All Saints Church

Life On The Vine

Caring for flowers and plants takes considerable effort, and promoting fruitful growth requires even more. This often involves pruning healthy branches to boost overall bloom, which can be painful for flower lovers like me.
Determining which branches to prune can be tough. Similarly, grasping Jesus' message, especially the idea of life's pruning, can be challenging.
Jesus uses the grapevine as an analogy. For those unfamiliar with grapevines or vineyards, producing grapes may seem like mere labor. However, understanding the grapevine clarifies Jesus’ comparison to his disciples.

Not Your Average Airbnb

Acts 9:32-43 recounts Peter's visits in modern day Tel Aviv, where he heals a paralyzed man and raises a woman from the dead. Although verses 42 and 43 seem obscure, they reveal the importance of radical hospitality, a theme often overlooked in Acts. Hospitality is essential for all followers of Christ, not just an option. Discover the transformative power of hospitality and its significance in our faith journey.

Real Power

Pew Research reports that only 36% of Americans have confidence in the Christian Church. This statistic highlights a critical reality that demands a wise and strong response to our post-Christian culture. With declining church attendance, we must evolve how we embody the church. Actively engaging with God’s work around us is crucial, and we need the power of the Holy Spirit to guide us in this journey. Read Acts 1:1-10

Easter Is Not Routine Or Predictable

Nothing about Easter is routine or predictable. The same can be said about teaching about the Easter story. When we view Christ’s resurrection with an understanding that God continues to be concerned with our world, then our situations lead us to perceive that event with new significance. Because our lives and our encounters with God continually provide possibilities for grasping the implications of the resurrection in new–and renewed–ways, we must not assume that the Easter story always communicates the same message.

Jesus’ Politics

Today is Palm Sunday, the day to embrace and welcome Jesus into our lives. It's a reminder for everyone who follows Christ to open their hearts, recognize His kingship, and strive to walk in His grace, even when things get tough. We're navigating some challenging times together.
Let’s talk about politics. When I say politics, I mean not just the elected officials and government agencies but also the crucial role each of us plays—our opinions, choices, and how we connect with one another. Let’s remember that our voices matter, and by coming together and understanding each other, we can build a community that truly reflects the love and teachings of Jesus.

Why It Matters

Think back to your last random act of kindness! Recall the heartwarming moment you offered support or a friendly gesture without expecting anything in return. Those selfless acts of goodwill, where the only reward is the joy of brightening someone else's day, radiate the best vibes! Is it possible to live without a why, giving and doing unconditionally? This reflects how we perceive ourselves and our desire to live, but it’s more complex than it appears.

Embracing Beauty

The remedy for the fractures in our communities and the chaos of our affections lies in recognizing the profound beauty of God. When we perceive beauty, we are compelled to respond. It’s not merely about believing in God in a vague sense; it’s about embracing the beauty of God allowing it to transform our hearts and lives.

Word Power

In our culture, words hold great power. Let’s embrace how we use them in texts, conversations, and intentions. Words are vital, transforming us to be more like Jesus. Each word is a step toward inspiration and connection in our journey of faith and love with God and each other.

Free To Forgive

The ethical teachings of Christianity closely resemble those of Islam, humanism, and Confucianism, emphasizing principles like refraining from theft, respecting others, showing kindness, and practicing forgiveness. These values are present across cultures, but Christianity uniquely highlights that morality goes beyond mere principles. It encourages us to reject falsehoods, embrace truth, and use our anger for justice, reminding us of our identity as beings created in God's image. Read Ephesians 4:31-32

Get Angry

The cultural flashpoints of exhaustion where the middle feel so under represented, due to the hard right/left yelling at each other, the exhaustion comes from this economy, this measure of success, the life script that is being written tells us that we have to keep running, working, and striving for. It also creates exhaustion spiritually where we may be trying so hard to trust God, believe God has our best, but the feeling is still exhaustion that it leaves us tired and angry. What do we do? Get Angry!