Community Conversation – Staying Human in the Age of AI

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Right now, AI is everywhere.

Every day headlines break. Commercials boast of its promise and power. It’s a part of our every day lives more and more.

And no matter what you think of AI, everyone agrees: the revolution is happening at lightening speed.

Our time together will consider…

  • What exactly is AI? Who should we believe?
  • What are the benefits, threats and costs? Is the world ending or just beginning?
  • What might we be able to do to stay human in an increasingly tech-centric world?
  • What does faith, if anything, have to say about this revolution?

We’re meeting at JB’s Pizza at 5pm.

Tickets are free. The pizza is too (we’re asking folks to sign up here)

We hope you’ll join us (and invite a friend).

Dancing in the Darkness

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Most of us can feel it. We’re living through a season of great upheaval and change, and it can feel overwhelming, even hopeless. But we aren’t the first to face times like these. Wise and courageous people have gone before us, and they show us that it’s possible not only to survive  the darkness, but to thrive.

That kind of life doesn’t happen by accident. It takes strength and joy, cultivated day by day, and that’s where we’ll focus this October and November. Drawing on the ancient Scriptures and the recent book Dancing in the Darkness, we’ll explore how we can become people who are changed, so that we can take part in changing the world. Come join us.

The Psalms – 6.28.26

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The second psalm of disorientation – this time a song of communal lament.
We know what it is like to feel communal loss — and in these psalms the psalmist is willing to say just about anything to get God’s attention. Perhaps we can be encouraged by this brutal honesty.

Spotify Link

Giving to Rooted and Restored

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A helpful first step is to complete a short google form that gives us a valuable sense of how much, and when, our community plans to give to Rooted and Restored. Information shared in this form is confidential and not binding.

[ Share your Commitment to Give ] →  Click here

 

If you are ready to give we invite you to consider three options:

  • Write a personal check (please put “Rooted and Restored” in the memo line)
  • Send a check directly from your bank to The Branch at 973 28th St. 49508  (please put “Rooted and Restored” in the memo line)
  • Make a contribution through ChurchCenter
    • Choose “Rooted and Restored” from the Fund dropdown
    • If possible, we ask that you give through your bank.
      • Paying via ACH only adds a $0.30 fee, versus paying with a credit card.

All donations are tax deductible as The Branch is a registered 501c3.

 

We need everyone.

Financial gifts are one way to support Rooted and Restored. We also welcome the gifts of time and skill to complete various building related improvements (i.e. painting, landscaping, basic upkeep needs) . Volunteering in these ways frees up resources and helps us create more welcoming space. Click here to see the list.

We also invite you to consider who you know. Do you know a contractor who could help us with one of the projects? Do you know someone who would be open to making a gift because they know the impact The Branch has had in your life? Are there grants you know of that could help us? Email chris@thebranchonline.org if you have someone you can connect us with, or if you’d like to volunteer.

Hope in Action – A Community Conversation

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May 17, 5-6:30p

973 28th St. SE

You may have felt hopeless or unsure of what you could do as immigration enforcement upends the lives of our neighbors and communities. Join us for pizza and conversation as we learn from our guests, and together find courage and hope.

GR Rapid Response to ICE and Hope for Neighbors are grass-roots nonprofits working alongside people who have been detained and their families. They will share stories of their work and ways we can be involved to offer care and support. We’ll also hear from a couple who visited North Lake Processing Center – an experience that moved them to action and love.

Get your free ticket here

CREATE 2026

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Join us the week of June 15 from 6:30-8:30 pm for a week of creativity and fun! Classes will be in session Monday-Wednesday. Thursday night is our Celebration and Gallery Night from 6:30-7:30pm. Friends and family are invited to see what the kids have been up to all week, as well as share in an opportunity to join the creative fun! Games, ice cream and pictures from the week will be a part of that celebration.

CREATE is an art camp for kids entering K-8th grade. Each child chooses one age-appropriate class to attend. They spend their time creating, getting to know one another and having fun. We love coming alongside kids as they tap into their own unique creativity – even when they don’t even know that creativity exists! Scroll down for the list of classes.

For the latest updates, be sure to like our Facebook page (facebook.com/CreateGR).

Registration is now OPEN! Click here to register.

Class Options for Grades K-1:

PLAYMAKERS LAB: Using found objects to create things we can play with! 

NAILED IT!: Love baking? Horrible at baking? Awesome! Baking can be tough. Let’s celebrate fun and failure!

CLAY CREATIONS: Come bring your imagination to life with colorful polymer clay creations!

 

Class Options for Grades 2-4:

WOODWORKING: Assemble and decorate a project made out of wood! (No power tools will be used in this class)

MIXED MEDIA: We’ll learn to draw some of our favorite animals and get extra creative by combining watercolor, colored pencils, collage, and more to bring our drawings to life.

PAINTING: A canvas painting class. Some projects will have a bit of meaning and story, while others will be lighthearted designs. Join us as we create one-of-a-kind pieces of art!

 

Class Options for Grades 5-8:

DYEING TECHNIQUES: Learn and explore different techniques to dye paper and fabric. 

POLYMER CLAY EARRINGS: Students will design, create and take home several pairs of unique, handmade, clay earrings. 

CHARACTER DRAWING: Character art is used in media like gaming, animation and manga. But it doesn’t stop there. Learn tips and techniques to bring your characters to life.

PUNCH NEEDLE: Learn how to make a picture with a punch needle.  It’s like painting with yarn as the paint.  We’ll explore other yarn fiber arts as time allows such as crochet or making yarn with a drop spindle.

A picture of a DNA strand with print overlaying it listing the five core values of The Branch.

Series: Core Values

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After celebrating 20 years as a community we’re circling back to our core values.

This five week series will reflect on what we are committed to prioritize and live out.

January 17 – Partnership

January 24 – Inclusiveness

February 1 – Purposeful Presence

February 8 – Relational Grace

February 15 – Courageous Creativity

Epiphany and Empire – 1.4.26

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The first Sunday of the New Year is traditionally the week when we turn our attention to the story of the Magi. These visitors are not what anyone would have expected — and they create a stark contrast when held up against Herod and the religious leaders. Ultimately, it’s a story posing the question: empire or shalom? A question relevant to us today.

Spotify Link

It’s time to celebrate!

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The Branch is officially 20! Join us on January 11 from 10am-noon as we look back and celebrate 20 years together. There will be music, pictures, memories to share, collective art to create, snacks…and of course cake!

A lot has happened in 20 years. There have been highs and lows and everything in between. But through it all, God has been faithful and we have been steadfast in our vision to be a community united with Christ in the renewal of all things. That is worthy of a celebration and we hope you will join us.

The Christmas Season

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Christmas Eve – 5pm

Sunday after Christmas: Potluck brunch and carols

 

This Advent, we’ll be considering four stories from Jesus’ birth narratives.

Sanctified Art, whose poetry and art we will use throughout the series, outlines the series this way:

Luke’s Gospel begins the story of Jesus with this opening line: “In the time of Herod…” This detail may seem minor to modern readers, however, it reveals layers of information about the fearful world Jesus entered, one filled with rampant oppression, economic disparity, uncertainty, and instability. A world not so unlike our own. And yet, throughout the stories of Christ’s birth, the whispers of angels deliver a surprising message: “Do not fear.” In our own time, we might ask: is it even possible to be fearless in a fearful world? When Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the magi are each called into God’s redemptive story, they do not deny their fears—they move through them. They ask questions, hold fast to courage, trust
in good news, and say, “Here I am, Lord.” When we find ourselves in fearful times, can we acknowledge our fears while also insisting on hope?

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for daily posts that asks important questions, share beautiful, provoking artwork, and offer encouragement to press on.

 

Series Themes:

November 30 – In the Time of Herod, We Long for God to Break In

December 7 – When We’re Running Out of Hope, God is at Work

December 14 – Even in Our Fear, We Are Called Forward

December 21 – When You’re Afraid, Give Me Your Hand

December 24 – Good News is Louder Than Fear

Our Christmas Eve gathering is at 5pm

The Future of Christianity

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On November 9 we invited the community to join us a local pizza shop to consider The Future of Christianity.

From the gathering:

A pdf version of the slide deck can be found here.

An audio recording is on our podcast.

Additional Resources:

One of our topics Sunday night was Empire. Interestingly, I’ve had a number of thought provoking pieces come through my inbox in just the last couple of days. They challenge us to rethink — and retell — the story of Christianity. I hope you find them helpful.

Peace-

Chris

The Garden and the Empire: on gilded halls and golden toilets by Christy Berghoef

“The future we need is one patterned after the wisdom of ecosystems, not empires. A future where the measure of a life is not how high you climbed, but how well you belonged. Where prosperity is shared, is regenerative, and is circular. Where wealth is not a fortress but a common place. Where children inherit not ash, but orchards.”

 

Empire is not Beautiful by Diana Butler Bass

“We aren’t a Christian America. Not even a little. We’re the opposite. And genuine Christian faith — the entire message and ministry of Jesus — is counter-cultural resistance to all of this.”

 

Beyond Algorithms and Empires by Kaitlin Curtice

“Why am I writing about algorithms and empires? Because they are everywhere, controlling and restricting us, making monsters out of us, polluting our very souls. We exist in a heavy and difficult time, and I need us to hold space right here, right now, as we dream of what’s ahead.”

The Fruit We All Need

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With surprising regularity, humans choose to live in a way that harms others and/or themselves, not to mention the planet. And no one is immune. Every. Single. Person knows what it is to “feed the compulsions of selfishness” (Galatians 5:16, The Message).

Today, we see all too well the poisonous outcomes of such a choice (in our own lives to be sure, and also in the ways those in power exact cruelty and harm as they act out of selfishness).

But there is another way. A way that changes us so profoundly that we begin producing life-giving fruit.

Called ‘the fruits of the Spirit’ in the New Testament, these nine virtues change us so that we can join in the work of changing the world.

We do not need to be ruled by shallow self-interest. There is another way. Join us as take this journey together.

 

Starting September 7…

  • The Love We All Need

  • The Joy We All Need

  • The Peace We All Need

  • The Patience We All Need

  • The Kindness We All Need

  • The Goodness We All Need

  • The Faithfulness We All Need

  • The Gentleness We All Need

  • The Self-Control We All Need

Sunday – August 24!

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NOTE: August 24 – 10:00am

We’re taking a field trip!

A member of our community, Dale Hulst, has been building a net-zero home on the NE side of the city. This home is cutting edge in its construction – and has been visited by local and state-wide politicians, building groups, architects so that they can learn the techniques used and develop policies that might lead to the building of more homes like it.

On Sunday, the 24th, we won’t meet at the building, but instead will meet at this home at 720 Eastern Ave. NE (you can also join us via our live-stream on YouTube).

Now, you may be saying, “Home construction…that’s not really my jam.” We hear you. But this morning is about more than this home. Yes, we’ll hear Dale’s story and take a tour, but we’ll also consider the larger call God extends to all of us to be good stewards of this earth, and we’ll and learn practical steps we can take (in whatever type of home we might live in) to limit our energy impact.

Summer Sundays

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Summer has a different rhythm in Michigan.

We lean into this unique time by gathering on Sundays in different ways during the summer.

August 24 – 10:00am – Field Trip!

A member of our community, Dale Hulst, started a company and has been building a net-zero home on the NE side of the city. This home is cutting edge in its construction – and has been visited by local and state-wide politicians, building groups, architects and others passionate about climate change.

On Sunday, the 24th, we won’t meet at the building, but instead will meet at this home – 720 Eastern Ave. NE.

We’ll hear the house’s story, take a tour, and learn steps we can take (in whatever type of home we might live in) to limit our energy impact.

June 29 and July 27 – Group Sundays

These two Sundays offer a number of options to folks. Children and students are welcome and encouraged to participate in any of the choices below.

We spend the first 15 minutes of these mornings in the sanctuary together, and then we split into various groups for 45 minutes before coming back together for a brief conclusion. On 6/29 the options include:

  • This Sunday (6/29) is a Group Sunday – which simply means there are options for how you spend your time.
     
    SILENCE – use the 45 minutes to simply ‘be’ in the sanctuary. There is not a leader or liturgy – simply space for peace and quiet (who doesn’t need that).
    DISCUSSION – enter into an honest and open conversation on topics relevant to our world and our lives (this Sunday we’ll be using recent reflections on spiritual growth from Richard Rohr).
    GAMES – choose a board or card game (or bring a favorite) and join others in laughter and connection
    WALKING – a leader will take the group on a reflective walk – giving time to slow down and practice presence.

 

July 6 – Serve Sunday

We’ll be making frozen dinners for AYA – one of our partnering organizations. All ages are welcome to participate.

Neighborhood Clean Up

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Sunday, May 25 – 10:00-11:15am

  • 9:45am – meet at building (973 28th St. SE) for coffee and donuts
  • 10:00am – walk down to Mackay/Jaycee Park
    • We’re partnering with the Alger/Garfield Green Team to clean up wooded areas in the park.
    • Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty, considering bringing a pair of gloves. We’ll have all tools/trash bags/etc.
  • 11:15am – walk back to The Branch building

Caring for God’s creation and serving our community our deeply held values at The Branch. We’d love for you to join us!

Easter Weekend

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Here’s what we have planned this weekend.

Good Friday – 7pm

This poignant evening invites us into the final hours of Jesus’ life. We’ll share the bread and cup of the Last Supper, as well as other foods commemorating the feast of Passover, as Jesus would have with his disciples. We’ll then turn to the events of Jesus’ betrayal, arrest, conviction and death. Finally, we’ll move to the tomb and there bear witness to the grief and the love present.

 

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

Everything In Between – Work and Rest (3.23.25)

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Janelle offers insight into Luke 13 – the story of the fig tree. It’s a story filled with tension, a call, and hope.

Finding Our Footing

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In this moment of great upheaval, we need each other to help us stand up and find our way forward.

We’re holding three conversations on what a Christian response might be to the first 100 days of the current administration. So much has changed — too much to keep track of — yet we must not lose courage or hope.

  • March 23 & April 13 – join us in person at The Branch or on Zoom. We’ll start at 11:45a and go for about an hour.
  • May 4 – we’re considering an evening event at a local eatery. More details to come.

invitation

CREATE 2025

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Join us the week of June 16 from 6:30-8:30 pm for a week of creativity and fun! Classes will be in session Monday-Wednesday. We’ll take a break Thursday night in observance of Juneteenth. And then we’ll come back on Fridya night for a party to celebrate creativity! Friends and family are invited to see what the kids have been up to all week, as well as an opportunity to join in the creative fun! Games, ice cream and pictures from the week will be a part of that celebration.

CREATE is an art camp for kids entering K-8th grade. Each child chooses one age-appropriate class to attend. They spend their time creating, getting to know one another and having fun. We love coming alongside kids as they tap into their own unique creativity – even when they don’t even know that creativity exists! Scroll down for the list of classes.

For the latest updates, be sure to like our facebook page (facebook.com/CreateGR).

Registration is now OPEN! Click here to register.

Class Options for Grades K-1:

CARDBOARD CREATIONS: A chance to explore different artistic skills (paint, drawing, color combination, engineering, and design) all with cardboard! Participants will create objects to both admire AND play with.

NAILED IT!: Love baking? Horrible at baking? Awesome! Baking can be tough. Let’s celebrate fun and failure!

 

Class Options for Grades 2-4:

TINY GARDEN VILLAGES: A magical art class where creativity meets nature! Kids will design and build their own enchanting garden communities, crafting miniature houses, play areas, and tiny structures perfect for little mythical creatures or small backyard critters. Using a variety of materials—natural elements, recycled items, and colorful craft supplies—each child will bring their unique vision to life.

PHOTOGRAPHY: It’s more than ‘point and click’. Learn photo skills and turn your pictures into art, not just snapshots! Gear needed: Digital camera with removable media (SD Card, Compact Flash, etc).  DSLR preferred.

TRASHIN’ FASHION: Let’s create wearable works of art from the recycling bin! One person’s trash is another person’s treasure!

 

Class Options for Grades 5-8:

DYEING TECHNIQUES: Learn and explore different techniques to dye paper and fabric. 

INTRO 3D PRINTING&MODELING: Learn the basics of 3D design by creating your own model and learning how to print it.

CHARACTER DRAWING: Character art is used in media like gaming, animation and manga. But it doesn’t stop there. Learn tips and techniques to bring your characters to life.

FELTING: Felting is a creative craft that involves sculpting shapes and figures using wool. Discover techniques that will allow you to create amazing creations with just a few supplies.