2023 Small Group Lenten Bible Study

Rachel Wolf • Feb 08, 2023

Lent is a time to prayerfully reflect and reconnect with God. You are invited to join us on a Lenten journey to deepen our faith and deepen our community as we walk towards Jerusalem in search of new life and resurrection.

This year’s theme is The Currency of Christ: A Devotion Through Coins in the Bible . Using excerpts from Jill. J. Duffield’s book Lent in Plain Sight: A Devotion through Ten Objects , we will explore the ways the imagery of coins is used again and again in scripture. In the Bible, coins are precious items to be found when lost; they are sometimes given to God in offering or used as a means to cheat innocent victims. Coins were used to test Jesus and to betray Jesus. Coins symbolized more than just currency in Jesus’s day, and money (in the form of coins, cash, checks, credit cards, and NFTs) continue to play a large part in our own society. How might coins help us experience the holy in our everyday lives? How can these ordinary objects serve as a means of grace or a connection to the divine?

Our Lenten Small Groups begin on Sunday, February 26 with a Kick-Off Luncheon in Calvin Hall following worship and the Congregational Meeting. Whether you’re new to Bible study and small groups or whether it’s your favorite part of church, all are welcome to join us!

DOWNLOAD 2023 LENTEN BIBLE STUDY GUIDE

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Sermon 04.14.2024: Witness to Life

By Rev. Marci Glass • 14 Apr, 2024

Today we'll hear the story of Stephen in the Book of Acts. He's known as the first martyr for the Gospel. The root of the word 'martyr' comes from the word 'witness'. Maybe we can't all be (or don't want to be) martyrs, but what does it mean to take our witness seriously?

A colorful sky gradient from teal to orange, with the text

Sermon 04.07.2024: Fixing Our Attention

By Rev. Marci Glass • 08 Apr, 2024

Today begins a month of stories from the early, post-Easter church from the Book of Acts. In today's story, Peter and John heal a man outside the Temple. The man was begging for money. Peter offers him something else, if only he'll fix his attention to see it.

A peaceful field of wildflowers with the sun behind it.

Sermon 03.31.2024: Easter 10am - Completing the Story

By Rev. Marci Glass • 31 Mar, 2024

Mark's account of the resurrection doesn't include an appearance by Jesus. The gospel originally ended with a preposition, surely causing his 8th grade English teacher to weep. Mark's gospel ends with the women fleeing the tomb in terror. But that's not the end of the story. How often are our lives like that? When have you had a chance to write a different ending to a part of your story?

Swirly van-gogh-ish type of muted purple and slate background with a chalice on a wooden table

Sermon 03.28.2024: Maundy Thursday

By Rev. Marci Glass • 28 Mar, 2024

As we think about peace, it is important that we don’t only see peacefulness and quiet as the goal. Peace often requires a stand. Sometimes conflict is required to break through injustice so you can get to peace. If we want to be blessed as peacemakers, we will need to stand in solidarity with the oppressed, to stand in opposition to the violence and injustice of the world, and to know that peace can only come from deep love, the kind of love you have to summon for those you don’t know, don’t understand, or don’t like.

A dove flying with a palm leaf in its mouth and there are many palm leaves at the border. Hosanna!

Sermon 03.24.2024: Palm Sunday - A Nonviolent Peaceful Protest

By Rev. Joann Lee • 24 Mar, 2024

The events of Palm Sunday flew in the face of all that seemed civil and polite for an occupied state of the Roman Empire. How dare this Jesus and his common followers mock the imperial parade celebrating the power and plunders of war? Who was this Jesus that compelled the people to wave palms and throw their cloaks on the ground in welcome? Join us on Sunday as wave our palms, sing our hosanna, and meet this Jesus who comes riding on a colt.

A dove carrying a leaf in its beak. The text reads

Sermon 03.17.2024: Lent 4 - Peaceful But Not a Pushover

By Rev. Marci Glass • 18 Mar, 2024

Community Grows Here - Picture of 200+ person congregation gathered on Calvary Steps

2023 Annual Report

By Rachel Wolf • 15 Mar, 2024

Download the PDF of the 2023 Annual Report (15MB)

Sermon 03.10.2024: Lent 4 - It was a dark and stormy night.

By Rev. Victor Floyd • 10 Mar, 2024

The storms of life don't cease. At any given moment, every human being alive is either 1) sailing into a storm, 2) navigating through a storm, or 3) coming out of a storm. Those are our only choices. Storms happen. This Sunday, we explore how to anchor ourselves to peace.

Two hands holding up a very colorful earth. There is a dark sky and several stars in the background.

Sermon 03.03.2024: Lent 3 - Kindness as Power, Possibility, and Peace

By Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow • 03 Mar, 2024

We will look at how true peace requires radical kindness (not just being nice), being able to see humanity and dignity in even our deepest of enemies. We acknowledge these relationships' deaths and believe that new life can be experienced. In conflicted times today, it is even more difficult to choose this path, but these are the times when we may need to most . . . and if we can't trust that the church can express new life, what are we doing?

Colorful orange and green converging lines in the background. There is a giant slate blue peace sign

Sermon 02.25.2024: Lent 2 - Ain't Gonna Study War No More

By Rev. Marci Glass • 25 Feb, 2024

We are living, historically speaking, in peaceful times. Compared to almost every other century, people alive today are less likely to die because of violence and war. It doesn't feel like that when we read the news though, does it? When world leaders rattle their sabers and try to convince us to live in fear, what if we could respond with a different vision instead? This week we'll read a passage from Isaiah, where nations stream to God’s holy mountain so God can teach us the ways of peace.