HEAVEN AND NATURE SING!
DECEMBER 1 – 29, 2019
“Joy to the World,” a beloved Christmas classic, turns 300 this year. Composer Isaac Watt’s interpretation of Psalm 98 invites us to sing a “new song”–and it is a powerful cosmic performance of all creation being renewed and freed. Rather than “joy” being yet another word for “happiness,” we will discover that the depths of joy can be found especially in the midst of suffering, the work of justice, and the presence of compassion–all part of the coming of Jesus to this world and a message the world still so desperately needs.
December 1 – Prepare Him Room: Hopeful Joy
December 8 – Repeat the Sounding Joy: Loving Joy
December 15 – Make the Blessings Known: Unabashed Joy
December 22 – Make the Nations Prove: Peaceful Joy
December 24 – The Lord is Come: Incarnate Joy
December 29 – Wonders of His Love: Compassionate Joy
LESSONS OF AUTUMN
OCTOBER 14 – NOVEMBER 24, 2019
As the day get cooler, the nights get longer and the colors of fall begin to signal the approaching winter cold, we spend a few weeks looking at the effects of the changing seasons of our life, how we deal with them, how we rejoice in them.
A WONDER-FULL LIFE
SEPTEMBER 15 – OCTOBER 6, 2019
Spiritual practice feeds that part of ourselves that is oriented toward serenity, harmony, truth, compassion, gratitude, love and joy. But these are not always words we use to describe the role of money in our lives. In the classic film, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” a crisis of money creates vastly diverse reactions from several characters that can hold up a mirror to our own relationships with money. In this four week series, we will “look” squarely in the face of our money issues in compassionate ways that can offer more depth of meaning, healing, and wholeness and a whole new “outlook” on what constitutes a wonderful life.
September 15 – Looking Back
September 22 – Looking In
September 29 – Looking Out
October 6 – Looking with Gratitude
HITS & MISSES
JULY 28 – SEPTEMBER 9, 2019
It’s said sometimes that life can be hit or miss. Sometimes we score, sometimes we don’t. And for some, the misses seem to outnumber the hits. During this series, we will examine some of the most interesting characters and lessons in the Bible and how some of those “misses” became transformative moments in the ancient community, and more importantly, how they might transform us as well.
July 28 – Mis-placed
August 4 – Mis-taken
August 11 – Mis-givings
August 18 – Mis-understanding
August 25 – Mis-fortune
September 1 – Mis-judged
September 9 – Mis-used
BECOMING WHO WE WERE INTENDED TO BE
JUNE 16 – JULY 21, 2019
When will we ever be what we are supposed to be? This series explores who we are when we are most honest, why we should be proud of that person, and how we can use our personhood to be a gift to others… all the while {BE}coming.
June 16 – Becoming Grateful
June 23 – Becoming Brave
June 30 – Becoming Proud
July 7 – Becoming Love
July 14 – Becoming Beautiful
July 21 – Becoming Unique
FAITH BLOCKERS: WHAT IS HOLDING YOU BACK?
APRIL 28 – JUNE 9, 2019
Sometimes it’s a big moment, a tragedy, or a life-changing circumstance that causes us to question our faith. Sometimes it’s the common, everyday things that get in our way. This series will take a look at the feelings, the relationships and the forces that can get between us and our faith.
April 28 – When Religion Blocks Our Faith
May 7 – When Politics Blocks Our Faith
May 12 – When We Block Our Own Faith
May 19 – When Family & Relationships Blocks Our Faith
May 26 – When Feelings and Emotions Block Our Faith
June 2 – What Now?
June 9 – Releasing our Faith
BUSY: RECONNECTING WITH AN UNHURRIED GOD
MARCH 6 – APRIL 23, 2019
The season of Lent has often been a time when we think about “giving something up”—a holdover from its penitential flavor in the medieval church. But what if we thought less about “giving up” and more about “making room?” In this Lent series, we will find out what it really costs to be so busy. Let us reconnect to an unhurried God.
March 6 – Ash Wednesday
March 10 – The Right Tempo
March 17 – Preparing a Table
March 24 – Tuning In
March 31 – Living Light
April 7 – A Time for Every Matter
April 14 – Give It a Rest
April 19 – Good Friday
April 21 – Easter Sunday
DRAWN IN: LIVING THE CREATIVE LIFE WITH GOD
JANUARY 6 – FEBRUARY 24, 2019
God created the heavens and the earth… and called it all good!
We spend too much time being “driven” rather than “drawn in.” We focus on what we “should” do rather than what we feel excited and compelled to do in our lives, in this world. During this series, we will connect with our inherent creativity and nurture this foundational aspect of being human, giving us renewed energy for passionate work, delightful play, and creative problem solving to make this world a better place for all.
January 6 – Special Guest Rev. Chad Abbott
January 13 – Dream, part 1
January 20 – Dream, part 2
January 27 – Hover
February 3 – Risk
February 10 – Listen
February 17 – Re-integrate
February 24 – Resting