Lent. A six week period that ushers us towards Easter. A time of reflection and surrender. A gift. This year, we’ll use James Bryan Smith’s book, The Good and Beautiful Life to frame our conversation on Sundays. AND…we invite you to join with others for the six weeks of Lent in one of these three […]
Hope is the fuel that propels us into the future. That may seem a bit cliche, or perhaps overstated, but we all know the darkness that settles in when hope is gone. For the next three weeks we will turn our attention to what is propelling us into the future. We’ll consider what unique role […]
We all love something. And whatever we love, we will pursue (i.e. worship). Now, here’s the thing. We probably all know what we should love. But is knowing enough? (I may know that I should love foods low in fat, but…). Does just having the right information actually lead us to pursuing the right thing? As […]
The dominant theme of the Scriptures is one of renewal; of a God determined to create and recreate a world in which peace, justice, beauty and love reign. And our mission as a church is to be a community that is joined with God in that restoration. And yet, renewal can feel elusive. Brokenness often […]
A few times a year — including this Sunday, September 2 — we join with our brothers and sisters at Communidad Cristiana de Grand Rapids (CCGR). These times of worship have become an incredible blessing – giving us a small glimpse into the larger Kingdom of God. We hope you can join us. The service […]
History offers us a number of heroes. The Bible is no different. Characters like Moses, Ruth and Paul dominate the skyline, and for good reason. Their lives (both the good and bad) are instructive. Through them we see how God interacts with us. But most of the characters in the Bible, and most of the people in […]
We’re headed back to Ft. Custer Recreation Area for a great weekend of camping. Head to our Facebook event to learn more and let us know you’re coming.
Click here for all of the details
It’s back! Join us at 8:30am as we gather to celebrate the resurrection through great food, games and conversation. Weather permitting, we’ll be outside in the side lawn. If it’s too cold or rainy, we’ll meet in the fellowship hall. We’ll have some main fixings of a good Easter breakfast covered, including drinks. If you’re […]
“The wilderness of the Bible is a liminal space – an in-between place where ordinary life is suspended, identity shifts and the new possibilities emerge. Through the experiences of the Israelites in exile, we learn that while the biblical wilderness is a place of danger, temptation and chaos, it is also a place for solitude, […]
We are committed to being a church that practices unity in essentials, liberty in disputed matters and charity in all things. This framework provides a way for us to be in community as we encounter those “disputed matters” of faith (Romans 14) in which we might have differing viewpoints and interpretations. In Essentials: Unity We […]
We begin the journey home by looking at the story of the prodigal sons (Luke 15, esp. v. 17-20) and discovered that the journey home often begins with the journey inward.
Our 2nd week in a series looking at the overall direction and mission of the Branch. For notes on the sermon, click here: 9:17 Notes.
Transformation doesn’t come from effort alone. We can’t just hope or wish or even try really hard. Instead, we have to train ourselves into a new way of being. We have to practice. To that end, Join us any Wednesday morning from 8-8:45am at the Garfield Park Nature Center (see map below, entrance is on Jefferson) […]
The weather has turned cooler. The more relaxed pace of summer seems to be over. Here at The Branch, things are no different. Take a look at some of the things happening this Fall. Join us for one or join us for all. We’d love to have you! Fall Kick-off Party When: Saturday, Sept. 16 […]
Reconciliation finds its roots in the Latin meaning to bring back together what has been separated; to make good again. The Scriptures tell us that reconciliation is exactly what God is up to in the world, and we are called to join in that work. The Branch is a church committed to reconciliation that is […]
During the summer, join one of our missional communities at Garfield Park on Thursdays from 5:30-7:30pm (come whenever your schedule allows). We’ll have dinner together (bring place settings and something to pass), play and hang out. We’ll also continue to build relationships and support recent refugees who join us from time to time.
Loving the other is rarely easy, and more than often requires more of us than we think we can give. Thanks to Jeff and Sarah for being willing to share their story of how God has been at work in and through them as they chose love over fear. Verkaik from Chris DeBlaay on […]
We begin this series by looking at Christ’s unmistakable call to unity. We also work to reclaim the often forgotten truth that there is much more that binds us together than separates us, even in this debate. We also strongly encourage you to engage with these questions and readings this week to further reflect on […]
It’s easy to take for granted just how remarkable is the earth-bound rootedness of Jesus. Consider it: His feet touched this earth. He breathed this air. He called this place home. The places of Jesus both formed him and were transformed by him. Through Lent, we’ll explore some of the key places of Jesus’ life, […]
