Mountainview CRC

Healing and Helping without Hurting Pastor Erick Pastor Erick Schuringa will reflect on John, chapter 9 with a message entitled “ Healing and Helping Without Hurting. ” John 9 tells the story of a beautiful miraculous healing of a blind man. Around that event, however, there are all kinds of messy things going on that show how we can be hurtful even in the midst of trying to be helpful. This morni...

The Forms of Faith Paster Brady Pastoral Intern Brady DeBoer will present a message entitled “ The Forms of Faith ” , reflecting on the book of John, Chapter 11 verses 1-43 . Pastor Brady will lead us through the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Together we'll look at the many different characters present in this story and how they react to the tragedy at hand.

Seeing Simeon and Accessing Anna. Pastor Erick For this first Sunday after Christmas, Pastor Erick Schuringa will reflect on “Seeing Simeon and Accessing Anna.” He will be looking at the story as told in the book of Luke, chapter 2, verses 25-26. The story of Simeon and Anna is made for the week after Christmas because that is when it took place. It is also a grand story because this captured mome...

Jesus His story our story Pastor Erick On Christmas Day, join with us as we celebrate the arrival of Jesus. Gather with us at 10 am in person or online as Pastor Erick Schuringa shows us how Christmas is the coming together of all of our stories in Jesus.  He came to bring meaning to the great big story of the whole world. All are welcome as we rejoice together in the peace, love, joy and hop...

Mysterious Magi Paster Erick Pastor Erick Schuringa will present the last message in our Advent series, considering the “ Mysterious Magi ” , looking at Matthew chapter 2, verses 1-12 . For this fourth Sunday of Advent, we will consider the story of the Magi. We know they came, followed a star and brought three gifts. But what was their backstory? What had they experienced before this, and what di...

Listening for God-given Joy Pastor Jolene Veenstra Pastor Jolene Veenstra will present the third message in our Advent series entitled “Listening for God-given Joy”, looking at Luke chapter 2 verses 8-20. The Christmas story is full of people listening to angels. Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, and some shepherds watching over their flocks all listened to angels and received incredible news. We think of...

Caller Into Trusting Obedience Paster Erick Pastor Erick Schuringa will present the second message in our Advent series entitled “ Called into Trusting Obedience ”, looking at Matthew 1:18-24 and Luke 1:26-38 . Mary and Joseph are given a great gift, but it comes with a tough road. They both are told by an Angel that the Holy Spirit is on the move. How would you respond to such stretching news? Du...

Practice Makes Holy Pastor Erick Pastor Erick Schuringa will conclude the Sermon on the Mount series with a message entitled “Practice Makes Holy,” focusing on Matthew 7: 24-28 . For the last message in the Sermon on the Mount series, we’ll consider what it means to do what Jesus says.

The Course of Confession Pastor Brady Pastoral Intern Brady DeBoer will bring a message focused on Psalm 130 entitled “A Course of Confession.” We will walk through Psalm 130, which sets out a beautiful and profound guideline for turning to God in confession..

Choosing a Path Pastor Erick Pastor Erick Schuringa continues the Sermon on the Mount series with a message entitled “Choosing a Path.” He will be looking at Matthew 7:13-23. Jesus is calling us to action. He wants us to move forward. We are called to choose a path, and the path is determined by who our leader is, by who we follow. Jesus is inviting us to a difficult but life-giving journey of fol...

The Way Forward Pastor Erick Pastor Erick Schuringa continues the Sermon on the Mount series with a message entitled “The Way Forward.” He will be looking at Matthew chapter 7, verses 1-12. At this point in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus provides a clear way to assess how much we have learned so far. Are we condemning others' faults, pushing our good stuff on them, or are we asking God to work the...

Jesus Stories Pastor Jolene Pastor Jolene Veenstra presents a message entitled “Jesus Stories.” She will be looking at Mark chapter 3 verses 31-34 . Mark 3:31-34 has always sat uncomfortably with me. It sounds like in this passage, Jesus is insulting the family who loved him and raised him, and preferring the presence of strangers. My discomfort with this verse stems from a deeper discomfort about...

Heart Treasure Pastor Erick Pastor Erick Schuringa continues the Sermon on the Mount series with a message entitled “Heart Treasure.” He will be looking at Matthew chapter 6, verses 19-34 . For the Thanksgiving weekend, we are reflecting on what we value and what we are thankful for. Jesus invites us to a whole different way of looking at the world; it is his kingdom.

Practice Your Righteousness Pastor Erick Pastor Erick Schuringa continues the Sermon on the Mount series with a message entitled “Practicing Your Righteousness.” He will begin in Matthew chapter 6, verses 1-18. In order to live out what Jesus taught in the first chapter of the Sermon on the Mount, we need to use spiritual disciplines that connect us with God. Prayer is the core practice, and Jesus...

The Heart of the Law Pastor Erick Pastor Erick Schuringa continues the Sermon on the Mount series with a message entitled “The Heart of the Law.” He will begin in Matthew chapter 5, verses 17-48 . In this part of Jesus' teaching on the mountain, he addresses the law. At first glance, it appears he makes the law even harder, if not impossible to keep. However, a closer look reveals that Jesus is sh...

Blessed are those …who? Pastor Erick Pastor Erick Schuringa begins a new series based on the sermon the mount with a message entitled “Blessed are those …who?”” He will begin in Matthew chapter 5 verses 1-16. As we begin our tour of the sermon on the mount, we are called to wonder "who is blessed?" Jesus came preaching a new kind of kingdom and it starts by understanding how and with whom God work...

Worth Repeating Pastor Erick Pastor Erick Schuringa presents a message entitled “Worth Repeating” He will be looking at the book of Ephesians chapter 2 verses 8-10 . This week we look at a familiar passage to many and a core teaching of the Bible. It is important to look at the familiar and basic teachings again so that we can consider how they live among us and shape how we function. During the s...

Smelly Christians Pastor Erick Pastor Erick Schuringa presents a message entitled “Smelly Christians.” He will be looking at two passages, 2 Corinthians 2: 14-17; Ephesians 5:1-2 We are starting a new ministry season. As we do, let's avoid being focused on just getting things done. Let's take time to remember that who we are in Christ is the main thing. Paul has an interesting image for this, whic...

Praise with a Purpose Pastor Erick Pastor Erick Schuringa presents the final message in our Summer Psalm Series. Focusing on Psalm 145 “Praise with a Purpose” This Psalm calls everyone everywhere to always praise God for all his amazing attributes. Which is good and beautiful and joyful. It also has a goal: to keep us in touch with who we are meant to be as creatures in God's world.

A Psalm of Protection Pastor Erick Pastor Erick Schuringa presents the 8th message in our Summer Psalm Series. Focusing on Psalm 91 “A Psalm of Protection” This week's psalm gives a variety of images of safety that illustrate God's presence and care. These are wonderful hopeful pictures that seem to ignore the realities of tripping and falling which most of us experience. What is that about? This...

A Psalm of Deep Lament Erick Schuringa Pastor Erick Schuringa presents the 7th message in our Summer Psalm Series. Focusing on Psalm 90 “A Psalm of Deep Lament” This week's psalm is heavy. It speaks of the brevity and difficulty of life. However, it also boldly calls on God to turn things around. Such honesty and hope are expressions of deep faith.

A Psalm of Confession Pastor Erick Pastor Erick Schuringa presents the sixth message in our Summer Psalm Series. Focusing on Psalm 32 “A Psalm of Confession” This week's Psalm expresses that confession is not only good for the soul, it is good for the body. Yet confessing sin is hard. Is it because we don't know we sinned or that we are too scared to confess? Hopefully the testimony of the psalmis...

A Psalm With Range Pastor Erick Pastor Erick Schuringa presents the fifth message in our Summer Psalm Series. Focussing on Psalm 30 “All Over the Map” I choose Psalm 30 because it highlights some things I think are core to belief in God. First, that we grow through challenging experiences. Second, that we can be open and honest with God. Finally, the above things only work if there is a deep trust...

Challenging Imagery in the Psalms Pastor Jolene Pastor Jolene Veenstra presents the 4th message in our Summer Psalm Series. Focused on various passages throughout the Psalms “Challenging Imagery in the Psalms” We often quote inspirational lines from the psalms about looking to the mountains, finding God in the depths, and walking through still valleys. But our favourite psalms also contain lines a...

Interpreting the Psalms Pastor Jolene Pastor Jolene Veenstra presents the 3rd message in our Summer Psalm Series. Focused on Psalm 131: “Interpreting the Psalms” One lovely thing about the Psalms is how accessible they are to us, even though they are thousands of years old and translated from an ancient language that used specific poetic structures. One challenging thing about the Psalms is that t...