Month: May 2025

Scripture: John 6:1-15 (NIV)

Dear Church,

Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?”  But it was a trick question  (It really says that in the scripture–click the link. Verse 6. You’ll see!)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%206%3A1-15&version=NIV

Often, we believe that Jesus’s ability to provide is limited by how much money his followers have.

I can imagine poor Philip, head on a swivel, looking at the crowd, looking at Jesus, feverishly searching the pockets of his robe and spiraling out, thinking, ‘what is he talking about? We don’t have enough money to feed them! How can he expect me to buy bread for all of these people?’

But of course, Jesus doesn’t expect Philip–or us–to finance the Kingdom of God. God’s abundance can’t be purchased in the marketplace. We don’t have enough money, but that doesn’t mean God’s will can’t be done.

I’ll tell you what I think Jesus does expect of us.

I think he does expect us to recognize the sacred needs around us. The people do need bread. It’s not faithful to deny the brokenness of creation or pass judgment on those who are suffering. We aren’t to explain away empty stomachs.

And I think Jesus expects us to follow the example of the boy in this passage and offer up the little we have to him for his kingdom.

Because when we give what we have in faith, we will make an astonishing discovery:

In the Kingdom of God, we already have more than enough.

We need this word in these days. It is our truth to share–it is our truth to live. I hope you will join me for worship this Sunday at 10am–in the sanctuary or on the live-stream.

Peace,

Pastor Kate

Want to chat about what you have heard? Click here:
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Scripture: Galatians 2:1-21

Dear Church,

You know what I thought we’d leave behind in the empty tomb?

Conflict.

I used to think that all the misunderstandings and mistakes and tension and emotional pain of community would disappear in the lives and churches of people who really love and follow the Lord. 

Like…in the really, really, really sanctified saints and sanctuaries. I thought the presence of conflict in the church signaled the absence of the Holy Spirit.

Sigh.

Turns out conflict, like the Lord, will be with us always. As we’ll see this Sunday, it was there from the beginning in the early church.

So maybe we’ve been thinking about it all wrong?

Maybe the presence of conflict isn’t a sign that we are in the wrong place with the wrong people. Maybe it isn’t a reason to shut down or run. Maybe conflict isn’t a sign of God’s absence, but instead a sign of God’s active loving resurrecting presence? 

Conflict itself has never been a sin or a curse, but we have been wounded and separated from God and one another by our unredeemed expectations around conflict and our inability and unwillingness to seek Christ in our conflicts. 

We can’t not do conflict; but we can learn to do conflict well. We flourish and cultivate shalom, not by avoiding conflict, but by entering into it with humility, faith and love.

I hope you’ll join me as we learn that conflict will always be part of the resurrection life we share here and now–and that is both a gift and a good thing. The Lord is faithful to bless us, grow us, heal us and save us through conflict.

Peace,

Pastor Kate

Want to chat about what you have heard? Click here:
https://www.thegrovecharlotte.org/connect-with-us

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Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17, 1 Peter 1:3, Acts 4:23-37

Dear Church,

What do you pray for on the other side of resurrection?  When the risen Lord shows us that none of the powers and principalities that threaten to destroy us have the power to do so, when we see the empty tomb and know that we no longer have anything to fear, when we have seen the eternal victory of love and mercy and grace–what is left to ask God for?

According to the witness of the early church, you pray to be bold and ask the Holy Spirit to make you generous.

Because it’s not all beach breakfast parties with Jesus, the early church faced every kind of persecution, oppression and loss.  Every disciple heard the dangerous and costly call to pick up their cross and follow Jesus. We know that nothing can prevail over the glory of God, we know that love has the final victory, but threats and trials still come.

Here and now, on the other side of resurrection, there is real work to do, and real opposition to that work.

And there is the real presence of Jesus with us, showing us, empowering us and making a way for us to overcome it.

I hope you will join me for worship this Sunday at 10am–in the sanctuary or on the live-stream. We will learn from the Spirit and the saints who have gone before us why we are called to live boldly and generously in times like these.

Peace,

Pastor Kate

Want to chat about what you have heard? Click here:
https://www.thegrovecharlotte.org/connect-with-us

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Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-14 (NRSV)

Dear Church,

I’m thrilled to share that we are welcoming Cedric Lundy to the pulpit this Sunday. He’ll be preaching from Ephesians 1:4-11–sharing his deep conviction, formed by his own family experience and study of scripture that our resurrection life is an adoption story.  Each one of us is a beloved and chosen child, fully and forever part of the family of God. 

I am eager to hear that message, because my soul can never hear it enough. I hope you’ll join me as we hear our brother Cedric pour into us.

Now and forever, we belong to God. In Christ, we are forever family!

Peace,

Pastor Kate

Want to chat about what you have heard? Click here:
https://www.thegrovecharlotte.org/connect-with-us

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