Faith Kit Sermon: Part 3- Jesus Taught His Followers, Here's What You Should Know by First Community Church

The first sermon in the Faith Kit series.

Faith Kit; Part 2-When Jesus Comes to Visit, Takeaways on Healing by First Community Church

Russ began as the Senior Minister of University Christian Church on the first Sunday in Advent in 2017.

Russ’s​ ​education​ ​includes​ ​receiving​ ​his​ ​Bachelor​ ​of​ ​Arts​ ​degre​e​ ​f​rom​ ​our​ ​neighboring​ ​Texas​ ​Christian University​ ​(1990),​ ​​Master​ ​of​ ​Divinity​ ​degree​ ​from​ ​San​ ​Francisco​ ​Theological​ ​Seminary​ ​(1994),​ ​and Doctor​ ​of​ ​Ministry​ ​from​ ​Columbia​ ​Theological​ ​Seminary​ ​(2004). Russ​ ​was​ ​ordained​ ​in​ ​199​5,​​ ​and has served churches in Texas, Georgia, and California. Prior to coming to UCC, he served​ ​as​ ​the​ ​Senior​ ​Minister​ ​to​ ​First​ ​Christian​ ​Church​ ​of​ ​Concord,​ ​CA (2005–2017),​ ​​the​ ​church​ ​where​ ​he​ ​was​ ​baptized​ ​as​ ​a​ ​youth.

Russ​ ​focuses​ ​his​ ​ministry​ ​on​ ​preaching​ ​and​ loves speaking with people about the heart-waking, soul-changing God who is capable of turning their lives inside out and the world upside down!

Russ​ is​ ​married ​to​ ​Kelli,​ ​his best friend of over 40 years, and together they have ​ ​a​ ​blended​ ​family​ ​of​ ​four—twins​ ​Jake​ ​and​ ​Ella,​ ​Abigail,​ ​Caroline​,​ ​and​ ​family​ ​dog,​ ​Poppy.​ ​Beyond​ ​his​ ​commitment​ ​to​ ​ministry,​ ​Russ​ ​is​ ​an​ ​avid​ ​runner, cyclist​,​​ ​and​ ​swimmer.​ ​In addition to finishing 8 marathons and dozens of half marathons, Russ​ has competed​ ​in​ ​triathlons​ and completed an ​Ironman​ ​​in​ ​2016​​​.​ ​He​ ​also​ ​enjoys​ ​yoga,​ ​golf,​​ ​and​ ​being​ ​involved​ ​in​ ​​overall​ ​fitness.​ ​Last​ ​but​ ​not least,​ ​Russ​ ​is​ ​an​ ​avid​ ​TCU​ ​Horned​ ​Frog​ ​fan!

The Reverend Dr. John F. Ross is the Executive Director of The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Program at Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota. The Heritage Program is an international initiative for individuals and institutions to explore the artistic and spiritual beauty of The Saint John’s Bible—the first hand-written, hand-illuminated monumental Bible in 500 years.

Prior to his work at Saint John’s, he served for 18 years as the Senior Minister of Wayzata Community Church—a 3,000-member United Church of Christ congregation in Wayzata, Minnesota. John began his 30 years of ordained ministry at First Community Church, Columbus, Ohio where he was Senior Associate Minister for 12 years.

John received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1989 from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He completed his Master of Divinity in 1995 at the Methodist Theological School of Ohio, and his Doctor of Ministry in May 2004 through the Chicago Theological Seminary.

John is married to his college sweetheart, Sheila, and together they enjoy a full and fast-paced life with their four grown kids: Brady, Madeleine, Anne Marie, and Logan.

Meet your host, Glen Miles: Dr. R. Glen Miles is the Senior Minister of First Community Church in Columbus, Ohio beginning in March 2017. First Community is a multi-site church with north and south locations in Columbus and

Camp Akita in Logan, Ohio, a ministry of the church that welcomes over 1800 youth campers each year.

This 3000-member congregation has a long and storied history as a place of welcome and acceptance.

With a focus on meaningful worship and effective preaching, Glen’s dynamic, powerful style

demonstrates his philosophy that the mission of the church is to proclaim the unconditional love of God

available for all people. He is a prominent resource for issues regarding congregational guidance and

general church administration. Glen regularly teaches classes in the areas of Biblical interpretation,

community building, life transitions, ethics, religion, and society.

Glen holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from the Claremont School of Theology in Claremont, Calif., a Master of Divinity degree from Emmanuel Christian Seminary in Johnson City, Tenn., and a Bachelor of Science degree from Bushnell University in Eugene, Ore. Glen has served churches in Kansas City, Missouri; Atlanta, Georgia; San Diego, California; Concord, California; Johnson City, Tennessee; and Hanford, California.

He and his wife Julie have two sons, Nate, and Steven.

Glen's guest this week is Amy Butler. Pastor Amy believes deeply that courageous communities of people who live with tenacious love can change the world. Much of her career has been spent helping build communities of radical witness in the institutional church. She currently leads National City Christian Church as intentional interim Senior Minister.

Amy most recently served until 2019 as the seventh Senior Minister and first woman at the helm of The Riverside Church in the City of New York. She holds degrees from Baylor University, the International Baptist Theological Seminary, and Wesley Theological Seminary. Pastor Amy’s professional ministry career began as the director of a homeless shelter for women in New Orleans, Louisiana; she later became Associate Pastor of Membership and Mission at St. Charles Avenue Baptist Church in the city of New Orleans. In 2003, Butler was called to the position of Senior Minister of Calvary Baptist Church in Washington, D.C.’s Chinatown, where she was also the first woman to lead that historic congregation.

Though leading institutions of faith in this moment can be one of the most challenging leadership tasks around, she is optimistic about the impact faith communities have on the world.

When she’s not busy leading, teaching, preaching or writing, Pastor Amy enjoys exploring the city wearing a mask, and hanging out with friends, at an appropriate social distance. She is an avid reader and loves to write, recently completing her first memoir which will be published by Penguin Random House Books. Pastor Amy is a single mom to three amazing young adults who are each making their way in the world; they are her favorites. She played the cello in high school but that has absolutely no relevance to her current life. Her children would say that her status as a licensed motorcyclist is the direct result of a midlife crisis, but she disagrees. And she hates exercise with a passion, perpetually bitter about a metabolism that requires it.

Sermon Series

From the Wilderness to the Way

Hope Does Not Disappoint

Glen continues his Lenten Sermon Series "From the Wilderness to the Way" Part 2 Sent to Save

Glen starts his Lenten Sermon Series From the Wilderness to the Way with;

The Day the Devil Came to Church

Daring To Live: Taking the Lead in Your Life

Part 4: Rise Above the Noise