The congregation of Shawnee Community Christian Church was blessed to be visited by Reverend Jeff Stegner, who gave us a sneak peek into the Summer of Psalms as well as sharing some of his experience as a Champlain at the University of Kansas Health System.
Something grossly overlooked in the creative process is the place of effortlessness and play. In the story of creation, God rested. And this was very “good” as well! Staying too focused on deadlines and how every moment can be “productive” robs us of an important feature of what it means to be humans made in the image of God: rhythm. Pushing through is non-sustainable, and creativity suffers if we constantly labor. Celebration is necessary along the journey. God’s creativity is ongoing, so while the story said God was “finished” and then rested, really it was simply a pause to reflect, to observe, and to celebrate, and then God continued God’s creative work among us and with us.
In what ways do you regularly rest?
“Listening” as part of creativity is about perceiving. We open our senses to see what is emerging. Perhaps what we start doesn’t end up looking like what we thought it would. Instead, once the act of creating begins, we listen to how the Spirit is guiding our next steps and unfolding possibilities we were previously unaware of. Without paying attention in this way, we act as if we have all the answers. And when we are up against something that doesn’t go our way, we see it as a negative.
But what if those moments are simply Co-Creator God inviting us to see new ways of moving forward in our lives?
God’s act of creating all that is, God’s act of entering our lives in the person of Jesus, God’s everyday act of creating new life — all these are acts of bringing that which is not into being — all acts of originality. To create is to assert ourselves in a way that is risky, that invites stepping into the unknown. Throughout the biblical text we hear story after story of God’s people taking risk all while depending upon God every step of the way.
How can you hear these stories to help you to risk what God has given you to expand love and grace in the world?
God’s beautiful and abundant creativity is at work within you. You are created and formed in God’s image and are beloved, accepted, and welcomed by God. We often receive many messages that try and tell us otherwise, that try and change what God has made in God’s image and called good. We often give these negative messages equal or greater value to the message that God continually gives us–that we are good and we are loved.
What messages do you need to discard so you can accept yourself for who God created you to be?
How are you doing in sharing your faith with the people around you?
We struggle with sharing what we believe, sometimes for good reasons. We don’t want to be seen as pushy or telling others what they should believe or imply what they believe is wrong. Nor do we want to be seen as dogmatic or rigid and unaccepting of others.
And yet at the same time, our faith does have meaning to us, and we only have the faith we have because someone somewhere shared what they felt was meaningful for their lives with us. We then decided that faith in Jesus was something that meant something in our lives.
One of the last things Jesus shared with his followers in Matthew was to “go and make disciples.” Our new sermon series, As You Go: Learning to Share Our Faith, helps us unpack our negative feelings about talking about our faith, why it’s still important, and how to do so in a way that feels like the heartfelt invitation it can be.
How are you doing in sharing your faith with the people around you?
Our wonderful pastor shares the story of her life and how a bible helped transform her into the woman (and pastor) we know today. We applaud her courage and trust in us to share her faith journey.
How are you doing in sharing your faith with the people around you?
We struggle with sharing what we believe, sometimes for good reasons. We don’t want to be seen as pushy or telling others what they should believe or imply what they believe is wrong. Nor do we want to be seen as dogmatic or rigid and unaccepting of others.
And yet at the same time, our faith does have meaning to us, and we only have the faith we have because someone somewhere shared what they felt was meaningful for their lives with us. We then decided that faith in Jesus was something that meant something in our lives.
One of the last things Jesus shared with his followers in Matthew was to “go and make disciples.” Our new sermon series, As You Go: Learning to Share Our Faith, helps us unpack our negative feelings about talking about our faith, why it’s still important, and how to do so in a way that feels like the heartfelt invitation it can be.
Our Lenten theme, “Everything In Between” invites us to embrace life’s in-between spaces with faith and openness. Each week, we’ll explore pairs like “faith & works” or “grief & hope” — ideas we often see as opposites but are actually connected. Scripture shows us that life isn’t just black and white; it’s full of nuance and complexity, where God meets us in the middle.
This Lent, we invite you to step beyond easy answers. Let’s explore where God is present—not just in the extremes, but in all the colors in between.
Our Lenten theme, “Everything In Between” invites us to embrace life’s in-between spaces with faith and openness. Each week, we’ll explore pairs like “faith & works” or “grief & hope” — ideas we often see as opposites but are actually connected. Scripture shows us that life isn’t just black and white; it’s full of nuance and complexity, where God meets us in the middle.
This Lent, we invite you to step beyond easy answers. Let’s explore where God is present—not just in the extremes, but in all the colors in between.
5340 Martindale Road
Shawnee, KS 66218
Phone: 913-717-8563
Email: info@shawneecommunity.org
