We are waiting & watching through Advent while John the Baptist reminds us of our longing for God We all have a restless longing and this time of year we are told the answer is lots of Christmas spending. Instead, pay attention to that longing and let it push you to God. It's easier than you think!

This week Pastor Mia examines the similarities between our use of time and the parable of ten young women. This story in Matthew 25:1-13 describes the outcome for ten young women who were waiting for a wedding procession to arrive. All of them were invited to the wedding feast, but only five made it into the celebration. Like the ten young women, you are invited to a big party in the Kingdom of Heaven. Whether you are ready is a matter of time.

On Reign of Christ Sunday, as the liturgical year comes to a close, we remember the final hours of Jesus. After a lifetime of using his power to save people and glorify God, Jesus hung on a cross, enduring insults and torture. For those of us who follow God, we too will lose our lives before gaining them. This Sunday Pastor Mia shows us how discipleship is both suffering and paradise.

Money is a spiritual issue. In Luke 12:22-34, Jesus tells his disciples not to worry about food and clothing, because it is faith and not wealth that provides security. Jesus often taught about money and worry, and these two subjects continue to affect us today. Pastor Mia examines the value of prayerfully examining the way we view money… and God’s abundance…. and tithing.

Jesus entered Jerusalem and spent every day teaching in the temple, raising the ire of the Sadducees. They asked him an absurd question — trying to get the people to turn on him. Well, Jesus put them in their place!! Pastor Mia talks about the significance of questions in our spiritual lives. See why it's important to ask God questions and what discover what our questions reveal about our faith.

When Jesus invited himself into the home of a tax collector, there was quite a stir among the people—Jesus was going to be the guest of a sinner! But that sinner, Zaccheus, experienced a conversion to following Jesus. From then on, he pledged to help the poor and repay the people he cheated. This week, Pastor Mia examines the salvation that put Zaccheus on the path to discipleship and how we can walk that path too.

God made a covenant with the people. And then there were problems. In Joel 2:23-32, the prophet attempts to call wayward followers back to God by clarifying the difference between life with and without God. Joel explains that there is protection with God, and God will pour his spirt out onto everyone—the young, the old, sons, daughters, and even slaves. This week, Pastor Mia examines Joel's vision of life with God. Because this vision is for everyone, you can be a part of it. Find out how.

How do you keep at it when life is hard? Luke 17 gives us a parable of a widow and a judge with no compassion. After being wronged, the widow took her case to the judge and pleased for help. He turned her away. But that didn't stop the widow. She returned day after day, until the judge finally changed his mind. Pastor Mia examines how she kept at it, and how we can keep at it.

As Jesus traveled to Jerusalem, he encountered ten lepers, sent them to the priest, and healed them. Along the way, only one, a Samaritan, realized Jesus was responsible for the healing. Today we are no different than the ten healed lepers, but when we make the connection to Jesus something happens.

Jesus showed us how to increase our faith: time with God (prayer), time with the crowds (outreach & service), and time with other disciples (Sunday worship & small groups). This time spent increases our faith and transforms our lives.