Waiting is not something we Americans like. We prefer staying busy and being productive. We’ve even figured out ways to hire people to wait in line for us! But waiting is a part of life — waiting for doctors’ test results, waiting to hear about that job interview, waiting for a wrong to be righted. This first Sunday of Advent we try to increase our awareness of the God who is with us in what we’re waiting for.
Read MoreWe miss not being with you all in person this morning, but we hope you feel at least some connection to our community after this message, which feels exciting to share with you all!
Read MoreKyle leads us in remembering loved ones lost by people in our community over the last year, sharing about his own recent loss, and about how a “This American Life” episode following a mother who lost her daughter in the Aurora, CO movie theater shooting has helped him experience Jesus’ comfort.
Read MoreWhen you hear or see something that strikes you as racist, sexist, classist, homophobic, Islamophobic, or cruel in any way, do you feel tempted to just be silent, for fear of discomfort? Or do you feel ready to speak up, but you’re not sure how? Jesus was never silent, and when he spoke up, he’s described as being “full of grace and truth”, or, we might say, “full of humility and courage”. Kyle offers some ideas on how we might pursue that balance.
Read MoreThe American Religious Right’s conflation of faith and partisan politics has been bad for the country and for faith... But, while Vince used to feel the best response to that was to strive to pursue an politically neutral faith (“both sides are equally bad/good when it comes to the model of Jesus”), he now feels that to be just as unsatisfactory... so what now?
Read MoreSharing from his own life regrets and from the work of Dr. Mirsolav Volf, Kyle encourages us that the magnetic and powerful life Jesus leads us into is found in choosing embrace over exclusion, in choosing self-sacrifice over others-sacrifice, and in resisting the power our in-group loyalty tests have over us.
Read MoreWe had big updates to share last Sunday on the health, operations, and finances of the church. If you feel invested in the project of this church at any level and weren’t able to be at the meeting, please give this recording a listen!
Read MoreKyle has often encouraged us toward embracing uncertainty (the wisdom of the Eastern Christian Tradition), but that begs a question: how does one pursue good or morality or righteousness or justice without certainty? Americans tend to rely on certainty to pursue these things, but there are other approaches that can help us feel more connected with God in the process, and, arguably, work better!
Read MoreTrue Peacemaking is accomplished through self-sacrifice, not protecting or preserving the status quo. Without attention to context, Jesus’ comment about bringing “not peace, but a sword” seems (at best) off-brand, and (at worst) became the rallying cry for the Crusades. But with some attention to Jesus’ context, we discover one of his most peacemaking and bridge building statements of all.
Read MoreBLV’s resident Spiritual Director gives us a crash course in hearing God’s voice by sharing from his life and unpacking three different historical perspectives on how to listen to God: Protestant, Catholic, and Charismatic.
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