Awaken ends its time at St James by discussing the role and significance of the altar in Jacob's story. What does it mean to mark a moment in time and how does God meet us as we set up our own altars in this time of transition?Bởi Awaken Community

This is the second to last Sunday at St James and Micah takes another approach to Genesis 28 by discussing the significance of being surprised by God's presence and staying curious about the places and people we will come into contact with in our new church home.Bởi Awaken Community

Micah kicks off a final series for our time at St James. He opens by discussing the ways God is with us in the midst of transition by looking at Jacob's life. Also, in classic Micah fashion he gives a beautiful illustration of fish.Bởi Awaken Community

Pastor Jenna brings our Advent series to a close in preparation for Christmas Eve. She walks us through the ways the evangelical understanding of longing can be counter productive to an otherwise important revealing that can happen through our longings.Bởi Awaken Community

Micah processes the importance of waiting and the through line that we can see through scripture. It's in the waiting that things are exposed and produced within us.Bởi Awaken Community

Micah discusses Exodus 1:1-18 & 2:23-25 when the Israelites cried out and God heard, saw, listened, knew them. In the same way that Jesus modeled what it means to be human, we are met by God in the moments when we can acknowledge and embrace our limitations and struggles.Bởi Awaken Community

Awaken begins a new series through our last Advent season at St James. Micah kicks the series off by discussing the significance of darkness and the ways God shows up alongside us as a midwife is present to those birthing new life into the world.Bởi Awaken Community

Micah closes out the Take Heart series by looking at Psalm 27 to help us navigate the difficulty of balancing hope for the world and the harsh realities we have to be reconciled to.Bởi Awaken Community

Micah talks through the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3 and invites Awaken into the work of civil disobedience in the name of sacrificial love for others.Bởi Awaken Community

Micah brings us to Mark 6:45-52 when Jesus appears to the disciples in the midst of a storm on the sea. He points us to the ways that Jesus has proven himself a presence of peace and comfort to those in distress.Bởi Awaken Community

Awaken starts a new series this month as we find ourselves in a tumultuous political season. Micah kicks things off by adding context to Jesus words in John 16:33, "take heart for I have overcome the world". What does it mean to find peace in the midst of anxiety and uncertainty?Bởi Awaken Community

The Wells and Fences series comes to a close with a powerful message from Micah as we near Election Day. What does it mean to be a peacemaker? How do we do this for even those we might find ourselves at odds with? We can't make peace in the world if we haven't made peace within ourselves.Bởi Awaken Community

Micah is back at Awaken to talk through the concept of power and empire in scripture. How does power look in the kingdom of God and how do we integrate the ways Jesus has modeled what it means to hold power within the context of our own lives in this election season?Bởi Awaken Community

Awaken's Youth Director Trevor speaks for the first time on a Sunday morning and invites the congregation into the story of Jesus journeying through the wilderness. How does the human Jesus experience these tests and what example does it set for how we might find encouragement and grace in the midst of our own struggles?…

Pastor Jenna takes the stage this Sunday and talks through the difficult reality facing our current political and religious climate. She brings attention to the language and ideology of white christian nationalism and how it finds itself at odds with scripture and the way Jesus held power.Bởi Awaken Community

Micah continues the Wells and Fences series by providing context for Jesus usage of parables in his teachings. The kingdom of God is not bombastic, but rather grows slow and steady like a mustard seed.Bởi Awaken Community

Awaken continues our series on wells and fences by inviting us to consider perhaps a more difficult message to absorb in this political season and climate. Micah discusses the dehumanization of others when we label them "enemies" and points to Jesus who offers a better way.Bởi Awaken Community

Awaken returns to a recurring series that has become a cornerstone of our community. Micah provides an intro to the Wells and Fences series and the importance of the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus the Christ.Bởi Awaken Community

Awaken is back at St James for both gatherings to continue our formational targets series. Micah discusses the nuance of listening for God's voice in the midst of our own.Bởi Awaken Community

As a community we take a moment to create space for all the hard things being held, both individually and collectively. In the midst of our grief, we hold fast to the promises of God, the comfort of the Spirit, and the hope found in Jesus.Bởi Awaken Community

Micah takes a look at the story of Thomas in John 20:19-29. While Thomas is often labelled as "The Doubter", this story is intentionally included in John's gospel as an encouragement to those with doubts. Even as Thomas expresses his doubts and makes his request known, Jesus moves towards him and meets him where he's at.…

Micah looks at the character of Judas and the different accounts we have of his life and death. How does someone this close to Jesus make the decision to betray him?Bởi Awaken Community

Micah looks at Romans 13 and the instructions to the Church to submit to the governing authorities. What does Paul have in his pocket when he writes this to the Church of Rome? How are we to understand these verses for our time and our day?Bởi Awaken Community

In a follow up to last weeks message, Micah shares his thoughts on the trustworthiness of the Bible, and the position in which we hold the Bible as a faith community.Bởi Awaken Community

Joel Lawrence shares about the origins of the Bible, and offers his perspective on how this book came to be and its purpose as God's word and a revelation of God's self. This is Part One of this discussion, and we would highly encourage you to listen to Part Two as you engage this topic.Bởi Awaken Community

Micah looks at Genesis 27 and the story of Jacob and Esau, but also of Rebekah. Rebekah hears a word from the Lord and works within the systems of her time to move the story of God forwards.Bởi Awaken Community

Micah looks at Genesis 22 and God's request to Abraham to sacrifice his only son, Isaac.Bởi Awaken Community

We celebrate the high school students who have completed the first Confirmation Class of Awaken!Bởi Awaken Community

Micah returns to the Formational Target of Pilgrimage and shares about Awaken's experience on the Urban Camino.Bởi Awaken Community

Sam Randall speaks on listening and the importance of asking good questions. What does it mean to be a good listener? What does it mean to listen and ask questions like Jesus?Bởi Awaken Community

Micah wraps up our series on Generosity looking at John 8 and the generosity of things less seen. Will we be people who are generous with our assumptions, with our compassion, and generous towards ourselves?Bởi Awaken Community

Micah looks a few core principles about giving towards the church, or any organization. Do you align with the organizations mission, vision, and values? Do you trust the leadership? Does participating in the community bring value to your life? If so, do you invest in a way that is regular, proportionate, sacrificial, and cheerful?…

Micah looks at Luke 14: 25-33 and Jesus's words about our relationship to our stuff. What Jesus is saying goes beyond dollars and cents, instead addressing the influence that Mine'ing has over our lives.Bởi Awaken Community

Micah looks at Ecclesiastes 4:5-6 and how we can choose to engage the world. Do you hold your hands open, ready to give, receive, and be present with all that is happening around you?Bởi Awaken Community

Deuteronomy 24: 17-22 - God tells the Israelites to build generosity into their very way of life. To provide care for the most vulnerable among them, lest we forget the generosity we were made from and made for.Bởi Awaken Community

Pastor Jenna rejoins us after her parental leave and the birth of her son Caden. Today, she explores Genesis 17 and the promise given to Abram and Sarai and the name that is used for God in this passage - El Shaddai. Please note that this message includes themes of parenthood and childbearing. We recognize that these themes can evoke both joyful an…

Micah provides an honest reflection on the significance of Easter and the importance of faith in a story that can at times feel unbelievable.Bởi Awaken Community

Micah looks at John 12:12-19 and the paradox of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, not with weapons and war, but in peace and sacrifice.Bởi Awaken Community

Matt 13:10-23 Micah explores the Parable of the Sower found in Matthew and what it means to truly listen/hear & understand.Bởi Awaken Community

2 Corinthians 8:1 -2: Paul urges the church in Corinth to follow the lead of the Macedonians, who’s desire for goodness was matched by their willingness to give so that the work would be seen through.Bởi Awaken Community

1 Kings 19:11-18 - Elijah flees to the mountains for his life, desperate to hear God's voice. God shows up in ways he does not expect, as a whisper of care and provision in the midst of hardship. Micah walks us through the heart of listening and the significance of its practice.Bởi Awaken Community

2 Sam 12:1-13, David listens to Nathan the prophet and repents when confronted with the reality of his sin. Are we listening and willing to HEAR correction when it comes to us? What does it take to be a person who is willing to sit in the discomfort of being wrong and repenting instead of defending?Bởi Awaken Community

Bởi Awaken Community

Guest speaker Jim Bear Jacobs sheds light on the complexities of Galatians 3 and Paul’s vision for a kingdom of God that does not recognize difference. How does this vision, written by someone within the dominant culture, impact those who find themselves outside of it? Jim Bear illustrates the difficulty of this passage with powerful stories of the…

1 John 4:7-12, John says "no one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." Multiple times in John's gospel he says that no one has seen the father and has this idea of the "invisible" God that is made known in Jesus. In so far as we love one another, the image of God lives in us and in the …

1 John 3:11, 16-18, 4:18-19 - We begin in love, we don't work for it or earn it or attain it...IT IS. Because this gift is ours to receive/participate in, we should love others which begs the question: what is love and who gets to define it?Bởi Awaken Community

1 John 1:5-10, 2:7-11, God is light and that light has appeared. If God is trustworthy and true, then following and seeking after them should lead us to a love and light that illuminates the world around us. How do you know when you’ve seen and experienced it?Bởi Awaken Community

The book of 1 John taken outside of it's context can sometimes be counter productive to the heart of the gospel. Micah discusses the fundamental differences in our understanding of 1 John if God's revelation to humanity is limited to what's in the Bible and not also open to the continuous work of the Spirit in us.…

1 John 1:1-4, Awaken kicks off a new series on the book of 1 John, 11 years after Awaken's first journey through the text. Micah provides the background and context for the book to set the tone for the rest of our exploration together.Bởi Awaken Community

Micah brings our Journeys of Christmas series to a close with the arrival of Jesus into the world.Bởi Awaken Community