Salt House Sermons

When Difference is a Gift

The Spirit at Pentecost (Act 2:1-13) builds kinship by honoring our differences as sacred mysteries rather than labels to be controlled. This movement invites us to listen to God and one another deeply, ensuring no one stands outside the circle of compassion where we celebrate the "unknowable and unfurling" beauty of community.

Bittersweet by Sara Canal

Sara Canal is an exchange student from Spain who spent the school year with us. Rachel and Anson Horton were her host family for the school year, and June 7 was her last Sunday with us at Salt House. Sara is a musician, and a joyful spirit who lent her voice, guitar, and piano skills to our music team throughout the year. She’s also a songwriter and wrote a song to say thank you to the community at Salt House. The song is called Bittersweet! The performance last Sunday, while perfect for the moment, was a not a great version of the song (it's hard to sing when you're crying). Sara wanted the community to hear the full song, so she made a recording at home and Jason Bendickson added some production elements.  Thank you, Sara, for blessing us with your joyful and uncontainable spirit. May you be blessed as you head home to Spain.

A Pride Sunday Conversation

Pastor David Hahn leads us in reflection on Acts 1 that describes the Holy Spirit as a force that "queers" our understanding of God by disrupting normative categories to join us more deeply to one another. Through the lived testimonies of queer community members, this message challenges the exhausting pressure to provide "convincing proofs" of identity, calling us instead to an active waiting that recognizes the divine voice in our neighbors' stories.

A Living Conversation

Let's consider that God is a living, triune conversation—much like a jazz trio riffing off one another—that we are invited to join rather than merely observe. You are invited to listen and discover how the Holy Spirit moves us beyond just "talking about" Jesus to a place where we are actively being "written" into new life by God's presence.

FY27 Giving Matching Opportunity

We have an incredible opportunity in front of us. A group from our community has created a $20,000 matching pledge fund to encourage generosity and help grow the ministry we believe God is calling Salt House into. Here’s how it works: - If you’ve never pledged or given before, every dollar of your new pledge will be matched. - If you already give, every increased dollar in your pledge will be matched. - All matching applies up to $20,000 total. This kind of generosity is already helping Salt House grow. Over the past year, giving increased by 10%, largely through new donors, and we are projected to finish in the black for the first time in years. At the same time, we know there is more ministry ahead of us. - As a community, we’ve named clear priorities for the future: - Strengthening ministry with children, youth, and families - Deepening belonging through groups, learning, and community life - Expanding our justice work through homelessness outreach, radical welcome, and racial justice To move toward these goals, we need to continue growing our giving and building sustainable momentum for the future. Even a modest increase in pledges this year could help position us to add future ministry staff and expand the care and connection our community longs for. Whether your next step is starting to give for the first time or increasing your current pledge, every gift matters and every increased dollar will be doubled through this match. We invite you to spend some time in prayer and conversation with God about what generosity could look like for you this season, and to submit your pledge by June 10.