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Join us at Boise First United Church of Christ, a progressive Christian community, as we explore faith, justice, and the ways God is at work in our lives and the world around us. Each episode features an inspiring message with spiritual reflections and practical applications to our lives today. Whether you’re seeking encouragement, connection, or a deeper understanding of what it means to live a faith-filled, inclusive life, this podcast is for you.
21 Episodes
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This week we had the honor to have our Pastoral Intern, Laura preach. During this second week of Lent, we are asked to continue thinking of what we want to let go but also want to cultivate. Laura is letting go of sin and cultivating repentance. Repentance is a word that is so often used against people, but doesn't have to be.
As we enter this first Sunday of Lent, we consider what we need to let go but also what we want to cultivate this season. We look at three temptations that Jesus goes through while wandering the forest, and compare it to what temptations may be in our own lives. May we all understand we are loved and beloved in our lives.
As we gather on Mardi-Gras Sunday, it is also Transfiguration Sunday. As we look at the Apostle's Creed, Jesus' life is reduced to a comma, focusing on his birth and death but not his life. But, in one of the stories that is about his life we look at Mark 9:2-8. Jesus takes some of his disciples on top of a mountain and transfigures in front of them. This divine moment must have seemed unreal but could not have been clear. We are asked to consider how our own mountain-top moments can be serene but also messy.
As we gather on this Sunday, we look at political idolatry in the Bible. We are are asked to consider how we can cultivate community with each other, including "the least of these" and not leave everything up to the government. We remember the Holocaust this Sunday and think about how idolatry had an effect on Germany.
As we enter our second week of our series on confronting Christian Nationalism, we look at Matthew 22:34-40 which asks us to love God and love your neighbor as you love yourself. Looking at the state of our country, these teachings have fallen to the side. During these troubling times, we are invited to learn how to better love ourselves, neighbors, God, and live out the teachings of Jesus.
This Christmas Eve, we remember Jesus's birth. We are asked to consider how this day was probably far from quiet and perfect, but loud and messy. There was probably a lot of fear in Mary and Joseph as Mary was giving birth in a random city in the middle of their journey home. But, even though it was a scary time, they still had hope for their newborn child.
45% of Americans believe that America should be a Christian nation. This week, we consider how Christian Nationalism has shaped our country, and what we can do to help fix it. As we enter the second week of epiphany, Reverend Josh asks us to pray for an epiphany for our nation.
As we remember our own and Christ's baptism, we are asked to re-consider what we stand for. Baptism is both private and communal, and we are reminded that we are all part of something much bigger.
This week we are asked to consider what Jesus did in his day to day to create peace and hope, and what we do everyday to cultivate his message of love. This season can be difficult for some, but we are here to remind you that you are not alone. God is there with us, in small, quiet ways. We are invited to continue showing up, and loving, even in the difficult times.
This Sunday we had the gift of having Laura, our Pastoral Intern, preach the sermon. During the start of this Advent season, we are invited to consider where we find hope. Advent is a season of waiting and unknowing, how might you find God's presence in the anticipation?
This week, Reverend Josh shares his thoughts on the question; "Why does God allow suffering, evil, and injustice in the world?" We are asked to consider even though God does not inflict the pain, but he gives it meaning and purpose in order to transform us. God gives us the tools to be able to deal with the suffering we endure.
"What do we believe about Jesus' death if penal substitution isn't it?" This question was posed to Reverend Josh. This week he shares his thoughts and opinions about Jesus' death on the cross. There are a lot of ways to interpret the death on the cross, and every one is valid. We are invited to consider his resurrection, not literally, but as a metaphor for all the people after Jesus who helps to spread the word.
On this fourth Sunday of our Stewardship Series, we are asked how we can fund restoration by trying something different. Living in a consumeristic culture, it is difficult to consider our abundance in our own money stories. We are asked to listen to God on how we can feed God's sheep. Look at your own "pocket-sized" moments in your life and see where you can care for your neighbors.
On our third week of our Stewardship Series, we reimagine a new world where everyone have what they need, no one if left behind. Josh discusses how Boise First and the whole community provided aid to people during cold nights, which became Interfaith Sanctuary. We are asked to consider how we can help, not just to the church but to our community outside the church as well.
Continuing our stewardship series, we consider not only how we can give financially, but also donate our time and talent. This week we are asked to think about release and how this can change our personal relationship to money. Consider where you can spend some, save some, and give some.
Everyone's relationship to money is different, and it can be a difficult thing to think and talk about. In our stewardship series, we invite you to reflect on your relationship to money and consider how God will provide for you. This week we dive into Exodus 16, that teaches us a lesson about greed and shows us how God will provide.
This week we had the enormous honor of welcoming back Dr. Rev. Nancy Taylor, who was Boise First's Minister in the 90's. Prayer is for everyone, and Taylor invites us to wonder how prayer can be impactful for you. There is no dollar value on prayer, so where does it belong in the 21st century?
If Jesus needed prayer, what does that mean for us? In this sermon we explore why Jesus prayed and how his example invites us into prayer that's honest, grounding, and transformative. Whether your prayers are silent, sung, or full of questions, they matter. Because for Jesus, prayer wasn't performance, it was presence.
Joy and struggle often live side by side. In this episode, we hear from our Pastoral Intern, Laura and how she uses prayer in her life. She explores how prayer creates space helping us stay grounded, open, and connected to God, even when joy feels distant.
What if prayer isn’t about changing God, but about changing us? In this episode, we dive into how prayer shifts the atmosphere—bringing hope, connection, and compassion into our lives and communities. Join us as we explore the power of honest, vulnerable prayer and how it can open our hearts to God’s presence and action.
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