by Erica Palmisano | Jun 18, 2017
This is the shortest letter ascribed to the apostle Paul, and the most personal. In it, Paul asks a church leader (Philemon), to welcome back a runaway slave (Onesimus) as a brother, forgive him his debt, and show him Christian love in place of Roman “justice.” This letter is carefully worded and emotionally loaded, reflecting how much was at stake: Onesimus’ very life, as well as the credibility of a gospel that claims we are all one in Christ, and that love is the greatest hallmark of a follower of Jesus. We will consider the radical call to lay aside our own demands, needs, feelings and expectations in the pursuit of reconciliation and oneness with each other in the God who is love.
by Erica Palmisano | Jun 11, 2017
This short letter addresses some of the challenges facing churches on the first century who were expecting Jesus to return in bodily form very soon. The fact that this had not happened was confusing to many followers (because of things Jesus himself had said) and had led to both a sense of abandonment within the community as well as derision from without. These internal and external pressures had distracted the followers who were enticed by by a variety of competing philosophies. We’ll explore the various distractions we face today, the apparent “foolishness” of faith in our own context and explore reasons for hope in dark times. We’ll also consider what Jesus meant when he talked about returning.
by Erica Palmisano | Jun 4, 2017
A message from the series “Peter Paul and John.” In this message, we take a look at three of the most prominent leaders in the early Jesus movement (Peter, Paul and John) and consider their personalities, their personal connection to Jesus and the specific kind of responsive faith this seemed to inspire. We also explore how communities evolved around these key leaders and how early Christian faith was expressed in different ways in these communities as evidenced by the writings handed down to us in the Christian Scriptures. The character of this faith was, in part, a response to the challenges of the cultural milieu and other religious assertions and so we consider our own spiritual challenges in this light.
by Erica Palmisano | May 28, 2017
A message from the series “Worship and Wonder.” The last in our series, “The Best Is Yet To Come,” this message looks at developing a culture of intentional connection to the presence of God through corporate and individual prayer and worship.
by Erica Palmisano | May 21, 2017
The last in our series, “The Best Is Yet To Come,” this message looks at developing a culture of intentional connection to the presence of God through corporate and individual prayer and worship.
