Our theme this year is “how does a weary world rejoice?”. We’re borrowing that line from the Christmas carol, O Holy Night. It’s a line that holds tension and hope. Tension because both weariness and joy are present at the same time and hope because…well…weariness and joy are present at the same time. This morning […]
Teresa follows up on the conversation we had about Israel/Palestine (on 10/29) by asking the question – what is ours to do? How do we move toward wholeness in the face of so much that is wrong; in the face of constant pressure to perform; in the face of a belief that we should be […]
After our gathering we had a discussion on the current war, the decades of conflict that have preceded it and what it might cause us to wrestle with in our own lives here and now.
The attacks by Hamas, as well as Israel’s response, have created so much pain and destruction. Our hearts are heavy with the weight of this war and the decades long conflict that has preceded it. What are we to do in the face of such violence and loss? What can we do, if anything? Chris […]
Join us Sunday, October 15, at Camp Scottie for a day long retreat. We’re stepping away from our normal routine to intentionally slow down, connect with each other and consider our own personal values. We’ll be back at the building on 10/22 (see the blog post on Group Sundays) If you didn’t sign up for […]
This is a moment in history full of change, questions, uncertainty and loss. So much is shifting so quickly — including what it means to be Christian (not to mention…if…I want to be Christian). A moment like this calls for courage. Courage to dream new dreams; to allow our imaginations to be reignited. To admit […]
Presence is one of God’s greatest gift to us, and in turn, it is one of the greatest gifts we can offer to each other. We consider this core value — an intentional choice we can make to be present in our world, here and now.
Listen here for Week 3 in our Core Values Series. This week, we talk about Relational Grace.
Listen as we continue our conversation on our Core Values. This week, we talk about inclusivity and what that means for our shared life together.
Listen as we begin our Core Values series. This week, we will talk about partnership and what that means to us as individuals and to us as a faith community.
We all have values. That’s true as individuals, households and communities. We elevate and hold up certain ideas over others, and if we are lucky, find others who can help us live them out. After receiving input from The Branch community earlier this year, we’ve given new language to the building blocks of our life […]
Our final Sunday in Acts considers the last chapters of this book – chapters that show us the promising reality that God’s Spirit is given to us precisely in our gritty, messy humanness.
As summer draws to a close, join us at Garfield Park on Sunday, September 3, from 10-11a (we’ll be meeting in the parking lot off of Madison Ave. by the gym and splash pad). We’ll be walking through the park, stopping along the way to reflect on the Scriptures, our lives and the world. We’ll […]
One of the consistent themes in Acts (and the Bible) is conflict. From the very beginning of the story (Acts 6), we find rumblings of discontent. How do we overcome difference? Acts 15 doesn’t give us a 1-2-3 step plan, but it does offer insight to steps we can take to help conflict become something […]
We all know what it is to feel the tension between our differences. At the center of the stories in Acts is the tension between Jew and Gentile. Those first Christians were constantly having to work out what it means to not just tolerate ‘the other’, but to be their brother and sister.
Our dear friend Deborah leads us through the stories of Stephen. His life is the first witness to the scattering of those following Jesus — out from Jerusalem to Samaria to the ends of the earth. Stephen is willing and able — and that open posture leads to changed lives, including his own.
We consider Acts 3 and 4 – a story of boldness and courage, including a willingness to speak truth to those in power. How do we do the same?
Something has happened in Jerusalem — a pouring out of the Sacred Breath (Holy Spirit) — and it has begun to change people’s lives. Today we look at the end of Acts 2 where we see the impact of this revolution of intimacy.
God promises to come – and that coming takes place at Pentecost. But could anyone could have expected the way in which the Divine Spirit came to those first followers? What might this coming of fire, wind and language mean?
The disciples pose a question to Jesus in the days following his resurrection – a question that exposes their longings and hopes. Jesus’ response to their question was not what they expected. This week we consider this story and what it might mean for us.
