'spiritual growth' Tagged Posts (Page 3)
Look Lovingly
June 28, 2023A Note from Stephanie HarrellLook Lovingly Dear Friends, As one of your delegates to Annual Conference, I attended my first conference in early June. I didn’t have expectations, though I’d previously seen part of worship and music from other conferences. How would voting be done? What speeches and questions would surface before a vote? Who would speak and what would be their topics? Who would preach? I’m happy to chat with anyone about my Annual Conference experience and…
Summer Events!
We’ve got some great stuff planned this summer to connect, play, serve, pray, and learn!
There All Along
June 1, 2023A Note from Deborah Mitchell Dear Friends, It’s Been There All Along, Waiting for You What does it mean to “grow”? What does it mean to grow as a Christian? To grow as a human being? In many ways, the idea of “growth” has been central to how I’ve tried to understand and interact with the world throughout my life. When I was a little girl, very early on I gravitated toward the idea of growth as mastery,…
Holding in Tension
March 29, 2023A Note from Molly Collier Dear Friends, I recently went skiing with some friends, and we were reminded of some very valuable lessons before we even hit the slopes. Mind you, this is Ohio skiing. I’m not sure if I can call them slopes, but they were high enough for me, a novice skier who hadn’t skied in over 10 years. It’s okay to ask for help The first lesson we were reminded of was that it’s okay…
Curiosity
March 15, 2023A Note from Pastor Jon Dear Friends, Curiosity killed the cat? (But did it really?) Growing up I remember when I found myself asking too many questions (never understood what that means) that the grownups started saying, “You know, Jon, curiosity killed the cat.” It only took a few times of hearing that statement before becoming conditioned to stop asking questions out of my own curiosity. My curiosity was often stifled and discouraged. As an Enneagram 9 (see…
Seasons of Change
March 8, 2023A Note from Pastor April Dear Friends, This week, my younger child turned 13. I remember people telling me that the time would fly by. Most days it didn’t feel like that. So much of parenting is the little moments, the daily routines, the consistent showing up to the needs that are happening in the present moment. It’s slow and steady and repetitive kind of work. So many days I felt like a broken record repeating the same…
Learning in Community
February 22, 2023A Note from Beth Palmer Dear Friends, I have always loved school. I can remember all my elementary school teachers’ names. I loved learning and being with my friends. I still remember the satisfaction I felt at coming up with an enormous list of homonyms in about third grade (words that sound the same but are spelled differently, remember?). I still have some of my artwork. High school wasn’t my favorite, but I remember a great physics class…
The Bible
January 15, 2023A Note from Pastor April Dear Friends, I’ve had an evolving relationship with the Bible over my life. As a child, I found the stories presented to me on flannel boards mildly interesting. Aside from the story of Jonah and the whale (a favorite of mine), I wasn’t particularly drawn in by the church services or Sunday School lessons. Jesus seemed like a nice guy, but very distant from my actual life. I did, however, read my Bible…
Anxiety
February 1, 2023A Note from Pastor April Dear Friends, Over the years, I’ve started to notice the telltale signs in my body that indicate that things are off. Achy shoulders and a stiff neck? Usually I’m feeling SAD. Headache and sinus pressure? Usually I’m OVERWORKED and need a break. Tightness in my lower back or trouble breathing? Usually I’m feeling ANXIOUS. It took me a long time to admit to myself that anxiety was something I struggle with. I used…
All Will Be Well
January 18, 2023A Note from Pastor Jon Dear Friends, In August 2020 I wrote a Letter of Encouragement that shared my struggles with a troublesome mantra that I had learned during Basic Training in the US Army. It was three words that for so long defined the way I took on any objective or project put before me: KILL THE HILL. Kill the Hill: Revisited I invite you to go back and read that reflection from 2020. We were in…
A New Year
January 4, 2023A Note from Pastor April Dear Friends, Happy New Year, friends! I’ve always loved the ritual of turning the calendar into a new year. The energy that January brings with it offers a fresh start, and a chance to look ahead with renewed hope about what this year might hold. For many years now, I’ve been in the habit of taking some time to reflect on the prior year and thinking ahead into the new one. This year,…
A Blessing for the New Year
December 28, 2022A Note from Pastor April Dear Friends, As we turn toward a new year this Sunday, we offer a word of blessing from one of my favorites, Jan Richardson. May this year be filled with blessings, and may each of us be ready with open hearts to receive… Blessing the Threshold This blessinghas been waiting for youfor a long time. While you have beenmaking your way here,this blessing has beengathering itself,making ready,biding its time,praying. This blessing has beenpolishing…