Archive for category: News

In the third week of our “Renewed Strength” series, Pastor Tabatha invited us into the “liminal space”—that precarious place of uncertainty, fear, and heartbreak where hope often feels fragile. Drawing from the moving essay by Rev. Jennifer Harris Dalt in the book Still a Mother, we explored what it means to hold onto faith after significant loss. Pastor Tabatha shared her own journey through four years of consecutive family losses, reminding us that life can often leave us “boneweary” and without words.

Through the lens of Isaiah 40, we looked at the biblical precedent for lament. The people of Israel were living in an “apocalyptic hellscape,” feeling abandoned by God. Yet, the poet reminds us that while we grow weary, God does not. Faith is found in that tension of waiting with hope in our hands, trusting that those who wait upon the Lord will indeed find their strength renewed.

 

 

Rev. Laura Phillips launched our “Renewed Strength” series by exploring what it truly means to be “rooted and grounded” in God’s love. Drawing on the scientific and indigenous wisdom of Robin Wall Kimmerer, we looked at how forest networks—the “Wood Wide Web”—ensure communal flourishing through shared resources and support. Much like a training plan for a half-marathon, a resilient faith requires intentional spiritual practices: engaging with scripture, reliance on the Holy Spirit, and participating in a community where love is practiced. We are reminded that we are not isolated individuals; we are a network of roots, grounded in a love that surpasses knowledge and sustained by a God who intends for us to flourish together.

 

 

We are wired with a “negativity bias”—a survival instinct that makes us dwell on one piece of criticism or a late-night loop of past mistakes. In a culture that curates fear to keep us exhausted, Christmas Eve offers a better story. Pastor Tabatha contrasts the power of Caesar’s decree—focused on control and conquest—with the vulnerability of God made flesh in a feeding trough. We learn that joy is an act of resistance. Like the shepherds who sang on a terrifying night, we are invited to let joy overflow and witness to a light that the darkness cannot overcome.

 

When our cherished plans—for our lives, careers, or families—disintegrate, it’s natural to question everything, including our faith. This week, we look to the immense suffering and doubt of John the Baptist in prison, who sends a desperate message to Jesus: “Are you the one?”. Pastor Tabatha affirms that John’s crumbling hope is not a failure of faith but a moment of profound suffering. The sermon reminds us that God is still at work in the darkness, and hope is found not in visible success, but in the assurance of God’s compassionate presence.

 

This sermon explores the intimate connection between Jesus and life itself through the metaphor of bread. Pastor Tabatha highlights how bread represents God’s abundance and calls us to a daily life of dependence on God. The message covers how this symbol offers forgiveness before we even ask and models radical compassion by showing us who we are meant to include in our lives. This is a powerful message of nourishment and provision before the start of Advent.