Financial gravity is what makes us pursue our basic needs, but we can be pulled into pursuing wants rather than needs. We can sucked into the pull of more and forget the values of Jesus – humility, trust, forgiveness, and sacrifice. Worship opened with the movie trailer, “Gravity.” Pastor Mary’s message was based on Matthew […]
The treatment of immigrants (i.e. aliens, foreigners, stranger) is addressed throughout Scripture. God calls for people to be treated with love and care. The commandments to “love God and love your neighbor” are so closely connected that they are difficult to separate. How do we respond putting faith in Jesus first? We opened worship with […]
Brainstorming for Thanksgiving, Advent, & Christmas Worship Thank you to the 15 Lake Harbor and 5 Samuel Lutheran members who helped brainstorm ideas for worship. You can see what we came up with by clicking here. Click here to learn more about the Kingdom assignment.
The Second Amendment gets the most press among the Bill of Rights. As we consider the right to bear arms, we also must face the question about where we put our ultimate trust and what God’s vision and hope is for us. Pastor Mary’s message was based on Isaiah 2: 3-5 and Matthew 26: 47-56. […]
Extremists exist in every religious tradition, including Christianity. In Scripture, specifically in the Old Testament, we may struggle with the stories of leaders killing other groups and condoning genocide. Still today, there are those who claim to follow Jesus and seek violence in his name. If we hear God’s call that says, “Do not be […]
We’re always told that religion and politics are off limits in conversation, but our faith in Jesus Christ is inherently political. Believing and trusting in God puts us in relationship with the world God created and challenges us to engage issues. We are called to community, and even when we disagree, how can we be […]
Mealtimes are sacred and holy times, but we’ve lost the sense of what it means to be connected around the table. W hurry through meals, and many times we eat alone without taking time to enjoy the food or talk to one another. Family dinners are only for special occasions – or maybe a thing […]
People say you’re not supposed to talk about politics and religion, but we have to honest about the fact that our faith should affect every area of our lives including our political leanings (and vice versa). Even in Christian circles, there are political and social issues that divide Christians and can disrupt churches, communities, and […]
There are many people who say, “I can’t pray,” or they point to others who they say, “can really pray.” Jesus offers us a model for prayer after the disciples ask for his help, and it’s a place to start. How do we get past our struggle to pray correctly and get to a place […]
God is always in the business of resurrection – transforming us to be more like Christ when we surrender our lives to him. Part of surrendering to God is bringing all that we are – even the parts that we might try to hide like shame, guilt, struggle, regret, and grief. We aren’t defined by […]