Partnership in the Good News
Paul opens his letter with deep gratitude for his partners in the gospel—people who stood with him through everything, including when the work of love got him thrown in jail. This isn't hierarchy or power-over dynamics, but true partnership where everyone has a sacred role to play. Paul describes them as "set apart, not set above"—each bringing different gifts and experiences to the table, but all equal partners in the work of love.
As we celebrate Promotion Sunday and send our students into new chapters with backpack blessings, we're reminded that God's partnership with us spans generations. What God began in each of us, God is faithful to complete—not just individually, but across generations as we pass the work of love from one to another. Our school partnership with Carolyn Bukhair illustrates this beautifully: when we use what we have for the advantage of the community rather than just ourselves, beautiful things grow that benefit everyone.
This is who we are at Arapaho—a community where every voice matters, every generation contributes, and we're all in this work of love together. From children to elders, from those just exploring faith to seasoned disciples, we each have something essential to offer in partnership with God's good news that love wins.
Voices Among Us: A Community Panel on Sacred Influencers
For our final week, we invite members of the Arapaho community to share the voices that have shaped their own faith journeys. In this panel conversation, we'll hear diverse stories of how books, mentors, theologians, and unexpected guides have helped our own community members navigate their paths of faith and justice with words that arrived at just the right moment. These testimonies remind us that God speaks through many voices to shape our understanding. This participatory conclusion to our series embodies what we've been learning all along—that we don't journey alone, but are carried by a "great cloud of witnesses" (Hebrews 12:1-2). As we listen to each other's stories, we'll also recognize our own calling to become influencers—not through followers or platforms, but through faithful presence and love in action. Drawing from 1 Peter 2:9-10, we'll reflect on how we are all "called out of darkness into God's wonderful light" not just for ourselves, but to enlighten the world, just as God enlightens us through our influences. The question isn't whether we will influence others, but what kind of influence we will have. Together, we'll explore how we might carry forward the wisdom we've received, adding our own voices to the chorus of those who point the way toward God's dream for our world.
Saints Beyond Boundaries: Finding God in Queer Lives
The Christian tradition includes countless stories of saints who lived radical lives of love and justice, yet many saints remain hidden from our traditional narratives. This message explores the lives and legacies of LGBTQ+ Christians whose witness reveals God's presence in unexpected places.
John Wesley's Unfinished Revolution
How does a rigid, rule-following Anglican priest become the founder of a movement that transforms the world? John Wesley's journey from spiritual perfectionist to grace-filled revolutionary offers a roadmap for those of us still figuring out our faith. Drawing from Wesley's own words about his heart being "strangely warmed" (Acts 16:14), we explore how personal transformation leads to social revolution. Wesley discovered that God's grace isn't earned through perfect behavior but experienced through open hearts—a revelation that freed him to challenge Calvinist predestination with the radical belief that God's love is truly for all people. This wasn't just theological hair-splitting; it was life-changing news that sparked the Methodist movement's commitment to both personal holiness and social justice. Wesley's famous "Catholic spirit" (2 Kings 10:15) teaches us that while we may not think alike, we must love alike—an openness that led him toward universalist hopes and created space for theological growth. Through Wesley's influence, we discover that faith isn't a destination but a journey of "going on to perfection"—not moral flawlessness but growing in love. As our Book of Discipline reminds us, our theological task is both critical and constructive, testing inherited beliefs against the fruits of love while building something new for our generation. Wesley's unfinished revolution continues in us as we learn that the best theology is always a work in progress, rooted in grace and oriented toward justice for all people. His legacy challenges us to keep our hearts warm, our minds open, and our hands busy with the work of love.
Faith Reimagined: The Journey with Rachel Held Evans
How do we hold onto faith when the faith we were given no longer holds us? Rachel Held Evans, who left us too soon, modeled a journey of deconstruction and reconstruction that helped countless Christians find their way home to a more expansive faith. Drawing from her writings on doubt, biblical interpretation, and church, we explore how Evans embodied the spirit of wrestling with God found in Genesis 32:22-32. Like Jacob who wouldn't let go until he received a blessing, Evans refused to abandon faith but instead fought for a blessing that reflected God's true character of love and inclusion. This message explores the permission Evans gave us to question, doubt, and reimagine a Christianity that makes room for science, gender equality, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and intellectual honesty. Through her influence, many have discovered that faith can be both deeply rooted in tradition and openly responsive to new understanding. Evans reminds us that the table of God is wider than we've been told, and that doubt can be a sacred space where faith is deepened rather than destroyed. Her legacy continues to invite us into a faith that embraces questions as much as answers, complexity as much as certainty, and above all, love as the heart of everything.
Where Creation and Community Meet: The Holy Work of Being Right Here
Modern life often disconnects us from the places we inhabit, leaving us mentally elsewhere even while physically present. Through the voices of Wendell Berry and Annie Dillard, we discover how care for place and attention to the ordinary can ground our faith in the here and now. Berry teaches us that "I stand for what I stand on," reminding us of our deep connection to the earth from which we were formed (Genesis 2:7-15). Dillard shows us how to truly see what's before us, practicing the attentiveness Jesus commended when he invited us to "look at the birds" and "see the flowers" (Matthew 6:26-29). Together, these prophetic voices invite us to sink roots and grow branches right where we are—learning the stories of our places, practicing attention to what surrounds us, and committing to tangible acts of care. As Romans 8:19-22 reminds us, all creation groans for liberation, and we are called to participate in God's work of healing and reconciliation, beginning with the ground beneath our feet. This is not just environmentalism but a spiritual orientation that reflects God's dream for creation and community to flourish together.
Belief without Baggage: God
Have you ever felt like the understanding of God you inherited doesn’t quite fit anymore—too small, too rigid, or burdened with baggage? This reflection invites us to strip away those misgivings and rediscover something profound: the God who is with us, for us, and ahead of us. This is not the distant, judgmental deity perched on a cloud but the sacred presence woven into the very fabric of our lives
Belief Without Baggage: Jesus Is the Way
When we hear the verse “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life,” we may have been told it’s about an exclusive path to heaven. But what if it’s really about a way of life now? In the series "Belief Without Baggage," we examine the beliefs we’ve inherited to discover what we love, what we need to leave, and what is life-giving. What if Jesus’ words in John 14:6 weren’t meant to exclude but to reassure his disciples that the Way of love—loving God, our neighbors, and ourselves—is the path to God. This Way isn’t a map or a set of rules; it’s a lived, transformative way of being, calling us to dig into the real work of healing and justice in the here and now. By following this Way, we experience truth, life, and deep connection with God and others. Jesus’ invitation to embrace love isn’t about escape but about creating glimpses of heaven on earth: breathe it all in, love it all out—this is the Way.
Belief without Baggage: Love
“God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.”
Have you ever wondered if love—the central promise of faith—could be simpler, purer, and freer of the baggage religion sometimes adds? This reflection invites us to untangle the ways love has been distorted, particularly by conditional or "tough love" narratives, and instead embrace love as the very essence of God. Exploring the richness of love through four dimensions—storge (familial love), philia (friendship), eros (romantic passion), and agape (unconditional, divine love)—we are reminded that God's love is tough in resilience, not in harshness. It is a love that always seeks to build up, never tear down, and that fiercely claims us as beloved, even when we feel unworthy. This understanding challenges us to cultivate love in practical ways: through time, attention, help, and presence, showing up for others as God shows up for us. In a world often marked by division and judgment, reclaiming this kind of love offers the promise of a better, more peaceful world—one relationship, one act of kindness at a time.
Belief Without Baggage | Sin
What if sin isn’t about pristine holiness but rather preventing harm—to ourselves, others, and the world around us? This reimagined understanding sees sin the way John Wesley did: as harm, or, in the words of Cornelius Plantinga as a "culpable disturbance of shalom," a disruption of the peace, flourishing, and wholeness God desires for all creation. Instead of lists of dos and don’ts, sin becomes a deeper call to recognize the harm we cause and to join God’s work of healing and restoration. Jesus, far from reinforcing shame or exclusion, modeled radical love and inclusion, breaking down barriers and inviting everyone into belonging and flourishing. In this view, repentance (teshuvah) is not about guilt trips or fear but about returning to who we are meant to be—beloved, creative, and whole. By embracing this call to cultivate shalom, we discover a faith that is not burdensome but liberating, empowering us to heal the brokenness in our lives and the world. In the end, the story isn’t about judgment—it’s about returning home to love and flourishing.
Belief without Baggage: Belief
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.”
What if belief was less about agreeing to a rigid set of ideas and more about trusting deeply, even loving deeply? This reflection challenges the narrow notion of belief as mere intellectual assent and reclaims it as an invitation to a dynamic, relational journey with God. In ancient and premodern contexts, “believe” carried the sense of trust and affection—beloving rather than merely agreeing. Jesus' call wasn’t to memorize a creed but to follow—a path of love, questions, and growth. Doubt isn’t the enemy of faith but a catalyst for deeper exploration, a quest that leads to trust and transformation. Belief begins and ends with love: loving God, loving our neighbor, and loving ourselves as reflections of God’s care. In a world longing for authenticity and connection, this journey of “believing as beloving” offers a way to rediscover faith as life-giving, inclusive, and endlessly hopeful.
Resurrection
Easter reminds us that resurrection isn’t just a one-time event but the ongoing rhythm of how God works in the world. Just as spring brings new life from seemingly barren soil, God’s love transforms us, rolling away the stones that block hope. In the story of Mary Magdalene, we meet someone who didn’t “get” Easter yet showed up anyway, embodying faith in her simple presence. Mary, once seen and liberated by Jesus, found herself at the tomb in grief, only to hear her name spoken in love by the risen Christ. That moment transformed her—not just as a witness of resurrection but as its first preacher, sent to share the good news of God’s new-making work. Like Mary, we are invited to show up—in moments of despair, injustice, or daily life—and trust that resurrection is breaking forth, even when unseen. From this rhythm of showing up, God plants seeds of love, hope, and justice that grow into life renewed. May we bear this rhythm of Easter into our own lives, knowing that what makes it Easter is what God does next.
Service
In a world driven by fear, self-preservation, and grasping for power, the Jesus of Palm Sunday invites us into a radically different rhythm: the way of the servant. Through a story in Mark 10, we see the disciples wrestling with fear and ambition, seeking their own greatness. But Jesus redefines greatness—not in what we accumulate or achieve, but in what we give and how we serve. True servanthood isn’t about occasional acts of kindness; it’s a way of life rooted in love, humility, and openness to others.
This kind of service goes beyond niceness—it’s sacrificial, justice-seeking, and life-giving, reflecting the boundless love of God. It’s a countercultural way of living that challenges the structures of power and privilege around us, freeing us to live for something greater than ourselves. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. put it, “Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.” When we choose to serve, we embody God’s love and become part of God’s transforming work in the world. A life connected to this rhythm is not just good enough—it’s great, full of purpose, joy, and reconciliation. This is the way of love, the way of life Jesus calls us to follow.
Worship
The rhythm of worship invites us into a transformative encounter with awe—the experience of being in the presence of something vast, transcendent, and beyond ourselves. Drawing from stories like a veteran finding healing in nature and Psalm 95’s call to "worship and bow down," we learn that awe restores perspective, connects us to creation, and reminds us of our sacred place within God’s grandeur. Worship isn’t about feeling small but recognizing we are part of something incomprehensibly big and meaningful.
The Psalms guide us to respond reflexively to awe, offering humility and gratitude as we engage with God’s glory in creation, art, community, and even our own lives. Whether gazing at stars, walking among trees, or encountering love in each other, worship invites us to pause, say thanks, and glimpse the divine in all things. As Mary Oliver and the psalmist remind us, we are crowned with glory and called to live with light, reflecting God’s presence wherever we go. Worship, then, becomes not just a practice but a rhythm that renews us and reveals God’s love—here, everywhere, and in each other.
Prayer
Prayer is more than speaking to God—it is coming home to a place where we are seen, known, and loved. In this message, we explore how prayer connects us with the source of life, inviting us into deep communion with the Divine. Jesus’ teachings on prayer encourage us to approach it with intentionality, authenticity, and trust, reminding us that God is not impressed by lengthy words but moved by the openness of our hearts. Prayer isn’t about perfect technique; it’s a learning process, a rhythm we grow into, where our deepest desires and hopes can be expressed—even without words. In this space, we discover a God who sees us in secret, knows us completely, and loves us unconditionally. As we lean into this love, prayer transforms us, reshaping our lives in alignment with God’s vision for justice, mercy, and love. This rhythm of prayer invites us to be intentional, to be seen, to be known, and ultimately, to be changed. Through prayer, we come home to the heart of God, finding peace and purpose in the transformative embrace of divine love.