Sundays: 12 noon (CT) in-person and online
Rev. Matt Alspaugh, Presenter; Michael Swords, Service Associate. Free will is often described as your ability to make choices or actions without being constrained by prior events or the state of the universe. Free will plays an important part in many religions, where we humans may (or may not) have the freedom to make moral … Continue reading “Free Will is Not Free”
Rev. Matt Alspaugh, PresenterCarol Johnson, Service AssociateMarch 17, 2024 Easter is coming. In some Christian circles, the story of Easter is about God’s grace, the unmerited gift of redemption by God through Jesus’ death on the cross. If this kind of grace doesn’t work for most of us, does the idea of grace have any … Continue reading “Transformed by Everyday Grace”
Rev. Matt AlspaughSusie Lindeman and Jane Castleman, Service Associates “The Best,” a verse from the Taoist foundational book the Tao-Te-Ching, begins with the line “The best, like water, benefit all and do not compete.” We use this verse as a theme for several short reflections on water and life. We will also celebrate our water … Continue reading “The Best, Like Water”
Rev. Matt AlspaughElizabeth Weaver, Service Associate I’ve found that trying to develop and state a sense of Life Purpose or Mission has not worked for me; I just can’t summarize my life’s direction and intention in a simple statement. I recently discovered an idea that might fit me better, Personal Projects. This is the idea … Continue reading “A Purpose-Driven Life or a Project-Driven Life?”
Robert Barnett: Service Associate The title is from a saying in the Gospel of Thomas, “If you bring forth what is in you, (it] will save you; if you do not bring forth what is within you, (it] will destroy you.” We explore what we bring forth, through our first Source, that is, our “direct … Continue reading “Bring Forth What is In You”
Rev. Matt Alspaugh, PresenterCatherine Luria, Service Associate Many Christians talk about getting back to ‘the religion of Jesus’ (which would really be Judaism) or at least the religion of the early church. We’ll examine what early Christianity might have looked like (warning: it’s more radical than you’d expect!) Why did Christianity change? How might those … Continue reading “Back to the Roots”
Rev. Matt AlspaughMichael Swords, Service Associate Oftentimes life offers up little gifts of joy and delight, sometimes unexpected, even intense, oftentimes brief, though the warm memory of such gifts lingers. Like a gemstone we hold up to sunlight, the delight sparkles in unexpected patterns. Delight is rarely something that we can make happen, beyond our … Continue reading “Flashes of Delight”
Rev. Matt Alspaugh Deb Gang, Service Associate In ancient Rome, genius was the deity associated with a person. A particularly strong genius could give a person great powers for achievement, hence they too, were called geniuses. We continue to think of genius as an individual trait, but it seems creative ideas often emerge from community … Continue reading “Creative Genius”
Rev. Matt AlspaughBarley Donahue, Service Associate There’s a story in anthropology circles about the Baining people in New Guinea, who are apparently the only culture in the world who discourage their children from playing. But later evidence suggests this isn’t quite true. Every culture makes space for play. What is so essential about play for … Continue reading “All Work and No Play”
Rev. Matt AlspaughCatherine Luria – Service Associate Easter is without doubt the most significant day in the Christian calendar. We’ll briefly explore various interpretations of Easter, from traditional theology to more modern (and perhaps controversial) concepts. We’ll also celebrate Comunión de Chocolate (Chocolate Communion), a syncretic amalgamation of indigenous Mexican, Christian, and earth-centered religious concepts … Continue reading “What’s Easter All About, Anyway?”
