Ekklesia Church at Raleigh

What happens when a society tries to eliminate rest—and why does that still feel uncomfortably familiar? Through a failed Soviet experiment, Genesis, and Abraham Heschel’s “palace in time,” this message explores Sabbath as a quiet act of resistance against the lie that our worth is measured by productivity.

In week one we talked about the "Three Mile an Hour" God — the fact that an incarnation-faith has a speed, a pace, a rhythm. And it is not fast or efficient. In week two we turn the lens inward a bit and ask questions about how our culture prioritizes time and what that says about our values. Our time always reflects the stories we believe.

What if the greatest threat to our faith right now isn't that we don't know enough—but that we're moving too fast to live what we already know? With insights from a Japanese theologian, an African guide, and two grieving disciples on the road to Emmaus, this message explores what it means to follow a God who moves at the speed of walking — three miles an hour.

In this fourth-week Advent homily, we reflect on gifts as a sign of hope in the darkness—and how easily that sign gets turned around. With humor, history, and a call to generosity that costs something real, this message invites us to reclaim Christmas as worship, not accumulation.

Few symbols represent modern Christmas more than the Christmas tree. But how does putting a pine tree up in your house connect with the birth of a baby in the arid low hill country of Israel? Is is it just a sign of the ongoing secularization of Christmas? Or is there a deeper, more beautiful story to tell about the Christmas tree?

From the ancient fires that pushed back the winter darkness to Clark Griswold’s over-the-top Christmas lights, we’ve always tried to light the night. This homily explores the deeper Light behind it all — the courage to hope before there’s evidence.

This Sunday our Saints series and our new Advent series overlap as we discuss the life and legacy of St. Nicholas, a 4th century bishop that is the inspiration for Santa Claus… but is much more interesting and compelling!

In a world drowning in plague and fear, a 14th-century woman sealed in a tiny room dared to say, "All shall be well." This week, when fear felt close to home, Julian of Norwich reminds us that love—not power, not empire—gets the last word.

Saint Francis is one of the most popular saints in Christian history. One way to view him is as a holy fool. Someone who shows the absurdity of the world‘s values by simply living something different. What can his life—with an assist from Ted Lasso—teach us how to live out our faith today?

Between heaven and earth there are places — and people — where the veil grows thin. In this reflection on Saint Patrick, we're invited to notice God’s presence in unexpected places: our pain, our forgiveness, and the wonder of ordinary life.

Saint Moses the Black was a 4th century monk in the desert of Egypt. He was known for his humility, nonviolence, and wisdom. His story is one of the most interesting and dramatic we will tell during the Saints series. Beginning life as a violent criminal, he becomes a model of nonviolence and forgiveness.

God used Saint Anthony powerfully despite his flawed theology - but could the real heresy be not our imperfect understanding of God, but our desire to rule?

Athanasius, a fourth century intellectual and Bishop of Alexandria, earned one of the greatest nicknames in the ancient world: Athanasius Contra Mundum - Athanasius Against the World. In a life that saw him spend 17 years in 5 different exiles, he fought for the divinity of Christ and the intellectual integrity of the church in a time when everything was complex, contested, and even emperors stood...

In this financial update, we celebrate positive giving trends and invite continued growth in stewardship to support our expanding ministries—including community partnerships and kids & youth programs. We also announce exciting news about an upcoming kitchen renovation that will enhance our hospitality and enable us to better serve our East Raleigh neighbors.

Carthage, North Africa, 203 CE. Two young mothers face an impossible choice: deny Christ and live, or confess Christ and die. How might their story challenge what we think we know about persecution, faithfulness, and the breadth of God's welcome?

As we conclude our Apostles' Creed series, we discuss some often overlooked, but incredibly important ideas. Namely, about resurrection and our eternal hope. How can current events, scripture, and some stories about baseball fandom teach us about both our future and present?

What if forgiveness isn't something we earn, but something we live from? This message explores why "the forgiveness of sins" was one of the last lines added to the Apostles' Creed and what it means to choose escalating forgiveness in a world stuck on escalating revenge.

This Sunday we talk about two complicated lines from the creed … for protestants at least. What does it mean that the church is catholic (with a lowercase C)? And what does it mean that we believe in the communion of saints. Are these discussions about special things and people elsewhere? Or are they discussions about us right here and now?

“I believe in the Holy Spirit.” But if the Spirit is like the wind, what do we do when the air grows still? This message explores Pentecost, Babel, and the Spirit’s work to disrupt, restore, and draw us into reconciliation.

This Sunday we discussed the final line in the Jesus section of the apostles creed. “He will come to judge the living and the dead.” Judgment is a fraught topic in our culture. How can we reframe it to see God‘s judgment as a joy and comfort rather than a burden?

When Luke tells the story of Jesus’ ascension, it carries the echoes of Elijah taken up into the heavens. The parallel is no accident. What does Luke want his readers — and us — to understand about Jesus' ascension? What difference does it make?

From corporate boardrooms to nonprofit leadership, India Williams shares her journey to becoming Executive Director of Loaves & Fishes Ministry, one of our campus partners. Learn how this local organization transforms young lives through holistic development and discover practical ways you can get involved.

This Sunday we reach the center of the Apostles’ Creed with the line “On the third day he rose again.” The resurrection is the center of the Creed and the center of our faith. What can this line teach us about how we should see the world around us?

In this week’s sermon on the Apostles’ Creed, we explore how the early church viewed Jesus’s crucifixion not as a shameful death or as a divine punishment, but rather as God’s ultimate triumph over the powers of darkness. (And as a bonus, Pastor Greg shares his most embarrassing guilty pleasure.)

This Sunday we discuss the lines from the creed, "born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate." These lines do something very important: ground our faith in the real world of time and space, flesh and blood.