Who’s the weirdest person in your family? Hint, if you don’t know who it is, it might be you! When you look around your Thanksgiving table, what kinds of personalities are there? What’s their backstories? Who is welcome at your table? Who’s not?

An argument can be made that loneliness killed Jesus on the cross. Loneliness is essentially the second death. Tastes of loneliness are found all over this world. What can God’s church do, what can you do, to combat loneliness by loving like Jesus loved?

We are involved in constant transition and change. Life is a series of give and take experiences. For instance, we purchase and then we exchange. Our trades may be good or bad. What
about spiritual exchanges?

When you are at potluck after church, look around. Who do you see? When you have a group from church over for lunch on Sabbath afternoon, look around. Who do you see? Why does that matter? Hint: According to Jesus, it matters a lot.

Adopted, accepted, and found. The outrageous story of Jesus’ grace in the life of one who once was lost, but now is found.

Hear how Kari connected the power of the blood with the power of His love! Discover how a girl once lost found hope in this love that propelled the trajectory of her life in a completely different direction and completely changed how she loves others. Learn how you can take hold of this real, powerful, propelling love…but hold on…because a love like this will send you on the adventure of a lifetime!

Having a relationship with God is like no other relationship you may have experienced. God has a unique kind of love for you. That “special love–old-and-new-at-the-same-time love” is what we need in our crazy lives every day. But let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. Let’s practice it the old fashion way, the only and best way. The way Jesus did. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living, truly living, in God’s reality – Jesus.

An ancient story, still very valid for our time. Come find encouragement and challenge from the story of Esther’s journey.

Loving well is such a great idea! I just wish it was a little easier, neater, and cheaper! Is there another way we could go about this whole deal of loving well? – Would we pass the test if we can somehow love the ones we already like really well?

Gary Parks, Oregon Conference relational ministries director, will mentor us in developing more meaningful connections with the people around us. He'll be showing us how the love of God creates the opportunity for us to experience emotional healing, relational wholeness, and life more abundant while learning to love others better.