For the Mountain: CommunityDear Church Family and Friends,If anything good came out of the pandemic it would include our awareness that social connection is essential to humanity's well-being. People need meaningful connection with other people. In this "For the Mountain" message series we are highlighting unique contributions that the Church can make to the people on our mountain. This Sunday we ...  Read More

For the Mountain: Christ Dear Church Family and Friends,Extraordinary things are sometimes difficult for us to wrap our hearts and minds around. But, when we can accept that something fantastic has happened, even something supernatural, it can positively change our lives.  This Sunday, we will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.  The eye-witness testimony supports that he was raised from the dead...  Read More

Preparing for What's Coming  Dear Church Family and Friends,Have you ever been "punched in the gut" physically or emotionally hard enough that you didn't know how to react other than to ask a question? "What was that for?" I got that once when I was running down a hillside in Arizona behind my brother when he turned around and stopped me in my tracks! Six feet ahead of us was a rattlesnake coiled ...  Read More

Controversy and Critical Questions Dear Church Family and Friends,When you are on a backpacking trip through a remote region, it can be critical that you stay with the plan for your journey. Questioning everything, when you are in the midst of following a plan, can be very disruptive to your ability to see the bigger picture and what is really important. Conflict, controversy and critical question...  Read More

Time's Up Dear Church Family and Friends,Do you remember when you were a kid and there was only so much time to play with your friends? Finally, the shout from a parent would come: "Times up... time to go!"  Everything comes to an end in this life.  Jesus' final journey to and into Jerusalem is recorded in Luke 19. In it we see that the time to decide about Jesus was at hand.  In those last critic...  Read More

Humble Trust Dear Church Family and Friends,We are "bombarded" through social media, advertising of various kinds, podcasts and other messaging with snippets of information intended to shape the way we think, feel and act. We are being influenced by whatever "influencers" we allow to speak into our moments throughout the day.  Whenever Jesus spoke or allowed his actions to be witnessed, it was not...  Read More

Two Short Stories Dear Church Family and Friends,Join us this Sunday as we continue our journey through the Gospel of Luke as Jesus gets nearer to the cross. In Luke 16, Jesus uses two stories (parables) that are sure to capture our attention and focus. It's a topic that is important to so many of us. In fact, our subject matter this weekend comprises 25% of Jesus' teaching in the New Testament. C...  Read More

Faithfulness No Matter What Dear Church Family and Friends,Human beings are generally creatures of habit. We get into routines without always understanding how we got there. Then, at some point, we become painfully aware that we lost our alertness and commitment to covenant faithfulness to the Lord and end up in a host of dysfunctions.  This section of Jesus' teaching calls us back to an alert and...  Read More

Recovering What Was Lost  Dear Church Family and Friends,Our best glimpses of the heart of God and some of Jesus' most meaningful teaching came in the context of some of His greatest criticism from religious leaders. This week's passage in Luke 15 shows tax collectors and sinners gathering around to hear Jesus. This drew criticism of Jesus from the religious.  Jesus' profound response came in the ...  Read More

Do Your Best and Trust God for the Rest Dear Church Family and Friends,As we continue to walk through the Gospel of Luke, we find ourselves at a turning point in Jesus’ ministry where He shifts His focus. He continues teaching to large crowds of people, mentoring His disciples and showing sympathy to the poor, the despised, the hurt and the sinful. He continues to heal the sick and call out the hy...  Read More

In Light of Jesus' Departure Dear Church Family and Friends,If you knew that in the next year you would pass from this life and be with the Lord, how would you live your last year here? Hopefully, you would live with purpose, love well, and pass on what those around you most need from you before you are gone. In light of Jesus' coming departure, He very intentionally delivered people, demonstrated...  Read More

The Messiah's TeachingDear Church Family and Friends,Jesus' teaching was not information to be stored, affirmed from a distance, and then ignored. He fully expected his disciples to take his message to heart and be transformed by Him. He gave himself to bring about powerful change in people.His new perspective on life and relationships was liberating. It gave hope to the poor, help to the hungry, ...  Read More