thinking out loud

The Superpower of Pentecost

In this Pentecost message, Terry Timm reflects on why the Holy Spirit's first gift to the church was language, exploring Acts 2 as God's radical move toward all peoples, cultures, and dialects with the "wonders of God." He contrasts Pentecost with the Tower of Babel and with modern tendencies to merge Christian faith with national or tribal identity, warning against any monochrome version of Christianity. How might the Spirit heal our speech, help us grow in hospitality across differences, and use our words to move toward others in love.

Living Easter - Embodying Easter

In this message, Katherine Sikma Wadsworth explores the holiness of the human body, challenging dualistic theology that elevates the soul while sidelining or shaming our physical selves. Moving through creation, incarnation, resurrection, and ascension, she shows how Scripture affirms that God meets us in and through our bodies, and that Jesus' ongoing embodied life is good news for our own flesh. She closes by offering a blessing over congregants' bodies, inviting them to receive their physical selves as sacred gifts and primary places of encounter with God.

Living Easter - The True Friend Who Stays

This message by Terry Timm reflects on our deep human longing not to be abandoned, using the Still Face Experiment and the image of spiritual "orphanhood" to name our fears of being alone. Teaching from John 14, Terry shows how Jesus answers that fear by sending the Holy Spirit—the Paraclete, or "true friend"—who comes alongside us, lives in us, and unites us with God in love. Listeners are invited to notice where they live with an orphan spirit, receive the Spirit's presence, and embody that same coming-alongside love for others who feel isolated or afraid.

Living Easter - The Way of Jesus

In this message, Terry Timm reflects on Jesus' words in John 14 to people with "troubled hearts," inviting listeners to move from mere belief to deep trust in Christ amid stress, grief, and uncertainty. He unpacks Jesus' promise of the Father's house and the many rooms as a picture of God's welcoming presence, made possible through Jesus' life, death, and resurrection.

Living Easter - Listening to the Shepherd's Voice

In this message, Richie Reeder teaches from John 10 about Jesus as the Good Shepherd and the gate for the sheep, emphasizing that our primary role as disciples is to listen for and follow His voice. He contrasts Jesus' heavy responsibility as Shepherd with our simple but challenging call to cultivate stillness, silence, and attentiveness amid a noisy, hurried culture. Through Scripture, personal stories, and practical reflection, Richie invites listeners to shift from striving to abiding so they can experience the abundant life that comes from truly hearing and responding to Jesus.