Branches. Sunday.

Our Seeking the Story series concludes with some thoughts from Mike about life thesis statements, and some moving stirrings from others regarding stories they pulled from the arbor.

Mike talks about the balance of joy and pain and the world. And how negating one or the for the sake of the other, albeit a tendency, does a great disservice.

Josh Bosse, our special guest, shares a highly insightful and subversive account of the often problematic story found in genesis 3.

Lis talks about the process of deconstruction and waking up to the resurrected Christ all around.

Mike talks about Ezekiel 17, the parable of the mustard seed, and the residence of the Divine being all

Mike talks about what the word mystic means and uses some statements by Jesus as a guide.

Emily and Mike debrief Emily's time at the sacred feminine retreat and go over the beauty and necessity of a more feminine view of God.

Mike talks about how living proximally could be the story we dive into to help reorient the larger stories of injustice. The poem / video shown can be found here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwbNL6SWS8w

Not recorded was a conversation about the injustice happening at our border. Check out the newsletter for actions steps on that. Mike talks about water and its pervasiveness and how that same way of being is a metaphor for Christ.

Lis talks about rocks, reeds and the ability to not have it all figured out. And our ability to tell stories. And a story telling God. A trifecta!

A Vampire Weekend music video stirs up conversation about where the Divine can be ushered in (hint: everywhere. perhaps especially in the stranger.) It was an interactive Sunday of walking through the neighborhood, so maybe you could do the same?! Video referenced - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwkrrU2WYKg

Mike talks about how apple trees and rocks hold the secret to what we, and everything that exists, are.

Mike talks about how we often hold on to what worked once rather than making space for something new.

Mike talks about how stories can be a tool to lure out the Christ in every thing. He also introduces our new series Seeking the Story.

Lis Kraus, our Twigs coordinator, talks about learning to remember the moments when God has seen you. She uses the story of Sarah and Hagar as the medium to her message.

Aaron talks about the Avengers and moving from differentiation to integration.

Singer / Songwriter Bryan John Appleby joins us for a conversation about unbelief and belief. He and Mike discuss how - rather than being an enemy of belief - unbelief can call out and question certain assumed tenets of belief and, in turn, allow belief to look at itself honestly and grow and evolve into new forms. Songs played in this order: The Silent Shepherd Noah's Nameless Wife … And the Revelation Sprout Praise the Void

Mike talks about an older couple he met at a Richard Rohr conference, Jesus walking on water and the value in 6 hour car rides to alien museums.

Janeen talks about the disruption we see in Mark 7 and the possibility that in the disruption of a certain way of thought, a new one can be born.

We can often feel like we need to gain and attain. But perhaps a verse in John and reality itself points us instead to abundance rather than lack.