The Christmas story has a journey motif running through it: the Holy family journeys to Bethlehem; the wise men and shepherds journey to the manger; and even the star makes a journey. The week after Christmas our scriptures tell us that Mary and Joseph and the child journey to Jerusalem for the purification ritual.

This week Dr. Jim Keck will offer some thoughts about how to undertake a journey. Primarily, that it is good not to be alone and it is good to have a guide.

This week, Pastor Juan Carlos Huertas reflects on a recent article that encouraged all of us to think about our lives in seasons. This way opens us to self-compassion, striving, and relationships over the span of our lives, in the midst of the ups and downs that are part of what it means to be human.

Advent Devotional

At the very beginning of the Gospel, John the Baptist stands at the edge of the wilderness and shouts out ‘Prepare Ye the Way!” Like the very first Christmas, we must prepare the way for the Lord’s arrival. But how do we make ready our hearts in a world filled with chaos, violence and lack of faith? Many people no longer think that the arrival of Christ was decisive or even terribly interesting. In the advent sermon series, Reverends Jim Keck and Juan Carlos Huertas will explore what pathways we must forge to welcome the Christ into our heart and world with a new level of excitement and authenticity. Join us as we prepare the way for our beautiful Christ this Advent at FP.

In the midst of much happening in the world we continue to prepare. What are we preparing for? Where are we heading? This week Pastor Juan Carlos Huertas gathers us and gives us an orientation as we continue this journey. In the midst of waiting, we keep moving, keep striving, keep hope alive, the direction of travel will transform us, wholeness, healing, and new life are near!

At the very beginning of the Gospel, John the Baptist stands at the edge of the wilderness and shouts out ‘Prepare Ye the Way!” Like the very first Christmas, we must prepare the way for the Lord’s arrival. But how do we make ready our hearts in a world filled with chaos, violence and lack of faith? Many people no longer think that the arrival of Christ was decisive or even terribly interesting. In the advent sermon series, Reverends Jim Keck and Juan Carlos Huertas will explore what pathways we must forge to welcome the Christ into our heart and world with a new level of excitement and authenticity. Join us as we prepare the way for our beautiful Christ this Advent at FP.

As we continue to count down for the celebration of Christmas Pastor Juan Carlos Huertas invites us to consider hope. What are we hopeful for? What are barriers to our hope? How is a gospel hope different from the hope of greeting cards and consumerist culture?

At the very beginning of the Gospel, John the Baptist stands at the edge of the wilderness and shouts out ‘Prepare Ye the Way!” Like the very first Christmas, we must prepare the way for the Lord’s arrival. But how do we make ready our hearts in a world filled with chaos, violence and lack of faith? Many people no longer think that the arrival of Christ was decisive or even terribly interesting. In the advent sermon series, Reverends Jim Keck and Juan Carlos Huertas will explore what pathways we must forge to welcome the Christ into our heart and world with a new level of excitement and authenticity. Join us as we prepare the way for our beautiful Christ this Advent at FP.

Although our modern sensibility is to use the word "hierarchy” as a pejorative and be highly suspect of any inequalities it produces, Dr. Jim Keck and Rev. Juan Carlos Huertas will explore how the notion of the divine as a type of hierarchy is essential to human freedom. Join us in worship this weekend!