Growing apples takes time—and so does growing in Christ.

In this message from Matthew 5:48 (“Be perfect,therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect”), Pastor Joni unpacks what Jesus really meant by “perfect.” Is He demanding flawless performance—or calling us to spiritual maturity? Using the picture of green apples vs. ripe red apples, we explore the difference between saving grace (newlife) and sanctifying grace (ongoing transformation), and why God’s goal isn’t perfectionism—it’s wholeness, ripeness, and Christlike character.

You’ll also hear practical, Scripture-grounded signs ofmaturity: hungering for God’s Word, moving from “milk” to “meat,” growing through Christian community and accountability, bearing lasting fruit, and living out the Great Commandments and the Great Commission.

If you’ve ever felt discouraged by the word “perfect,” thissermon reframes it as an invitation: not to pretend you’re flawless, but to keep becoming who God is shaping you to be.

Freedom is one of America’s most celebrated words—but do we even agree on what it means? In this message, “Mark of Freedom,” Pastor Ian examines how our culture’s definition of liberty (“the power to do as I please”) often collides with real life—where my “freedom” can become someone else’s harm.

Drawing from John 8:23–36, we hear Jesus’ unsettling claim: people who insist they’re free can still be enslaved—not bygovernments or circumstances, but by sin, shame, and distorted aims.

With Scripture spanning Romans 5–6, 1 John 4, Genesis 1, and Jesus’ greatest commandment, this sermon argues that true freedom isn’t rule-breaking or rule-keeping. It’s something deeper:

The real mark of freedom is the ability to love as Godloves—loving God and loving our neighbor. And that kind of love isn’t powered by willpower, politics, or moral performance, but by the transforming work of the Holy Spirit.

If you’ve ever wondered why “freedom” feels so contested—and what Jesus means by “free indeed”—this sermon is for you.

What does it really mean to be great?In a world that celebrates power, recognition, and success, Jesus turns greatness upside down.Using the gripping story of the Chilkoot Pass and Jesus’ words in Matthew 20:20–28, Pastor Joni challenges our self-focused definition of greatness. When James and John push for the best seats in God’s kingdom, Jesus offers a surprising truth: the path to greatness is humble service.Pastor Joni calls us to examine our motives, resist pride, and embrace the Christlike way of becoming less so that Jesus can be seen more. True greatness isn’t about being noticed—it’s about living unseen faithfulness for God’s glory.If you’ve ever struggled with comparison, ambition, recognition, or the desire to be “first,” this sermon is for you.

What does it really mean for the resurrection to matter?
In this thought‑provoking message, Pastor Ian invites us to wrestle honestly with doubt, time, and transformation. Drawing from Scripture and everyday imagery, he reminds us that doubt is not the enemy of faith—but often a doorway to deeper trust.

Using the powerful metaphor of an hourglass, Pastor Ian explores how God breaks into our linear view of time, freeing us from being trapped by the past and inviting us into a life of ongoing transformation. Faith, he argues, isn’t proven by owning a Bible or rehearsing familiar stories—it’s revealed through lives that are genuinely changed.

This sermon challenges us to ask:

• Does the resurrection change how we actually live?
• Are we being discipled more by culture than by Jesus?
• What would it look like to let the Holy Spirit continually reshape us?

Whether you’re navigating doubts, feeling stuck spiritually, or longing for a faith that impacts everyday life, this message offers both honesty and hope—pointing us back to Jesus as the true source of lasting change.

Watch, reflect, and consider how God may be breaking into your time.

Pastor Ian continues our Advent series with Love: Changed in the Waiting.

Pastor Ian talks about how love is often an aspect of patience and waiting and that God's love is steadfast.

He also speaks on how love, or true love, is fully expressed through a covenant of mutual relationship.

Pastor Joni begins our Advent Series with Hope: Changed in the Waiting. This special service is also our Greening service as presented in our Fellowship Hall.

Pastor Ian explores the themes of gratitude and thanksgiving in Colossians 3:14–17, Acts 27:33–38, and Exodus 20:12–17.

He shares how gratitude and thanksgiving begin with satisfaction and contentment, and how that impacts a life with God, and how the Christian's life is to be lived.

Pastor Joni concludes our B.L.E.S.S. series with Story. She shares how it is not our wisdom or our learning that will create the space to talk about Jesus to others; it is our story.

Pastor Joni points out that unless people hear, how can they really know who we follow. From John 9:1–25, she provides a story template through the man cured of blindness, and how he shared his story with those in power, and how it applies generally.

[Content Note: this service was held in our Fellowship Hall while the Sanctuary is under construction.]