The Way of Jesus

BeNativity, Christmas Eve 2008

Download "BeNativity Christmas Eve 2008"  We began our Christmas Eve message with an original work by Stan Schmidt.  His poem Nativity is a brilliant synthesis of our BeNativity series of teachings.  Thanks Stan!

BeNativity December 21st 2008

Download "BeNativity part 2 Dec 21 2008"  I am finally getting caught up with the message posts.  Sorry to keep you waiting. In this teaching, I wanted to flesh out a very particular angle and perspective on the Nativity.  What does the birth story of Jesus teach us about what God is actually like.  If we fundamentally have a broken view and relationship with God, how does the nativity story try to reshape, restore, and renew our picture of who God is?  These are the questions and the perspective I am trying to bring to the surface in this teaching.  Shalom.

BeNativity December 14th 2008 [advent conspiracy]

Download "BeNativity Dec 14 2008" How you enter matters.  It signals who you have come for.  The nativity story is one of contrast.  For those listening, one of the images used in this teaching was of the big three auto CEO's before congress and their private planes.   The planes received a lot of attention.  The gospel writer Luke draws a lot of attention to the manger.  It is a sign that we can learn from and embody. shalom.

MCC 110 Year Anniversary

Download "MCC 110 Anniversary" This really was a special morning.  Thanks to all of you who shared.  Thank You for honoring Pastor Ken so well with your love and notes of gratitude.  I am really thankful to be a part of this historic community of faith.  shalom. 

Can Consumers Save the Economy?

Do you feel like you can be an American Hero simply by going to the mall?  Spend your money and all will be saved?  Here is an article by Juliet Schor, author of Born to Buy, which confronts the myth of spending in order to save the economy http://www.newdream.org/blog/?p=332 (thanks Jennifer Swanson for pointing me to this article.)

This is  a shout out for new economists to bring the Kingdom of God in building more creative, sustainable, just, and life-giving economies.  This is my prayer for structural change in the way we think about what we make, sell, and buy.  We can be far more creative in the way we approach economies of scale.  We are more than consumers.  We are children of God.  "Our playing small does not serve the world"  Nelson Mandela

Advent Conspiracy Resource Book 2008

Here is the pdf version of the resource book that was handed out this past Sunday.  Thank Jennifer Swanson for all her work on making this resource possible. Click here to  Download "MCC Advent Book"

Advent Conspiracy Nov 30th 2008, Dave Creek speaking

Download "Advent Conspiracy Nov 30th 2008"  Dave Creek began our season of advent where we worship fully, spend less, give presence, and love all.  Thanks Dave!  If you are interested in seeing the video that Dave shared at the beginning of his talk go to www.adventconspiracy.org.

This will be a Sign, part 6 Advent Conspiracy

Download "This will be a Sign".mp3  December 24th, 2007 this was our Christmas Eve service and our finale of our Advent Conspiracy series.  We raised over $12,000 for the hope house renovation in this service to house a refugee family.  We were needing to raise at least five thousand so this was certainly a wonderful sign of hope!

shalom.

God's Base, Part 5 of Advent Conspiracy

Download "God's Base".mp3  This teaching was given on December 23rd and is part 5 of our Advent Conspiracy series.  The question and the conversations that I hope to spark through this sermon is who would you define as God's political base?  Does God seem to direct his policies and kingdom agenda on a particular segment of the population?

Shalom.

Advent Conspiracy part 4: The Rise of Heaven

Download "The Rise of Heaven".mp3  How did the Jesus movement go from 120 people to 33 million in 300 years?  We started with another great poem by Stan Schmidt and went from there.  Those interested in further study on the history side:  check out Rodney Stark's "The rise of Christianity" also "Cities of God".

Shalom