The word Gethsemane means “oil press.” In those days, when olives were gathered, they were poured into a woven bag and placed beneath a millstone. These stones, which could weigh hundreds of pounds, would press the olives into the ground, and soon they began to sweat.A steep ravine runs down the east side of Jerusalem, and on the other side is the Mount of Olives. Some of the oldest trees in the w...  Read More

Disciples: The Gospel of MatthewJesus called them to be his disciples. A disciple is more than a follower of a friend; a disciple is an imitator, someone who has been transformed into the image of their master. It’s no coincidence that the final lines of Matthew call us to go make disciples. That’s the call for every believer; learn to be like your teacher. We’ve been called to be like him, to liv...  Read More

This week during Borough Bible - as we've started to call it - we told the stories of the Tower of Babel and the calling of Abraham. Though humanity was drifting away from God, God had a plan for humanity. In the days of Seth, people were turning away from God, but a few started to call upon the name of the Lord. In the days of Noah, violence spread across the earth, but there was one faithful fam...  Read More

It’s “Culinary Weekend” in Carlton Landing, and that’s got me thinking about the power of meals, tables, and conversations over great food. Though it might seem like a stretch to get from there to the gospels, we often forget how much time people in Jesus’s day spent eating together. You could almost tell the story of Jesus’s life as a series of tables. He’s celebrating at a wedding in Cana, eatin...  Read More

Hey CLCC, What a wonderful summer it’s been at our church! We’ve met new people, seen old friends, and watched God work in every area of our community. From Kanakuk Kampout until now it’s been a whirlwind of grace. Whether you’re here in CL or at home somewhere else, take a minute this week to thank God for what he’s done in your heart these last three months and say a prayer for what’s to come. O...  Read More

“Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the childre...  Read More

Saints: God’s People in the Old Testament May 8 - June 26, 2022Jesus came to the world in the middle of God’s story. Though the world changed forever after his death and resurrection, he was continuing something God started long before. God was working among his people all through the Old Testament. Abraham believed God and he became the father of a great nation. Jacob wrestled with God and he ren...  Read More

The End and the BeginningAsh Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent. Each weekday morning, we’re going to spend a few minutes in a passage in John. Here’s the goal: read it, pray it, share it. Every post will have a passage of Scripture, a short prayer, and a question to meditate on and talk about. In a few minutes every day, we can prepare our hearts for all that God has planned in t...  Read More

He Loved Them to the EndAsh Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent. Each weekday morning, we’re going to spend a few minutes in a passage in John. Here’s the goal: read it, pray it, share it. Every post will have a passage of Scripture, a short prayer, and a question to meditate on and talk about. In a few minutes every day, we can prepare our hearts for all that God has planned in th...  Read More

Two KingsAsh Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent. Each weekday morning, we’re going to spend a few minutes in a passage in John. Here’s the goal: read it, pray it, share it. Every post will have a passage of Scripture, a short prayer, and a question to meditate on and talk about. In a few minutes every day, we can prepare our hearts for all that God has planned in this season of Le...  Read More

The Denials and the ComebackAsh Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent. Each weekday morning, we’re going to spend a few minutes in a passage in John. Here’s the goal: read it, pray it, share it. Every post will have a passage of Scripture, a short prayer, and a question to meditate on and talk about. In a few minutes every day, we can prepare our hearts for all that God has planned i...  Read More

The Point of No ReturnAsh Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent. Each weekday morning, we’re going to spend a few minutes in a passage in John. Here’s the goal: read it, pray it, share it. Every post will have a passage of Scripture, a short prayer, and a question to meditate on and talk about. In a few minutes every day, we can prepare our hearts for all that God has planned in this...  Read More