Pastor Brian's Blog

“Life That Is Really Life” Series Summary Christian generosity is not primarily about funding the church.   It is about becoming the kind of people who trust God’s abundance, invest in what lasts, and discover the joy of participating in God’s work.   In 1 Timothy 6:18–19, Paul frames generosity as a way of life rather than a fundraising campaign.   It is a path that emphasizes faithful discipleship, abundance over scarcity, community impact, and joyful participation in God’s mission rather than obligation or guilt.   Join us in November as we embrace the life that is really life.   November 1 | All Saints Sunday RICH TOWARD GOD: The measure of wealth is not what we possess but what we are able to give.   In Luke 12:13-21, a rich farmer believes life consists in accumulating larger barns, but Jesus teaches that possessions can never secure our future.   Paul then offers an alternative vision: become “rich in good works.”   What kind of wealth las...

  “Music for the Soul” Series Summary (October 2026) Music touches us in ways that ordinary speech cannot.   Throughout Scripture, God’s people sing before they fully understand, lament before they can explain, praise before they can prove, and remember before they can articulate.   From Miriam’s song beside the sea to the heavenly chorus in Revelation, music becomes one of God’s primary gifts for shaping faithful hearts.   Join us in October as we explore how music in Jewish and Christian traditions opens our hearts to God.   October 4 | World Communion Sunday MUSIC AWAKENS : Music can open us to God’s presence, even before we have the words to describe what we are experiencing.   In 1 Samuel 16:14-23 , David’s music brings relief to Saul.   From a Jewish perspective, music is a practice that cultivates attentiveness to holiness.   A United Methodist understanding of prevenient grace allows for God to awaken us through music before we fully unde...

  “Refuge” Series Summary (August 30-September 27) If you’re concerned about the environment, the psalmist offers encouragement: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).   What if God’s help is hidden under our feet within the unique ecosystems of the North Shore ?   In biology, refugia are the small, sheltered pockets of land where life stubbornly endures during a crisis, eventually emerging to restore the wider landscape.   In conversation with Debra Rienstra’s Refugia Faith , we will explore unique native species and learn lessons from ancient oaks, sandy dunes, local wetlands, and the Lake Michigan flyway.   Join this fall as we learn how faith can become a refuge for our neighbors, ourselves, and the unique Chicago wilderness we call home.   August 30 | Season of Creation 1 OAK SAVANNAS : We cannot protect what we do not know.   The remnant oaks in Cook County function as “refugia” from our manicured subu...

  “Overcoming Obstacles to Peace” Series Summary (August 2026) In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declares: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9).   Yet in our troubled world, peace is often easier to admire than to practice.   Obstacles to peace are not only found in nations and institutions but also within our hearts.   Join us in August as we overcome obstacles to peace and participate in God's work of reconciliation in the world. August 2 | - Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Communion OVERCOMING COMPLACENCY : We become complacent when we accept things the way they are.   But God wants more than business as usual.   In Amos 5:21-24 , the prophet declares that God wants justice to roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.   Instead of just going through the motions, true worship results in action that brings God's peace into the world.   What injustice upsets you? Aug...