“Love people and use things,” the old saying goes, “because the opposite never works.” Still, we constantly find ourselves doing the opposite—loving things and using people. Anytime we treat a person like an object, even if only in our thoughts, we destroy a little piece of our own humanity. We hide it, we rationalize it, … Continue reading "Smashing Idols (a Lenten Series) // Lust // Kate Murphy"

This Sunday, the first in the holy season of Lent, we begin a new worship series called “Smashing Idols.” You may be thinking—when is the last time anybody saw an idol? I promise you, they’re hidden in plain sight. An idol is anything we put our trust in other than God—and, these days—our idols aren’t statues that we … Continue reading "Smashing Idols (a Lenten Series) // Pride // Kate Murphy"

It was love that led Jesus to put his own beloved body between us and the raging powers of sin, death, fear, hate, and violence. And it is that same love that leads us close to our enemies in humility and, even closer, to home. Because the truth is that sometimes, surprisingly, it is hard … Continue reading "Let Love Lead // Love Leads Us Home // Kate Murphy"

The whole country is focused on love this week, but by the time Sunday rolls around, everyone will have moved on. The flowers will be wilted, the chocolate gone, and the stores will be decorated for Easter. But at The Grove, we’ll still be worshipping, talking, and singing about love. Just not the kind of love … Continue reading "Let Love Lead // Love Leads Us to Our Enemies // Kate Murphy"

Last summer, our young people returned from the Montreat Youth Conference full of passion about all they’d seen and heard. They spent a week worshiping, studying, and reflecting on the theme “Let Love Lead.” As they shared their testimonies, we all saw how this radically simple concept gave them a powerful way to claim their … Continue reading "Let Love Lead // Love Leads Us to a Garden // Kate Murphy"

Our fifth guiding principle at The Grove is “We seek to be led by the Holy Spirit.” Who among us could argue with that ideal? We all agree that following the Spirit is faithful and leads us to a life of loving abundance. We’d all like to turn over our most difficult choices to God. But, how do you … Continue reading "This Is Us // Everybody Can Be Led By the Spirit // Panel Discussion"

We — that is, those of us who call the Grove community home — have been called to be a ministry of hope in our East Charlotte neighborhood and beyond, always believing and proclaiming what we know to be the truth: the same power that conquered the grave lives within us. A place in the Hebrew scriptures … Continue reading "This Is Us // Anything Can Be Resurrected // Kate Murphy"

We believe in the power of God to change lives. Including yours. Including mine. “You must be born again,” Jesus told Nicodemus. It’s a message for us too. This Sunday, we examine our third guiding principle and one of its root biblical stories. We also look at the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. … Continue reading "This Is Us // Anybody Can Be Transformed // Kate Murphy"

The second guiding principle of The Grove is a both a confession and a call to action:  “We are a broken and sinful people who practice forgiving and being forgiven.” That statement is easy to affirm while seated in the pews on Sundays, but it’s easy to ignore when someone does you wrong.  How do we … Continue reading "This Is Us // Everything Is Broken // Kate Murphy"

This Sunday, we begin a new year and a new worship series, “This Is Us.” It will be a passionate look at the unique mission of The Grove and the culture we are called to create through the lens of our church’s guiding principles—the core concepts that direct and define our congregation. Our first principle … Continue reading "This Is Us // Everybody Is Welcome // Kate Murphy"