For the past month, we’ve been asking a simple yet life-shaping question from Psalm 116: “What can I give back to the Lord for all the good things he has done for me?” Week by week, we’ve explored how gratitude overflows into generous hearts, Spirit-filled lives, and now, in our final message,  a church that gives back together.

We continue our Stewardship series with a message entitled “Lives That Give Back.” In 1 Peter 4, we are reminded that every one of us has been entrusted with gifts, meant not for self-promotion, but for the good of others. “Serve each other according to the gift each person has received, as good managers of God’s diverse gifts,” the writer urges. In other words, the stewardship of our lives is not about spotlighting our talents, but about offering our presence in love.

In Luke 7, we encounter an unnamed, uninvited, and unexpected woman who becomes the truest worshipper in the room. She kneels at Jesus’ feet, weeping and pouring out costly perfume, not to impress but to express a heart overwhelmed by grace. She says nothing, asks nothing, yet gives everything in a vulnerable act of love. Jesus sees not just her actions but her heart, and declares, “She has shown great love because she has been forgiven much.” Her story stands in stark contrast to the hollow hospitality of her host, reminding us that true worship flows not from duty but from deep gratitude of the heart.

This series will lead us toward Commitment Sunday on October 26, when each of us will be invited to participate by submitting our 2026 Estimate of Giving Card as an act of worship. It will be a time for us to say together, with our hearts and our commitments, “Here’s what I can give back to the Lord.”

Have you ever faced a moment where standing firm in your faith came with real risk? Where following God meant going against the grain, and maybe even standing alone? These moments test our character, our courage, and most of all, our trust in God.

There are some moments in life when moving forward means letting go. This week in our Trusting the Covenant series, we encounter one of the hardest spiritual truths of all: sometimes, something has to die before something new can be born.

We continue our Trusting the Covenant series with a sermon entitled “Invited to Heal and Hope.” In Isaiah 55 and Isaiah 40, God speaks tenderly to a people who are weary, wounded, and worn out—people not unlike us.

Have you ever longed for a fresh start? A moment where grace breaks in, where the past no longer defines you, and the future begins to bloom with hope? If so, you’re not alone. The people of Israel knew what it meant to lose their way and to be met by a God who never gave up on them.

We continue our Trusting the Covenant series with a message entitled “Permission to Wrestle.” Our guide is Job, a man who had every reason to walk away from his faith, but instead chose to engage God honestly, fully, and relentlessly.

Sunday, we continued in our Trusting the Covenant sermon series with a message entitled “Provision of Prayer,” grounded in two rich and honest psalms, Psalm 13:1–6 and Psalm 107:1–9. These passages give voice to the full spectrum of human experience. Psalm 13 is a raw cry of lament: “How long, Lord?” while Psalm 107 turns our attention to God’s enduring faithfulness: “Give thanks to the Lord because he is good.”

Have you ever felt like your connection to God was running low—like a phone slowly losing charge? You’re still functioning, still going through the motions, but something vital feels… disconnected.

Director of Youth Ministries, Kristi Sanford preaching.

We finish our Living the Covenant series with a message entitled “Do Justice, Love Kindness, Walk Humbly.” These familiar words from Micah 6:8 capture the heart of what covenant living should look like. But when we hold them alongside the piercing honesty of Amos 5 and Isaiah 6, we’re reminded just how often we fall short, and just how deeply God desires something more.

One of the most direct challenges in all of Scripture comes from James: “Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers.” It’s a reminder that covenant living is not just about what we believe—it’s about how we live it out.

We continue our Living the Covenant journey with a message titled “Forgiving Hearts.” As we explore how the covenant takes root in everyday life, we turn to the wisdom of the New Testament letters: practical guidance for living with one another in light of what God has done for us.

As we continue our Living the Covenant series, we find ourselves on Independence Day weekend—a time when we give thanks for the freedoms we enjoy, remember those who’ve sacrificed, and reflect on what it means to live as citizens in this world. It’s also a time to ask deeper questions about how we use our freedom: Are we living wisely? Are we choosing well? Are we aligning our lives with God’s purposes?

Storms will come. Culture will shift. Life will stretch us in unexpected ways. So what keeps us grounded? This week in our Living the Covenant series, we turn our attention to a sermon entitled: “The Anchor of Faith.”

Leadership is more than holding a position—it’s about shaping a people. As we continue our Living the Covenant series, this week we explore what it means to lead within God’s covenant community with a sermon entitled: “Covenant Leadership.”

We continue our journey through Living the Covenant with a message titled “A Reoriented Life.” As we step into Episode 10 of our Covenant series—The Spirit-Led Community—we’ll explore how the Holy Spirit transforms not just individuals, but entire communities. In covenant life, we don’t just receive the Spirit—we are reoriented by it. We become people who think differently, see differently, and act differently in the world.

Last Sunday marked the beginning of our next movement in our year-long journey through Scripture—Living the Covenant. It’s also Pentecost Sunday, a day when we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church. It’s a powerful moment to reflect not only on God’s presence among us, but on what it means to live as a covenant people, united by love and committed to one another.