Pastor Jeff’s Blog

One thing I’m grateful for | Kindness, as in setting yourself aside to selflessly care for the needs of others. I tweaked my back a couple of weeks ago and the lower back pain I felt has gotten [...]

One thing I’m grateful for | This year’s annual bike ride across Iowa (RAGBRAI.org) has been canceled due to the pandemic. It’s been my favorite week of the year for 12 years, so I’m really [...]

One thing I’m grateful for | Leadership in uncertain times can feel like walking a tightrope. Make a wrong move and it’s a long way down! But wise walkers have a safety net to catch them. They [...]

The unexamined life is not worth living. – Socrates Welcome to “One Thing”, our summer blog and mini-Engage series. Here’s how it works. Each Monday one of our pastoral staff will post a [...]

But the Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground!” – Genesis 4:10 Twenty-five-year-old Ahmaud Arbery was shot and killed while jogging in a [...]

Learning from sadness can bear great fruit, avoiding it can have hidden costs. – Marianne Williamson Spring is such an abundant season, and this is by far the nicest spring I’ve experienced in my [...]

This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. – Psalm 118:24 So many things are out of your control these days. You can’t control how long this pandemic will last. You [...]

So above all, guard the affections of your heart, for they affect all that you are. Pay attention to the welfare of your innermost being, for from there flows the wellspring of life. – Proverbs [...]

Whoever comes to me must follow in my steps and be willing to share my cross and experience it as his own, or he cannot be considered to be my disciple. All who seek to live apart from me will [...]

Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods [...]