7 Words – Luke 23:34: The Cross. It's the defining metaphor of the church today - and for so many great reasons!  Yet we've tamed the cross ... "beautified it"as Tozer writes ...and failed to realize it is a savage implement of death in its cruelest form. Scripture gives us seven profound statements that Jesus spoke from the cross. Statements that need to be considered, measured and reflected upon. In our acknowledgement of the Lenten season, we are going to study these seven words from the cross as we make our way towards Easter. Each statement is rich, deep, profound and relevant. Each statement reveals the heart and passion of Jesus. Each statement is remarkable and insightful.  Join us this weekend as we consider the call to choose to live a life marked by forgiveness. Church is always better when we're all together! Bless you! -- Pastor Ian

John 3:16: Valentine’s Day.  Two words that make most men tremble in fear and inadequacy!  How does one find a card or gift to adequately express the depths of his love for his Valentine?  Many avoid any sense of responsibility by saying , “I don’t acknowledge Hallmark holidays.”    Seems to me like they’re missing an opportunity to say thanks … to express gratitude … to celebrate life and love.  But there’s someone else who we have a relationship with that we sometimes struggle to find ways to express our love and loyalty to.  As we consider the greatest love story ever, may we all be encouraged to respond appropriately and passionately and obediently.

Pressure Points – James 5:7-16: Feeling overwhelmed seems to be part of our busy complicated lives. James concludes his letter with the promise that we are not alone. God is with us and as God's people we are together in this. While all around we see issues that are truly overwhelming and answers that fall well short of our sense of need, James reminds us that the most profound answers are found when we turn to God. We are to pray in our troubles, sing in our happiness, and in sickness turn to our community of faith for anointing and prayer for healing in the name of the Lord.  We never tell God what he must do; rather we must do what he tells us.  Following the direction in scripture, there will be opportunity as part of the service to be anointed and prayed for, as together we will wait on God to break in and reveal his love and power to us.  – Pastor Carla

Pressure Points – James 4:1-10: When was the last time you prayed and you felt there was nothing but silence? “Hello, God, are you there?” This is common experience for all of us. There’s something deep within us that has a desire to connect with God. It’s deeper than our DNA. God’s fingerprint is on us; we were made in his image. As image bearers we want to connect with God. So why is God silent? And when he is silent, what are we to do? We were made to connect with God, yet we live with God’s silence. That silence creates pressure and pain. There are many ways we medicate this.  James 4 gives us some insight into why God is silent. The reality is that this is not a cold shoulder, rather it’s an invitation. An invitation to come deeper, within a sacred space where if we listen closely… we may just hear God!

Pressure Points – James 3:2-12: It can be bit, wagged, held, tied, watched, found and loosened - but according to James, one thing we can never do with our tongues, is tame them.  In fact, despite their small size, our tongues wield incredible power. Power to destroy...as well as power to heal. Come this weekend as we discover how we can use our tongues - and the words they form - to bring life rather than death to all those around us. -- Pastor Scott

Pressure Points – James 2: Ditches. We've probably all found ourselves in one at one time or another.  Sometimes it just takes a little digging to get back on track and other times it takes a lot larger intervention because we're really stuck!  There are a couple of ditches that come our way spiritually in life too:  the ditch of thinking "my spiritual standing before God is all about me and my efforts" (legalism) and the ditch of thinking "it doesn't really matter how I live" (liberalism).  The second chapter of James has created no shortage of controversy over the centuries because of its emphasis on "faith without works being useless."  What is the role of worksor effort in our spiritual lives?   What about grace?  How do I live the life God calls me to live and why does God even care about how I live?  How do I keep my faith from simply being a lifestyle or series of behavioral choices? This is going to be a fascinating weekend as we consider the role of faith and the impact of faith in our daily choices.  I sure hope you'll be able to be with us and if you're away, catch the service on Livestream via Foothillsalliance.com!  It's a great way to stay connected.  Have a blessed weekend! -- Pastor Ian

Pressure Points – James 1:11-18: "I can resist everything ... except temptation!"  "When temptation comes my way ... I eat it!"  We can all smile about our struggles with temptation, but so much damage can be done when we fail to understand the manner in which it attacks us and undermines our values.  James 1 is all about how we respond to the trials and temptations in life. Our text this week moves from outward or circumstantial trials to inner struggles ... the battle with temptation. He gives us a clear description of how temptation works and the insidious nature it inherently carries. He gives us some foundational truths that will greatly assist us in being the people we long to be and living the life we long to live. I hope you can be with us the weekend as we unpack the pressure point of temptation and how to manage this very present reality in our daily lives. -- Pastor Ian

Pressure Points – James 1:1-8: Who doesn't love James? It is one of the most accessible books in the Bible, full of practical wisdom and good advice. It is a real book about real people and real issues. This weekend, the issue we are going to address is how to face the trials of life. What do we do When Things Go Sideways? The answer may surprise you... but it will also give you hope for the coming year, when at some relative level we will all be asking, "God? Are you there?" -- Pastor Jerry

Guest speaker Kyle Trigg the son of our Lead Pastor Ian

Christmas Eve service