Friends,

Welcome the fall and the hope of cooler weather!  It’s good to be back in church and to see one another in person again.  Pastor Dick and I have an interesting preaching series on tap for late October through mid-November that we’re calling Should I Stay or Should I Go?   We are preaching through Brian D. McLaren’s book Do I Stay Christian:  A Guide for the Doubters, the Disappointed, and the Disillusioned.  Approximately the first third of the book gives reasons to leave the church, but take heart!  The second two-thirds of the book presents GOOD reasons to stay.  Here’s a sneak preview of upcoming weeks:

Oct. 23

Reason to leave:  Because Christianity has been vicious to Jews, opponents, women, other religions, and native peoples.

Reason to stay:  Because Christianity hasn’t failed; for the most part it has not been tried!

Oct.30:

Reason to leave:  Because of toxic theology.

Reason to stay:  Because of the power of grace and forgiveness!

Nov. 6:

Reason to leave:  Because Christianity’s real god is money.

Reason to stay:  Because Christianity is in its infancy!

Nov. 13:

Reason to leave:  Because of the failure to live by the Sermon on the Mount.

Reason to stay:  Because God needs to be freed from false images!

You will mostly hear why we need to remain Christian and stay in (or return to) church and be with one another.  As McLaren says in the last sentence of his book, “If you have the inner fire to stay in the struggle, may you know that you are walking a path that reformers, prophets, mystic, and sages have walked before you, including a fellow who grew up in Nazareth of Galilee and died just outside Jerusalem.”  I hope to see you soon!

Grace and Peace,

Co-Pastor Sandi