Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through me.”

John 14:6

Members of the early church were called “people of the way” rather than Christians.

Those who believed he was the Son of God committed themselves to following in the way of Jesus by adhering to his teachings.

Following the way of Jesus leads us to discover the truth of God and the promise of eternal life.

Join us Sunday as we more fully explore the way of Jesus and what it means for us today.

Message delivered by Pastor Ben Sandin.

So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.

All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them.

I am the gate.

Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture.”

John 10:7–9

This Sunday is sometimes called “good shepherd Sunday” as it always features the story of Jesus as the Good Shepherd.

He also tells the disciples “I am the gate.”

We tend to think a gate as something that keeps people out, but here Jesus emphasizes a gate that allows the “sheep” to come and go, finding both the safety within the gate and the freedom to explore the outside pastures.

This is freedom Christ gives us with the security of knowing God’s love is for us always.

Join us Sunday as we sheepishly ponder our relationship with Jesus.

Message delivered by Pastor Ben Sandin.

Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened.

While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.

Luke 24:13–16

When the resurrected Jesus walks with two disciples for seven miles “their eyes were kept” from seeing him.

This has always puzzled me.

How did they not recognize him?

Did he look different?

Were they in such a fog of grief and confusion they missed it?

Was God keeping them from seeing?

Eventually, these two disciples do recognize Jesus and are filled with joy, demonstrating a great lesson for us all.

Join us Sunday for more!

Message delivered by Pastor Ben Sandin.

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.

So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

John 20:24–25

The Sunday after Easter always features the story of the upper room in John 20.

The resurrected Jesus visits the disciples who are in hiding, shares God’s peace with them and shows them his hands and his side.

Thomas, however, was not among them and has doubts/questions.

The “doubting Thomas” story seems fitting for the season of Easter as, at times, many of us struggle with questions and doubts in our journey of faith.

Doubts and questions about our faith and God are not to be avoided but explored.

God can handle our questions (as Thomas discovers) and is always working to show us new things.

Join us Sunday!

Message delivered by Pastor Ben Sandin.

But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified.

He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said.

Come, see the place where he lay."

Matthew 28:5–6

For us, with Easter hindsight, the empty tomb is an exclamation point for the promise of eternal life.

But for the women who gathered the first Sunday, the empty tomb was a question mark.

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to the tomb to help reverently prepare Jesus’ body for a proper burial.

It is understandable why the angel first tells them “do not be afraid.”

This was a jarring experience, as it was for each of the disciples when they learned Jesus had risen from the grave.

As we celebrate Easter, let us too be filled with awe and wonder as we consider not only Jesus’ resurrection,

but what it means to share in this promise.

Message delivered by Pastor Ben Sandin.

Message delivered by Pastor Ben Sandin.

A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.

The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,

“Hosanna to the Son of David!

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

Matthew 21:8–9

The day we call Palm Sunday was filled with positive energy.

Not only were people gathering in Jerusalem for the Passover celebration, they were also stirred up by the ministry of Jesus.

People had begun to wonder and even believe that he was the promised Messiah.

Jesus’ entry on the donkey (fulfilling Zecheriah) confirmed was the promised king from the line of David.

The shout of acclamation showed the jubilation of the people.

God’s promise of liberation and deliverance are being fulfilled, hosanna to the highest heaven!

Join us Sunday as we begin our Holy Week journey with Jesus.

Message delivered by Pastor Ben Sandin.

The hand of the Lord came upon me,

and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley;

it was full of bones.

He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry.

He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?”

I answered, “O Lord God, you know.”

Ezekiel 37:1–3

We believe in a God who brings life to where these is only death.

The power of the resurrection means that the end of our earthly life is not the end of our story.

Jesus defeats death, evil, and all the powers of darkness and opens to us the promise of eternal life.

It is also true that God brings new life to us along the way.

We can go through times when we feel like dried up and dead bones; when we feel lost, forsaken or in despair.

Jesus can give us new life in these situations too.

Join us Sunday as we explore the power of life over death.

Message delivered by Pastor Ben Sandin.

Message delivered by Chris Christensen.

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”

The woman said to him, “Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep.

Where do you get that living water? ”

John 4:10–11

Sunday’s gospel text is one of my favorites.

Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at the well and they have a life-changing conversation.

She has come to the well to fill up with water for the day and finds Jesus there.

He tells her he can provide “living water” which quenches the thirst of the spirit, such that you will never be thirsty again.

Join us Sunday as we consider what this means for our relationship with God and one another.

Message delivered by Pastor Ben Sandin.