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This morning, we are invited to lean into the idea of being an outpost of God’s kingdom in a world that can feel dark and divided. What does it mean for the church to be visible, welcoming, and transformative—without losing sight of Jesus as King?

The New Testament is filled with threads and themes that are woven through the story of God's people from the very beginning. As a final recap of our year-long emphasis, we're taking a look at five of them: cloud, crown, fire, scroll, and the yet-to-come city. As we explore them, we find that these "hyperlinks" help us see God's faithful presence and promise. As we follow each thread and see the ways that each is woven through, what can we discover about God's invitation to follow him more closely today?

How do you step into an unfinished promise when fear feels real? Pastor Cheryl Lavornia invites us into Joshua 1:1-9, where courage emerges in the face of interruption and fear, and the call to obedience. In a moment of transition Joshua learns to lead with faithfulness amid uncertainty. In our own moments of transition and uncertainty, then, what might God use to help us grow? What fear do we need to allow God to confront for us?

As we explore 1 Kings 19, we witness God meeting a burned-out servant with three generous gifts: rest and nourishment, a tangible encounter with His presence, and companionship for the journey ahead. What might it look like to weave Sabbath-like rest, intentional retreat, and meaningful friendship into our own busy weeks—not as luxuries, but as gifts from a loving God? How could these rhythms shape the way we live, serve, and follow Jesus in a world that prizes constant motion and accomplishment?

Today, we continue our look at the Psalms as a practical, honest conversation with God. Psalm 77 - a psalm of disorientation and struggle - invites us to see how our memory of God’s past acts and covenant faithfulness can help us reframe the moment.

As we study the Psalms, we enter into a time-honored practice that has sustained God's followers for centuries. But, how do we pray with Scripture in a way that mirrors or real experience—joy, doubt, pain, praise?

We often find ourselves in the tension between what is already ours in Christ and what we long for in his promised return. It's no coincidence, then, that Jesus invites us to join him in his death and resurrection through the tangible reminder of baptism, and to remember his promises at the table.

A famous song once retold the story of millions traversing to a music festival to try to get themselves "back to the garden." And, as we explore this morning, the idea of getting back to the place where everything is good and perfect is actually a normal human longing. But, the idea that we have to get ourselves there doesn't line up with the core beliefs of our Christian Faith. While we live in tension between "the already and the not yet", how do our deepest yearnings align with the work that Jesus alone can do (and is already doing, and has already done?)

What if the hardest seasons you want to skip past are shaping you for an eternal story? As we explore 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, we are invited to glimpse a surprising balance: outward decay and inward renewal, seen and unseen, temporary and eternal. There is hope to be found in even the hardest moments, because we are assured that our light and momentary afflictions pale in comparison to the weight of glory we will experience in eternity.

As people who believe in the resurretion of Jesus, what are we to do when the hope of what is to come meets the reality of life today? Today, we're invited to look deeper than easy "do" and "don't" lists that shape our lives, and instead consider the transforming power of God's grace. Through Colossians 3:1-11, we consider how resurrection reshapes our character, relationships, and daily choices — especially when life gets challenging.

Today, we are invited to explore grief, hope, and the coming King through 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 as we wrestle with how the resurrection reframes our losses—big and small—and how honest longing meets the promise ahead. How do we grieve with honesty while staying grounded in what’s ahead? How does our community carry us forward as we await the King? Let's find out.

Turning to Romans 8, we are invited into the “in-between”—the space between what is and what is coming. From the groanings of creation and our own ache toward a hopeful sound, we – along with every good thing around us – find ourselves anticipating all that God has promised. When God's promises feel distant, we are reminded that our God has invited us to press into faithfulness and live with courage.

Today, we take a fresh look at 1 Corinthians 15. What does it mean that the dead will be raised, and that our bodies will be transformed? Paul invites us to unpack familiar images—seeds, earthly versus heavenly, and life after life after death—as we imagine the bodies we will inhabit in a renewed creation. As we consider this passage, we are invited to rethink what physical and spiritual mean together. How does Jesus’ resurrected body model what is to come, and how should that shape our living today?

Today, we begin a new series with a sobering, yet hopeful conversation about life, death, and what lies beyond. As we explore 1 Corinthians 15 together, we get a glimpse of how exactly our faith can meet our fear, grief, and longing with care, truth, and a future hope.

When it comes to church, it's not really about showing up for a worship service. The church is a family - a holy nation, a royal priesthood! As we wrap up our Siblingship series, Pastor Cheryl invites a few leaders to share about how Christ Church is trying to live this out as a community where discipleship, compassion, and hospitality intersect in real spaces, here in East Greenwich and beyond.