Unapologetically Free | Chris Romine
Guest preacher Chris Romine from Common Ground NYC continued our "Unapologetically Us" series with the topic "Unapologetically Free." To travel with the Spirit of God the way Jesus did, is to be drawn into places we could not have expected, around people we did not know, doing work we could not have anticipated, and having thoughts that might surprise us. To walk in the Jesus tradition is to cultivate a wild, unbridled will to seek collective freedom & enough imagination to settle for nothing less than that. For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
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Unapologetically Affirming | Makenzie Gomez
Makenzie Gomez continues our “Unapologetically Us” series with the topic “Unapologetically Affirming”. Makenzie draws from Acts 8, when Philip meets the Ethiopian Eunuch. What can we learn from their interaction? How is Philip showing us what it means to listen and be open to questioning? In this message on NYC Pride Sunday, Makenzie encourages us to consider how to shift our allyship from passive to active, and celebrates the affirming faith our community has come to know.
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Unapologetically Wondering | Rev. Josh Lee
Here's the start of our new sermon series, "Unapologetically Us". Rev. Josh Lee explores Jesus's habit of asking questions instead of providing straightforward answers. Jesus both engages people with questions who would have never engaged him and engages with people's questions who approach him.
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Sharing the Spirit in Community | Rev. Venida Rodman Jenkins
The power of the Holy Spirit is at work right now revealing the truth that we all can be recipients of the deep, passionate, and fierce love of God. God’s strong and loving arms continue to draw us in, and assure us that no one is left behind.
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Whispers of the Spirit | Rev. Josh Lee
The Holy Spirit calls upon us throughout life, yet, how often are we receptive to the whisper? Some may think they are not worthy to be addressed by the God they've come to know, so they sink away from those fleeting moments. Others know so little that they miss it. In this Sermon, Rev. Josh unpacks an inspiring story from Acts 8, when one of the shunned of society, The Ethiopian Eunuch, bravely follows the whisper.
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What Is The Holy Spirit? | Rev Venida Rodman Jenkins
Here is Rev. Venida sharing the opening sermon in Forefront's new series, The Holy Spirit and You. She provides insight on who the Holy Spirit is and how her fruit manifests itself in our lives.
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A GenderFULL God | Panel Discussion
We wrapped up our GenderFULL God series with a panel discussion with fellow Forefronters hosted by Rev. Josh Lee. The panel discussed how tradition, experience, reason, and Scripture have all informed how they each see God.
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God as She | Rev. Venida Rodman Jenkins
Could it Be That God is She? For so long we have only considered a masculine God with male pronouns. What is the impact on women and nonbinary folx who don't identify with masculinity or male pronouns? If we were all created in the image of God, then how can we be more inclusive in our references to God?
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God as They | Kai (Sarah) Ngu
Gender is one of many categories that we deploy to organize society and create order. We demand, thus, that people who don't fit into categories neatly explain themselves, justify themselves. But as Christians we worship a God who doesn't fit into categories and refuses to justify Themselves. Listen to former Forefront Community Director, Kai (Sarah) Ngu (they/them), as they speak about "God as They" in our GenderFULL sermon series.
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God as He | Rev. Josh Lee
In this opening week of the series we are invited to see God beyond cultural or biblical views of masculinity that change and differ over time; but instead to see God with a broader lens that draws from Scripture, tradition, reason and experiences. God is not and was not limited to Christ’s body. God manifests Gods self in both Christ's body while also doing so through the spirit, through creation, and through us humans who reflect the diversity and expansiveness of the imago dei... image of God!
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The Birthplace of Joy | Rev. Josh Lee
Watch Rev. Josh Lee preach on Easter Sunday 2022. Easter is a weird day because it’s filled with both grief and joy. Grief as a consequence of unnecessary government-sanctioned violence and joy, that death and violence won't have the last word. It’s because Mary stayed at the tomb with her grief… and wasn’t quick to rush home with the others that Mary is the first to see the risen Christ and experiences her sadness turned to joy.
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Peace Not Warfare | Rev. Venida Rodman Jenkins
Jesus Christ has come and provided access to the Kingdom of God to all! Palm Sunday sermon with Rev. Venida Rodman Jenkins.
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In and Through Grief | Rev. Venida Rodman Jenkins
Mental health has been at the center of conversation for the past two years. So many people have experienced loss and host of unexpected feelings and emotions over the past two years. It is important that we express ourselves, and not suppress our feelings which will help release the pain. Preacher: Rev. Venida Rodman Jenkins.
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Jesus, did you just spit on me? | Sermon | Rev Josh Lee
Jesus encounters one man who’s born blind and gives him sight by spitting in the dirt and rubbing mud in his eyes. Jesus was operating at a time when being disabled meant being poor, unemployed, and excluded from mainstream society. What if Jesus didn’t pity this mans differently abled status, but he pitied the way society excluded and looked down upon him?
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Never Alone | Sermon | Makenzie Gomez
The notion of "you’re never alone when you have Jesus in your heart" can feel dismissive of the real life pain and loneliness that comes with being in the wilderness. We have to endure Lent before Easter comes. What complex discoveries can we find when we acknowledge the nuance along the way? Watch Makenzie Gomez, Executive Producer speak about never being alone.
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Born Again 2.0 | Sermon | Rev. Venida Rodman Jenkins
It's time to reframe Scripture that has been used to serve as the foundation for a belief system that would cause us to be accepted or rejected by God. We're advocating for a more inclusive Gospel and this is truly Good News. Watch Rev. Venida Rodman Jenkins speak about Scriptural Interpretation, in "Born Again 2.0".
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Restructuring Our Faith | Sermon | Rev. Josh Lee
We aren’t the first generation to deconstruct or recover from church trauma… this has been apart of our human life cycle forever! In this sermon, Rev. Josh Lee focuses specifically on the wilderness season that Peter and the disciples found themselves in after Jesus death… full of questions, doubt, regret, uncertainty, perhaps certain of what they didn’t believe but unsure of what they do believe. Sunday we will glean from our ancestors on how they navigated reconstructing their faith after it all came crashing down.
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Humility Through Diversity | Sermon | Rev. Venida Rodman Jenkins
Our different perspectives and backgrounds allow us to practice cultural humility where we are able to self reflect, value each other's culture, and develop mutually beneficial relationships all through the love of Christ. Watch Rev. Venida Rodman Jenkins in this final sermon in our series "The Wander Years".
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Thirst & Extravagance | Sermon | Rev. Josh Lee
Jesus experienced hunger and temptation during his time in the wilderness. Our wilderness experiences can be times of testing and preparation as the Holy Spirit leads us through various seasons of our lives. It's important to be patient through the process. Watch Rev. Venida Rodman Jenkins speak about the positive sides of being in the wilderness for a while.
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A season of preparation | Rev. Venida Rodman Jenkins
Jesus experienced hunger and temptation during his time in the wilderness. Our wilderness experiences can be times of testing and preparation as the Holy Spirit leads us through various seasons of our lives. It's important to be patient through the process. Watch Rev. Venida Rodman Jenkins speak about the positive sides of being in the wilderness for a while.
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