A Word from The Park: Recent Episodes
Faith Leaders of The Park Avenue Christian Church
Sermons from the Park Avenue Christian Church in New York City. Park Avenue Christian Church, called "The Park" by its members and friends is an inclusive community of Christians who follow the example of radical welcome set by Jesus. www.parkavenuechristian.com
The one thing you keep scheduling for later...
is you.
Your healing. đż
Your rest. đ¤
Your wholeness.
Everyone else gets your best.
You live on what's left. đ
But Jesus invites you to choose the better partâfirst.
⨠I refuse to be my own afterthought. â¨
What if the holiest thing on your calendar was the time that brings you back to yourself? đđ
#ChooseTheBetterPart #ProtectYourPeace #Wholeness
đ Not everything demanding your attention deserves your obedience.
Some pressures sound like purpose. đŞď¸
Some urgency is just noise. đŁ
But God is not the author of confusion. đ¤
So when everything around you roars...
don't chase the loudest voice.
⨠I refuse to mistake noise for instruction. â¨
Meet God at the river first. đżđ§
Let peaceânot pressureâtell you where to go. đď¸
#ChoosePeace #HolyDiscernment #Stillness
đž There comes a moment when the soul grows tired of pretending.
Tired of carrying names that were never yours. đި
Tired of wearing armor that was only meant for survival. đĄď¸
Tired of mistaking the mask for the mirror. đŞ
Then, in the stillness... đ¤
The God Hagar called El Roi whispers, "I have seen you all along." đď¸â¨
The One who has searched you and known you...
The One who has never confused your wounds with your identity. â¤ď¸
⨠I refuse to be a stranger to myself. â¨
Look again. đ
Stay in God's gaze until you recognize the person God has always recognized:
Beloved. đ
#ComeHomeToYourself #Becoming #ElRoi
Some prayers bloom into blessings. đąâ¨
But blessings were never meant to stay in your hands. đ¤˛đž
Don't keep living in yesterday's question when God has already opened tomorrow's door. đŞđď¸
Plant what you've been given. Trust what God will grow. đžđ
#ReturnToSender #FaithForward #LivingHope
The world looked at Hannah and saw emptiness đ
A dead end. A closed door. A prayer unanswered.
But God has always made a home in the margins đď¸â¨
With the overlooked.
The written-off.
The weary.
The worn.
What others call finished, God calls fertile ground đą
So when you find yourself holding on by a thread, remember: the story isn't over. đđž
You ask. God answers. đ
#AskedAndAnswered #LivingHope #FaithInTheWaiting
Some seasons feel like a threshing floor đž
The pressure is relentless. đ
The doubts are loud. đŞď¸
The losses are real.
But God is still at work â¨
What feels like breaking may be becoming. đ¤˛đž
What feels like pressure may be preparation. đĽ
Youâve taken the hits. Youâve carried the weight. And yet, here you are. đď¸
Still standing. Still rising. Still held by grace. đ
#NoPainNoGrain #ResilientFaith #thepark1010
Hidden doesnât mean gone đąâ¨ Some growth happens where no one can see it đ Some strength is formed after the pressing đŞđž Some prayers are still rising đđž Some stories are still becoming đ The dough gets pushed down đ But the Maker isnât finished yet đ¤˛đž God is not the punch. God is the comeback đĽ
đď¸ If youâre weary, rest. If youâve been pressed down, hold on. Your next rising may be closer than you think â¨
KeepRising #FaithInTheProcess #thepark1010
Fear tells you to hold on tighter đ¤˛đž
God invites you to open your hands â¨
What you own can never save you.
What you hide will never heal you.
What owns you can never free you. đď¸
Acts5 #BeRichInCharacter #FaithOverFear #thepark1010
God never called us into sameness đď¸
Forced sameness kills beauty for the sake of order.
But Pentecost? đď¸đĽ
Pentecost sounds like people keeping their own voiceâŚ
and still being understood.
Difference is holy â¨
#Pentecost #TowerOfBabel #HolySpirit #thepark1010
Trauma makes the body flinch đ
Even when heaven is doing something holy â¨
But Ascension is not God leaving âď¸
Itâs mercy growing wider đď¸
Closer than you think đ¤
#AscensionSunday #MercyGrowingWider #thepark1010
Youâve been pouring and pouring đ§
Trying to fill yourself with achievement, control, and survival đ
But some cups were never meant to hold your soul.
God did not create you for depletion đż
Your cup was made to overflow â¨
#PourNoMore #Overflow #MothersDay #thepark1010
Empires fade đď¸
Strongholds crumble đ
But what God placed in you remains â¨
Incorruptible.
Undefiled.
Unfading.
So donât bow where your soul cannot đď¸
#ReadTheRoom #LivingHope #thepark1010
You canât carry fear-built systems into a God-sized life đ§łâ¨
If you canât imagine love without controlâŚ
youâll miss what God is doing đ
âDid you forget whose God this is?â
Let it go đđ˝
Thereâs more life waiting đż
#NoRoomInTheBin #FaithOverFear #thepark1010
Tell yourself the truthâearly đŁď¸
Before the image becomes an idol
Before success starts shaping your soul đ
Wisdom pays attention đ
Wisdom discerns đ§
Wisdom knows when to let go đ
It learns đâand it unlearns đ
Thatâs where freedom begins đď¸
#ChooseWisdom #FaceValue #UnlearnToGrow
Fear was still there⌠but it didnât win đł
âI know,â the angel says đ¤
And then: He got up đđ˝
So they did too đď¸
Resurrection doesnât erase fearâit lifts you through it đ â¨
#ResurrectionSunday #HeGotUp #FaithOverFear #RiseAndShine #EasterHope #thepark1010
Not the war you expected.
Not the power you imagined.
Jesus didnât come with forceâHe came close.
Stepping between you and what harms you.
Taking it on Himself.
Thatâs what salvation looks like.
#PalmSunday #LowRider #Hosanna #FaithOverFear đđ˝â¨đĽ
The story isnât as simple as whoâs right and whoâs wrong.
We see a moment đ
God sees the whole terrain đ
This Lent, loosen your grip on the story that keeps you feeling righteous.
Let God hold the truth. Let it go.
#LentIV #TheBlameGame #LetGodBeGod #ReleaseTheJudgment #FaithJourney #thepark1010 đđ˝â¨
Sometimes the holiest moment isnât at the altar â itâs the pause before it.
That quiet interruption from your conscience?
Thatâs God saying: face it.
Repair what you can. Do your part.
Because the blessing begins when you try.
⨠Turn around.
⨠Tell the truth.
⨠Make it right where you can.
#CheckBeforeYouWreck #CourageToRepair #SermonOnTheMount #Lent #thepark1010 đđ˝â¨
âI was afraid.â
Fear tells the feeling.
Confession names the choice.
When we canât stand in our truth, we start shifting the blame.
But confession is survivable. Healing begins when we stop deflecting and start owning.
No pivot. No shame spiral. Just truth.
ShiftHappens #LentII #ConfessionIsSurvivable #FaithOverFear #TellTheTruth #WhereAreYou #thepark1010 đđ˝â¨
Pressure is real.
But falling doesnât mean you werenât prepared.
Sometimes it just means something pulled you off your axis.
When a skater is aligned â centered â they can spin, jump, and land strong.
What winners do is stop fighting themselves.
They stay on their axis.
Thatâs alignment. â¨
Lent is an invitation to come back to center.
To stop drifting.
To stop bending under pressure.
To stop fighting yourself.
Repent = realign.
Axis. Granted. đ
#Lent #Alignment #FaithInPractice #StayCentered #Repent #SpiritualGrowth #OnYourAxis #ChurchOnline #SermonClip #OlympicMetaphor
We love activation. Push through. Get up. Keep going. đŞâ¨
But activation only works to a point.
Sometimes your body makes a different choice.
Sometimes you collapse. đŤ
Not because youâre weak.
Because itâs too much.
On the mountain, the disciples fell flat in the presence of glory. â°ď¸đ¤ď¸
And Jesus didnât shame them for it.
He knelt down.
He reached out. đ¤˛
âGet up. Iâm here. Donât be afraid.â
Biology made them fall.
Theology let them rise. đ
If youâre face-down right now â this might just be the turning point.
#Transfiguration #FaithAndMentalHealth #NervousSystemHealing #RiseAgain #YouAreNotWeak
Sometimes the hardest part isnât actionâitâs the space in between. âł
We call it paralysis.
Scripture calls it an invitation. â¨
Jesus was busyâand still stopped.
For the urgent. For the long-suffering.
For spoken prayers and silent ones. đđ˝
If youâre stuck, grieving, or moving slower than you think you shouldâŚ
donât rush it. God is in the in-between. đ
I donât think Godâs interested in your plans. I think God is interested in who youâre becoming.
The work youâve been assigned is holy. It carries Godâs anointing. And anointing bringsâŚprovision. You donât have to collapse under a weight you were never assigned.
What are you already carrying that youâve never considered sacred before? So many of you donât offer what you have because youâre waiting for just the right conditions. Of youâre waiting for some more perfect version of yourself to emerge first. Drop that demon. Eliminate that stronghold. Because, like the wise ones, in Jesusâ presence, what was precious is made sacred.
I stand before you today saying: this is a new day. A Turning Point. Iâm ready to do my part in making some changes to live a little differently. Steadier and readier than ever. Prepared. Because Iâm channeling Anna. Iâm fasting and Iâm praying and Iâm staying in the Temple, praising God. So that whenever God shows up? I wonât be distracted.
When God chose that manger, in a crowded home, God was keeping the Holy Family safe. No one would look for a king there.
Heaven moves first in the margins. Angels skip the courts and councils of kings, choosing instead to go straight to shepherds working the night shift. Theyâre ordinary people. Watching and waiting through the night for the light to shine.
Please, beloved, donât miss Godâs strategy of protection. This is how God moves.
Beloved in Christ, on this holy night, we mark our time together in the stillness that gives us the distinct experience of wrapping ourselves in God's glory.
As you reflect on the Christmas story and your own experience of it this year, I ask, what are you facing that feels impossible or unthinkable? Where are your angels? Think honestly - have you already heard from the angel you need? Have they already spoken? Or are you still waiting?
He entered this world as a little babe, no crib for a bed. But with a name the world would learn so that his followers to come would always, always have a name close enough to be spoken to.
Say his name. Jesus!
Readiness is what God reveals only after you have lived through the gap. Readiness rises from the wisdom you gain in the nights when answers do not come. Readiness appears when the fear settles and the truth finally speaks.
Preparation is the gift God placed in you before the trial.
Readiness is the gift God places in you after you endure it.
FaithInTheWaiting #SpiritAtWork #AnointedAndAble #PreparationAndPromise
What if Jesus stood right in front of us â and we didnât recognize Him? Every person bears Godâs image. The goal isnât perfection. Itâs presence. #ImagoDei #SeeingChrist #MercyOverJudgment
The arms that carried Jesus through death itself carry us still. And when the bridge looks too wide to cross, God holds us steady until we can carry each other.
Say this, beloved, like you believe it:
God can take it all.
Godâs heart is on infinite swivel.
I cross no bridge alone.
The Spirit will not be boxed in.
đŹď¸ Jesus tells Nicodemus: âThe wind blows where it chooses. You hear the sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes.â (John 3:8)
This week we face the hard truth: life is not fine, but the Spirit is still moving.
Sometimes like a storm. Sometimes like a whisper. Always drawing us into new birth.
TheParkNYC #BornOfTheSpirit #SundayWorship
Jesus said, âI am your bread.â
Not for shock. For sustenance.
No matter the famine around you â
He is the feast within you.
BreadOfLife #FaithThatFeeds #JesusIsEnough #ChurchNerdTime
At the edge of what you can endure, what you can hope, what you can seeâGod meets you there. Because for God, the edge is never the end. Itâs the beginning of your next chapter. đ§ This weekâs sermon: âEdge of Oil Thingsâ â where anointing meets breaking, and breaking becomes testimony.
GiveGodTheGlory #BibleNerdTime #Anointing #FaithAtTheEdge #PastorKaji #Bethany #MaryAndTheOil #MountaintopFaith #EdgeOfOilThings
She came for a jug of water and left overflowing with Living Water. When Jesus meets you where you are, you canât help but tell somebody. #ComeAndSee #LivingWater #FaithJourney #JesusSeesYou #TestimonyTime #SundaySermon #GraceInAction #HopeForToday
The countdown passed. The cup remains, brimming with life. Pastor Kajiâs sermon, Well Beyond the Line, is up now. Come hear how living water still flows.
LivingWater #WellBeyondTheLine #John4
Thereâs no such thing as Skybox Jesus. The good news is grounded, humble, and calling us inânot out. Even from the trees we hide in.
Sermon #Zacchaeus #ShortKings #GoodNews
James wants us to move past the mirrorâs reflection. He wants us to reflect and live out on a deeper truth.
This weekâs sermon explores the danger of distorted identity, the limits of the mirror, and the freedom that comes when we do the Word.
Catch the replay and move with us from questions to answers.
đ§ Sermon now streaming
DoTheWord #MirrorMirror #FaithUnfiltered #ProgressiveFaith #TheParkNYC #James1
We all have moments we wish we could take back. Peter had three.
Three denials.
Three chances to say it again: âYes, Lord, I love you.â
And Jesus met every failure with purpose.
This weekâs sermon was a reminder that as God forgivesâŚGod restores.
If youâre carrying shame, hear this:
Godâs love is the bridge between your failure and your future.
And every step forward: feeding, tending, loving, is part of the rhythm of grace.
đ Dive into this weekâs Study Guide now via the link in our bio or go here: https://parkavenuechristian.com/summer-sermon-series-august-31/
bridgeovertroubledwater #FeedTendFeed #RestorationSunday #ProgressiveChurch #TheParkNYC #FailureIsNotFinal #JesusStillAsks #DoYouLoveMe
CALL BLOCKED.
But Jesus still got through.
Today we told the truth about interference in noise and shame and doubt. So many forces try to muffle our cry and Godâs reply.
But Bartimaeus kept calling. And Jesus was already calling back.
If you missed it the first or the hundredth time, donât worry. Godâs still on the line.
đ Take heart. Get up. God is calling you.
đ Dive into this weekâs Study Guide via the link in our bio or go here: https://parkavenuechristian.com/summer-sermon-series-august-24/
CallBlocked #WhatDoYouWant #HolyInterference #TakeHeartGetUp #ThePark1010 #ProgressiveChurch #GriotGospel #JesusStillCalls #BartimaeusKnows #SpiritualSignalBoost
The woman stood where they left her. She was surrounded by silence, not stones.
And Jesus asked: âWhere are your accusers?â
This Sunday, Pastor Kaji leads us deeper into Answer Me This with a question that undoes shame and makes room for mercy.
The accusers may have walked awayâŚbut grace stayed.
đ Dive into this weekâs Study Guide now via the link in or bio or go here:
https://parkavenuechristian.com/summer-sermon-series-august-17/
Youâre not beyond forgiveness. Come be reminded.
AnswerMeThis #JesusQuestions #NoCondemnation #ShameFreeFaith #ThePark1010 #PastorKaji #SummerAtThePark
Jesus isnât about lip service.
âWhy do you call me âLord, Lordâ and not do what I say?â
Itâs a hard question. Real faith requires real follow-through.
This Sunday in Answer Me This, weâre reckoning with the gap between what we say and how we live.
đ Dive into this weekâs Study Guide now, via the link in our bio or go here: https://parkavenuechristian.com/summer-sermon-series-august-10/
đş Then join us online Sundays at 11:00 AM for a sermon video created to help you reflect, grow, and stay connectedâwherever you are.
Perfection isnât even on the table. Instead, Jesus is asking for honest obedience.
AnswerMeThis #JesusQuestions #FaithInAction #DoersOfTheWord #ThePark1010 #SummerAtThePark
Jesus turns the conversation personal:
âWho do you say that I am?â
Not what they say. Not what the Church says. Not what your parents believed.
You.
This Sunday in our Answer Me This series, weâre asking what it really means to name Jesus in truth that shapes your life.
đ Dive into this weekâs Study Guide now, via the link in our bio or go here: https://parkavenuechristian.com/summer-sermon-series-august-3
đş Then join us online Sundays at 11:00 AM for a sermon video created to help you reflect, grow, and stay connectedâwherever you are.
Because your answer says everything.
AnswerMeThis #JesusQuestions #WhoDoYouSay #ConfessionAndCall #ThePark1010 #SummerAtThePark
The wind is howling. The waves are rising. Does Jesus panic? No. Instead, he asks: âWhy are you so afraid?â
This is a question of trust.
This week in our Answer Me This series, weâre sitting with the fear that lives just beneath the surface. And the faith that calls it by name.
đ Dive into this weekâs Study Guide now: [link in bio] or https://parkavenuechristian.com/summer-sermon-series-july-27/
đş Then join us online Sundays at 11:00 AM for a sermon video created to help you reflect, grow, and stay connectedâwherever you are.
Bring your fear. Jesus already knows itâs there.
AnswerMeThis #JesusQuestions #FaithInTheStorm #NoFearHere #ThePark1010 #SummerAtThePark
Healing is holy. Are you ready to be healed?
Jesus looked at a man whoâd been stuck for 38 years and asked: âDo you want to be made well?â
Itâs a soul check.
This Sunday, we continue our summer series Answer Me This with a question that challenges every place in us that resists changeâŚeven the good kind.
đ Dive into this weekâs Study Guide now: [link in bio] or https://parkavenuechristian.com/summer-sermon-series-july-20/
đş Then join us this sermon video created to help you reflect, grow, and stay connectedâwherever you are.
You ready? Because Jesus is still asking.
AnswerMeThis #JesusQuestions #FaithThatHeals #MadeWell #ThePark1010 #SummerAtThePark
What are you really searching for?
Thatâs the very first thing Jesus asks. âWhat are you looking for?â
Desire is holy ground. This Sunday, we start our new series Answer Me This: Jesusâ Questions Still Matter with the question that starts everything.
Letâs get honest about what weâre chasingâŚand whatâs chasing us.
Join us at The Park, in person or online.
Weâre starting something deep.
AnswerMeThis #JesusQuestions #FaithThatSearches #SummerAtThePark #ThePark1010
Anxiety abounds, watching your moves, whispering worst-case scenarios, trying to convince you that youâre not enough.
Did you know that Jesus isn't scolding you for feeling anxious?
Instead, Jesus reminds you: Even the ravens are fed. Even the lilies are clothed. Arenât you worth more than these?
This sermon launched our summer series, Answer Me This: Jesusâ Questions Still Matter. Come with your ache, your hope, your questionsâJesus is still asking.
đ Join us next Sunday to begin the questions for real.
SomebodysWatchingMe #FaithAndAnxiety #JesusSaid #SpiritualWellness #WorryNot #DoNotFear #BirdsAndLilies #AnswerMeThis #ThePark1010 #ProgressiveChurch #HopeOverHustle #FaithOverFear #SummerAtThePark
We came. We slayed. We praised. đđłď¸ââ§ď¸đ¤đ¤đđ¤đđđđ
This Pride Sunday, we said:
đĽ No to shame
𧹠Yes to building each other up
đ
đ˝ââď¸ No to church as a weapon
đĽ Yes to prayer as protection
đ No to being prey
đ Yes to being precious
If you missed todayâs powerful Pride worship, donât worry. You can still experience it online. The sermon, Prey No More, is a word for anyone whoâs ever been told they didnât belong, and a reminder that Godâs house has room and honor for you.
You are not the problem.
You are part of the promise.
Come see what God is building. đđ
PreyNoMore #QueerFaithIsFaith #TheParkNYC #PrideSunday #LivingStones #BuildEachOtherUp #QueerChurchIsChurch #ProgressiveChurch #ChosenAndPrecious
This sermon is for every woman whoâs been told to wait for a man to claim her. For every person watching their rights unravel while someone shouts âGod said so.â
Weâre not going back to Ruthâs rules.
Weâre moving forward with Ruthâs courage.
Ruth wasnât just a survivorâshe was an ancestor to liberation.
RuthlessSystems #RighteousWomen #RuthsRules #FaithThatFrees #ProgressiveChurch
âAt Pentecost, Spirit didnât show up with a manual or a manifesto. Spirit came as wind. As breath. As presence.â
The Holy Spirit doesnât wait for perfection. She shows up where thereâs confusion, hunger, and hope â not to destroy, but to dislodge what no longer serves.
She doesnât gatekeep.
She guides.
She doesnât silence.
She speaks.
⨠So catch your breath.
Just breathe. Let that be enough.
And let the dream begin.
Pentecost #HolySpirit #CookoutSeason #FaithInTheFire #SpiritualBreathwork #DreamWithGod #Acts2 #ChurchUnfiltered #InclusiveFaith #LetTheSpiritSpeak #SundayWord #ProgressiveChristianit
Ever feel like youâre stuck in a ditch?
Canât climb out?
Know this: God doesnât leave us stuck.
Not in shame. Not in fear. Not in comfort disguised as calling.
This Ascension Sunday, Pastor Kaji reminds us:
Faith isnât just about staying put. Itâs about rising.
Again and again and again.
Watch Knock It Off now.
AscensionSunday #FaithInMotion #HolySpiritPower #ParkAvenueChristian #ProgressiveChurch #WeRise #ResurrectionIsJustTheBeginning
đď¸ âTRASH TALKâ
Not everything youâre carrying was meant to come with you.
This week, Pastor Kaji invites us to name what needs to goâand make room for the resurrection power of Christ.
This message might just be the permission your soul has been waiting for.
đ§ Watch the recorded sermon now.đOnly at The Park.
TrashTalk #LetItGo #SpiritualClarity #ResurrectionLiving #ProgressiveChurch #FaithThatWorks #ChurchHurtHealing #SermonSeries #UCC #NYCChurch #VennDiagramFaith #DeclutterYourSoul #WhatWouldJesusToss
âJoy in the Key of Graceâ is a way of life. This week, we remembered that real joy isnât passive. Itâs practiced. Protected. It sings when there are no words. And it refuses to let fire burn.
See Pastor Kaji âs message and carry this joy with you.
đď¸â¨ #JoyInTheKeyOfGrace #RefinedNotDestroyed #EasterSeason
"We bear burdens. We bear with one another. And sometimes weâre called to bear the unbearable. But beloved: even when you are the one doing the bearingâŚlook around! You are in good company."
CalledToLove #GodWithUs #SacredSupport #LoveThatHolds #SpiritualMothering
A Christ-like love doesnât shut you down in avoidance of being hurt again. It doesnât push love away bc you donât know how to be needed. No, no no no no no. Jesusâ love is: secure. Itâs a love that holds you, frees you, opens you up to show up for someone else without being afraid youâll lose yourself.
ProgressiveChristianity #GospelLove #Matthew25 #SecureLove
From Jesusâ perspective, your scars arenât signs of shame. They are survival emblems. Proof that life - your life - won out.
FaithWithoutMasks #ShowYourWounds #GraceInTheScars #SurvivalEmblems
Resurrection never came from the palace or the chariot, it came from a place people avoid: the tomb. But that tomb was empty and it is still. That story is unfolding, the doors they are open, and you better go ahead and walk into your resurrection.
#ResurrectionIsTransformation #EmptyTombRevolution #ChristIsRisen #GodIsStillAtWork #WalkingInResurrection
God's vision of triumph isnât about dominance. Itâs exactly what Jesus was about to continue in doing. Giving. Of himself. Showing the solidarity that sticks around, even when it gets scary. Godâs triumph is so unexpected thatâŚit looks like love on a donkey.
This weekâs sermon lifts up the sacred exchange between the Queen of Sheba and King Solomonânot just a romance, but a revelation.
Sheba showed up with brilliance, questions, and the weight of a people.
Solomon showed up with wisdom, presence, and the willingness to be seen.
Neither waited to be chosen. Both gave. Both listened. And through that kind of loveâmutual, brave, generationalâsomething holy happened.
If it doesnât stretch you, honor you, or tell you the truthâitâs not love.
But love that sees you in your fullness? That crowns different.
#ThePark1010 #LentV #BiblicalLove #CrownedWithGlory #ShebaAndSolomon #LoveThatListens #MutualPower #ProgressiveChurch #ShebaDidItFirst #YesQueen
The gospel only spread because people moved. Because others welcomed. Because borders didnât block the Spirit. Migration is not a side note in scripture. It is the story. And that story isnât just ancientâitâs ours. You may not have crossed seas or borders. But youâve moved through heartbreak, through change, through fear. And God met you there. The question is: Will we meet others the same way? Godâs still showing up in the crossing. Letâs not be the ones who close the gates.
CrossingOver #LentIV #SermonRecap #SpiritualMigration #FaithInMotion #GospelOnTheMove #RadicalWelcome #Acts18 #ProgressiveChurch #ChristianityAndJustice #SacredJourney #GodOfTheMigrants #OpenHeartsOpenBorders #YouAreInTheStory #ExileIsHolyGround #WomensLectionary #WildaGafney #BlackPreachingMatters #ChurchThatMoves
Weâve all been there: standing in the desert wilderness, looking at what we have, and thinking, This just isnât enough. But the miracle doesnât always start in the plan. It starts when we hand over whatever we have.
Thatâs where faith lives. Not in our version of the fix. In the surrender.
FishyBusiness #LoavesAndLetGo #ModernFaith #ProgressiveChurch #UCC #SundaySermon #LentenJourney #WhenGodIntervenes #FaithNotFear #SpiritualPractice #BibleInRealLife
At your lowest point, when you have nothing left, reach out to God. Just touch the hem of Godâs garment. Just the hem. And know that God is close enough for you to do just that.
âGod doesnât need your ashes. But you might.â
Lent isnât about whatâs on your foreheadâitâs about whatâs happening in your heart. Itâs not a performance; itâs a practice. A daily choice to pray boldly, fast with purpose, and give in ways that transform.
Wherever you are in your faith journey, God can work with that. And when you turn toward God, youâll realize God was never far to begin with.
Watch the full sermon now.
Lent #FaithInAction #SpiritualJourney #LentenReflection #ChurchOnline #ProgressiveChristianity #LiveYourFaith #TrustGod #HeartOverPerformance
đ What Does the Bible Really Say?
We've been told the Bible is clear on so many thingsâbut is it? This week, we wrestled with Numbers 5:11+, a troubling and often-overlooked passage. What does it reveal about power, control, and the ways scripture has been used to justify both? And more importantlyâwhat does Jesus reveal in contrast?
This message is about more than one issue. Itâs about who God is and what life is meant to be. Not just breath, but flourishing. Not just survival, but joy. Not just existing, but thriving.
Take a deep breath. Press play. And let's journey together.
đĽ Watch now & share your thoughts with us.
FaithInTheWrestling #BreatheDeeply #WrestlingWithScripture #ProgressiveChristianity #AbundantLife #ChurchForThePeople
"When the lines between truth and lies start to blur, where do you stand? đ§đ¤âŞ The story of Ananias and Sapphira reminds us that deceptionâbig or smallâalways has consequences. But hereâs the good news: Truth sets us free.⨠#BlurredLies #TruthOverDeception #FaithInAction #HonestLiving #LetYourYesBeYes #BibleWisdom #SundayReflections #UCCChurch #GraceAndTruth
Some miracles donât look like miracles at first. But when we step back, we see Godâs hand at workâturning water into wine, shifting plans into blessings, and leading us exactly where we need to be. Today, we celebrated love, surprises, and the joy of witnessing God move in unexpected ways. May we all learn to recognize the miracles unfolding around us. đŚđˇâ¨#BlessingsUncorked #MiraclesEverywhere #LoveInAction
Stop Running. Your Blessing is Right Here.
Sometimes, weâre so caught up in our own expectations that we outrun the very blessing God is trying to give us. We mistake Godâs correction for condemnation, or we trip over mercy because it doesnât come the way we imagined. But hereâs the truth: you will never outrun God. God is behind you, before you, and within you.
Confession isnât about punishmentâitâs about stopping long enough to let God catch up to you with grace, healing, and restoration. Take a breath. Pause. Watch what God will do.
đ Luke 7:18-35
StopRunning #MercifulJudge #HealingIsHere #Luke7 #FaithInMotion #ScandalizedByGod #ConfessionAndFreedom @ThePark1010
Do not become a slug for salt. đ⨠Trust in God, not in what will destroy you. đđž #FaithOverFear #SpiritualWisdom #TrustGod #KingdomMindset #ChurchFlow #SundayInspiration #SeekTruth #GodIsFaithful #StayWoke #ProgressiveChristianity
Our cracks, breaks, and hidden places are spaces where Godâs light can shine through most beautifully. Donât fear your brokennessâembrace it as part of the masterpiece that is you. Seek, rebuild, and let the light of God guide you. đĄâ¨ #BrokenButBeautiful #LetTheLightIn #SpiritualJourney #FaithInAction #Transformation #KintsugiInspiration #SundayReflections #ProgressiveChristianity
Have you ever felt like you were heard but not truly listened to? Being heard requires courage, growth, and grace. ⨠Even Jesus faced rejection when he spoke truth, but he persisted, embodying love and resilience.
Your voice matters. Speak from compassion, not competition. Trust that God will amplify your words in ways you canât imagine.
Letâs keep showing up, speaking up, and planting seeds of change.
In the Wilderness on and near the Pacific Ocean, our people are calling out to us. To rescue them in the windstorms. To pull them from the fires. To the people doing this work: we see you. We will hear your cries. To the people seeking rescue and respite: we see you. We hear your cries. We are not God. But we can join God in being part of the blessing. Your voices will not be alone.
GuidedByGrace #FollowTheLight #FindYourWay #FaithJourney #SpiritualReset #ChristianEncouragement #ProgressiveChristian #HopeInTheDark #FaithOverFear
⨠Sometimes, finding your way back starts with a quiet moment. ⨠Like the sages, weâre called to follow the light meant for us. But hereâs the truth: even in the darkest seasons, Godâs guiding star always rises to lead us back. đ Take a pause. Look up. Your star is waiting. #EpiphanyMoments #GuidedByGrace #FollowTheLight #FindYourWay #FaithJourney #SpiritualReset #StarOfBethlehem #ChristianEncouragement #ProgressiveChristian #HopeInTheDark #FaithOverFear
A blessing for your new year: may your eyes, your ears and your hearts be open first and foremost to God's infinite blessings. #godsinfiniteblessings #newyearblessings #faithjourney #yourareloved
When the greatest gifts arenât on your wish list đ⨠Godâs love shows up in unexpected ways. #WhatWeNeverAskedFor #GodsLove #GreatestGift #UnexpectedBlessings #ChristmasReflection #FaithJourney #YouAreLoved #HopeAndHealing
Maryâs story reminds us that saying âyesâ to Godâs call isnât always easyâbut it always bears fruit. đ When enemies encamp against you, trust that God surrounds you with angels, guiding and equipping you to stay on assignment.
Keep the faith. Bear your fruit. And trust that God will bear you up.
AdventReflection #MarysCall #BlessedAmongWomen #FaithJourney #StayOnAssignment #GodsPromises #BearFruit #KeepTheFaith
When God calls, life changes in ways we canât always predictâbut the blessings unfold in the journey. Are you ready to say yes to the unexpected? ⨠#CalledByGod #FaithJourney #DivinePurpose #SayYesToGod #GodsPlan #TrustTheProcess #SpiritualGrowth #ChristianInspiration #SundaySermon #ProgressiveChristianity
Advent reminds us: God shows up in ways we least expect. The question is, are we ready to be surprised? Letâs wait with hope and open hearts. đ #WaitToBeSurprised #AdventSeason #GodIsFaithful #HopeInTheWaiting #UnexpectedGrace #ProgressiveChurch #NYCChurch
The distinction is clear: earthly leaders often falter. But Christ on the throne never will. This kingship transforms power into healing, flames into ministers, and wind into messengers.
God is able. God can take even the most destructive forces and breathe grace into them.
So, when earthly kings or leaders fail, remember: Christ enthroned is the only one worthy of our trust. This is the king who turns breaches into blessings and empowers us to do the same.
Babylon isnât just a placeâitâs a state of being. Itâs what happens when we turn away from whatâs right and let evil take root. But weâre called to resist, to cling to what is good, and to be miracle-workers in our time. Join us as we explore how to keep our communities from becoming Babylon. #FaithInAction #ResistEvil #ClingToGood #SpiritualResistance #ModernBabylon #JusticeAndMercy #CommunityMatters #HopeInDarkness #WalkingWithGod #TransformTheWorld
Some stories hit close to home. Bathshebaâs story is one of being seen but not heard, of being in a space she couldn't truly call her own. Yet through her unimaginable pain, God gave her unimaginable power. Bathsheba became the mother of Solomon and helped shape the kingdom alongside him, refusing to let her story end in tragedy.
Today, as we navigate our own challenging times, letâs remember: pain can be transformed. Where we feel broken, God is building something stronger. May we find the courage to turn our own pain into power. #FaithInAction #PainToPower #GodsGrace #Transformation #StrengthInScripture"
Pain. Power. Praise. This message reflects on our journey through some of lifeâs hardest moments, finding strength in our struggles and gratitude in our growth.
PainPowerPraise #FaithInAction #ChurchCommunityNYC
Pay attention to your pain, don't push it away. Listen to it. What is it telling you that you need to know today?
Empathy or Judgment? đĽď¸ How do we respond to people with whom we disagree? âLieutenant Danâ has a story â choosing his understanding of faith over fear in the middle of Hurricane Milton. It sparked intense debate. But letâs remember Ephesians 4: âLet your words build up, not tear down.â We can be the rowboat, the motorboat, or the helicopterâlifting each other with grace, not judgment. Even if we disagree with him. Are we ready to bring more grace into the stormy conversations around us? đżđ #ChooseGrace #RighteousnessOverRight #Ephesians42532 #BeTheBoat
Real peace isnât about promises or institutionsâitâs about letting God take over. When Godâs in charge, everything changes. đđžâ¨ Letâs live to give God the glory, in every moment.
GodsPeace #GiveGodGlory #FaithInAction #HomecomingVibes #LivingForMore #NewJerusalemâ
Resurrection isnât just rising from the dead, though thatâs a big piece. Itâs also rising from the floor when youâve fallen. Rising from your bed when you canât figure out how to get up in the midst of your sorrows. Rising from your missteps. Rising from your pain. Rising from your disappointments. Rising from your unbelief.
Beloved: believe a little. And trust that God will help you in your unbelief. Of course. No ifs, ands or buts about it.
I donât know whatâs on your heart today, I donât know what your deepest needs are, but ⌠no matter what, even if you come to Jesus, what God will do is come to you as well.
God is already working on what you thought was impossible. đď¸ Watch âIntervention Underwayâ now.
GodsPlan #FaithJourney #InterventionUnderway #SundaySermon #Healing #TrustInGod #HopeRestored
If your adversarial lion is roaring, your God is going to be louder. Trust. If youâre willing to change (and especially if youâre willing to hear what you donât want to hear) the course will be clear. Because when you resist, firm in your faith, Godâs glory shines.
Whatâs most important to God? The trouble with asking this question is that you might just get the answer. You can ask God. But be prepared for Godâs answer to be quite different from what youâre expecting or even asking for.
When we feel alone in our struggles, when it feels like God is on the mountaintop, see how God is in preparation mode, getting ready to show up in miraculous ways.
God is doing wondrous things in you. Your conscious mind may not know this all of the time. But your soul - that connection God implants in each of us when that life is breathed into our beings - your soul knows this very well. You are at your strongest when your conscious mind is aligned with the deep wisdom God has implanted within your soul.
You are always, always, where you are meant to be. The people in your life have a purpose, the place where you are in life is instructive, the room where you are is a sanctuary. Itâs a blessing to you because itâs where youâre meant to be. Whatever, wherever you are, you are: becoming.
Ask yourself, "How is God providing in spiritual hunger?" The answer is: the provision is there.
#SpiritualHunger #GodsProvision
Jesus loves when you break your chains. Jesus loves when you can set up structures and practices within yourself to do your best to resist the chains.
You grow for yourself and your loved ones, for sure. But also for others who need the benefit of the blessings you pass along. Can you even imagine yourself as a refuge? Because God can.
ProgressiveFaith #PrideMonth #MustardSeedFaith #GodsProvision #GodsNurture #CanopyOfFaith
What is the thing in your life that God is willing to multiply? What ask do you need to make in order to believe that your God is indeed working and ready for you to see?
FaithAndFinances #DebtRelief #NYCChurch #GodsProvision #ProgressiveFaith #CommunitySupport #HopeInNYC
"Pentecost Vibes: Hearing and Understanding in the Spirit" #PentecostVibes #HolySpirit #PropheticVoice #Acts2 #DivineConnection #PeaceInTheSpirit #FaithAndUnderstanding #SpiritualAwakening
đ⨠Are you ready to unlock the roadmap to your thriving? Join @pastorkaji as we @thepark1010 dive into the richness of Revelation 3, guided by the wisdom of John of Patmos. đ This deeply encoded text speaks volumes about resilience, growth, and the art of moving forward.
From paying attention to God knocking on your door to embracing change and releasing what holds you back, Revelation 3 offers a profound roadmap for spiritual growth and transformation. đą So listen closely, for God's voice is everywhere, offering nourishment, provision, and companionship on the journey.
As we celebrate Mother's Day, let's remember the art of motheringâof moving things forward, of nurturing, and of protection. Just as a mother hen gathers her brood, our Mothering God surrounds us with love and care, guiding us towards untold wonders. đ
So let's keep our ears open, ready to receive our crowns and take our rightful place in God's good company. đď¸ Amen.
FaithJourney #Revelation3 #SpiritualGrowth #MotheringGod #RoadmapToThriving #ListenAndReceive #MothersDay #DivineWisdom
What are your gifts that you have that you can match with the power of the Holy Spirit that God has infused in your life?
"God has earned your trust. Hand that trust to the Holy Spirit and your faith will bear you up. Through anything. No matter what."
In her sermon, Pastor Kaji references the Harvard Business Review article "Begin with Trust" by Frances X. Frei and Anne Morriss. See https://tinyurl.com/begin-with-trust
"Be at Peace" is my blessing for you today. You will pass through flames and waters, but no matter what, God says "I will always be with you, before you, beside you, behind you, bearing you up, rising above, within you. I will be with you."
Whatever the circumstance, God's gonna meet you - God will never beat you... Your project is to look for the ways that God is meeting you right now.
Jesusâ story is the template for your life, it is your archetype, it is your path. They might write you off. They might try to forget you. They might denigrate you, reduce your being, anything to put you in a position of anything but a child of God. But Godâs not worried. And we know this because: when they did the same thing to Godâs only begotten son: It. Didnât. Work.
At the end of the day, if youâre in your own pit, just know this: the God whoâs not worried has already decided in your ultimate victory. You. Will. ALWAYS. Always get up.
You are getting up. Let God show you how.
Be ready to encounter someone else and know that you are loved, yes, but for the sake of loving.
Chances are that, like me, you have been at battle with yourself. And breaking the chains of that habit can be the hardest thing we could possibly do. So impossible, even, that we could only pull it off through divine intervention. Because, you know. God intervenes. God will fight that battle for you.
You are seeking something that you are not going to find where youâre looking for it. And you are invested in it being there. In the box youâre comfortable with. Your Lenten journey is your chance to change this. To turn the other way. To scale out beyond your comfort zone. Lent is your pivot. Itâs time to stop looking in all the wrong places.
No one can know everything that youâre facing. Sometimes there are storms and quakes and fires that only you experience. Or, hear this critical correction: only you AND YOUR GOD experience.
But the promise the Word gave to Elijah is the very same one that God makes to you: Stand up. For the Lord is about to pass by.
The Lord is coming.
We do not get to pick what revelations God sends us. It just doesnât work that way. God is always answering a question in your life. It might not be the question youâre asking. But the question God is answering? Itâs the right one to ask.
God is trying to tell us something, all of the time, in every moment of our lives, and fine-tuning our mastery of the intuitive process in connection to the humility of listening is how we faithfully make decisions wisely.
So, is a gift good? Well, is God in it? What does your gut say.
When a gift is real and comes with Godâs blessing, God will shine a light on it. But you need to take the time to look for it.
God will go to extreme lengths to connect with you and show you God's love. And that is the point of Christmas... there is no extent to which God won't go to reach you.
There are many ways in which we prepare for Christmas. But Advent gives us a time to spiritually prepare. Advent means the start of something, an anticipation that something is to come.
You are anointed for goodness, beloved. Give thanks and hold fast to that. The rest? Dust off your feet. Put your shoulders back. Hold your head high. You are Godâs anointed, in whom God is well-pleased.
The full text of Pastor Kaji's sermon is available here.
In my âlastâ places, I have a tendency to feel sorry for myself. I feel like thereâs nothing left to do. Nothing possible. Which gets me stuck.
If. That. Is. You. Donât be stuck. Be inspired.
Know this and say it to yourself. Again and again:
I canât be last in everything. Thereâs something Iâm first in.
The full text of Pastor Kaji's sermon is available here.
Beloved. Tell me: What is it YOU plan to do with your one wild and precious life?
The full text of Pastor Kaji's sermon is available here.
The ones who would look past us, cut us off, discount us, put us in impossible positions with no support, talk and plot for our demise behind our backs, do us wrong? They plot and trick and sideline and harm because the want to live outside of their assignment. That is not of God. Because when you live inside your assignment? God WILL provide. If God has called you to it, God will give you the tools to do it. Itâs that simple.
The full text of Pastor Kaji's sermon is available here.
God already knows what is in store for you. God hears you, sees you, but is not anxious for you. Because the beauty of your story, your resurrection, your new day, your new moment of life: it is already written.
"It is so hard to love a neighbor with whom you are at war. But you are your neighborâs keeper. You must be. Even at war. Peace cannot be annihilation. Peace is peace. And that must be not just our intention, but our North Star, our guiding light. Leading us to peace is how the God of justice shines forth. Meanwhile: letâs keep our neighbors safe."
The full text of Pastor Kaji's sermon is available here.
"When weâre not being heard, it might help to think about the times when others have felt unheard by us. It might help to bring a bit of patience - just enough to try communicating a different way. Patience is one of our greatest tools when we arenât understood."
The full text of Pastor Kaji's sermon is available here: http://soundthebells.blogspot.com/2023/10/when-they-wont-hear-you.html
"You are showing up as Matthew 25 Christians. Youâre caring for the poor when you send your tithes and offerings to the church as we do the hard work to end poverty. Youâre caring for the hungry every Saturday in our Community Lunch program. Youâre caring for the imprisoned every time you bring in the feminine products for the incarcerated women. Youâre caring for the sick with your pastoral care. Youâre caring for the immigrant with an immigrant ministry so effective that the most powerful government in the world tried to shut it down." The full text of Pastor Kaji's sermon is available here: http://soundthebells.blogspot.com/2023/10/matthew-25-christians.html
Whatever it is that youâre asking, God is responding. I can guarantee that. But Godâs response isnât always on our level. God is always answering the deeper question. So if you canât see Godâs activity in your life but you want to? Ask differently. Get to the root of the issue.
Sometimes it feels like somethingâs falling apart. When, in actuality, itâs coming together... And this is when we have to exercise our faith. Youâve heard the expression: if itâs not good, itâs not over. But for God to resurrect, to make all things new? Something has to stop. Something must end.
What is a yankable moment? In short: itâs a time when God has had to reach in and pull you back. Itâs when God stages the intervention your life requires. Itâs a moment of urgency, sometimes even just in time to save your life. So: another way of putting it: when has God saved your life? When has God inspired the radical change your life has required? And then: what has God provisioned to make that change happen?
Child of God? Create. Cause something new to begin. Breathe life into something you thought was dead. Mold some clay. Because Jesus has given you an assignment. Child of God. Create.Â
You might be the mountain that needs to move. Right now. What I want you to consider is that this - your power, your birthright - is the last step on your journey to elevate. Itâs time to actuate the miracle of that one big change you think you canât make. Because the truth is that with Godâs help: you can.Â
It is time, folks. To cleanse. Wade into Godâs healing waters, beloved. And let the Spirit come. With Godâs help? Throw the door right open to Godâs grace. And with a heart open to God? Watch what happens now. Selah.Â
When you step forward in the Lord, when you wait on the Lord, your refuge, your strength, your very help in times of trial? Then God will bear you up on those eaglesâ wings. You will run and not be weary! You will walk and not faint! Thatâs the road before you. Your strength is coming.Â
Please consider supporting The Park and its ministries: https://parkavenuechristian.com/give/
When you turn to the Lord and ask: build me up, God. Build me up. Give me strength and be my strength. My very help in times of trial. Selah. When you turn and ask? Then God gives you that strength.Â
The full text of Pastor Kaji's sermon is available here: http://soundthebells.blogspot.com/2023/07/restore-elevate-building-strength.htmlÂ
Please consider supporting The Park's ministries with a gift: https://parkavenuechristian.com/give/Â
"Take the time to burrow. Retreat to the other side. It doesnât have to cost a dime or more than the cost of a subway fare, if you must. But find your space for silence."
Some closed doors unlock, some rock solid masses soften, something relaxes, when we just acknowledge someone else's pain...from there, everything can change.Â
When God has given us the grace to forgive, itâs because weâre ready. Itâs because God has done sooooo much work behind the scenes to prepare you to share this gift.Â
Independence is important, but we need to depend on each other, too, in ways that are reliable, not toxic but healing. We need to love, we need to model love, we need to bring love to the halls of Congress, and to our friends and neighbors, and even to our enemies. But as we love, let us root out all of the things that cause harm. Let us dedicate ourselves to at least one thing - one thing - that we can change to bring justice to the world.Â
My prayer for you is that you experience yourself through God's eyes. Imagine if you could look in the mirror and love yourself just as much as God does. Whoever you are, this is true. God bless you, and Happy Pride!Â
Talk to any honest preacher, and theyâll admit this secret to you:Â
Talk to any honest preacher, and theyâll admit this secret to you:Â we all just have one sermon. We just use different words. Hereâs my sermon: God loves you. No matter what. Now live your life and do something about it because: no matter what? You can.Â
Soul food tends to get a bad rap in terms of health. But when we take a closer look, we learn something different. Our people took what they had, took the time to plant and to sow and to put their foot in that food and presented love on a plate. Itâs not soul food thatâs unhealthy, itâs racism and worldwide oppression that is. Â
Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Light.... When we follow The Way, we adapt as God intends for us to adapt, we allow God to do with us what's needed. We resist whatever tries to obstruct us from God, and we consent to participating in God's acts of power in our lives and in this world.Â
The way to continue to elevate is to move into a softer, more spirit-filled living. This season is softness. Connect. Don't dissociate. Talk to God. God can handle it.Â
When we go through our hardest times .... that is when we see God most clearly. But we have to be prepared for it.Â
Whatever season you are in, God has ordered it and the boundaries of your habitation... God has ordered it. Do you hear that? Wherever you are, God brings you order and boundaries and growth and is planting things in your life you cannot even see.Â
Jesus' tears of mercy show us new dimensions of who God is and just how much God loves us... and if you're feeling entombed right now, for any reason whatsoever, Jesus says, "Roll away the stone. Come out. Live well."
There are times when a narrow focus is helpful. But if we only keep a narrow focus, waaaaay too much crucial background is blurred... Too narrow a focus for too long makes us see only what we want to see. What we put in front of ourselves. But widen the aperture? And thereâs much, much more to see. When youâre deeply grieving, your aperture is pretty closed. Not very much light can make its way in. But by the grace of God: little by little - you let the light come in. Let the light in, my love.Â
The idea of having to wait for the "Spirit" is a challenge. We are all waiting for some kind of infusion.Â
God is NEVER done. God said: you thought death was the end? Watch me now! Look at Jesus! He is risen! He is risen! He is risen!Â
No matter where you are in your life and your journey and your troubles, and all the things that might be challenging you, there is this moment of awe and wonder before you.Â
God placed the human in the garden to tend it. That, I would suggest is your telos, your destination: to tend your garden... As we are thinking about own gardens to tend, and the garden of the Earth, think huge, think really big, about what you can contribute personally to the regeneration of this planet. We can all do that as individuals and we can do it as a Church.Â
Your mountaintop experiences, of being in a place where the blessings of God are so clear, of moments of joy and revelation, are actually occasions to deepen your gratitude for all that God is doing in your life. And that mountaintop gratitude can sustain you even when you are in a valley.Â
When you are down on the ground, and you are laid out and you have no clue where your healing is going to come from, and maybe you don't even think to ask for help... do you know that God already knows? And God is already saying to you, "Talitha Koum!" "My child, get up!"Â
When we walk by faith into our futures, we make different choices about the present. When we understand the future to be Godâs, we want to align ourselves with what God intends. When we know that God prioritizes the flourishing of all, we realize that there are some changes we need to make in order to come into alignment with Godâs purpose and plan.Â
There can be people in our lives who distract us from our mission, who make it harder to follow Jesus, who make it hard to hear God. How do we handle the folks who take us out of our path and purpose?Â
You are built for the light. You are, indeed, in the light. Pray, and you can know that light as your own.Â
We are meant to cultivate, to till the soil, to work side by side with the pilgrims around us so that wherever we go, there is something rich and nourishing and beautiful to take in. Your pilgrimage allows you to co-create with God. And when we do: we are satisfied. We are made full. We are pilgrims on the journey.Â
The gifts you have to share are given to you by God, you don't have to create them within yourself, you don't even have to look for them, God has already given them to you.Â
When you notice your place in the cycle of things and give thanks for the opportunity that God is giving you, right here and right now, ask God to help you to set an intention for where you would like spirit to be in the season to come. Just remember to include the phrase that Jesus taught us: "Thy will be done."Â
Sometimes it can be overwhelming to consider all that we have coming up. Anxiety does that, it takes us to where we aren't. But one of the gifts of the Nativity is that it reminds us to be still for just a moment, take a look around us, to take in a deep breath, and to consider all that God is doing right here and right now.Â
Whatever your name is, it translates to: Beloved Child of God. Thatâs Godâs name for you. My child. My beloved. In whom I am well-pleased... Because God IS love. And for us? When we live in that love? Itâs heaven. Right here. Right now. Whatâs your name? Beloved. Whatâs my name? Beloved. Whatâs their name? Beloved. Know all this â believe nothing and no one more than this! And youâve got your joy.Â
Prayer ... is not so much a time to wish, as it is an opening. God is never closed to us, but we can be closed to God. Prayer is that discipline of opening ourselves to the blessings that God has already been sending our way.Â
You + God = Your Royal We... Because. No king. No earthly ruler. No political thug. No death nor life, no angels or rulers, nor things present nor things to comeâŚnor heights nor depths nor ANYTHING ELSE in ALL Creation. Not a thing. Can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus.Â
In Christ â we live. In Christ â we reign. Through Christ, the former things die away. All of the time. And I hope this gives you some grace. Because, we all want to live, right? But we might take stock and see that there are some things about our lives that need to end that havenât come to their end just yet. Does that mean that weâre dead? No. It just means that we lean in to the living, to the alignment.Â
Do you have an image of heaven? Do you have an image of your eternal dwelling? Of your forever home? When I think of our Abbaâs mansion, I donât necessarily see something. But I do feel something. I feel the fulfillment of Godâs promises. I feel utter and complete satisfaction. I feel absolutely no pain. I feel enduring joy. I feel total love.Â
We are clearly, as we all know, not always going to have access to the specific and direct resources that we need... we do thirst. But we will always have God, and God's endless, eternal resources. Lighten your burdens, folks. The living water does just that.Â
You were born to bathe in Godâs love. That is your birthright. That is your place in the world. That is who you are. So get your victory! Get your glory! Adjust your crown! Bathe in Godâs love, beloved.Â
What are my fruits? By what will I be known? What will be the epitaph on my grave? Let it be some version of: She loved. When times were hard? She loved. When the poor cried out? He loved. When they tried to feed her a shiny, red apple of poison? Even then, she loved. To love is to bless, which is the fiercest act of resistance there is. So do that. Resist. And love. And feel the warmth of Godâs smile upon you.Â
Who gets to decide for you who is right? How do you make decisions about what is righteousness and what you want to leave behind, or not touch? And the root of all of that, I would argue, is your values.Â
In this place where God invites you to dwell spiritually every day and moment of your whole God-given life, you are cared for, you are still God's beloved.Â
Blessed are the members of The Park who for over 30 years have fed people with the Saturday Community Lunch program, for yours is a table of welcome.Â
Blessed are the members of The Park who have stayed through hard changes of staffing, construction, schools, and pandemics, for your relationships are tethered to the God in each other.Â
Blessed are the members of The Park who have marched in the streets for racial, gender, and sexual justice, for you live within the kindom of heaven.Â
Blessed are the members of The Park who pray with conviction even when their voices tremble, for you speak the truth of Gods eternal grace and love.
And Blessed are you, the members of The Park, who have loved me and each other so faithfully, for yours is the eternal love of God in Christ Jesus.Â
Like any good teacher, Jesus invests in us by equipping us with the tools to navigate growth and cultivate hope when faced with the unexpected. We are called to reciprocate curiosity even on well-worn paths and to offer guidance to those new to the journey.Â
Inspired by our translation of the Lordâs prayer from The Rev. Dr. Wil Gafney, I broke the Lordâs prayer down into single words that are each their own prayer:Â
HopeÂ
NourishÂ
ForgiveÂ
ProtectÂ
TrustÂ
I hope that you might take some time today and reflect on what words come to you as we say the lordâs prayer at the table today and how might those simple words hold entire worlds of prayer for you and God?Â
Jesus calls us to know the value of each other as more than just what we can produce. We are called to invest in the welfare of each other rather than collect earthly treasures. To live abundantly in Godâs love and grace, rather than live fearfully in the mindset of scarcity.Â
"Victory" means setting your intention, living in God's vision for your life, knowing yourself as God intends .... Make your vision heaven, make your time God's. And with that, we actually are practicing victory.Â
Put God in the equation. Because, if you can remember this, if you can have this as part of your core, part of your prayer-life, part of everything that you do, it frees you.... it breaks the chains of your lies, and the untruths that want to hold you down. God is truth.Â
You may lack in this world, but you donât lack in the eyes of God. You may need in this world, but in Godâs terms, youâre covered. Building this awareness is the key to your freedom.Â
When you fix your eyes on the Lord, you can never go wrong. So remember, beloveds: go into your room, shut the door, shut out the noise. You and God are about to have the conversation of your life.Â
Let your no to wickedness be real, so that your yes to God can be full-throated and whole-hearted. Because Godâs yes to you is yours, it is your birthright, it is eternal, and no one can ever take that from you.Â
God is present both now and always. That's your North Star when you can't see anything else... The only way to find our peace in the disorienting darkness is to fix on the Lord, to fall back into the always welcome embrace of your God.Â
Anywhere that you are not able to live out your blessing, where your ability to thank and praise God is halted, is a place where you have to focus immediately. And sometimes that place is right inside of you. Sometimes we are the very ones who are blocking our blessings. No need to do that anymore. If that's you, today's the day to get free. Today's the day to say "no more," to say "my blessings can shine on me, the love of God is for me."Â
Swirling all around us, bad things can happen. But if we are in close communion with God, if we guard our hearts, then that is the place no one can touch... Feel the power and strength and love of God in your heart, and no matter what people try to do to you, they can't touch you there.Â
How can you remind yourself and one another of your bright and salty queer potential today? Choose to be salt. Choose to be light. Yes, you were born this way. The rest is choices. Be ready for the choices. Choose the Q. It's already chosen you.Â
By guest pastor, The Rev. Micah Bucey, Associate Minister at Judson Memorial Church in Greenwich Village, New York City.Â
Promise me that you will remember that God, "The Great I Am," is infinitely powerful. You are beloved. You are God's. If you believe this, and you believe it with all of your heart, I want to watch everything else get in formation.Â
Living this life of Christ, is a choice we make every day... Choosing Jesus now, for you, might mean being more intentional in your relationships. And staying curious about not only WHAT God might bring you⌠But WHO God might bring you.Â
Speaking Godâs tongue means speaking Godâs language which is: love. Infinite love. Love without bounds. Love that doesnât make you apologize for who you are. Love that doesnât shrink you down. Love that doesnât erase your truth. Love that isnât threatened by you. Love that has nothing to do with conquest or conflict. Your native language is love because thatâs all God needs to say to you.Â