Aug 25

Grace That Wakes You Up

“Grace isn’t just what saves you—it’s what wakes you up every morning and whispers, ‘You’re free. Now live like it.’”

Romans 6 reminds us that grace is not a distant theological idea or a one-time event—it’s a daily invitation. Through baptism, we are united with Christ in his death and resurrection. That means sin no longer holds power over us. We are not just forgiven—we are free.

But freedom in Christ isn’t passive. It’s a call to live differently. Grace empowers us to walk in newness of life, to resist the old patterns, and to offer ourselves as instruments of righteousness. It’s the Spirit’s quiet nudge in the morning, reminding us that we belong to God, that our past doesn’t define us, and that today is a chance to live boldly, love deeply, and reflect resurrection in the ordinary.

So tomorrow morning, when you wake up, listen for grace. It’s already speaking. And it’s saying: “You’re free. Now live like it.”

—Pastor Greg

Aug 21

Living the Question

As I was planning for our new year of Pub Theology, I found this quote, “The problem with Christians is that they have the answer… but haven’t lived the question.”  This provocative quote invites us to pause and reflect: Have we rushed to proclaim truth without first wrestling with it?

Faith is not a shortcut to certainty—it’s a journey through mystery, doubt, and discovery. Jesus didn’t just offer answers; he asked questions that unsettled and transformed. “Who do you say that I am?” “Do you want to be healed?”  These were invitations to live the question, to embody the search.

To “live the question” means engaging scripture not just as doctrine, but as dialogue. It means letting grace shape our lives before we preach it. It means allowing love to stretch us beyond comfort zones.

Let’s be a people who don’t just recite answers, but who walk the path of inquiry with humility, courage, and compassion.  That’s where transformation begins.

The theme of this year’s conversations will be on “Questions.”  A few will be on the questions that Jesus asks, and others on question others have in their struggle with faith.  Come this year ready to share and the listen.

Core Principles of Pub Theology

  • Conversation over Conversion: The goal isn’t to persuade or preach, but to listen, share, and learn.
  • Inclusivity: Everyone’s voice matters—atheist, agnostic, devout, doubting. It’s a space for mutual respect.
  • Honest Dialogue: Topics range from suffering and justice to forgiveness and the divine, approached with curiosity rather than certainty.
  • Embodied Presence: The physical act of gathering—sharing food and drink—mirrors the sacramental nature of communion, but in a more informal, accessible way.

Pastor Greg

Aug 06

Our Goal is Maturity—The Full Statue of Christ

Ephesians 4

Too often we get our clues from the World (Gentiles), and the celebration of diversity becomes an immature acting out of out attention seeking self.  Like an immature child constantly calling, “Mommie, look at me!”  When we get our direction from the Scriptures, like here in Ephesians 4, we see that mature inclusion is building each other up in love.

Love seeks not its own, is not boastful (1 Corinthians 13).  Of course, love tolerates and accepts the immature and patiently brings them into the full love of Christ.  Love does not keep the other stuck identifying only their exclusion, consumed in hurts, anger, and pain.  Love brings healing and strengthens the other so that they con go onto the fullness of Christ.

Love is not indulging.  Love is building up, equipping them to find their place in the body, and helping them to find fulfillment in the service of Christ and Christ’s body.

Love brings each to the place where we are no more children, stuck in our childish behavior, but building the other up.  Love teaches us to prefer one another and care for one another.  You cannot love if you only think about yourself, you love when you but the other’s needs above your own. 

Does our celebration of inclusion and diversity look like Christ, or the world?  Do we get our clues from society or from the Spirit working within us? 

Pastor Greg

Next week is the church picnic, celebration 203 years as a congregation.  I will be leading in a special worship service at the Barn on the topic of Baptism.  Wear sturdy shoes and comfortable clothes for we will be walking down to the creek.  We will have time for testimonies about your baptism, or significant time of spiritual decision in your life.  For two thousand years the church has gathered at the water to celebrate our inclusion in Christ. 

Jun 28

God: The Great Inverter, Reverser, Equalizer

Psalm 30
“You have turned my mourning into dancing;”

I marvel at how many times in the Scriptures God is up-ending the human order of things.  From Esau and Jacob, the elder will serve the younger; to Jesus in the Beatitudes, the meek will inherit the earth.  Paul sums it up in I Corinthians 1: 25 “For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.”

This week’s text is a testimony of the Psalmist’s deliverance brought by God in response to his prayers.  His testimony is that God’s deliverance is not just removing the danger or disease, but it is the great reversal of the ways of life.  His mourning was turned to dancing, and his sackcloth was turned to joy!  God is not stingy with his blessings.  God is generous in his answering our prayers and working in our lives.

Praise and thanksgiving are the responses to God being our helper.  I think we often do not see how is able to change things.  He is gracious, even over abundant with his grace, that we are not just aided, we are transformed by calling out to God and trusting him in all our troubles.

Pastor Greg