Our Advent begins with longing: we long for a savior to come. We wait not for what we can control, but for what is beyond our ability to provide for ourselves. Elizabeth and Zechariah knew deeply about longing. They longed for child to love and to carry on their name. Yet their prime years passed and no child came. Israel, under the oppressive foot of Rome, longed for a savior that seemingly would never arrive. Two dreams shattered by the pain of silence.

Until an angel came. Then Zechariah was silenced and Elizabeth found herself with child and tasked with speaking on behalf of God’s plans. The work of restoration began where no one would ever expect it…

Baptized into Christ - Galatians 3:26–29

This week we’re continuing out Devoted Series with the topic of Passionate Ministry Pt 2. In Ephesians 4:12-13 we see how passionate ministry moves the believer toward maturity.

This week we’re continuing out Devoted Series with the topic of Passionate Ministry. Passionate Ministry is catalyzed by our proximity to God and community. In ministry we not only learn what it means to serve, but to be served. Our love for Jesus and our neighbors should cultivate within us a missional imagination that defines and ignites our ministry. We all are called to serve. Together let’s learn what ministry is and what it means to have a missional imagination that empowers others, meets real needs, and offers hope in dark places.

Intention Community is something that we all need but how do we do it? In week 4 of our Devoted series, Pastor Dave and Pastor Katie tag team through Romans 12:9-16. Here Paul speaks directly to believers and describes what it looks like to walk in community as a believer.

Intention Community is something that we all need and the early church found it to be crucial to their growth. In week 3 of our Devoted series, Pastor Dave walks us through Acts 2:42-47 showing the early churches practices that led to being devoted to one another.

Intimacy with God is an Organic and Organized reality. God moves in the soil of our hearts: mysteriously and often in unseen ways. We also participate by structuring our. lives towards growing more deeply with Jesus. How does this work? What tools can we implement into our lives? What pitfalls can come from trying to take control over what only God can accomplish?

As people we are constantly being formed by whatever we give our hearts to. This means that if we truly want to become like Jesus we must be devoted to Jesus. But how? What does true devotion look like? In John 15:1–17 Jesus talks about where this devotion begins by using some vivid agricultural imagery. He is the vine, and his followers are the branches. In other words, a continued connection to Jesus is the lifeblood of every follower. Specifically, Jesus calls for his followers to stay/remain/abide in him, and this connection is what produces “fruit,” the New Testament’s word for deep character growth and life transformation. In the end, Jesus says this fruit that comes from abiding in him should be the hallmark of his followers everywhere, and that Intimacy with God is a central part of being devoted.Worship Setlist Songs:

In this final message of the Minor Prophets series, Pastor Dave explores the book of Malachi, delivered during a time of spiritual decline in Israel after the return from exile. Though the temple had been rebuilt, the people's hearts were far from God.

The book of Haggai, set in post-exilic Jerusalem, after the people had returned from Babylonian Exile. The prophet Haggai addresses the people’s defiance in neglecting their duty to rebuild the Temple. Haggai concerned by how apathy was affected the people’s worship and service to God, urges them to reprioritize their lives. To be disciplined, and commitment to God's work; urging them to prioritize their spiritual duties over personal comforts. Haggai’s message isn’t just for a post -exilic Jerusalem, but it serves as a timely reminder for us that true deliverance is found in obedience to God’s commands, and that our efforts just like theirs to rebuild and maintain a sacred space of worship will ultimately lead to renewed hope and restoration not just for them, but for the entire community.