Signs & WondersWeek 3Discerning a SignOver the course of this series we have been reminded that signs from God rarely lay out clear step-by-step instructions. More often we are left wondering if the song we heard on the radio, the comment made by a friend, or the bird we saw in the backyard was a coincidence or a message from God. This is where discernment comes into play. This week we will talk a...  Read More

This week, a friend of mine called to talk through a tough decision. This person was offered a job in a new city. There was a long list of pros and cons to saying yes, and the person really wanted to make a God-led decision. As we talked about it, the person confessed. It isn’t always easy to tell what is the Holy Spirit and what is just me! Over the years, one of the top questions I receive is ab...  Read More

There’s a pun about not listening that goes something like this:So, I was on the couch the other day and my friend said "hey, you're not listening!" and I said "well, that's a funny way to start a conversation."It's a light joke about the classic "tune-out".  It happens to the best of us. Active listening can be tricky though.  You have to pay attention to the speaker;  maintain the appropriate le...  Read More

Last Sunday after our last worship service, a woman came up to me and reintroduced herself. We knew each other way back during my first couple of years of ministry. Since I didn’t have an office when I started The Gathering, I would often default to Starbucks as my makeshift office. At the time, she was a barista there. Over the course of those early years of the church, I got to know her and the ...  Read More

Opening Prayer: God, thank you for this time we get to share and learn from each other. We acknowledge your presence with us in the conversation and thank you for your wisdom as we talk. Show us something new, deepen our faith and connect us closer to you and each other. In the name of Jesus Christ and through the power of the Holy Spirit we pray, amen. Ice Breaker: What component, rubric, and/or ...  Read More

Recently I was reading about the philosophical concept of being and becoming. To put it simply: all of us can value who we are presently, even as we desire to become someone new. I love thinking about this as we close one year and get ready to start a new year. It is a good time to reflect and be grateful for who we are and how we have grown. The past year has been up and down, full of blessings a...  Read More