Pastor Megan, Pastor Kevin and Pastor Erik discuss Luke 1:26-38. This is the passage that gives us our key verse for this series. This is the culmination of all promises, with Mary’s faithfulness front and center. Mary’s trust isn’t without question (v34) or confusion (v29). But she stays with it – and so does God. We may not be asked to do a big thing like this – but then again, we don’t know. God makes big promises and does big things. It is our joy to be a part of it. Trusting in the coming Savior, how will we continue to do God’s will according to God’s word?

Pastor Megan, Pastor Kevin and Pastor Erik discuss Isaiah 61:1-9. This is a powerful Advent word – it points to a time that is both now and not yet. This promise was for the exiles, for the arrival of Jesus, and for us now. God’s promises are always the same and always new. Jesus reads this passage in the temple at the beginning of his ministry. This promise reminds us who Jesus’ incarnation brings God’s justice to the world.

Pastor Megan, Pastor Erik, and Pastor Kevin discuss Joel 2:12-13, 28-29. We heard Peter quote this passage in Acts back in August. We hear the promise again – God’s promise to dwell with all people continues to mean all people. The promise is twofold – our repentance is welcome and God’s Spirit is limitless. Sermon series title: how will we live according to God’s word here in Joel? How can we trust these promises for ourselves and for others?

Pastor Megan and Pastor Kevin discuss Daniel 6:16-27. Daniel faces death because of his confidence in God’s promises. We’re rarely called on to make this commitment. What does that look like in our lives?  Advent begins today, an opportunity to prepare our hearts for Christ’s incarnate arrival in the world. Jesus ultimately endures death for us. We are invited to set aside fear and doubt as we trust in the Word.

Pastor Megan, Pastor Kevin, and Pastor Erik discuss Jeremiah 31:31-34. This Sunday is Christ the King Sunday and the start of our new sermon series, According to Your Word. Christ the King Sunday is sometimes called Reign of Christ Sunday. What does it mean for Jesus to reign in our lives? How are we showing that we belong to Him? God makes this promise: to write the law on our hearts. It is always there. God will stick with us. God forgives us. This is what it means to be God’s people.

This Sunday’s theme is 1st Communion. Pastor Megan, Pastor Kevin and Pastor Erik discuss Deuteronomy 8:1-3, 6-11. History lesson: when does this reading happen, and why does it matter? When we bring young people to the table for the first time, we’re fulfilling our promises to them (and each other) to do exactly this. But when we come together for communion every time, we’re also living into the promises God has made to each of us, that Jesus would always be with us and we would always be one people in Christ’s name. We remember this covenant every time we come to communion!

This Sunday is commitment Sunday! Pastor Megan, Pastor Kevin and Pastor Erik discuss Psalm 146 and talk about what commitment Sunday is all about. Serving others, sharing the gospel, ensuring a place for faith to grow for generations – our giving to the Most High does this! When we give out of sheer gratitude for what God has done, how do we bring in God’s

This Sunday is All Saints Sunday, this is a day to remember those who have built faith in us, who we call saints. Pastor Megan, Pastor Kevin, and Pastor Erik discuss Psalm 24:1-6. We recognize everything they have given us so that we might know Jesus. We are called to similarly live and serve, trusting that God’s work is done through us. The blessing we have received from the Lord is through the saints of the church before us – and the blessing we share is that we become those saints to untold generations – this is how we pay our vows!

Pastor Megan, Pastor Kevin, and Pastor Erik discuss Psalm 46:1-7. This Sunday is Reformation Sunday, the reminder that God’s love can’t be bought, that God’s love is sure and steady no matter what. Because God has taken action, we are free to respond. We don’t give to earn God’s grace or to assuage our guilt. We offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving. We give what can’t be taken back or earned to celebrate that God is truly with us. Stewardship is discipleship!

We start our new sermon series, “Offer to God” Pastor Megan, Pastor Erik and Pastor Kevin discuss Psalm 50:3-6. Psalm 50 is meant to tell people how about how to rightly celebrate festivals and remind them of God’s covenant with them. The whole psalm reminds the people that not only does God delight in our celebrations, but they’re necessary to connect us to our joy in God. We offer to God what God has given us because we celebrate that God is truly good – and that all we have and are comes from God. What do we know about God that makes us want to offer anything to God?