Awaken Community

Pastor Micah looks at the final moments of Elijah's life in 2 Kings, and a pivotal moment of transition for God's people. In this moment, Elisha is invited to step over the threshold, to engage with what the Spirit of God is doing, and to be an active participant in the work to come and in the role they have to play.

Pastor Micah explores the story of Naomi in the book of Ruth as Naomi laments all that she has lost and grieves the life she returns to Bethlehem with. Yet, in the midst of her grief, a sacred story is being played out through Ruth's life, Naomi just can't see it. Similarly, as we approach various transitions as a community, do we have eyes to see the sacred story of the Divine all around us? What does it look like to hold grief alongside curiosity and hope?

This week we begin a new series focussing on moments throughout scripture of significant transition. Pastor Micah start our series by looking at the instructions and encouragements that Jesus gives to his disciples in the final chapters of Mark's gospel: Love one another, remain in me, and take heart.

Pastor Micah finishes our series going Beyond the Map by looking at Acts 10 and the story of Peter and Cornelius. In this encounter, Peter is directly confronted with the definition he has been given of what it means to follow God, and called to walk beyond it into a new, more inclusive, definition.

We welcome Benny Roberts, Executive Director of Halle Q. Brown Community Center, to share with us today. Benny speaks on Romans 12 and Paul's comments that, in light of all that God has given to be in relationship with us, giving all that we are in-kind is simply the most reasonable course of action.

Guest Speaker Tom Albinson joins Awaken to discuss Acts 18:1-3, when the Apostle Paul visits one of the Jewish people that were forced to leave Rome. Tom shares stories from his work assisting refugees and invites us to consider how the greatest commandment can help us stay rooted in the work of seeing those displaced persons around us and abroad as our beloved neighbors.

Pastor Micah observes Acts 4:32-5:11 when Ananias and Sapphira drop dead for withholding resources from the community. He explores some of the reasons we might hold ourselves back from participating fully and vulnerably in sacred community.

Pastor Micah continues an exploration of Acts by looking at a moment where Peter and John face imprisonment for healing a man at the temple. How might our perception of power and authority shift when we consider how Jesus and his followers interact with the leaders in the temple?

Awaken begins a new series called "Beyond the Map" where we will explore places in scripture where the Spirit seems to be leading the followers of Jesus outside their categories for understanding God into a more expansive way of thinking and behaving. Pastor Micah starts with Pentecost Sunday and Luke's reworking of old stories in a new context.

Pastor Micah discusses the another aspect of faith that can be helpful along the journey; the practice of being WITH Jesus. In Mark 3:7-14, Jesus calls his disciples to “be with him” and THEN he sends them out. How do each of us uniquely experience the divine? Micah invites us into a practice of being present with God in whatever ways are most accessible to us.