The Church We Hope For

December 4, 2022 | Inés Velásquez-McBryde | Matthew 2:1-10   In the story of the magi, revelation comes to the least expected. A group of ancient Persian astrologers sees the rising of the star that leads them on a journey to Jesus. The star becomes the main witness. They woke up in the night, walked, and watched for months until arriving at the fulfillment of this revelation. Many receive th...

November 27, 2022 | Inés Velásquez-McBryde | Luke 1:67-79   Welcome to our Advent series: Honest Waiting. On this first Sunday of Advent, John's name and calling extend an invitation in the waiting. John's name means "God is gracious". His calling as a prophet is to give knowledge of salvation, to give light in the darkness, and to guide our feet to peace. What is the grace that you need in t...

November 13, 2022 | Bobby Harrison | Acts 13:50-51 We are called to live in between the dust in this life—for dust is where we are from and where are headed. But dust that has been thrown our way in this world is not the life we’ve been promised by God. So in this message, we aim to name the dust we’re still carrying and shake it off as an act of resistance, redemption, and healing. Keywords: Resi...

November 6, 2022 | Meleca Consultado | Acts 13:32-52 In Acts 13 we see Paul and Barnabas following the leading of the Holy Spirit to leave Jerusalem and to begin to share the Good News of Jesus in Pampos and Antioch. And though they experience disbelief and rejection with the Nation of Israel, the reception of the Good News is powerfully and gladly received by the multi-ethnic hearers in Antioch....

October 30, 2022 | Jennifer Guerra | Acts 12 Recap from Pastora Inés: Sunday at The Church We Hope For was magical and I keep rewriting this post 100 ways. If you weren’t there, it’ll be hard for me to translate the JOY, movement, and liberación that was had. Please watch on YouTube because we are constantly trying to reimagine Iglesia, and there are no words for how the Spirit fell upon us and da...

October 23, 2022 | Inés Velásquez-McBryde | Acts 11:15-21 The early church is a case study of group formation from segregation to desegregation to integration of bodies and souls. In Peter's sermon and conversation with Jerusalem religious believers, they bear witness to the disruptive Holy Spirit that falls upon Gentiles as well as Jews. It forces them to see the limitations of their hospita...

October 16, 2022 | Bobby Harrison | Acts 10   The Spirit moves Peter toward Cornelius, and Cornelius toward Peter. And in this mutual, Spirit-moved moment, God draws together Jew and Gentile, breaking down barriers that have long divided. What might the Spirit be moving in you to live into a more expansive, inclusive life? Keywords: Grace, Hope, Restoration, Spirit, Reconciliation, Redemption...

October 9, 2022 | Inés Velásquez-McBryde & Bobby Harrison | Acts 9   In this sermon, we look at two vignettes in Acts 9. And in so doing, we find disciples of Jesus showing us glimpses of the Kingdom among us. We are called to the hard and holy work of advocacy by the witness of Barnabas. And we are called to rise into the resurrection of living into our whole callings through the witness...

September 25, 2022 | Inés Velásquez-McBryde | Acts 9:1-17 Saul is a religious fanatic killing in the name of righteousness. On the road to Damascus, he experiences a dramatic encounter with Jesus who asks, "Why are you hurting me?" and Saul responds, "Who are you Lord?" The road from Who-Are-You-Lord to Here-I-Am-Lord is disorienting because when our belief systems crumble before us, they can diso...

September 18, 2022 | Bobby Harrison | Acts 1:1-11   In this message, we look back at the beginning of the book of Acts. And we invite ourselves to see Jesus not only in this opening chapter, but also to see him throughout the rest of the story. And also in our lives as well. Keywords: Seeking, Finding, Jesus, Gospel, Acts About: The Church We Hope For is a beloved community moved by the Spiri...

August 28, 2022 | Bobby Harrison | Acts 8:26-39 For over 2,000 years, historians and theologians have tried to place The Ethiopian Eunuch of Acts 8 into a million little boxes. But if we’re faithful to listen, we’ll learn that this man actually embodies a myriad of undefinable ambiguities. So what are we to make of that? And how does God’s Divine Desire meet him right in the midst of all those unc...

August 21, 2022 | Phil Allen, Jr. | Acts 8:9-25  Access to the power of the Holy Spirit is not obtained through the currency of our own resources (gifts, skills, talents, network, social status, or wealth). But access does cost. We tap into and become stewards of the power of the Spirit with the currency of our lives. Keywords: Power, Holy Spirit, Currency About: The Church We Hope For is a b...

August 14, 2022 | Bobby Harrison | Acts 8:1-8 In this message, we talk about how our whole lives are a “living word”, a proclamation or “sermon” that represents Jesus to one another and the world. Keywords: Grace, Joy, Resilience, Oneness About: The Church We Hope For is a beloved community moved by the Spirit to follow the life, love, and justice of Jesus. For more information, visit our website...

August 7, 2022 | Inés Velásquez-McBryde | Acts 7:54-60 We arrive at the end of Stephen's life but not the end of his legacy. We find the Trinity, God, Son, and Spirit bearing witness to Stephen's grace. Each member of the Trinity knows their place in life. God in heaven. Jesus standing at God's right hand. The Spirit indwelling and empowering Stephen. Do you know your place in life? Grace is ordin...

July 31, 2022 | Bobby Harrison | Acts 7 In this sermon, we look at Stephen’s response to the religious leaders. And we follow the thread of Stephen highlighting how God works in the everyday and the ordinary. May this give us hope that every moment has the capability of being a God moment. Keywords: Hope, Spirit, Legacy, Faithfulness  About: The Church We Hope For is a beloved community moved...

July 24, 2022 | Inés Velásquez-McBryde | Acts 6:8-15 In the story of Stephen, he is described as someone full of grace and power. As we see Stephen courageously stand on trial, in the steps of Jesus, we see that grace is a sign and a greater power, as he faces the powers of this world who cannot stand the grace of Christ. God longs to be gracious to us and God hopes to be gracious through us. Keyw...

July 17, 2022 | Bobby Harrison | Acts 5:17-21 In this message, we’re reminded that we’ve been moved by the Spirit toward liberation! We’re a people set free! And in our freedom, we’re called to pursue life! Both for ourselves and for those in our communities. Keywords : Freedom, Peace, Life, Liberation, Hope About: The Church We Hope For is a beloved community moved by the Spirit to follow the lif...

June 26, 2022 | Inés Velásquez-McBryde | Acts 2 :42-47   The community of the early church engaged in communal practices of belonging and living into this new reality of Jew and Gentile doing life and faith together. In this seminal passage we find that love is belonging, love is a verb and love is solidarity. In light of the recent Supreme Court decisions, now more than ever we have to all w...

June 19, 2022 | Bobby Harrison | Acts 2:37-38 As the people gathered in Acts 2 hear the gospel proclaimed, they were moved to respond with their whole hearts. The Apostle Peter used the language of “repentance” here. And we as a church leaned into this truth through the framework of “returning”. May this message be an invitation to simply come home to yourself and your God. Keywords : Forgiveness,...

June 12, 2022 | Inés Velásquez-McBryde | Matt. 3:13-17 (FNV and NASB) As we celebrate our church's first baptism service, we are invited to remember our own baptism. In Jesus' baptism, we see the power of remembrance and the grace of God's belovedness bestowed on Jesus for his work. Remember your belovedness for in it you find belonging even as the many powers and principalities in this world woul...

June 5, 2022 | Bobby Harrison | Acts 2, Acts 1, Joel 2-3 On Pentecost Sunday, we center in on Acts 2. And we look at not only the Holy Spirit flame, but we also take a step back to see how the disciples prepared for the fire to come. We then turned to the prophetic language of New Wine, as we named our Spirit moved familia as a New Wine Community. Keywords : Holy Spirit, Pentecost, Diversity, Onen...

May 22, 2022 | Sandy Lee Schaupp | John 21:1-4 Even after Jesus' resurrection, the disciples aren't yet OK as seen in their hiding and in their returning to fish. They seem to be in process, maybe still in pain and confusion. Jesus does the unexpected and comes TO them and serves them and rebuilds trust with them. Do we also need Jesus to rebuild trust with us in our pain and confusion? Keywo...

May 8, 2022 | Bobby Harrison | Matthew 27 & 28 In this message, we look at the guards at the tomb as they attempt to prevent the miracle of resurrection. We ask ourselves how we do this as well in our day. What are the walls we build when we choose not to experience God’s goodness? Keywords: Power, Privilege, Compassion, Resurrection, Truth About: The Church We Hope For is a beloved community...

May 1, 2022 | Inés Velásquez-McBryde | Luke 24:36-49 God doesn't give up on us and seeks us in life as well as in death. Jesus seeks us in the beginning, in the middle, and at the end. In this resurrection encounter, Jesus walks through walls to get to our hearts. He extends a benediction of peace. He asks curious questions about our doubts and fears. And funny, he invites us to eat a meal in his...

April 24, 2022 | Bobby Harrison | Acts 1:1-11, Luke 24 As we begin our new sermon series — Resurrections — we do so by starting in Acts 1. We look at Jesus returning to his disciples to prove he was alive again, and to call them to bear witness known as the Body of Christ. We also looked at Luke 24 and the women who visited Jesus’ tomb. And we ask ourselves: where are the tomb moments in our life...