What is the greatest commandment?

It was a question meant to stump Jesus, but it didn’t trip him up: Love God. Love Neighbor. Love Yourself.

But that wasn’t all Jesus said. He went on to say that all of the commandments and religious laws and every word of the prophets hangs on love. Boil this life down — hone in on its center — strip away everything else but the core and you’ll find love.

In many ways we know this to be true. We have experienced the power of love — we have felt for ourselves the way in which love can fill us and the world. And yet, it can feel too simple. Almost, cliche.

Simple? Maybe. Easy? Definitely not. That’s why we’re taking the month of September to look closely and carefully at ‘the greatest of these.’ Have we misunderstood or underestimated love? Have we become cynical? What might be some ways forward for us to become people of greater and deeper love? We look forward to the conversation and we hope you’ll join us.

July is a great month for vacations and outdoor fun! We also have some great opportunities to connect, learn new things and have fun with others at The Branch. Here’s what is happening in the life of The Branch in the month of July.

July 7 – Palmer Park Sunday – Discovering Our Connection

We’re going on a field trip! Instead of gathering at the building, we will gather at Palmer Park at 10am on Sunday, July 7.

Together we’ll explore Buck Creek to probe and discover what the natural world might have to teach us. For those feeling adventurous, you’ll step into a pair of waders and use nets to collect creek dwelling organisms. We’ll also need folks on land, collecting and identifying these cool creatures (there will be lots of ways to participate). Together, we’ll learn about the health and interconnectedness of the ecosystem.

For details on where we’re meeting and where to park click here: Palmer Park.

Fireside Chats

Every Tuesday evening in July, beginning on July 9 from 7-8:30pm, all are invited to the Herrboldt’s backyard for a time of connection and conversation…and s’mores of course! For more details and to let us know you are coming, click here.

Family Day

Each Sunday in July is Family Day at The Branch. For those Sundays that we will be at the building, there will be no BranchKids. We do this for a number of reasons. It gives our volunteers a chance to take a break from their responsibilities. And, it lets our kids know that they are a valued part of our community and we want to include them in all areas of our life together. We  know that having young kids in the sanctuary brings a different energy to our space – and we love that! We also recognize that kids might need some different ways to engage. To that end, we will be setting up a play space in the sanctuary with books, quiet toys and craft supplies. And, as always, our Art Cart will be stocked and available for anyone to use.

Sign up for a Group here.

In the fall of 2022, we felt that it was time to try something different. Not for the sake of being different, but because we wondered if the way in which we gathered needed to shift given all that has happened in the world and in our lives the last few years.

The result was an every other week rotation between ‘normal’ Sundays and ‘group’ Sundays. Normal Sundays were, well, normal in the sense that our gathering on those weeks looked a lot like it had previously.

Our ‘group’ Sundays began with all of us together for a quick time of connection and then we would head to the group of our choice. Each group centered around a wide range of topics and activities (we tried a bunch of things: Ultimate Frisbee, a reflective walking group, a group that made an art installation for Advent, a group that practiced silence as a spiritual discipline, and many more). What we found is that Group Sundays gave people more opportunity to connect relationally, try out a new skill or idea and look for God’s presence in what might seem like everyday, ‘non-spiritual’ activities.

Since then, we have offered a few different iterations of Group Sundays, learning more each time about what works, what is meaningful, and what we need to include. Below is a list of Groups that will be offered this June. Groups will run each Sunday from June 9-30.

Discussion: Nate DeWard will be hosting a discussion group where faith and current events will be discussed during Group Sundays. Nate has a history of independent thought and encouraging people to explore the perspectives of others. Through respectful listening, we hope to encourage thoughtful and wholehearted conversations that lead us into a deeper understanding of each other, of God, and of our world. *Note that this is the option for those joining online.*

Cooking: This is a group for both avid home-chefs as well as the novice cook! Some of us will learn new skills and some of us will get to pass on our kitchen knowledge to others! Each week, we will create a freezer meal together to donate to AYA Youth Collective. All ages are welcome in this group. If younger kids are joining us, we ask that an adult attends this group with them.

Movement: In this group, we will embrace the beauty that is Michigan in the summer and head outdoors. Two of the weeks will be a Reflective Walking group. The other two weeks will be Biking and Ultimate Frisbee. Come and experience connection outdoors with this group!

Silence: In a very noisy world, it’s hard to find time and space to be quiet. But that quiet space is so important as we try to live more fully as the truest version of ourselves. This group isn’t really a group. This will simply be a time and space to be still. There will be some gentle music playing in the background, but there will be no discussion or agenda…simply time to be.

In addition to these intergenerational groups, we will also have dedicated space for the youngest among us. The Nursery will be staffed for infants and toddlers. There will also be a specific BranchKids group just for kids ages 4-7 with active and creative projects so they can connect in meaningful, age-appropriate ways.

Sign up for a Group here.

Good Friday

We’re doing something different this year. Instead of a Good Friday gathering, we’ve set up stations of the cross in the sanctuary and are inviting people to come anytime between 5 and 7pm. You’ll walk through the stations at your own pace with a guide that provides Scripture, questions for reflection and a prayer for each station.

Easter Tailgate

We kick off Easter with food and joy. Join us at 9am (the forecast leads us to assume we’ll be downstairs in the community hall) for Easter Brunch! We’ll be providing place settings and a few basic foods. Feel free to bring something to share (homemade or store bought – it’s not a picky crew 🙂

Easter Gathering

Our worship gathering will take place at our normal time of 10:00am

Who do you want to be?
Who will you choose to be?

These questions are related, but they are not identical.
We may want to be many things, but without intention and action our desires remain just that.

As we begin a new year — who will we choose to be?
Who will I choose to be? Who will you choose to be?

How we answer that question matters. It matters is our lives, in the lives of those we love, and it even matters to the larger world. We consider three choices before us this year: will we choose to become people of humility and people who foster belonging and people who practice boldness.