Bravery sometimes means facing risk and sometimes facing boredom - but always it entails stepping out in ways that are uncomfortable.
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Daily Devotional
Matthew 1 presents the genealogy of Jesus including a few women who could not be considered perfect or traditional Jewish women. They were outsiders, women who committed questionable acts, some who sinned, some who were sinned against... And yet they are included in the genealogy when other women who might be more "acceptable" (Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel) are not named.
Read MoreAs we looked at the disruptive way Matthew 1 shares the genealogy of Jesus on Sunday ("This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham... Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar..."), one thing that stood out was the importance of being named - sometimes re-named. Tiger Veenstra, a CCLB leader, shares their story
Read MoreWhat do you learn from children when you’re in a space to really notice them? What childlike parts of your own heart do you have a tendency to consider a bother (like the disciples) and scold?
Read MoreRuth broke religious rules because she prioritized what mattered to God (and to her!). We are invited to do the same.
Read MoreHow do you describe the indescribable? Today, we’re giving that a shot.
Read MoreA simple and powerful prayer of thanksgiving to mark our day and remind us of what matters most.
Read MoreJesus always shows up around those who don’t fit in as well. You’ll have plenty of opportunity this week to do the same.
Read More“What if we brought belonging back to the heart of it all?” - isn’t that the right question, as opposed to “Who is right and who is wrong?”
Read MoreToday we look at an old, old story of King David realizing that feasts were meant to be shared by others, especially those on the margins.
Read MoreFor our hospitality to be truly welcoming, there has to be some joy in us that is contagious and can spread to others.
Read Moreinstead of guarding the table from the impure, Jesus opens it up to them. He changed the rules to make sure we’re all welcome.
Read MoreAmerican Christians have read the book of Romans to understand theological issues like predestination and salvation, but we’ve often missed some of the very practical implications of these things.
Read MoreJesus had a chosen family - a group of misfits and outcasts that he gathered around his very large and open table.
Read MoreFriendsgiving events are pretty common these days, but they didn’t just start with us. Jesus had the equivalent.
Read MoreEmpathy is essential if our gatherings are going be truly healthy and healing.
Read MoreSometimes the world is soul-sucking. A good party can revive us and serve as a protest against the bleakness of all the pushes against joy.
Read MoreGod loves a good party. So why have we neglected the spiritual practice of throwing parties?
Read MoreSometimes we have too many gatherings to attend, but sometimes we’re isolated and don’t have enough. How do we bless the lonely?
Read MoreHow we view our gatherings says a lot about how we will live our lives. Are they escapes from reality or a deeper dive into the divine itself?
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