Zao MKE Church

Party People: unFashionably Late

What happens when someone is late to the party?

 

Liberation for all is the theme of the kingdom party, so when someone shows up late, it usually means they have a history of participating in harm. Are we ready to receive folks who truly repent of supremacy culture and oppression? Or are we unwilling to throw them the party that scripture says they (and we) deserve?

Party People: Presence

Party planning: stressful nightmare or gratifying project?

 

For some of us, the fun is in the prep work - planning everything just so, imagining how it all will go, and providing the perfect environment for the people we love. For others, all the pressure and details become awful distractions, keeping us from truly enjoying the celebration.

 

What does any of this have to do with Jesus? No matter how you prepare, we’re all called to be fully present (alive, even!) to the party atmosphere, to the love that surrounds us, and to Jesus who is at the heart of every good party. Lean in, because this party is just getting warmed up!

Party People: Love Feast

Why is gathering to eat so important to following Jesus, and what can we do to add more love (and more feasting!) to our faith lives?

 

The Bible contains instructions for all kinds of feasts and festivals, but one stands out for followers of Jesus - the communion meal. In the early days of the church, this was not just wafers and a sip of wine, but a lavish meal called a Love Feast.

 

Come learn why that was so important then, and how we can build love feasting back into our faith and our community.

Party People: Party Tricks

Jesus once turned water into wine just to keep the party going - was this just a neat trick or is there something holy going on? Let's dig into the wedding that Jesus didn't want to end and talk about how joy is creative, communal, and exponentially grown.

Party People

Faith can seem serious and somber sometimes, but following Jesus leads us to eat, drink, and party hard more than you would think. This spring, embrace your inner party animal as we discover why the good news is worth celebrating!

Torn: A New Thing

After harm, the ultimate goal is not reconciliation. God is actually doing a New Thing in us - not just restoring the status quo, but transforming systems and relationships into something more holy, more just, and more whole.

Torn: Forgiveness

Which is harder - to give forgiveness or receive it?

Torn: Return To Love

When we hear the word "repent" do we think of love? Or do we think of judgment, rejection, or even hate?

Let's take a deeper look at the idea of repentance and see if there is Good News here for us as we seek love, healing, and justice.

Torn: When Sin Goes Viral

Some sins seem to take on a life of their own as individual choices add up to systems and structures of evil. There comes a tipping point where these structures take on a life of their own, newly replicating themselves beyond the control of any one person. We call this corporate sin - the sins of collective or communal harm.

 

Corporate sin is a major emphasis of the scriptures, in which the prophets frequently call on whole cities to repent. So why do our modern conversations about sin always center the individual? And how are we called to repent from communal sins that feel so beyond our control?

Torn: Deadly

Why are some sins - the seven deadly sins, the ten commandments, sins related to sex - highlighted above all others? Are all sins the same or are some worse? And if some are worse, are they the ones we hear most about?