Sobering Up from Self-Righteousness
By Amy Simpson | July 15, 2020
Chances are, this topic needs no introduction. If you’ve signed on to any social media platform over the past few weeks...or even days...you’re familiar with the landscape. Debates over masks, returning to school, black lives matter, the 2020 election, socialism, fake news and conspiracy theories are around every swipe, with comment sections that feel like a car accident on the side of the road - you want to look away, but you just can’t.
A Safe Place To Be Yourself
By Ashley Ford | July 8, 2020
My first experience with Christians was before I actually knew what a Christian was. It seemed like Christian kids spoke a different language: they could quote Larry the Cucumber; I could quote George the Costanza. And yet, one day at a friend’s church (there was free pizza. Even at the age of 34, free pizza greatly increases the odds of my attendance), I heard the gospel and came to know the Lord.
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Friendship, The Sweet Obligation
By Dr. Jonathan Pennington | July 1, 2020
We just returned from a short but perfect Floridian vacation with some good friends. The day before we left my wife had lunch with an old friend, followed by a swim party at our house with several women in her life. That night we had a nice dinner with a couple we are just getting to know. And right before our vacation trip I attended the low-key birthday celebration for a close friend. There I met several other friends of my friend who had shared years of life together and great adventures.(Don’t worry – My whole life doesn’t consist of vacations, parties, and dinners. I do work occasionally too!)
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Wise Eyes
By Nora Allison | June 24, 2020
When I was younger, I used to think that the older you got, the wiser you got. Then I got older. Now, I know the truth: The older you get, the older you get. Time alone isn’t always kind to us in the wisdom department. I’ll let you provide your own examples from your relatives…
I Have Hope and I Am Healing
By Kody Gibson | June 17, 2020
This upcoming Father’s Day will be my 8th time celebrating as a dad. Up until about two years ago, this special day meant the usual—call dad, send a gift, receive a gift, do what I want. This year, I’ll still get something from the kids (fingers crossed) and hopefully sneak in a round of golf, but I won’t be sending anything.
Worship Over Worry
By Jenna Kleiser | June 10, 2020
Of the many ways in which the Covid-19 pandemic is reshaping our lives, perhaps the most challenging (and unifying) aspect has been the sudden sense of helplessness it has cast on us all. A recent poll by the American Psychiatric Association shows that nearly half of Americans fear getting the virus, and far more than that are anxious about a loved one falling ill.
Think What You Are Doing
By Mike Cosper | June 3, 2020
As I’ve watched violence unfold on the streets of our city and across the nation, I keep thinking of this quote by Hannah Arendt: “The sad truth is that most evil is done by people who never make up their minds to be good or evil.”
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The Foolish and The Weak
By Nora Allison | May 27, 2020
When I was approached to write a feature story for our East newsletter, I was honored - flattered even! I readily agreed, my mind spinning with possible topics even before the conversation ended, only then to be told who would be penning the lead article for our first edition: Mike Cosper.
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A Case for Walking
By Jonathan Pennington | May 20, 2020
One of the many things my family likes to make fun of me for is my “Old Man’s Walking Group” as they like to call it. Even though there’s no official title, it is true that I’ve logged a lot of miles walking around Tom Sawyer park with a group of older guys.
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Grace in Pixels
By Amy Simpson | May 13, 2020
We're living in a time where I'm incredibly thankful for technology, especially for what it enables us to do as a church. Living through a pandemic has shown us that we can still stay connected with one another, listen to worship music, hear sermons preached, meet with our community groups - despite not being able to physically gather.
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Unfading Beauty
By Kevin Jamison | May 6, 2020
How do you honor someone who gave so much of their life away to give you life? That’s the question that I face every Mother’s Day. This year, I’d like to honor my mom by telling you a bit about her story.
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Meaning-Making in a Season of Doubt
By Mike Cosper | April 29, 2020
At the beginning of this season, we talked as a church about the opportunities present in COVID-19—opportunities to seek God’s presence and search our own hearts. It’s an invitation for self-examination, and it’s also an invitation to stop and think about our faith, our place in the world, and how we make sense of it.
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