It’s a real problem if we don’t have a clear and common understanding of Love. In this message, Pastor Colby shares bell hook’s definition of love (and the six ingredients thereof), because if we don’t know what we mean when we talk about love, then all sorts of problems await us.

Embarking on our church-wide deep dive in to Love (using the book “All About Love” by bell hooks), Pastor Kate shows us how engaging with any new creative endeavor — such as becoming better practitioners of Love — will invite Resistance. Resistance, though, should neither be feared nor allowed to hold us back from courageously moving ahead. (Features a reading of children’s book, “What Do You Do With an Idea?” by Kobi Yamada)

On this special Sunday we combined our worship service with two other San Diego Churches (Christ Lutheran and Pacific Beach Christian). During the service we helped launch our new ministry initiative, Neighbors Together, designed to provide hospitality and justice for refugees seeking asylum. For the podcast, we’ve stitched together a couple moments from the service, including: Pastor Kate welcoming everyone and reminding us of the need for Grace when we do collaborative work; Pastor Colby encouraging us to think like horseshoes (open!) and not circles (in vs out!); and Kate leading a communion liturgy.

In this epic conclusion to our four part series on “Transformation is Everything,” Pastor Colby invites us to consider our lives as fractals, an unfolding symmetry of growth and maturation — all the while still retaining the “us-ness” of who we are.

Last week Pastor Colby said “no,” it doesn’t matter what you believe. In fact, religion is at its worst when it insists (by force, shame, or fear) that you believe the “right things.” However, in this message he says “yes,” it absolutely matters what we believe… but for different reasons. So which is it? Do our beliefs matter? And if so, how?

If “Transformation is Everything” (as Pastor Colby insists), then where does that leave belief? Does it matter what we believe? In this paradigm shifting message, Colby invites you to consider that maybe — contrary to most religious teaching — the Creator of the Cosmos does not care what you think or believe.

Nothing lasts. Everything fades away. Impermanence. Change. Movement. All is fading. St Paul once wrote, “but these three things remain: Faith, Hope, and Love.” Why do THESE remain? Perhaps because they are the three components of Transformation. And in a world where everything fades away, Transformation is everything. In this message, Pastor Colby explores how Faith, Hope, and Love work together to bring about Transformation.

One of Pastor Colby’s favorite movies growing up was Aladdin, but as an adult he never quite understood why the film resonated so deeply with him. Then, Disney released the live action version, and suddenly it clicked in to place. Hear how the stories of Aladdin, Jasmine, and Genie all illustrate different ways that humans get trapped — and how they (and we) might find freedom.

The entertainment world overflows with books and movies and music all declaring that you are destined for greatness! Just follow these six steps and you’ll be rich, famous, and living your best life! However, this narrow, shallow definition of “greatness” leaves much to be desired. In this message, Pastor Colby shares what deeper, true greatness looks like, and how it truly is both available to everyone AND how you are made for it.

“Come to me,” Jesus once said, “all who are weary, and I will give you rest.” Jesus understood that the best gift we can offer one another is the gift of non-judgmental presence. Pastor Colby invites us to consider how we might embody this call to be safe, soft presences for those in our life.