In-person worship was cancelled on Sunday, Jan. 25 due to the winter storm this past weekend, so we presented an online worship with a previous sermon from Pastor Ken. It comes from our Summer 2024 Mr. Rogers-themed worship series, Won’t You Be My Neighbor (see the full, original series here). We believe its themes are just as relevant to our times today as we continue to navigate what it looks like to be a good neighbor.

We will conclude our current series, Twisted, with you in-person on Sunday, February 1st at our 9am traditional or 11 modern worship services. We will also host our annual United Women in Faith program during the 9am service and their Soup for Missions Sunday in the gym from 10:30 am until 1pm. 

In this message from July 14, 2024, Pastor Ken takes some cues from Mr. Rogers, the pastor-turned-iconic-children’s-TV-show host. We explore how our faith guides us in being good neighbors and explore questions like “Who is My Neighbor?” and what it means to be hospitable.

• What is the difference between being a neighbor and merely a person who lives nearby?
  
• How did the sermon challenge your idea of who we consider our "neighbor"? Did the parable of the Good Samaritan bring up any interesting thoughts for you?
  
• How can you embody the actions of the Samaritan in your own life?
  
• How does the sermon challenge your understanding of love and compassion?
  
• How can you reconcile the idea of loving your neighbor with the realities of conflict and difference?
  
• What role does faith play in becoming a better neighbor?
  

Is God only present when you "feel" Him? In this third installment of our "Twisted" series, Pastor Ken Curtis tackles the common misconception that spiritual goosebumps or emotional highs are the only indicators of God's presence. Pastor Ken shares a humorous yet poignant story from a high school encounter with a charismatic service, exploring what happens when our expectations of God don't match our reality. He reminds us that God's faithfulness is anchored in God's promises, not our fluctuating emotions. If you've ever felt like God is silent or absent, this messages offers you a roadmap for navigating seasons of spiritual dryness by choosing trust over perception.

• Pastor Ken mentions that we can be loved or safe without "feeling" it. In what areas of your life are you currently prioritizing your feelings over the truth of God’s promises?
• Have you ever felt like your faith was "broken" because you didn't have an emotional reaction during worship or prayer? How does the distinction between presence and feeling change that perspective?
• The Psalmist in Psalm 88 was brutally honest about feeling rejected by God. How comfortable are you with being completely "real" with God about your frustrations or God's perceived absence?
• Pastor Ken suggests that when our own faith is thin, we should "borrow" the faith of our community. Who are the people in your life you can lean on when you don't feel like singing or praying?
• Rather than looking for "trumpets or tingly feelings," Pastor Ken encourages us to look for small signs of grace. What is one "small sign" of God’s presence you may have overlooked this week?
• Just as the sun remains behind the clouds on a gray day, God remains present when life feels gloomy. What specific promise from Scripture can you "anchor" yourself to today to remind you the sun is still there?

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Is God just a "divine fun police" waiting to ruin your weekend? In the second installment of our "Twisted" series, Pastor Ken Curtis tackles the common misconception that following Jesus is nothing more than a joyless list of "dos and don'ts."

By examining Jesus' critique of the Pharisees in Matthew, we learn that while religion often focuses on the external "clean cup," true faith starts on the inside. Discover how God isn’t trying to restrict your life, but protect it — guiding us away from empty "joy" like doom-scrolling and toward the lasting fulfillment found in loving God and our neighbors. It’s time to untwist the image of a killjoy God and embrace the one who wants more for us, not less from us.

• Pastor Ken mentions "National Quitters Day," when many quit their New Year resolutions. Have you ever felt that your spiritual life felt more like a "self-punishment" resolution than a life-giving practice?
• Jesus tells the Pharisees to "clean the inside of the cup first." In what areas of your life are you focusing more on your "religious appearance" than your internal heart?
• Using the analogy of a parent stopping a child from riding a bike down a steep hill, can you identify a "no" from God that you once saw as a restriction but now realize was protection?
• Pastor Ken discusses "doom-scrolling" as a joy-drainer. What are the specific habits in your daily routine that promise happiness but leave you feeling empty or fatigued?
• This week, what is one "anonymous" act of kindness you can perform to break the need for external approval?
• Given the research mentioned about the health benefits of regular worship, how can you reframe "going to church" from an obligation into a vital part of your self-care and mental well-being?

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Pastor Ken Curtis kicks of this new year with a new worship series, "Twisted." This four-week series untangles some of the most common twisted beliefs that keep people at a distance from the God who loves them more than they know.

What do you do when God doesn't show up the way you expected? In this powerful and honest message, Pastor Ken tackles one of the most difficult experiences in the life of a believer: the feeling that God has failed us. Following the scripture reading, we join the disciples on the Road to Emmaus — men who were heartbroken because the "redeemer" they hoped for had been crucified. Ken explores how we can move through the pain of spiritual disappointment, the "death" of our expectations, and the surprising ways Jesus meets us in our disillusionment. This is a sermon for anyone who has ever felt abandoned by their faith or confused by God's silence.

• Can you look back at a specific time in your life when you felt God didn't come through for you? What were you expecting to happen?
  
• In the scripture, the disciples say, "But we had hoped he was the one..." How does the phrase "but we had hoped" resonate with your current season of life or past trials?
• Sometimes the "God" who disappoints us is actually just our own limited image of God. How has your understanding of who God is changed after going through a period of disappointment?
• Jesus walked with the disciples for a long time while they were still sad and confused. How does it feel to consider that God is present with you even while you are actively feeling disappointed in Him?
• The disciples’ disappointment didn’t vanish because the circumstances changed, but because their vision changed. How can we seek a "new vision" when our external circumstances remain difficult?
• The disciples shared their grief openly with a "stranger" on the road. Why is it often so hard to admit in church or religious circles that we feel disappointed by God?

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What kind of seeker are you? In this message on the first Sunday after Christmas, Pastor Ken dives into the familiar story of the Wise Men to reveal three very different ways people respond to the news of Jesus. By looking at the Magi, King Herod, and the religious leaders of Jerusalem, we are challenged to move beyond mere religious information or the desire for control. Discover how true faith isn't just about knowing the right answers, but about allowing your heart to be transformed and your direction changed as you encounter the Light of the World.

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On this Fourth Sunday of Advent, Pastor Ken continues our current worship series, "God With Us," by exploring the power of identity through the names given to the Messiah: Jesus and Emmanuel. In these two names, we learn of God's mission statement and the comfort God brings when God steps directly into our labors, our pains, our confusion and hardship. Together, we reflect on how to receive God's saving love and embody God's presence in the world this Christmas.

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A quick note about this week's worship: Our worship on Sunday, December 14 was led by our children and youth, who guided us through the Christmas story in their annual pageant, The Living Creche. You can watch the livestream of the service on our website or on Youtube. The attached audio featured here — and on Spotify and Apple Podcasts — is from a seminary class assignment from our director of communications, Matt Comer, assisted by our director of youth ministry, Shelby Wilkins.  

About Worship: Our annual children's Christmas pageant, The Living Crèche, is made up of songs, scripture, and legends of Christmas. We thank the hard work and dedication of all our children and youth singers and pageant participants, as well as pageant directors Julia Lathan and Ann Shaughnessy.

PODCAST: The podcast audio is available above in a gray audio player immediately below the YouTube video.

A personal note from Matt: What you’re about to hear is a sample podcast episode, recorded for an assignment in one of my seminary courses this fall, Communications for Church and World. Shelby was kind enough to volunteer her time to help. We had a great conversation about our youth ministry, and we thought it would be great for you all to hear it, too. This was a fun assignment, allowing me to learn some new communications techniques. Through this, I hope you learn at least one new thing about our youth ministry. Thanks for listening.

About the Podcast: In this podcast, we sit down with Shelby Wilkins, director of youth ministry. Shelby shares her journey into youth ministry, which began during a college internship in Ohio. She gives us some insight into our current youth ministry program, describing weekly programs like our Sunday youth group meetings and special activities like retreat trips and Lock Ins. Listen in to learn more about how the Lord is moving in special ways for our youth and how you can support this ministry of St. Stephen. 

Get in touch with Shelby! Email her at [email protected], stop by her office during regular church hours, or say hi when you see her on campus on Sundays!

On this Second Sunday of Advent, Pastor Ken continues our current worship series, "God With Us," by exploring the often-overlooked Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. Drawing from Matthew's gospel, we discover the unexpected way God chooses to show up — in the chaos and in a dream — along with the profound mercy Joseph shows Mary, his courageous obedience, and how Joseph can model for us a universal call to care for and nurture all children, even those who are not our own. Joseph's story is a challenge to choose obedience over argument and mercy over revenge, reminding us that Emmanuel is with us every step of the journey.

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On this First Sunday of Advent, Pastor Ken begins a new worship series, "God With Us," by exploring Jesus's genealogy as documented in the Gospel of Matthew. 

Why does this gospel begin with a boring list of names? Why is Jesus's family tree so important? While we often focus on the shepherds and angels from Luke's telling of Christ's birth, the first chapter of Matthew presents a different kind of miracle — a genealogy filled with imperfect people, outsiders, and "scoundrels" who God chose to be part of the Messiah's lineage. Pastor Ken helps us explore some of these people as we discover how God uses broken histories to write beautiful stories of redemption. 

Whether you're struggling with your own family history or feeling disqualified by your past, this message reminds us that God works through real people, not perfect ones.

• Pastor Ken admits that genealogies can seem boring at first glance. How did the sermon change your perspective on why Matthew chose to open his gospel with a list of names rather than a dramatic nativity scene?
  
• Jesus’s family tree includes liars, cheaters, and outsiders (like Jacob, Manasseh, and Rahab). How does knowing that Jesus came from a "messy" family affect the way you view the imperfections in your own family or background?
  
• Matthew breaks cultural norms by including four specific women (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba) in the genealogy. What common thread did the pastor identify among these women, and what does their inclusion tell us about God’s character?
  
• Pastor Ken used the metaphor of a bowl made of "spalted wood" — wood infected by fungus or disease — to illustrate how God works. In what ways have you seen God take something "diseased" or difficult in your life and turn it into something beautiful?
  
• Genealogy isn't just a record of the dead, but an ongoing story that we are invited into. How do you see your current life circumstances as a continuation of the story God began with Abraham?
  
• In Jesus’s family tree, barriers of gender, race, and moral failure disappear. Which of these barriers do you find hardest to believe God can overcome in your own life or in the lives of others?
  

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Is gratitude a "faded virtue" in our entitled world? In this final message of our "Faded Virtues" series, Pastor Ken Curtis challenges us to look beyond Thanksgiving as a single holiday and reclaim the transformative power of a grateful heart. Drawing on the biblical command to "give thanks in all circumstances" (1 Thessalonians 5:18), Pastor Ken explores the difference between mere thankfulness and a life-changing posture of gratitude. Together, we learn three key ways to reclaim our gratitude: by slowing down, remembering God's blessings, and practicing generosity.

• Moses warns the Israelites not to forget God when they are prosperous and satisfied (Deuteronomy 8:17). Where in your life are you most at risk of forgetting God's hand in your success and attributing it solely to your own strength?
  
• Pastor Ken contrasts an attitude of entitlement with the virtue of gratitude. Can you identify an area in your current life where a sense of entitlement (e.g., toward a job, a relationship, or even God) might be overshadowing your ability to be truly grateful?
  
• Is there a difficult or annoying circumstance in your life right now for which you can sincerely try to find one thing to be grateful for?
  
• Pastor Ken gives us three strategies for reclaiming gratitude: by slowing down, remembering God's faithfulness, and being generous. Which of these three is the most difficult for you to implement daily, and why?
  
• In the story of the 10 lepers, the nine were healed, but only the one who returned to give thanks was told his "faith has made [him] well." What is the spiritual difference between being merely healed by God's blessings and being made whole through a posture of gratitude?
  
• Pastor Ken challenges us to write down 1-3 things we are grateful for every day [53:22]. If you were to start this practice today, what would be your first entry, and how do you plan to hold yourself accountable for the next week?
  

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