Posts from May 2020

Posts from May 2020

Quarantined: Extra – Incarnation

Sacramental Life: Encountering the invisible God in the visible world The Incarnational Tradition focuses on the relationship between the invisible spirit and physical reality, helping us to see God’s divine presence in the material world in which we live. God manifests himself in his creation, even in the midst of mundane activities, whenever and wherever we acknowledge God. “Far from being evil, the physical is meant to be inhabited by the spiritual.” Richard Foster in Streams of Living Water copied…

Quarantined: Day 30

Today’s prayer will be a bit different than we have done on other Fridays. Today we reflect on the contemplative tradition which, “Put simply, the contemplative life is the steady gaze of the soul upon the God who loves us.” Richard Foster, Streams of Living Water So today I encourage you to find a comfortable and quiet place to sit. And close your eyes and sit in silence, focussing on the heart and attributes of God. Think about who he is,…

Quarantined: Day 29

Jesus said of himself, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12) He came into the world to pierce the darkness and shine the way to life for all humanity. He went on to say, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead…

Quarantined: Day 28

Many things are changing around us.  As some of us return to work and some of those same things we did before quarantine, we need to be cautious of things we didn’t need to before. But one thing that has stayed the same is what we are called to do as followers of Jesus, and that is to continue to spread the Gospel, not for our own sake but for everyone’s lives to be changed. Take a listen to this recording…

Quarantined: Day 27

Title: Turning TablesArtist: Suki Joseph PremnathArtist Statement:This was a very emotional piece of artwork to paint. When I was asking what I should be painting for social justice, this is the image that the Holy Spirit gave me. To be honest, I was taken by surprise that He would give me this image of an angry Jesus turning tables. I was full of doubt until the very last brush stroke, but I know this is exactly what He wanted me…

Quarantined: Day 26

Congratulations on making it to the last week of the “Quarantined: Using a Season of Solitude to Connect with God.” We began this journey together five weeks ago, not knowing what the state of the world would be when we reached the final week. Would things be back to normal? Would the virus be under control? Would we feel safe venturing out and be able to worship together face to face? We now know the answer to all these questions…

Quarantined: Extra – Word-Centered

Word-Centered Life: Living the life-giving message The Evangelical Tradition encompasses much more than simply converting people. The evangel – the “good news” – is God’s great message to humanity: that all can be redeemed and restored to its intended design. This is the message embodied in Jesus himself, rooted in the word of God, and ultimately expressed through the lives of those who follow Christ. It is a living tale of grace spoken in and through word and action. “This…

Quarantined: Day 25

Almighty God, When there was nothing good within me, you loved me and gave yourself for me. You have set me apart and called me to know and follow you. This calling is not to a set of rules and regulations or even a new religion but to you. To seek you. To follow you. To allow you to shape and form my heart into a pattern that looks more and more like Jesus every day. Shine your light in…

Quarantined: Day 24

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.”  Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.  Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up,…

Quarantined: Day 23

It’s hard to believe sometimes that we are going to see the other side of everything that is happening in the world around us. When I still hear the negative things still going on, it’s difficult to see the good in what’s happening. Scripture gives us an account of when the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness and the promise that God has for them in the Promised Land but they needed to travel on the journey to get there.…

New Normal

Life can be overwhelming, and finding your footing in this new normal is a challenge. But remember, you are not alone in your struggles.  Join us as we talk about real issues we’re all dealing with as we adjust to the new world we live in: Coping & Addiction (View Message) Marriage & Family (View Message) Mental  Health (View Message) Healthy Spiritual Rhythms (View Message) Through all 4 messages of this powerful series we interview experts in each of these areas to…

Quarantined: Day 22

ShineArtist: Suki Joseph Premnath Artist Statement: Have you ever felt hopeless that the light you shine in the dark world isn’t enough? We live in unprecedented times and we see so many people hurting in so many ways. The need is so huge, but here we are, carrying our flickering candle, holding it out for the world living in hopelessness and darkness. What is the point? Does it even matter that we shine? In Matthew 5:15, Jesus tells us to let…