Awaken Community

January 4th, 2025 - Awaken begins another new series on the first seven days of creation. Pastor Micah opens the series by looking at Genesis 1:1-5 and light being named into existence. Every new beginning starts when the lights come on and you begin to see something you couldn’t before — about God, yourself, or your situation.

Pastor Micah delivers his last Christmas message to Awaken by taking a look at the theme of light throughout scripture. It's a promise in the midst of darkness, but what would it look like if we received light as the gift that it is and saw ourselves as a light worthy of sharing with others? Merry Christmas to you all!

Pastor Jenna discusses how love can be a response to fear and hate by looking at some of the complexities facing our city today. In the same breath, during this holiday season, how can we view love as action, choice, and a simple acknowledgment of God's presence in each of our lives.

Pastor Micah continues the Advent as Resistance series by looking at the complexity of joy in a world that seems absent of it. 

Pastor Micah traces the threads of two Hebrew words, shamar and shalom, as they appear throughout scripture. Their significance and connection can be found in the simple, yet deeply consequential question, "Am I my brother's keeper?"

Pastor Micah discusses hope as resistance to empire by looking at the complexity, difficulty, and necessity of hope in a world that seems lost in brokenness and violence.

Pastor Micah closes out the series on the song of blessing by looking at the ways God surrounds us and can be found within us at all times if we have eyes to see and ears to hear.

Pastor Micah continues the Song of Blessing series by discussing the next stanza, May God give you ears to hear Their loving voice. He uses 1 Samuel 3:1-10 & Matthew 3:13-17 to unpack God's heart towards us and their desire speak to us alongside our desire to hear more intently.

Pastor Micah elaborates on the song of blessing series by discussing Joshua in the Bible. Joshua inherits an impossible task — leading people into the unknown. God’s command, “Be strong and courageous,” isn’t about muscle; it’s about trust. Courage doesn’t mean not feeling afraid. It means choosing love over fear again and again.

Awaken begins a new series looking at the lyrics and significance of the Song of Blessing that we sing over the kids each week. Pastor Jenna kicks off the series by looking at the first stanza, "May God give you eyes to see all that is good."  She points us to Genesis 13:10-18 when Abram and Lot look out over the land.

Pastor Micah discusses Jonah 1:1-17 and the idea that God’s love extends even to the places and people we’d rather exclude.

Guest speaker Tamice Namae graces Awaken with her presence and looks at Jeremiah 29:1–14
 through the lens of the Kendrick and Drake beef.

Pastor Micah discusses Exodus 3 and Moses saying Here I Am. He provides an update to the congregation with his own experience of Hineni.

Awaken begins another new series exploring the impact that geography has on communities of faith. Pastor Micah begins by looking at Acts 17:16-34 and the apostle Paul engaging with different cultures. The gospel is spacious enough to engage culture with respect, curiosity, and creativity.

Pastor Micah closes the series by looking at 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 where newness in Christ brings reconciliation to the world around us.

Awaken begins its new series on the church mission statement: We exist to partner with God in the renewal of all things. Pastor Jenna continues the series by tethering us to the practicality of partnering by looking at how the Israelites were invited into partnership with God through the formation of the tabernacle in Exodus 35.

Awaken begins its new series on the church mission statement: We exist to partner with God in the renewal of all things. Micah kicks things off by digging into the purpose behind our existence and the why behind what we are doing together.

Sheesh, how's that for a title? Pastor Micah takes on a weird story in Exodus 4:18-26 where Moses finds himself in a threshold moment of leaving behind who he's been, to walk into the new thing that God has invited him into. 

Pastor Micah tackles penal substitutionary atonement this week by looking at Hebrews 9:18-22.

Awaken gathered in Highland Park this Sunday and Pastor Micah discussed John 15 and a framework for pruning that involves love and care for the growth that we all are invited to. 

Pastor Micah is back from sabbatical to discuss Mark 2:27-28, "Man is not made for the sabbath but sabbath was for man.  What does it mean to rest and "sabbath"? "

Pastor Jenna discusses Matthew 15:29-39 when the disciples are finding there is not enough food to provide for the crowds that are gathering. Jesus asks a simple question that carries weight when given a deeper look.

Guest speaker Steve Wiens takes the stage by exploring John 1:35-42 when Jesus asks, "What are you looking for?"

Guest Speaker Julia Holtze discusses Luke 7:36-50 and the question "Do you see this woman?". Julia eloquently discusses the importance of "seeing" others through a lens of forgiveness, grace, and mercy.

Pastor Jenna brings us into an exploration of Matthew 5:43-48 where Jesus asks, "If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?" Jenna tells beautiful stories of her peacemaking training in Ireland and the importance of breaking the cycles of dehumanization that have existed throughout human history.