WEEKLY Teaching
Speaker: Ethan Hall & Scott Boyer
Title: Generous Justice
Date: November 3, 2019
Synopsis: Ethan Hall and Scott Boyer team up to bring us a sermon based in the book of Isaiah. God’s people struggled to follow the call of God, they were conquered, they were in exile and yet God used the prophet Isaiah to speak to them. To remind them of something … something important. What might our lives look like if we follow the idea of Generous Justice?
Weekly Talkback
November 6, 2019 - Moses, Law, Jesus and New Covenants
Synopsis: It isn't uncommon for people to come to a conclusion that God in the Old Testament and God in the New Testament are different. And when we talk about topics like "Justice" this difference feels like it is even more apparent. Pastor Nick talks about the law handed down by Moses (Eye for an Eye) and Jesus' appropriation of it when He tells us to "turn the other cheek." Why the difference? And how does this apply to Generous Justice?
Weekly Teaching
Speaker: Pastor Nick
Title: Generous Orthodoxy
Date: November 10, 2019
Synopsis: It can be uncomfortable to pit orthodoxy against generous orthodoxy but we look to Luke 13:10-17 for our teaching time as we watch Jesus do this very thing when he heals a woman on the Sabbath. How does the idea of making space in our “right thinking” help us to engage the world with our faith?
Weekly Talkback
November 13, 2019 - Parents and Children
Synopsis: Why couldn't mankind eat from "The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil?" Was God trying to hide some measure of good from us? Or, is it possible that what God was doing is far more relatable to us as parents and or children? Perhaps God was trying to preserve something very important. And . . . maybe, just maybe only God understood the far reaching consequences of this fruit.
Weekly Teaching
Speaker: Al Aleman
Title: Generous Neighboring
Date: November 17, 2019
Synopsis: Al Aleman is a career carpenter now at the age of 82. For many decades Al used his gifts to care for the church, church property and church community. But, now he cannot do that same hard manual labor. BUT, He has chosen to allow God to use him in a new way: bringing our message on this day. Al uses the Parable of the Good Samaritan to help us see how God has called us to neighbor. Our service finishes with a story from Ed Zeager.
Weekly Talkback
November 20, 2019 - The Despised Samaritan
Synopsis: Let's press a little further into the Parable of the Good Samaritan - why do some translations, in verse 33, use the word "despised" to describe the Samaritan man? If we look for an explanation does it help us understand the parable better? And does it make it that much more powerful when Jesus describes who our neighbor is?
Weekly Teaching
Speaker: Pastor Nick Ressler
Title: Generous Thanks
Date: November 24, 2019
Synopsis: Pastor Nick uses satire to discuss thankfulness and a lack of thankfulness. Satire is the use of humor, exaggeration and sarcasm to communicate a truth. In this particular topic we discuss loving one another, encouraging one another, being present and focusing on others in our prayers.
Weekly Talkback
November 27, 2019 - From Ba-humbug to Baby Jesus
Synopsis: Pastor Nick opens up about his own negativity around this holiday season and tries to be honest about why he has often felt that way. But, when we really lean into the reason for this season and understand what this is all about it becomes easier to let go of some of the pain, consumerism and disappointment and begin to be excited about something like the incarnation.