The Gathering

The first name given to the son of Mary, while still in the womb, was the name Jesus. This name means God saves (delivers, rescues). There is a lot packed into this name. It means that first, we need to be saved FROM something. Secondly, it means that we need to be saved FOR something. And finally, that we need SOMEONE to do the saving (we cannot do it ourselves). Jesus is the one who saves us from sin, saves us for life, and does it freely because he loves us. In this final message, we will talk about the importance of recognizing that we are loved by God, mired in sin, and saved for life by Jesus.

In ancient times, the morning star was the brightest star in the sky, easily distinguishable from all others. It was usually the first to appear in the morning and the most prominent light in the sky at dusk. This “star” actually wasn’t a star at all. It was the planet Venus. Nonetheless it represented several things to the ancients. It represented that which is first and most important. It was also used to orient people and to navigate a course in ancient times. Today, we can put a lot of things “first” and often those things we place first become a orienting or guiding feature in our lives. To call Jesus the morning star is to make the claim that he is (or should be) that which guides our life, and the feature of life that “shines brightest”.

We often wonder what God is like. People tend to fill in the blanks with whatever they believe God should be. This can lead to a sense that God is free for people to define however they see fit. God is nature; God is an abstract spirit; God is merciful, judgmental, or vengeful. God can be almost anything. But the author of Hebrews tells us that Jesus is the exact imprint of God’s very being. In other words, if you want to know what God is really like, look at Jesus. As Christians, we know what God is like. God is no longer a mystery. In Jesus, we see the very nature and character of God.

Churches have a lot of rituals that often leave people wondering...why do we do that? To new people, church can feel confusing, ritualistic, or just plain weird. And, if you’ve been coming for a while, it can be automatic, mindless, and you may even take it for granted. In this series, we will uncover some of the history, meaning and beauty behind those rituals you experience each Sunday. Join us as we talk about why we take communion, what baptism symbolizes, and what the heck we’re doing when we shake hands with strangers, as we answer the age old question, Why Do We Do That?

Churches have a lot of rituals that often leave people wondering...why do we do that? To new people, church can feel confusing, ritualistic, or just plain weird. And, if you’ve been coming for a while, it can be automatic, mindless, and you may even take it for granted. In this series, we will uncover some of the history, meaning and beauty behind those rituals you experience each Sunday. Join us as we talk about why we take communion, what baptism symbolizes, and what the heck we’re doing when we shake hands with strangers, as we answer the age old question, Why Do We Do That?

Churches have a lot of rituals that often leave people wondering...why do we do that? To new people, church can feel confusing, ritualistic, or just plain weird. And, if you’ve been coming for a while, it can be automatic, mindless, and you may even take it for granted. In this series, we will uncover some of the history, meaning and beauty behind those rituals you experience each Sunday. Join us as we talk about why we take communion, what baptism symbolizes, and what the heck we’re doing when we shake hands with strangers, as we answer the age old question, Why Do We Do That?

The minor prophets are twelve books of the old testament, nearly ⅕ of the Bible. And yet their voices are rarely heard. But, the prophets played an important role - speaking truth to power, naming uncomfortable realities, and reminding people of the way they were called to live. Their voices were not popular, but were necessary. That was true then, and is still true today. Join us as we study the minor prophets and are challenged by some of their uncomfortable truths about our life and our world today.

The minor prophets are twelve books of the old testament, nearly ⅕ of the Bible. And yet their voices are rarely heard. But, the prophets played an important role - speaking truth to power, naming uncomfortable realities, and reminding people of the way they were called to live. Their voices were not popular, but were necessary. That was true then, and is still true today. Join us as we study the minor prophets and are challenged by some of their uncomfortable truths about our life and our world today.

The minor prophets are twelve books of the old testament, nearly ⅕ of the Bible. And yet their voices are rarely heard. But, the prophets played an important role - speaking truth to power, naming uncomfortable realities, and reminding people of the way they were called to live. Their voices were not popular, but were necessary. That was true then, and is still true today. Join us as we study the minor prophets and are challenged by some of their uncomfortable truths about our life and our world today.

The minor prophets are twelve books of the old testament, nearly ⅕ of the Bible. And yet their voices are rarely heard. But, the prophets played an important role - speaking truth to power, naming uncomfortable realities, and reminding people of the way they were called to live. Their voices were not popular, but were necessary. That was true then, and is still true today. Join us as we study the minor prophets and are challenged by some of their uncomfortable truths about our life and our world today.