When God created the first human being, it became apparent to God that it was not good for the human to be alone (Genesis 2:18). The ancient concept of a village takes this idea to heart. Humans, for thousands of years, have formed communities for relationship building, safety, education, mutual edification, and spiritual formation. When villages were created, they were constructed with a very intentional layout. The space and the customs of the village also created a distinctive mentality and worldview. Jesus spent a great deal of his ministry defining and describing what true community looks like. He demonstrated this in his everyday encounters with people from every walk of life. Ultimately, he told his Disciples: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13: 34-35) In this series, we will consider some of the essential elements that create community and allow us to be the beloved community of God. The African proverb says: “It takes a village to raise a child.” Jesus helps us expand this concept to ALL people and reminds us that, in order to be a village, we need a God-inspired village mentality.

There are phrases we hear so often in church that they start to feel like Scripture… even when they’re not. “Everything happens for a reason.” “God won’t give you more than you can handle.” “God helps those who help themselves.” “Once saved, always saved.” We might call these Christian-isms – common sayings that sound faithful, feel comforting, and get passed down from one generation to the next. Some hold a grain of truth. Some are well intentioned attempts to make sense of pain or offer hope. They show up in hospital rooms, at kitchen tables, in moments when we are trying to make sense of something hard or offer a word of hope. And some, if we’re honest, can do more harm than good when they are spoken too quickly or held too tightly. In this series, we’re slowing down and taking a closer look: What do these phrases actually mean? Where did they come from? Why do we hold onto them? What do they get right? And what do they miss? Do they reflect the heart of the gospel, or have they replaced it in subtle ways? And what happens when real life doesn’t fit neatly inside a one-line answer? Christian-isms often sound biblical, but many are shaped as much by culture as they are by Scripture. And while we might be able to point to a verse that seems to support a familiar phrase, there are often other passages that offer a different voice, a broader perspective, or even a challenge to what we’ve assumed. In this series, we’re inviting you to come explore a different way of thinking about some of the most common Christian-isms we encounter and to hopefully move beyond easy answers and into a fuller, richer understanding of who God is and how God meets us in the real stories of our lives.

In the midst of a world focused on being right, successful, and victorious, scripture offers another vision. What if our calling is not to be consumed by who has won, but to remember that we are one? This series explores three of the shortest psalms in the Bible, brief songs that carry critical wisdom for a divided world. Though few in words, these ancient prayers remind us of God’s expansive love and call us toward the sacred work of living together in unity. In a season when so many voices compete for our attention, these psalms offer a different rhythm. They encourage us to slow down, listen more carefully, and remember that our shared humanity is greater than any label, party, or position. The world may ask us to choose between winning and losing. The gospel invites us to connection and community. Together, we will discover what it means to be one people, grounded in God’s love, calmed by God’s presence, and united by God’s grace.

The majority of the Bible was written by people who were living under oppression. We tend to forget that the Bible is the “Minority Report” of God’s people living through a variety of trials, travails, exiles, occupations, and marginalization. In the midst of life’s challenges, the Bible is constantly lifting up the gifts of God that will not fail regardless of the circumstances. The Advent and Christmas season of our time has a much different feeling. Christmas is a popular time even among many non-Christians. The lightheartedness can be wonderful, but it can also be somewhat superficial. Without the true substance of Christmas, we easily fall into depression as soon as the “holiday” is over. Advent reminds us of the unfailing nature of God. The four words we focus on in Advent are not casual or temporal words; they are the gifts of God that endure. The gift of the Christ child was foretold by the prophets during a time when hope, peace, joy, and love seemed absent to the Israelites. Then, God entered the world as a baby born to a poor Jewish family from an unnoteworthy place. It is this event that transformed the world, and us, because Christmas is about the unfailing gift of Jesus. In this series, we will explore how Jesus, the incarnation of God, embodies these four eternal attributes.

There is something inspiring about a building that has been designed to incorporate natural elements. Light, air, shapes, organic materials, and native landscaping bring a space to life. In a world that is often overrun with the artificial, entering a place that utilizes natural features captures our imaginations and renews our souls. Our greatest resources are the ones we acknowledge have been provided by God. We have been designed by God with natural gifts and abilities. When we allow these gifts to channel through us, we are living into the architecture of God. As God designs a world of natural abundance, we are designed for generosity. The new year creates an opportunity. God does not invite us to be overwhelmed by false and unnatural expectations. Instead, by God’s grace, we can live with intentionality and purpose. We can live and thrive “By Design.”

The Church often has a reputation for being serious, structured, thoughtful, and sometimes even a little stuffy or rigid. Faith invites us to wrestle with important questions and engage in deep reflection. But what if there is also room for curiosity, creativity, and play? What if God intends for joy and imagination to be part of our spiritual lives? Sometimes it is through laughter, wonder, and even a bit of holy absurdity that we discover new truths about ourselves, our neighbors, and God. In this short series, we will explore how the power of play can expand our perspective, spark our imagination, and deepen our relationship with the divine.