014
Sunday, October 12, 2014 - What Do You Want Out of Church? Comfort?: Being the Body of Christ
What Do You Want Out of Church?
This is a new series within our Fall series of Walking with Christ Jesus.
We have many reasons for coming to church - though we may not know how to articulate them. We may be better able to articulate what we do not like about church.
So in these next four weeks we will be exploring four primary images of the church in the New Testament to discover what it is to be church - Body of Christ, People of God, Fellowship of Faith, and New Creation. These relate to issues of comfort and diversity, tradition and Story, Community, and being a sign of a new way of being human in the world.
This week our focus was upon discovering comfort in the diversity of being the Body of Christ
Focus: We are not alone – we are with Christ, participating in the “body” of Christ – and we are with one another – the body of Christ. Inherent in this is comfort – because when we are “in Christ” we are not alone – we are held together with one another by the Spirit of Christ Jesus.
Link to message: Comfort in Diversity: Being the Body of Christ
This is a new series within our Fall series of Walking with Christ Jesus.
We have many reasons for coming to church - though we may not know how to articulate them. We may be better able to articulate what we do not like about church.
So in these next four weeks we will be exploring four primary images of the church in the New Testament to discover what it is to be church - Body of Christ, People of God, Fellowship of Faith, and New Creation. These relate to issues of comfort and diversity, tradition and Story, Community, and being a sign of a new way of being human in the world.
This week our focus was upon discovering comfort in the diversity of being the Body of Christ
Focus: We are not alone – we are with Christ, participating in the “body” of Christ – and we are with one another – the body of Christ. Inherent in this is comfort – because when we are “in Christ” we are not alone – we are held together with one another by the Spirit of Christ Jesus.
Link to message: Comfort in Diversity: Being the Body of Christ
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Sunday, October 5, 2014 - Rekindling Our Passion: Living in the Resurrection Life of Jesus
Rekindling Our Passion
What do we do when we lose our passion for living, for being the community of God? As Paul urges in Romans 12:11 to not lose our spiritual zeal. This series focuses on rekindling our zeal, our passion by focusing on Jesus' call, aims, self-understanding - for them to become our call, aim, for us to developed a renewed sense of our self-understanding - in short for our passion to be rekindled by our passion being our walking with Christ Jesus.
This week our focus is on living in the resurrection life of Jesus as the basis for rekindling our passion.
There
is nothing like waking up to a new day, full of life and hope – ready to take
on the day. This is passion. How do we rekindle a passion for life
– by living with a passion for Jesus. Paul models this for us – so that
we too can live in such as way that “to live is Christ.
Link to message: Passion: Living in the Resurrection Life of Jesus
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Sunday, September 28, 2014 - Rekindling Our Passion: Jesus' Self-Understanding, Our Self-Understanding
Rekindling Our Passion
What do we do when we lose our passion for living, for being the community of God? As Paul urges in Romans 12:11 to not lose our spiritual zeal. This series focuses on rekindling our zeal, our passion by focusing on Jesus' call, aims, self-understanding - for them to become our call, aim, for us to developed a renewed sense of our self-understanding - in short for our passion to be rekindled by our passion being our walking with Christ Jesus.
This week our focus is on Jesus' Self-Understanding, Our Self-Understanding
Who
are we? Who are we as God’s people? Who are we in Christ? We
are called to live as contemporary expressions of Christ’s presence in the
world, through the indwelling Spirit. We are more than who we are.
We are the ones through whom God is at work re-creating the world.
Link to message: Jesus' Self-Understanding, Our Self-Understanding
Sunday, September 21, 2014 - Rekindling Our Passion: Jesus' Aims, Our Aims
Rekindling Our Passion
What do we do when we lose our passion for living, for being the community of God? As Paul urges in Romans 12:11 to not lose our spiritual zeal. This series focuses on rekindling our zeal, our passion by focusing on Jesus' call, aims, self-understanding - for them to become our call, aim, for us to developed a renewed sense of our self-understanding - in short for our passion to be rekindled by our passion being our walking with Christ Jesus.
This week our focus is on Jesus' Aims, Our Aims.
Jesus came
to reveal God. The way we are called to live our lives is also to reveal God.
Though, we seem to get it wrong more than we get it right. The Spirit empowers
our living to reveal God's Presence and Kingdom.
Link to message: Jesus' Aims, Our Aims
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