By Pastor Ellis WhiteSenior Pastor What if the people most ready to hear about Jesus aren’t far away… but already in your life? Every Sunday this summer, something beautiful is happening as we gather as one church family—young and old, new and long-time, all in one room. There’s something powerful about it. You can feel […]
One Service. One Family. Starting Tomorrow.
By Pastor Ellis WhiteSenior Pastor As we step into the heart of summer, many of us are still carrying the joy of the Fourth of July—family gathered around the grill, kids waving sparklers, stories and laughter shared across generations. There’s something sacred about holidays like this. They remind us that part of our calling is […]
What Is Lay Counseling…and Why Does It Matter?
By Katie NelsonDirector of Care Ministries In today’s world, more and more people are feeling isolated, overwhelmed, and wounded by life’s circumstances. Jesus Christ—the Wonderful Counselor—cared for people by meeting their spiritual and practical needs. He spoke words of hope and healing. Now more than ever, the local church is called to be a refuge—a […]
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Navigating a Wild World with Jesus
By Paul HargreavesSenior Director of Family Ministries In the late ‘90s, Christian artist Twila Paris sang a song called “True North.” Some of the lyrics go: “We lost our bearings,Following our own mindWe left conviction behind…How did we ever wander so far?And where do we go from here?How will we know where it is?” “True […]
Looking Back Before Moving Forward
By Jenna ArnoldDirector of Digital Outreach When I was a little girl, Old Testament stories used to frustrate me. The Israelites just seemed so stupid. God would part the sea, rain down manna, or show up in some other miraculous way—and then, just a few verses later, they’d forget all about it and start complaining […]
What a “Yes” Can Lead to
By Judson TaylorSenior Director of Marketing & Communications I never imagined I’d find myself standing in a Thai prison, let alone sharing my personal testimony with a roomful of incarcerated men. But there I was, asking God to give me words that could offer even a flicker of hope. I came to share how God […]
One Church, One Service, One Summer
By Pastor Ellis WhiteSenior Pastor There’s something about our one-service Sundays. The room is full. The singing is louder. There’s laughter in the lobby, kids darting between grown-ups, and people from different generations and worship preferences coming together. It’s electric—but not just because it’s crowded. It’s meaningful. It’s unifying. Over the past couple of years, […]
An Invitation to the Wounded Healers Among Us
By Katie NelsonDirector of Care Ministries “When our wounds cease to be a source of shame and become a source of healing, we have become wounded healers.”—Henri Nouwen, The Wounded Healer Each of us carries wounds—whether from living in a broken world, from the hurt caused by others, from our own choices, or from the […]
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When God Whispers “Go”
By Carie GordyCommunications Coordinator In July 2022, I got an email from our Outreach Director, Cara Taylor. She’d been in touch with Jacksonville Presbyterian Church (one of our sister churches in Oregon) about a one-day visitor event at their family camp: Camp Levi, a retreat for families affected by disability. Just 40 minutes south of […]
The Power of a Life Laid Down
by Pastor Ellis WhiteSenior Pastor This week, I stood at the foot of the National World War I Monument in Kansas City—a towering tribute to the men and women who gave their lives in one of the most devastating conflicts the world has ever seen. It’s a sobering place. As I looked out over the […]