Digging into Isaiah 52:3-7 and Matthew 13:24-30, Pastor Mike McNichols speaks upon God’s kingdom at hand. With God’s kingdom generously poured out into the world, we are called to participate in the life of this Kingdom as the weeds are exposed for what they really are. Scripture offers the answer to the age-old question, “Why are so many problems, sickness, and death in this world?”

Pastor Mike McNichols illustrates a picture of the wedding banquet (Matthew 22:1-14). The dinner is prepared, and everything is ready. With God’s free grace and righteousness in hand, how are we going to respond to the greatest invitation ever given?

As we ponder the gospel of Mark (10:35-45), Pastor Mike McNichols shares the truth that to be first in this Kingdom, we must be slaves of all. Most of us struggle with the big question, “What is my life’s calling?” As Jesus’ calling is sewn among us, we dig deeper into our character of healing, forgiveness, reconciliation, and renewing of the whole world.

As we navigate through anger and division in this world, God calls us to offer up our bodies as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1-2). Pastor Mike McNichols offers several ways to do so while not only tolerating our neighbors, but loving them. In light of today’s discord and disunion, our response should be “a love that flows from our entire selves, being given to God.” Emphatically, we should be loving in a sincere, honorable, and hospitable way (Romans 12:9-21).

Pastor Mike McNichols expounds upon the story of Jonah (Jonah 3:10-4:11), focusing specifically on God and his generous nature. As Jonah reluctantly steps into the experiential reality of his vocation and God’s calling, he finds himself in God’s working and active presence. Even in light of Jonah’s own personal views on Nineveh, the God of the entire world responds with caring tenderness and kind generosity. The story of Jonah reminds us that God is present and at work in the most unlikely of places.

Referring to Jesus’ prayer to his Father in John 17, asking that we would be one, Pastor Mike McNichols considers the question: How can we consider ourselves to be one even while we are so scattered? The source of our unity is God’s love, and our work is to respond to that love. Our oneness comes from God alone and Paul offers a path towards that in Colossians 3:15 as he invites us to “let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts”. As we do this we can be “one” for the sake of others.

Pastor Mike McNichols considers the question: How might we experience God as present to us even in a time of multiple disruptions? As we at The Vine find ourselves in an “in between” time of transition from one pastor to another, disorientation is multiplied by COVID19-restricted gathering and raging fires across the West. How can we learn from the disciples of Jesus who faced similar feelings of disappointment and distress (Luke 24)?

Mike references the 1931 Hawke’s Bay Earthquake (magnitude 7.8) which leveled hills and raised others, leaving survivors disoriented by their changed landscape. Just as survivors relied on a compass to navigate their changed world, so we can orient ourselves around Jesus, our True North. As we do this together, we can experience Christ present to us in this time of multiple disruptions and transition.

Our bishop, Todd Hunter joins us for a special Service of Installation for our interim Pastor Mike McNichols and then shares a personal word of encouragement for The Vine. Drawing from Acts 13 and 16, Bishop Todd encourages us that we have reason to celebrate because we are living in a moment when we are being led by the Holy Spirit into a new season. He encourages us to continue seeking to be led by the Holy Spirit and find that according to Luke 11:13, there’s no way asking for the leadership of the Holy Spirit without receiving it. “It’s the reception of the Spirit, through the gifts of the Spirit, that gives the church the capacity to heal itself and the world.”

Pastor Michael Swanson preaches his last sermon to our congregation today. Drawing inspiration from Paul’s farewell sermon to the Ephesians in Acts 20, Pastor Michael says goodbye. He outlines the history and values of The Vine in Phase 1 and encourages the church to head into Phase 2 with hope in God’s goodness.

Kathleen Doyle of Vintage LA, concludes our summer series on Old Testament characters who encountered God. She shares about God’s care for the broken-hearted and his faithfulness to those who trust him, as seen through the story of Hannah in I Samuel 1:3-18. Hannah is someone who experienced significant loss and deep shame imposed on her by her culture’s values and expectations. Yet in the middle of this Hannah went straight to God in humility and poured out her whole heart. Kathleen encourages us to do the same, taking our hearts with all their emotions into God’s presence to find healing.