Hopegateway

If you had all the building blocks for a new world, what would you build? The pandemics of COVID-19 and white supremacy have revealed that many of our systems, institutions, and ideas aren't holding up the way we thought they might. But what if this moment is also a sacred opportunity to re-imagine ourselves, our communities, and even HopeGateWay? Over the next few weeks, we'll be exploring holy imagination and what could be on the other side of the pandemics.

We continue the story of Jesus as he once again demonstrates he is fearless. He says to his disciples, "I'm going to die. Don't stand in my way. Don't freak out about it. It's all good." It's a good message for our time as well as we try to find new safe ways of caring for each other and putting fear behind us and while we are lead by love.

This sermon looks at three stories from the Gospel of Mark: 2:1-17, 23-28 -- Jesus cures a paralyzed man, eats with a tax collector and sinners and his disciples pick grain on the sabbath. These stories show just how expansive Jesus's community really is -- including people collaborating with the empire as well those on the outs with religious authorities of the time.

Philip Brooks, AOC, and Linda Sarsour remind us who Jesus is and that he is radical according to societies standards. Pastor Sara shares the beginning of the story of Jesus as he begins to gain a following and some notoriety.

Several members share what our community practices mean to them. They are insightful and witty. Enjoy.

In one way this year will be decisive, the choices we make may have long lasting consequences for our planet, but in another way we have no idea what the consequences of our actions to stave off climate disaster may be. That's the gift of uncertainty. It can motivate us to make the changes that can only lead to more wholeness for ourselves and for the planet.

In this fifth message of the Active Hope series, Allen Ewing-Merrill invites us to reject denial and despair and instead choose active engagement- to envision a life-sustaining way of being and to dare to believe is possible, trusting that all things are possible.