A faithful presence of love in the absences of our city.
May 16, 2019 by Philip Noell
"He gives us the opportunity each week to praise him with thankful hearts, and one of those ways is giving money. It’s hard for me to do this with rejoicing, probably because I’m so thankless. I forget that everything I have is God’s, I forget all that God has done for me, and I forget that giving is an opportunity God gives us to worship him rather than a drudgery or obligation." ...
May 9, 2019 by Emily Spare
"The practice of reading the Apostle’s Creed, or stating what we believe in the church, is a good practice. It is a practice that turns our hearts to remember and relive the Gospel. But stating our beliefs is greater than just a mnemonic trick for our brains. It is a shaping tool to help us live into the fully revealed mystery, not something that is evolving and slowly given to us in tidbits of understanding, like the history of Art. When we state our beliefs, we step into the freedom found in the constraints of love." ...
March 7, 2019 by Justin Edgar | Tags: Lent, Church Calendar, Fasting, Gospel time, 40 days
So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom ~ Psalm 90:12 As my kids have gotten older, gathering around a table has becomes harder. We don't just do it around our farm table in our dining area anymore, but we grab time at Chick Fila and Chipotle or maybe even standing around our island food in hand. When we gather, we pray, and then I ask them, "Ok...
Keep ReadingMay 23, 2018 by Philip Noell | Tags: albuquerque, Father, God, Serve, Church, Sermon Reflection, Albuquerque Churches, Church blog, Children's Ministry, Bookends, Church Calendar, Son, Pentecost, Sunday, Holy Spirt, Disciples
God had kept his promise and given his Holy Spirit to the disciples. And now he was giving it to all who trusted in Christ for salvation. ...
Keep ReadingFebruary 11, 2018 by Justin Edgar | Tags: grace, Intentionality, Lent, Ash Wednesday, Practice, Liturgical Calendar, Church Calendar, Fasting, Refocus, Reorient, Remembrance
Some of us grew up in churches where Lent was observed, but with little real explanation, making it seem like an empty, meaningless ritual. On the other hand, others of us grew up in church traditions where Lent was not observed at all. Some grew up in churches where we found Lent very meaningful. Some of us didn't grow up in any church at all....
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