Citizens Church Eugene

October 11, 2026 - Living the Story 

Jerell Carper takes a transformative look at the final act in the drama of Scripture, the restoration of heaven and earth. Rather than placing our hope in human progress or escaping from earth, the resurrection of Jesus ensures the future resurrection of the whole cosmos, including us. The Bible is not a story about heaven and hell, but a story about heaven and earth, so we place full hope in God's promises to make all things new. 

/// Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost ///

Series: Living the Story

Chris Watkins looks at the gritty and courageous practice of Christ-centered community. The church is more than a club with your cool friends - it's a place to practice connection, vulnerability, and healthy conflict resolution in a world so often marked by cliques, shame, and grudges. Paul's encouragement to the Roman Christians to live out their faith within their diverse cultural context unsurprisingly still packs a big punch today. 

/// Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost ///

Series: Living the Story

September 27, 2026 - Living the Story 

Jerell Carper invites us to move past pop perceptions of the church as a building or Sunday service. In his New Testament letters, Paul views the church as the new people of God, the temple for God's Spirit, and the body of Christ. This trinitarian shape of those in Christ invites into community, sacred space, and missional living. 

/// Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost /// 

Series: Living the Story

September 20, 2026 - Living the Story 

Nathan Riley, lead pastor with Red Sea Church in Portland, compels us to love the stranger and "family the outsider." Inspired by the way Jesus welcomed those on the margins to eat, drink, and encounter the transforming power of his presence, so we preach the gospel with wide tables, opening our homes and filling our tables with a diverse community. 

/// Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost ///

Series: Living the Story

September 13, 2026 - Living the Story - 

Jerell Carper asks, "Who do we expect Jesus to be?" In contrast to our modern pop cultural perspectives and even his contemporaries, the whole story of Jesus satisfies the expectations of the biblical authors, subverts the expectations of his first century peers, and surpasses the expectations of many us today. Good news! Jesus is king and a new day has dawned! 

/// Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost ///

Series: Living the Story 

Jerell Carper concludes our Psalms series for the summer of 2026 with a closer look at Psalm 27. Written by someone who is weathered but not weary, Jerell proposes we can learn four things about resilient followers of God. Seasoned saints live dangerous lives but are not afraid (v. 1-3), value communion with God above all else (v. 4-6), still doubt but still cry out (v. 7-10), and take the next step with patience, bravery, and courage (v. 11-14). 

Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost 

Psalms Series

Jerell Carper asks the question, "When God responds to our lamentations, what's our next prayer?" Before we continue on, this Hallel Psalm invites us into individual and corporate rituals of thanksgiving. As Psalm 116 reminds God's people of their deliverance from Egypt, so prayers of thanksgiving (a) remind us of God's character (b) inspire our trust and faithfulness and (c) offer hope to our community. 

Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Series: Psalms

Lars Coburn continues our Psalms series with a close look at the introduction to the whole book, Psalm 1. As a wisdom Psalm, this prayer presents two pathways of life. Those who delight in God's life-giving instruction experience fruitfulness and the watchful protection of God. Those who do not find themselves on a path that leads to destruction. 

Tenth Sunday After Pentecost

Psalms Series

Jerell Carper continues our Psalms series by looking at the honest tension of prayers of lament. Those who address God, describe their pain, cry out for help, and express hope enter into prayers of disequilibrium as we pray through our pain. When God seems distant, how do we respond? 

Ninth Sunday After Pentecost

Series: Psalms

Susie Watkins continues our Psalms series with the "Mini Gospel" of Psalm 146. In the first Psalm of the poems of praise, Susie presents praise as an attitude of our heart containing love for God rather than actions we take. Her message tackles questions of "how do we praise God for his trustworthiness?" and "when can we praise God?". She reminds us to praise the Lord our creator because He is the only one who rescues us from sin and helps us in times of trouble.