If you've been attending our church for any length of time you have probably heard our pastor mention that he doesn't "do the Santa thing" with his family around Christmas. I know I've heard him speak about this on several occasions and in the past I had thought that he was probably making too big of a deal about it. While I recognized that the Santa myth had nothing to do...

She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: "You are the God who sees me," for she said, "I have now seen the One who sees me." - Genesis 16:13 Have you ever wondered if anyone out there truly sees you? I don't mean just to look at you- I mean truly sees you? Not just simply that you exist, or that you're a mom or a dad, or a child or a great friend or coworker. No...

22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord", 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of doves or two young pigeons." 25 Now t...

The time of Advent leading up to Christmas is a time of great anticipation for many people. For those who don't celebrate the birth of Christ, there is still the Christmas celebration and countless children who are eagerly awaiting the arrival of their cache of presents. Even those of us who DO hold Advent (the coming of Christ) and Christmas holy, can be guilty of overloo...

Listen to Alexa.MOV Since the onset of the Corona Virus many of us had taken to, what I call "panic praying." Those few seconds of prayer similar to Peter's "Lord save me" panic prayer when he took his eyes off Jesus as he began to sink into the stormy seas of Galilee. "Lord help us" or "Save us from this virus," we say. At those times we've not only taken our eye...

Gift giving, especially to children, is a minefield of emotional explosions. They immediately tell you how they really feel. There's no middle ground between, "I like it" and "I don't like it!". We have eight grandsons (no girls), so Sharon and I have spent many years on that minefield between eight annual birthdays and eight Christmases. We've watched clothes thrown over...

The following was written by Pastor Shea Oakley to open a prayer meeting today at noon. --- I had a specific topic I was looking forward to sharing with you today. But based on what happened in Washington D.C. yesterday I feel there is something more important for me to communicate. As this is a prayer meeting I believe the most important thing which we can pray for r...

"He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom and broke away their chains." -Psalm 107:14 Not long-ago Jess Francis, with great courage, spoke out in one of our podcasted services about her ongoing struggle with clinical depression. The result of her honesty was a beautiful time of confession, both during the public service in the accompanying chatroom and privat...

It's a snow day and I love to clean on snow days - so by 10 a.m., I washed down all my kitchen cabinets and hand-shampooed my living room carpet - thinking this is a good day to share my healing testimony! I tested positive for Covid on Dec. 23; my symptoms were mild chills and a slight fever. I figured I would have a slight case, however, each day I felt worse and weaker ...

A few weeks ago I realized that I was having an issue with the "other" political party -- it was a definite heart issue. I was feeling angry with the party and their agenda that I believe was going to take America to a place that it has never been and it is not going to be a good place. As far as individuals, family, friends, etc. I did not have anger towards them, but may...

In Scripture we are told to "be angry and yet do not sin" (Eph. 4:26 NASB). In another place in the New Testament we also read that "the kindness of God leads you to repentance." (Romans 2:4 NASB). Anger is sometimes allowable, but it often can lead us into a wrong spirit and, consequently, wrong actions. An angry spirit should never be allowed to rule us. This is especia...

"Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledge me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God." - ‭‭Luke‬ ‭12:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬ I was just reading psalm 40 using a great app called "through the word," and the teaching pastor, Sa...

BIBLE READING TIPS Many of us struggle to read our Bibles consistently. If that's you, try this: Pick a time each day that works best Whether it's early morning, your lunch break, or just before bed, choosing a regular time will help you develop the habit of reading Scripture. Find a place where you can quiet your mind Wheth...