OGs of the O.T. // Rest & Responsibility
Sunday, September 13th, 2026
Text: Genesis 3
The First Sin and Its Punishment
1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.’ ” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die, 5 for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was a delight to the eyes and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.
8 They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 He said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” 11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.” 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent tricked me, and I ate.” 14 The Lord God said to the serpent,
“Because you have done this,
cursed are you among all animals
and among all wild creatures;
upon your belly you shall go,
and dust you shall eat
all the days of your life.
15 I will put enmity between you and the woman
and between your offspring and hers;
he will strike your head,
and you will strike his heel.”
16 To the woman he said,
“I will make your pangs in childbirth exceedingly great;
in pain you shall bring forth children,
yet your desire shall be for your husband,
and he shall rule over you.”
17 And to the man he said,
“Because you have listened to the voice of your wife
and have eaten of the tree
about which I commanded you,
‘You shall not eat of it,’
cursed is the ground because of you;
in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life;
18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you;
and you shall eat the plants of the field.
19 By the sweat of your face
you shall eat bread
until you return to the ground,
for out of it you were taken;
you are dust,
and to dust you shall return.”
20 The man named his wife Eve because she was the mother of all living. 21 And the Lord God made garments of skins for the man and for his wife and clothed them.
22 Then the Lord God said, “See, the humans have become like one of us, knowing good and evil, and now they might reach out their hands and take also from the tree of life and eat and live forever”— 23 therefore the Lord God sent them forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which they were taken. 24 He drove out the humans, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a sword flaming and turning to guard the way to the tree of life.
——
OGs of the O.T. // Revisiting the Sacred
Sunday, September 6th, 2026
Text: Luke 9:28-36
The Transfiguration
28 Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30 Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. 31 They appeared in glory and were speaking about his exodus, which he was about to fulfill in Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep, but as they awoke they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us set up three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah,” not realizing what he was saying. 34 While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. 35 Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” 36 When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.
Text: 2 Peter 1:16-21
Eyewitnesses of Christ’s Glory
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain.
19 So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, 21 because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
——
Church In The Park // Interpreting The Text
Sunday, August 30th, 2026
Opening Worship
Wake Up, Jesus
Verse 1:
Jesus, when You gonna wake up?
When You gonna wake up and calm this raging sea?
Jesus, when You gonna wake up?
When You gonna wake up? How can You sleep when we’re in need?
Refrain:
Just one word from the Maker,
and all the waves will be made still.
Just one touch from the Healer,
and all will be made well.
(Repeat from Verse 1)
Bridge:
Won’t You rise up? Won’t You rise up?
Won’t You rise up? Won’t You rise up?
Won’t You rise up? Won’t You rise up?
Empty Me Out
Verse 1:
Empty me out, fill me with You
Lord there is nothing I can give to You
I lay down my life, here at Your feet
You give me life so completely
Refrain:
Now I, I died with You; was buried with You
the moment I believed
And I, I rose with you; ascended with You
into the heavenlies
Lord it’s not me
It’s You inside of me
Jesus, You’re all
These eyes can see
Anchor Text:
Matthew 23:23-24 (NSRV)
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. It is these you ought to have practiced without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel!
Quote:
As I understand it, Jesus is not rejecting the scriptures themselves; rather, he is rejecting a certain interpretation and application of the scriptures that excluded all others. Anytime we use our sacred writings to justify acts of exclusion, rejection, and hegemony we are neglecting justice, mercy, and love. By doing so, we deploy our holy scriptures to do more harm than good, causing us to fall into the same hypocrisy that Jesus condemned
- Indigenous theologian Rev. Dr. Randy Woodley
Focusing Texts:
Matthew 13:44-49 (NSRV)
Three Parables
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and reburied; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; 46 on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; 48 when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50 and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Dirt Discussions:
Say your name and most memorable life lesson.
How familiar are you with the parables of the bible?
Pick one (or more) from the Three Parables above and discuss with your group WHAT you think is happening and HOW it could be insightful.
Closing Worship
Heal Us Emmanuel
Refrain:
Heal us, Emmanuel, here we stand
We long to feel Thy touch
Deep Wounded souls, to Thee we fly
O Savior hear our cry
Verse 1:
Our faith is feeble, we confess
We faintly trust Thy word
But will You pity us the less?
Be that far from You Lord!
Verse 2:
Remember him who once applied
with trembling for relief
“Lord, I believe,” with tears he cried,
“O help my unbelief!”
(Refrain)
Verse 3:
She, too, who touched You in the press
and healing virtue stole
was answered, “Daughter, go in peace;
thy faith has made thee whole.”
Verse 4:
Like her, with hopes and fears we come
to touch You if we may
O send us not despairing home;
Send none unhealed away
(Refrain)
Benediction
God of Seasons,
May we be people who:
Humbly walk the path of faith
Seeking your goodness in every time
As we reflect and learn from your loving ways
Help us to sense your presence everywhere
And give us hearts that break with what breaks yours
Be with us now as we go forth to love others and serve you
Wherever we may be
Amen.
——
Seasons - Staying Rooted In The Flow of Faith // Seasons of Reflection
Sunday, August 23rd, 2026
Text:
Psalm 77:3-12
3 I remembered you, God, and I groaned;
I meditated, and my spirit grew faint.[b]
4 You kept my eyes from closing;
I was too troubled to speak.
5 I thought about the former days,
the years of long ago;
6 I remembered my songs in the night.
My heart meditated and my spirit asked:
7 “Will the Lord reject forever?
Will he never show his favor again?
8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
Has his promise failed for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be merciful?
Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”
10 Then I thought, “To this I will appeal:
the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand.
11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
12 I will consider all your works
and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”
——
Seasons - Staying Rooted In The Flow of Faith // Seasons of Doubt
Sunday, August 9th, 2026
Text:
Psalm 88
A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth. A maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.
1 Lord, you are the God who saves me;
day and night I cry out to you.
2 May my prayer come before you;
turn your ear to my cry.
3 I am overwhelmed with troubles
and my life draws near to death.
4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit;
I am like one without strength.
5 I am set apart with the dead,
like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more,
who are cut off from your care.
6 You have put me in the lowest pit,
in the darkest depths.
7 Your wrath lies heavily on me;
you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.
8 You have taken from me my closest friends
and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined and cannot escape;
9 my eyes are dim with grief.
I call to you, Lord, every day;
I spread out my hands to you.
10 Do you show your wonders to the dead?
Do their spirits rise up and praise you?
11 Is your love declared in the grave,
your faithfulness in Destruction?
12 Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?
13 But I cry to you for help, Lord;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
14 Why, Lord, do you reject me
and hide your face from me?
15 From my youth I have suffered and been close to death;
I have borne your terrors and am in despair.
16 Your wrath has swept over me;
your terrors have destroyed me.
17 All day long they surround me like a flood;
they have completely engulfed me.
18 You have taken from me friend and neighbor—
darkness is my closest friend.
“Doubt is a difficult animal to master because it requires that we learn the difference between doubting God and doubting what we believe about God. The former has the potential to destroy faith; that latter has the power to enrich and refine it. The former is a vice; the latter a virtue.”
——
Seasons - Staying Rooted In The Flow of Faith // Seasons of (Good) Grief
Sunday, August 2nd, 2026
Definition: Grief is the deep, natural emotional pain and readjustment that follows any significant loss, serving as the silent reflection of love and the mind's attempt to bridge the gap between what was and what is.
Text: John 11:17-44
17 When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had already been in his grave for four days. 18 Bethany was only a few miles down the road from Jerusalem, 19 and many of the people had come to console Martha and Mary in their loss. 20 When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.”
23 Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 “Yes,” Martha said, “he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.”
25 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26 Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”
27 “Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.” 28 Then she returned to Mary. She called Mary aside from the mourners and told her, “The Teacher is here and wants to see you.” 29 So Mary immediately went to him.
30 Jesus had stayed outside the village, at the place where Martha met him. 31 When the people who were at the house consoling Mary saw her leave so hastily, they assumed she was going to Lazarus’s grave to weep. So they followed her there. 32 When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
33 When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled. 34 “Where have you put him?” he asked them.
They told him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Then Jesus wept. 36 The people who were standing nearby said, “See how much he loved him!” 37 But some said, “This man healed a blind man. Couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?”
38 Jesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance. 39 “Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them.
But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested, “Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.”
40 Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” 41 So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. 42 You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.” 43 Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”
——
Seasons - Staying Rooted In The Flow of Faith // Seasons of Fruit
Sunday, July 26th, 2026
Opening Worship
I’m Building Me a Home
Verse 1:
I’m building us a home (I’m building us a home)
I’m building us a home (I’m building us a home)
I’m building us a home (I’m building us a home)
I’m building us a home (I’m building us a home)
Refrain:
This earthly house
Is gonna soon decay
My soul’s gotta have
My Lord, somewhere to stay
Verse 2:
When you hear me praying (When you hear me praying)
I’m building us a home (I’m building us a home)
Verse 3:
When I’m seeking justice (When I’m seeking justice)
I’m building us a home (I’m building us a home)
Verse 4:
When I’m loving mercy (When I’m loving mercy)
I’m building us a home (I’m building us a home)
Verse 5:
When I’m walking humbly (When I’m walking humbly)
I’m building us a home (I’m building us a home)
Joy In Resistance
Verse 1:
What the world needs now is joy in resistance
We will fight the good fight with or without your assistance
Move out of the way if you can’t support the mission
What the world needs now is joy in resistance
Verse 2:
What the world needs now is faith in resistance…
Verse 3:
What the world needs now is love in resistance…
Verse 4:
What the world needs now is hope in resistance…
Dirt Discussions:
Say your name and favorite fruit snack.
Do you get “Hangry” often, not often, or not at all? If so, share a hangry story; if not, share your secret in being content ^_^)
What’s a false truth you were led to believe, and how did you come to find out it was false?
Text:
Matthew 21:18-22 (FNV)
A FIG TREE WITH NO FRUIT
18 The next morning, as he was returning to Village of Peace (Jerusalem), he became hungry. 19 He saw a fig tree on the side of the road and went to it, but when he came to the tree, he found only leaves.
He spoke to the tree, “You will never again grow fruit!” and the fig tree began to wither away right then and there.
20 When the ones who walked the road with him saw the tree withering, they were amazed.
“How did it dry up and wither so quickly?” they asked.
21 “I speak from my heart, if you put all your trust in the Great Spirit and do not doubt that the Knower of Hearts hears you,” he answered them, “not only will you do what was done with this fig tree, but even if you speak to this mountain and say, ‘Be lifted up and go into the great waters,’ it will happen. 22 So when you send your prayers to the Great Spirit, believe that he hears you, and whatever you ask for will be yours.”
Mark 11:12-14 (FNV)
THE FIG TREE WITHOUT FRUIT
The next day, as Creator Sets Free (Jesus) was returning to Village of Peace (Jerusalem) from House of Figs (Bethany), he became hungry. He saw a fig tree with leaves on it in the distance and went to see whether he might find some figs on it. But when he came to the tree, he found only leaves, for it was not the season for figs.
He responded by speaking to the tree, “No one will eat fruit from you ever again!” And his followers heard what he said.
Closing Worship
Nothing I Hold Onto
Verse:
I lean not on my own understanding
My life is in the hands of the maker of heaven (2x)
I give it all to you God
Trusting that you’ll make something beautiful out of me (2x)
Repeat
Bridge:
I will climb this mountain with my hands wide open…
(There’s nothing I hold onto
There’s nothing I hold onto
There’s nothing I hold onto
Cause’ I’m holding onto You)
Benediction
God of Seasons,
May we be people who:
Humbly walk the path of faith
Seeking your goodness in every time
As we reflect and learn from your loving ways
Help us to sense your presence everywhere
And give us hearts that break with what breaks yours
Be with us now as we go forth to love others and serve you
Wherever we may be
Amen.
——
Seasons - Staying Rooted In The Flow of Faith // Seasons of Wrestling
Sunday, July 19th, 2026
Text:
Genesis 32:22-32
22 The same night he got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. 24 Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day is breaking.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go, unless you bless me.” 27 So he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 Then the man said, “You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with humans and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, yet my life is preserved.” 31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. 32 Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the thigh muscle that is on the hip socket, because he struck Jacob on the hip socket at the thigh muscle.