Podcasts about presbyterian church

#30 in our series, "The Book of Romans: A Theology of Hope"

The Presbyterian Church of Upper Montclair Sunday, November 2, 2025 Sermon: "It's a Trip: From Sticky-Wicket to Freedom" Habakkuk 2:1-4, Luke 19:1-10 Pastor Greg Horn Garrett Pahl, liturgist

This sermon was preached on November 2, 2025 at Antioch Presbyterian Church, a congregation of Calvary Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America located in Woodruff, South Carolina. Pastor Zachary Groff preached this sermon entitled "The Sacrificial Lamb" on Exodus 12:1-13. For more information about Antioch Presbyterian Church, please visit ⁠antiochpca.com⁠ or contact us at ⁠⁠⁠info@antiochpca.com.

This sermon was preached on November 2, 2025 at Antioch Presbyterian Church, a congregation of Calvary Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America located in Woodruff, South Carolina. Dr. Joseph A. Pipa, Jr. preached this sermon entitled "What Kind of Love!" on Romans 5:6-8. For more information about Antioch Presbyterian Church, please visit ⁠antiochpca.com⁠ or contact us at ⁠⁠⁠info@antiochpca.com.

Message from Rev. Dr. Clark Cowden entitled "Wrestling with God." For more information, visit sntandrews.org. © St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church.

Pastor Jim Keck welcomes Rev Dr Melodie Jones Pointon, Senior Pastor at Eastridge Presbyterian Church, to the latest Friendly Fire.

In this sermon on Genesis 45:16–46:27, in which Jacob learns that Joseph is alive and travels to Egypt with all of his family, Pastor Luke Herche teaches that God's blessings are tied to the land, that resurrection assures us of present and future blessing, and that we can now be confident in God's blessing both here and in the world to come. Part of a series on the book of Genesis. From Sunday Worship, October 26, 2025. ------------------------------- Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions: What stands out to you about how God's hand moves through the events and responses of these people? What emotions, surprises, or reversals do you notice? Read Genesis 46:3–4. What do these verses reveal about God's heart toward his people when they face uncertain transitions? How might God's promises reshape our definition of blessing? Why do you think Jacob hesitated to leave the land of promise? Where do we today struggle to believe that God can bless us “here”—in our own version of Egypt? How does seeing Jesus as the “greater Joseph” deepen your understanding of God's presence and blessing in hard places? What difference do the cross and resurrection make for how we interpret seasons of suffering or exile? If God is with us and will one day bring us home, how can that confidence shape daily life—our attitudes toward hardship, our priorities, and our relationships? Which “old way” do you sense the Spirit inviting you to release, and what “new way” of trust or contentment could take its place? ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

How do we stay attentive to God and one another in a world swirling with distractions? The Presbyterian Church in Ireland invites you to explore this question in their new podcast series: Really present… In the first episode, presenter Will Leitch sits down with Helen Thorne-Allenson to reflect on what it means to live fully present – to God, to others, and in the places we're called to be his witnesses.

Part of our 2025 Communion Season

Part of our 2025 Communion Season 

The Presbyterian Church of Upper Montclair Sunday, October 26, 2025 Sermon:  "Grateful and Keeping Things in Perspective"  Joel 2:21-28, Luke 18:9-14 Pastor Greg Horn Elder Jean Anne Rose, liturgist

Sam and Ryan Burge take a deep dive into the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), unpacking the denomination's unique growth patterns, size distribution, and robust recordkeeping. They explore surprising statistics on membership trends, baptisms, and church finances—revealing why some PCA congregations thrive while others remain stagnant. The co-hosts highlight key takeaways for understanding both the strengths and challenges of one of America's most data-rich evangelical denominations. The post The Burge Report: The Biggest Little Denomination: The Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) appeared first on Church Answers.

As a lay leader of Traverse City Presbyterian Church, Linda Racine and a team of enthusiastic congregants prompted her church to start on a journey toward effective climate action. You can read about their commitment to creation care and learn about their 3 bright ideas for reducing carbon emissions in this congregation-led video. Traverse City Presbyterian took advantage of tools like the Interfaith Power and Light Carbon Assessment to understand their own energy use.Learn more about how Linda's denomination, the PCUSA, has committed to climate solutions in their Earth Pledge.Linda is also part of the Michigan Citizens Climate Lobby, which has local chapters all over the country.Many thanks to Linda and all the other terrific people who graciously hosted us when we visited Traverse City!Linda RacineTRANSCRIPTLinda Racine In 2022, there were multiple policies or overtures passed focused on creation care, and it really put out an alarm, saying “It's serious, folks, the Earth is really in trouble. So we need to take strong action.” And they were encouraging all churches to reduce their carbon emissions by at least 25% in the next four years and get it down to net zero or net positive by 2030.Debra RienstraWow. That's ambitious.Linda RacineVery ambitious. But a group of interested folks at church looked at that and said, “Let's do it. Let's go for it.”Debra Rienstra Welcome to the Refugia Podcast. I'm your host, Professor Debra Rienstra. Refugia are habitats in nature where life endures in times of crisis. We're exploring the concept of refugia as a metaphor, discovering how people of faith can become people of refugia: nurturing life-giving spaces in the earth, in our human cultural systems, and in our spiritual communities, even in this time of severe disturbance. This season, we're paying special attention to churches and Christian communities who have figured out how to address the climate crisis together as an essential aspect of their discipleship. Today, I'm talking with Linda Racine from the Presbyterian Church in Traverse City, Michigan. Linda happens to be Michigan co-coordinator for Citizen Climate Lobby, a role she adopted after a long career in academia. But I'm talking with Linda today in her role as a lay leader at the church. Traverse City Presbyterian, in many ways, is an ordinary congregation, but they are doing extraordinary work, integrating climate action into every aspect of church life. They have heat pumps, solar panels, native plantings, a pocket forest, educational programs and more. Their story demonstrates the importance of active pastoral and lay leadership, broad community buy-in, and denominational commitments. Linda will tell us their story. Let's get started.Debra RienstraLinda, thank you for talking with me today.Linda RacineOh, glad to be here.Debra RienstraIt's great to be here in your beautiful home, here in Traverse City. Thank you for your hospitality today, and I'm really excited to talk about the work of Traverse City Presbyterian Church. So I know you've been involved in the church for a long time. Maybe tell us a little bit about your personal background and how long you've been involved in the church.Linda Racine Oh, I think I joined about 25 years ago. We used we had been members at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church just down the street here, and it was actually our oldest son who was in high school at the time, going through confirmation class, and a lot of his friends were going to the Presbyterian Church, and he really wanted to go, and for a variety of reasons, we said, “Let's check it out.” And we've been members since. That was 25 years ago.Debra Rienstra Yeah, so you have been around for all of the adventures that your church has had in their creation care work. Yes, so let's start with that spark point. We're really interested in finding how these things begin with a church. So can you think back to the moment when something happened at the church that people began to work in earnest to respond to climate change as a community. What was that spark point for Traverse City Presbyterian?Linda Racine The thing that really kicked it off was Laura Jacobson, who manages/schedules things for our Wednesday night adult education, came to me because she knew I was really involved in Citizens Climate Lobby, which is a non-partisan volunteer organization. And, “Would you do a session on climate?” I wanted to, but I was also a little hesitant, just because, sadly, climate has become so politicized, and our church has had a long history—we're a purple church, check your politics at the door, and I was concerned about how people might receive it. So, I put together a presentation very thoughtfully about “How do I make this as non-political as possible?” But the heading for it was “Caring for God's Creation: a faith based approach to climate change.” I wasn't sure how it would go over. And at that time, we were getting maybe 20 people coming on Wednesday nights. 65 people came. The room was packed. So clearly there was a lot of interest.Debra Rienstra What year was this?Linda Racine It was like January of 2020, right before Covid hit.Debra Rienstra Goodness.Linda Racine So anyway, the evening went really well. Kind of started with a very broad based, here's what Scripture says. Here's what—oh, we did the Katharine Hayhoe video, which—she takes such a broad view of every faith tradition has something important to say about our responsibility to care for creation and for one another. So Katharine Hayhoe, then the Pope, and you know, went through some different traditions and how they're responding. And then did some information about what PCUSA was doing, which was new to me. I didn't really know what all our denomination—because it had never been talked about in our church. So went through that and offered the idea that our denomination has a certification process for creation care teams. And by the end, people were saying, “Let's do this!” There was an impromptu—somebody grabbed a piece of paper and pen, and “Who wants to be a part of the team?” And we got, I don't know, eight or 10 names on that list. Quickly got together and said, “Well, what do we want to do? Let's pitch it to our session.” So February's meeting, we had a proposal, and they all said, “Absolutely, let's go for it.” So that's what started it.Debra Rienstra What do you think prepared people to be that enthusiastic after one session? What was going on in the church? What are the congregation members like that makes you look back on that and say, “Yeah, we were somehow primed or prompted or ready for that moment.”Linda Racine I think that's hard to say. Our church has always—I guess what drew me to the church initially is it was really clear this was a community that really walked the talk. It wasn't coming on Sunday to check a box, but really genuinely living their faith. And people of faith were called to care for creation. And so I think that was a strong ethic that people had anyway. And clearly, by 2020, we're seeing, “Oh my gosh, this earth is in trouble.” That was pretty clear. And so, just to have a topic on—let's gather on Wednesday night and talk about it. I think people were ready.Debra Rienstra Fascinating, yeah. And I wonder if, because up north here in Michigan, this beautiful area of Michigan, people are very aware of the outdoors. So many people care a lot about the natural world around here and enjoy it. Summer up here is so beautiful. So I wonder if it was just a little bit of a more natural leap there.Linda Racine I think you've got a point there. People are drawn to this area because of its natural amazingness. And so there is a strong environmental ethic here. I mean, look at the land conservancy: all the explosion since that launched back in the 90s, I believe. The number of just natural areas that have been preserved, the whole Sleeping Bear sand dunes could have been development, but that has been preserved. There is a strong environmental ethic here. No question.Debra Rienstra Yeah, yeah. So what happened next? How did you go about inviting the whole congregation into a process that—you didn't know what was going to happen next. You have this spark moment. But then what happened?Linda Racine I think the structure of the certification process really drove that. It's so solid. When a church decides to do that, you're committing to really look at how you manage your facilities, how your worship embraces this, how your education programs, and advocacy—that's always been the toughest one. But those four areas. First you assess, where are we now? And then, what are your church's goals? And so that involved, in order to do that and to get all the committees in the church involved: what are you doing currently, and what would you like to do? What would you like to see happen in the next year? So every committee was involved in setting goals. The pastor support was critical. Oh my gosh, without that, this wouldn't have gone anywhere. Pastors have been, right from the beginning, very supportive. One Sunday, the whole church read the pledge.Debra Rienstra The Earth Care Pledge from the Presbyterian Church, okay.Linda Racine Yeah, yeah. So people were aware that that was going on. And then people have different interests. “I'm really excited about this piece of it or that piece of it.” So always open to anyone who wants to jump in and get involved to do that. But I think it's the discipline, the structure and the discipline, of that certification process that keeps us on track.Debra Rienstra Okay, yeah, and it sounds like you were able to get that certification pretty quickly, because you've had it since 2020, so pretty quickly you got the certification.Linda Racine Yeah, I think that first year, we filled out all the forms and sent goals, and then you submit that and get the certification, they review it at the denominational level,Debra Rienstra Yeah. So it seems, from all the conversations I've had with church folks this weekend that the physical plant aspects became a big part of it, first, as well as the landscaping and grounds aspects. So talk a little bit about the processes of those things happening.Linda Racine Well, one of the first projects that first year was converting pieces of ground. We had a bed out front that was dying. Some of the bushes were dying. And a couple of our church members, Gary Richardson and Cheryl Gross, were aware of a National Wildlife Federation grant opportunity. And so Gary was a member of Building and Grounds and took the idea to that committee, and they were all supportive of it. So we submitted the grant. We got $1,500 to get us started. And so work crews showed up. We ripped out the old plants. Then that also connected to the education piece. That's one of one of those other four areas. Our children's education person was absolutely passionate. So the Vacation Bible School that summer focused on pollinators. So we did a whole education piece on the role of pollinators and their importance, and then the kids helped plant the new pollinator garden.Debra Rienstra Yeah, awesome.Linda Racine Yeah. It was fabulous.Debra Rienstra So it sounds like what we need is enthusiasm across the leadership. Yeah. And the leadership working together.Linda Racine Absolutely.Debra Rienstra And I think you folks at this church have so many—not only enthusiastic, but really skilled leaders. You have organization experience. You have Cheryl, who does native plants as a passion. I had a wonderful tour today with Randy, who was excited about boilers and transferring those to heat pumps, which was so delightful to hear about. And at some point, the church made this wonderful video, which we'll link in the show notes, explaining the goals—the three bright ideas, goals. So talk about how that happened.Linda Racine That was triggered by our denomination's policy, where, as a denomination, delegates meet every two years to look at policy for the church. And in 2022, there were multiple policies or overtures passed focused on creation care, and it really put out an alarm, saying, “It's serious, folks. The earth is really in trouble, so we need to take strong action.” And they were encouraging all churches to reduce their carbon emissions by at least 25% in the next four years and get it down to net zero or net positive by 2030.Debra Rienstra Wow, that's ambitious.Linda Racine Very ambitious. But a group of interested folks at church looked at that and said, “Let's do it. Let's go for it.” So you need to start—understand where you are first before you can reduce something. So we use the Interfaith Power and Light carbon assessment. And Chris Wendland, who you met, really drove that train, and she and Randy both worked with staff to gather all the—here's our electric bills and our gas bills and all the stuff needed to submit that. And so then we got this feedback about, “Here's where you are.” And then it was, “Okay, now what do we do?” And so another church member said, “Let's talk with Tim Pulliam,” who was—he's the owner, executive, I don't know what his title, but he runs Keen Technical Solutions who, for I don't know, 25 years have been really focused on clean energy transformation.Debra Rienstra This is also a member of the church?Linda Racine Tim Pulliam is not, but it was a church member who recommended him. So Tim brought a team of folks in and looked at all this stuff, and they said, “Well, the thing you could—that would make the biggest impact the quickest would be changing all your lighting to LED.” So that seemed like a no brainer. We also had this ancient boiler that was ready to die any minute, and people were starting to panic about that. And so, okay, we got to do something there. And then there were a lot of people in the church saying, “Can we put solar panels up?” Because there's so many great things about the solar. Not only is it good for the clean energy, but it's also a public statement. It really is a public witness, and it helps normalize, because there's still so many people out there who think, “Oh, this is Northern Michigan. You can't— solar is worthless here.” Well, actually, it's not.Debra Rienstra Actually, it's not, especially because we have such very long summer days.Linda Racine Yes, yeah. And so anyway, there was a lot of enthusiasm around that. So kind of gathered after Sunday, after church on Sunday, anybody who wanted to come and talked about, “Well, here's what the report said, and what do we think?” And so there was interest in all three of those ideas. So we created task forces. People said, “Yeah, I'll work on this.” And everybody, the groups, had about three months to do their homework, come back with, “Here's what we think the options are and what it's going to cost.” And that in about April of that year, we heard what people had to say, and people wanted to do all three.Debra Rienstra Yeah, that's just amazing. Was there resistance at all? Were there people who were resistant?Linda Racine I'm not remembering that. Maybe they weren't showing up at the meetings. Are they quiet? I don't know. I don't remember. I mean, there's always questions about, “Well, will solar really work?” There were questions about, “Well, can we afford it?” And that was maybe the biggest concern. But people had done quite a bit of research on that, and between the very low interest loans that our denomination offers—that was huge, the potential for grants. And we did end up getting an $80,000 grant from our local utility. And then at that time there were IRA dollars available. That's a question mark right now, but the combination of that, and then when you look at the energy savings, it's like, “Okay, what we're going to save in electric bills is probably going to be pretty darn close to covering our monthly loan payment.” So when people saw that, it was like, collective, “Okay, sure, this is doable.”Debra Rienstra So at that point was the video made at that point?Linda Racine Yes, because the next step was, “Okay. So we've got maybe 50 people in the room. We've got 600 people in the church. How do we get everybody involved?” So putting together a strategy for really getting everyone enthused about it. And so the idea for the video came up. And Ray Starkenberg and her dad are professional videographers.Debra Rienstra Once again, talent in the congregation.Linda RacineOh my gosh. And so they took that project on. And you've seen the video, it's just amazing. The storytelling is so well done.Debra Rienstra It's playful, it's persuasive, it's full of facts. And I love the theme, you know, “the time is now” is the theme of the video, and the involvement of kids in the video saying their piece, saying, “This is about me and my future. Please help.” It's just—and that combined with the playfulness, it's just brilliant.Linda Racine It's a good balance, isn't it? Yeah. And a couple things about that. One member of the church, after seeing the video, said, “If this was just about buying a new boiler, I wouldn't be that enthused. But this is about the future. There was so much enthusiasm in the church after really hearing the whole story and the possibilities there. I do want to mention, that theme, “the time is now,” that's right out of the overture that was passed by our general assembly.Debra Rienstra Yeah. Once again, that denominational leadership is so important.Linda Racine Yeah, that was in that very first overture in 2022 talking about how serious this moment in time is and the time is now to act.Debra Rienstra Hi, it's me, Debra. If you are enjoying this podcast episode, go ahead and subscribe on your preferred podcast platform. If you have a minute, leave a review. Good reviews help more listeners discover this podcast. To keep up with all the Refugia news, I invite you to subscribe to the Refugia newsletter on Substack. This is my fortnightly newsletter for people of faith who care about the climate crisis and want to go deeper. Every two weeks, I feature climate news, deeper dives, refugia sightings and much more. Join our community at refugianewsletter.substack.com. For even more goodies, including transcripts and show notes for this podcast, check out my website at debrarienstra.com. D-E-B-R-A-R-I-E-N-S-T-R-A dot com. Thanks so much for listening. We're glad you're part of this community. And now back to the interview.Debra RienstraSo how was the video used and disseminated?Linda Racine We started doing some meetings, just in homes, small groups, eight or 10 people. Showing the video, and then having a discussion. And that was the first step, and getting people's questions answered, and then Sunday morning it was in the service. And, wow.Debra Rienstra So it worked, so to speak, yeah.Linda Racine And then it's been on our website ever since. The thing is that video has gone—I wouldn't say viral, but it has been broadly, broadly disseminated.Debra Rienstra Oh, I can see why. I think every church should imitate it as best they can. Yeah, I mean the statistics—the numbers are specific to you folks.Linda Racine Yeah, the storytelling though, the power of that, are things that other churches can use, yes.Debra Rienstra And it stars many people from your church. So the stars of the show are your fellow congregants.Linda Racine And they're all people who have really stepped up and wanted to be and are a key part of this.Debra Rienstra So at this point you have—the heat pump system is well underway. Solar panels are sitting on the roof waiting for installation when the snow melts. You have education programs going. Maybe we'll come back to that. Quite a lot of landscaping work, quite a lot of native planting done, really neat native gardens. You have a pocket forest going. So as far as the four things, the four elements of earth care congregation: it's the building, the landscaping...Linda Racine Well, those are kind of together, so how you manage your facilities.Debra Rienstra Okay, what are the other three again?Linda Racine Worship. And pastors lead that, and they do that beautifully. That first year that we received certification, we had a kickoff celebration in the prayer garden that was just lovely. And so that theme gets worked into the worship by the pastors.Debra Rienstra Yeah, give some examples of how that happens in worship. Are there sermons? Is it in the litanies, in the music?Linda Racine Hmm, probably all of the above.Debra Rienstra Yeah. Okay, and you have two worship services. So this has to be done in two different ways, so it requires a little creativity.Linda Racine Yeah, although often in the spring, especially around earth— there can be combined services. We do a combined service once a month anyway, and so there have been a couple earth care themed services, that way it was one service.Debra Rienstra Yeah. And then do you have anything special for Earth Day or Season of Creation?Linda Racine Usually, yes, on like Wednesday, well, that would be more the education piece, but usually on the Wednesday nights, we've done something big related to earth care. This year, we're telling our story. We've got a thing planned for that Wednesday of Earth Week. We're inviting every church in the region to come and hear the story. Our contractor will be there to answer questions, and resource people, the Light and Power folks will be there. So if they have questions about, “Well, what programs do you have?” And there are other churches in the area also that are doing similar things. So it'll be a good chance to share stories also and learn from one another. So we're doing— that's the plan for this during Earth Care Week.Debra Rienstra So just to make the refugia connection there, as Traverse City Presbyterian is operating as a refugia place, a refugia space, doing their work, modeling that work, with this idea of getting other churches together, you're creating those corridors and creating that whole network to let these life giving capacities spread and grow. That's brilliant. Really great idea.Linda Racine Another thing that we've done, we've got a racial justice task force that has, over the last several years, made a very focused effort to build relationship with the local tribe. And so the last, I think, three Lent seasons that we've had a Lenten series where inviting tribal leadership into talk about the—to educate us about the history of the tribe and practices and beliefs, and whereas much of that is focused on caring for the earth, caring for Mother Earth, it's central, yeah. So we've learned a lot and helped make a connection with that.Debra Rienstra I noticed in your bulletin, there's a land acknowledgement. And also I noticed you have a garden specifically co-cared for with the indigenous folk around.Linda Racine Not yet.Debra Rienstra Okay, that's in the plans.Linda Racine Yes, it's on the plans to—because in one of the sessions where a tribal leader was talking about...it was right after the land acknowledgement had been created. And the talking through that, someone at the end asked, “So, what's next?” You know, we really, our heart is in this land acknowledgement, what's next? And her response was, “When you care for the earth, you care for the Anishinaabek and what we believe in.” So that sparked this thing in my head of, “Oh my, here's a beautiful opportunity.” And we followed up, thinking, if we could learn from tribal leadership on how to create a healing garden, we'd love to do that. And so we have had one of the tribal leaders come and help educate us about a healing garden, what all it involves. And we've created a space. It's all smothered and ready to go. And the first thing that we would like to plant there is a plum tree. Because what we learned from her, I had no idea, but apparently, the plum tree is a has a very special place in the Anishinaabek story, where—my understanding is that plum trees were very prevalent in the Grand Rapids area, and when the Dutch came and settled that area, the plum trees were taken out. And so, in fact, it was hard when she came to meet with us, she had brought a plum tree as a gift, and we didn't have a place to put it. Broke my heart. But we so would love that to be the center of this healing garden. So we've got, you know, ground is all ready. We weren't even sure where it ought to go. And so anyway, so we've got a spot, because she helped us find a place for the healing garden. So as soon as we can reconnect, and they have the time, though, we're going to get that garden launched.Debra Rienstra Wow, that's beautiful. And will it be medicinal plants?Linda Racine That's the thought, yes.Debra Rienstra So healing plants, but also healing a relationship.Linda Racine Both, yes, all three, yeah, all three things.Debra Rienstra Beautiful. So a lot of churches struggle with—I've been sort of calling it the “boutique issue” problem, which is to say, you have, you know, your creation care folk, and they have a green team or something, and they kind of do their little thing off to the side, and other people have other issues that they're dealing with, and it's really hard to get that creation care work to infuse through, to diffuse through the whole congregation's life. And it sounds like that happened fairly organically. So what advice would you have for other churches that struggle with that boutique issue problem?Linda Racine Well, I think the strength of the PCUSA certification process is what allowed that to happen or fostered that. Because when you've got—you're required or expected to set goals in very comprehensive list of how the church functions, it really requires everybody to be involved. And so right from the beginning, pretty much every committee was asked to look at, what are we doing related to creation care, and what do we want to do? And every year that gets repeated. So there's a clear—we've got a pace of it. It's built into the planning structure. Every fall, the committees are looking at their goals around everything but creation care is on the list, and they're looking at their budgets to submit for the final reports and what happens next year. So it's really built into the fabric and structure of how we operate. So if it weren't for that, it would be a committee off to the side doing whatever it does. But really, everyone in all committees are involved.Debra Rienstra So it sounds like that answers my next question too, which has to do with the problem of “fade.” So by that, I mean everybody gets excited. You replace the boiler, you replace the LED lights, or replace lights with LED, and then...yeah, this enthusiasm sort of fades. But it sounds like that annual goal-setting process with an indefinite horizon, like there's no end point to that, right? So that annual goal-setting process also helps with that fade problem.Linda Racine I think it's key.Debra Rienstra One last question, what has been most challenging and most joyful about the transformation that Traverse City Presbyterian has gone through in a mere five years?Linda Racine I don't know that anything has been particularly hard, but oh my gosh, the joy. Ah. Just so many examples. When we decided that there was this huge section of lawn that was totally unusable as lawn, let's turn it into a pocket forest. And we were able to get a local tree trimmer to donate the wood chips to smother it. And we have this huge group of people with two truckloads or three, I don't know how many truckloads of stuff. We're out with the wheelbarrows spreading stuff. We're having so much fun. Jordan is sliding down it like it's a ski slope. We're just having a great time, and I'm looking around and thinking, “I absolutely love this community.” They're so committed to being the best stewards of creation and one another. Yeah, it's not hard, it's just wonderful.Debra Rienstra Linda, it's been such a pleasure to talk to you. There's been joy in this conversation, too. Thank you for your time. Thank you for all that you do and blessings on Traverse City Presbyterian.Debra Rienstra Thanks for joining us for show notes and full transcripts, please visit debrarienstra.com and click on the Refugia Podcast tab. This season of the Refugia Podcast is produced with generous funding from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. Colin Hoogerwerf is our awesome audio producer. Thanks to Ron Rienstra for content consultation as well as technical and travel support. Till next time, be well. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit refugianewsletter.substack.com

This sermon was preached on October 26, 2025 at Antioch Presbyterian Church, a congregation of Calvary Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America located in Woodruff, South Carolina. Pastor Zachary Groff preached this sermon entitled "Final Wonder Foretold" on Exodus 11. For more information about Antioch Presbyterian Church, please visit ⁠antiochpca.com⁠ or contact us at ⁠⁠⁠info@antiochpca.com.

This sermon was delivered on October 26, 2025 at Antioch Presbyterian Church, a congregation of Calvary Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America located in Woodruff, South Carolina. Mr. Nathan Tunnell delivered this sermon entitled "The Lord of the Sabbath" on Mark 2:23-28. For more information about Antioch Presbyterian Church, please visit ⁠antiochpca.com⁠ or contact us at ⁠⁠⁠info@antiochpca.com.

Message from Rev. Dr. Clark Cowden entitled "God Thinks You are Stunning." For more information, visit sntandrews.org. © St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church.

The Presbyterian Church of Upper Montclair Sunday, October 19, 2025 Sermon: "Is Your God Too Small?"  Scripture Reading: Luke 18:1-8 Pastor Greg Horn

In Genesis 43:1–45:15, Joseph's brothers journey to Egypt for the second time, this time with Benjamin in tow, where they are tested by, and ultimately reconciled to, Joseph. Listen as Pastor Luke Herche preaches on this passage, taking a closer look at the events that unfold, at the character and actions of Jacob and his sons, and especially at Judah, the one through whom God's promised child who would bless the nations would come. Part of a series on the book of Genesis. From Sunday Worship, October 19, 2025. ------------------------------- Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions: What part of this story is most moving to you and why? How does Judah distinguish himself as a leader among God's people? How does his leadership point us to Jesus? How is his leadership a model for us? Think of an area of your life where you have relational struggles. How might a willingness to lead by sacrifice for others be used by God to restore intimacy? ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

On this podcast I seek to redefine beauty as “the life of God at work in us and all around us.” In today's episode, Courtney Ellis helps us experience the life of God at work in nature, specifically among birds. Courtney Ellis is an author, speaker, pastor, and host of The Thing with Feathers Podcast. She holds a master's degree in English literature from Loyola University, a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, and alongside her husband, she pastors Presbyterian Church of the Master in Orange County, California.In my time with Courtney, we discuss her latest book, Looking Up: A Birder's Guide to Hope Through Grief. Courtney shares how birding can be a gateway to a deepening awareness of beauty in the world, how it can lead us to hope, and why she sees birding as a spiritual practice. In short, Courtney helps us see that birds remind us that God is at work all around us and that He is with us; all we have to do is look up.Buy Melissa L. Johnson's book, Soul-Deep Beauty: Fighting for Our True Worth in a World Demanding Flawless, here. Learn more about Impossible Beauty and join the community here.

Patrick takes a wave of listener questions, from the struggles of family rifts and parish frustrations to the innocence of a nine-year-old asking why God doesn't destroy the devil. Questions about marriage, priesthood, open caskets at funerals, and what to do when you can't kneel at Mass ricochet through the hour, each met with stories, honesty, and direct answers. Compassion, wit, and honesty steer intense moments and gentle guidance through real Catholic living. Patrick continues his conversation with Rod from the end of the last hour. Rod is asking, “Why did Jesus choose disciples who were already married when he could have asked single men instead” (00:33) Margaret - We have a new priest who has been here for two years. I don't like the way he is changing things. (09:26) Jacob (9-years-old) - Why doesn't God just kill the devil? (19:03) E-Frank - If a pastor is deviating from the Gospel, who could you go to talk to about this? (25:47) Richard (email) – Attacks Patrick and his show and calls it “Complete utter nonsense counseling” (28:05) Helene – Is it okay if a person who is Catholic has their funeral at a Presbyterian Church? (32:29) Anna - I didn't want to go to work but I went anyway. I ended up helping someone there and it was a gift from God. (40:03) Vincent - People behind me were kneeling and sitting back at inappropriate times during Mass. What can I do? (43:08) Dominic - What is a best practice for a Catholic to do during a moment of silence in public? (44:29) Mary - I wanted to comment on your thoughts about the separation of family because of belittling. Other people are going through this and just keep your peace and know that God will help you get through. (45:53)

#28 in our series, "The Book of Romans: A Theology of Hope"

This sermon was preached on October 19, 2025 at Antioch Presbyterian Church, a congregation of Calvary Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America located in Woodruff, South Carolina. Pastor Zachary Groff preached this sermon entitled "Christ Who Became Poor" on 2 Corinthians 8:7-9. For more information about Antioch Presbyterian Church, please visit ⁠antiochpca.com⁠ or contact us at ⁠⁠⁠info@antiochpca.com.

This sermon was preached on October 19, 2025 at Antioch Presbyterian Church, a congregation of Calvary Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America located in Woodruff, South Carolina. Pastor Zachary Groff preached this sermon entitled "A Wonderful Darkness" on Exodus 10:21-29. For more information about Antioch Presbyterian Church, please visit ⁠antiochpca.com⁠ or contact us at ⁠⁠⁠info@antiochpca.com.

Message from Liturgist David Piorek entitled "Living by Faith, not Force." For more information, visit sntandrews.org. © St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church.

••• Working In Dominion, Segment-2 of 2, Ep 403a . ••• Bible Study Verses: 2 Timothy 2.19-21, Daniel 1:6-21 & 6:28, Acts 11:26, 1 Peter 1:16 . ••• “Holiness of heart and life. This is not the perfection of the human nature, but the holiness of the divine nature dwelling within" A. B. Simpson,1843 –1919 † ••• “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" 2 Corinthians 7:1 KJV . ••• What are 3-reasons why Holiness is so important for Working in Dominion? ••• What were 2-reasons why Daniel and his friends decided not to take part in the king's delicacies? ••• What are 2-things that Holiness in not? ••• What are 3-aspects of Holiness? ••• What are 2-reasons why Holiness a necessary requirement for working in dominion? ••• Please listen to next weeks podcast, episode 404b, for the conclusion of this podcast topic. ••• Pastor Otuno expounds on this and much more on the exciting journey of Fresh Encounter Radio Podcast originally aired on November 15, 2025 on WNQM, Nashville Quality Ministries and WWCR World Wide Christian Radio broadcast to all 7-continents on this big beautiful blue marble, earth, floating through space. Please be prayerful before studying The Word of God so that you will receive the most inspiration possible. ••• This Discipleship Teaching Podcast is brought to you by Christian Leadership International and all the beloved of God who believe in its mission through prayer and support. Thank you . ••• Broadcaster's Website - https://www.lifelonganointing.com/ . ••• Exceeding Thanks to Universe Creator Christ Jesus AND photo by Stacey Franco, https://www.instagram.com/staceyfranc0/, on unsplash, Art Direction by gil on his mac with free mac layout software . ••• Study Guides at - https://shows.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast/episodes . ••• SHARING LINK: https://shows.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast/251018-the-secret-behind-the-believers-dominion-p10-s1-ep403a . ••• † http://christian-quotes.ochristian.com/A.B.-Simpson-Quotes/ . FOUNDER OF THE Christian and Missionary Alliance, Albert Benjamin Simpson was born in Canada of Scottish parents. He became a Presbyterian minister and pastored several churches in Ontario. Later, he accepted the call to serve as pastor of the Chestnut Street Presbyterian Church in Louisville, Kentucky. It was there that his life and ministry were completely changed in that, during a revival meeting, he experienced the fullness of the Spirit. He continued in the Presbyterian Church until 1881, when he founded an independent Gospel Tabernacle in New York. There he published the Alliance Weekly and wrote 70 books on Christian living. He organized two missionary societies which later merged to become the Christian and Missionary Alliance. Simpson sought for the gift of tongues. While he did not ever speak in tongues, he did, in the course of his seeking, have other ecstatic experiences of the kind that often bore the criticism of Pentecostal excessiveness, such as an experience he described as, "The Spirit came with a baptism of Holy laughter for an hour or more and I am waiting for all He has yet to give and manifest"••• RESOURCE - https://www.soundcloud.com/thewaytogod/ . ••• RESOURCE - https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/kjv/john.1%20 .••• FERP251018-Episode#403a GOT251018 Ep403a . ••• The Secret Behind the Believers Dominion, Part-10a: Working In Dominion, Segment-1 . Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/fresh-encounter-radio-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Patrick fields concerns about communion, tackles biblical support for praying to saints, and answers honest doubts about faith and science, all while peppering the hour with candid exchanges that bounce from lighthearted to deeply pastoral without missing a beat. Even tricky issues like the validity of sacraments when a priest is in mortal sin or the obstacles of getting to confession spark clear, immediate answers that keep the conversation unpredictable and real. Robert (email) – Patrick shouldn’t share his opinions, and he was wrong when he told a man in prison that he shouldn’t take communion if he hasn’t had the opportunity of going to confession (02:28) Juan - My old friend is a pastor in a Presbyterian Church and asks why do Catholics pray to the saints? (20:41) John - Has there ever been a case where the priest celebrates Mass in a state of mortal sin? (27:44) Ed - What should we believe about evolution and the history of the world as Catholics? (36:32) Isabel - Why do we have to go to Confession once a year? (49:19) Originally Aired on 08/13/2025

The Presbyterian Church of Upper Montclair Sunday, October 12, 2025 Sermon: "Building Homes in Exile" Scriptures: Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7, 17:11-19 Millie Tourtelot, Director of Christian Education Ellen Brescia, liturgist

#27 in our series, "The Book of Romans: A Theology of Hope"

How do you know when you're being tempted? There are times when temptation seems obvious, but often it's subtle and discreet, appealing at first until you find yourself caught in a snare. The call in Scripture is constant to watch, be vigilant, stay awake, be aware of the temptation that is coming, and to pray. In Psalm 141, David, keenly aware of the snares that surrounded him cried out desperately to the one who could deliver him from sin and temptation. Listen as Pastor Josué Pernillo preaches on this psalm, showing us how we, too, can cry to the Lord for help, praying against a sinful heart, for sinful people, about the sinful consequences, for sin's resolve. From Sunday Evening Worship, October 12, 2025. allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

Have you ever found yourself in a moment where you realized you had no idea what was going on? Life was sailing along as normal and then suddenly something happened: bad news from a doctor, relationship changes, unexpected bad grades, the loss of a steady job. You didn't see it coming and you can't make sense of God's providence. But in those moments, what if rather than being anxious and fearful you could be calm and confident in God's work for your good? In Genesis 42, Joseph's brothers come to him in Egypt for food during the famine, and we see that, though God's providence seems confusing, his purposes are good. Listen as Pastor Luke Herche preaches on this chapter, showing us that God is at work for good, we are in a season of trial, Christ endured that we might come through, and what matters now for us is our response. Part of a series on the book of Genesis. From Sunday Worship, October 12, 2025. ------------------------------- Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions: What parts of this story grabbed your attention most—either something Joseph did or how his brothers reacted——and why do you think that stood out to you? How would it affect your current situation if you really believed God is weaving all things for good—even the ones that don't make sense right now? When trials press in, what do you tend to reach for——control, escape, blame, despair? What would it look like to name that honestly and bring it to Jesus? Jesus stood the ultimate test so you could be found faithful in him. How does knowing that he passed the test for you change the way you face your own tests today? What is one small, grace-fueled step you can take this week to respond to trial not with self-protection or self-pity, but with trust and openness to God's refining work? ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

What if making disciples isn't about running programs… but sharing your life? And what if mission doesn't start with strategy… but with resilient disciples formed through ordinary rhythms of church life?   In this episode of the Lausanne Movement Podcast, Rick Hill unpacks: ✅ How Jesus formed disciples through stages of invitation (“come and see” → “follow me” → “go and make”) ✅ Why life-on-life formation is more powerful than programs ✅ How to build spiritual habits that create self-feeding, resilient believers ✅ Why mission is the natural overflow of discipleship ✅ How Ireland's spiritual story reveals both the dangers of cultural Christianity and the hope of renewal ✅ What the global church can learn about humility, dependence, and crossing boundaries for the gospel If you care about discipleship, mission, or the future of the church, this episode is for you.  

Disobeying Jesus Disobeying Jesusa sermon by Rev. J. Christy Ramsey DOWNLOAD A LIVE RECORDING Audio from worship at the 10:30 AM Worship Service October 12, 2025at St John’s Presbyterian Church, Reno NevadaComplete Service on YouTube edited from a flawless transcription made by edigitaltranscriptions all errors are mine. Luke 17-11-19 Sermons also available free on iTunes Let’s take a look at Luke. Luke. This is not the story about gratitude. But it’s okay. I understand if some of you, if you want to, pick an off-ramp. We’ve going on the express route to the Kingdom of God. Some of you may not be up for the trip. I’m okay with that. If you want to take an exit route right here, take an exit, go over, you know hang out at the truck stop for a while, whatever you want to do. Look at your phone. No problem. Just say what the sermon’s about. Sermon’s about gratitude. You’re fine. No worries. For the rest of you, the sermon is not about the one that came back in gratitude. The sermon’s about the nine, the nine who did what they were told. The nine who followed the great leader Jesus. The nine who followed the law. Yes, the law, Leviticus 14. Now my favorite Leviticus is 19, if you want to know. But 14’s okay. You know. But if you go, if you get Leviticus out, you know, go over into 19. Read that, too, because that’s the best. But Leviticus 14 talks about, if you are a leper, how to be clean. It is very entertaining reading. It involves two birds, one of which you kill. It involves shaving your entire body, head to toe, not once, but twice. It involves standing outside in the cold as sort of enforce home – it’s like a little light torture in the Bible to get clean. It takes about a week, a little over a week to eight days. It is the law. That is what the law says you do. Nine did it. Nine complied. Nine did what they were told to do. Jesus told them, “Go show yourself to the priest.” And that’s not just, “Hi, Priest. How you doing?” It’s that whole thing, Leviticus 14, light torture, standing outside getting shaved, killing a bird, other sacrifices. Bleah, the whole thing. Nine of them did it. Nine of them complied. Even though they didn’t have to. What a mind-blowing thing. You don’t have to follow the law and obey Jesus. What a mind-blowing thing. Because I submit to you this time in America is not the time where we need more sermons about gratitude. Gratitude’s fine. Gratitude’s a nice thing. Attitude of gratitude. I like the rhyme. But what Americans need now is consideration, reflection, and faith that might, just might lead you to disobey. Now all you that are upset, I told you, you could get off earlier. We have here a time where it says Jesus is okay with disobeying. He’s okay with breaking the law. He’s okay with not following scripture. And that wasn’t the Old Testament back then, that was The Testament. That was Bible. And Jesus is okay with that. In fact, not only is he okay, He asked where the other nine were. How come only one disobeyed me? How come only one broke the law? Where are the other nine? Wonder if Jesus is saying that now? Where is everybody? Faith makes you well. Not following the law, not even doing what the leader said. Faith makes you well. He doesn’t condemn the nine that followed the law and did what they were told. I mean, come on. I mean, they’re doing what they’re supposed to do. Come on. He seems to be okay with being inclusive, with being okay with diversity, among responses. And he seems to be okay with that half-breed immigrant that shouldn’t be there, not following the law, but still having faith and still doing the right thing. Now, when we as Samaritans, we just think about, oh, Good Samaritan, teddy bears and rainbows and unicorns. We like the Samaritan. No, no, no. That was the cursed. That was a putdown. That was telling them they were half-breed unfaithful heretics that should not – good people do not talk to, that you do not even walk through their territory. Did you see it was in between the places that a good Jew did not go. He was illegal. Wasn’t supposed to be there. And Jesus praises him. Yow. Christy, did you come this week so that we’d be happy when Pat comes next week? I told Pat, “Don’t worry, buddy, they’ll be happy to see you.” He goes, “Thanks, Christy.” But let’s go back, back into time, to a simpler, lovelier time, back to the time of the ‘80s with Reagan in the White House. Oh, what a wonderful time. I want to tell you about not that people, but remember back then, back then the Russians shot down a Korean airliner. Boom, out of the sky, killing everybody. Remember, you can look it up, the families brought on the boat, the children crying for the father. Waves. It was a tense time. It was a worrisome time. What are the Russians going to do next? What are we going to do in response? There’s a film, a documentary, it’s on YouTube, “The Man Who Saved the World.” And no, it is not about Jesus. “The Man Who Saved the World” is about Stanislav Petrov and his visit to the United States 40 years after the ‘80s. On September 26th, 1983, the computers in Serpukhov-15 bunker outside of Moscow, which housed the command center for the Soviet Early Warning Satellite System, reported U.S. intercontinental ballistic missiles were heading toward the Soviet Union. One, then another, then another, then another, then another. Five nuclear missiles were detected coming toward the Soviet Union. Stanislav Petrov was the duty officer. It was the protocol. It was the law. It was a duty. It was a patriotic thing to carry that on up to the command center, to call headquarters and say, “We are being attacked by the United States. They have launched nuclear missiles. Our satellites have reported. We checked the computer. The computers are right. They did not have visual confirmation because of the weather conditions. But the computer is saying yes. There’s nuclear warheads headed to you.” According to the book, according to what’s called “The War Diary,” he is to call the headquarters. He is to call the headquarters and tell them what has happened so that they can respond in kind. There are 11,000 nuclear warheads ready to go, to blow up the United States. Make Hiroshima and Nagasaki a birthday candle. This is what Stanislav said 40 years later. “In the general headquarters all they have left to do is press a button. I fully understood that I would not be corrected if I reported it. No one would dare correct me. They would agree with me, and that would be it. It’s always easier to agree.” We’re here today because Stanislav did not report the attack. He broke the law. He ruined his career. He lost his family. But he has no regrets. It was a fluke. It was a computer failure. It was weather, a weird weather thing. There are satellite orbits. There’s a whole Wikipedia page about it. But Stanislav didn’t know that. He disobeyed. He had faith that the United States wouldn’t do that. And he also knew that someone had to stop the chain of events into violence and into destruction and into ruin and into chaos. And he knew that he was the one to stand up and say no. No, we’re not going to destroy the world. I’m breaking the law. I’m ruining my career. My family is not going to support me. I’m going to be estranged from all our friends. But I will not obey. I will not destroy. I will not harm innocents. I will not attack the enemies like I’m told. It’s always easier to agree. Thank god Stanislav Petrov decided not to take the easy way, but the hard and faithful way. His faith has made us well. Amen.

This sermon was preached on October 12, 2025 at Antioch Presbyterian Church, a congregation of Calvary Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America located in Woodruff, South Carolina. Dr. Joseph A. Pipa, Jr. preached this sermon entitled "Glory in Your Trials" on Romans 5:3-5. For more information about Antioch Presbyterian Church, please visit ⁠antiochpca.com⁠ or contact us at ⁠⁠⁠info@antiochpca.com.

This sermon was preached on October 12, 2025 at Antioch Presbyterian Church, a congregation of Calvary Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America located in Woodruff, South Carolina. Dr. Ian Hamilton preached this sermon entitled "Have Faith in God" on Isaiah 49:1-7. For more information about Antioch Presbyterian Church, please visit ⁠antiochpca.com⁠ or contact us at ⁠⁠⁠info@antiochpca.com.

Message from Rev. Dr. Clark Cowden entitled "Important Family Lessons." For more information, visit sntandrews.org. © St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church.

The Presbyterian Church of Upper Montclair Sunday, October 5, 2025 Sermon: "Learning from a Sister Act" Scripture Reading: Luke 10:38-42 Pastor Greg Horn

#26 in our series, "The Book of Romans: A Theology of Hope"

The news can be frightening. Many people feel less safe after watching, listening to, or reading the news. On the global scale, we hear of world rulers who seem to have the power to shape our world for years to come, either for good or for ill. But in what power do you place your trust? Is it in the visible, impressive, but ultimately limited powers of this world? Or is it in the invisible, often hidden, but absolute power of God who rules over all? In Genesis 41 we find God's sovereignty, his control over all things, and his power on display again in the life of Joseph as Joseph is called before Pharaoh to interpret his dreams. Listen as Pastor Luke Herche preaches on this chapter, showing that human power is ignorant and impotent, God's power is counterintuitive, and God's power is a call to act. Part of a series on the book of Genesis. From Sunday Worship, October 5, 2025. ------------------------------- Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions: Where in Joseph's story do you see God working behind the scenes——and how does that reshape your understanding of God's role in your own past or present struggles? When life feels stalled, silent, or unfair, how do you typically respond——and what does that reveal about where you place your hope? How does seeing Jesus as the One who was falsely accused, imprisoned, and ultimately exalted help you reframe your own seasons of pain or powerlessness? What would trusting God's sovereignty look like in a practical area of your life this week——especially where you feel powerless or impatient? ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

This sermon was preached on October 5, 2025 at Antioch Presbyterian Church, a congregation of Calvary Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America located in Woodruff, South Carolina. Dr. Joseph A. Pipa, Jr. preached this sermon entitled "Eternal Security" on Romans 5:1, 2. For more information about Antioch Presbyterian Church, please visit ⁠antiochpca.com⁠ or contact us at ⁠⁠⁠info@antiochpca.com.

This sermon was delivered on October 5, 2025 at Antioch Presbyterian Church, a congregation of Calvary Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America located in Woodruff, South Carolina. Mr. Timothy Pierce delivered this sermon entitled "The Gospel Advances" on Philippians 1:12-18. For more information about Antioch Presbyterian Church, please visit ⁠antiochpca.com⁠ or contact us at ⁠⁠⁠info@antiochpca.com.

Message from Rev. Dr. Clark Cowden entitled "The Testing of Our Faith." For more information, visit sntandrews.org. © St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church.

Two PCA pastors and two ruling elders join us to examine the sometimes controversial  issues of office and ordination in the Presbyterian Church in America. Our panel included teaching elders Wilson Van Hooser and Reed DePace and ruling elders Dave Cias and Noel Henley.  Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNSQsLe49PI Recent article: https://presbycast.substack.com/p/office-and-ordination-matter Collection of articles: https://presbycast.substack.com/p/articles-and-podcasts-on-office-and

#25 in our series, "The Book of Romans: A Theology of Hope"

The hardest part is often the waiting. Sometimes it seems as if God is not at work and nothing is happening in your life and you wonder if God is doing anything at all. But what if this season of waiting is not a sign of God's absence, but the very place he is doing his most profound and necessary work in you? In this sermon on Genesis 39:21–40:23, Pastor Luke Herche invites us to see that even when God's promises seem on hold, God is at work in the waiting, present with his people and preparing for things to come. Jesus endured delay and experienced God's absence before receiving God's kingdom, and we can now endure with hope that God is with us and at work, whatever may come. Part of a series on the book of Genesis. From Sunday Worship, September 28, 2025. ------------------------------- Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions: Which moments or details in Joseph's story did you find most striking or relatable, and why? What emotions does the scene in the prison stir in you? This passage wrestles with what it feels like when God's promises seem on hold. What thoughts or reactions come up for you in seasons where life feels slow, stuck, or silent? The sermon highlighted how God is at work in the waiting—even when we can't see it. How does that truth land with you? When have you experienced God's presence in an unexpected or unremarkable season? In what area of your life are you currently waiting, or feel forgotten, overlooked or sidelined? How does the gospel help you wait with hope, trusting that God is with you and preparing you—even now? ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

Your co-hosts are taking a little break, but we didn't want to leave your podcast feed empty. Instead, we're bringing you something special: a replay episode!We've dug back into the archives to highlight one of our favorite authors!Hunter Farrell is the co-author of Freeing Congregational Mission: A Practical Vision for Companionship, Cultural Humility, and Co-Development.Hunter is also the Director of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary's World Mission Initiative. He worked for thirty-four years as a missionary (in DR Congo and Peru), mission leader (Director of World Mission for the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A.), and teacher of mission and intercultural studies (Pittsburgh Theological Seminary). He developed fluency in three languages (Spanish, French and Tshiluba) and earned his Master of Divinity in Cross-Cultural Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary, the Diplôme d'études approfondies in religious anthropology at the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes in Paris and a doctorate in anthropology from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú.While living overseas, he received more than sixty short-term mission groups and studied the complex and nuanced interactions between U.S. visitors and Congolese and Peruvian hosts. He has researched and written articles on congregational mission engagement that have been published in Missiology: An International Review, The Journal of Latin American Theology and Christianity Today. He speaks frequently to groups of congregational mission leaders to better understand their concerns and offer them tools to lead their congregations into more faithful and effective mission.To buy Freeing Congregational Mission, visit: https://a.co/d/21CrJmkMusic by: Irene & the SleepersLogo by: Jill EllisWebsite: menomissions.orgContact Us: brokenbanquetpodcast@gmail.com

Philippians 1:3-11 Luke 10:1-9

This sermon was preached on September 28, 2025 at Antioch Presbyterian Church, a congregation of Calvary Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America located in Woodruff, South Carolina. Pastor Zachary Groff preached this sermon entitled "A Wonderful Desolation" on Exodus 10:1-20. For more information about Antioch Presbyterian Church, please visit ⁠antiochpca.com⁠ or contact us at ⁠⁠⁠info@antiochpca.com.

The church is so much more than a building—but when it comes to managing the physical property of church real estate, we often overlook the great good that can emerge from the land and structures. In this episode, social entrepreneur, strategic executive, and author Mark Elsdon joins Mark Labberton on Conversing to explore how churches and faith communities can reimagine their assets—land, buildings, and money—as instruments for mission, community transformation, and spiritual flourishing. From his decades of work at Pres House in Madison, Wisconsin, to his role as consultant, author, and co-leader of RootedGood, Elsdon shares stories of innovation, courage, and the hard but hopeful work of repurposing property and resources for God's mission in the world. Episode Highlights “It isn't about property, nor is it about money. It's about people's lives and it's about God's work in people's lives.” “We often have the faith of our forebears in the church. But the question is, do we have the courage of them?” “I don't think God's going away. I don't think God's declining. But the way people are engaging their faith is really changed and is changing.” “Sometimes I talk about this as like the Blockbuster Video moment… People still want experiences of the divine. They just don't want to access it primarily on a Sunday morning.” “Constraints can produce creativity and, in the life of faith, can also produce a willingness to trust.” Helpful Links and Resources Mark Elsdon's Website *We Aren't Broke: Uncovering Hidden Resources for Mission and Ministry,* by Mark Elsdon *Gone for Good? Negotiating the Coming Wave of Church Property Transition,* by Mark Elsdon RootedGood - resources for congregations, judicatories, and other church leaders related to social enterprise and church property Good Futures Accelerator course How-To Guides Threshold Sacred Development - A mission-aligned property development company focused on supporting churches doing community-oriented development About Mark Elsdon Mark Elsdon lives and works at the intersection of money and meaning as an entrepreneur, non-profit executive, author, and speaker. He is the author of We Aren't Broke: Uncovering Hidden Resources for Mission and Ministry (2021) and editor of Gone for Good? Negotiating the Coming Wave of Church Property Transition (2024). In addition to his role as a director with RootedGood, Mark is also executive director at Pres House, where he led the transformation of a dormant non-profit into a growing, vibrant, multi-million-dollar organization. Mark has a BA in psychology from the University of California–Berkeley, a master of divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin School of Business. He is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church, USA, and lives in Madison, Wisconsin. Mark is an avid cyclist and considers it a good year when he rides more miles on his bike than he drives in his car. Show Notes Mark Elsdon reflects on thirty years of ministry, beginning with campus work at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Launch of a $17 million student housing project that became a transformative ministry for thousands of students. Elsdon's discovery: “It isn't about property, nor is it about money. It's about people's lives and it's about God's work in people's lives.” Creation of a sober housing program at Pres House that has saved the state of Wisconsin more than a million dollars in addiction-related costs. Innovative blend of mission, ministry, and real estate development to foster student flourishing. The unique impact of housing students in recovery alongside the wider student population. Elsdon's MBA studies at UW–Madison and his calling at the intersection of money and mission. The “Blockbuster Video moment” for American Christianity: people still seek meaning, community, and transcendence, but not in traditional formats. Challenges churches face with aging buildings, declining attendance, and financial strain. How repurposing property reveals new opportunities for mission and ministry. RootedGood's “Good Futures” Accelerator course: helping churches rethink land, buildings, and resources for social enterprise and revenue generation. Example of two congregations in Madison merging to create an environmentally sustainable multifamily housing project and community center. Redefining church property as community space: “flipping the script” so the building belongs to the neighborhood, with the church as anchor tenant. Courage, risk-taking, and letting go of past models are essential for churches to reimagine their future. The critical role of pastoral and lay leadership in sparking change and vision. Storytelling as central to church renewal: “We often have the faith of our forebears in the church. But the question is, do we have the courage of them?” Learning from the pandemic: every church has the capacity for innovation and adaptation. Honouring grief and loss while embracing resurrection hope in church property transitions. Example from San Antonio: members resisted redevelopment until their need for funerals in the sanctuary was acknowledged—turning “either/or” into “both/and.” Affordable housing crisis intersects directly with church land opportunities. Turner Center study: California churches and colleges hold land equal to five Oaklands suitable for affordable housing development. Elsdon warns against cookie-cutter “models” and emphasizes local context, story, and creativity. Forecast: up to 100,000 church properties in the US may be sold or repurposed in the next decade. Elsdon's hope: more repurposing than selling, with land and buildings becoming assets for life-giving mission. The value of constraints: “Constraints can produce creativity and, in the life of faith, can also produce a willingness to trust.” Production Credits Conversing is produced and distributed in partnership with Comment magazine and Fuller Seminary.  

A recent article announced a shift, some call it vibe, others a mood, that is making Christianity more acceptable or less appealing than it used to be in Aaron Renn's "negative world." This is related to a question of what influence churches have on a society and its culture.  Aaron Renn interviewed several leaders among the effort to take back the mainline Protestant denominations (from a fall that everyone acknowledges but does not necessarily measure).  One of the reasons for looking to these churches instead of the Presbyterian Church in America, the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, or the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, is that the mainline denominations have more status than the sideline alternatives, and therefore are more likely to promote Christianity beyond the church to the culture more generally.  The pudcast co-hosts, Korey Maas (Lutheran), Miles Smith (Anglican), and D. G. Hart (Presbyterian) discuss these matters, even with some attention to the church's influence on the Roman empire and much later on American society during the early national period.  In the latter case, Ross Douthat's comments in an interview (read in the recording) about low-church Protestantism's influence on America are yet another aspect of Christianity's cultural influence.   

Far from being unspiritual, it is our responsibility to prepare for death by setting our estate in order for our loved ones. Today, Guy Waters offers practical steps to prepare our worldly affairs prior to the end of our lives. Get Facing the Last Enemy, Guy Waters' book and video teaching series on DVD, for your donation of any amount. You'll also receive lifetime digital access to the teaching series messages and study guide: https://gift.renewingyourmind.org/4257/offer   Live outside the U.S. and Canada? Request digital access to the teaching series, study guide, and ebook with your donation: https://www.renewingyourmind.org/global   Do you seek to leave a heritage of faith that will impact the kingdom of God for years to come? Request a complimentary and confidential consultation as you consider estate planning. Contact Ligonier's gift planning officer at stewardship@ligonier.org or visit https://www.ligonier.org/legacy. Meet Today's Teacher:   Guy Waters is the James M. Baird Jr. Professor of New Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, MS, and a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America.   Meet the Host:   Nathan W. Bingham is vice president of media for Ligonier Ministries, executive producer and host of Renewing Your Mind, and host of the Ask Ligonier podcast. Renewing Your Mind is a donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts