This week we invite you to join us as our team engages in a conversation about the Beatitudes series we just wrapped up, noting the impact these teachings have had on us personally, as well as some observations about what they could mean for us collectively if we fully embraced them.

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Question for contemplation and conversation:

Reflecting on our journey through the beatitudes, which of these teachings has made the deepest personal impact on you, and how has it shifted your perspective or actions in daily life?

If we truly, wholeheartedly embraced the beatitudes—not just as ideas, but as daily lived realities—what do you imagine would change in our own lives? What might we need to let go of to make space for that transformation?

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To learn more about The Orchard Community visit theorchardcommunity.com

Subscribe to Orchard Conversations in your favorite podcast app or at orchardconversations.com

This week, we continue in the Gospel of Matthew and read beyond the Beatitudes, looking at more wisdom from Jesus spoken in his famous "Sermon on the Mount", starting with "You are the salt of the earth." With these verses in mind, Lead Pastor Scott Hodge tactfully questions how we can move forward as individuals and as a community in the wake of a divisive election and rising tension.

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Question for contemplation and conversation:

How are you feeling after this election?

How can you show love and compassion toward those who may be experiencing different emotions than you?

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To learn more about The Orchard Community visit theorchardcommunity.com

Subscribe to Orchard Conversations in your favorite podcast app or at orchardconversations.com

This week, we conclude our series, The Jesus Sermon, by diving into the final beatitude, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Together, we’ll explore the deep wisdom in Jesus’ words about resilience and hope in the face of adversity. Join us as we reflect on what it means to live with courage and compassion, even when challenged.

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Question for contemplation and conversation:

Where do you fall when it comes to your politics? What values do you want to nurture in your community?

How can we be people who seed the human community with grace, who see others in need and respond with love?

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To learn more about The Orchard Community visit theorchardcommunity.com

Subscribe to Orchard Conversations in your favorite podcast app or at orchardconversations.com

This week Lead Pastor Scott Hodge guides us as we look at the seventh and penultimate Beatitude, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God." Scott reminds us of the pragmatic steps we can take to become better peacemakers in our lives in both big and small ways. 

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Question for contemplation and conversation:

How do you currently approach conflict in your life? Consider the six practices of peacemaking (listening to understand, holding competing perspectives, owning agency, centering marginalized voices, self-interrogation, and advocacy). Which of these practices comes naturally to you, and which do you find most challenging? Why do you think that is?

Think about a recent disagreement or conflict you've experienced. How might holding competing perspectives in tension have helped you approach that situation differently? What steps could you take to better understand the other person’s point of view, even if you don’t agree with it?

Peacemaking involves not just resolving big conflicts but making daily choices to seek justice and reconciliation. How might you integrate advocacy for others in your daily life, even in small ways? What’s one concrete action you could take this week to be a peacemaker in your community?

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To learn more about The Orchard Community visit theorchardcommunity.com

Subscribe to Orchard Conversations in your favorite podcast app or at orchardconversations.com

This week Benjamin Jay Thomas takes us into the sixth Beatitude, "Blessed are the pure in heart, they shall see God." Benjamin asks us to consider what parts of ourselves we find unlovable and how practicing self-compassion can help us see God.

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Question for contemplation and conversation:

What parts of yourself have you hidden away because you felt they were unlovable or unacceptable?

When was the last time you felt triggered? What might that experience have been trying to show you about yourself?

How can you practice self-compassion as you face these shadows?

How does the idea of failure as a gift resonate with you? Can you think of a time when failure helped you realign with your true self?

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To learn more about The Orchard Community visit theorchardcommunity.com

Subscribe to Orchard Conversations in your favorite podcast app or at orchardconversations.com

This week Anna Hammond takes us into the fifth Beatitude, "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." In this passage we find reminders that mercy is more than just compassion and forgiveness and that mercy is at the very root of God's being.

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Question for contemplation and conversation:

Where in your life do you need to be shown mercy?

Who do you struggle to show mercy towards?

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To learn more about The Orchard Community visit theorchardcommunity.com

Subscribe to Orchard Conversations in your favorite podcast app or at orchardconversations.com

This week we hit the halfway point of our series, "The Jesus Sermon", as Lead Pastor Scott Hodge takes us into the fourth Beatitude, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." As we examine this passage, Scott helps us recontextualize the concept of justice and asks us to consider how we, as Christ followers, can bring restorative justice to our world.

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Question for contemplation and conversation:

In what areas of your life do you tend to focus more on your own needs than on the needs of others? How might shifting your focus towards serving others help you experience the kind of fullness that Jesus describes?

“We don’t think ourselves into new ways of living, we live ourselves into new ways of thinking.” What is one small action you could take this week that might shift your perspective or lead to a deeper sense of justice or compassion in your everyday life? 

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To learn more about The Orchard Community visit theorchardcommunity.com

Subscribe to Orchard Conversations in your favorite podcast app or at orchardconversations.com

As we continue our series "The Jesus Sermon", Benjamin Jay Thomas leads us by taking a look at the third Beatitude, "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth". We see what true meekness looks like and how this countercultural value can bring us closer to God.

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Question for contemplation and conversation:

How do you define “meekness” in your own words, and how does this differ from what society often values?

How are you using your position of power?

In what ways do you find it challenging to practice meekness in your everyday life, especially in moments of conflict or disagreement?

How might embracing a posture of meekness change the way we engage in difficult conversations, whether online, at work, or within our families?

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To learn more about The Orchard Community visit theorchardcommunity.com

Subscribe to Orchard Conversations in your favorite podcast app or at orchardconversations.com

As we continue our series "The Jesus Sermon", Anna Hammond guides us as we examine the second Beatitude, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted". Through this Beatitude, we are given permission to mourn and come to understand that, though there is much to grieve in the world at large and in our own lives, we will find comfort in God and in our community. 

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Question for contemplation and conversation:

When you look at the world, what breaks your heart? What do you see that grieves you, and makes you sad?

Where do you need to be comforted? Perhaps that's a clue as to what needs to be mourned in your life.

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To learn more about The Orchard Community visit theorchardcommunity.com

Subscribe to Orchard Conversations in your favorite podcast app or at orchardconversations.com

This week, we begin our new series, “The Jesus Sermon,” diving into the Beatitudes and their radical vision for a life aligned with God’s values. We start with “Poor in Spirit,” exploring what it means to reach the end of our rope and find, in that humility, a deeper connection to the Divine. Join us as we uncover how these ancient teachings speak to our present moment, offering hope, peace, and a new way forward.

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Question for contemplation and conversation:

What assumptions have you held about the poor? How does this first beatitude challenge or disrupt those assumptions? Could this impact your generosity?

Fr. Richard Rohr: “The higher up you are in the system the more trapped you are. The more you’re outside the system, the freer you are.” Where – or how – might this be true in your life? What is your position costing you?

Our desire to strive for wealth or status often comes from fear. Where in your life do you tend towards worry and anxiety? What does this tell you about what is important to you? 

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To learn more about The Orchard Community visit theorchardcommunity.com

Subscribe to Orchard Conversations in your favorite podcast app or at orchardconversations.com