Easter: A Surprising Journey (4.1.18)
This Easter, we are reminded that hope and new life can come from pain and loss. The journey isn’t pretty or easy, but the resurrection reminds us of our hope. He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Entries by Teresa
Navigating Conflict
Series: April 8, 15 and 22. Training: Saturday, April 28 Our world is in desperate need of resurrection. Perhaps this is especially true as we consider the destructive ways we are treating each other when we have varying viewpoints (be they political, theological, etc.). From dinner tables to debate stages we witness a growing inability […]
A Journey Through the Wilderness: A Journey to the True Self (3.18.18)
This is our last sermon in the series about the wilderness. Our journey took us through simplicity and lament, and showed us lies that we are tempted to believe about our identity. This week, we turn to find our true self. What can we learn about our own identity from Jesus’s responses to the tempter […]
A Journey into the Wilderness: A Simple Journey (3.11.18)
When Jesus was in the wilderness, the devil tempted him with things like power, prestige, possessions and control, all in an effort to make Jesus act in a way that was not true to his identity. We are tempted in the same way. What false things are we being tempted to believe? And what do […]
A Journey into the Wilderness: A Sorrowful Journey (3.4.18)
As a culture, we too often skip over lament. We like to ‘roll up our sleeves’ and get to work fixing whatever is broken. While there is good in doing that, we miss the opportunity for growth and transformation if we skip the step of lament. It is modeled for us in the Bible over […]
A Journey into the Wilderness: A Simple Journey (2.25.18)
The wilderness is a place to wrestle with our identity. It’s a place where we must face and respond to our temptations. And it’s also a place where we experience God’s provision.
A Journey Into the Wilderness: The Spirit-Led Journey (2.18.18)
We know the wilderness to be a place that is harsh yet stunning, barren yet beautiful. It is an in-between place, to be sure. And when we willingly enter its vastness, there are things we discover about ourselves, our world and our God. Perhaps that’s why the wilderness shows up time and time again in […]
The Church: One Body, Many Parts (2.11.18)
This week, Yakuv Gurung joined us to tell us more about the people of the Nepali Speaking Community Church (NSCC). We share a building, but we don’t often see each other, so this was a great chance to hear stories of NSCC. Yakuv also shared with us an exciting opportunity to plant churches in Nepal.
The Church: Many Parts, One Body (2.4.18)
We were thrilled to have Earl James with us this past Sunday. Earl is the Reformed Church in America’s (RCA) Coordinator of Cultural Agility and Advocacy. This is what the Lord Almighty says, “Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each of them with cane in […]
The Church: Many Parts, One Body
What does the Church look like? Not just this church and not just the one down the street, but the whole, capital “C” world-wide Church? We are inviting other voices to our pulpit for three weeks to hopefully gain a broader perspective on what is happening in the Church. Join us on this journey as […]
The Church: Many Parts, One Body
This week, we begin a 3 week series about The Church: Many Parts, One Body. One of the joys of sharing a building with 2 other churches is the relationships that form. Some happen naturally, but others require intentionality. This week, Nate led a conversation with our friend Rodrigo Cano, who told us more about […]
Walk Humbly with God (1.21.18)
We wrap up our series on Micah 6:8 this week, looking at how we are to humbly walk with God. How can we have the same attitude as Jesus Christ? Collectively, as a church, we are committed to saying these things: 1. I don’t have it all figured out. 2. I need you, even if […]
Love Mercy (1.14.18)
This week we learned about the Hebrew word for love (hesed) in Micah 6:8. Love: Hesed is compassionate and loyal love. Listen here to learn more about how we can show hesed (love) in our own lives.
Act Justly (1.7.18)
On this first Sunday of 2018, we begin a new sermon series based on Micah 6:8: He has shown you, o mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God. But what does it mean to ‘act justly’? And […]
Act. Love. Walk.
What does the Lord require of you? It’s an intentionally provocative question the prophet Micah asked the people of Israel; a question many of the Israelites would have been confident answering. But then Micah throws a curve ball. The answer, it seems, makes perfect sense, and yet is completely unexpected. What does the Lord require […]
God’s Loyal Love: Psalm 107
On this last Sunday of 2017, we revisited the word sankofa. We took some time to look back so that we can move forward, remembering God’s loyal love. If you haven’t already done so, we invite you to read Psalm 107 to be reminded of God’s loyal love, both to the Israelites so many years ago […]
God With Us: Shepherds (Week 4)
Listen here for the brief Christmas Eve sermon, concluding our “God With Us” series.
Christmas Eve at The Branch
Christmas Eve is one of our most anticipated gatherings and we’d love for you and your loved ones to join us. The Branch is a place where everyone is welcome. Our time together on the 24th will include the singing of carols, a performance by our choir (and drum circle!), a dramatic reading of Christ’s […]
God With Us: Joseph (Week 3)
We continue our Advent series this week with Joseph’s story. What was it like to be in Joseph’s shoes? What do we learn about God and about ourselves through this story. We invite you to explore these questions and more while listening to this podcast. There are times of silence in the podcast to allow […]
God With Us: Mary (Week 2)
This week, Brian Workman led us in the practice of Lectio Divina. Our BranchStudents group helped lead this practice by explaining how it works and reading the story for us. We invite you to spend some time with this story (Luke 1:26-56) and listen to what God might be telling you through it. Where does […]
