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How do you feel about Easter? Is it just one more flimsy holiday? A bunch of colorful painted eggs and cute little chocolate bunnies? What if Easter is a season of gift giving, even better than Christmas! Join us in worship on Easter Sunday morning as we discover and celebrate God’s gifts of Easter: everlasting hope, loving presence and trustworthy provision. “The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.” (Luke 24:7)

To make disciples who love God, love people, and serve the world.

Fasting and prayer—these are like the two wings of a bird. together they take flight. We can pray without fasting, and we can fast without praying—but when we combine the two, there’s a beautiful synergy. It’s as if our prayers are carried with greater strength and clarity before the throne of God. And prayer, of course, is more than just words—it’s the sacred space where we speak to God and listen for His voice. It’s how we commune with Him, heart to heart. And fasting, when joined with prayer, becomes a powerful expression of our humility and dependence on Him. As we look at Daniel’s prayer we’ll see how his fasting was not just a physical act—it was a spiritual force. As it aligned with heaven’s purposes and gave him influence in the unseen realm as fasting amplified his prayer!

Remember that time you hiked to the top of a mountain and marveled at the breathtaking view? Or the moment you pondered the vastness of galaxies or the intricate design of cells and atoms? Throughout our lives, we experience moments of wonder. The Bible—especially the Psalms—records and recounts moments of wonder at God's creation, His works, and His love. Wonder is an essential part of the Christian life. Wonder: Draws us to God Facilitates sacramental worldview and praxis Sustains us in suffering

Who doesn't like to eat? Food for sure is necessary for physical nourishment, but also brings enjoyment and pleasure. The opposite is fasting, a common practice in ancient times for followers of Jesus, but not so much today. Yet Jesus said, "Love the Lord with all of your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all of your strength." (Mark 12:30 NIV) A relationship with Jesus is wholistic, requiring both our minds AND our bodies. And fasting is "one of the best disciplines we have to reintegrate our mind to our body, and offer our whole selves to God in surrender." (Comer) Fasting can help us to be with Jesus, to become like Jesus, and to live as he did. This week is part one in the Practice of Fasting: to Offer Ourselves to Jesus. "Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is your true and proper worship." (Romans 12:1 NIV)

Think about the information most valuable to you. We often keep important things in safe places, protected by passwords and keys. But the things dearest to us are imprinted on our hearts and minds—like a parent's words of encouragement, a child's first words, or the first time they said, "I love you." We tend to memorize what holds the deepest meaning for us, sometimes it is effortless. As we enter the final week of The Practice of Scripture series, we’ll focus on memorization—how committing Scripture to memory can transform our hearts and minds. The things we remember shape us, sustain us, and give us hope.

Imagine all the different foods you love. What’s your favorite meal? Your favorite dessert? Do you have any cherished family recipes that have been passed down through generations? Perhaps you’ve even learned to prepare some of these dishes yourself. Now, imagine if you couldn’t cook at all—relying solely on others, restaurants, or packaged meals. It would be a daily challenge, limiting your ability to nourish yourself well. In the same way, Scripture is described as spiritual food—something we are meant to live on, meditate upon, and draw nourishment from. But if we lack the ability to understand and study God’s Word, it’s like being unable to cook for ourselves. We become dependent on others for spiritual sustenance, making it difficult to receive consistent, life-giving truth. As we continue our Practicing the Way series on Scripture, we move from reading and meditating to the practice of studying God’s Word. Why is study essential? How does it shap

We go to the doctor to care for our bodies and to school to develop our minds. But to nourish our souls, we must immerse ourselves in the Word of God. Sunday, we ask, "How can we read and meditate on Scripture not just for information, but for transformation—encountering Jesus in a way that shapes us to be more like Him?

If God were to speak to you, how would He do it? Through a dream? A trusted friend? Circumstances? While God uses many ways to communicate, His primary voice is found in Scripture. For most of history, Scripture has been more than a story or just words on a page—it’s alive, active, and has transformative power. Today, we begin our Practicing the Way series on Scripture. Over the next four weeks, we’ll explore how to recognize God’s voice in His Word and align our daily lives with it to become more like Jesus. "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." — Hebrews 4:12

To make disciples who love God, love people, and serve the world.

There comes a point in our relationship with God where we desire not just to speak to him, but also to listen - "to hear His voice." As Jesus said in John 10:27, "My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow me." But how do we hear the voice of God? Today, we will learn how to sift through all the "voices" in our head as well as those coming from the outside to discern how God is speaking to us.

Last week, we practiced talking to God through pre-written prayers—like the Lord’s Prayer, the Psalms, scripture, and liturgies. Now, we take the next step: having a personal conversation with Him. Scripture encourages us to bring everything to God in prayer. Jesus even said, “If you ask anything in My name, it will be done.” But is that what prayer feels like to you? Do you talk to God about what He wants to hear? Are you willing to bring your hardest questions, fears, and struggles before Him? Today, we continue our journey in prayer, exploring gratitude, lament, petition, and intercession. Most of the concerns on our hearts fall into one of these categories. God invites us into an open, honest, and emotionally healthy conversation—where nothing is off-limits, and we can bring everything to Him.

To make disciples who love God, love people, and serve the world.

To make disciples who love God, love people, and serve the world.

The Prayer Practice: Talking to God 02022025 Sermon Notes Prayer Practice Talking to God Talking with God Listening to God Being with God Prayer as a practice is learning to set aside dedicated time to intentionally be with God, in order to become like him and partner with him to what he’s called us to do in the world What Jesus teaches his disciples to pray God is our Father Matt 7:9 -11 God is as close as air Worshipful enjoyment of our Fathers company “to hallow God’s name is to have a heart of grateful joy toward God - and even more, a wondrous sense of his beauty”. Tim Keller Our prayers make a difference Dictator/Vending Machine Our Father Far away in outer space Close as the air Symptom Management Delight in God What happens, happens Prayer makes a difference How Jesus teaches his disciples to pray The Lord’s Prayer ○ The Psalms Scripture ○ Singing Liturgy ○ Apps “There is no bad w

What’s something you look forward to? Maybe it’s spring break, a family vacation with good food and no distractions, or a quiet Saturday with nothing scheduled. We naturally find energy and joy in things that feel fulfilling and meaningful. What if Sabbath became that kind of day for you and your household—a weekly delight you couldn’t wait for? Imagine a day set aside for good people, rich conversation, and amazing food. A day free from stress, centered on what matters most: God, relationships, and rest. Today, Pastor Eric will talk about how to make Sabbath a day to embrace and look forward to. It’s not just a day of rest but a day of worship and renewal, where we give God our best and are filled by Him in return. Let’s discover how to intentionally plan a Sabbath that reflects Christ’s rhythms of rest and delight, filling our lives with His presence.

REST - good for personal reasons - good for spiritual reasons

What if God told you to stop? Where does your mind go? What’s the first thing you think He would want you to stop doing? If He’s telling you to stop, it probably means He’s had just about enough. But what if He’s saying, “Stop everything”? “Stop everything and come be with Me. Set aside all the things that need to get done.” He has a word for this: Sabbath. This week, we begin our series on Sabbath, starting with the idea of stop. Together, we will follow God’s example of taking a day for biblical rest. Let’s walk through the practice of Sabbath as a community.

The new year rings in hope of new beginnings, new opportunities and a fresh start. This 2025 we are venturing to follow Jesus in proven ways that Christians have found helpful for centuries. The goal is rather simple, be with Jesus, become like Jesus and to do as He did. Each month of this series we will focus on a different spiritual practice with the goal to intentionally allow it to shape our lives. I think it will be refreshing, challenging and maybe even a bit overwhelming. Creating new pathways and habits with God will tend to disrupt other places in our lives. The hope is we become more and more like Jesus. Experiencing God everyday is God’s original design and call to all of us. Please join us for our introductory Sunday “Practicing the way, experiencing God everyday.”

One of the most iconic songs we sing during Advent is "Silent Night, Holy Night." Yet, the events surrounding the birth of Jesus were far from silent or serene. The Star of David first appeared to the Magi, the shepherds, and to the world, but for many, its significance went unnoticed. Thousands of people saw the star but remained unaware of the greatest event in history unfolding before them, continuing to live as they always had. As we conclude our final message of 2024, we invite you to "Come and Adore," for our Savior is born!