With: Reimagining the way you relate to God By Skye Jethani

Have you ever thought about how you relate to God? Have you ever wondered about why other people approach God differently than you do?  In Skye Jethani’s book, With: Reimagining the way you relate to God, he uncovers four common ways that Christians approach their relationship with God. 

Some of us, he shares, live an “Under God” life. We approach God with fear and are constantly trying to please a capricious God. With this approach, we believe that obedience secures our blessing and helps us to avoid suffering.  Others of us see ourselves as “Above God.” In our minds, God is distant, so we approach our lives as if God is uninterested and has left us to figure it all out on our own. Some of us live with a “From-God” approach.  We treat God as though He’s a genie, appreciating Him for what He can do for us, but we struggle to appreciate Him for who He is. And still others of us have a “For-God” approach. We work so hard for God, almost as a way to receive significance.  In his book, Jethani helps us understand that each of these ways that we relate to God falls short.  What if God is our treasure, and He just wants for us to experience Him?

With is made up of 9 chapters. Beginning in Eden, Jethani sets up the book by describing God’s original intent for humans to experience life with Him as His representatives. As a result of the fall, he contends, humans have sought to control God.  He then discusses in the next four chapters, how we often relate to God as a result of our seeking control.

These approaches are:
Under God, Above God, From God, For God.  In each chapter, Jethani explains the shortcomings that come along with each one of those approaches.  

For the second half of the book, Jethani helps us to reimagine the way that God desires us to relate to Him.

After reading this book, I found myself more deeply desiring to live a “with-God” life. More and more, I am convinced that God is near and just wants us to do life with Him, participating with Him in His work. He wants us to know Him, and to receive His love, and to love Him for who He is. As hard as it is to digest, I also believe that God wants to delight in me – He wants to delight in all of us.  Reading this book helps me to rest in His deep desire to just be with His children.

In addition to helping me personally, this book has helped me as I interact with other believers. Often, how others react to disappointment and what they say when their longings aren’t met, reflect the way that they relate to God.  This book can help each of us notice where we (and others) might be misunderstanding who God is and what He really wants, and help us to respond in curious and honest way.

Redeemer, my hope as you read this book and reflect on how you tend to relate to God, that you might be encouraged and even empowered to practice surrendering control and resting in the One who loves you more than you can imagine.  

Our life as Easter people is one that we don’t do alone! Thanks be to God!

God bless you (and I cannot wait to discuss!)
Pastor Adrienne

I am excited to bring the book of the month to you this month. It took me close to 20 years to make it all the way through this book, for various reasons. One reason was because it posses the question of identity which hits close to home.

“Who am I?” is the question we all ask ourselves throughout our entire lives. In some seasons we are more confident in our answers to that question that in other seasons of life.

“Who am I?”

We live in a world that is constantly wanting to give us the answer. You are a democrat. You are a republican. You are a consumer. You are stressed and in need of relief. You are good. You are bad. You are who you are. You are tired. Yep!

“Who am I?”

Satan would also love to give you an answer. And often if it comes in the form of a question that leads to doubt as he did with Adam and Eve in the garden, “Did God say….?” (Gen 3:1) Or with Jesus in the wilderness, “If you are the Son of God….” (Matthew 4:3,6)

Identity is everything. Satan knows this. God knows this. We know this.

In his book, “Abba’s Child,” Brennan Manning makes a bold declaration. “My dignity as Abba’s child is my most coherent sense of self.” (p. 62) Nothing brings more clarity to the question of “Who am I” than the Spirit of God. As Paul says in Romans 8:16, “it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” To be Abba’s child is to be loved with a depth so great “it surpasses knowledge.” (Ephesians 3:18-19)

“Abba’s Child” is an invitation to explore the goodness of God’s love for his children. And Brennan beckons you to bring your whole self to this exploration. The beautiful parts of you and the ugly parts of you. Your real self and your imposter self. For when you bring your whole self into the loving presence of God, you are able to fully receive the gift of being made into a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

I love reading Brennan Manning for similar reasons that I love reading Beth Moore. They are both unapologetically honest about their faults and flaws and sins. They deal in the real world. Brennan is a recovering alcoholic who is honest about his setbacks. He is a catholic priest who is deeply committed to love and serve the poor. He is honest about his sin, his doubts, his questions and his frustrations with God. But he is also a man who is desperate to remain in constant fellowship with Jesus, this Savior, friend and brother of sinners.

As I’ve sat in “Abba’s Child” with Brennan and the Spirit I am more convinced that there is no greater answer to the question of “Who am I?”, than to say, “I am the beloved daughter of Abba.” I say this with joy, a little timidity, a slight question in the background of my mind. But the Spirit says to me, “say it again!” “I am the beloved daughter of Abba!” “Yes!” The apostle John shouts back. “That is what you are!” (1 John 3:1)

This is who we are. Beloved sons and daughters of Abba.

Each Lenten Season, we are invited to give something up (or add something) in order to pursue deeper intimacy with God. I would venture to say that every season of Lent, we are invited to ask God the same question, “Who am I?” We forget so easily. The world is loud. Satan is relentless. But, Jesus, invites us to sit with him. To learn from him. To quiet the external noise so that we can hear what he says to us through the Spirit. “You are Abba’s Child. You belong to him.” Brothers and sisters, there is no better identity than this.

As you read “Abba’s Child” I pray that the Spirit uses it to draw you closer to Abba’s heart. I pray that He uses this book to help you see the heart of God in a clearer way as you read the scriptures.

May your sense of being Abba’s child be refreshed and renewed. And may you wear this identity proudly as you go and bear witness to a world that is in desperate need of your Abba’s love.

As Christians, true community is one of those things we all long for, but often struggle to describe. We want to be known and loved, to belong without having to pretend, and to walk with others who are actually following Jesus. And yet, if we’re honest, community can also disappoint us, frustrate us, or feel painfully fragile. Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer speaks directly into that tension with honesty, depth, and surprising hope.

If you are unfamiliar, Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German pastor, theologian, and disciple of Jesus who lived during the rise of Nazi Germany. As many church leaders of the time compromised or stayed silent to the horrific injustices of the time, Bonhoeffer resisted.  He not only played a significant role in the formation of the “Confessing Church,” he also trained pastors in an underground seminary (training school for pastors). Simply put, his faith was not theoretical. It cost him his freedom and, ultimately, his life. Bonhoeffer was imprisoned and executed in 1945, just weeks before the end of the war. His writing is not only theologically rich, it carries a unique weight because it was forged in suffering, courage, and costly obedience to Christ.

Bonhoeffer wrote this short book while leading that underground seminary for pastors in Nazi Germany. The community he describes was not ideal or easy or protected from the brokenness of the world. It was shaped by prayer, Scripture, confession, forgiveness, and a shared commitment to Jesus. Out of that lived experience, Bonhoeffer offers one of the clearest and most challenging visions of Christian community ever written.  

Before you dive into this book, I want to name something from the jump. Bonhoeffer is not offering an overly romantic picture of church life. The man is deeply realistic. He reminds us that our dreams of “perfect community” often become the very thing that destroys real community. As you read his thoughts on this, don’t be afraid to stop and re-read it multiple times. Instead of chasing an ideal, Bonhoeffer invites us to receive one another as gifts from God, imperfect and redeemed, bound together not by cheap compatibility but by Jesus.

From the very beginning, Bonhoeffer is honest about why community is so difficult. All too often, we want closeness without cost, belonging without disruption, love without being changed.

As Tim Keller once put it,
“We all want intimacy and community, but we also want independence and autonomy. Yet the gospel calls us into a community where we are known, corrected, forgiven, and loved. You cannot have the joy of community without the pain of accountability.”

Life Together takes that tension seriously. Bonhoeffer shows us that Christian community is not built on comfort or control, but on shared submission to Jesus Christ and a willingness to let others speak truth into our lives.

This book is short, but it is weighty. It presses on us in all the right places. It asks whether our life together is built on our preferences or on the Word of God. It challenges individualism without erasing individuality. And it offers a vision of the church as a place where Christ stands in the middle, shaping how we listen, speak, forgive, pray, and love.
One of the main reasons I chose Life Together as our Book of the Month is because it names so clearly the kind of community we are continuing to grow into. We are not a church where everyone agrees or feels the same, but, instead, a church where we are formed by shared core beliefs, shared practices, and a shared (though imperfect) obedience to Jesus. In a diverse community like ours, that vision is both demanding and deeply hopeful.

And I also want to say that if you have ever been hurt by church, this book does not minimize that pain. And if you have ever idealized church, it gently dismantles those illusions. And if you long for something deeper than surface level fellowship, Bonhoeffer offers a path forward that is grounded, Christ-centered, and honest…with the Spirit’s guidance, may He make Redeemer more and more like this!

Christ at the Center
Bonhoeffer insists that Christian community exists only through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ. We do not come to one another directly, but through Him. That truth reshapes how we see each other, especially when relationships are difficult.  And when we see each other this way, it truly frees us up to love well!

The Ministry of the Word
Community is sustained by Scripture. Bonhoeffer shows how God’s Word anchors us to one another anchors the church in something stronger than personality or preference.

Life Together in Prayer
Prayer is not just personal devotion but a shared discipline. Bonhoeffer highlights how praying together forms us into a people who learn to carry one another before God with patience and love.  At Redeemer, Discipleship Groups are a great way to live into this!

Confession and Forgiveness
Few sections of the book are more challenging or more freeing. Bonhoeffer reminds us that sin thrives in isolation, but healing happens when we step into the light. Confession is not humiliation. It is grace.  Again…at Redeemer, Discipleship Groups are a great way to live into this!

Bearing with One Another
True community requires patience, humility, and restraint. Bonhoeffer teaches us how to serve one another not by controlling or correcting, but by listening, interceding, and bearing burdens in love.  Not to sounds like a broken record, but…at Redeemer, Discipleship Groups are a great way to live into this!

SUMMARY:
Life Together is a slim book with a sharp edge and a tender heart. It does not simply give us techniques for building community. It reorients us toward Christ as the one who creates and sustains our life together. Bonhoeffer reminds us that healthy community is not something we manufacture. It is something we receive and steward with gratitude.

This book is especially meaningful for a church like ours. We are different in background, culture, story, and experience. Life Together gives us language and practices for living faithfully in that difference without losing unity. It calls us to a deeper commitment to one another that is rooted not in sameness (unity, not uniformity!), but in shared life under the Word of God.

If you long for a community that is honest, prayerful, and formed by grace. If you want to understand why Scripture, confession, forgiveness, and accountability matter so much. Or if you simply want to reimagine what Christian community could be. This book will be a gift.
Redeemer, my hope is that we continue to grow as a people who receive one another with gratitude, speak truth in love, and live together as fellow followers of Jesus!

Grace and peace,
Pastor Drew

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Streams of Living Water: Essential Practices from the Six Great Traditions of Christian Faith 
By Richard J. Foster

Description:
Many people in the United States who grew up around Christians or in the church have gained a certain perspective about what “right” and “wrong” Christian worship looks like. If we are honest, we often perceive our own way of practicing the faith as the “right” way, while noticing the short-comings of other ways of worship. And yet, God’s Word reminds us that as Christians, we are to be united in our faith in Jesus even when we worship differently.  So, what does unity look like for a diverse group of people who come from different backgrounds? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the various Christian traditions? How did Jesus reflect each of the traditions during his life?

In his book, Streams of Living Water: Essential Practices from the Six Great Traditions of Christian Faith, Richard Foster reminds us of the richness of six spiritual traditions that are present in Christianity.  Most known for founding the spiritual formation institute, Renovaré, and for writing the best-selling book, Celebration of Discipline and Prayer, in Streams of Living Water, Foster challenges his readers to learn about and engage all of the Christian traditions – even those that may be less familiar.  

Why is the book called Streams of Living Water?
Early on in his book, Foster connects the expression of the Spirit in diverse traditions to Jesus’ words, “Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38). Each “stream” reflects an aspect of how Jesus lived.  The idea of the book is that as we continue to mature and imitate Jesus, we are also invited to engage God in a variety of ways, just like Jesus did.

Why Read it?
An accessible read, this book was one of my favorite books from seminary. It is rich in story-telling, history, and biblical wisdom. 

As someone who grew up being exposed to a variety of cultural expressions within Christianity, I find myself drawn to different parts of a variety of Christian denominations.  I enjoy delving into the Bible and listening to promptings of the Spirit.  I desire justice and mercy in our city, and I appreciate the beauty and symbolism of a liturgical service.  I desire to live a life that is fully integrated, and I am drawn to spend time communing with God in meditative prayer.  And yet, many times we are told that we have to choose “one” way to commune with God.  What if followers of Jesus are actually being invited to appreciate and even engage all of the streams? Streams of Living Water is a great book to teach and challenge us to have a more balanced vision of the Christian life and faith.

A Look at the Six Streams

• Contemplative Stream - the prayer-filled life
• Holiness Stream - the virtuous life
• Charismatic Stream - the Spirit-empowered life
• Social Justice Stream - the compassionate life
• Evangelical Stream - the Word-centered life
• Incarnational Stream - the sacramental life

What’s Inside?
The introductory chapter gives an overview of each stream, along with how that stream connects with the life that Jesus lived.  Foster proposes that Jesus embodied all six streams perfectly, setting the foundation for Jesus followers to accept not just one but all streams as we imitate Christ. Each chapter thereafter explains one stream. Foster gives a detailed description of the stream and tells the story of a historical and biblical figure who powerfully embodied that tradition. Foster ends each chapter by giving insight to the strengths and weaknesses of the tradition. 

Contemporary Historical Examples
Streams of Living Water is full of rich examples of Christians throughout history who have leaned into imitating Jesus.  You’ll learn how the Quakers responded to the system of slavery in the U.S. and how Dietrich Bonhoeffer was able to stand up for his faith as a Christian in Nazi-filled Germany. Keep reading and you’ll have the opportunity to travel back to 1906 and experience the Azusa Street Revival, and you’ll meet people like Dorothy Day, Susanna Wesley and William Seymore. 

Going Deeper:
If you’re interested in reading the book and having a workbook to go through at the same time, Renovare’s Spiritual Formation Workbook goes through each of the traditions.  This is a great resource for individual reflection or in a small group!

An Invitation for Redeemer:
Redeemer, my hope is that by reading this book, you will find yourself more connected to God, His mission, and the diverse Christian family that has spanned across generations. May you learn, be stretched, and come to appreciate more fully the ways of Jesus, the One whom we are to imitate here on Earth. I pray that through the rich stories, you’ll be encouraged to keep going, knowing that you are empowered by the Holy Spirit and accompanied by a big family of believers.

God bless you (and I cannot wait to discuss!)
Pastor Adrienne

During the fourth week of advent, we reflect on the theme of love. Scripture expands our understanding of love by portraying God as a loving father. His care for us mirrors and yet greatly surpasses our best expressions of parenthood. 

God listens attentively to His children, inviting us to bring every fear, hope, and need before Him in prayer. Nothing we share is too small or too heavy for His heart. He does not merely hear us; He responds with compassion, wisdom, and strength, assuring us of His constant presence. (Phil 4:6-7; 1 Pet. 5:7; Is. 59:1)

God declares His love for us openly and repeatedly. Think about that for a moment. From the promises of the Old Testament to the sacrificial love shown through Jesus Christ, God makes His affection unmistakable. He does not love from a distance; He draws near, offering comfort in suffering and strength in weakness. When we are brokenhearted, He is close, gently restoring our souls. (Jer. 31:3; Ps. 34:18; Jam. 4:8)

God sets boundaries. Like a good parent, He intends not to control us, but to protect us. His commands are rooted in love, guiding us toward life and peace. Parental discipline is not punishment driven by anger, but loving correction meant to shape us into maturity. (Ps. 32:8; Ps. 91:11)

God pursues our relationship and restores our dignity. When we make a mistake, God does not abandon us. Instead, our Loving Parent forgives us, restores us, and invites us back into relationship. He celebrates repentance each time we return to Him. In Christ, shame is removed and replaced with grace.  God grants us freedom, allowing us to choose, while always calling us toward wisdom and truth. (Lk. 15:11-32; Rom. 8:1) 

God is faithful and consistent. When the foundations we’ve built shift under our feet and the relationships we depend on experience change, God’s love remains steady. He provides for our physical needs and our spiritual nourishment. He speaks to us through Scripture and prompts us with His Holy Spirit. (Deut. 31:8; Is 41:10)

O God our loving Father,
Through the finished work of Jesus, we are adopted as your children, secure in our identity, and deeply cherished. During this Advent season, let your parental love sustain us, shape us, and draw us closer to your heart. Amen.

Joy East of Eden
by Julia Gillette

Desert. When we hear this word, we might think of extreme temperatures, parched landscape, and sparse vegetation. These are all accurate descriptions of the desert.

Within the biblical narrative, the desert was often the setting in which something transformative took place in the life of an individual. David and Elijah are only two examples of those who spent time in the desert or wilderness.

The wilderness experience was often a season in which the individuals were waiting for specific situations to be resolved or made right.
 
In this season of Advent, we also wait. And, in a sense, we feel the desolation of the desert. We see a world scarred by sin. And yet, this is not the end. Advent reminds us that there is more to the story and this present darkness will give way to joy.

  Psalm 126: 4-6
Restore our fortunes, Lord,
    like streams in the Negev.
Those who sow with tears
    will reap with songs of joy.
Those who go out weeping,
    carrying seed to sow, 
  will return with songs of joy,
    carrying sheaves with them.

These verses remind us that our tears and weeping are a prelude to the joy that will one day be fully realized. And as we wait, we are seen by a good Father who makes spacious the heart as we hold both the pain of the wilderness and inklings of the joy to come.    

Here, in this Advent season, may we be surprised by the glowing threads of this promised joy, woven through the story, as we gather with friends, light the candles, savor good food, and sing the hymns.
 
Perhaps joy feels impossible to find in this season. For those who find themselves here, an honest conversation with God is perhaps the bravest step toward joy that can be taken. Joy in the life of a believer is neither denial nor continual optimism.

Perhaps joy here in the not-yet is simply a persistent search that leads us to find and name the many ways in which the Light touches us here...now, east of Eden.

Calm Among the Clutter
by Kiara Boynton

My peace I give you, not as the world gives
John 14:27

Most days my mind feels like a storm. Thoughts running in every direction, living in the constant unknown of what the day may bring, grief creeps in without warning, sadness that causes tears, my to do list is always waiting for me, but so are my kids and my house? It's full of the beautiful and exhausting chaos that comes with parenting alone. There's homework that needs to be done, dinner that's probably missing vegetables, piles of clothes that need attention, little voices that call me "mommy" every few minutes and moments that stretch me farther than I ever thought I could. It is so joyful, but it's overwhelming too.

Even in the middle of all of that noise God's peace still finds me. What a mighty God we serve! It shows up right when I feel like I am going to explode. When I can pause long enough to remember that the Lord has provided for me every step of the way. He has met every need, even the ones I don't know how to put into words. When everything around me feels loud and I can't silence my thoughts. He reminds me that he is steady, safe, and sovereign.

It doesn't mean the laundry will be folded, or that my kids won't argue. It means that God's presence sits with me in the mess, the noise, and all of the overwhelming parts of my day. His peace doesn't erase any of the chaos but it allows me to be steady right in the middle of it. 

My prayer is that right now where you are, right in this very moment that you feel that same peace. Whether your life feels chaotic like mine or quiet, whether today is filled with grief or joy, whether the kids are running around or finally asleep, may you sense the presence of a God who provides, protects, and gives peace that doesn't depend on circumstances. He is here. He is holding all things while also holding you.

Over the past months, our Book of the Month selections and classes have been moving us toward a deeper understanding of the rhythms of the church year:

• October BOTM: The Anglican Way: A Guidebook By Thomas Mckenzie
• Anglican 101 Classes
• November BOTM: Advent: The Season of Hope by Tish Harrison Warren

All of these are leading us to explore how the liturgical calendar can meaningfully shape our faith and daily lives. For the average person, a calendar helps with everyday life:

1. Keeping track of dates and time
2. Planning and scheduling
3. Managing responsibilities
4. Setting goals and routines
5. Reducing stress

A calendar keeps us organized, grounded, and prepared. In The Anglican Way, McKenzie writes: “measuring time is an essential human characteristic. We live our lives by calendars. When you’re a student you plan your days according to the scholastic calendar. Your job probably has a calendar of shift schedules, upcoming events and quarterly reports. The secular world has assembled an endless series of holidays, each of which has its own marketing schemes and special sales. All of these are designed to form you into a more effective student, or employee, or consumer”. (pg 124))

So if we rely on calendars to shape our practical lives, why not also allow the church calendar to shape our spiritual lives? In Advent (November BOTM), Tish Harrison Warren reminds us: “By practicing the liturgical year, the church “does” the story of God…the church calendar is a way to walk through the story of Scripture each year” (page 41)

About Sacred Seasons

Caroline Kolts (Redeemer member) describes the impact of this book in her own life:
 
“Sacred Seasons was a much needed launching point for us. I had been learning about liturgies and the church calendar for years, but my implementation looked a lot like me finding out about a feast and then trying to celebrate that feast the following day. There was a lot of retroactive planning because I didn't want to miss out on all the richness that the church calendar brought. But the rhythm was so entirely different from the calendar/ event schedule that I actually could not keep all the dates straight. This book taught me to look ahead, even WAY ahead so that the calendar became a priority. We have used the recipes, the background and histories, and the suggestions for observing each season well”

As Caroline says, the author includes, in each season, a simple background and history. There are loads of suggestions for celebrating each one and yes recipes! For example, In the Advent chapter alone you’ll find recipes like:

• No-Knead Bread
• Jen’s Hot Buttered Rum
• Mom’s Cherry Almond Biscotti

Caroline also notes that,
 
“I think it was most helpful for me as the rhythm setter in our house because it gave me a framework-- something to build on and change over the years. I still use it and some of the things we started with that book have become traditions. What I found most helpful, though, was the way it formed me and helped give flesh to the bones of my desire to pencil in our calendar squares first with the seasons and then with everything else life throws at us. Also, I'm available if anyone wants to chat about it”!

No Guilt, Just Guidance

There is no shame or expectation about how you have used (or not used) the church calendar up to now. The purpose of choosing Sacred Seasons as our December BOTM is to:

• Provide a practical and grace-filled resource
• Offer tools to grow in understanding the liturgical year
• Encourage each of us to shape our lives around the story of Jesus

Hitchen explains,

“In our own celebration of the church year, we are called to make the exceptional past work of God present in our own time and place, in our own hearts and lives. And year after year, through this remembrance, God’s work is accomplished” (pg 20-21)

As we enter this Advent season, may we allow the calendar not only to organize our time—but to shape our hearts.  

I love this book. I keep it open on my desk, because it’s the kind of book I return to again and again. My progress in applying the suggestions is slow, but I’m completely at peace with that. I want the changes I make to be thoughtful and rooted in celebrating the seasons for the right reasons—not change for the sake of change, but change that comes with clarity, intention, and understanding.
 
Redeemer, my hope is that this book weaves together the past few Books of the Month in a meaningful way. I pray that we continue to grow together in our understanding of God’s Word and His plan for both our church and each of us individually.

Warmly,
Karen

Christmas can feel like a contradiction.

Some count down the days with excitement. They gather with family and laugh late into the night. They exchange gifts and enjoy festive meals that remind them they are loved. For them, it truly is the most wonderful time of the year.

But for others, the very same season highlights what hurts. Family tensions resurface. An empty chair silently reminds you who is missing. Money feels tight and expectations feel heavy. One of my pastors used to say Christmas means “buying presents for people you don’t like with money you don’t have.” Yikes. Joy and sorrow sit side by side.

I remember my first Christmas as a married man in 2015. I grew up with seven brothers, including two with special needs. Our home was full of noise and humor and many great memories. Yet as the middle child I often felt overlooked. That year with my wife felt different. It was just the two of us. We had a tiny tree, a simple charcuterie board, and watched “It’s a Wonderful Life”. We didn’t have much, but I experienced a warmth of belonging I had always longed for.

We are created for presence. We want a love that does not run out and a home where we never have to compete to matter. This is what the Psalmist longs for in the house of the Lord. Not just a place, but a relationship with the God who delights to welcome us.

This is the miracle of Christmas. The true Home of our hearts came to us in Jesus Christ. He did not come to offer temporary holiday cheer. He came so we could belong to a perfect family forever.

Every joy. Every ache. Every longing points us to Him. When the decorations come down, He remains. Hope is not an emotion. Hope is a Person. Jesus is God with us. He is our belonging. He is our security. He is our Home.

So whether this season brings celebration or sorrow or both, you do not have to wonder where you fit. Your Home has already come to you.

Advent: The Season of Hope, Waiting, and Beginnings
by Tish Harrison Warren
November 2025 Book of the Month

Every year, the season of Advent sneaks up on us. The world around us starts playing Christmas music, hanging lights, and rushing toward December 25—while the Church quietly lights one candle each Sunday and whispers, “Wait.” Advent is the Church’s bold refusal to be swept along by the frenzy. It’s an act of spiritual rebellion against hurry, noise, and distraction. It’s the season where we learn again how to long for God.

Tish Harrison Warren’s Advent: The Season of Hope, Waiting, and Beginnings is a luminous guide for that kind of waiting. Part of the Fullness of Time series, it helps ordinary Christians enter deeply into the rhythms of the Church year. Warren—an Anglican priest and author of Liturgy of the Ordinary—writes as a pastor who knows how restless our hearts can be. She doesn’t romanticize Advent; she shows us why we need it. Because before we can sing “Joy to the World,” we have to tell the truth about the world as it is: dark, divided, and desperate for redemption.

Why Read It Before Advent
Advent begins Sunday, November 30, but preparing for it begins now. Reading Warren’s book ahead of time helps us resist the seasonal rush and enter December with intention. Think of it as preheating your heart for the season—a way to create space before the noise of the holidays takes over.

Warren helps us see that Advent isn’t just a countdown to Christmas morning, it’s a sacred time of waiting. It’s a time to name the ache in our hearts and in our world, and to learn what it means to wait well. The Church invites us to dwell in that longing, because in naming our need for Christ, we make room for Him to come.

By reading before Advent begins, you’ll be ready to step into the season not as a consumer swept along by the cultural current, but as a disciple.  A disciple who is attentive, grounded, and awake to what God is doing in your life and in the world.

Highlights from the Book

Waiting as Formation
Advent teaches us that waiting is not wasted time. Warren reminds us that waiting forms us—it teaches us trust, endurance, and dependence on God. In a culture that prizes instant gratification, Advent’s deliberate slowness becomes a radical act of faith.

Honest About the Darkness
Before we can sing “Joy to the World,” we must first tell the truth about the world’s pain. Advent makes space for lament, for acknowledging what is not yet right. Warren writes that only when we name the darkness can we truly see the light.

Hope with Flesh On
Advent hope is not abstract optimism—it’s embodied, tangible, and rooted in the incarnation of Jesus. The same God who once took on flesh will come again to make all things new. Warren beautifully connects this cosmic promise to the texture of our daily lives—our work, relationships, griefs, and joys.

The Church’s New Year
Advent marks the beginning of the Church’s calendar—a quiet new year that begins not with fireworks but with a flickering candle. Warren invites us to reorient our sense of time and meaning around the story of Jesus rather than the demands of consumer culture. In doing so, we discover a slower, saner, and more sacred rhythm of life.

Practices for Home and Heart
The book offers simple practices for prayer, reflection, and community life—ways to bring Advent’s themes of hope and waiting into the places we actually live. These aren’t heavy-handed obligations but gentle, grace-filled invitations to notice Christ’s presence in the ordinary.

An Invitation to Redeemer
Redeemer, this Advent I want to challenge us to slow down—to resist the cultural current that tells us joy can be bought, scheduled, or achieved. Let’s reclaim Advent as sacred space. Let’s learn to wait, to watch, to hunger for Christ’s presence in a world that numbs itself with distraction.

Advent by Tish Harrison Warren is more than a seasonal read—it’s a call to live awake. It will help us name our longings honestly and hold them before the God who keeps promises. Whether you’ve been observing Advent your whole life or this is your first time, this book will draw you into the deep, quiet center of the season: hope.

Let’s walk into Advent not as people rushing toward a holiday, but as a community preparing for a King.

Grace and peace,
Pastor Drew

The Anglican Way by Thomas McKenzie
October 2025 Book of the Month

When you step into worship at an Anglican Church for the first time, it can feel like walking into a story that started long before you arrived. There are prayers you didn’t write, rhythms you didn’t invent, and words that echo with centuries of the faith. The Anglican Way by Thomas McKenzie is a guide to that story. It’s not a dusty manual or a theological lecture—it’s more like a friend showing you around the house, pointing out the windows and doors, and helping you see how everything fits together.

One thing that’s important to say up front: we don’t force anyone to “be Anglican.” Instead, we want invite you into the tools of the Anglican tradition—tools that can help you grow in maturity, deepen your discipleship, and anchor your life in the gospel. Anglicanism gives us a rhythm, a grounding, a way of being Christian that is not rigid but richly formative.

McKenzie writes as a pastor who knows that most of us aren’t looking for academic jargon—we’re looking for clarity, grounding, and a sense of belonging. In this work, he helps us see how Anglicanism is less about “style” and more about a way of following Jesus: rooted in Scripture, shaped by worship, and sent into the world on mission. Gosh, what a vision that we can get behind for the local church!

This is a book we’ve recommended for years because it makes the Anglican tradition approachable and practical. And it’s especially timely now—we’ve chosen it as our Book of the Month because later this month we’ll be offering an “Anglican 101” class here at Redeemer, and this book will serve as a resource for that course.

If you’ve ever wondered why we confess every week, why we pray written prayers, or why we celebrate Communion so often, this book is a wonderful place to start!

Highlights from the book:

• Scripture Everywhere
  Anglican worship doesn’t just sprinkle in Bible verses—it’s saturated with them. McKenzie shows how our prayers, liturgy, and even silence are designed to draw us back to the Word of God again and again.

• Worship That Shapes Us
  One of the treasures of Anglican life is the rhythm of liturgy. McKenzie reminds us that worship isn’t entertainment and it isn’t a performance. It’s a formative practice that slowly, steadily trains our hearts to love God and love neighbor.

• Breadth and Balance
  The Anglican tradition has always made room for different streams of Christian emphasis—evangelical, catholic, charismatic. McKenzie calls this a “generous orthodoxy,” a way of holding truth with humility and openness.

• Sacraments as Encounters
  Far from being empty rituals, Baptism and Eucharist are places where Christ meets His people. McKenzie’s simple yet profound way of describing the sacraments makes them come alive with beauty and meaning.

• Faith Lived Outward
  The Anglican Way is not only about what happens on Sundays. McKenzie emphasizes how our worship overflows into daily life—justice, compassion, witness, and joy.

SUMMARY:
The Anglican Way is short, clear, and deeply encouraging. It doesn’t just explain Anglicanism—it invites you into it. This isn’t about choosing a label or joining a club; it’s about being formed into the likeness of Christ through the rhythms of Word, sacrament, prayer, and mission.

It’s also worth saying that Anglican churches don’t all look the same. Some are “low church,” with a simpler, more pared-down approach to liturgy. Others are “high church,” leaning into the fullness of traditional ritual and ceremony. Most live somewhere in between. Our church doesn’t necessarily include every aspect of traditional Anglican worship in our Sunday services, but we do draw deeply from the Anglican tradition—its prayers, its rhythms, its sacraments—as a way of grounding ourselves in Christ.

If you’re curious about why our church prays the way it does… if you want to understand the bigger story behind our Sunday liturgy… or if you simply long for a deeper, rooted faith—this little book will be a gift to you.

Redeemer, my hope is that we continue to grow as a people shaped by Scripture, grounded in worship, and sent with joy into the world God loves.

Grace and peace,
Pastor Drew

Fr. Thomas McKenzie was a priest in our own province, the Anglican Church in North America. In August of 2021, he tragically died in a car accident. Just a month earlier, we had the privilege of hosting him at Redeemer for a talk (via ZOOM) on this very book. His words continue to serve the Church he loved, and it’s an honor for us to learn from his legacy.

The Anxious Generation – Jonathan Haidt

There are some books that don’t just inform you, they make you stop, look around, and notice the water we’re all swimming in. The Anxious Generation is one of those books. Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist, examines the sharp rise in anxiety, depression, and loneliness among young people over the past decade. His research points to one major factor: the way technology—especially smartphones and social media—have rewired childhood, adolescence, and even adulthood.

Haidt doesn’t write as a pastor, but as a careful researcher and cultural observer. Still, the implications for Christians are profound. If we’re called to love God with heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves, we simply can’t ignore the ways technology is shaping us, as well as children who are growing up in this digital age. The Anxious Generation is both a warning and an invitation: a warning about the dangers of uncritical adoption of technology, and an invitation to reclaim healthier, wiser ways of living and raising children.

As a parent, this book will have obvious implications to consider in how you raise your children.  However, even if you are not a parent, I think you will greatly benefit from this book.  First, it will invite you to further understand your own relationship with technology. Second, it will help you better understand the generation of kids growing up around you.

Here’s what stood out to me from the book:
The Rise of Fragile Kids
Haidt shows how a shift from “play-based childhoods” to “phone-based childhoods” has left kids more isolated and fragile. Where previous generations learned resilience, conflict resolution, and creativity through play and exploration, today’s kids are often glued to screens. That constant “digital drip” doesn’t build resilience—it undermines it. As parents, mentors, and a church family, we need to recover the value of embodied play, face-to-face friendship, and unstructured time.

The Cost of Constant Comparison
Social media creates a world where kids (and let’s be honest—adults) are constantly comparing themselves to curated versions of others. Haidt highlights the correlation between heavy social media use and rising rates of depression, particularly among girls. This makes me think of Paul’s words in Galatians: “Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another” (Gal. 5:26). The gospel offers freedom from that endless treadmill of comparison by grounding our identity in Christ, not in likes or followers.  In order to help our kids (and ourselves!) stay grounded in Christ, we must understand the impact that social media can have on people.

The Erosion of Wisdom
One of Haidt’s key points is that human beings are embodied and social creatures. We learn wisdom not by scrolling endlessly, but by living in real community, facing real challenges, and wrestling with reality. Technology can be a gift, but when it becomes our main teacher, it often leads us away from wisdom and toward distraction, restlessness, and anxiety.

A Call to Courageous Parenting and Discipleship
Perhaps the most convicting part of this book is Haidt’s call for courage. It’s not easy to set limits on screens or delay smartphones for our kids when “everyone else” seems to be doing the opposite. But Haidt makes clear: it’s worth it. As Christians, we can take courage not just from research, but from the Spirit of God who calls us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Rom. 12:2). Our task isn’t to hide from technology, but to engage it thoughtfully, wisely, and counter-culturally.

A Vision for the Church
Reading The Anxious Generation made me realize how important the Church can be in this cultural moment. What if our kids found in Redeemer a place where embodied life—singing, praying, playing, eating, and serving together—was more compelling than digital life? What if we modeled rhythms of Sabbath, presence, and real friendship that showed an alternative to anxious, screen-saturated living? That’s not just good parenting advice—that’s discipleship!

SUMMARY:
The Anxious Generation isn’t a Christian book, but it’s one that Christians desperately need to grapple with. It names the crisis so many of us feel but can’t quite articulate, and it gives both data and direction for a healthier way forward. If you’ve ever wondered why anxiety feels so pervasive, if you’ve struggled with the pull of your own phone, if you’ve worried about your kids growing up in this digital age—this book is for you.

Redeemer, let’s be a church that thinks deeply, prays faithfully, and lives wisely in a digital world. We won’t all hold the same convictions around parenting, technology, or social media—and that’s okay. Each of us comes with different experiences, different perspectives, and different callings in how we navigate these tools. What matters is that we approach them thoughtfully, seeking wisdom, grace, and discernment together.

Grace and peace,
Pastor Drew

There are some books that don’t just give you new information, they give you new eyes. Strength to Love is one of those books. This is Dr. King not as a civil rights icon, but as a pastor. These are sermons. Messages preached to his congregation in the middle of racial violence, threats, and injustice. Messages that are honest about evil but anchored in hope. Messages that call us beyond fear and apathy into courage, conviction, and love.

And not just any love. A costly, resilient, Christ-shaped love that refuses to give up even when the world feels like it’s burning down. Reading Strength to Love reminded me why Dr. King’s voice continues to echo through the decades because it’s soaked in Scripture, courage, and grace.

If the title sounds familiar, it’s because guest preacher, Pastor Adrienne Christian, referenced this book in her powerful sermon back in early June. When she quoted it, I immediately felt the nudge to revisit this work that I had first read over ten years ago. I’m so glad I did. Reading it again in this season hit differently… it stirred fresh conviction, deeper hope, and a renewed desire to live with the kind of courageous, Christ-like love Dr. King embodied.

Redeemer, this book will stretch you. It will challenge your comfort. But it will also fill you with hope. Dr. King knew what it was to live in the tension between injustice and the Kingdom of God—and his words can help us live there too, with faithfulness and courage.

Things I loved from the book:

Love as the Weapon of the Christian Life
Dr. King refuses to let us settle for weak or sentimental versions of love. For him, love is the most powerful force in the universe.  It is the very heartbeat of God’s Kingdom. Love is not passive; it’s active. It’s not soft; it’s strong. It’s what enables us to confront evil without becoming evil. Dr. King reminds us that the Christian call is not just to oppose injustice, but to do so in a way that refuses to dehumanize the oppressor. Hard to do? Absolutely. But it’s also how the world gets changed.

Courage to Face Fear
One of my favorite chapters is simply titled “Antidotes for Fear.” Dr. King speaks directly to the anxiety and insecurity we all carry, especially when confronting difficult truths. He names how fear shrinks our world, poisons our relationships, and keeps us from living fully alive. And then he points us back to the One who says, “Do not be afraid.” This book will push you toward courage, not because the world is safe, but because Christ is Lord.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ at the Center
This isn’t a political manifesto—it’s a call to follow Jesus. Every chapter, every sermon, keeps pulling us back to the cross and resurrection. Dr. King believed deeply in the transforming power of the gospel and not just for personal salvation, but for the renewal of society. He shows us how Christian faith isn’t meant to hide in the private corners of life, but to shape our actions in public and personal life alike.

“I can live without sex, but I can’t live without intimacy.” 

This sentence from Erin Moniz says so much about the confusion many of us carry when it comes to relationships and intimacy. You see, in our culture, intimacy is almost always framed in romantic or sexual terms. Movies, music, and social media teach us that being truly known is reserved for a romantic partner—and if you don’t have that, you’re somehow incomplete. What a load of bull!  Rightfully so, Erin challenges this deeply ingrained assumption and gives us a more expansive, biblical vision of what intimacy really is.

She reminds us that we were made for intimacy—with God, yes, but also with others. Not just spouses, but friends. Real friends. Friends who know your story, who hold your pain, who speak truth, and who walk with you over the long haul.  Real friends. That kind of intimacy is sacred. And it’s POSSIBLE—even essential—whether you’re single, married, divorced, or widowed.

Redeemer, I can’t emphasis enough how much I LOVED this book. No one has ever asked me to submit of “Book of the Year,” but if the New York Times calls, I’m ready to go full-campaign mode for “Knowing and Being Known.”  Moniz paints such a beautiful vision for community, friendship, and the crucial role the church plays in all of this.

Things I loved from the book:

The Distinction Between Sex and Intimacy
Our culture often treats those two things as interchangeable. Erin gently but firmly pulls them apart, showing that while sex is one form of intimacy, it’s not the only one—and for many, it’s not even the most transformative. True intimacy is about vulnerability, trust, and presence. It’s about being known and loved without needing to perform or impress. That kind of intimacy is what all of us were created for and there’s hope for all of us to enjoy it!

A Bigger Vision of Friendship
One of the most refreshing parts of the book is how it reclaims friendship as a vital, life-giving part of the Christian life. Erin gives us a vision for friendships that are intentional, spiritual, and even covenantal. That might sound radical in a world where friendship is often casual or transactional—but it’s also exactly what many of us are starving for. This should help us ask: what if friendship isn’t second-best to marriage, but a calling in its own right?

The Loneliness Beneath the Surface
Erin writes with compassion about the ache so many people carry—even in a world of constant connection. She names the ache for what it is: a longing to be truly known. And she offers real, hopeful pathways forward. Whether you're single and wondering if intimacy is still possible for you, or married but feeling unseen, this book speaks directly to that quiet longing.

Theological Depth and Emotional Honesty
This isn’t just a feel-good book about being nice to your friends. It’s rooted in a rich theology of the Trinity, incarnation, and community. Erin connects the dots between our relational needs and God’s design for us as image-bearers. But she also writes with honesty about the messiness of real relationships—the awkward starts, the drift that happens over time, the pain of unmet expectations. She doesn’t sugarcoat it, and I appreciated that.  

Invitation to Intentionality
Perhaps what I loved most was the gentle push toward action. This book doesn’t just inspire you—it invites you to examine your own relationships and ask where you’re settling for surface-level connection. It made me want to show up more consistently in my friendships, to ask better questions, to listen more deeply, and to be a safer place for others.  

SUMMARY:

Knowing and Being Known is a gift. It speaks to a cultural wound we often don’t know how to name: the crisis of loneliness in a world obsessed with romance. Dr. Erin Moniz helps us see that intimacy isn’t reserved for a few—it’s something God made all of us for. And friendship, when rooted in Christ, can be one of the most powerful ways we experience his love.

If you’ve ever felt unseen, longed for deeper connection, or wondered if true friendship is still possible in adulthood, this book is for you. It’s rich, grounded, and full of hope.
Redeemer, let’s be a church that doesn’t just talk about community but actually cultivates it—through intentional friendship, spiritual depth, and the courage to be known.

Grace and peace,
Drew

*Dr Moniz is a deacon in our diocese, as well as a chaplain at Baylor University in Waco, Texas.  She gave an INCREDIBLE talk on “Pastoring Toward a Biblical Sexual Ethic” at our clergy conference in April of this year…would highly recommend!

Pastor Drew asked me to pick a work of fiction for the book of the month. Before we get into the book, let's talk about fiction for a moment. For some of you, reading fiction may be very much up your alley, for others, this may be the first work of fiction you've read since school, or maybe ever. Wherever you fall, good fiction is ultimately good story telling. Good stories pull us in. They can put us in the shoes of someone we would have never known otherwise or put us in the shoes of someone we very much relate to and identify with. They can put voice to questions and doubts and struggles and joys that we weren't able to express. God very much used fiction in my life to draw me to Himself and continues to do so.

The Razor's Edge by W. Somerset Maugham is one of those works of fiction. The story itself is simple: A young man leaves his suburban middle class life to serve in World War 1. After experiencing the atrocities of war, he returns home disillusioned and decides he doesn't want to live the life laid out for him. Leaving behind a life of luxury and ease and worldly success, he sets off on a journey to find purpose and meaning.

I mainly love this book for the questions that it raises. The first time I read it, I was wrestling with God and trying to make sense of life. Although this book is not christian and the main character doesn't arrive at the same conclusions as I did, I was drawn to his hunger and thirst for something more. His questioning rang true to me. Rejecting materialism and the status quo in pursuit of depth and meaning and true inner peace was exactly what I was after!

I hope that something from this book challenges you and pushes you towards a life of meaning.

As we spend time this month engaging with our May Book of the Month, "The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave”, I want to highlight a powerful and perhaps lesser-discussed aspect of his life: his deep, personal faith in Christ. Douglass was not only a brilliant writer and tireless advocate for justice—he was also a man whose life reflected the strength, courage, and hope that come from a real and living relationship with God.

In the face of unimaginable cruelty and dehumanization, Douglass held onto a faith that was authentic and liberating. He drew a clear distinction between the hollow, self-serving religion of the slaveholders and the true gospel of Jesus—a gospel rooted in justice, love, and dignity. For Douglass, faith wasn’t a tool of oppression; it was a wellspring of freedom. It gave him the courage to resist, the vision to hope, and the strength to endure. His life reminds us that knowing Christ can fuel a powerful sense of identity, worth, and calling, even in the darkest circumstances.

Reading Douglass’s story is more than a history lesson—it’s another way of learning about the Lord. His narrative invites us to see the gospel alive in the grit of real life. It also challenges us to ask: What does it look like to live faithfully in a broken world? How can we be people who pursue justice and reflect the character of Christ in our time?

It’s important to say this clearly: while people of all backgrounds have faced oppression throughout history, the experience of Black Americans under slavery carries a particular and painful weight in the context of our nation. This book may resonate in different ways for people of different races—and that’s okay. Engaging with these stories requires both humility and courage. Understanding the historical context, and the specific suffering endured by Black people in America, helps us grow in empathy and compassion. And though we’ve made enormous progress as a country, reading stories like Douglass’s helps us see where we've come from—and why the work of justice and reconciliation is ongoing and still so important.

Frederick Douglass’s life is a powerful reminder that faith and justice are not separate paths. His story teaches us that following Jesus means standing against injustice, advocating for the oppressed, and living with a hope that refuses to be extinguished. 

Let’s read this book with open hearts and a willingness to learn—not only from the painful history it reveals, but from the powerful example of a man whose faith shaped his life and legacy. May his story encourage us to follow Christ with greater conviction and compassion.

Grace and Peace,
Pastor Drew

1. The Distinction Between True and False Christianity
Douglass powerfully exposes the difference between the genuine gospel of Jesus and the distorted religion used by slaveholders to justify cruelty. He makes it clear that his problem was never with Christianity itself, but with the hypocrisy of those who claimed Christ while denying His love, justice, and mercy. This distinction is a call to all believers to embody the true heart of Christ.

2. The Power of Literacy and Education
Douglass’s journey toward freedom began when he learned to read. Literacy became a tool of liberation and helped to equip him to fight against it. His story underscores the transformative power of knowledge—and challenges us to be people who value truth and seek wisdom.

3. The Dehumanizing Reality of Slavery
Through vivid storytelling, Douglass reveals how slavery stripped people of their identity, family, and dignity. His account doesn’t shy away from hard truths. It forces us to confront the brutal history of our nation—but also helps us better understand the resilience of those who endured it.

4. The Importance of Identity in Christ
Though enslaved, Douglass came to understand that his worth was not defined by his status in society but by his Creator. His growing sense of self—rooted in the image of God—became a quiet revolution of the soul. This spiritual identity gave him the strength to resist, endure, and eventually overcome.

5. The Role of Resistance and Righteous Anger
Douglass did not passively accept injustice. His narrative shows how holy discontent can fuel righteous resistance. From his physical confrontation with a cruel overseer to his escape from slavery, Douglass models a faith that is not passive, but active in the pursuit of justice and dignity.

6. Hope and Redemption Through Faith
Despite overwhelming hardship, Douglass’s story is ultimately one of hope. His faith in God’s justice and providence carried him through suffering and inspired his life’s work as an abolitionist. His testimony reminds us that even in the darkest of systems, the light of Christ can shine through and bring redemption.

"This again, Lord?”

Seven years ago I sat in a Walmart parking lot frustrated for the thousandth time with this thorn that represented a never ending struggle and season of life I wanted to change but couldn’t.

“Why do I keep dealing with this over and over and over? I want victory over this in my life! I’m so tired of fighting!” I felt like Paul as he pleaded for the Lord to remove his thorn.
But Holy Spirit spoke so clearly to me on that day, “You’re fighting and that means you are ALIVE! Alive in Christ. Dead people don’t fight. Dead fish go with the current. Fish that are alive swim against the current.”

There’s this phenomena in nature called the salmon run. It’s an annual migration of salmon from the ocean (hundreds or thousands of miles!) upstream against strong currents, rapids, waterfalls, predators, and hydroelectric dams, back to their birth place to spawn the next generation of salmon. This is their only mission and then they die from exhaustion.

I was reminded that the fight against sin never grows old nor does it necessarily get easier, but God is always with me. “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV

The reason I have chosen this way of following Jesus, this choice to sacrifice, fight, and bear my cross, is not for prosperity or a life of ease, but for peace and eternal life with our heavenly Father.

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Matthew 16:24, NIV

Peace doesn’t mean a pain and struggle-free life. It means knowing that in the midst of and after all of this we will indeed hear, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of this world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

It’s a Thursday, 2004, and I’m in class at Winter Haven High School. I’m also on the JV football team, and we have a game that night, so all the players dress up during school hours. I don’t know why, but that’s just what we did!

While I’m walking to the cafeteria to get my lunch, I hear a senior call my name. He walks up to me with a mic in his hand, puts it to my face, and asks, “So what made you wear those tight pants to school today, buddy?”

As he says that, another senior walks up. As he moves, he starts mimicking the way I walk, tugging at his pants to make them look tight. My stomach sinks as I watch the entire cafeteria erupt with laughter.

I see people who are supposed to be my friends, yet they look at me like they don’t even know me. They’re laughing along with the others, making a mockery of me.

I feel all alone.
I need help.
I need protection.
---

In my younger years, I was a talented kid. I sang in the choir, and on the side, I worked on music with some friends of mine (one of whom I wouldn’t consider a friend these days, but I digress). I loved music. At that time, it was the only place I could fully express myself—my feelings.

I was the kid who was cool enough to talk with the cool kids but didn’t quite fit the look to hang out with them. I wanted to be like them. I wanted to make music, have the prettiest girl holding my hand, gain the respect of the toughest guys, and be admired like I admired them. That desire stayed with me for most of my life.

I was also a believer, and like any high school kid, I was just trying to figure it all out. But at that age, God didn’t really feel present to me. With all the torment I endured, it didn’t make sense—why would God watch me suffer and do nothing?

I mean, you’re God, right? Show these people who I serve. Help me out!

I couldn’t see what God was doing, and as I got older, it only got harder. I felt further and further away from Him. My eyes were locked on the affections of the world, and I wanted all of it.

Looking back at that moment in the cafeteria—I felt abandoned. I felt alone. And no one came to help me. If you had asked me back then, I would have told you, not even God.

If I didn’t feel like my God would protect me, how could I want what He wanted for me? How could I even desire what He desired?

I was just a kid, and those traumas still stick with me today… every day. To be honest, I still struggle with this because the recklessness of others has left a stain that’s hard to wipe away.
---

I know God. But back then, that was what made it even more confusing—why did I have to go through so much torment?

It’s like, I know He’s real… but is He real enough to be here for me? It sounded good, but I just didn’t know.

Now, as an adult, when I reflect on my high school years, I feel this sense of vengeance. Like, now that I know better, no one will ever do that to me again.

But in those moments, God pulls at my heart and says, “Love your enemies.”

Those kids in the cafeteria caused me so much pain, so much trauma, and yet… you want me to think about forgiving them?

My heart receives it, but my flesh is weak.

This is where the real work begins—the work of loving what He commands and desiring what He promises.

I’m not here to tell you what to do if you’ve been through something similar. But I will say this—through all the questions, pain, trauma, and confusion, He is still, and will always be, there.

Know that He’s taking you on a journey—to understand who He is and why you went through those dark times.

It won’t be easy, but in the end, it will be worth it.

Church,

Let’s talk about some liturgy!  I think it’s common to understand liturgy primarily through the rhythms of church and spiritual practices—the prayers, creeds, and sacraments that shape our communal life. But in this award-winning book, Tish Harrison Warren (a priest in our diocese!) helps us see that liturgy is not confined to Sunday mornings or the Eucharist (Communion). Rather, it is woven into the mundane routines of daily life. The way we wake, work, eat, and rest are not just habits but spiritual practices shaping us over time. As a pastor, I often encourage myself and all of you to embrace the beauty of liturgical worship, but this book challenges us to also recognize the liturgy of our ordinary moments—the quiet, unseen ones that form us just as profoundly.

What struck me most was Warren’s ability to bring humor and honesty to this sacred reality. She doesn’t idealize the ordinary but instead acknowledges its frustrations—losing her keys, arguing with her spouse, slogging through another unremarkable day. And yet, she shows how these very moments are invitations into God’s presence. This deeply resonated with me. It’s easy to fall into the trap of seeing ministry as the “real” work of God while the daily grind feels secondary. But Warren reminds us that holiness is not reserved for Sunday mornings; it is found in brushing our teeth, brewing coffee, and extending grace in the smallest of interactions. As a church, we are rooted in the Anglican tradition, which is profoundly sacramental, recognizing God’s presence in water, bread, and wine. Liturgy of the Ordinary expands this vision, reminding us that the sacred is also found in the simplest routines of our days.

This book does more than inform—it reorients. It shifts our gaze to see God’s grace at work in what we often overlook. My prayer is that it helps us all recognize the quiet, unnoticed ways that God is forming us through the sacred ordinary!

Things I Loved from the Book:

The Connection Between Worship and Daily Life
One of the most transformative ideas in the book is the way Warren connects our daily routines to the rhythms of worship. Making the bed, washing dishes, checking emails—these are not interruptions to our spiritual lives, but opportunities to practice gratitude, humility, and presence. This perspective shift was huge for me. It helped me realize that I don’t need to escape my life to experience God; He is present in the middle of it all.

Embracing Imperfection
Another thing I deeply appreciated was Warren’s honesty about struggle, failure, and grace. She doesn’t paint an idealized picture of faith but instead acknowledges the frustrations, the boredom, the messiness of real life. And yet, she invites us to see how even our failures and frustrations can draw us closer to Christ. I needed this reminder. So often, I strive to have it all together, but Warren points me back to the gospel—the truth that I am loved and held by God, even in my imperfections.

The Call to Be Present
One of the most convicting parts of the book was its challenge to be fully present in the moment. In a world that constantly pulls us toward distraction—social media, endless to-do lists, the pressure to always be achieving—Warren reminds us of the gift of presence. Whether it's savoring a meal, engaging in conversation, or simply taking a deep breath, being present is a way to acknowledge God’s presence with us.

A Sense of Peace and Purpose
What I loved most about Liturgy of the Ordinary was the way it left me with a sense of peace. I didn’t finish the book feeling pressured to overhaul my life or strive for something bigger. Instead, I felt invited to embrace the life I already have—to see my daily routines not as obstacles to spiritual growth, but as the very spaces where God is shaping me. The ordinary moments of our life are not wasted; they are where transformation happens!

Summary
In summary, Liturgy of the Ordinary is a beautifully written, deeply insightful book that I believe everyone should read. Whether you’re in a season of transition, longing for purpose, or simply feeling stuck in the mundane, this book offers a refreshing perspective. It reminds us that God is present in our daily life—not just in the big, dramatic moments, but in the small, quiet, ordinary ones too. And that, in itself, is extraordinary.

Enjoy!
-Pastor Drew

As a lover of bread, I laughed to myself when I read the collect for this week. I love when Jesus takes the things I love and shows me time and time again that He is better.
Lately, the Lord has gently been showing me how often I reach for bread without realizing it. It has become a mindless habit of mine to reach for bread, not out of necessity, but often out of boredom.

This subconscious reaching for bread has become more apparent as the Lord has asked me to lay down bread for Lent this year. This has made me keenly aware of every time that I, without thinking, reach for bread, only to stop halfway and remind myself that I don’t need it.

This reminds me of Matthew 4:4: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Every time I am tempted to reach for bread, I am reminded instead to reach for the Lord through His Word and through prayer.
 
That’s why I love the reminder we get in this week’s collect. Bread satisfies our physical bodies temporarily, but before long, we want another piece of bread, another snack, another carb, another drink, another you fill in the blank. Yet Jesus, our True Bread, fills us permanently. He quenches every desire and fulfills every longing of our searching and seeking hearts.

Instead of looking to bread or anything else for temporary fulfillment, may we instead look to Christ for permanent satisfaction.

May I reach for the Lord, the way I am tempted to reach for bread. May I reach for the Bible instead of a biscuit. May I cling to the Cross instead of croissants. May I focus on the One who rose instead of on dinner rolls. May I run to the Gospel instead of gluten. May I seek the Lamb instead of leaven.

May the Lord develop in us a natural desire for Him, reaching for Him without a second thought. May He be the One we naturally run to in our boredom and in our loneliness, in our hunger and in our pain. May He be the One we run to for fulfillment and comfort. May He be the One we run to in joy and in sorrow. May He be the One we run to more than anything else.

And when we find ourselves running back to lesser things, may we remember that He is not passively waiting on us to come. He took action and came to us, to be our True Bread. To fill us and satisfy us completely, not just with good things, but with the Best Thing– Himself.
He is better than bread, and He is better than anything else we are tempted to run to. He is better than life itself. May we learn to feast on Him and savor our Savior.

“Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.” Psalm 63:3

When I was in high school, there was a growing sentiment among Christians that somehow found its way to the gravel roads of Iowa. The beginnings of what would become Christian celebrity culture had already seeped into youth group retreats, summer camp themes, and Christian magazine covers. It was simple: find your calling and then walk through doors of limitless blessing and influence and success. If we needed proof, it was offered in the form of young people doing “great things for God.”

This week in the Collect, as soon as we declare our need of family and parenting (Heavenly Father), we affirm together that the One who made us is also the One we are made for. Not for fame or good works or success, but for God. The track to celebrity is not often paved with lessons on our limited nature, but God’s design for us is full of them. We need sleep. We can’t be in two places at once. We are distracted by shiny things. We cannot single handedly save the world. Stepping into the marvelous Light will shine bright both on our good, heartfelt desires as well as the very real limits to realize them apart from the Lord.

Every year during Lent, the kids and I set out to memorize Isaiah 52:13- 53:12. We have actions and dramatic interludes and many invisible instruments. I find myself weeping at the picture of a holy God “prospering” as a servant, despised and rejected by the creation he made and then led to the slaughter like a little, helpless lamb. And I realize, every year in a new way, that God’s strength and defense against our enemies is in the picture of a lamb led to the slaughter. The most likely Christian celebrity– Jesus himself– became a servant unto death, even death on a cross.
 
It is no small thing that we end our prayer through Jesus Christ our Lord, who LIVES and REIGNS with you and the Holy Spirit, world without end. Amen.

This weekend, my family gathered for a funeral. My mom’s cousin, Kenon, passed away five years after having a stroke that left him without the ability to walk or care for himself. He was 58 years old.

Kenon struggled with alcoholism for most of his adult life, which put strains on his relationships and ability to work. After a particularly bad stretch, he detoxed and went to rehab to get clean. He reestablished his relationships with his children and with his Savior, regularly attending church. Less than a year later the stroke happened, taking away his power to work and care for his children.

The idea of us asking God to defend our bodies from all adversities is a tough one for me: we all ask for it, but who do I know whose bodies are free from adversities? My back hurts every morning when I wake up, but does that count? Do I, should I, consider that adversity in comparison to what Kenon went through?

Kenon’s journey to sobriety, along with the same journeys of others in my family, has left me well-versed in the language of 12-step programs. And as I look at the beginning of this week’s Collect, I’m reminded of the first three steps of “the program”:

1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable. 
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.

What folks who have been at their lowest point understand best is what Thomas Cramner stated so clearly in the first Anglican Book of Common Prayer almost 400 years ago: we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves. While we can do our best to mitigate risk, there’s absolutely nothing we can do to protect ourselves from physical adversity or evil thoughts popping into our heads. And while it may not always be part of God’s plan to keep us from all of these adversities, it is only His will that can keep us safe from them.

So we pray. We pray for God to defend us outwardly and inwardly. And while the times we were struck by adversities might be easier to bring to mind, let us focus on all of the times that He has been gracious enough to let us be healthy, because it is only God that can help us.

My whole life I have loved a good story.  Stories have a way of shaping us and making us examine our own biases that simple instructions or directives often do not.  A good story— fictional or true— brings humor to our life, helps us process grief, and points us toward hope.

This is exactly how Jesus uses story throughout the gospels to show us our blindness and draw us unto a restored relationship with him.  It’s also an acknowledgement that we are undoubtedly created in God’s image—who is himself the most masterful story teller.  A writer who uses ALL characters, plots, settings and themes to bring us to himself.  

The power of story is one of the things that has specifically drawn me to the author Thanhha Lai.  Thanna was born in Vietnam and came to America as a refugee at the end of the Vietnam War. Her award winning book “Inside Out and Back Again” is fictional, though based on her own story.  The entire book is written in verse, and intended for a middle school audience but is impactful for all ages.  (As all good stories are!)

As you read through or listen to this book, I encourage you to take note of the arc the story follows. The main character Kim Ha begins with celebration of a new year, explaining her family and her place in it.  She guides us through her mother’s painful decision to flee Saigon, life as a refugee, and making a new home in Alabama.  Along the way she learns English and uses the irregularity of the new language to bring levity and humor into her own story.  She meets bullies and friends, grieves and celebrates, and deepens her connection to family.

I’m grateful for Thanhha Lai’s gentle honesty and masterful ability to write about her own painful experience in a way that encourages and brings hope without diminishing the painful aspects of loss and suffering. I hope the few hours you spend between the pages of this story remind you to step with love and care into the lives of others and to hold your own story with hopefulness and trust.

Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan: Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations, and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

I'm a relative "newbie" to the practice of lent. My first few years at Redeemer when the season of lent rolled around, I mostly sat back and observed.  After a few years of "toe dipping" I slid my feet farther in and went through a lent devotional with my discipleship group. (Peer pressure for the win!)

I was not prepared to be so seen, loved and shepherded by Jesus.  I remember sitting on my unmade bed reading through passages in Jeremiah and thinking "this might be the first time I've ever really loved reading the Bible and I want to keep reading!"  It was weird for me and a little overwhelming. I grew up studying the Bible, but this felt different. It felt like God saw me, knew what my heart needed to hear, and placed it in my hands.

Quick story time: I grew up in a part of Iowa that was famous for two things--pigs & corn. I spent a few highschool summers working for a hog farmer who was also locally renowned for growing sweetcorn.  (It was so good we ate it raw off the cob.) My job was to check each ear of corn that came in from the field.  We were looking for ears that had missing kernels, crooked rows, or had been infiltrated by a corn worm.  All of these ears were unfit to be sold.  Missing kernels or crooked row corn could still be eaten but was technically considered imperfect. Corn eaten by worms was literally thrown to the pigs. What was tricky about these three "corn crimes" is that you can only see them once you peel back the husk. Prior to peeling back the husk you couldn't know if you were holding a prize ear or a worm infested cob.

My pre-lent heart feels a little like those ears of corn. On the outside it is wrapped multiple layers in fresh green husks. It isn't until I sit back down and stay still long enough for the layers to be peeled back that I start to see the deeply nestled kernels.  They are crooked, missing, or mushy from worms.

As the collect for the week beautifully says---you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save.  My first inclination is to try to hide the crooked rows from God.  Pull the husks back up and keep moving on. It's the garden of Eden all over again.  Maybe I can hide from God!  But when I pause...when I let it sink in, it's comforting that God already knows what is inside the husked up heart of mine and I can stop working hard to hide it.  I can lay it all bare and there will be Jesus! Tempted in every way, yet sinless, perfect on my behalf.

While sitting in lent over the next weeks, I encourage you to see what it looks or feels like to peel back the layers before God. I don't know what you'll see in your own heart, but I know you'll find God mighty to save!

“How long, O Lord….?” (Psalm 13:1) When was the last time you asked that question? How long til you, fill in the blank. I ask that question from time to time. Often times it’s about something relating to me or my family. Sometimes, about other people who I know from various seasons of my life.

When I quiet my spirit and ponder this question, I wonder if the Holy Spirit might be leading me to reframe it and reflect it back to myself. “How long, Rachel? How long until you ask God about the ways in which he created you to take a stand against injustice?”  

How long….?

Over this next month, I want to invite us into a story where this question becomes a central theme. Through the asking and the wrestling, we are led to the reckoning. But, the timing belongs to the Lord. 

Jonathan and Maya’s story is reminiscent of both the story of Joseph and the story of Esther and ultimately, the story of Christ. As a 16 year old, Jonathan was convicted of a crime he did not commit and sentenced to 65 years in adult prison. Maya, coming through the ranks as a talented, hard working, basketball player, works her way to a position of power and privilege. As these stories begin to intersect, you see the hand of God at play; slowly weaving the pieces of the puzzle together. Working out his justice in the most painful and yet powerful ways.

As you read Love and Justice, I want to invite you into a couple of practices:

1. Write down your thoughts with full transparency. These are for you to work through with the Holy Spirit. Pay close attention to places where your judgement takes over or your biases reveal themselves. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand why those are there, to give you a heart of repentance and to see with his eyes and hear with his heart.
 
2. Ask the Holy Spirit how he has created you to step into areas of injustice in the world. Maybe you are a Maya or a Jonathan. But, maybe you are called to be Papa Flowers or Cheri.

3. As you read, write down questions you may want to ask Maya and Jonathan. We are working to put together a Q&A with them sometime in March. I would love to get them our questions ahead of time, so they can think through their answers prior to the Q&A. (I will announce that date once we have it solidified.)

Maya says at the end of the book, “Sometimes when you see injustice, you have to act. And sometimes taking action means telling yourself, ‘I don’t know the solution, but I’m going to keep moving to try to love this person who is worthy of love because they’re a person.’” (p.322) This is the call of every follower of Christ. But, we cannot do this work apart from God. He is the Author of Justice.

There is much more I would love to tell you about this book, about the character of Jonathan and Maya and about God’s work in dark places. But, that is not my place. My place is to invite you to enter the story for yourself, to sit with your brother and sister in Christ and see what they are eager to tell you about God’s incredible work in their lives.