Holy Week — the week between Palm Sunday and Easter — is the heart of the Christian year. This is the time when we remember Jesus’ final days, his passion and death, and ultimately his glorious resurrection. We’re deliberate about walking through this story step by step, inviting God to draw us more deeply into […]
Sign-up here now! “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. (Psalm 1:1-2) Thousands of years ago, the Psalmist recognized something that our modern era is only slowly […]
Hey Restoration, It’s traditional to reserve the time between 12pm and 3pm on Good Friday to mark the period that Christ spent on the cross. Along with many other churches, Restoration will be open during that time to allow folks to stop in and spend time in prayer. I’d love for as many of us […]
Every year I finish Holy Week and I am so, so, so thankful. I am grateful for a week to remember this story of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. Every year I ask Jesus to tell me something new about his death and resurrection– give me a new insight into what you have done for […]
The clergy in our diocese have a regular conference call with our bishop as a means to touch base and hear what is happening in churches around our region. As we were wrapping up, Bishop Guernsey exhorted us to a good Ash Wednesday with this illustration– ‘I can spend an hour cleaning my entire house. […]
If you’ve ever been sitting in a dark theater when, suddenly, a single spotlight brilliantly illuminates one character on the stage, then you’ve got a pretty good idea of what Epiphany is all about. Epiphany, which we celebrate this Sunday, is the day when we contemplate and celebrate God’s full revelation of himself in Jesus. […]
We thank you, Father, for the water of Baptism. Now sanctify this water, we pray you, by the power of your Holy Spirit, that those who here are marked with the sign of the covenant may in every way grow up into him who is our Head, Jesus Christ. To Him, to You, and to […]
Oh Advent, how I love what you do to my soul– the chanting psalms, the smell of evergreen, the wreath and candles, the picture frames on the wall. I love walking with our church in these seasons of deliberate expectation. Can you imagine doing Christmas without Advent? What a loss. How plastic. And desperate. And […]
Friends, Advent begins this Sunday and things will feel a little different around Restoration. There is anticipation built into everything– the music, the decorations, finding the little lambie thingy. I will preach five times [4 Sundays of Advent and Christmas Eve] about Jesus from the book of Hebrews. What difference does He make? Why would […]
Restoration, I hope that you are someplace warm with family and friends. As we pause to be thankful today, here are some things that come quickly to my mind: I am thankful for our growing number of APEX and HS kids. I loved watching them announce the bake sale and seeing all the energy they […]