Grace and Danny Lee joined us for the Monthly Brunch in November 2020

Amidst all the heartache and frustrations of these times, hearing from a couple like Danny and Grace Lee can be a good reminder of not just how things should be, but how things can be. There is hope for the single who desire a life with a partner. There’s hope for deep and meaningful friendships, for spiritual support and mentorship. Yes, and even hope for cat-owners. 

For Danny and Grace, this is all rooted in their faith and cultural communities, going back many years to their separate childhoods in California and forward to today in their church, engagement in CityLife Teams, and their Korean community. Listen to learn more about how the threads of friends and fellowship knit this family together and continues to deepen their relationships with God and others today.

Kaitlyn Schiess - Thinking Wisely about the Election

And here it is, finally—- Election Day 2020. Regardless of how we hope this day and season will unfold, Kaitlyn’s message of balance and grounding our views in Scripture help us as we move into the still-tumultuous days ahead. We hope you enjoy and are encouraged by her discussion.

Creatively designing your pandemic life - and beyond!

Designing a Better Life In Hard Times

A lot of us have been feeling stuck lately, like life is on “pause” during the COVID-19 crisis, and we’re just waiting for real life to begin again when restrictions are lifted. Julianna Hutchins speaks to this weird, in-between time, by reminding us that our real life is this current life and we don’t have to be in a rut.

Though things may be different than we’re used to, or what we planned or hoped - wherever you are in life, we can use this opportunity to think more intentionally about how we live and work. Particularly, when it comes to how we use our time and deal with challenges.

That might seem like an overwhelming task - and it CAN BE! That’s why so many of us do it poorly or try to avoid drilling down into the hows and whys of life. Luckily, there’s hope!

In our October brunch, Julianna walked us through simple tools to help rethink our problems and get some insight into both our day-to-day living and long-term planning. The best part? Reorienting ourselves to be more intentional, more productive, and more joyful, isn’t as hard as you may think. With the right questions and the right - holistic - goals, tackling our new reality is suddenly very doable.

Where we’re planted, and what we’re experiencing isn’t an accident - so don’t let it go to waste!

Science Fiction: Questioning the Nature of Reality

If you’re not already a fan, it’s easy to reduce science fiction as a genre to its stereotypes: a bastion for nerds, science geeks, and people that get wayyy too into imaginary languages and worlds while maybe ignoring our own. 

But Dave Walton, author of Three Laws Lethal, The Genius Plague, and other award-winning, bestselling science fiction novels, makes that case that science fiction presents a huge opportunity for Christians to learn about other people who are unlike us and put ourselves in their shoes. 

With the freedom to build new worlds also comes the freedom to explore really big questions about who we are as people, where we’re going, is the human race getting better or worse, and other profound issues of life and death. These are the same questions that everyone around us is asking. 

Plus, even if you don’t peruse the SF section in your library on a regular basis, chances are you’ve already read some great science fiction or fantasy. And you probably loved it. Think of classics by J.R.R. Tolkein, or C.S. Lewis. More recent series like The Hunger Games. Far from a niche genre for people who go to “cons,” this important branch of the literary tree can provide an unparalleled opportunity to live and look through other’s eyes or other futures. In turn, this can open whole new realms right here and now in God’s earthly kingdom where we can grow spiritually, intellectually, and find new ways to share Gospel truths. Or in other words, share the answers we’re each seeking.

Sweet Fruit Out of Unexpected Suffering

Just when life seemed full of new joy and hope after the birth of their first child, Rachel Barkley found herself paralyzed due to a rare spinal cord tumor. Suddenly she and her husband, Taylor, were thrust into a new world of hospitals, rehabilitation, pain, and a future that looked nothing like what they had been expecting. 

Listen as Rachel and Taylor share how, with God’s help, they faithfully have been moving through this period of suffering and into a new type of life. Despite their very real hardships, the Barkleys have experienced a more rich relationship with their Creator - and with friends and family. At a time when our entire world seems engulfed in suffering, Rachel and Taylor provide a good reminder of how God cares for us, even in the silent “trudging” times, and how walking by faith with humility can bear fruit even in the darkest times.