Pastor Brian's Blog

“His Name Shall Be Called” Series Summary (Advent-Christmas 2025) What's in a name?   This Advent, we will explore how Jesus lives up to the prophetic names he is called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).   Each name reveals the heart of the Savior who was born in Bethlehem yet still shines in our darkness and confusion.   Join us this Christmas to encounter Jesus, because whatever name you use, together we meet the One who is Emmanuel, God with us.   Nov. 30 | First Week of Advent WONDERFUL : In the darkest places of our lives, God shines an extraordinary light.   In Isaiah 9:2–7 , the prophet proclaims the child who will establish God’s kingdom of righteousness and justice.   God’s works far beyond human imagination, and Christ’s incarnation is pure wonder.   Where do you need Christ’s light?   Dec. 7 | Second Week of Advent – Pinkham's Christmas Cantata COUNSELOR : We do not expect great th...

  “Transforming Generosity” Series Summary (November 9-23, 2025) Generosity has the power to reshape us, like soft clay in a potter’s hands.   When we see giving as an investment in God's kingdom rather than merely meeting budgets, we become vessels shaped by divine love.   In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches us to prioritize the righteousness of God’s kingdom and trust God to provide for our needs as we commit ourselves to the Master Potter's loving work.   Too often, we settle for surviving and let our hearts harden like clay left out in the sun.   Join us this fall as we place ourselves in God's hands and discover the transformative power of generosity.    November 9 | Thirty-Second Sunday of Ordinary Time FROM SCARCITY TO ABUNDANCE : Imagine if your “not enough” could become “more than enough” in God’s hands?   Instead of clinging to a fear of scarcity, we can trust in God’s abundance.   In John 6:1-14 , Jesus takes a boy’s small...

  “Fabric of Faith” Series Summary From torn robes to radiant white garments, the narratives in Scripture about dire human need are threaded with God’s faithful help.   Through biblical narrative stories involving fabric, we will see how God’s presence is woven into our experiences of grief, injustice, compassion, and service.   Join us this fall as we view garments that are torn, worn, gifted, and glorified and discover how God meets us where we are and fashions new life for us. October 5 | World Communion Sunday COVERED IN SHAME : When we make a mistake, we often try to hide it from others.   In Genesis 3:1-13, 21 , Adam and Eve awkwardly attempt to cover themselves, but God clothes them with mercy.   When have you felt exposed?   October 12 | Twenty-Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time HEM OF HOPE : Sometimes, desperate people do desperate things.   In Mark 5:25-34 , a hemorrhaging woman grabs the hem of Jesus’ tunic, and she experiences healing.   W...

  “Flourishing” Series Summary (September 2025) The psalmist proclaims that the Earth belongs to God, yet our neglect of this sacred gift has led to ecological crises.   Robin Wall Kimmerer depicts the serviceberry as a metaphor for the flourishing of creation that deserves our respect.   Drawing on Scripture, Indigenous wisdom, and Kimmerer’s insights in The Serviceberry , we will examine how gratitude, reciprocity, and justice prompt us to care for creation.   Join us in September as we cultivate a right relationship with the Earth that leads to the flourishing of life. Sept. 7 | First Week of Creation GIFT ECONOMY: Most of us learned to say thank you after receiving a gift, but often we take the gifts of God’s creation for granted.   Robin Wall Kimmerer describes the serviceberry as part of a gift economy, where creation flourishes through generosity rather than hoarding.   In Genesis 2:4-8, 15-17, 19 , God assigns humankind the role of caring for the...

“Twisted Truths” Series Summary (Summer 2025) The Salem Witch trials, the Spanish Inquisition, excommunication, and burning people at the stake are some of the ways the church has dealt with heresy in the past.   We aren't taking that type of approach to distortions of Christian theology.   Often, these “almost truths” start with good intentions but ultimately lead away from the fullness of Christ's good news.   Join us this summer as we seek clarity with curiosity about six twisted truths alongside traditional church teachings so we can develop deeper discernment for faith in a world of competing voices. July 27 | Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time PELAGIANISM : Quid pro quo means something for something else, and sometimes we think we can gain salvation by doing good things.   Instead of salvation being something we do for ourselves, it is something God does for us and in us.   John Wesley was falsely accused of Pelagianism because he taught that good works ...