It's Better When You're Here!

At the beginning of a new year, I’m especially grateful that we get to pause, set our tone, and ground ourselves in our mission statement: With God’s help, we embrace and connect with all people, and together experience the love, light, and hope of Jesus Christ. Last week, I was pretty sick, and I’m so thankful that Rick was able to step in and cover for me as we focused on the theme of love. He e...

A few years ago, when the leadership of Shepherds came together to shape a new mission statement, everything centered on one clear calling: to connect people to the love, light, and hope of Jesus Christ. As we step into a new year, our leadership knew it was essential to return to those same foundations—to ground ourselves again in what matters most: the love, the light, and the hope of Jesus Chri...

Join Reverend Michael LeBlanc on our last Sunday of the year!

Christmas has arrived. And that means we are here—gathered together—to remember the true reason for our celebration. The gifts, the songs, the stories, the turkeys—they’re all wonderful. But tonight, I want us to listen more closely. I want us to hear why this season exists. And it’s not just because Jesus was born—no, not only that. Christmas matters every time any of us chooses to keep Christmas...

As we arrive at the last Sunday of Advent, I pray that we have prepared our hearts. Just as the eggs in our incubator have been given an environment conducive to growth, I pray that over these last four weeks, you have been able to grow as well. Soon, we will have chicks—and soon, we will have Christmas. My prayer is that hope, peace, and joy have found you, and that this week, love has met you in...

Last week, we talked about how this season of Advent isn’t just about surviving, but about growing. It’s an invitation to do more than simply make it through—to allow God to form us into disciples who are willing to let the chaff fall away, the things that hold us back, so that new life can emerge. Today, I want to talk about what that new life looks like. I want to explore how a church that choos...

Today we enter the Sunday of Peace in this sacred season of Advent—a time when we pause to reflect on the peace Christ brings into our world and into our lives. But this isn’t a passive or complacent peace. It’s not a peace that asks nothing of us. Instead, the peace of Christ is deep, steady, and transformative. It’s a peace that invites us to grow, to mature, and to participate in God’s restorin...

Join us as guest preacher, our Worship Coordinator, Michelle Manzi brings us our sermon this Sunday morning.

I am always grateful for the kind and encouraging words I hear from so many of you after I preach—especially when the topics get a little spicy. Knowing I can speak about generosity with my whole chest tells me something important: this church is not a people who simply go through the motions. You are a church with purpose, with conviction, and with power. As we wrap up our journey on generosity t...

I’m beginning to suspect that I might know some of the most generous people on the planet. The Church has always been counter-cultural, and as I watch wealth concentrate into the hands of a few and see more and more cuts to the things that help my neighbors live with dignity, it only becomes clearer: I know incredibly generous people. Because generosity isn’t about a number. Generosity is about tw...

Join us as guest Preacher, Reverend Ed New brings us our sermon this Sunday morning.

I’m reminded today of the people who included me. I think of these saints on All Saints Sunday, because they were the ones who reached out, who welcomed me in, who brought me along. And they changed my life. As we continue our series on generosity, I want to tie a few things together. May we have a spirit of gratitude for the saints we celebrate. May that gratitude inspire us to give generously. A...

Friends, I find myself going back in time—digging up old, churchy words. Words like Eucharist. Membership. Passing the peace. I feel a little like Indiana Jones—or maybe more like one of those American Picker guys—sifting through dusty artifacts and discovering treasures. And today, I brought one with me: Stewardship. The way we talk about generosity in the church has always been wrapped up in thi...

Join us as guest Preacher Rick Gebauer brings us our sermon this Sunday morning.

This is a busy time in the life of the church. And if I’m honest, it’s easy — even as your pastor — to forget our "why". Today, I want to push back against that forgetfulness. I want to slow down, lean in, and remind myself — and you — of the reason we do all of this. I’m so grateful for the kind words many of you share about my sermons. But I’ll tell you — the ones that seem to matter most are th...

All throughout Scripture, the pages are overflowing with dreams—divine encounters, angelic visions, and heaven-sent messages. From Joseph to Daniel, from the prophets to the apostles, God has used dreams to speak, to guide, and to reveal His heart. When we talk about dreams, we often think of what happens while we sleep. But today, let’s lean in a little deeper—because God also has dreams for us....

In a world of single-serving relationships, the Church is called to something deeper—something eternal. In a culture where love is often measured by what we get, the Church must become a place defined by what we give—a place of sacrificial partnership, of covenant over convenience. Christian love is free, but it is never cheap. It calls for all of us—our time, our presence, our hearts. Because rea...

Last week, we talked about kids—and how Jesus didn’t just welcome them, He pointed to them as the example of real, humble, trusting belief. As a church, we've been gifted with a generation that shows us what it means to enter the kingdom of God with open hearts. Today, we shift our focus to another powerful part of our faith journey: friendship. It's a gift, yes—but it’s also a challenge and a cal...

As we begin this new series on relationships, let’s start with the very first relationship we ever experienced—the one we had from the moment we entered this world. From our earliest breath, we were introduced to the people who would shape us the most. Yet, as we grow older, it's easy to forget what it was like to be a child—the fears, the questions, the wonder. But God hasn’t forgotten. Today, we...

‘Everything happens for a reason.’ It’s a phrase we hear often — offering comfort, hope, even a sense of security. And yet, you won’t find those exact words in Scripture. Why? Because that phrase can paint a picture of a God who controls every detail like a puppet master — rather than a God who loves, who cares, who draws near in our pain. Today, we want to explore a better story. A truer story. O...

Today, we come to a concept that feels especially intuitive to us as human beings: the idea of balance. We look at the world and naturally frame it as a cosmic scale—good on one side, bad on the other—and our actions seem to tip the balance one way or the other. It’s no wonder the idea of karma is so appealing. It gives us the sense that we’re in control—that we can earn blessing or avoid hardship...

Last week, we talked about having a daring faith — the kind that steps out boldly, even when the path isn’t clear. This week, we're shifting gears a bit, but staying in the same spirit. I want to talk about having a faith that endures . Not just a bold faith, but a strong one — strong like silk. Silk might look delicate, but it's one of the strongest natural fibers on earth. In the same way, our f...

We want you to hear this clearly: The Christian faith isn’t passive. It’s about daring to see God's Kingdom come and dwell among us — here and now. If we truly want to know God, we must step out with a daring faith — one that believes, moves, and trusts beyond comfort. So let’s journey together, pressing into His presence and purpose with courage and conviction. Passage: Mark 15:42-27 CEB

Join us as we welcome our guest preacher Lee Bradley. Passage: John 4:1-42 CEB

Join us as we welcome our guest preacher Jason Sowell. Passage: Psalm 23 NLT