A Note from Pastor Ryan The last core desire that we spoke about was the desire for significance. Everyone wants their life to matter. The scriptures teach us that God loves us, God values us. God knows the hairs on our heads. Jesus died for us. Clearly we matter to God, but often that isn’t enough for us. We decide that we our true identity is found in what we do. In fact, many think “I am what I do, I am what I achieve.” When we think this way we may become riddled with anx

March 22, 2026 Fifth Sunday in Lent Announcements Invocation Scripture: Ezekiel 37:1-14 37:1 The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. 3 He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bon

A Note from Pastor Ryan Winter won't go away. I'm tired of it being cold. I'm tired of the snow. I'm tired of being indoors. I'm tired of other people staying indoors. I'm tired of the howling winds and the storms. I'm guessing many of you may feel the same. Perhaps they are the storms of kids getting sick, parents getting sick, family members being in pain. Maybe they are storms of tight finances or even a lack of satisfaction with life. Maybe they are storms of anger, depre

March 15, 2026 Fourth Sunday in Lent Announcements Invocation Scripture: 1 Samuel 16:1-13 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” 2 Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” And the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come

A Note from Pastor Ryan This past Sunday I spoke about our desire to belong. We all want to be seen, known, loved, and esteemed. We find satisfaction in being known and loved. All too often, we seek fulfilmment in relationships only to find that they don't satisfy. We should find our identity, our sense of belonging in God. In our baptisms we get claimed as God's children. That is who we are! This is part of what Jesus meant in drinking water which comes from him. Jesus satis

March 8, 2026 Third Sunday in Lent Announcements Invocation Scripture: Exodus 17:1-7 17 From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 The people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” 3 But the people thirsted there for water, and t

A Note from Pastor Ryan On Sunday, Pastor John talked about how Abraham was called to be a blessing to the world. We too can be a blessing to others, BUT actually being a blessing means that we don’t keep a score, we don’t begrudge being a blessing. When we are actually a blessing towards others, it blesses us as well. In order for us to move towards that, we must be aware of our desire for security. This is a good desire, but like all good desires, it can be used against us.

March 1, 2026 Second Sunday in Lent Announcements Invocation Scripture: Psalm 121 I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come? 2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. 4 He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you by day nor the moo

February 22, 2026 First Sunday in Lent Announcements Invocation Scripture: Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.’ 3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that t

TONIGHT: Don't forget there will NOT be a community Dinner tonight. But, there is an Ash Wednesday Service starting at 6:30 p.m.! UPCOMING EVENTS: Feb. 18 6:30 p.m. Ash Wednesday Service NO COMMUNITY DINNER Feb. 22 Alabaster Offering Feb. 28 1:00-4:00 p.m. Women’s Craft Day

February 15, 2026 Transfiguration Sunday Announcements Invocation Scripture: Exodus 24:12-18 12 The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there; I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” 13 So Moses set out with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up onto the mountain of God. 14 To the elders he had said, “Wait here for us, until we come back to you. Look, Aaron and

A Note from Pastor Ryan If you're doing the reading the Bible in a year plan, then you've likely read about the restitution expected from certain sins or mistakes in Exodus 22. It made me think of that wee little man Zaccheus who paid restitution upon meeting Jesus. Jesus told him that salvation had come to his house. Restitution is not something with which contemporary Christians are often comfortable. People tend to think, "Jesus died for my sins, why should I do anythin

February 8, 2026 Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany Announcements Invocation Scripture: Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12) Shout out; do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Announce to my people their rebellion, to the house of Jacob their sins. 2 Yet day after day they seek me and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they want God on their si

Pastor's Note If you are keeping up with the read the Bible in a year plan, then today's readings include Exodus 7-9. These passages tell of the 10 plagues brought by God through Moses to free the Israelites from Egyptian captivity. While the frogs, flies etc get the press, there is something which regularly happens with each plague. Pharaoh's heart gets hardened. He becomes brittle and eventually, like all things brittle, he will be broken. While Pharoah is clearly an enem

February 1, 2026 Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany Announcements Invocation Scripture: Micah 6:1-8 1 Hear what the Lord says: Rise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice. 2 Hear, you mountains, the controversy of the Lord, and you enduring foundations of the earth; for the Lord has a controversy with his people, and he will contend with Israel. 3 "O my people, what have I done to you? In what have I wearied you? Answer me! 4 For I

Pastor's Note If you are keeping up with the read the Bible in a year plan, then today's readings include Exodus 7-9. These passages tell of the 10 plagues brought by God through Moses to free the Israelites from Egyptian captivity. While the frogs, flies etc get the press, there is something which regularly happens with each plague. Pharaoh's heart gets hardened. He becomes brittle and eventually, like all things brittle, he will be broken. While Pharoah is clearly an enem

January 25, 2026 Third Sunday after the Epiphany Announcements Invocation Scripture: Isaiah 9:1-4 1 But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. 2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness—

Tonight we are cancelling Kids Club! The roads are pretty nasty and we are down some volunteers. NO KIDS CLUB!!! But I know some of us are crazy, so I will still be making chili for dinner. So we will have chili and soup ready to warm us up on this frigid evening. I leave it up to you if you want to brave the roads, but please be careful! The forecast is for more snow and the side streets are not plowed well. Prayer Requests Otherwise please be in prayer for our youth grou

January 18, 2026 Second Sunday after the Epiphany Announcements Invocation Scripture: Isaiah 49:1-7 1 Listen to me, O coastlands, pay attention, you peoples from far away! The Lord called me before I was born, while I was in my mother's womb he named me. 2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me away. 3 And he said to me, "You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.

January 11, 2026 Baptism of the Lord Announcements Invocation Scripture: Isaiah 42:1-9 1 Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. 2 He will not cry or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; 3 a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. 4 He will not grow faint or be crushed