Church at the Well Podcast

Serving others often comes easier than letting others serve us. But allowing others to serve us can be its own kind of service. This week, we explore Peter's resistance to a remarkable act of service and consider how we might be invited to practice the service of being served. 

The Service of Paying Attention

There are plenty of examples in scripture of God being a God who pays attention. One of those is the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus in Luke 19. This week, we consider what it might have been like for Zacchaeus to be paid attention to... and what that might mean for us. 

The Surprising Power of Serving Small

Small acts of service are never small in the Kingdom of God. In this sermon, Abby explores what we can learn from Tabitha’s approach to service and shares a story about how one family’s small act of service made a big difference in her life.

What if Jesus' parable about the Pearl of Great Price isn’t only about discovering the value of God’s Kingdom, but also about discovering the kind of God who comes looking for us? In this sermon, we explore the surprising image of Jesus as the one who searches for what is precious—and what it could look like to join him in that search.  

Jesus likens the Kingdom of God to treasure, but what actually is treasure, and how can we best treasure God's Kingdom? Drawing on scripture and story, Abby shares three ways God's Kingdom is treasure for her, acknowledges the cost, and invites us to enjoy deeply the gift of God's Kingdom.

Jesus tells the parable of the buried treasure and the parable of the valuable pearl side-by-side in Matthew 13. This week, Jordan explores the similarities and differences between these two parables, and what Jesus might be inviting us to consider through them.

One Psalm is labeled as the "Song for the Sabbath day" - Psalm 92. This week, Jordan explores what makes this psalm one fitting for the Sabbath, and considers what kind of good news is waiting for us in the middle of the song. 

In a world that constantly tells us to do more, Psalms 116 & 131 offer a different invitation: return to rest. This week, we explore how Sabbath rest begins not by escaping our circumstances or trying harder, but by remembering that we are God's beloved children.

In a hot desert, shade isn't just refreshing - it can be a matter of life and death. In this sermon, Abby explores Psalm 91's invitation to rest in the "Shelterer" - the one whose presence is our soul's safety, and argues that the gift of rest is itself protective. 

This week, Jordan kicks off our four weeks of meeting outdoors with a short reflection on the invitation to "Return to Rest" from Psalm 116.