Posts in 2016
Staycation: The God we believe in

Staycation. A staycation is "a vacation that is spent at one's home enjoying all that home and one's home environs have to offer." It is a chance to discover the wonder again of the place you live but take for granted. This is as true of our spirituality as it is of our locality! Unique to our summer series is that we will be using the words of the Apostles Creed to guide our discussion and reflection. 

On July 10, we discussed "The God We Believe In". Who is the God we believe in and how is this  this God and our faith relevant in the polarized and tragic times we live in?

NOTE: We use LIVE events to post our notes, Scripture reading(s), and additional resources that you might find helpful. Click here for this week's LIVE event.

 
2016Vince Medrano
Staycation: discover the wonder again

Last Sunday, June 26, we kicked off our new series, Staycation. A staycation is "a vacation that is spent at one's home enjoying all that home and one's home environs have to offer." It is a chance to discover the wonder again of the place you live but take for granted. This is as true of our spirituality as it is of our locality! This summer we will explore the wonder of the spiritual life we are invited to embrace in Jesus... along the way we have some unique summer opportunities that will be posted later this week... Stay tuned!

NOTE: We use LIVE events to post our notes, Scripture reading(s), and additional resources that you might find helpful. Click here for this week's LIVE event.

 
2016Vince Medrano
Why a multi-generational community?

Last Sunday, June 19, we celebrated dads and grads as we considered the significance of multi-generational opportunities for the children and youth of our community. We recommend that you check out the additional resources provided in the LIVE event link below.!

NOTE: We use LIVE events to post our notes, Scripture reading(s), and additional resources that you might find helpful. Click here for this week's LIVE event.

 
2016Vince Medrano
Awesome is His rule (part 2)

Last Sunday, June 12, we continued our reflection on God's awesomeness... God always has a plan to get us to the "finish line" even when that finish line is on the other side of suffering. How do we reconcile God's awesomeness (His omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence) with our suffering? Well we considered the provocative idea that God is in charge but He has chosen not to control everything He could control if he chose to... have a listen!

NOTE: We use LIVE events to post our notes, Scripture reading(s), and additional resources that you might find helpful. Click here for this week's LIVE event.

 
2016Vince Medrano
Awesome is His mercy

Last Sunday, June 5, we continued our reflection on God's awesomeness... how does God express and reveal His awesomeness? Is God's awesomeness solely evident in His power to judge, overcome, and conquer? Or does God supremely reveal His awesomeness in more surprising ways... In Romans 8.1-3 we see a concrete and astonishing declaration that God uses His awesomeness to express His mercy... Awesome is His mercy! Have a listen...

NOTE: We use LIVE events to post our notes, Scripture reading(s), and additional resources that you might find helpful. Click here for this week's LIVE event.

 
2016Vince Medrano
Awesome is His Rule

Awesome continues our exploration of Romans 8 as we turn our attention to Romans 8.17-39.  C. S. Lewis wrote, "Avoiding God, in many times and places, has proved so difficult that a very large part of the human race has failed to achieve it." It is difficult to achieve because for most of us the question is not the existence of God but the character and attributes of God. What does it mean for God to be sovereign? What does it mean to be all-powerful? All-present? All-knowing? Especially when we explore how God's "awesomeness" affects our lives, choices, and relationships. 

Last Sunday, May 22, we returned to Romans 8.28-39 and explored God's rule-- what it is and what it isn't. Along the way we asked the critical question: Does God reveal Himself in spite of the hardships, pain, suffering, and violence we endure or by way of these things. How you answer this question will shape your expectation for God's presence and frame your awareness of His character... 

NOTE: We use LIVE events to post our notes, Scripture reading(s), and additional resources that you might find helpful. Click here for this week's LIVE event.

 
2016Vince Medrano
Awesome is Assuring

Last Sunday, May 15, we celebrated the most significant and strategic holiday in the life of the Christian movement. The holiday is called, "Pentecost", of the big Jewish festivals that celebrated God's giving the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai. Pentecost, for first century Jews, was a celebration of the new life the nation received through Moses. Pentecost, for the Christian movement, is the beginning of new life. Without this holiday there would be no celebration of Christmas or Easter because without this holiday the message of Jesus would never have found a voice to testify to promise and person of Jesus. Last Sunday we reflected on the work of the Holy Spirit to assure followers of Jesus of God's promise, presence, and personal relationship. 

NOTE: We use LIVE events to post our notes, Scripture reading(s), and additional resources that you might find helpful. Click here for this week's LIVE event.

 
2016Vince Medrano
Awesome

Awesome continues our exploration of Romans 8 as we turn our attention to Romans 8.17-39.  C. S. Lewis wrote, "Avoiding God, in many times and places, has proved so difficult that a very large part of the human race has failed to achieve it." It is difficult to achieve because for most of us the question is not the existence of God but the character and attributes of God. What does it mean for God to be sovereign? What does it mean to be all-powerful? All-present? All-knowing? Especially when we explore how God's "awesomeness" affects our lives, choices, and relationships. 

NOTE: We use LIVE events to post our notes, Scripture reading(s), and additional resources that you might find helpful. Click here for this week's LIVE event.

 
2016Vince Medrano
Take me to the deepness

Last Sunday, May 1, Jonathan Neddenriep, leader of our Global Partnerships Team, spoke to us about living a deeper life, filled with adventure and relationships right here where we  live and labor whether at work, with our friends, and/or family. Have a listen and be encouraged to celebrate the life you lead and the community you are a part of...

NOTE: We use LIVE events to post our notes, Scripture reading(s), and additional resources that you might find helpful. Click here for this week's LIVE event.

 
2016Vince Medrano
Spring - Moving on UP (part 2)

Last Sunday, April 24, we concluded our look at suffering as part of our SPRING series. Two weeks ago we looked at the "way things are". This week we discussed the "way things will be" and the practical impact God's future has on our lives today when we experience pain, anguish, and suffering... along the way we learned that faith changes our perspective time; time changes our perspective on pain, and pain changes our perspective on hope...

NOTE: We use LIVE events to post our notes, Scripture reading(s), and additional resources that you might find helpful. Click here for this week's LIVE event.

 
2016Vince Medrano
Spring - Moving on UP

Last Sunday, April 17, we began a 2 part series finale -- that looks at the theme of suffering. This week we looked at the "way things are". Next week we will look at the way things will be... 

NOTE: We use LIVE events to post our notes, Scripture reading(s), and additional resources that you might find helpful. Click here for this week's LIVE event.

 
2016Vince Medrano
Spring: Prison Break - A Father's Gift of Freedom

What makes a man or woman truly free? Is it education? Money? The esteem of others? Their faith? Last Sunday, April 3, Could it be that freedom is actually founded upon the decision of another on our behalf? This is the testimony of Scripture when it speaks of God's decision to adopt us as his very own son or daughter. If this is true, how do we know this and what are the implications for our lives? Have a listen!. 

NOTE: We use LIVE events to post our notes, Scripture reading(s), and additional resources that you might find helpful. Click here for this week's LIVE event.

 
2016Vince Medrano
Spring: Underground Water Source

Last Sunday, April 3, we looked at the how life finds a way... that "Life Wins!" even when life is not going so well on the outside. Since we know that faith does not allow the faithful to escape the sadness, challenges, and disappointments of life, what promise does God give us that we can know and experience His life when ours is broken by circumstances-- whether they are  beyond our control or caused buy our own choices?

NOTE: We use LIVE events to post our notes, Scripture reading(s), and additional resources that you might find helpful. Click here for this week's LIVE event.

 

 
2016Vince Medrano
Spring!

Last Sunday, March 27, we celebrated God's Easter promises by looking at an incredible picture of dry bones in a desolate and hopeless valley. Can God give life to dry bones that feel hopeless and cut off from people and from God? Have a listen...

NOTE: We use LIVE events to post our notes, Scripture reading(s), and additional resources that you might find helpful. Click here for this week's LIVE event.

 
2016Vince Medrano
Essentials: The gifted community

Last Sunday, March 13, we reflected on Paul's promise that a Christian community is a richly endowed and gifted community. But what makes the gifting of a Christian community unique? How are we to understand the spiritual gifts God gives us? Are gifts circumstantial or continual? Natural or supernatural? Are some more important than others? So many questions but Paul is adamant that he does not want us to be uninformed about spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12.1). When we can a basic understanding than we can beware of the pitfalls that will undermine the variety, unity, and vitality that God's gifts offer us personally and as a community.

NOTE: We use LIVE events to post our notes, Scripture reading(s), and additional resources that you might find helpful. Click here for this week's LIVE event.

 
2016Vince Medrano
Essentials: True Worship

Last Sunday, March 6True worship that is pleasing to God radiates throughout a person's entire life (A W Tozer). Worship is more, much more, than showing up for a service on Sundays. Worship will influence and shape every aspect of our lives -- especially our understanding or worth, significance, success. True worship will release us to to be passionate advocates for justice, mercy, and compassion on behalf of the poor, the dispossessed, and the overlooked. Join us as we reflect on worship!

NOTE: We use LIVE events to post our notes, Scripture reading(s), and additional resources that you might find helpful. Click here for this week's LIVE event.

 
2016Vince Medrano
Essentials: Generosity -- creating a life that matters

Last Sunday, February 28: "Winston Churchill observed: We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give." Jesus has a lot to say about living generously. In the story of the 2 Rich Men and Lazarus (Luke 16.19-31) we eavesdrop in on a fictional conversation between 2 rich men -- an unknown rich man and Abraham, the founding father of the Jewish people. This is a springboard from which we leap to discuss living generously.

NOTE 2 THINGS: First, we had some recording issues this week so the first third of the message is missing. Two, we use LIVE events to post our notes, Scripture reading(s), and additional resources that you might find helpful. Click here for this week's LIVE event.

 
2016Vince Medrano
Essentials: The Outrageous Word

Last Sunday, February 21The Bible is the most outrageous book ever written and it is essential to the vitality of any Christian community. This week we reflect on the example of Ezra so that we might be encouraged to allow Scriptures to engage us amidst their wisdom, insight, revelation, ambiguity, mystery, and outrageousness.

NOTE: We use LIVE events to post our notes, Scripture reading(s), and additional resources that you might find helpful. Click here for this week's LIVE event.

 
2016Vince Medrano