Pastor Brian's Blog

  “Superorganisms” Series Overview The world is full of wonderful creatures, and some are known as superorganisms - living beings that work diligently for the good of their group.   Their success depends on cooperation.   In a similar way, Paul describes the church as the living body of Christ with interdependent parts.   Join us in September for our creation series and discover the gift of living for the common good. September 3 ASPENS: An individual aspen tree may live up to 150 years, but the root system of an aspen colony produced by a single seed can live for thousands of years.   Rhizomes help aspens survive wildfires.   In Isaiah 43:1-7 , God promises to redeem us, even though we face hardship.   What builds your resilience? September 10 MUSHROOMS: Darkness can be unruly, scary, and disorienting.   Mushrooms teach us about the unexpectedly beautiful, nurturing, and healing work of dark places.   In Jonah 2:1-10 , the prophet turns ...

“Be Kind” Series Overview Are you concerned about the divisions in our country?   Hostility and contempt seem to be growing, but kindness can be intentional.   We can recognize the value of all people and learn from our differences.   The prophet Micah says God wants us to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God.   It is a blueprint for building the kingdom of heaven on earth.   In this series, we will explore the themes of justice, kindness, humility, and neighborly love, as we seek to live in peace with our families, our friends, and our neighbors, including those with whom we differ.   Join us in August for a series with the power to bring people together. August 6 BE KIND : Sometimes, people are mean-spirited or downright rude.   In 2 Samuel 9:1-7 , David practices kindness toward his rival’s family.   The Hebrew word for kindness is hesed .   When has someone shown you kindness? August 13 BE JUST : We cannot be close to God i...

We all have dreams.   They may be comforting or confusing.   Eleanor Roosevelt said: “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”   The ancients believed that dreams are messages from God.   Join us in July as we explore dream messages in the Bible and how our dreams can empower us today. July 2 DREAMERS : Dreams affect all of us; sometimes they are good, sometimes they are bad. Dreams can be vehicles of messages you may not perceive in your waking hours--from yourself or even from God.   In Matthew 27:15-23 , Pilate’s wife has a disturbing dream with an important message.   When has a dream deeply affected you? July 9 DREAMS ARE JUST A START : In Joel 2:28-29 , the prophet says that God’s Spirit will empower all people to dream dreams and see visions.   If we listen to the Holy Spirit, it will guide us along paths aligned with God to the benefit all Creation and all peoples.   When have you dreamed of better worl...