Are you harder on yourself than you are on other people? Does your inner critic sometimes win the battle? Do you find yourself shutting down in certain situations? Does your body sometimes seem to have a mind of its own? Hear what Pastor Margaret has to say about our negative behavior patterns and a tool she uses that can help us all learn how to be kinder to ourselves.
This past Christmas our church hosted a community event called “A Place to Be.” No matter who you were, where you came from, what you were wearing, or what you believed in, you were welcome here that night. What would it be like to share a meal with a bunch of strangers on Christmas Eve? Was this really a good place to be on this special night? Read on to hear the story of one of our member’s experiences that special evening.
In a world with a 24-hour news cycle, we need only glance at the screens in the palms of our hands to be bombarded with the latest catastrophe. All of it can feel like a constant, overwhelming onslaught of soul-crushing information. We’re often tempted to take to our beds, pull the covers over our heads, and shout, “World, go away!” But we can’t, can we? As Christians, we cannot put our proverbial “heads in the sand.” Read on to be assured as to why, and how we “can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.”
What makes a family? As members of the church, we all belong to the family of God. We are one body in Christ. Yet we all have different gifts and perspectives (Romans 12). What could we dream about together if we put aside our differences, and focused on our shared conviction in Christ? If we left room for God to fill in the blanks, in what ways could he use us to serve our community? Read on to join Crystal as she wonders about the answers to these questions with us.
How can you effectively love others if you don’t love yourself first? Some of us are so accustomed to dealing harshly with ourselves, that it spills over into how we treat others. In addition to loving him, God calls us to love our neighbors AS we love ourselves. You too are a child of God, worthy of love, compassion, and grace. Sometimes something as simple as making it a practice to regularly compliment yourself can enable you to see yourself the way God sees you.
Yesterday morning, students and teachers arrived at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. The school is 81% Hispanic and serves children in the 2nd through 4th grade. It felt like any other day. Yet by the afternoon, it was not. Nineteen children and 2 adults were killed at a school which was meant to be a safe place to learn and grow. The shooter, Salvador Ramos, was 18 years old and recently bought two assault rifles for his 18th birthday.
It has been almost two years since we closed our doors because of the COVID-19 pandemic. A lot has changed over the last few years. With the development of vaccines, better masking techniques, increased ventilation, and good hygiene, we are better equipped to deal with the COVID-19 virus. For this, we are truly grateful.
The practice of praying for one another is an important part of our worship together as a congregation. Now that we have made the switch to livestreamed worship services, we are able to adapt our prayers to make them more interactive. We plan to incorporate joys and concerns from the congregation beginning this Sunday, January 23, as part of our livestreamed service. Click below to find the different ways you can submit a prayer request.
