Christ-shaped Giving (Lent Week 6)
You are probably familiar with a short story called “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry, even if you’ve never explicitly read it. It’s a story that’s been remixed and updated dozens of times. It’s too long to print, but I’ll give you the gist of it. A poor, young couple are barely scraping by. The wife has little more than a dollar, mostly in pennies scraped together, and…
Christ-shaped Space (Lent Week 5)
If someone says the word “home,” what do you picture? Is it your current living space? Is it some idealized version of home that’s been absorbed from old TV shows like “Full House” or “I Love Lucy?” For me, the idea of home is tied to my grandmother’s house. I remember how the hunter green carpet felt on my bare feet, the sound of her little poodle’s collar as she pranced…
Holy Week and Easter Egg Hunt
To celebrate Easter, all children are invited to our Holy Week and Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 27th at 1:00 p.m. Every child will get to go through four craft stations that share the story of Easter, and participate in an Easter egg hunt. Preschool activities will be available as well so there will be fun for the whole family! Volunteers are needed to lead the…
Christ-shaped Community (Lent Week 4)
I went searching around for an image of Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper and I found this. I don’t know why I expected any different… Doesn’t have the same ring to it, does it? Of course, not. Dinner over video chat isn’t the same as sitting down elbow to elbow, passing platters, and clinking glasses over the table. We get to know people by sitting down to a meal together.…
Christ-Shaped Time (Lent Week 3)
by Shawn Simic Last year I was introduced to the practice of silence and solitude for the first time. It may be more accurate to say that I was forced into it for four hours for a school assignment. Honestly, I was dreading it. I could not imagine being alone and quiet for four whole hours. However, I found I was not alone, God was there and it turned out to be an amazing…
Christ-shaped Teachers (Lent Week 2)
by Rev. Tim Bounds My sister was recently telling me about my brother and a treasured family friend cutting down a rogue tree in the yard where I grew up. The only tool available to do the job was an antique 2-man cross cut saw. Duane, my brother, had some experience with the saw. On the other hand, Sara, the family friend, had never seen this kind of saw in use. Still,…
Christ-shaped Meaning (Lent Week 1)
Activity: What Can It All Mean? Five ridiculous words are listed below. Without looking them up first, imagine what these rare words mean. Make a game out of it! Everyone write down a definition for each word. If you’re reading with someone today, compare definitions. Acnestis Agelast Baksheesh Boondoggle Verdigris When you’re done, look up the words in the dictionary…
Re-Building a Christ-shaped Life
If you take the time to look, you never know what you might find. If you get off the interstate and drive the old highways, you’ll pass through mostly forgotten towns and see… well, you never know. You might see the startling beauty of tended fields and wild mountains. You might see heartbreaking loss and depravity. You never know what you might find when you take…
Much Needed Rest
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Church Update 04.28.2020
Greetings, Church Family. I hope you are healthy and safe in this strange season. More than that, I hope you are finding new ways to flourish in this time of pandemic. Our hearts are burdened for those who are suffering in this time: students and teachers who have had to alter their schedules; graduates who are missing out on a major milestone; healthcare professionals…