Awaken Community: Recent Episodes
Awaken Community
Teaching from the weekly worship gatherings at Awaken Community. A safe place to journey with Jesus at the center.
Guest speaker Judy Howard Peterson brings a prophetic word in the midst of a tumultuous season across the globe. She addresses Jesus question in Matthew 12:1-14 "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the sabbath will you not take hold of it and lift it out?" She invites us to experience life beyond the text and tradition.
Awaken's own Cathy Solomon delivers her first Sunday morning sermon in a perfectly Cathy way. She addresses Mark 10:46-52 when Jesus asks the question to Bartimeaus: "What do you want me to do for you?"
Our guest speaker this week is a former Awakenite Jae Bates who unpacks John 21:15-19 by looking at the narrative of Peter's life and the ways he has denied those parts of himself that Jesus has invited him to lean into and accept. In what ways are we invited to step into who we truly are?
Dr. Kelly Sherman Conroy discusses John 5:1-9 and the question "Do you want to be made well?" She navigates the complexities of healing work as someone with indigenous roots and brings emphasis to how we hold, honor and move through sacred wounds in colonized spaces.
Pastor Micah closes out the Encounters series by bringing us to John 21:1-17 and the moment Jesus meets Peter on the shore after resurrection. Peter, in the aftermath of his failure and shame is brought back into the mission Jesus invites all of us into; feed my sheep.
Pastor Micah continues the Encounters series by looking at Mattew 28:16-20. The disciples went to Galilee to the mountain to see Jesus and when they saw him, some worshipped and some doubted.
Pastor Micah continues the Encounters series with Acts 9:1-19 where Paul is confronted by Jesus on the road to Damascus. Micah discusses the context of Paul's conversion and the significance of Ananias's actions and our invitation to embody peacemaking in a similar way.
Awaken opens up a new series called Encounters where we look at examples of people's interactions with the resurrected Christ and unpack what it means for us as a community. Micah begins with John 20:11-18 and Mary's interaction with the gardener who is revealed to be Jesus.
Awaken gathers for its first Easter Sunday in the new building. Pastor Micah discusses Matthew 27-28 and the subversion of expectations throughout the resurrection story, including the many holy bodies that are raised to life in verses 51-53.
Pastor Micah discusses Philippians 2:1-11 and the importance of love within a community. This passage connects back to the Garden of Eden and the posture of letting go as we enter into continued relationship with God and one another.
Wild Fig Network's Executive Director, Eugene Kim visits Awaken to walk us through the Israelites experience of empire in Isaiah 43. He points us to examples of resistance that have formed the basis of christian thought and God's heart towards all marginalized people.
Pastor Jenna takes the stage again to walk us through Luke 15 and the story of the prodigal son, this time highlighting the complexities of repair work when we experience brokenness in relationship.
Micah takes us through Isaiah 55 and the prophets reminder of the vision God has for the world around us, one of abundance and partnership in making that vision our reality.
Micah explores Genesis 15 and the meaning of the word "covenant" and why this word/idea is so important to the biblical story. Where can we find significance in the fact that God chooses to be in committed formal relational partnership(s) with humanity despite knowing the outcome and tendencies.
Awaken enters the season of Lent by bringing us into the wilderness experience Jesus has in Luke 4.
After a six week hiatus to focus on the big move, Awaken is meeting again on Sunday mornings. Micah brings us back to the story of Jacob and invites to consider how hope and imagination can pull us into a future we might not be able to see at the present moment.
Awaken ends its time at St James by discussing the role and significance of the altar in Jacob's story. What does it mean to mark a moment in time and how does God meet us as we set up our own altars in this time of transition?
This is the second to last Sunday at St James and Micah takes another approach to Genesis 28 by discussing the significance of being surprised by God's presence and staying curious about the places and people we will come into contact with in our new church home.
Micah kicks off a final series for our time at St James. He opens by discussing the ways God is with us in the midst of transition by looking at Jacob's life. Also, in classic Micah fashion he gives a beautiful illustration of fish.
Pastor Jenna brings our Advent series to a close in preparation for Christmas Eve. She walks us through the ways the evangelical understanding of longing can be counter productive to an otherwise important revealing that can happen through our longings.
Micah processes the importance of waiting and the through line that we can see through scripture. It's in the waiting that things are exposed and produced within us.
Micah discusses Exodus 1:1-18 & 2:23-25 when the Israelites cried out and God heard, saw, listened, knew them. In the same way that Jesus modeled what it means to be human, we are met by God in the moments when we can acknowledge and embrace our limitations and struggles.
Awaken begins a new series through our last Advent season at St James. Micah kicks the series off by discussing the significance of darkness and the ways God shows up alongside us as a midwife is present to those birthing new life into the world.
Micah closes out the Take Heart series by looking at Psalm 27 to help us navigate the difficulty of balancing hope for the world and the harsh realities we have to be reconciled to.
Micah talks through the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3 and invites Awaken into the work of civil disobedience in the name of sacrificial love for others.
Micah brings us to Mark 6:45-52 when Jesus appears to the disciples in the midst of a storm on the sea. He points us to the ways that Jesus has proven himself a presence of peace and comfort to those in distress.
Awaken starts a new series this month as we find ourselves in a tumultuous political season. Micah kicks things off by adding context to Jesus words in John 16:33, "take heart for I have overcome the world". What does it mean to find peace in the midst of anxiety and uncertainty?
The Wells and Fences series comes to a close with a powerful message from Micah as we near Election Day. What does it mean to be a peacemaker? How do we do this for even those we might find ourselves at odds with? We can't make peace in the world if we haven't made peace within ourselves.
Micah is back at Awaken to talk through the concept of power and empire in scripture. How does power look in the kingdom of God and how do we integrate the ways Jesus has modeled what it means to hold power within the context of our own lives in this election season?
Awaken's Youth Director Trevor speaks for the first time on a Sunday morning and invites the congregation into the story of Jesus journeying through the wilderness. How does the human Jesus experience these tests and what example does it set for how we might find encouragement and grace in the midst of our own struggles?
Pastor Jenna takes the stage this Sunday and talks through the difficult reality facing our current political and religious climate. She brings attention to the language and ideology of white christian nationalism and how it finds itself at odds with scripture and the way Jesus held power.
Micah continues the Wells and Fences series by providing context for Jesus usage of parables in his teachings. The kingdom of God is not bombastic, but rather grows slow and steady like a mustard seed.
Awaken continues our series on wells and fences by inviting us to consider perhaps a more difficult message to absorb in this political season and climate. Micah discusses the dehumanization of others when we label them "enemies" and points to Jesus who offers a better way.
Awaken returns to a recurring series that has become a cornerstone of our community. Micah provides an intro to the Wells and Fences series and the importance of the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus the Christ.
Awaken is back at St James for both gatherings to continue our formational targets series. Micah discusses the nuance of listening for God's voice in the midst of our own.
As a community we take a moment to create space for all the hard things being held, both individually and collectively. In the midst of our grief, we hold fast to the promises of God, the comfort of the Spirit, and the hope found in Jesus.
Micah takes a look at the story of Thomas in John 20:19-29. While Thomas is often labelled as "The Doubter", this story is intentionally included in John's gospel as an encouragement to those with doubts. Even as Thomas expresses his doubts and makes his request known, Jesus moves towards him and meets him where he's at.
Micah looks at the character of Judas and the different accounts we have of his life and death. How does someone this close to Jesus make the decision to betray him?
Micah looks at Romans 13 and the instructions to the Church to submit to the governing authorities. What does Paul have in his pocket when he writes this to the Church of Rome? How are we to understand these verses for our time and our day?
In a follow up to last weeks message, Micah shares his thoughts on the trustworthiness of the Bible, and the position in which we hold the Bible as a faith community.
Joel Lawrence shares about the origins of the Bible, and offers his perspective on how this book came to be and its purpose as God's word and a revelation of God's self.
Micah looks at Genesis 27 and the story of Jacob and Esau, but also of Rebekah. Rebekah hears a word from the Lord and works within the systems of her time to move the story of God forwards.
Micah looks at Genesis 22 and God's request to Abraham to sacrifice his only son, Isaac.
We celebrate the high school students who have completed the first Confirmation Class of Awaken!
Micah returns to the Formational Target of Pilgrimage and shares about Awaken's experience on the Urban Camino.
Sam Randall speaks on listening and the importance of asking good questions. What does it mean to be a good listener? What does it mean to listen and ask questions like Jesus?
Micah wraps up our series on Generosity looking at John 8 and the generosity of things less seen. Will we be people who are generous with our assumptions, with our compassion, and generous towards ourselves?
Micah looks a few core principles about giving towards the church, or any organization. Do you align with the organizations mission, vision, and values? Do you trust the leadership? Does participating in the community bring value to your life? If so, do you invest in a way that is regular, proportionate, sacrificial, and cheerful?
Micah looks at Luke 14: 25-33 and Jesus's words about our relationship to our stuff. What Jesus is saying goes beyond dollars and cents, instead addressing the influence that Mine'ing has over our lives.
Micah looks at Ecclesiastes 4:5-6 and how we can choose to engage the world. Do you hold your hands open, ready to give, receive, and be present with all that is happening around you?
Deuteronomy 24: 17-22 - God tells the Israelites to build generosity into their very way of life. To provide care for the most vulnerable among them, lest we forget the generosity we were made from and made for.
Pastor Jenna rejoins us after her parental leave and the birth of her son Caden. Today, she explores Genesis 17 and the promise given to Abram and Sarai and the name that is used for God in this passage - El Shaddai.
Please note that this message includes themes of parenthood and childbearing. We recognize that these themes can evoke both joyful and painful emotions.
Micah provides an honest reflection on the significance of Easter and the importance of faith in a story that can at times feel unbelievable.
Micah looks at John 12:12-19 and the paradox of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, not with weapons and war, but in peace and sacrifice.
Matt 13:10-23 Micah explores the Parable of the Sower found in Matthew and what it means to truly listen/hear & understand.
2 Corinthians 8:1 -2: Paul urges the church in Corinth to follow the lead of the Macedonians, who’s desire for goodness was matched by their willingness to give so that the work would be seen through.
1 Kings 19:11-18 - Elijah flees to the mountains for his life, desperate to hear God's voice. God shows up in ways he does not expect, as a whisper of care and provision in the midst of hardship. Micah walks us through the heart of listening and the significance of its practice.
2 Sam 12:1-13, David listens to Nathan the prophet and repents when confronted with the reality of his sin. Are we listening and willing to HEAR correction when it comes to us? What does it take to be a person who is willing to sit in the discomfort of being wrong and repenting instead of defending?
Guest speaker Jim Bear Jacobs sheds light on the complexities of Galatians 3 and Paul’s vision for a kingdom of God that does not recognize difference. How does this vision, written by someone within the dominant culture, impact those who find themselves outside of it? Jim Bear illustrates the difficulty of this passage with powerful stories of the realities of indigenous life and how Creator God shows up.
1 John 4:7-12, John says "no one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." Multiple times in John's gospel he says that no one has seen the father and has this idea of the "invisible" God that is made known in Jesus. In so far as we love one another, the image of God lives in us and in the world. It's like an atom...no one has ever seen an atom, but we have this picture that carries the idea.
1 John 3:11, 16-18, 4:18-19 - We begin in love, we don't work for it or earn it or attain it...IT IS. Because this gift is ours to receive/participate in, we should love others which begs the question: what is love and who gets to define it?
1 John 1:5-10, 2:7-11, God is light and that light has appeared. If God is trustworthy and true, then following and seeking after them should lead us to a love and light that illuminates the world around us. How do you know when you’ve seen and experienced it?
The book of 1 John taken outside of it's context can sometimes be counter productive to the heart of the gospel. Micah discusses the fundamental differences in our understanding of 1 John if God's revelation to humanity is limited to what's in the Bible and not also open to the continuous work of the Spirit in us.
1 John 1:1-4, Awaken kicks off a new series on the book of 1 John, 11 years after Awaken's first journey through the text. Micah provides the background and context for the book to set the tone for the rest of our exploration together.
Micah brings our Journeys of Christmas series to a close with the arrival of Jesus into the world.
Luke 2:8-20, The shepherd’s journey from the fields to the manger. Micah introduces the different interpretations of who the shepherd's might have been and how that affects the deeper meaning of the story. How much more powerful is the story when it happens exactly as the angels described?
Matt 2:1-12 - The Magi’s journey to Herod and then eventually see the Christ child themselves. Micah unpacks myths about the magi and then draws attention to the religious leaders and how differently they respond to the reality of the christ. What is religion or faith without a physical embodiment of our beliefs?
Luke 2:1-7, Joseph & Mary journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. What happens when home no longer feels like home? Micah discusses the difficulty of leaving places that feel safe like home and the beauty of the spiritual journey through the process.
Luke 1:26-45, Mary journeys to visit Elizabeth and come to grips with the reality that she was going to bear the Christ. Micah invites to consider the human Mary, the woman who carried a child out of wedlock in a patriarchal society where that would have been a tremendous risk and danger.
Matthew 1:18-25 - Joseph goes through a journey that invites him to accept what the Holy Spirit has done in Mary. He accepts Mary as his wife and discovers the difficult role he must take as a righteous law abiding man in a culture whose laws might challenge his convictions.
Luke 1:5-22 & 57-64, Awaken kicks off a new series preparing us for the season of Advent. Micah starts with Zechariah’s journey from unbelief to belief in the Angel’s words about his son named John. He highlights the significance of a man that is silenced and what happens in the space that created.
Micah introduces pilgrimage as the final target in the Formational Targets series. This is an invitation to inhabit our lives in a particular way that includes awareness and intention about the spiritual journey happening all around us.
Micah takes us through our next formational target - Impact. How do we choose to invest our time, energy, and resources individually and as a community? We’ve been entrusted with working and tending to one another and the world around us.
Micah brings us back to our formational targets series by emphasizing the importance of learning through the journey of faith. He highlights the significance of engaging different perspectives, understanding lenses that inform those perspectives, and maintaining a posture of curiosity in our day to day lives.
Genesis 1:11-13; 26-28; 31 - Steve Wiens talks through how God created trees to bear fruit and keep bearing fruit the same way humans were made to plant seeds and bear fruit. “Awaken is uniquely called in this season to plant seeds for a future where many will be nourished and given rest underneath the branches.”
Stephanie Williams O’Brien takes Awaken on a journey through Mark chapter one and the deeper meaning of Jesus inviting the people to repent and believe - “turn toward God and step into the new Kingdom reality”.
While many are at Covenant Pines this weekend for the church retreat, Micah continues our series on the formational targets and this week he discusses the importance of sacred community in our efforts to grow closer to God and one another.
Micah unpacks the second of Awaken’s formational targets, listening. “Hear O Israel the lord thy God is one". What does the voice of God sound like and what does your own voice sound like? Spiritual maturity is holding both and paying attention to the many ways God can speak to us.
Awaken begins a new series that seeks to unpack what healthy spiritual formation looks like. We begin with the importance of liturgy. Liturgy is ceremony and ordered intention. It is the work of the people, accessing collective memory and doing something together. Liturgy consists of sacred times that are set apart for the people of God throughout the year.
Chapter 13:29-31, Nehemiah ends with a very honest and sobering reality. They kick out the foreigners and Nehemiah reforms the practices of the sabbath, marriage and what happens in the temple. Why do we keep returning to this pattern? How might our interpretations change when considering this from a marginalized perspective?
In chapter 9, the Israelites remember those who have come before while asking, “How did we get here?” Awaken honors Melody Olson as she performs How Great Thou Art on her last Sunday as Worship Director.
Nehemiah 7:1-6, 8-18 - After the wall is done, the Israelites prepared for worship as a community, which began by remembering the names of the people, their lineage and their story/history. There is feasting and celebration in the temple. There will be days for weeping and mourning but today is not one of them…today we turn our attention to the grace, provision and wonder of God.
Nehemiah 7:1-6, 8-18 - After the wall is done, the Israelites prepared for worship as a community, which began by remembering the names of the people, their lineage and their story/history. There is feasting and celebration in the temple. There will be days for weeping and mourning but today is not one of them…today we turn our attention to the grace, provision and wonder of God.
Nehemiah 5:1-19 - Lessons in leadership from Nehemiah. The nobles and the rich were lending to their own countrymen and charging them interest just like non-Israelites would do. Nehemiah speaks against it and aligns himself with the people by living, working, and suffering WITH them.
Nehemiah 3:1-5 & 4:6-16, Lessons in leadership from Nehemiah. Chapter 3 is all about the myriad of people who are involved in the rebuilding of the wall. The list is so long that it appears no one is left out.
Nehemiah 2:1-20, The king asks Nehemiah what he wants and Nehemiah names his desires, then asks for what's needed to accomplish it. He faces opposition when he decides to champion the cause of the oppressed and marginalized which is to be expected and normal when you confront systems of power.
Nehemiah 1:5-11 - A plea for God's ear to be open and listening to the prayer of Nehemiah. Nehemiah personally asks forgiveness for the sins of his countryman, his family, and himself. They are tasked with remembering the promise that God made to gather the people and bring them home because they are God’s people.
This week is an introduction to Nehemiah and how we've gotten to the place where we are. Who was Nehemiah? How did Israel end up oppressed and exiled under Artaxerxes? What was the root cause of their suffering? Micah highlights the importance of beginning a process of renewal with grief/lament.
Acts 15, Early christians meet as a council in Jerusalem to start the church in the book of Acts. They find that the spirit of God is leading them beyond the confines of their religious structure and are thus tasked with living as a people of God rooted in love and a new way forward.
Tom sheds light on the current worldwide refugee crisis and his engagement with it through the non profit organization, IAFR. He shares the significance of the Lord's Prayer in a world desperate for hope.
Ruth 1:6-18, Mary provides context for her experience as a refugee and invites us to consider the importance of support systems and staying proximate to people with different life stories.
Jeremiah 29:1-14 The people of God in Exile - even here God is with them in Babylon. Exile is the place where your entire conception of who God is and what God is like dies and you find out God is still with you in this place/iteration.
1 Sam 8:1-22 - God warns them of all the things they will become if they go in this direction. As the people go down this path, they forget where they came from and they become Egypt - the very thing they were liberated from.
Judges 2:16-23, The children of God in this book of the Bible are often portrayed as rebellious and forgetful of the ways of God. Micah invites us to consider the ways God is more patient, hopeful, and available to us than we might otherwise be led to believe.
Numbers 9:15-23, The Israelites follow a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night trusting that the spirit of God is in it. Micah recalls the journey of Awaken, the movement of the spirit in our midst and invites us to trust that God is present and guiding us through whatever wilderness lay ahead.
Exodus 2:23-25 - God hear, remembers, sees, and knows the people while they are enslaved and oppressed. Micah invites us to consider what ideas and realities we need to be freed and liberated from.
Genesis 32 - Jacob has spent his life running from God and his own name. Micah highlights that ways God relentlessly pursues us and seeks to bring us into a way of life that bears good fruit and wholeness of self.
Genesis 11:1-4, 12:1-5 These two chapters highlight the difference between a life motivated by fear and a life motivated by faith. Micah walks us through another iteration of the people of God following the voice of God towards partnered life together.
Awaken kicks off a new series exploring the different iterations of the people of God throughout scripture. What does a journey with God look like as a people experiencing different contexts and circumstances in history? Micah starts in Genesis 1 & 2 where humans are invited to move and work from a place of rest.
Micah provides an honest reflection on the significance of Easter and the importance of faith in a story that can at times feel unbelievable.
Trigger Warning: The content of this week's sermon references and discusses points made in The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James H. Cone. Mark 15:1-15, Pilate has not always been the one sided character you may have grown up hearing about. Micah challenges and invites us to consider the origin of the cross, its use in subjugating people outside Rome, and the modern equivalent we might see or experience today.
Mark 14:66-72, We follow the journey of Peter and his walk with Jesus through the highs and lows. Micah explores the idea that we are not the sum of our mistakes or successes, but rather bear the image of God and the love the world was made out of.
Mark 14: 53-65, Jesus goes before the Sanhedrin where he experiences firsthand the at times unjust system of religious law. Micah brings forth the invitation and challenge to welcome outside perspectives, listen to voices who do not find themselves in the majority, and in doing so find ourselves experiencing an old story with new eyes.
Mark 14:27-51, The humanity of Jesus is on full display as he prays to God for relief from distress, another path that might not lead to death. Micah highlights the ways Jesus becomes our truest friend and ally in life because he entered into the deepest struggle of humanity.
Mark 14: 12-26, Micah explores the meaning of Passover and the ritual that would have been normal and habitual for a Jewish person. What is Jesus doing by deviating from the Passover script?
Mark 14: 1-11, Jesus gets anointed at Bethany by an unnamed woman. The deed is met with disdain by the disciples, but is welcomed by Jesus who recognizes the significance of the moment and his coming death. Micah sits with the questions, can you recognize the moment you are in? And how will you be remembered when all is said and done?
Mark 9:1-13, Jesus appears transfigured atop a mountain and the disciples finally see where the journey of transformation has lead. Judy Howard Peterson walks us through its meaning and translation into our lives.
Mark 8: 14-21, The previous section (ch 5-6) has 4 different stories with the number 12 in it. Why? What is so clear to Jesus that seems to be so unclear to the disciples and what do 12 & 7 baskets have to do with it? What is "leaven" and what does it have to do with the Pharisees?
Mark 3:20-34, Jesus is pursued by his family and his response carries significance in his journey to transfiguration. Any work of transformation and becoming will take us on a path that leads us right back to where we've come from with our family of origin.
Jesus has two encounters with the Pharisees and it ends with "he looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts. The pharisees are hung up on rules and obedience to rules as the pathway to holiness. Part of Jesus' transformation is that he's paying attention to the anger that he's feeling and he responds to it in a way that's healthy and not destructive.
I Forgive You / Mark 2:1-12 / A lame man is brought to Jesus and the first thing he tells them is that his sins are forgiven. This of course upsets the pharisees because only GOD can forgive sins. But this is what Jesus is coming to know and in this moment, speaks out loud into the world what he knows to be true about himself. What does it take to get to this place of knowing oneself? What holds us back from putting out into the world what we may know to be true in our hearts?
Jesus seems to learn early on that if he's going to live into his calling and become who he's intended to be, he will need to have times of solitude and stillness where he's not DOING but rather he is BEING in the presence of the Divine.
Awaken kicks off a new series looking at the humanity of Jesus and his journey from baptism to transfiguration.
Awaken celebrates the arrival of Christ as Micah brings our focus to the melody of creation and our participation in the collective song of God.
A week from the birth of a savior, Micah discusses the nature of a kingdom that brings peace through vulnerability and servitude.
Micah discusses the song of Zechariah and what it means to receive a message of liberation in a world where we only see in part, plus a special guest performs a musical interpretation of Zechariah's song.
Jenna kicks off a new series on the canticles of Christmas, songs inspired by the revelation of Christ in scripture. This week Jenna discusses the Magnificat and the complexity of hope in a world where darkness exists.
John 5: 1-15, Jesus heals a paralyzed man at the pool of Bethesda, another place in scripture where a well invites healing and transformation.
Micah employs the Jewish tradition of Midrash to explore Hagar and the wilderness, the brotherly love of Isaac and Ishmael, and Abraham's last wife, Keturah.
Ezekiel 47 mentions a river that flows in death valley all the way to the Dead Sea where it will give life to everything it touches. Micah discusses what this says about the nature of God, the source of indiscriminate life for ALL.
Micah kicks off a new series that dives into the literal and symbolic importance of water throughout scripture. This first week explores the four rivers that flow out of the garden of Eden to the entire world.
Micah looks at the different aspects of beauty and its importance in the world we live in. The perception of beauty is an occasion for 'unselfing'
Micah discusses the practice of being authentic and offers up what a community can look like when we fully bring ourselves.
Micah discusses the practice of being hospitable and its importance in the life of the gospel.
Revelations 21: 1-5, 10 A new heaven and a new earth is a central theme in evangelical circles, but how do we walk out a faith that integrates our realities with our hopes for the future? Micah discusses the significance of living a holistic life.
John 1:1-14 - The Word of God incarnate, the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1), the exact representation of God (Hebrews). This is a continuation of Lost in Translation talking about the fact that the Bible "attests" to Jesus but does not supersede Jesus who is the original word.
Osheta Moore paints a picture of what Jesus might really mean when he foretells the separating of the sheep from the goats in Matthew 25
Reverend Kelly Chatman discusses the at times challenging messages within Matthew 5 with some real life examples of what it looks like to embody Jesus' words for the people.
There are two different tellings of creation in Genesis 1 and 2. Micah pieces together the essence of this commonly misunderstood discrepancy and explores what it says about who God is.
This week Micah takes on Romans 1:18-32 and the patriarchal system in which it is contextualized. This discussion follows up the July 31 message on 1 Corinthians 6.
Micah tackles 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, a passage at the root of many disagreements around human sexuality in the Christian Church. On August 14th Micah will engage Romans 1 as a part two if this discussion.
Exodus 4:19-21 Does God engineer the hardening of Pharaoh's heart against the Israelites? Micah discusses when we ourselves start to become set in ways of thinking and being.
2 Kings 6:24-7:2 Micah tackles a real zinger of a passage where someone eats their firstborn and their neighbors children amidst a famine in Israel. What's really going on in this passage?
1 Thess 4:13-18 This is the passage that many use to legitimize the idea of the rapture and Christians being taken away to heaven.
Philippians 4:10-23 I have learned to be content in all circumstances. Jenna discusses the wrestling we sometimes experience with verses like this.
Micah provides background to this weeks annual meeting with the ECC and answers questions from the congregation.
Philippians 3:12-21 mentions heaven and usually this gets put into the category of "up there someday when we die", yet Paul in verses 20-21 makes clear that Jesus brings "heaven" to us in these bodies on this earth.
Philippians 2:12-18 says to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. What does that mean and what does it actually mean to "shine like stars in the universe"?
The first half of the poem is the cruciform life…a path of descent, humility and sacrifice. The second half of the poem is the daring hope that in the end God redeems all that God created.
Paul seems content to live his life for the sake of something other than HIMSELF. He seems to be offering a reversal to the natural tendency of humans which is to focus on self.
A pastors heart/hopes for his people. Confident that God will complete what God has begun, I pray your love may abound in knowledge, that you may be able to discern a path that leads to life, and that your lives will be filled with the fruit of life and resurrection.
40 days between resurrection and ascension as the church is being prepared to be the new expression of God’s people in the world.
Jesus resurrection becomes an animated narrative that brings liberation and hope to the oppressed and marginalized.
What do you do when you come face to face with the possibility that what you believe is NOT true. When your beliefs come under attack, what might be born in this space?
Joshua spent 40 years preparing to lead the people into the promised land. He was ready at 40 and yet had to wait a generation to go into the land.
Joshua and the 11 spies sent into the promised land for 40 days. Do we have the capacity to see what God is preparing us for and wanting to give us even in the face of odds that seem insurmountable?
The life of Moses is often studied in three 40-year spans - 40 years of becoming, 40 years of formation, and 40 years of doing the work. Throughout his life he goes through these spans or phases or seasons of something being born and something dying.
What connects all the 40's in the bible? 40 days in the wilderness, 40 days of fasting, 40 lashes as discipline. 40's a big deal. In our lives and also in the bible, there's a lot of meaning behind it.
What comes to mind when you hear the words "repent" and "sin"? Guesses are not much positivity. This morning, we dive into the biblical meaning behind these words and not necessarily the American church's meaning.
Jesus was among the marginalized for a majority of the time he ministered. What does this say about the kingdom? How does it influence our lives and our community when we say we want to look like Jesus?
What does a life lived under the influence of the kingdom look like? How would it guide our decisions from day to day? And what does Jesus say the kingdom of God is like?
This is one more thing that we center Awaken around, another piece of Jesus' life and teachings.
Jenna speaks this morning about Mark 2 where the religious leaders of Jesus' time once again question his disciples and their seeming snub at the rules and practices of the time.
This morning, Micah shares about how we can see the thing behind the thing. For the Pharisees, it was washing your hands that made you clean. But what Jesus worked to change was the religion for religion sake; you can wash the outside of a cup and it's still dirty inside.
Pastor Kelly Chatman joins us this morning to continue our series on the Life & Teachings of Jesus.
For our second week of the series, we're talking about the third way; non-violence and peace making. It's the way of Jesus and of his kingdom.
***This week we made the hard decision to be back online for a few weeks due to the surge of covid cases.
At Awaken, we say we're about the well and not the fence. We prefer to gather around the well instead of building a fence to decide who's in and who's out. Which begs the question - what's in the well? What do we center ourselves around?
Starting this week, we'll name those things that we center our community around.
As a community, we reflect on 2021 and share some of the ways we saw God working in our lives through the year.
This Sunday, we had the treat of hearing from Pastor Jenna. She shared what it might look like to have the author of Peace with us here and now in this time.
The word “father” can be complicated. It can be discomforting. It can bring up bad memories. It can also be reassuring and warm. However you come to that today, there’s a place for you.
We had an original sketch written by Tiffany Cornwell, Directed by Joy Donley, starring Tiffany Cornwell and Mike Donley during the gatherings.
This second week of Advent, the week of Joy, we continue on in Isaiah 9 on the names of the Lord - Almighty God. The Lord's might is different than the typical might; the way of the Lord doesn't fight fire with fire, violence with violence. So what does the Lord's might look like?
For the first Sunday of advent, we continue our tradition of the Advent art series with Vanessa Lucius brining her painting and Brienna Rossiter, a poem.
This season, we'll be going through Isaiah 9:6 where it's prophesied the coming of Jesus and the names that he will be known as; Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
In addition to Jenna's prayer and reflection practice, we have Micah's teaching he would have taught on Sunday should he have been able to make it. He closes out the Faith & Doubt series with John the Baptist who asks "are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?"
Meditation music by: Signa (feat. John Mark Nelson)
We have a bit of a change of pace this week. Micah wasn’t able to make it Sunday morning so we did a prayer and reflection practice during the gathering. You can follow along with the prayer and reflection questions to participate.
Micah’s sermon will be posted separately.
What does the role of memory play in our faith journeys and in that of a community? Psalm 77 gives us a window into that journey and how we hold it all as a community.
Throughout the gospels, Jesus teaches by saying "You have heard it said...but I say unto you..." as a way to show there's more. There's a deeper, fuller view than you've seen so far. What if we carried this on as a community? What would that look like?
This morning, we continue our series on Faith & Doubt with the quintessential doubter of the scriptures - Doubting Thomas. But could "Doubting Thomas" actually be someone to look up to instead of an example of what not to do?
The stories of Nicodemus illustrate the ways in which a question or a doubt can be the opening of a path to a deeper spiritual life.
To start off our new series, Micah introduces Brian McLaren's framework for the stages of faith and how doubt is a much closer friend to faith than we might think.
In Acts 1, Jesus send his disciples out in concentric circles of influence. This morning, we talk about who or what we are called and also sent to.
Pastor Judy Howard Peterson joins us again this morning to talk about reframing the mission of the church and how it can transform how we show up as the body of Christ in the world.
Why do people go to church? Why are we here? Why are you here? This morning, Micah talks about the point of this whole thing called church.
Rev. Kelly Chatman joins us this morning to talk about what it looks like for a community to be a place of welcome, safety, and belonging.
Pastor Judy Howard-Peterson is with us again teaching from Paul's letter to the Corinthians. Expanding from last week's message reminding us of our deep need to be connected to the source, Judy talks about generosity and living congruent lives.
Pastor Judy Howard-Peterson teaches from Paul's letter to the Corinthians. She reminds us of our deep need to be connected to the source.
This morning Pastor Jenna teaches on 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, focusing on Paul's word to the church at Corinth to "do better." Jenna helps us reflect on what was revealed in us this past year and explores what it actually means to be invited by God to do better.
This morning we dive into 1 Corinthians 11 to see what it says about the Lord's Table and what it has to do with the Passover meal and subsequently for us today.
This morning, Micah clarifies what we believe generosity is and what it isn't. This isn't a cry for money as it can often be when you hear the subject of a sermon is generosity. It's a way of us being together after shrinking back, closing in, and shutting down due to the pandemic. In many ways, we have to relearn what it looks like to be generous with each other again.
In the second week of our Proximate series, we wanted to acknowledge the process some of the grief and loss that we've experienced since we last met. And in this practice, learn how to be Jesus and embody the Lord's comfort to each another.
This Sunday was our first gathering back together in person in the building. 16 months, 73 weeks, 508 days since our last gathering.
With this series, we're focusing on what it looks like to be together, next to each other in the pews once again.
This week's final teaching of our Lost in Translation series is from the New Testament. 1 Corinthians 11 is about how women should wear head coverings in worship. Could this scripture actually mean the opposite of what we've mostly heard?
Heading back to the Old Testament this week for Lost in Translation, taking a look at the role hospitality plays in community and even in healing relationships.
Aaaaaand here's another doozy. As potentially problematic as this passage has been for many, the Great Commission is our scripture for this week. Micah jumps into pulling the threads and differentiating between consent and conquest.
Another great week of Lost in Translation with Micah. This week, it's the story of Tamar in Genesis 38. Micah takes on a couple misconceptions about the scripture and offers some different ideas and takes to consider.
This week, we’re discussing Romans 13. It may not seem like an obvious choice for Lost in Translation on the surface, but it's been used to rationalize so much that is the opposite of the way of Jesus in the world.
We're jumping in full force with this summer's Lost in Translation series with Judges 19. It's one of those scriptures you read and think "What the what?!" But Micah shows us what we can glean from it and how it applies to where we find ourselves today.
Surgeon General's Warning: Not suitable to listen with children present. Also, this content might be triggering for victims of sexual trauma.
This week we're finishing up our Wells + Fences series with Freedom in Christ. It's the final part of the picture of what kind of community we want to be and look like.
This title might bring up memories of the Left Behind series, but in this case we're talking about revelation in the way that something or someone reveals themselves. Namely, God. How has God revealed themself before and are they continuing to do it today?
On this Pentecost Sunday, we continue the Wells & Fences series with the sometimes complicated topic of the Holy Spirit.
In the third week of our Wells & Fences series, Micah talks about the idea that how we believe what we believe is just as important as what we believe.
This week's teaching is a lot about how we believe what we believe. How do we want hold our beliefs and values and at the same time welcome questions and curiosity?
Over the next 6 weeks we'll revisit Micah's favorite teachings - Wells & Fences. If you've been around Awaken for awhile, this series will sound a little different. And if you're new to Awaken - welcome! This approach to building a community is at the heart of who we are as a church.
We're honored to welcome Earl Milton back to the Awaken Community stage to share what he would like to say to the church in this season.
Our second guest speaker is Joel Warne, a spiritual director and author. His letter to the church begins with John 16:33.
This week begins our new series of guest speakers called Dear Church, an extension of our last series The Power of a Letter. If you were to write a letter to the church, at large and within Awaken, what would you say? Our first guest is Rev. Kelly Chatman and his message today begins with "Don't get comfortable." So you know you're in for an inspiring word this morning.
In typical Awaken style, Micah takes a different approach to the standard Easter teaching. In John 17, Jesus prays his longest recorded prayer as he's nearing the cross. What does this prayer show us is most important to Jesus? And how do we step into the invitation given?
There are things that may seem obvious but must be said out loud. Micah dives into the letters of Barth and Bonhoeffer and what they have to show us about our world today. As well as what our role should be as followers of Jesus.
In Maya Angelou's book Letter to My Daughter, she points out that most adults simply grow old and don't grow up. Micah discusses what it looks like to grow up and mature in our spiritual lives.
This morning, Micah focuses on Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King's Letter from a Birmingham Jail. Written nearly 60 years ago, there are too many references that ring painfully true today. And some pretty heavy questions come after reading his letter: Has the Church forgotten who it is and where it came from? Is there a difference between what is sacred and what is secular?
Micah begins a new series about the power of a handwritten letter - an idea that's pretty foreign to most of us right now. We begin with Paul's letter to the church at Corinth which was a bit of a Vegas of Ancient Greece.
Dr. Christine Osgood, Associate Professor and Director of Wellbeing at Bethel University, joins us this week to talk about how we make God visible in the world; how we take our beliefs and values and put them into action.
This week's sermon is about a different type of meditation, the reflective, look back on your life kind of meditation. And Micah promises another sermon on meditation another time.
For those that grew up in an Evangelical church, the word fasting can bring up a whole slew of reactions. This week, Micah does a bit of a reframe around fasting and also a challenge for the community coming into a new week.
This week, Micah introduces Creation as a spiritual pathway, sharing his own experiences and seeing it as a way to experience God in the same way as church on a Sunday morning.
For the next seven weeks, up until Lent, we are focusing on spiritual practices that we hope will help you get through this long winter. There's not a one-size-fits-all formula for the spiritual life, so we hope you find something among these practices that lands well for you.
This week, we'll focus on The Examen, a practice that will hopefully help guide you through the transition from 2020-2021.
For the third week of Advent, Micah looks at what God's response to the suffering of his people looks like and shows how it's another way that the Kingdom of God looks very different than what we might expect.
Micah delves into Mary's Song, also called The Magnificat, and shares his reflections on seeing Mary as a prophet as well as a mother.
Micah kicks off Advent and a new series with John the Baptist. As God seems to do so often, he takes the oddball, the outcast, the one perceived to be on the outside to speak truth to those in power and bring a mirror to the faces of those who have lost their way in Christ. John the Baptist is the perfect example.
We are privileged to have Pastor Judy Howard Peterson speaking on Deborah this week. As always, Judy brings a new perspective and normalizing view of biblical characters.
Many have argued that the prophet's role is to be the conscience of the state. Micah shares some compelling through lines and comparisons of the prophecies of Nathan to the situation we find ourselves in today.
What would have to happen for God to say "I hate your gatherings!"? What could make God so angry? Rotten fruit. Micah asks some hard questions and sees what the prophet Amos has to say.
This week's teaching is a little bit less about what Jonah said and more about what he did (or didn't do) as a prophet of the Lord. What does the context of this book tell us? Does it matter if we read it literally or as a parable?
To start off our new series, Micah shares a few excerpts from the book of Jeremiah. As a prophet of the Lord, his messages are varied and many. He speaks challenges along with hope. Where can we fill the gap between what we say and what we do? And how can we count on hope, the hope that comes from God, in a time where it feels like there isn't any?
We begin a new series this week which will be an exploration of the prophets of the Bible. In a world filled with tumult, we hope to hear the voice of the Living God from the prophets of old and the prophets among us.
In this discussion of what we want to be as a church, it has to include how we can serve the community around us. We don't want to be a community that's sole focus is inward and our own needs. To be a community that's trying to look more and more like Jesus, it must include serving those around us.
Every year, we come back to the basics of what we want Awaken to be. Obviously, this year has had a major impact on our community. It's changed a lot of what we do and what our new rhythms have become. Our goal is that it doesn't change who we are.
What are the quid pro quos you grew up hearing? Was one of them pulled from Proverbs 16:3 - "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed"? Maybe it means something different than what we were originally taught.
Psalm 139 says “If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.” Which begs the question, does God get mail in both Heaven and in Hell? Micah talks through the history of heaven and hell, and what the psalmist is really saying here.
“Sex is really fun! And good!” Becky Patton and Micah continue the conversation talk-show-style from last week about Song of Solomon, sex, Christianity, and how we got here.
For the first time, Micah teaches from the book of Song of Songs. Known by many to be the Sexiest Chapter in the Bible, chapter 7 has been hotly debated across the spectrum of Christianity. From some saying it's an allegory to others saying it's a love letter, there's a lot to talk about.
This week, Micah discusses Psalm 51 and the value of confession in community. The word confession can bring a lot of other words to mind, mixed feelings, and for some, memories. What does this Psalm show us about what biblical confession can look like?
Micah tackles the book of Ecclesiastes and this seemingly bizarre verse giving license to pursue food, money and wine.
Some of us can really relate to Job right about now. As Pastor Jenna puts it, life can feel like grief on grief on grief. How can we read the story of Job seemingly being a pawn in a game between Jesus and Satan differently? Jenna brings a whole new perspective to the table.
The video sermon is not available this week but will be back next week!
This morning, we start with a question: "How can I trust the Bible when there are so many contradictions and discrepancies in it?" Maybe the answer is in how we read the bible and the fundamentalist Evangelical filter we've seen it through.
Have you ever seen those lists of names in the bible and proceeded to the next page to the "important stuff"? Been there, done that. Pastor Jenna brings another side to the lists that may make you want to go back and read them. Sometimes it can seem like a dry accounting of male figures in history. But there's much, much more to those seemingly endless lists.
Typically, our Lost in Translation series takes a difficult to understand or interpret passage and dissects is. This morning, we're doing it with an idea or concept - Justice.
As a follower of Jesus, how should we define justice? It has often been misunderstood and construed. This morning, Micah takes a look at biblical justice, the Jewish definition of it, and the pledge of allegiance.
We're going back for more - round two on Psalm 137! There are more layers to this Psalm that we just couldn't fit into one teaching. This week, Micah looks at Psalm 137 from the view of the oppressed living under their oppressor. That filter reveals a completely different picture than what we talked about last week.
Psalm 137 pleads a case for honesty in our relationship with the Divine. It is a raw, unfiltered view into the lives of the oppressed. In exile, the empire did everything it could to strip the Israelites of their identities, everything that made them who they were; traditions, songs, language, religion, etc. In that context, the raw hatred is a lot easier to understand.
A time honored tradition at Awaken, we do our Lost in Translation series each summer to focus on parts of the Bible that may be confusing or difficult to understand.
Our worship leader Melody kicks off this summer's series with Psalm 37. This Psalm somehow talks about justice and desire in one poem - how does that play out and in this case what do they have to say about each other? The answer adds deep, deep meaning to where we find ourselves right now.
How does bearing witness show up in the scriptures? It's a thread that winds its way through the people and parables of the Old Testament. And then Israel begins to worship idols and no longer bears witness of the love of God. Perhaps the stories of Acts is the way they find their way back to bearing witness to the good news of the love of God.
This morning we take some time to lament the last week in the life of our city and also think about the prophet and the lament and the role they play in scripture and in our lives.
Our brains tend to want to put all of life into categories - good/bad, saved/unsaved, in/out. But God's heart pulls us beyond the categories into a world of inclusion and welcome through the particular and specific work of the life of Jesus.
Continuing in Acts, we read the story of the Ethiopian eunuch in chapter 8 in a whole new light. It's as impactful now as it was then - a religious, ethnic, sexual outsider becomes the first named convert in the book of Acts. That's not by accident.
In Acts chapters 6 and 7, Stephen speaks to those in power and show that God has moved beyond their temple and their law; that they've been holding God hostage in a box of their own creation.
This week, Micah brings a new take on the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5. After everything their community had gone through, they missed the point; they lied and withheld resources from each other. What do those actions mean for a community that was present for the death and resurrection of Jesus?
In Acts 4, Peter and John are being charged by the Sadduccees of mixing things up too much in the temple. Why are the Sadduccees going on the offensive? And what do they stand to lose if Peter and John and the gospel of the apostles, who were with Jesus, is heard in the temple? Like so much of the gospel, the way of Jesus is backwards and upside down from what is expected. He uses the unschooled and ordinary to speak to those that have power and influence.
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As we make our way out of the Easter season, we begin a new series to think about the implications of the resurrection. This week, Micah starts with a question from the first chapter of Acts: “Why do you stand here looking at the sky?”
On this very different Easter resurrection Sunday, Micah speaks a word of liberation and victory. And even though it is difficult to not be able to gather together this morning, it is a joy to see the fruit of these echoes - presence, love, and peace - showing up in our community and in our lives.
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The Good Friday Tenebrae service includes the seven last words of Jesus, meditations on those words by our staff, music and Eucharist. To participate in the service, gather seven candles and the elements for communion.
In the final installment of the series, and the final week of Lent, Micah guides us through the adult monarch phase of the butterfly and the end of Moses’ life.
What can these parallel stories and processes show us about our current situation?
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This week we look at the Israelites in the book of Numbers as they come out of the chrysalis of the wilderness and before they enter the promised land. For something new to emerge or something new to be born, there's always struggle. Original songs by Jon Sunde and Melody Olson along with the Song of Blessing and the Lord's Table. We hope it's just what you need.
Here's a link to the Awaken Resource Document. https://mailchi.mp/e5b0e44d3642/sp4cdervp1-2765061
This week we look at the Israelites entering the chrysalis of the wilderness. As they do, not only does God meet the basic needs of food and water, but then brings out "dessert" in the for of the first Shabbat celebrated in scripture by the people of God. Also, click this link to get the Awaken Sunday Resource
In light of the Corona Virus and an effort to #flattenthecurve, the people of Awaken met in their homes with family and friends. This third week of Lent and our series entitled Metamorphosis, Micah explores the stage of Transition as the Israelites leave Egypt but are not to their destination of the Wilderness yet.
The stage of the caterpillar is all about growth and mission. It is singleminded in its path. Similarly, Moses was on a mission to free the Israelites from slavery. In both there is a clear mission and vision and fruit as a result of their work and effort.
Each week, Micah has worked hard to boil down the phase to a single question. This week's question to consider: Can you trust what you've heard and receive the moment and season for what it is?
Over the course of the season of Lent we'll be looking at the process of a caterpillar becoming a butterfly alongside the story of Moses in the view of spiritual formation.
This week, Micah leads us through the egg phase.
For those that weren't able to make it to our Ash Wednesday gathering this year, we recorded the service so you can experience some of it with us. Micah mentions some paper we have for you to write down what God is inviting you to during this season. We will have the paper available this Sunday as well so you can participate.
Our service included an original song by Jon Sunde as well as an original spontaneous composition by Aaron Fabbrini on pedal steel guitar and Dan Lawonn on cello.
The poem read by Micah is Blessing the Dust by Jan Richardson. You can read it in full here.
In the last chapter of Galatians, Paul finishes his letter with a reminder and an encouragement. A reminder that you reap what you sow and an encouragement to not grow weary of doing good. And a musician from our community, Jon Sunde, is invited up to share his story of how he's learning to not grow weary of doing good.
In chapter five of Galatians, Paul gives an overview of three distinct ways of living: Nomism, Libertinism, and freedom in the Spirit. Micah continues with the question from last week and brings it back to our current situation and what it might mean for us today.
The fourth chapter of Galatians can be summed up in one question: "What happens when something that was good and bore fruit no longer serves you and no longer bears fruit?"
Micah opened the gathering with a poem from Langston Hughes. It beautifully illustrates this section of Galatians where Paul writes "...in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." I Dream a World By Langston Hughes I dream a world where man No other man will scorn, Where love will bless the earth And peace its paths adorn I dream a world where all Will know sweet freedom's way, Where greed no longer saps the soul Nor avarice blights our day. A world I dream where black or white, Whatever race you be, Will share the bounties of the earth And every man is free, Where wretchedness will hang its head And joy, like a pearl, Attends the needs of all mankind- Of such I dream, my world!
Pastor Micah uncovers an interesting fact about the translation of Galatians 2:15-16. In a world of binary thinking, which can sometimes be helpful for survival, there are other times it can cut out the third option. "Is the answer A or B?" "Yes, and..."
In his letter to the Galatians, Paul insists that adding anything to the gospel of Christ crucified and resurrected changes the very nature of the good news and then, Christ died for nothing. As we celebrate the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Micah reminds us that the work of justice related to race is not an addition to the gospel but is connected to the heart of the gospel.
We were privileged to have guest speaker Scott Austin with us this week. He spoke on the first five verses of Galatians, encouraging us to not skip over the preamble as we are often tempted to do. Even in the seeming niceties of Paul's letter to the Galatians there are important points to note.
This week Pastor Micah continues our advent series exploring the difficult experience of Joseph in the midst of the Christmas story.
Pastor Micah continues our Advent series with an exploration of Matthew’s visit from the Magi. It seems that like Herod, the Magi and the teachers of the law, we’re all a mix of light and darkness. The song is always playing and the invitation is always happening, the question is whether we can hear it.
Micah continues into Week 2 of the Advent 2019 series and looking at the Hidden: Zechariah in scripture.
Micah kicks off the Advent 2019 series entitled "Hidden - What Lies Beneath the Christmas Story" with the Shepherds of Luke 2. What does Jacob, David, Bethlehem and Migdal Eder have to do with the Christmas story and just who were these shepherds?
Pastor Micah wraps up the Awaken Values/DNA series teaching about justice. He used examples of injustices from current day alongside what scripture says about justice from the very beginning in Genesis through Amos and the new testament to educate, illustrate and stir in our church what his hopes are for us as we step into this value.
Continuing our conversation about the DNA of Awaken, Worship Arts Director, Melody Olson, share about true beauty. She illustrates the difference between how culture defines beauty and how scripture invites us to see beauty.
We enjoyed a word from Pastor Dave Johnson, formerly of Church of the Open Door, this Sunday. He spoke about what it means to be awakened - what it means to wake up to who you are, whose you are, and why you're here.
Continuing our conversation about the DNA of Awaken, Pastor Micah delves into the practice of hospitality. When we provide hospitality, we let others know we've been thinking of and planning for them. And this invitation is open to all of us - we're all able and responsible to be involved in our own way.
Week 3 of our DNA/Values series - Pastor Micah discusses the value of Authenticity by studying the story of Hannah in 1 Samuel. As the first woman in scripture to take her struggle with infertility to God, we learn a lot from Hannah about what it means to be authentic in our lives and spiritual journeys.
Carrying on the series started last week, Pastor Micah introduces our next value here at Awaken: Holistic. In his message, he answers these three questions: What is holism? Why is it important? And what are the implications of a holistic approach to faith and spirituality?
This week, Pastor Micah launched a new series refining the values we hold here at Awaken. First and foremost, we value Jesus. In his message, Micah answers the question "If Awaken truly values Jesus, what would that look like?"
Guest speaker Stefan Van Voorst brought a wealth of his everyday experiences to illustrate the importance of connection. What does it look like in the context of culture today? And how does viewing it through the lens of our faith change or emphasize that?
The slides Stefan used can be viewed here: PDF or PowerPoint
In the second and final part of the Reconciled series, Pastor Micah continues the conversation about what it looks like to be a reconciling church. Our goal as the Church should be to continue the reconciling work of Jesus on the cross - "For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross." (Colossians 1:19-20).
Guest speaker David Bailey, founder of Arrabon and Urban Doxology, challenged and encouraged us to be faithful fanatics of Jesus, leading us to become the reconciling Church.
It's Fall Kickoff at Awaken! Pastor Micah discusses what it means to fully be The Church and what it can look like when we bring our whole selves. Whether it's a season of breathing in, acknowledging and receiving what you need; or breathing out, giving whatever you might have to give - there's a place for us all to add our voice.
We had the privilege of hearing from Awaken's Associate Pastor Jenna Daniels on Matthew 8:18-22 "The Cost of Following Jesus".
In her teaching, Pastor Jenna dives into the subtext of many evangelical upbringings where the belief was that if you were faithful in your relationship with God, you would have all you desire. Do we believe God will give us the desires of our hearts or was it turned in to "God will give you the American Dream"?
"Power, wealth, privilege often make us blind and deaf to things that are right next to us."
This week, Pastor Micah delves into the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus to sort out what they're about. Why is the Rich Man not named but Lazarus, the lowly beggar at the gate, is given a name? Why does Jesus put these two people in the parable so close together? These men couldn't be any further apart - in status, wealth, and religious standing.
Guest speaker Judy Howard-Peterson explores the nature of the Good News and what it means to be the real life presence and body of Christ in the world.
Guest speaker Jer Swigart from The Global Immersion Project walks us through what it looks like to follow the Spirit out beyond the borders of comfort. Is this what was happening to Jesus in this moment? Was Jesus following the Spirit's invitation out beyond his own borders and comfort?
Worship Director Melody Olson explores the passage where Jesus desires to gather Israel like a mother hen wants to gather her chicks. Is God male or female or something more than our categories?
Micah preaches from the shortest passage in the Bible, John 11:35. Lament and grief are a part of our lives and yet so many of us are afraid of them being a part of our life with God.
Every year on a Sunday close to July 11th, we gather outside to remember where we started (in Cherokee Heights Park) and to celebrate the ways in which we have found God to be faithful. Thanks to Vanessa, Andy, Claudette and Micaela who offered their stories.
Tom Albinson of International Association For Refugees looks at Matthew 25 through the lens a lifetime of working with displaced peoples.
Pastor Micah pulls the thread that Matthew is telling the Jesus story with at a critical moment. Jesus enters the city, then the temple, flips over tables and quotes from two Old Testament prophets...why? What happens when something is intended for one thing, but then over time becomes the opposite of what it was intended for?
Former worship leader and pastor at Awaken, Ben Rosenbush takes an old familiar story and makes it fresh and applicable for today.
Micah walks through the encounter Jesus has with a rich young man who asks him a loaded question about the age to come and how to inherit it. Should all rich people sell their things so they can follow Jesus or is this actually about something else?
This week Pastor Micah tackles the tricky subject of divorce and remarriage. What do we know for certain about God and what do we know about humans and what do we know about the covenant of marriage?
Matt Moberg from The Table in Minneapolis, leads us through a study of Jesus difficult exhortation about hating our mothers & fathers, sisters & brothers. Who are you willing to show kindness to? How big is your circle? Is it possible that Jesus is inviting us to expand our love for others and not shrink it?
In this episode, Pastor Micah looks at a passage from the end of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus instructs people not to cast "pearls before swine". What does it mean to offer something of value to the people in your life? Who do you share the pearls of great value with and is it ever wise to hold some things back?
Jeremiah 1:4-10 The Tomb of the Present is the Womb of the Future: Learning to Lament & Imagine Like Jeremiah Ben Rosenbush
In this episode Jenna explores "Doubting Thomas" and whether or not we should cut him some slack.
Resurrection Sunday at Awaken. Micah looks at a throw away line in John 20 about Mary mistaking Jesus for a gardener and argues it's the key to the whole story.
In this episode, Tim looks at the invasive ideas present within Israel that were never intended to take root in the life of God's people and how Jesus' actions on palm sunday confront those ideas.
In this teaching Micah looks at the trial of Jesus by Pilate and specifically two phrases that Pilate utters regarding Jesus' humanity and His divinity.
As Beyonce said "Who rules the world?" This question along with how the Kingdom of God is secured and what it requires are the topics explored in this teaching.
Jesus washes the disciples feet and then gives a few last words about the nature of God and the kingdom Jesus came to ensure.
This week begins with a special statement from Micah about the events in Charlottesville