The Fine Flowers of Unholiness | The Prophets Week 11
Toward the end of his collection of Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis suggests that “the fine flowers of unholiness can grow only in the close neighborhood of the Holy (for) nowhere are we more tempted as on the very steps of the altar itself.” Perhaps this is why the most devout are sometimes the most dishonest, or perverse, and thus the hardest to save. So Malachi preaches a message of integrity in our worship that reaches far from the sanctuary, to the most remote places in our lives.
Spirit Speech | Sheep to Shepherd Week 7
There’s a long history in the Bible of God’s Spirit possessing a person’s speech so that their words “plant and build.” Yet the only advice most of us have heard, over the past few years, had been to watch what we say. But what might happen in our relationships, in the places where we work and live, if we “spoke with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power… using words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words?”
Unexpected Worshippers | Ironies of Christmas Week 5
That the “king of the Jews” would be worshiped first by Gentiles, adherents to a pagan religion. If salvation is of the Jews (see John 4:19-22), why should the first to worship this salvation come from regions far outside of Israel, indeed outside Jesus’ own religious heritage? Wasn’t there anyone closer, maybe someone within Judaism to authenticate this moment? Or did God intend something else by sending magi, strangers from another region and cult? Are these the kind of worshippers God seeks?
2020 Ash Wednesday Service
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2019 Christ the King Sunday
On Christ the King Sunday (the last Sunday in the Christian Year) we will be celebrating the entirety of the Christian Year in one service. If the Christian Year is new to you, here is a quick overview. The Christian Year is a repeating yearlong calendar consisting of six seasons (or movements) that in its fullness tell the entire story of Christ.
This Spiritual tradition was developed in the early church and has been passed down through history in the worship of the church. It enjoys biblical foundations, historical staying power, and contemporary relevance. Through celebrating the Christian Year we can experience the biblical mandate of conforming to Christ. The Christian Year orders our formation with Christ incarnate in his ministry, death, burial, resurrection, and coming again through Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter and Pentecost. In engaging with the Christian Year we are spiritually formed by recalling and entering into God’s great saving events.
This service will be more experiential than explained—it will do the story more than it will tell the story. However, there will be a bulletin that does most of the explaining, so if you want to, use it as a guide if you ever start to feel lost or confused. We invite you to lean into the story of Christ – his story is for all people in all of time!
Everything We Need
For the most part, Christians know what God asks of them, but feel ill-equipped to oblige, explaining their shortfall as “being human.” In this passage, God makes clear that He has already given us everything we need for living the godly life.
2019 Good Friday Service
2019 Good Friday Service
2019 Ash Wednesday Service
Start the Season of Lent with our Ash Wednesday Service
2018 Christmas Eve Service
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2018 Advent Service
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Christian Year
The Christian Year is a spiritual tradition that has been passed down and developed by the Church for over a millennium. Every Sunday Gathering should center on the story of Christ, but this annually-repeating calendar invites a congregation to chronologically journey through Christ’s life, remembering, re-enacting, and ultimately being formed by—and into—God’s story of salvation over the course of 52 weeks.
2018 Christ the King Sunday
On Christ the King Sunday (the last Sunday in the Christian Year) we will be celebrating the entirety of the Christian Year in one service. If the Christian Year is new to you, let us give you a quick overview. The Christian Year is a repeating yearlong calendar consisting of six seasons (or movements) that in its fullness tell the entire story of Christ. This Spiritual tradition was developed in the early church and has been passed down through history in the worship of the church. It enjoys biblical foundations, historical staying power, and contemporary relevance. Through celebrating the Christian Year we are enabled to experience the biblical mandate of conforming to Christ. The Christian Year orders our formation with Christ incarnate in his ministry, death, burial, resurrection, and coming again through Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Easter and Pentecost. In engaging with the Christian Year we are spiritually formed by recalling and entering into God’s great saving events.