We continue our sermon series “Extra” with a celebration of God’s extravagant grace that we experience every time we come to the Lord’s Supper.  As our children receive their first communion, we hear from Luke’s Gospel a parable about a great banquet that is meant for all, not just a privileged few.  Come and hear the Good News about a faith that welcomes- this is what the gospel is all about!

Pastor Kristin focused on the Emmaus road story, pointing out that Easter met the disciples not with certainty but with disappointment and the aching words, “we had hoped.” She connected their grief to the ways people still walk through loss and unmet expectations today. She emphasized that the risen Jesus showed up precisely in doubt and brokenness, often before anyone recognized him, and promised that Jesus kept coming—again and again—to those who felt worn out, grieving, or done hoping.

Death, fear, and hatred do not have the final word! Christ is risen indeed! God has raised Jesus to new life and extends this promise of resurrection to all people!

The Story of Love continues with the dark events that shook the world and tore the temple curtain. Jesus is crucified to demonstrate God’s great love for all of us. We remember that it is always darkest before dawn. We have two opportunities for worship:

Palm Sunday was anything but quiet. With joyful music, a palm parade, meaningful testimony, and deep reflection, we began Holy Week, celebrating the love that welcomes and reaches.

When it comes to the church’s ministry, we do not always know what the future holds. Yet we trust that God’s Spirit continues to lead and renew the mission of the Christian community in surprising and meaningful ways.

Tim and Jan Maudlin have witnessed the unfolding story of St. Andrew across many seasons, serving in a variety of leadership roles — including Jan’s faithful accompaniment of the Canticle Choir for more than 30 years. Today, that same Spirit is opening a new chapter through Church Anew, a ministry that extends St. Andrew’s witness beyond our walls, supporting and encouraging Christian leaders around the world.

Pastor Kristin reflected on how chaos—symbolized by stormy waters and Leviathan—shows up in our world and our personal lives, leaving us fearful and locked behind closed doors like the disciples. She reminded us that Jesus enters those places of fear, speaks peace, and breathes the Holy Spirit into us, often through the faith and presence of the gathered community. In Christ, and in the church’s shared life together, we are helped to breathe again and trust that God’s peace is stronger than any chaos.

In this Lenten message from our Love in a Divided World series, Dan Kibat shared how faith can be shaken—and reshaped—through personal loss and uncertainty. Reflecting on his time at Spirit in the Pines and upon Jesus’ words about building on solid ground, we were reminded that God meets us even when our foundations feel broken.

Worship was led by Pastor Peter Johnson and Shawna Berg and centered on Ephesians 2, reflecting on how Christ breaks down the walls that divide us. Through the story of peaceful, candlelit protests in Leipzig that helped bring down the Berlin Wall, the message emphasized that love, mercy, and small acts of light can overcome fear and hostility, calling the church to be a place of welcome and hope for all.

Last night’s Lenten service was a powerful story of love. 💜

Tom Anderson—charter member and faithful servant—shared with Pastor Peter how his family’s farmland became the very ground where St. Andrew now stands. As we celebrate 50 years, we give thanks for a legacy embedded in the soil where, rooted in Christ, we continue to nurture the future of faith.