I’m excited about our September sermon series called STRETCHING.

Regardless of political affiliation, spiritual background, occupation, or age, most people understand that our world is changing, and each year, we face new kinds of questions that challenge not just our intellects but also our faith. Some of these questions may be easier than others to answer, but most challenge us to our core. What about my friend who is fundamentally a good person but has only been hurt by the Christian faith? Why does my country keep waging wars on other nations? Why are so many black young men incarcerated? Why are we stuck in an endless loop of political bickering when larger problems loom for our world?

We may have heard answers to these questions. We may know where we stand… but we may not. We also may not understand that the Bible, though wielded as an instrument of judgment by a lot of folks, may offer completely different answers than we think. This is a series to discover some of those answers. And though we may disagree, by stretching deeply around these issues, we may be more prepared to love others as God loves us.

Here’s a preview:

September  11 – Deep Wounds
Finding healing and hope in times of war

September 18 – Open & Affirming
Understanding God’s gift of sexuality

September 25 – Finding Reconciliation
Living for reconciliation in a diverse world

October 2 – A Universal God
Is God bigger than one people or one tradition?

October 9 – Real Conversations
Learning how to agree to disagree

Stay tuned for more updates as this great new conversation unfolds, beginning September 11.