On Sunday during Onwards and Upwards, I mentioned the four spiritual habits from our GROW curriculum and encouraged families to take advantage of the extra time summer offers to lean into these habits together. Below, you’ll find each of the four spiritual habits, along with a definition from GROW that highlights how each one helps deepen discipleship and supports spiritual growth—for both us and our kids. You’ll also see a simple summer example for each habit. Remember: you don’t need big gestures

On Sunday, we kicked off our final “Central Steps” series called “Step Out: Serving Like Christ”. We talked about how the church is the body of Christ in the world, meant to represent (re-present) Christ. It brings to mind the famous quote from Teresa of Avila, Christ has no body but yours,No hands, no feet on earth but yours,Yours are the eyes with which he looksCompassion on this world,Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,Yours are the hands, with

In last week’s Wednesday email, I reflected on that startling stat (if you missed it, read it here!):  if one person made one new disciple for Christ - who could then make one more new disciple for Christ each year, and so on – because of exponential math – the entire world could be led to Christ in just 32 (or really, 33 years)!  Wild.And wildly convicting.  I have found myself convicted by this stat. It’s challenged me to ask myself who I am

32 years. That’s all it’d take. Huh? Let me explain.  On Sunday, we had the gift of hearing from Amy (one of our missionary partners, serving in Central Asia for Campus Crusade International), about how her mission work is going, and how she is leading and seeing young women come to faith in Jesus. If you missed it, make sure to watch her part here. It was inspirational, and for me, a real challenge for us as a church. (If you want to

a guest blog by Rebecca DeLucia, Next Generation Pastor I am so excited because today (Wednesday, June 4th), the 6th grade class is going on a town wide scavenger hunt - and our church is featured as a stop -  which means 36 sixth graders and parent chaperones will be welcomed into our building.  But even more amazing is the clue they need to solve to find us:  At the heart where voices raise,A beacon lights with hymns and praise.Steeple stands both tall

“Is it Block Party time again?” This was the question that a neighbor asked Rebecca as they walked by and saw the flags (bunting) up on Saturday. She remembered them being up last year, and seeing them down by the harbor for a gazebo service. Evidently, we’re beginning to have something of a reputation of being the church with the flags hanging. We’re beginning to be the church that is known for putting on the Block Party – for throwing a

A (spoiler free!) blog by Next Gen Pastor, Rebecca DeLucia On Sunday, I (Rebecca) was reminded of the powerful role that film and television can play in our conversations around important issues and the way our faith ought to impact them. Thanks to the dreariness on Sunday afternoon, we were faced with an empty day ahead of us - a rare occurrence in our household. We decided to uphold the classic rainy-day activity and go see the new Thunderbolts* movie.  Without giving

This past Sunday, we kicked off our spring series in our Central Steps year-long series of series. We’ve taken a “Step Up” in the fall and a “Step In” in the winter – and now we’re taking a “Step Down” as we learn to become like Christ.That’s what our spring season of Step Groups is going to be focusing on: becoming like Christ. Becoming like Christ is a life-long journey. It's a key part of the process called "discipleship". There are a million books about and philosophies

Isn’t it the most beautiful day today? After our men’s bible study, we walked to and from the bagel shop, and I just couldn’t get over it. Get outside today, if you’re able! Today’s beauty reminded me that, more than the weather,we live in the beauty of a post-Easter world.  We live in a world where resurrection – life, with and from God – is our future.   We live in a world where, in Christ, it can be our present too.  That was the