CitySalt Church

In this fourth message in this series, Pastor Heather taught through some of the unusual yet moving visions and prophecies in the Book of Ezekiel. In particular, she focused on the collective nature of the prophet’s words that called Israel to collective repentance before Yahweh, acknowledgement of the holiness of Yahweh, and hope in future restoration through the hands of the one Holy God.

In this third message in this series, Pastor Aaron taught through the Book of Haggai. He shared how Haggai prophesied after the Babylonian Exile during a time of great uncertainty as Israel tried to rebuild a future for themselves and their families. In this time of uncertainty, Haggai interrupted their preoccupations with their own households and their misaligned priorities that focused on personal comforts at the expense of rebuilding their collective worship life. Haggai’s challenge and his words of encouragement and promise during the process of rebuilding the temple are a source of challenge and wisdom for us as we seek peace and fruitfulness in own unstable and uncertain times.

In this second message in this series Pastor Mike walked through the Book of Jonah and shared about how the book is unique among the prophets in that it focuses mostly on Jonah’s own wrestling. Jonah wrestled with the message he was called to bring to his enemies, and he wrestled with God’s abundant mercy and grace to forgive and save his enemies in the same way he had been forgiven and saved.

In this first message in this series on Pentecost Sunday, Pastor Aaron focused on Jeremiah’s letter to the exiles in Babylon in Jeremiah 29. He talked about what Bryan Zahnd calls the “delicate dance between belonging and not belonging” that the people of God in the world are often called to navigate and discern, and how Jeremiah’s letter provides directions and promises that the church can continue to trust and apply as we seek to embody a missional posture in our communities.

In this message, guest preacher Lynette Fields shared about the Lord’s Prayer as the “Kingdom Prayer for Every Day.” She explored the line “Give us this day our daily bread” and she invited us to consider and reflect on how praying this way can help to grow honest vulnerability, trust, gratitude and empathy in our relationship with God and one another.

In this final message of the series, Pastor Heather focused on Chapter 4 where Paul addresses some barriers (disunity, fear, and a disordered mindset) that the Philippians would likely face in reaching the goal of flourishing love.

In this message, Pastor Aaron focused on Chapter 3 where Paul shares with the Philippians his way of looking at the world. It is not the way he always saw the world, but it was a way of looking at things that was formed in him over time by Christ himself. Paul called his way of looking at things mature or complete. This mature way of looking at things has as its goal union with Christ, an embracing of a process of growing in love, and a mindset of counting the cost.

In this message, Pastor Mike focused on the Christ Hymn at the heart of Philippians chapter two that describes the countercultural and counterintuitive humility of Christ that Christians are called to embody in all their relationships.

In this message, Pastor Aaron focused on the dynamic of receiving and sharing God’s love. We can’t share what we haven’t first received. In order to have love to pour out and give away to others, we have to first receive it. This receiving is not just a one-time event, but an ongoing dynamic of daily being renewed and growing deeper in love.

To kick off this series, Pastor Mike took some time to share some background and context for reading the letter and then we invited a special guest, Sophie Ferry, to read the entire letter to us in one sitting!

In this sermon on Easter Sunday, Pastor Aaron shared about Jesus's appearance to Mary Magdalene and the power and wonder of the resurrection life to which she is a witness.

In this message on Palm Sunday, Pastor Aaron shared about the metaphor of weak, ordinary clay pots or oil lamps that Paul uses in 2 Corinthians 4 to describe the dynamic of carrying around the life and death of Jesus in our human bodies.

In the final message in this series, Pastor Mike taught about our core value of Together.

In the fifth message in this series, Pastor Heather taught about our core value of Justice.

In the fourth message in this series, Pastor Mike taught about our core value of Process.

In the third message in this series, Pastor Aaron taught about our core value of Healing.

In the second message in this series, Pastor Abby taught about our core value of Welcome.

In the first message in this series, Pastor Aaron taught about our core value of Awareness of the Spirit.

In this final sermon of this series, Pastor Aaron shares some practical wisdom for entering into and maintaining a posture of prayer, especially when it is difficult to find the words to pray.