Real Stories (Michael Milo, Mark Kelly, Sherry Sutherby)
This Sunday we heard from two members of our Faith family. Two members on their journey with Christ. Two members learning what life looks like as they seek to follow Jesus. Did their stories help you look at your own stories? When you hear from non-clergy people about their relationship with Jesus, does it make you think about yours? Did Sunday's worship spark new questions, cause you to try something new this week? Jesus invites you to a life rooted in him.
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- May 12, 2019Real Stories (Michael Milo, Mark Kelly, Sherry Sutherby)
Real Stories (Michael Milo, Mark Kelly, Sherry Sutherby)This Sunday we heard from two members of our Faith family. Two members on their journey with Christ. Two members learning what life looks like as they seek to follow Jesus. Did their stories help you look at your own stories? When you hear from non-clergy people about their relationship with Jesus, does it make you think about yours? Did Sunday's worship spark new questions, cause you to try something new this week? Jesus invites you to a life rooted in him.
- May 5, 2019Follow Me
Follow MeOn Sunday we asked the question, "What baggage do I carry that keeps or limits me from following Jesus into flourishing? Worth, Competency, Pride/Ego, Fear...something else? Have you encountered any of these this week? In what circumstances? How did you respond? Were you able to let go of some baggage and trust his love, his presence, his resurrection power?
- Apr 28, 2019Believe in Me
Believe in MeRemember...the resurrection is real, physical, historical. It is the single greatest event in human history. Death and sin in all its variations have been defeated. Forgiveness, new life, hope are real. And now we are invited to walk with the risen Jesus in anticipation of his return when all will be made right, new creation. We are to live our lives as if this has already happened, a witness to the new creation God is bringing and will bring. This is why we're committed to reconciliation, loving our enemies, justice, creation care, healing, peace-making, faith-sharing and more. Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again! Thanks be to God!!!
- Apr 21, 2019Believing
BelievingChrist is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!!! What a blessing we experienced on Sunday as our Worship Choir, Faith Fire and Hand Bells lead us in jubilant praise of our risen Lord. Mary Magdalene's story of devastating loss and grief became our story. Her story invites us to believe life can be filled with hope because we have met the One who has conquered sin in all its forms and death itself. Thanks be to God!
- Apr 14, 2019What Will I Lay Down?
What Will I Lay Down?
- Mar 31, 2019I Live Out Grace
I Live Out GraceGod's grace is amazing! But in our broken "ungrace" world do we really understand? Have we really embraced the unconditional love of God or are you trying to work hard enough to earn it? Christianity's unique claim in this ungrace world is GRACE, never earned, never deserved. It is the FREE gift of God through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. So Holy Spirit, Living breath of God, come breath this GOOD NEWS into the depth of our beings that we might live out grace to those around us this very day and week! Amen.
- Mar 24, 2019I Live a Repentant Life
I Live a Repentant LifeSo grateful for Sunday's worship experience. We heard God's invitation to invest in truly life-flourishing food from Isaiah 55 and the Gospel story pictured Jesus as the gardener who wants to nurture a fruit tree from ill-health to fruit-bearing flourishing. We laughed about Twinkies, those snack treats devoid of any nourishment. But they illustrate the question, What holy habits, means of grace am I cultivating? The means of grace position my life to receive the fullness of God's transforming grace. Living the baptized life means I will turn away from Twinkies and turn toward my relationship with Jesus and the ways of Jesus.
- Mar 17, 2019I Work for Flourishing
I Work for FlourishingGod is into flourishing. Flourishing for you, for me, for our neighbors, communities, indeed all of creation. So draw near through scripture, prayer and song. Allow the Spirit to refresh and heal your inner-most being. And then step out and be instruments of God's flourishing to others.
- Mar 10, 2019I Know Who I Am
I Know Who I Am"We're invited/challenged by Jesus to root our identity in God's claim upon us in the waters of baptism...you are my BELOVED. With that as our core identity we live life saying YES to values, deeds, and systems that promote flourishing in our lives and communities. We say NO to the opposite...as they bring decay and deprivation to individuals and communities. So we live as people flourishing in God's grace and promoting that flourishing in our neighbors as well. May you be a source of flourishing to someone this week!
- Mar 3, 2019Blown Away
Blown AwayDoes Jesus blow you away? Does he take your breath away? The story of the Transfiguration asks this question of us. The story calls us to move toward the place/reality where Jesus is the central formational person and relationship in our lives. You're invited to move closer to Jesus as we make our Lenten journey.
- Feb 24, 2019To Be Like Him
To Be Like Him"Christianity has not been tried and found wanting, it has been found difficult and (therefore) left untried." The call of Jesus to love our enemies, those who really irritate, is hard and therefore we rationalize our unforgiveness. How are you doing with this? From what or whom does the Holy Spirit need to free you? Call out...cry out...pursue with brutal honesty the One who can liberate and transform your life.
- Feb 17, 2019The Character of Those Who Follow
The Character of Those Who FollowThose who follow Jesus the Lion of Judah are to allow the Lion to rule. Abraham Kuyper put it this way, "There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!” We should ask, "Where is Christ reigning/ruling in my life today? What places remain out-of-bounds to his rule? What keeps me from releasing those places to Jesus? What can and will I do about this?
- Feb 10, 2019Word & Deed
Word & DeedThe Jesus-Lion seeks to move into the spaces and places of our lives and once there, we are transformed. Sometimes we welcome this and at others we are surprised and possibly frightened as Peter was. Will you give Jesus, the Lion of Judah, permission... even intentionally invite him into the fullness of your life? Perhaps there are places of wounding and disappointment or aspirations and longings. The Lion is untamed but he is good. You can trust him as he enters these new places and spaces of your life.
- Feb 3, 2019When God Strips Off My Mask
When God Strips Off My MaskThe Jesus-Lion will sometimes roar and it will either command our attention and obedience or make us really mad. Sunday's Gospel story made a lot of faithful synagogue attendees so mad they tried to kill Jesus. Can you imagine!? Yet the same Jesus-Lion roars today and calls God's people to be light and salt to the world.
