The holidays promise tradition and predictability—until real life intervenes. Missed plans, unexpected news, shifting schedules. Christmas, it turns out, has always been organized chaos with pretty lights.

Mary and Joseph had good plans. Simple plans. And then God disrupted them in ways they never expected. What looked like disaster was actually divine.

This message explores how God often uses disruption not as punishment, but as invitation—reminding us that His sovereignty is greater than our schedules, and that sometimes the interruption is exactly where Emmanuel—God with us—meets us.

Christmas begins with a manger, a small town, and night-shift shepherds — a reminder that God doesn’t avoid the ordinary; He fills it. Jesus steps into everyday life so that the routines we overlook become places of worship. If your life feels simple or unnoticed, the Christmas story was written with you in mind.

Thankfulness isn’t just a polite nod — it’s a spiritual power move. When we practice gratitude, it reshapes our worship, rewires our thinking, fuels generosity, and strengthens our faith even in the hardest seasons. Join us as we explore how thanksgiving can move from a once-a-year holiday to a daily lifestyle that transforms how we see God, ourselves, and the world around us.

In No One Standing Alone: Walking Together in the Good and Bad, we’re reminded that real community isn’t just about attending church or joining a group—it’s about showing up when life happens. God designed us for connection, not isolation. Whether celebrating victories, carrying one another’s burdens, handling conflict with grace, or offering encouragement when it’s needed most, life together reflects the heart of Jesus. When we choose presence over perfection and love over convenience, people don’t just hear about Jesus—they see Him in us. This week, take one step toward someone else. Celebrate, listen, forgive, and encourage. No one should have to stand alone.

In a world that makes isolation easy and connection optional, this message — Deepening Communitas — calls us back to the heart of what it means to be the Church: a family formed by grace, shaped by love, and sent with purpose. Drawing from Scripture and real-life reflection, it explores how authentic community begins with Christ, grows through intentional relationships, deepens through mutual transformation, strengthens through shared mission, and is empowered by the Holy Spirit. More than just attending church, we’re invited to be the Church — a people whose love for one another becomes a living testimony to the world that Jesus is real.

In this message, Pastor Jim shared how conflict, when handled biblically, can actually strengthen relationships rather than break them. Drawing from Matthew 18, he reminded us that Jesus calls us to be direct, honest, and redemptive in our conversations—going to the person, not around them. Using humor and insight from Ann Garrido’s Redeeming Conflict, he illustrated how we often fall into the roles of Victim, Villain, or Rescuer, and how Christ invites us instead to approach one another with humility, courage, and grace. When we follow His pattern, even friction can become a tool for deeper fellowship and spiritual growth.