Faith Church

Welcome to the beginning of another week, and to Music Mondays, your opportunity to pause, reflect, pray and start your week on the right note. This morning, Faith Church's bell choir shares a lovely and poignant Advent carol, "O Come, O Come Emmanuel." Emmanuel means "God is with us," and God is indeed, born endlessly in countless ways. We must look for the light that gives us hope in the vision we hear of in the scriptures a vision of justice and peace and flourishing. Th...e prophet Habakkuk tells us that the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; if it delays wait for it. Can we hold onto the vision? Can we hold it when our hearts are broken? Can we open our hearts to both the world’s pain and its joy in equal measure? Can we see the world’s darkness and be moved, yet never overcome by it? Can we trust in the compassionate presence of the God who is Emmanuel, a God ever with us? This morning, be still, and place your hope in the vision which still has its time, and presses on to fulfillment. It will not disappoint. And yet, if it delays we will wait for it. --originally posted on the blog, "God in All Things," by Ignatian Andy Otto.

Christmas 2020 won't look like other Christmases. Many of us will need to adapt beloved holiday traditions or not observe them this year. In this year of change and uncertainty, it's a source of comfort and joy to remember that some things will never change, including the carols of Christmas. This week: While we might sing O come, all ye faithful, the good news is that Jesus doesn’t just call the faithful, he also calls the sinners. Jesus calls the strong and the weak, the bold and the broken. Today Jesus is calling you and me, and in that call he says, I will help you become joyful and triumphant. I will help you become faithful. Come and adore Jesus on this second Sunday of Advent. In-person and online worship will also includecommunion, so come let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

Welcome to the beginning of a new week, and an opportunity to pause, reflect and pray as we start our week on the right note. This week, we remember who God is and what God has done. From Andy Morgan, one of the pastors at Faith Church: "What do you need to remember from your past to help you face the challenges of today? Was it a time you were able to do more than you thought you could, and, looking back, you realize God was with you? Was it a time when you experienced heal...ing or hope? Might that help you trust God for the situation you face today? Maybe it was a time that you just got through by the grace of God, but looking back now you can see that God was there . . . so now you can have assurance that God is still there. Remembering how God helped us in the past can help us trust God in our present situation." Who has God been to you? What has God done for you? Pray and ask God to help you remember these--and to remember God's promise that he will always be faithful.

Souls refreshed. Relationships restored. Hearts reborn. God is the author of incredible stories of change, and is ready to do the same in our lives. Learn how we can open the door to transformation in our sermon series for November, "RE." This Sunday we'll celebrate communion; you'll want to have a cracker or bread and some juice or wine ready.... And don't forget to turn your clocks back Saturday night so you don't miss the live stream!

Welcome to the beginning of another week, and another opportunity to stop, reflect and pray to start your week on the right note with Faith's "Music Mondays" series. Today, Carol Hunt shares her musical gifts to help us focus on the greatest gift God gives: unconditional love, embodied in Jesus. Take a moment to consider: What gifts from God have you overlooked because you were comparing your life to someone else's? Comparison kills contentment and breeds resentment, but gratitude directs our hearts and minds to all the gifts we've been given, as well as to the Giver of all good things. What are you thankful for today? How can you direct your heart and mind toward gratefulness (and away from comparison) throughout the day and week?

Know who you are . . . and whose you are. #noneedtocompare

I quit. Many of us are ready to utter those two words Right. NOW. We’re tired. We’ve had it. We’re ready to raise the white flag of surrender. We feel like giving up. However, now is not the time to quit. Now is the time to persevere. Now is the time to order and shape our lives in fresh ways, and now is the time to lean into a new way of living. This week: The comparison game is one that rarely has a winner because when we look over the fence we're bound to find SOMETHING that's greener. Whether it's money, house, car, family, friends... something is bound to look nicer than what's in front of us. This week we're going to hear how to quit comparing so we can more fully live the life Jesus has for us. Worship with Faith this weekend for this final message of our series, "I Quit."

When should we trust God?