Grow Deeper
Bluff Park United Methodist Church
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Welcome to Grow Deeper — a weekly podcast from Bluff Park United Methodist Church in Hoover, Alabama, where pastors Kevin Payne and Ross Furio guide us in ways to grow in faith and in life.
Available episodes
Newest first
Oldest first
Nov 26, 2023
Christ The King – Rev. Ross Furio
When the prophet Isaiah talks about Jesus, he tells us that a very different kind of king is coming into our world - Jesus Christ, the King of Kings.
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Nov 19, 2023
Thanks Be To God – Rev. Ross Furio
As we prepare for the Thanksgiving Holiday we take time to reflect on the gratitude we have for all that God has done for us.
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Nov 13, 2023
Fuel For The Fire – Rev. Ross Furio
Most of us know the feeling of running on fumes. We need to make sure not to let life drain us so badly that we don’t have anything left.
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Nov 12, 2023
Lessons and Promises – Rev. Quinten Lochmann
When God makes a call on our lives it can be scary. He pushes us outside our comfort zones.
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Nov 6, 2023
The Story that Binds Us – Billy Rainey
Stories do more than recollect the past, they give us hope for the present, vision for the future, and bind us with others.
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Nov 5, 2023
Remembering The Saints – Rev. Ross Furio
We are literally surrounded by a cloud of witnesses. The question we consider today is how will we be remembered?
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Oct 30, 2023
Commitment Sunday – Rev. Ross Furio
Everything that we have ultimately comes from God. The first step in good stewardship is realizing this truth.
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Oct 22, 2023
Give Differently – Rev. Ross Furio
Episode 84: Give Differently – Rev. Ross Furio How many of us as kids sorted through our Halloween candy to gather up the best stuff for ourselves and then share the leftovers with others? In this message we explore what it means to give differently as followers of Christ and how that shift in generosity […]
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Oct 15, 2023
Golden Images – Rev. Ross Furio
We are beginning a new sermon series focused on looking at ways that we, as a people, can be difference makers in our world.
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Oct 8, 2023
Difference Makers – Rev. Ross Furio
We are beginning a new sermon series focused on looking at ways that we, as a people, can be difference makers in our world.
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Oct 2, 2023
Promises of God – Rev. Stanley Davidson
Scripture reminds us over and over that God is faithful and keeps his promises.
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Oct 1, 2023
Is The Lord Among Us? – Rev. Ross Furio
When you set out on a journey and everything seems to be going wrong, you begin to wonder if you've made a huge mistake.
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Sep 25, 2023
Just As I Am – Rev. Ross Furio
Johnny Cash embraced his weaknesses at the end of his life, and his trust that the grace of Christ was enough for him.
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Sep 24, 2023
A Gracious God – Rev. Dr. Kay Mutert
Friendships give us an opportunity to experience and practice sharing the grace of God.
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Sep 18, 2023
The Man in Black – Rev. Ross Furio
The Man in Black was more than just a persona for Johnny Cash, it was how he lived. Join us as we look at how this persona intersected with the life of Jesus.
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Sep 17, 2023
We’re on a Mission From God – Rev. John Mitchell
We are commanded by Jesus to reach out to the people that God places into our lives.
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Sep 11, 2023
I Walk The Line – Rev. Ross Furio
The Gospel According to Johnny Cash, in a lot of ways, is all about God's faithfulness.
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Sep 10, 2023
Are We There Yet – Tina Hardy
We’re called to love our neighbors like we love ourselves. But what does loving ourselves look like when it is pleasing to God?
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Sep 4, 2023
The Sinful Woman – Rev. Ross Furio
Sometimes you realize that you have done something wrong and there is no way to hide from it. You have to face your guilt.
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Sep 3, 2023
God is Faithful – Regan Sanders
Sometimes you get very excited to try something new until the moment arrives and you find yourself terrified.
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Aug 27, 2023
The Power of His-Story – Rev. Dr. Rick Owen
Chaos exists in this world and we have to be careful that it doesn't overwhelm us. God is very good transforming it into something good.
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Aug 27, 2023
The Adulterous Woman – Rev. Julie Holly
The religious leaders didn't care about the woman who was caught in adultery. They only wanted to use her to trap Jesus.
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Aug 21, 2023
Lot’s Wife – Rev. Ross Furio
We have a choice to make, really it is a choice that we make everyday whether we realize it or not.
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Aug 20, 2023
Be an Ananias – Rev. Stanley Davidson
Ananias follows his call with faith and courage, and helps transform Saul into Paul – the most important leader in the early church.
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Aug 14, 2023
Nameless: The Bleeding Woman – Rev. Ross Furio
Episode 67: Nameless: The Bleeding Woman – Rev. Ross Furio The bleeding woman might be nameless, but her story plays an important role in allowing us to see Christ’s healing power and compassion. She reaches out to Jesus, trusting that he can heal her, that he can make her whole. Are we doing the same? […]
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Aug 13, 2023
The Feet of Those Who Bring Good News – Billy Rainey
Life and the world around us can be overwhelming. It’s easy to become immersed in narratives of desolation and hopelessness.
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Aug 7, 2023
Compassion of Christ – Rev. Ross Furio
Join us as we allow the compassion of Christ to fill our cups and send us out to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
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Aug 6, 2023
My Testimony – Rev. Wayne Williams
Our testimony is when we tell others of the ways and the times that God has touched our lives and made his presence know to us.
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Jul 31, 2023
Whitewashed Tombs – Rev. Ross Furio
It's tempting to stand back and wag our finger at those who Jesus seems to speak against in the scriptures, but what if he's talking about us?
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Jul 30, 2023
On Not Knowing… and Knowing – Rev. Dr. Kay Mutert
There are times that we find ourselves at a loss, not knowing what to say. The Holy Spirit steps in and prays for us when there are no words.
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Jul 24, 2023
Crawling Into Bed – Rev. Ross Furio
Has the storm around you become the storm within you? How do we find comfort and peace in the craziness of life?
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Jul 23, 2023
Climbing a Ladder – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
God shows up in our world all the time and we need to pay attention so we can see the holy moments he is creating all around us.
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Jul 17, 2023
Waiting – Rev. Ross Furio
Waiting is an ancient spiritual practice, and something that, no matter how hard we try to avoid it, will always find us.
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Jul 16, 2023
But You Are in the Spirit – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
Scripture tells us that we are created in the image of God, so that every time we look into someone’s face we are looking into the face of God.
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Jul 10, 2023
Leftovers – Billy Rainey
Perhaps leftovers have something to teach us about finding the grace of God alive and at work in our day-to-day lives!
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Jul 9, 2023
But I’m Trying to Be Good – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
We all know what we should be doing, but sometimes it’s hard to make ourselves do it. But, through Jesus we become a new creation.
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Jul 3, 2023
Losing Your Keys – Rev. Ross Furio
We usually have some sort of plan for our day each morning. But, nothing throws that plan into chaos like losing your keys.
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Jul 2, 2023
Of God and Country – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
Sometimes it is difficult to stand in the gap between being a follower of Jesus and a citizen in the world.
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Jun 26, 2023
Brushing Your Teeth – Rev. Ross Furio
Habits are powerful, and they usually lead to some pretty big stuff. Reflect on the power of habits intersecting with our faith.
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Jun 25, 2023
What If We’re Wrong? – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
Even when it is difficult, we need to live out our Sunday morning faith in the world and open the door for others to learn about God through us.
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Jun 19, 2023
Waking Up – Rev. Ross Furio
There is no moment too small, routine, or ordinary for God to be a work, including the moment that we wake up.
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Jun 18, 2023
A Father’s Only Son – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
We can know God the Father because he sent his son Jesus to live with us and show us his love.
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Jun 12, 2023
The Best Meal – Rev. Garrett Harper
Sometimes Jesus resurrection grace comes to us in very subtle moments. If we are not listening for Jesus' voice, we can miss his call.
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Jun 11, 2023
Called to Care – Rev. Dr. Kay Mutert
When we become more like Jesus we become people who care for our community and our world.
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Jun 5, 2023
In the Beginning – Rev. Ross Furio
The story of creation in Genesis tells us about our human past, but it also tells us about who God created us to be.
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Jun 4, 2023
Be Unbound – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
Jesus raised Lazarus to show us what he had come among us to do - restore life and a right relationship with God.
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May 29, 2023
The Kingdom is Open – Regan Sanders
Jesus was and is the reconciliation between God and God’s creation, and is reconciling us to one another through the Spirit.
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May 28, 2023
Come, Holy Spirit – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
God has been holding the church in his hands since he founded it, and we are to live boldly knowing he continues to hold us.
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May 22, 2023
Impatient Patience – Rev. Ross Furio
The patience God is calling us towards, is an active patience, not a passive patience.
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May 21, 2023
The Greatest Education – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
God made every one of us and he wants us to remain in a relationship with him and each other and for us to go out and change the world!
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May 15, 2023
Taming the Tongue – Rev. Ross Furio
Today we consider how we as Christians are called to use our words - specifically how we can use our words to produce good fruit.
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May 14, 2023
Because I Said So – Tina Hardy
Mothers often find themselves facing difficult questions. Sometimes their response is, "because I said so."
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May 8, 2023
Faith Without Works….is Dead? – Rev. Ross Furio
The story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead challenges us to get our focus out of the past and future and into the present.
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May 7, 2023
Stone Cold Faith, Hope and Love – Rev. Dr. Rick Owen
No matter how dark the circumstances of life, a stone cold faith is filled with hope and love because Jesus is there for us.
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May 1, 2023
Keep Your Eyes on Jesus – Rev. Stanley Davidson
Life can quickly become overwhelming. When we let ourselves get distracted it is easy to loose our focus on Jesus.
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Apr 30, 2023
Pulled to the Present – Rev. Ross Furio
The story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead challenges us to get our focus out of the past and future and into the present.
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Apr 24, 2023
Walking with Jesus – Rev. Ross Furio
The story of Jesus coming alongside two of His followers on the road to Emmaus is one of the most well known moments in Jesus' life.
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Apr 23, 2023
Love Your Neighbor – Rev. Stanley Davidson
When challenged to declare the most important commandment, Jesus said we should love God completely and love our neighbors like we love ourselves.
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Apr 17, 2023
Faith and Doubt – Rev. Ross Furio
Doubt is something that is a part of our faith journey. All of us will at some point or another find ourselves in the midst of a season of doubt.
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Apr 16, 2023
Confirmed in Christ – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
When we become confirmed members of the church we profess our faith and respond to the love and grace that God has first extended to us.
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Apr 10, 2023
I Have Seen the Lord – Rev. Ross Furio
Reflect on the story of folks stumbling upon the empty tomb, realizing that our Savior lives. He is risen indeed!
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Apr 9, 2023
Salvation is Created – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
Today, you are invited to become a child of God through the grace and redemption of the risen Christ.
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Apr 3, 2023
The King is Here – Rev. Ross Furio
This year on Holy Week the challenge is to slow down, so that we might live like Jesus as we walk with Jesus to the cross.
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Apr 2, 2023
Casting our Coats – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
As Jesus entered Jerusalem on the day we call Palm Sunday, people greeted him waving palm branches and casting their coats on the ground before him.
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Mar 27, 2023
Foundation Is Everything – Rev. Ross Furio
Will we be a people who build on the sand? One thing is for sure, the storms will come, and if we build on the sand our house will fall.
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Mar 26, 2023
The Solid Foundation – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
The winds and the waves are coming. It's not a matter of if, but when. Our lives need to be firmly anchored on Christ to withstand them.
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Mar 20, 2023
How Much Does It Cost? – Rev. Ross Furio
Everything has a cost, some things more than others. Following Jesus will cost us all sorts of things. Is it worth the price?
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Mar 19, 2023
Under Construction – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
We are not the same once we become followers of Christ. It costs us something to follow Jesus, but the grace he gives us cost him everything.
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Mar 13, 2023
Share the Love – Regan Sanders
God loves you, and your calling as a follower of Jesus is to share that love.
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Mar 12, 2023
Shaping and Joining the Wood – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
The Master Builder has a plan for your life. Are you fighting God as he tries to get you ready to go somewhere he has planned for you?
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Mar 6, 2023
Called By a Carpenter – Rev. Ross Furio
Episode 21: Called By a Carpenter – Rev. Ross Furio Jesus saw potential, promise, and purpose in people that had been deemed by their community as the mere scraps of the world. He saw people as only a carpenter could. There is good news in that for us today, as we realize that just like the […]
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Mar 5, 2023
Building on Brokenness – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
In biblical times, part of a carpenter's work was to reclaim damaged pieces and transform them into something new and valuable.
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Feb 27, 2023
Just a Carpenter?” – Rev. Ross Furio
Jesus, of all things, was a carpenter when he walked the earth. He saw people, lived life, and looked at ministry like a carpenter.
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Feb 26, 2023
The Master Builder – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
In Jesus, we have a master builder who is repairing and fixing for eternity those things that have been broken. He is making things new!
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Feb 23, 2023
A Holy Lent – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
From dust you came and to dust you shall return. Who in their right mind wants to say that to another person?
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Feb 20, 2023
Yes or No – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
At the top of the mountain something amazing happens. Peter, James and John were blessed with the chance to see Jesus in his full glory.
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Feb 19, 2023
Awe and Wonder – Rev. Ross Furio
At the top of the mountain something amazing happens. The voice of God declares that Jesus is the Son of God and that we should listen to him.
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Feb 13, 2023
Salt and Light – Rev. Ross Furio
Jesus calls us to be salt and light, and if we are being honest we know what that means - adding flavor and beauty and pushing out darkness.
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Feb 12, 2023
We Don’t Have To Do Life Alone – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
When you become a member of the 'body of Christ' your family instantly becomes a whole lot bigger. You are not alone.
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Feb 6, 2023
The Wisdom of God – Rev. Ross Furio
What would happen if we stopped just looking at the cross, and started to look through it? Would we begin to think a little more like Jesus.
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Feb 5, 2023
The Shepherd Supplies – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
No matter how our life is going at any moment, we always have a welcoming home in Christ and he will provide us with what we need.
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Jan 30, 2023
Pride That Doesn’t Divide – Rev. Ross Furio
Pride, when we let it, puts us on an island, separating us not only from our neighbor, but also from our God.
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Jan 29, 2023
Keeping Your Eyes on Jesus – Rev. Stanley Davidson
Life can quickly become overwhelming. When we let ourselves get distracted it is easy to loose our focus on Jesus.
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Jan 23, 2023
Apollos? Paul? Or Christ? – Rev. Ross Furio
Paul wrote to the church in Corinth to remind them what unites them, and why it is more powerful than anything that divides them.
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Jan 22, 2023
The Beginning – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
Jesus begins his ministry by simply calling ordinary people - just walking up to them and inviting them to follow him. He is still calling us today.
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Jan 16, 2023
The Servant – Rev. Ross Furio
Sometimes all we can do is listen for God's call, work through our doubts, and embrace the vision that we receive from God.
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Jan 15, 2023
The Lamb of God – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” What does that mean and exactly how does he do that?
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Jan 9, 2023
Beloved – Rev. Ross Furio
We reflect on the importance of names, and remember what it is that God has named us - a beloved child of God.
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Jan 8, 2023
Why Was Jesus Baptized? – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
If we are baptized because Jesus was baptized, then what does that mean? How do our understandings of baptism align with who Jesus is?
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Jan 2, 2023
How Should I Spend My Time? – Rev. Ross Furio
What is it that Jesus calls us to spend our time on as people who seek to walk with Him? The answer in Scripture is really pretty simple.
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Jan 1, 2023
What Shall I Give Him – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
Epiphany is when we celebrate the visit of the Magi to Jesus and ends the season of Christmas. The question for us, what is the perfect gift we can offer?
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Dec 26, 2022
Christ Is Born Anyway – Rev. Ross Furio
Whatever has happened in your life during the Advent season, Christ has come for you this Christmas.
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Dec 25, 2022
You’re Invited – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
We celebrate a God who comes down to us in the middle of everything happening in our lives and brings us the grace, love, and redemption we need.
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Dec 19, 2022
Coming Home to Love – Rev. Ross Furio
As Christmas approaches, we have a choice to make. What are we going to believe in? What are we going to place our trust in?
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Dec 18, 2022
There is Always Room – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
Even if the best we have to offer is a stable in the back yard, then God will take it and do something amazing with it in grace.
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Dec 12, 2022
Coming Home to Joy – Rev. Ross Furio
What might it look like for us as a people of faith to come home to joy this season of Advent?
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Dec 5, 2022
Coming Home to Hope – Rev. Ross Furio
"A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse..." These words have offered hope to communities of faith for the last 2 thousand years.
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Dec 4, 2022
An Unexpected Journey – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
Coming home can be difficult. However, there is a blessing in the journey, and a reason for the homecoming. Perhaps, we too, can “come home” this Christmas.
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Nov 28, 2022
Coming Home to Peace – Rev. Ross Furio
The season of Advent has begun. The journey we are taking to the manger feels a lot like coming home after a long trip.
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Nov 21, 2022
Christ the King – Rev. Ross Furio
We use royal language to talk about Christ often, but what are we really saying when we call Jesus King?
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Nov 20, 2022
The Coronation of the King – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
Every King has a coronation, and Jesus is crowned, yet in the most unexpected of ways.
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Nov 14, 2022
Emptied to be Filled – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
Sometimes in order to say “yes” to God and God’s invitations to us we will need to say “no” to other things in our lives!
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Nov 13, 2022
A Work in Progress – Rev. Ross Furio
God casts a vision for a nearly unimaginable future, a future without weeping, a future of peace.
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Nov 7, 2022
The Great Cloud of Witnesses – Rev. Ross Furio
How do you want to be remembered? What kind of impact do you want to make? What legacy do you hope to leave?
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Nov 6, 2022
Life Together – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
All that we are has been inherited, as it was for those who came before us and who shared with us the faith they inherited.
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Oct 31, 2022
Generous Hearts – Rev. Ross Furio
Paul offers some practical, lifegiving, hope filled insight as to why we practice generosity, and how we can live our lives rooted in generosity.
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Oct 30, 2022
Generous Hearts – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
How generous are we with our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness? We are blessed to be a blessing!
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Oct 24, 2022
The Prayer of Jesus – Rev. Ross Furio
Prayer is a vital part of our relationship with God, but oftentimes we make it way more complicated than it needs to be.
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Oct 23, 2022
The Prayer of Jesus – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
In the Garden of Gethsemane, before his arrest, trial, and crucifixion, Jesus prayed to God the Father - for us.
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Oct 17, 2022
Our Commission – Rev. Ross Furio
How can we be a people who never stop living the great calling we have from Christ out in our community?
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Oct 16, 2022
Our Commission – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
When we all work together as we have been called, individually as members and congregations across a community, God's work gets done.
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Oct 10, 2022
One Body – Rev. Ross Furio
God is calling us to ministry, we have to be grounded in our identity as the body of Christ to respond as a church community.
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Oct 8, 2022
One Body – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
None of us are here by accident. Our different gifts, talents, personalities, experiences, and lives all contribute to make us who we are as a church.
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Oct 3, 2022
The Table of Grace – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
At the Table of Grace we experience communion with God, with the saints who have gone before, and with each other - it is a gift from God.
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Oct 2, 2022
The Power of Communion – Rev. Ross Furio
In this message we consider how the bread of heaven Jesus talks about collides with our communion table right here today.
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Sep 26, 2022
What Not To Do – Rev. Stanley Davidson
Rev. Stanley Davidson, Director of Children's Ministry at Bluff Park UMC leads us in a look at how we are expected to love one another as Christians!
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Sep 25, 2022
Love One Another – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
How can we profess to love God, who we have not seen, if we can’t love our neighbors that we can see?
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Sep 19, 2022
The Love Of God – Rev. Ross Furio
Everything that God does flows from a place of love, and every way that we experience God is rooted in that love.
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Sep 18, 2022
God is Love – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
Love is the primary attribute of God, out of which everything that God does emerges. In fact, the love is the very “stuff” that God is made of.
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Sep 12, 2022
Our Advocate, Jesus – Rev. Ross Furio
We are called to be a people who are willing to name our sin and to trust that we never have to face it alone.
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Sep 11, 2022
Christ our Advocate – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
We have an advocate, a defender, a paraclete in Christ. Christ makes intercession for us before the Father.
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Sep 5, 2022
Name It – Rev. Ross Furio
We are called to be a people who are willing to name our sin and to trust that we never have to face it alone.
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Sep 4, 2022
God is Light – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
There can be no “darkness” in God; i.e. no deceit, no breaking of promises, no evil. We can fully trust God because God is light.
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Aug 29, 2022
The Faith of Rehab – Rev. Ross Furio
Rahab is courageous because of her faith. She is willing to act with courage, and take risks. In other words, she does the next right thing.
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Aug 28, 2022
How Did They Know? – Rev. Garrett Harper
Jesus came from the wrong side of town - Nazareth. If you never spend time with poor, sick, needy, and hurting people you might miss the chance to meet Jesus in our world.
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Aug 22, 2022
The Faith of Facing the Sea – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
How strong is our faithing when we know God is calling us to something that seems so impossible? Do we trust where God calls us?
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Aug 21, 2022
Crossing the Sea and Breaking Free – Rev. Ross Furio
What is holding you back? God desires to free us, but sometimes we have to climb out of the jar we've trapped ourselves inside.
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Aug 15, 2022
God Is Not Looking for Extraordinary People – Rev. Ross Furio
Friends it's not about our imperfections, our doubts, or our shortcomings, it's about who God is and what God can do through us.
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Aug 14, 2022
The Faith of Going Back – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
What happens when God is calling us to go back; to return to a place we have left - when God’s call is to face a fear, or revisit a hurt?
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Aug 8, 2022
The Way of Abram – Rev. Ross Furio
Abram and his nephew Lot faced a real crossroads when they realized they could no longer inhabit the same land.
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Aug 7, 2022
The Faith of God’s Promise – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
What is impossible for us is possible for God. Do we trust that if God is calling us God also makes a way?
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Aug 1, 2022
Who Really Knows Best? – Rev. Ross Furio
Who do we believe knows best how to run our lives, and how to run the world? Us or God?
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Jul 31, 2022
Such Riches – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
It is of no profit for us to “store up for ourselves treasures” but forget to be “rich towards God.”
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Jul 25, 2022
Who Am I, Really? – Rev. Sherry Harris
Who are we, and what is our work in this world? Both have to do with being a disciple of Jesus Christ.
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Jul 24, 2022
Lord, Teach Us to Pray – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
Praying is more than the act of bowing our heads, closing our eyes, and muttering some words to God. Prayer is a deeply relational act.
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Jul 18, 2022
3 Things Remain – J.T. Mercer
Life around us is constantly changing and there is so little we can control, but in 1st Corinthians Paul says that three things will remain...
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Jul 17, 2022
Martha’s Not Wrong – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
When everything is a priority, then nothing is. Don’t allow the demands of the urgent to make us miss Christ sitting right in front of us.
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Jul 11, 2022
Who Will We Be? – Rev. Ross Furio
We see both Jonah and the Ninevites respond to a call from God in very distinct ways. It forces us to ask ourselves, who will we be like?
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Jul 10, 2022
Like a Good Neighbor – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
God sees our hearts and cares about why we are doing what we are doing (or not doing.) God cares about the attitudes we have.
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Jul 3, 2022
Jonah and the Fish – Rev. Ross Furio
There's plenty of room for reflection as this part of Jonah's story challenges us to step out of the boat and go where God is leading.
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Jul 3, 2022
Blind Dates – Rev. Dr. Kevin Payne
We’re being brought together and sent into the world by the great “matchmaker,” who is at work sending us to divine appointments.
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Jun 27, 2022
The Call of Jonah – Rev. Ross Furio
God won't call us to anything that he hasn't equipped us for, and he certainly won't ask us to go alone. Where are you being called?
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Jun 27, 2022
The Spirit of Love – Rev. Dr. Kay Mutert
Rev. Dr. Kay Mutert, BPUMC minister of care, preaches the Sunday Sermon at Bluff Park UMC.
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Jun 20, 2022
Jesus Is Enough – Rev. Ross Furio
Consider these two foundational truths that we believe as Christians. Jesus is with us, no matter where we are, and Jesus is enough!
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Jun 19, 2022
The Peculiar Community – Rev. Angela Martin
Rev. Angela Martin preaches the Sunday Sermon at Bluff Park UMC.
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Jun 13, 2022
God Reaches Out First – Rev. Ross Furio
God reaches out first with his grace, and we can be a people who are living in that grace.
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Jun 12, 2022
Nonstop Thanksgiving – Rev. Mike Holly
Rev. Mike Holly preaches the Sunday Sermon at Bluff Park UMC.
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Jun 6, 2022
Pentecost: Breath of God – Rev. Ross Furio
In Pentecost we celebrate the coming of the Spirit and the birth of the church, but we also discover the mission of that church.
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Jun 5, 2022
Pentecost – Rev. Mike Holly
We can try to be prepared for everything, but at some point, we will have to learn to face the future we get instead of the one we prepared for.
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May 30, 2022
Lead with Love – Rev. Ross Furio
Christians disagree with one another. Paul calls us to lead with love as engage with one another in moments of disagreement.
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May 29, 2022
Change: Good or Bad – Tina Hardy
Change is not good or bad. It is inevitable. How we deal with change is part of our witness as Christians.
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May 23, 2022
It’s Not Fair – Rev. Ross Furio
This parable forces us to see, no matter how uncomfortable it might make us, that God is a God of grace.
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May 22, 2022
What Is Fair? – Rev. Mike Holly
Maybe our jockeying for position in the church is irrelevant since we serve a God who is ready to bring us all into the family as equals.
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May 16, 2022
Parable of the Talents – Rev. Ross Furio
This parable begins with an abundant gift, and ends with anger when the master doesn't think his gift has been used wisely.
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May 15, 2022
Taking Care of the Talents – Rev. Mike Holly
God provides us with resources and calls us to be good stewards of them. This requires us to live out of faith and hope.
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May 9, 2022
The Good Samaritan – Rev. Mike Holly
Our neighbors are more than just the people who live very near to us, they are anyone in need in front of us, wherever we may find ourselves.
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May 8, 2022
The Good Samaritan – Rev. Julie Holly
Preaching on the story of the Good Samaritan this Sunday in Traditional Worship at Bluff Park UMC is Rev. Julie Holly.
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May 2, 2022
The Unmerciful Servant – Rev. Clay Farrington
In this challenging parable, Jesus wants us to consider what God's forgiveness should do to our lives and our hearts!
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May 1, 2022
The Unmerciful Servant – Rev. Mike Holly
What do we do with the threat of being judged for how we withhold mercy from others? Jesus confronts us with a difficult parable.
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Apr 25, 2022
Mustard Seed Faith – Rev. Scott Barnes
Mustard Seed Faith may start small, but it grows into a powerful force within our own hearts and has a growing impact on the world.
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Apr 24, 2022
Mustard Seed Faith – Rev. Mike Holly
A mustard seed is small, but it can grow into a sprawling bush. God is in charge of the faith growing within us, no matter how small it begins.
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Apr 18, 2022
Second Chances – Rev. Julie Holly
Even as we celebrate God giving us new life through Jesus, we are called also to participate in sharing the grace we receive.
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Apr 17, 2022
I Have Seen The Lord – Rev. Mike Holly
Mary Magdalene discovered the empty tomb and alerted the disciples. Mary comes back and encounters the risen Christ.
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Apr 11, 2022
Into Your Hands – Rev. Ross Furio
Listen this week as we finish up our series on Jesus' 7 words from the cross!
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Apr 10, 2022
Into Your Hands, I Commend My Spirit – Rev. Mike Holly
Jesus places himself in God's hands - hands he knows are good, safe, and faithful.
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Apr 4, 2022
Thirst – Rev. Ross Furio
We reflect on those thirsts of the soul, and give thanks for the living water we have in Jesus.
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Apr 3, 2022
I Thirst – Rev. Mike Holly
Jesus has a spiritual thirst for the will of God and the victory that is coming.
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Mar 28, 2022
Family – Rev. Ross Furio
Jesus speaks from the cross and we find the charge for the first community of Christian believers to exist post resurrection.
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Mar 27, 2022
Woman, Here Is Your Son – Rev. Mike Holly
A church is a gathering of followers who worship together and who take care of one another. Jesus created a family and the church!
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Mar 21, 2022
What Now? – JT Mercer
JT tells the story of Daniel's friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and reminds us that God is always with us no matter what.
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Mar 20, 2022
My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me? – Rev. Mike Holly
Our God knows what it means to suffer and to feel forsaken. No matter what we may feel in this life, God has walked in our shoes.
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Mar 14, 2022
With Me In Paradise – Rev. Mike Holly
No matter who you are, we are all remembered by Jesus. And we can have the gift of God's presence and hope today.
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Mar 13, 2022
Today – Rev. Ross Furio
Jesus doesn't deserve what is happening to him, while the criminal is reaping what he sowed. Jesus offers him hope!
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Mar 7, 2022
Father, Forgive Them – Rev. Ross Furio
We are all in need of forgiveness and we are also called to be a people that forgive like Jesus.
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Mar 6, 2022
Father, Forgive Them – Rev. Mike Holly
What does forgiveness look like and why is it so very important for us to live with intentionality?
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Feb 28, 2022
Lazarus – Rev. Ross Furio
Jesus encounter a bunch of folks who are grieving and weeping - and he wept. Emmanuel, God with us, even in the weeping.
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Feb 27, 2022
Lazarus, Come Out – Rev. Mike Holly
Raising Lazarus from the dead invites us to believe that the impossible is possible when God is at work and when Jesus is with us.
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Feb 21, 2022
The Blind Man – Rev. Ross Furio
Jesus healed a blind man and he told his story to others. Are we willing to tell our own stories of how Christ has transformed our lives?
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Feb 20, 2022
Blind No More – Rev. Dr. Rick Owen
Jesus restores the blind man's sight, but people around him, Pharisees and the man's parents, do not "see" the miracle. Do you see the signs of Jesus at work?
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Feb 14, 2022
Walking on Water – Rev. Ross Furio
Regardless of what you are facing, whether it is a big storm or a small storm, Jesus is there in the boat to calm the storm and get you to the other side.
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Feb 13, 2022
Walking on the Water – Rev. Mike Holly
Regardless of what you are facing, whether it is a big storm or a small storm, Jesus is there in the boat to calm the storm and get you to the other side.
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Feb 7, 2022
How Far Will It Go? – Rev. Mike Holly
What are the needs of others in our community and what do we have that can make a difference?
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Feb 6, 2022
Expecting Abundance – Rev. Ross Furio
What are the needs of others in our community and what do we have that can make a difference?
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Jan 31, 2022
The Question – Rev. Ross Furio
He sought to be healed for 38 years and no one would help him get to the pool. Do you want to be healed?
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Jan 30, 2022
Healed After 38 Years – Rev. Mike Holly
He sought to be healed for 38 years and no one would help him get to the pool. Jesus came on a sabbath and healed him.
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Jan 24, 2022
Signs and Wonders – Rev. Ross Furio
Jesus is approached by a royal official with a sick son. He heals him from a distance speaking only words and the son is healed.
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Jan 23, 2022
Signs and Wonders – Rev. Mike Holly
Jesus is approached by a royal official with a sick son. He heals him from a distance speaking only words and the son is healed.
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Jan 17, 2022
The Wedding at Cana – Rev. Ross Furio
When the wine runs out at the multiday wedding feast, Jesus turns six large jars of water into wine.
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Jan 16, 2022
The Wedding at Cana – Rev. Mike Holly
When the wine runs out at the multiday wedding feast, Jesus turns six large jars of water into wine.
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Jan 10, 2022
God’s Chosen One – Rev. Ross Furio
John the Baptist's report of what happened at the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River to help us set the stage for how Jesus was revealed to John.
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Jan 9, 2022
God’s Chosen One – Rev. Mike Holly
John the Baptist's report of what happened at the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River to help us set the stage for how Jesus was revealed to John.
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Nov 23, 2021
Living a Good Story
Explore how we can share our own stories and demonstrate vulnerability as we set our own lives as an example for others to follow on the pathway to deeper growth.
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Nov 17, 2021
Stay Grounded
It's all too easy to lose momentum, or even get lost along the way, trying to lead others. Paul recommends that Timothy stay grounded so that he can serve faithfully and effectively. How can remaining grounded help us as we seek to grow deeper?
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Nov 3, 2021
Is It Right To Be Angry
Jonah's anger prevents him from growing and seeing the truth about himself. God asks Jonah the question that we need to ask ourselves: "Is it right for you to be angry?"
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Oct 27, 2021
The Bare Minimum
Jonah shows up in Nineveh, but he doesn’t seem to do or say all that God asked of him. Are we sometimes like Jonah - doing the bare minimum of what God asks us to do?
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Oct 20, 2021
The Turn Around
Jonah flees from God’s call only to find himself causing harm to others in the process. Turning around can not only bring us closer to God’s will for our lives, but it can also bring blessings to others.
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Oct 13, 2021
Ready To Run
At first Jonah runs away from the very opportunity to grow in his understanding of God and in his service to God. Explore why Jonah fled and why God desires to see him in the first place.
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Oct 6, 2021
Just Do It
Ready, aim, fire! It's time to to start building new habits. Starting growth-oriented habits often means saying no to old, unproductive habits. But, there is also a need to continually evaluate if our habits are moving us towards growth.
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Sep 29, 2021
Habits Over Goals
Habits are the key! Goals orient us towards our destination, while habits are the small practices that get us from point A to point B. Without habits, goals are just dreams, and growth becomes harder to achieve.
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Sep 22, 2021
Be Your Own Prophet
Explore the steps of a Growth Plan of Attack (GPA) by looking at the Old Testament prophets as guides to honestly evaluating where we are now as well as dreaming about how and where we want or need to grow.
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Sep 15, 2021
Just One Thing
Taking your first step towards growth - even when you don't know where to start. You don't have to design a complex growth plan in order to start a journey towards important changes in your life.
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Sep 2, 2021
Stillness, Pain, and Love
This auto-biographical episode gives insight into Mike and Ross encountered opportunities for growing deeper in their own lives through seasons of being still, being confronted by pain, and in times of willingly moving forward out of love.
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Aug 25, 2021
Start At The Very Beginning
Mike and Ross talk about how they have missed the mark in helping everyone grow, they talk about a possible road map to growth, and how we can all be a people that are intentionally continuing to grow deeper in faith.
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