As we step into a new year at The Oceanside Sanctuary and a renewed vision and mission, you are invited to lean into community and help us cultivate a Christian spirituality “reclaiming its calling to be known for love, liberation, and the celebration of God’s image in all people.”
Hi Lisa, Honestly, in our church we don’t place much emphasis on the afterlife. We are much more concerned with how being Christian leads us to live good and ethical lives of impact here and now.
The possibility of an afterlife was a subject of much debate in the Judaism of Jesus’ time. In fact, Old Testament prophesies about the “new creation” don’t describe an eternal state of living forever, but rather an idyllic life lived on earth…one which eventually ends in death. Consider this passage from Isaiah…
Hi Jordan,
Our church doesn’t have a position on this, but I’m definitely not a fan of the doctrine of Eternal Conscious Torment in hell. The idea that God would inflict an eternity of torture on anyone – even the worst among us – seems entirely antithetical to the revelation of God’s true nature in the person of Jesus Christ.
Christ did refer to a final judgement in several times, most vividly in Matthew 25:31-46. In that passage, Christ warns that those who fail to help the poor, the sick, and the imprisoned will face…
The Oceanside Sanctuary is a Congregational church. That means two things: Primarily, it means that rather than being governed by our denomination, we govern ourselves as an independent congregation. As a church, we are accountable to our denomination in many ways, but we make our own decisions about how to run our church…
Dear friends,
Last year we learned what it means to be on a journey. In the first-half of last year, we explored the journey of faith that Abram began thousands of years ago; an old story that is a deep source of nourishment for Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike. Then, at the end of last year, we studied what it means to follow Jesus on his journey, to live out his teachings through our everyday walk of faith.
We also spent time last year exploring our church’s values, hopes, and dreams, through a series of prayer meetings, brainstorming sessions, and visits to other churches, nonprofits, and businesses. Through these Mission Team travels, we explored what different forms of Christian mission could look like today.
Last January, our church to a leap of faith to start our own little food pantry right here in the heat of Oceanside, called Sarah’s Hope.
Your support of this program has been incredible! Many of you stepped up, giving your time and money to help launch this important program to feed hungry families in our neighborhood. As a result, 9 months later, we are feeding between 100 and 150 people every week with non-perishable groceries, fresh produce and baked goods, thanks to God’s grace, your selfless service, and our partnerships with Feeding America San Diego and Gelson’s Market.
Dear friends,
I’ve always loved road trips.
Early morning departures when the sky is still dark. Powdered Donettes, Nacho Doritos, and gas station coffee. Long stretches of the California desert, painted by the sunrise, scrolling past my window.
But the best part are the roadside attractions. Pop-up shops selling beads and moccasins. Burned-out husks of by-gone watering holes. Baker, California and the World’s Tallest Thermometer. Alien Beef Jerky.
Sometimes those stops-along-the-way are just what the doctor ordered. A chance to re-fuel, shake off the dust, and wake-up a bit from your road-slumber. Other times, especially at the end of a long trip, the compulsive stopping-and-starting become roadside distractions, a symptom of the weariness of travel that can actually drag out your trip far longer than necessary.
Hello friends,
If you like to read as much as I do, you’re probably always on the lookout good reading lists. Below are a few of my recommendations. Some are easier, some are harder. Feel free to pick and choose according to your interests. And if you do read any of these books, don’t forget to tell me your thoughts!
In December I wrote that with Advent we had begun the Christian New Year. Since then, we have experienced the power and drama of the gospel story through our celebrations of Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and finally Pentecost – the birth of the church.
That is precisely what we are experiencing at First Christian Church: a kind of new birth.
