On All Saints’ Day we remember our friends and loved ones who have died in the Lord. Although the apostle Paul tells us we should not grieve as those who have no hope in the resurrection of the dead, all of us mourn the loss death inflicts on us. We remember the presence of our friends and family, and we grieve their absence. Do you ever feel like God is also absent from your life? Do your mourn a close connection you once had? Do you wonder if perhaps your own sin has driven God away? In Exodus 3, God promises Moses that he will be with him as Moses leads the people out of slavery in Egypt and into the promised land. That gracious presence is what allows us to live boldly, love confidently, and look with hope to the resurrection of the dead and the renewal of all things.

This sermon, "The Presence and the Power," was preached at our Sunday evening service of installation and ordination for new officers and pastors as a charge to the men and to our congregation.

This Sunday is Reformation Sunday and to celebrate the work of an obscure monk in Wittenberg, Germany, in 1517, we’ll turn to Luke 19 and the story of Zacchaeus, the tax collector from Jericho. What does this “wee little man” have to do with the great work of Martin Luther, John Calvin, and other Protestant reformers? Join us this Sunday as we see the heights and depths that grace will go to redeem the lost and restore them to God.

We live in an ultra-connected cultural moment. Our age is one of readily available information and limitless opportunities to meet and connect with others online. It seems like we can change our destinies by just signing up for the right social media or dating app. And yet, despite so much opportunity, we are growing less connected and more isolated. The simple obligation of face-to-face friendship inconveniences us, we are annoyed when someone in our neighborhood asks us for a basic favor, and many of us struggle to offer a simple smile as we pass by people while shopping at the store. The simplicity of being kind seems to be in short supply, and we are suffering for it. As we study the book of Ruth this coming Sunday, we’ll see that the simplicity of kindness can go a long way and often reveals the hidden love of God for the world as his redemptive plan unfolds in the lives of Boaz, Ruth, and Naomi.

Have you ever wished someone, “good luck!” or exclaimed, “I was so lucky!” As Christians, we know, of course, there is no such thing as chance. Instead, God is at work to bring what he ordains to pass in our lives and in the world even when we can’t see him at work. This Sunday, we turn to Ruth 2 and to the story of Ruth’s lucky day! Chance and luck, hard work and compassion all have their moment in the spotlight as Ruth finally meets Boaz and is protected and provided for in her new homeland and by her new God. Join us this Sunday for the “chance" of a lifetime!

This Sunday we return to the Book of Ruth chapter 1 and encounter three grievers- Naomi, Orpah and Ruth. As we hear their story, we are called to both sympathize as grievers with fellow grievers, and to discover how God plants "hidden graces" around grievers to demonstrate his goodness and grace. In so doing he invites us to discover him as he rebuilds us from grief into deeper, richer, more complete Christ-like people.

On this first Sunday of October, Pastor Eric Landry brings us the message: "A Life of Gratitude."

Each fall, we turn to an Old Testament text for our sermon series. Having concluded Genesis last year, we are fast-forwarding a bit in redemptive history to the book of Ruth this fall. Ruth is set after Moses led the people of Israel out of slavery and after Joshua led them into the land of promise. But instead of blessing, life has gone drastically wrong for Naomi and her family. Join us this week, as we begin a new study in Ruth with a focus on the “frowning providence of God” that hides his smiling face—in Naomi’s life and our own.

On May 1, 2022, we began our journey through the Epistle to the Hebrews. We still don’t know who wrote it or to whom it was written or from where it was written or even exactly why it was written! But I hope that over our sixteen sermons exploring this book you have come to appreciate and understand its main theme: Jesus is better. We conclude with the benediction of Hebrews 13:20-21. What exactly is a benediction? What role does it play in this epistle and in our worship? Why does the author conclude with it and how should we understand this “good word” of God in our own lives? Join us this Sunday as we conclude our study of Hebrews.

So, what exactly are you supposed to do? In light of all that God has done in Christ for you, what is your response? Last week, we saw that we were supposed to gratefully receive and in turn worship. This week, we’ll consider a number of seemingly disconnected commands that the preacher uses as applications to his congregation. Why these commands? How do they reveal a life transformed by grace? How do they point others to the Jesus? Join us this Sunday as near the end of our sermon series in the book of Hebrews.