The Grove - Cottage Grove: Recent Episodes
The Grove - Cottage Grove
Weekly sermons and other special messages from The Grove United Methodist Church's Cottage Grove location.
We're in the midst of Justice June, our month of focusing on cause that we care deeply about. And today is Juneteenth Sunday! But why and how should we pursue racial justice?You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
Apologies for the mid-sermon audio issues — the joys of outdoor worship!We're in the midst of Justice June, our month of focusing on cause that we care deeply about. And today is Creation Care Sunday! But why and how should we pursue environmental justice?You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
We're kicking off Justice June, our month of focusing on cause that we care deeply about. But that begs the question: what is justice?You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
We're continuing Sunday School — not a kids program but a worship series (re)examining the things we believe and do as a church and why. Next up: spiritual disciplines. You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
We're continuing Sunday School — not a kids program but a worship series (re)examining the things we believe and do as a church and why. Next up: the Wesleyan tradition. You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
We're continuing Sunday School — not a kids program but a worship series (re)examining the things we believe and do as a church and why. Next up: communion.You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
We're continuing Sunday School — not a kids program but a worship series (re)examining the things we believe and do as a church and why. Next up: baptism. You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
We're continuing Sunday School — not a kids program but a worship series (re)examining the things we believe and do as a church and why. Next up: the Bible. You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
We're continuing Sunday School — not a kids program but a worship series (re)examining the things we believe and do as a church and why. Next up: Jesus. You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
Today we're starting Sunday School — not a kids program but a new worship series (re)examining the things we believe and do as a church and why. First up: the Church itself. You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
Happy Easter! Need an alternative story about how the universe works? The resurrection suggests that a better world and better human story is alive and well!You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
Happy Palm Sunday! In the season of Lent preparing us for Easter, we're discussing Jesus' favorite topic — the kingdom of God — and the "policies" that ought to govern how we live in the world that God dreams of. This week: love, grace, inclusion, and justice are more powerful than "triumph" and "winning."You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
In the season of Lent preparing us for Easter, we're discussing Jesus' favorite topic — the kingdom of God — and the "policies" that ought to govern how we live in the world that God dreams of. This week: even small amounts of goodness can grow impossibly, obnoxiously, unavoidably large.You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
In the season of Lent preparing us for Easter, we're discussing Jesus' favorite topic — the kingdom of God — and the "policies" that ought to govern how we live in the world that God dreams of. This week: sheep and goats?!? You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
In the season of Lent preparing us for Easter, we're discussing Jesus' favorite topic — the kingdom of God — and the "policies" that ought to govern how we live in the world that God dreams of. This week: a kingdom of reversals and rewards for the people whom the world rejects but God calls blessed. You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
In the season of Lent preparing us for Easter, we're discussing Jesus' favorite topic — the kingdom of God — and the "policies" that ought to govern how we live in the world that God dreams of. This week: a kingdom where everyone is welcome, celebrated, and encouraged just as they are. You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
In the season of Lent preparing us for Easter, we're discussing Jesus' favorite topic: the kingdom of God. But what was the kingdom of God and what does it require of us? You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
Today we wrap up our series revisiting Bible characters and imagining what wisdom they would share with their younger selves if given the chance. Up last: Paul, prolific writer and "sent one" to the Gentiles. You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
This month, we're revisiting Bible characters and imagining what wisdom they would share with their younger selves if given the chance. Up next: Martha, the friend of Jesus who cared a little too much. You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
This month, we're revisiting Bible characters and imagining what wisdom they would share with their younger selves if given the chance. Up next: Peter, the tragic screw-up Jesus chose as his second in command. You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
This month, we're revisiting Bible characters and imagining what wisdom they would share with their younger selves if given the chance. Up next: Eve, the first woman and "mother to all the living." You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
This month, we're revisiting Bible characters and imagining what wisdom they would share with their younger selves if given the chance. Up next: Moses. You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
As we begin this new year, we're revisiting Bible characters and imagining what wisdom they would share with their younger selves if given the chance. First up: Mary the mother of Jesus. You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
As we put a bow on 2023 and on our upside down Christmas at The Grove, we're wrestling with outer lived human experiences of both death and life. The story of God enfleshed suggests that God is present in both. You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
It's an upside down Christmas Eve at The Grove! Fear is a natural response to our lived experiences, and the incarnation suggests that God joins us in our fear and loves us through it. You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
It's an upside down Christmas at The Grove! Sorrow is impossible to avoid as humans, but the story of Jesus allows us the possibility of joy in the midst of sorrow. You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
It's an upside down Christmas at The Grove! While violence is relentless and present everywhere we look, the incarnation suggests that peace is resilient and can be found in those very same places. You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
In a world full of despair, we often ask the question, "How do we come back from this?!" The incarnation offers a hopeful but honest answer: "Maybe we can come back from this."You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
It's an upside down Christmas at The Grove! While we tend to focus on what the incarnation — God becoming enfleshed in Jesus — taught us about God, we're spending this season asking what it means for us to be human.You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
In the final week of our short but important series "Good Trouble," we're discussing what it looks like to commit to courageously confront racism. Fortunately Jesus provides us with an example of what it looks like to make a long, hard commitment to being fully human in all its messiness.You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
As we continue our short but important series "Good Trouble," we explore the ways relationships help us courageously confront racism. The lived experience of others ought to shape what we think, what we do, and how we pursue reconciliation across the racial divide.You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
Today we kick off a short but important series about courageously confronting racism called "Good Trouble." As individual followers of Jesus and a church, the work of antiracism is a fundamental piece of what it means to grow goodness and cultivate the common good.You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
Few things are more dreaded discussion topics than money — so, of course, we're talking today about financial stewardship. Rather than being a point of guilt or shame, we want to think about stewardship as faithfully fueling something in response to all that we have received.You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
In the last week of our "Crowded Table" series, Jesus does a jumpscare. While witnessing can seem scary or surprising, it can be the most natural thing in the world. You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
Nearing the end of our "Crowded Table" series, we're exploring the fact that making room for everyone means making room for a lot of people. Fortunately the goodness of God is limitless and our goodness can be limitless as well.You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
Going into the back half our "Crowded Table" series, we're moving from who is at the table to what happens with the people who are there. The best tables are where memories are not only shared but made and adapted.You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
In the third week of our "Crowded Table" series, we're pulling up an extra chair for unexpected guests. Often the people who are convinced they don't belong or aren't deserving are the ones we need most to show us the gift of life and faith.You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
In the second week of our "Crowded Table" series, we're pulling the table leafs out of the closet to make room for more people. Extending the table for others can be a little uncomfortable but the goal is to serve not be served. And the surprising result? We'll be blessed, too!You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
It's a new season (Fall) and a new series ("Crowded Table")! Over the next six weeks, we're turning out attention to the stories of Jesus gathering around tables with people many would say are unworthy. What does it look like and require to actually create a place of welcome and belonging?
You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
In our third week of "Campfires Stories," we turn to a story that Jesus tells about hell ... kind of. What if Jesus was more concerned with preparing us for lives of service now than preparing us for lives of comfort in some other realm after death?You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
Continuing our series "Campfires Stories" in which we're retelling stories that Jesus told as if we're gathered around a campfire, we arrive at the story of The Rich Fool. Greed has a predictable way of negatively impacting both those with not enough AND those who have more than they need.
You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
Throughout our new series "Campfires Stories," we're retelling stories that Jesus told as if we're gathered around a campfire. Today we start with the Parable of Two Builders — what if the way to survive the disasters that come our way in life is actually a foundation that is flexible rather than rock hard?
You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
As we wrap up our "Splash!" series about the grace of God, we explore our own willingness to extend grace. Can we offer the same unending, undeserved, unbelievable love that we have received to others?
You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
On the backend of our "Splash!" series, we’re exploring who gets access to God’s grace. Is God’s love just for the deserving or for people who hold a certain identity? Is is God’s love bigger, better, and more inclusive than we can even comprehend?
You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
Our series "Splash!" is all about our experience of grace — the unending, undeserved, unbelievable love of God. Sometimes like Jonah we don't (maybe even can't?) recognize the depth of our need until we're going through the depths of hell.
You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
As we continue our series "Splash! Exploring the depths of God's grace at the bottom of the sea," we're following the story of a man named Jonah. When our lives threaten to tear apart, do we turn to the blame game? Or do we use it as an opportunity to lean into God's grace and do something different?
You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
For our new series called "Splash! Exploring the depths of God's grace at the bottom of the sea," we're following the story of a man named Jonah. Unwilling to face the kind of person God was calling him to become, Jonah ran in the opposite direction. How often do we do the same thing?
You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
We’re wrapping up our worship series called "Mosaic," digging into our value of expanding our circle of inclusion. Today we turn to celebrating gender diversity.
You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
We’re continuing our worship series called "Mosaic," digging into our value of expanding our circle of inclusion. Today we turn to celebrating and reflecting on Juneteenth. What does it look like and require to be a church that pursues racial diversity, equity, and inclusion?
You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
We’re continuing our worship series called "Mosaic," digging into our value of expanding our circle of inclusion. Today we turn to celebrating those with different abilities — what does it actually look like and require of us?
You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
It's Pride Sunday!!! Today we're hearing from guest preacher Jean Carlos and continuing our worship series called "Mosaic," digging into our value of expanding our circle of inclusion.
You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
Today we're kicking off a new worship series called "Mosaic," digging into our value of expanding our circle of inclusion. We start with intergenerational community — what does it actually look like and require of us?
You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
It's a double holiday weekend! In the Church calendar, today is Pentecost — the celebration of the arrival of the Holy Spirit among Jesus' followers. As we begin this new season full of rush and hurry, we're taking some time to catch our breath.
You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
While we might be drawing our series "The Ruck" to a close, the shared experience of following the way of Jesus goes ever on. As we partner together, we commit to using our gifts and passions to keep the things love going — both for those of us who are already here and those arriving next. You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
Despite all the grief that the Church (often rightly) receives, Jesus' earliest followers show us how to face gear-grinding questions. What might it look like to hold our beliefs lightly and our values tightly?You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
If our series "The Ruck" is all about prioritizing a shared experience over a destination, this week we're placing special emphasis on SHARED. As a church and as individual followers of Jesus, we need to feel like we belong and create spaces of belonging for others. You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
As we continue our series called "The Ruck," we're exploring what we do as individuals and as a church when we cross paths with fellow "ruckers." Rather than ignore, shame, or assume they know what's going on, what if we helped guide — and were guided — by others?You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
Today we kick off a new series called "The Ruck." What if this whole following Jesus thing was less like a clearly defined destination and more like a shared messy experience?You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
Happy Easter! No matter how you are showing up on this Resurrection Sunday — no matter your doubts or your baggage — know that your act of simply showing up is in itself a miracle!You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
Convictions are important, but who do our convictions serve? On Palm Sunday, we remember that Jesus — both holy rebel and sacred friend — was regularly engaged in protest as a spiritual practice.You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
Throughout our "Polarization" series, we've said that Jesus was intimately involved in the work of bringing people together. Without being partisan, Jesus found a way to use politics to actually build bridges.You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
Throughout our "Polarization" series, we've said that Jesus was intimately involved in the work of bringing people together. But what did that work actually look like? And is there a difference between a message that can unify versus a message of unity?You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
Continuing our "Polarization" series, we're discussing how ethnic identities often drive us apart. Can we bring ourselves to listen, learn from, and grow in love of those who are different from us — and maybe even change us in the process?You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
We're back today with our "Polarization" series with a discussion about religious identity. Should we point our finger at the differences or problems of others? Or should we start with "tidying up our own house" first?You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
Our final week of our "Beautiful Mess" series is all about the importance of the stories we tell. Stories not only remind us of what has happened but also who we are now and where we're going. You might even say they "prime" us to be able to do hard things.You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
As we continue our series called "Beautiful Mess," we're discussing what we do with stories that are messy, uncomfortable, and inconvenient. What if we used them as opportunities to expand our circle of inclusion and our understanding of God, ourselves, and the world?You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
Continuing our series called "Beautiful Mess," we're talking about we often run from our problems, fight with God, and add conditions where there are none. What if we instead slowed down and notice that God is with us at all times in all places without condition?You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
Continuing our series called "Beautiful Mess," we're reexamining well-worn stories that have been handed down to us. Perhaps our heroes' stories — and our own stories — are more complicated than we'd like to admit. And perhaps the grace of God can work with us anyways!You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
Continuing our series called "Beautiful Mess," we're honing in on the experience of the messy faith that has been handed down to us. Do we need to demolish it all or can we use the studs and foundation to do some renovation?You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
As we continue our series called "Beautiful Mess," we're tackling imposter syndrome. Here's the good news: you DO belong and you ARE capable of changing the stories we tell about yourself.You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
With the new year, we kick off a new series called "Beautiful Mess." Some of heroes of faith were colassal trainwrecks, yet their stories are passed down to us as models. What if the cracks in our lives could actually become highlights?You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
Happy New Year! And actually ... Merry Christmas, too! (You'll understand what we mean soon enough.) As we look forward to the year ahead, we look back to a story full of unexpected things: outsiders included, power in smallness, and the extraordinariness of the mundane. You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
Merry Christmas! As we unwrap our presents, we start wrapping up our Advent series with an unexpected thought: what if Jesus represented not only God coming down to us but us being lifted up to God?You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
We're on the homestretch leading up to Christmas and celebrating the unexpected ways God shows up. But what do we do when those unexpected means challenge everything we once believed about God, ourselves, and the world?You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
We’re continuing to celebrate Advent with our "Blessings" series all about how God shows up in unexpected ways. But what is Advent? And how does something that happened 2700 years ago tell us about Advent today?You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
Today we kick off Advent — albeit a week late — with our "Blessings" series all about how God shows up in unexpected ways. Even and especially when things are bad, we can find joy in ugly, messy little everyday miracles. You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
We’re wrapping our “Atlas of the Heart” series in which we’re noticing, make meaning of, and navigate our big feelings. This week we're looking in the mirror and talking about where we go when we've fallen short — and the feelings of shame and guilt that often follow.You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
We’re continuing our “Atlas of the Heart” series in which we’re noticing, make meaning of, and navigate our big feelings. This week we’re navigating the feelings of anguish, sadness, and grief — all under the banner of All Saints Sunday.You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
We’re continuing our “Atlas of the Heart” series in which we’re noticing, make meaning of, and navigate our big feelings. This week talking about where we go when we feel wronged — which, admittedly, is usually anger.
You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
Today we're kicking off a new series called Atlas of the Heart based on the book by Brené Brown. The church should be a place where we can notice, make meaning of, and navigate our feelings. So first up is disconnection — including the feelings of isolation, invisibility, and loneliness.
You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
As wrap up our RE series, we turn to the book of Revelation. It's a strange, confusing, and even unsettling book that nevertheless can tell us something important about what it means to be faithful people.
You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
As we continue our series simply called RE, we're talking about commitment — something that might seem scary but is important for ourselves, for our community, and for God.
You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
As we continue our series simply called RE, Have you ever noticed how the world is kind of awful and people can be kind of awful?! Yeah, us too... But what if it didn't have to be that way?
You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
As we continue our series simply called RE, we ask what it might look like to calibrate between being anti-social versus conforming. The answer: embracing our shared mission.
You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
As we continue our series simply called RE, we tackle the issue of polarization. Are there any simple but profound solutions that might help us actually relate to one another? We think so!
You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
This week we kicked off Fall with a return to indoor worship, the relaunch of Grove Kids, and a new series simply called RE. In a world of pessimism and cynicism and melancholy, the church can be a place to wrestle back hope that renewal is possible.
You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
As we wrap our "All the Feels" series, this Sunday we're discussing the feelings of anxiety and calm. Does God have anything to say or do about that?
You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
As we continue our "All the Feels" series, this Sunday we're discussing the feeling of anger and peace. Often feelings of anger are actually legitimate and appropriate — but we can't get stuck there. Does God have anything to say or do about that?
You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
As we continue our "All the Feels" series, this Sunday we're discussing the feeling of sorrow and joy. Does God have anything to say or do about that?
You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
As we continue our "All the Feels" series, this Sunday we're discussing neglect. Like a flower withering on its stem, neglect is the feeling on not having the basics we need to survive and thrive. Does Jesus have anything to say or do about that?
You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
It's been a long, hard few years filled with all sorts of feelings. How do we both acknowledge those feels AND allow God to do something with them?
You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
In our final week of our Campfire Stories series, we look at an old tale about sameness. Are we called to find unity in our outward characteristics or in our shared mission?
Stories with unfamiliar people and places are often really good at helping us see familiar things we're overlooking. That's certainly the case with Jonah and the Big Fit (Fish?).
You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
Being willing to hear new voices tell our old stories doesn’t ruin them but makes them all the more beautiful. That's certainly the case with the story of Rahab the Survivor.
You can also give to support our new ministry in Cottage Grove at www.thegrovecg.church/give
We're kicking off a new series called Campfire Stories, revisiting old tales from the Bible as if they are stories we’d tell around a campfire rather than scientific or historical theories to be defended. First up: Noah and the Big Flood!
We wrap up our Cancel Culture series with a tricky question: given the problematic things the scriptures say and the way they have been wielded, should we cancel the Bible?
What should we do with art, music,books,movies, TV shows, etc. that were once meaningful to us but are now difficult to swallow — either because their content or creators are problematic? Jeremy and Katie share some potentially helpful ideas about how we/you might choose what to consume.
As part of our PRIDE Sunday service, we were joined by Miranda Tkachuck and Piper Jones to answer questions from people of The Grove about being a queer Christian.
What should we do with theology that has been harmful, especially to LGBTQIA+ persons? And what about the people behind that harmful theology? The Grove's faith tradition might offer a helpful framework for deciding what to keep, what to throw out, and what to renew.
Pursuing public accountability for institutions that have not faced real consequences, should we "cancel" the Church for all the bad that it has done?
In this one-off message, we discuss what prayer is, how prayer works, what it even means for prayer to “work” — all in light of tragic events like Uvalde.
When the exiles returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple, they knew the new one would never be the same as the old. But maybe it could actually be more beautiful, more expansive, and more resilient. And maybe that can teach us something important about deepening our curiosity and sense of awe.
Do we get involved in things that matter because we have deep-set beliefs? Or does getting involved in something that matters actually change our beliefs about God, ourselves, and the world?
As people of faith and citizens of the world, we're faced with the difficult choice to exclude or include, to build walls or to open gates. Ok... maybe that's not so difficult of a choice!
One of the things that matters most now and always has is grace — or what we call healing, wholeness, and beauty. It might not make sense, you might not know you need it ... until you experience it and know it's what will carry you through.
As we come out of a reality-shifting event like the pandemic, we might be tempted to rush back to normal. But maybe this is the excuse we need to refocus on what really matters most.
Does the resurrection reveal God to be a carpenter or a gardener? The answer can completely change the way you see yourself, others, and the world.
The people who said they "followed" and "believed in" Jesus cut and ran. Things got way too messy. But the handful who remained knew what to do even when they didn't know what to believe.
What if rushing to wash our hands of any wrongdoing actually robs us of the opportunity for growth and life change?
Jesus’ vision for the world is kind of messy — but that's exactly what makes it beautiful. And it's something we can pursuade people to participate in.
Peter was a tragic screw-up. By the grace of God, he experienced redemption and became the rock on which the entire church would be built.
Despite his “high office,” Jesus chose to deal with the ______ of everyday life. He showed us what service should look like.
Our lives and our world are "dirty," but maybe that dirt is actually life-giving and essential for goodness to grow in and through us.
Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent. So you might be wondering..... what are Ash Wednesday and Lent???? Jeremy is joined by Joy Tuveson for an explainer about the history of the season and an even more healing way of marking it.
This special episode features a prayer and a poem for peace in Ukraine featured in worship on February 27, separated by an original song by My Anchor Holds entitled "War Song."
The experience of God in Jesus is like... a mosaic that gets more beautiful the more you add to it.
The experience of God in Jesus is like... come-down-from-heaven bread, the nourishment we need to get through one day at a time.
The experience of God in Jesus is like... a mirror showing us who we are and who we can be.
The experience of God in Jesus is like... being seen as the beloved children of God who we truly are.
The experience of God in Jesus is like... coming to terms with our past so we don't have to be defined by it.
The experience of God in Jesus is like... the feeling of anger when we see injustice and the world not as it should be.
The experience of God in Jesus is like... the taste of the best wine when it seems like all of God's blessing has run out.
As we kick off this new year and this new church, we're reading the Gospel According to John and asking what the experience of God in Jesus is like.