Weekly Up date Pastor John

Hi Folks,

 This week, we continue our sermon series, “Simplify: Decluttered Disciples,” by turning our attention to one of the heaviest burdens many of us carry, shame.

In Psalm 130, we hear a cry from the depths, a voice calling out to God in the midst of guilt, regret, and longing. And yet, that cry is not met with condemnation, but with mercy. The psalm reminds us that with the Lord there is steadfast love and full redemption. Likewise, in Romans 8, we are given one of the most freeing truths in all of Scripture: there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. We are not defined by our past or our failures, we are claimed as beloved sons and daughters of God.

So much of what clutters our spiritual lives isn’t just busyness or the stuff we have in storage, it’s the weight of shame, the quiet voice that tells us we are not enough or that we don’t belong. But the gospel speaks a better word. Through Christ, we are forgiven, restored, and invited into a new way of living, one marked not by fear, but by freedom; not by hiding, but by humble, joyful service.

This Sunday, we’ll explore what it means to release the baggage we’ve been carrying and step into the life God is offering us. What might it look like to truly believe that you are forgiven? What might change if you lived as someone fully loved by God?

I hope you’ll join us as we continue this journey together, and consider inviting someone who might need to hear this message of grace and freedom.

Shalom,

Pastor John