The text is from Acts 4: 5-12 but we backed up a little to include Acts 4: 1, and annoyance of the Religious Authorities.  

The focus is on Peter and his transformation.  He is done denying Jesus.  

Who are we in this scene?  The status quo?  The change?  The listeners who go with the SQ or change?  The questions are directed individually and corporately.  

Acts 3 -- Mario looks at Peter (and John) who focus on remembering Jesus as resurrected.  What does it mean indeed to live on this side of Easter?  Part of it of course is to remember "he is risen, he is risen indeed."  Mario relies on N. T. Wright for part of his settling down points.  Tom Wright has made a visit or three to Hilltop ... great source for helping us frame our conversations.  

I also like how he used Acts 3 to be a place to talk to 1 Corinthians and Paul.  I like illustrations from the scripture!   

"All of my eggs are in that basket!"  

Scripture is Acts 4: 23-33 and the focus is on how the early church was in unity.  I proffer that they were in unity in terms of mission, vision, and values.  The Resurrection is the engine that drove the growth in of the early Church.  

The focus here is on people, not buildings, or denominations.  This is an initial exploration of changing our belong, believe, become to something new and different.  Hospitality, helping, hope and healing.  There is a both an inward and outward focus simultaneously:  Caring for their people and carrying the story into the world.  

Our Easter Sunday sermon focused on Mary's encounter with and empty tomb and our risen Lord. Our text came from John 20:1-18. Our call to action was to ponder what will we do with the message of Jesus' resurrection. Will we keep it a secret and go and tell someone about it? Our encouaging word was to "Get out of here and go be love to someone to whom love is a stranger." Don't be suprised to hear Handel's Messiah in here as well. He is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed! 

Please join us as we reflect on Christ's death during Holy Week. Rev. Olga Hard draws us into this story and reminds us why Good Friday, is indeed, good news for all the world.  

Holy Week begins with Palm SUnday. Join us as we reflect on the events of this week thorugh the lens of Mark's Gospel, reflecting on Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. Instead of a coronation we find a sudden and tragic turn of events that finds Jesus on a cross. We reflected on the words, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom." 

Text: Jeremiah 31:31-34

How shoud we understand the story we find in Scripture? How do we, as a community, develop a church-wide approach to teh good work of studying and wrestling with Scritpure. How do we understand the role of tradition 

5 Rules for Studying the Bible: 

• We understand the Bible through Jesus 

Studying God's Word takes work, but it is a good work permeated with grace and truth. 

Text: Romans 4:13-25

On the second Sunday of Lent we examined the biblical story of Abraham. His faith is an example that still calls to us today. From Abraham would come the seed through whom all nations of the world will be blessed. The call and covenant of God with Abraham would have been a story that Jesus would have been familiar with. It is ultimatley a story of God's faithfulness. This faith story provides continuity between the Old and New Testaments. We cannot understand the latter without the former.

Text 1 Peter 3:13-22

Our first Sunday in Lent called us to remember who we are in Christ. We are a peculiar or "chosen" people, marked out by our baptism. This letter is a call to be encouraged, even when we face trials or suffering because of it. Baptism calls us to remember Christ's passion on our behalf.