Text: Mark 16:1-8He is risen! On this Easter Sunday, we read the Gospel of Mark’s account of the resurrection of Jesus. The story of Easter is that God is pleased to raise one who is absolutely forgotten and rejected from the dead. This is our experience as well; no one is forsaken or forgotten. Each…

“Still Breathing Life Into Dust: Living in the New”Text: Mark 2:18-22We continue our Lenten series from the Gospel of Mark, where the Pharisees ask Jesus why His disciples do not fast. His reply reminds us that the grace of God is not determinant upon our preconceived notions; like new wine in old wineskins, it bursts…

“Devastated Places”Isaiah 61:3-4We are pleased to welcome Rev. Hazel Seavey as our speaker for this year’s Faith Promise Sunday. Hazel is the Director of Widow’s Ministries for the non-profit organization Heart of Africa. Among the most neglected groups of people in Africa, widows face daunting challenges just to survive, much less to provide for their…

“How We See Jesus”Text: Mark 9:2-13As we prepare to enter the season of Lent, we read about Jesus’s transfiguration on the mountaintop before His disciples. This story allows us to recognize that the faith that we have in our Lord Jesus Christ can be something more than just something to hold onto each day but…

Authority for FreedomText: Mark 1:21-28We continue reading the Gospel of Mark to gain a better understanding of who Jesus is. In the story of Jesus driving out an evil spirit at the synagogue, we not only find that there is no power greater than God, but also that God is present and willing to walk…

“Longing for the Savior”Text: Mark 1:1-11We begin a year-long focus on the story of Jesus, specifically as recorded by the Gospel of Mark. The book begins with the baptism of Jesus and a simple statement about who He is; God is pleased to burst forth from the Heavens and make Himself present among us. We…

Joy of Every Longing Heart: “Peace”Text: Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26As we transition from the season of Advent to celebrate the coming of Jesus, we read about the story of God’s steadfast faithfulness in Psalm 89. Through Jesus, the story of God’s covenant found in this psalm becomes the story of all of us who are called…

Joy of Every Longing Heart: “Love”Text: Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13We continue looking at the book of Psalms this Advent season. Psalm 85 is a lament that is focused on faithfulness and in recognizing that God desires to restore relationship with His people. God’s salvation is not just a future that we look forward to. It is…

“Second Chances”Text: Ezekiel 34:11‐31As we mark the end of the church year with Christ the King Sunday, we testify to God’s primary place in our lives through Jesus Christ. This passage from Ezekiel emphasizes that our God desires to be known to His people and, like a good shepherd, is always seeking for us. God’s…

“Giving Grace vs. Manipulating Magic”Text: Acts 8:9-24This week, we review the story about Simon the Sorcerer, a trickster magician who tries to take advantage of the Gospel and the disciples to gain power for himself. In an unconventional message, Pastor Tim expresses a concern about the number of “Simon the Sorcerers” that exist in the…