Faith First

Pastor Steve helps us understand the scriptures as we put Faith First

We can find life and joy in Jesus and not in the world. Pastor Steve guides us as we put Faith First

Pastor Katie unlocks the scripture as we put Faith First

Pastor Katie guides us to who our shepered should be as we put Faith First

Pastor Katie helps us dive deeper into the word as we put Faith First

Pastor Kaite leads us through the scripture as we put faith first

Pastor Katie dives into the scriptures as we put faith first

Pastor Steve unlocks the scriptures as we put Faith First

Pastor Steve teaches on the gospel and unlcoks the scriptures for us as we put faith first

After nearly a decade of praying and planning, our Building Dedication weekend is upon us! Pr. Steve and Pr. Craig discuss the magnitude of God's call on our collective hearts to re-invest into downtown Cedar Rapids and the people God brings to our doors to serve.

Can you recognize all these voices? Pr. Craig & Pr. Katie muse about the science of voice recognition and how God uses that from the time we are babies through our call into re-birth of eternal life.

Pr. Steve and Pr. Craig muse about hearing voices on the road to Emmaus while Jesus has a real and impressive encounter with a few of his followers. Daniel Luepke expands the conversation and Jasmine Wu and Keith Abkes talk about journeying a different road - a bike path - to carry out Christ's mission to the hungry today.

Pr. Craig shares an inspiring quote from the astronauts traveling to the dark side of the moon who tell us that Jesus is with them in their darkness and will be with us on the other side when light dawns and will be with all of us no matter what darkness we face today.

Pr. Steve talks about the power of Jesus' speaking Mary's name after raising from the dead on Easter Sunday. He says the re-connection between them is the crescendo of the story and is the same for us when Christ speaks our name.

Pr. Craig gives us the behind-the-scenes theology represented in our purple paraments and other artwork in the sanctuary as Christ makes his journey from Palm Sunday to the empty tomb of Easter in a great act of love for the world.

For our milestone 150th episode, Pastors Steve, Craig & Katie spend the entire time talking with each other about their 5 most memorable moments in ministry together over 90 years of collective service to the church. 

Pr. Craig & Pr. Steve talk about your reactions to our Wednesday worship & concert series while Pr. Steve ponders if we are asking the right questions in this week's scripture of the man born blind.

Pr. Craig draws a comparison with the woman at the well and how God uses us as broken vessels to hold so much more than water! Meanwhile Pr. Katie shares how Jesus notices the same woman with radical inclusivity and ponders that perhaps we are called to notice people as well so they feel seen, heard, loved and included.

Pr. Steve takes us inside one of the most well-known scriptures in the world, John 3:16, and helps us see it with new eyes. We break it down word for word and discover what it might mean for us today.

As we enter into our Lenten series "Conversations with Jesus" Pr. Steve teaches us that God gets things going with the first word on Ash Wednesday while Pr. Katie opens her heart around the upcoming scriptures.

Pr. Brian Scott of Lutheran World Relief tells some inspiring stories of how the light of church of Christ is growing and shinning into dark places. Likewise Pr. Craig unravels a mountaintop experience with Jesus that helps light our way into the valley below.

What is the point of the Church? Pr. Steve ponders this question for us while Maddy Newhouse gives us the skinny on HUGS, an effort to better welcome people into our new space.

When the church loses someone important who people look to for leadership in the congregation, what happens then? Pr. Craig ponders how God might be calling each of us to take a step forward in our faith to honor their dedication to our shared cause for Christ's mission and passion for people in need around us.

Special Guests Claudine and Jamil Zoughbi talk about Christ calling the disciples from their fishing nets and how similarly God called them from their home in the Holy Land to be missionaries here in the United States. Meet Pr. Steve's family friends from across the ocean in this week's episode.

Pr. Katie talks about the importance of Jesus being baptized in the very same way we his followers will do and the special bond and connection that creates with us and our Lord, the very savior of the whole world.