As we prepare once more for the Incarnation and welcoming the Christ child, let’s take a deeper look at what it means to make room for Jesus and for the others that Jesus also embraces, by deepening our practice and understanding of Christian  hospitality. 

In this series, we kick off  our year-long spiritual practice of Spiritual Friendship, inviting each of us into companionship  that helps us to see ourselves and others the way God sees, with compassion, love, authenticity, and mutuality.

The point of parables isn’t to master them, rather to sit with them as we keep asking big questions  about these puzzles. Perhaps you will even find that this is similar to your relationship with stewardship and generosity.

Jesus said we are the light of the world and the salt of the earth! God’s Holy Spirit spark dwells in each of us, “strangely warming” our hearts, setting us on fire to love and to serve. And God has created each of us just as we are: unique, gifted, called in particular ways.

We are blessed to be a blessing. As we receive blessing, as we offer blessing to God and others, we are part of a holy flow of divine love, power, and energy.  In blessing, we offer intention, hope, awareness, connection, and presence as a gift to another. It’s powerful to offer a blessing. It’s powerful to receive a blessing.

How do we joyfully respond to God with our whole selves?  How do we respond to God with our time, talents, gifts and service?

As followers of Jesus, sometimes the ways we speak, what we value, how we put our faith in action go against the grain.

Our Summer Sermon series featuring messages from Rev Jenny and Rev. Skitch

Come, Holy Spirit, Come!  We say and sing this every Pentecost, and this Pentecost season, we considered that we pray the Spirit will come and do among us. The Holy Spirit does and is so much for us, not the least of which we seek in our Great Thanksgiving communion prayer: “By Your Spirit, make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world. . . .”

I🎶“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me….” 🎶 It’s hard to name a  song that is more broadly recognized and treasured. The hymn is a brilliant exposition of God’s grace.  During this season after Easter, we explore what God’s “Amazing Grace” is, letting the song itself awaken us to experiences of God’s grace and freeing our joyful responses to it.

If you are like most of us, we don’t rest easily or well. We are depleted and struggle to truly feel restored. And many of us have felt the weight of restriction and even shame around keeping sabbath. This Lent we seek restoration through sabbath practices. We seek the delight, joy, peace, and freedom the sabbath is meant to offer.

What are your burning questions of life and faith? What do you wonder about? What awes and inspires you? During this season of hope, light, and wonder called Epiphany, let’s let our curiosity shine and illuminate our world. Let’s ask questions and see where they take us. 

There’s perhaps no time in the year that feels as scarce as the season just before Christmas. Our need for Jesus is deeply evident, even as we prepare for Christ’s coming. What if we were to choose to practice abundance, even in the midst of this “season of scarcity”? What if we were able to focus on God’s abundant peace, hope, joy, and love this season? How might it change us and our Christmas celebrations?

 Our beloved community garden is watered as we immerse ourselves in our community, pouring out upon it our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, our witness. But perhaps most of all, our garden grows because of the living water of Jesus Christ bubbling up within and flowing through us, the waters of our baptism, bringing us to the fullness of life. 

Perspective is one of the easiest things to lose when life is challenging. We struggle to honor the perspectives of one another, and perhaps even struggle to know what we ourselves think. Together we’ll explore how we compassionately  hold our own unique perspectives alongside others.

Join us in exploring the Gospel of Luke and learning from the words of Jesus, including the Parable of the Rich Fool and the Lord's Prayer.