We did a deep dive into the Beatitudes, Jesus' most substantive teaching on who is blessed (or "happy") in the Kingdom of God. While we might have heard these read from time to time, we tried to bring a new perspective on them, and the invitation to discipleship that they are.

On the heels of our sermon two weeks ago, we wonder what the church can do in times of great upheaval to be a light to the world. We found a historic precedent in St. Benedict of Nursia, who "preserved humanity" in his early monastic groups. Centered on Christ and his cross, we too can be a place which preserves the humanity and dignity of all.

Sermon Text: Deuteronomy 11:7-21

God is not mindless about land, but cares for it, so the Lord sees your faithfulness on it and sees your unfaithfulness on it.“ There is an ominous – perhaps a fatal – presumptuousness in living in a place by the imposition on it of one’s ideas and wishes.” Scripture calls us to this agrarian work, to tell the truth about our land and our selves. Our first, most faithful step isn’t to do, but to listen. An agrarian people must be a contemplative people. Action emerges from silence. Planting emerges from pasture walks. Design emerges from seasons. Repentance emerges from confession. Programming emerges from observation. Because good land, good economy, good communities come from deep faithfulness. Listen. And it is listening, to God, ground, and neighbor, that we come to learn how we live faithfully in this place, a place that Christ gave himself for.

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