Have you heard of pseudo-community? Psychiatrist M. Scott Peck popularized this term in the 80s when he laid out the Four Stages of True Community. It is when members are extremely pleasant with one another and avoid all disagreement. People tend to withhold some truth about themselves and their feelings in order to avoid conflict. Individual differences are minimized, unacknowledged, or ignored. The group may appear to be functioning smoothly but individuality, intimacy, and honesty are neglected. Unfortunately, most communities people experience fall into this category. Yes, even most churches.

As we gather together this Sunday 11am at Honeybird in La Cañada, we will explore this concept of four stages of true community together and why we felt strongly to create Perch as a hospitable community for spiritual wanderers.

ikigai: is a Japanese word and concept meaning “reason for being.”

When God created humankind, he created them in His own likeness. Humans are uniquely created to mimic God in the way we live out our lives. In short, we are created to create. The fact that this word exists in Japanese and not in English tells me that many Japanese people have wrestled with this concept in great depth. Perhaps when a teenager, college student, or young adult is struggling with what to do with their life, they start with one of the four big circles… “What will pay me?” or “What am I good at?” Maybe if you’re fortunate enough, you can begin approaching one of the overlapping areas like “Vocation” or “Mission.” Very few people in the world achieve the center of their ikigai, or in other words, how God designed them to be in heart, mind, body, and spirit.

Genesis 1:1-3, 27

Guest speaker Inés Velasquez-McBryde reminds us of the importance of having healthy rhythms of life during difficult times of transitions. In order to remain spiritually healthy, we need rest, solitude, and community in regular rotation in order to make big impacts in the world. Even when someone is often doing what they're supposed to be doing, we all need rest, solitude, and community. As theologian Howard Thurman said, "The hunger inside our hearts is God calling out for God."

Matthew 14

Everyone goes through significant changes in life, but not everyone handles those changes well. What if seasons change for the sake of our spiritual growth and not simply because they have to? How is God inviting us to experience life in a new way with all of the transitions we’ve experienced in the past year?

Ecclesiastes 3:1-11

Many of us have been in a state of spiritual slumber for the past year. During this time of transition, God is inviting us to wake up. As we gradually go back into our offices, classrooms, and restaurants, make we not neglect our need to tend to our souls through private prayers and corporate community. Join us tomorrow as we discover the ways God is waking us up. We will definitely be going unfiltered and off-script with this one.

Ephesians 5:8-20

Who said the Promised Land would be problem free? Even though the Promised Land is better than the previous place, there will still be obstacles, struggles, and temptations. While this past year during Covid lockdown felt like we were wandering around aimlessly, entering into a "new normal" will bring upon a new set of problems. There are three promises God gives us that we need to be mindful of as we continue our journey to the next place.

Joshua 1:1-9

Are you haunted by something from your past? Perhaps you have a past trauma, mistake, or wound that seeps out in your conscious or subconscious behavior. There's a famous line in the critically acclaimed film "Magnolia" that says, "We may be through with the past, but the past isn't through with us." Often times, we allow our past to influence our thoughts, habits, and motives in more ways than we realize. But how does God treat us with our respective histories? Does God condemn or define us according to things we've done or things done to us in previous years? This intriguing interaction between Jesus and the Samaritan woman reveals quite a lot about God's grace, non-judgment, and compassion towards people with a questionable past. Likewise, how does God treat you with your own past?

John 4:1-26

There’s one lesson I learned recently as a hospital chaplain; nearly everyone believes in some form of spirituality. While patients come from different faiths and backgrounds, I’ve yet to meet someone who believes in merely the physical world. People may call it God, Higher Power, or Mother Nature, there is an undeniable longing deep in their hearts to connect with the Great Spirit of this universe. I literally encounter this everyday as a hospital chaplain with patients who are often ill, vulnerable, and very honest. It’s difficult to be an atheist while lying on a hospital bed.

This is precisely why God gave us the Holy Spirit. Our great Mother Spirit came into the lives of Jesus' followers 2,000 years ago to unite them, enable them, and fill them with joy. This is why She came at the day of Pentecost and this is why She enters into our lives now.

Acts 2:1-13

Do you know what it’s like to feel like the odd person out? You don’t necessarily have to a POC in order to have experienced this; maybe you’re a liberal in a family of conservatives; perhaps you’re a bookworm in a friend group of partygoers. In many ways, the POG (people of God) are called to live as exiles in this world. The values, lifestyles, attitudes, and worldview of the POG should stand out from the rest of the world. Live as light in darkness, bring life to dead places, carry justice to the nations, and set free the captives.

Daniel 1

Have you ever experienced Imposter Syndrome? Imposter Syndrome is loosely defined as doubting your abilities and feeling like a fraud. These past 13 months have thrust many into feeling like an imposter, insignificant, or indifferent. There have been many transitions in people's lives in the past year that can cause some to feel one of these three ways. By looking at the dialogue between the great prophet Moses and God, we see these three struggles of self playing out in real time. If you've ever gone through these struggles yourself, this message will uplift you.

Exodus 3 & 4