Like Coffee, Love People

He’s not really this fuzzy—- see below!

Karl Fisher had a plan. 

Become a high school orchestra teacher….or a touring musician...or a youth minister. 

Okay, maybe it wasn’t a PLAN - plan, but it was definitely a vision for what his adult life was going to be like and it didn’t include “business owner.” Certainly not “business owner of an extremely popular, primo coffee shop that has created all kinds of kingdom-building opportunities and helped revitalize the city-center of a medium-sized Pennsylvania town.” 

Nope, that’s been all thanks to God. And a lot of prayer and trusting that God will take us where we’re supposed to be. 

Check out Alabaster Coffee (and even order some roasted beans) and listen to the amazing story of how working in the marketplace has given Karl and his family all new ways to love their community; ways that they might have missed if they had stayed inside the sanctuary.

Karl Fisher of Alabaster Coffee and Roaster and Tea Company, Williamsport, PA

Bill Wichterman - Reflections on the Search for Truth

Bill Wichterman, Brunch speaker March 20, 2021

Considering Others Better Than Ourselves

These days it can feel like we’re all living in parallel realities. Our friends, families, the news and lawmakers all seem to be operating in different worlds and the frustrations we have with others for not seeing things the way we do has bubbled over into angry disputes and bitter partisanship. If we all think our way is THE RIGHT WAY, how can we move forward? What can bridge this growing divide?

Bill Wichterman, a man who has worked on the front lines of Washington politics for years, explains how a shared love of truth--the kind of Capital “T” Truth--and deep love for others can help us deal graciously from one another and bend our hearts toward Christ. Listen to hear more about these important truths for our troubled times.

Resting in God’s Plans and Power

Meet Deborah. She moved from Nigeria to a quiet suburb outside Seattle when she was 16. Then back to Nigeria. Then to Washington, DC. Then back to Seattle. 

Her life has been full of enormous changes, personal, career, and financial challenges, and big-time uncertainties. But through it all, thanks to a firm grounding in Christ from a very young age, she consistently sees God’s hand at work in her life—providing for her needs and creating opportunities for relationship and community. Listen to how God has used all these parts of her life to bring her to where she is today - and where He’ll lead her next.

Catching up in Seattle

Wait, what? a single friend talking about family planning?

Mona led a memorable virtual brunch talk with an incredibly interactive and informative chat about...right, family planning. We didn't expect to be as engaged, laughing, and prompted to think more thoroughly on a topic that disproportionately affects developing communities. Mona's conviction and humor seasoned a topic that is often avoided. She helped us consider how honoring the Lord in our sex lives is compatible with good science. We were refreshed and challenged, just what we've come to value from a Navigators 20s Brunch.

This photo was indeed snapped at a 20s brunch with Doug Weber (Navigator Staff), but it was in the Before Times. Fun to remember… and may those lovely community times revisit us again soon!

We made the decision not to record this one session because of the sensitivity of the subject. Back next time!

Our Daily Bread: One Slice of How Archaeology Can Illuminate Our Understanding of the Bible

When we meet someone in person for the first time, after hearing about them or corresponding with them online, we always say, “It’s great to put a face with a name!” 

Seeing something - or someone - first hand, helps flesh-out the picture we have in our mind and deepen our understanding in a way that nothing else can. This is what Dr. Robin Knauth, a professor of Old Testament and Biblical Archaeology at Lycoming College (Williamsport, PA), gets to do every day with the foundational stories of our faith. 

As Dr. Knauth walked us through hows, whys, and whats of an archaeological dig, she showed us how first-hand encounters with the historic record under our feet can help illumin what the Bible means and help us better appreciate the words passed down to us from such a different time and place, bringing those words to life in a new way. 

In particular, Dr. Knauth shared how one recurring find - seemingly simple, though strangely uniform holes - can help shape what we believe and what the people in the Bible knew about bread. This one example, a staple of life across regions and centuries, makes tangible an idea at the very heart of our faith and sacraments.