This Sunday we’ll be exploring the Advent theme of love. The word advent simply means “arrival.” So in the Christian tradition the celebration of Advent is about the arrival of the promised Messiah, Jesus, God’s Son. The Advent season also hints at the second arrival of Christ that will happen in the future (maybe in our lifetime!). 

Happy Thanksgiving Ren Church family and friends! 

My hope is that you might find the time to read and reflect on these thoughts before heading into the activities of the day. My aim is to stir gratitude. Now, there are thousands upon thousands of things to be grateful for: breath, life, health, food, shelter, loved ones, sausage stuffing, sunshine, a bed to sleep in, heat, good books, coffee, the stars in the sky, a dog. I’m sure we could each make a long list of specific things we are thankful for. What I want to remind you of is perhaps the greatest of all things to be thankful for—the gospel message. 

The Lord has been moving at Ren and in the city. I believe it’s more than just the excitement of the pandemic fading and being able to gather in-person again. The pandemic season has tested God’s people to the core. It’s been a sort of wilderness experience. We’ve been isolated and the “rains” have been withheld for a time. All this hardship has not been in vain though. The Lord has been humbling and breaking us; He’s been preparing us. Hosea 10:12 comes to mind:

As we emerge out of the long wintery pandemic and into this new season of renewal, my heart is bursting with hope. It’s been wonderful to see so many people returning to Sunday gatherings, as well as seeing new people who recently moved to the area. It’s not just the influx of people that is exciting, but it’s the atmosphere of expectancy and joy. The presence of God has been palpable in our midst. Mission initiatives are in full swing. Small communities are developing in various geographic locations. God is on the move!  

With this blizzard upon us it seems wise to take a snow day tomorrow. Even though the forecast for Sunday is sunny, the issue is snow removal. Some of us may need to spend hours just getting out of our driveways. It’s also hard to predict if the roads will be clear in the morning given the amount of snow as well as worker shortages. The parking lots at the church are not ours so we aren’t certain they would even be usable. It’s a good day to stay home, stay safe, and stay warm.

Hello Ren family!

Since many of you are traveling and were not able to attend the Christmas Eve service, I thought you might be blessed to read my Christmas Eve letter on this Christmas Day.

As we roll into the end of this difficult year my heart is heavy thinking about all that God’s people have suffered. Some have lost loved ones to Covid. Some have been diagnosed with cancer or are fighting serious physical issues. Some have had crushing experiences of anxiety and depression. Some have fallen back into old sins. People we know have overdosed. Many have scattered from the church.

It’s a strange time to pastor.

Hello Ren Family!

It’s been a while since I’ve written. Perhaps I’m feeling some writing fatigue. I’ve written so much in 2021: sermons, newsletters, 100 daily devotionals, 34 mission letters, and thousands of emails and texts. This doesn’t include my almost daily habit of writing prayers and reflections each morning for several hours. Good thing I enjoy writing!

As we come in for a landing at the end of 2021, many of us are feeling a sense of spiritual and physical exhaustion. My guess is that very few of us are feeling the magic and wonder of the Christmas season.

As we communicated yesterday, there will be no in-person service and no livestream today because of the weather. I hope everyone is in a safe place. Below is the guided prayer experience I promised to provide to help you make the most of your quiet at-home sabbath day.

Hello Ren Family!

Happy New Year !!!!!!! I’m so excited to put 2020 behind us and enter this new year. The 100 Days of Pursuit initiative is in full swing—and so many good things have already happened through this intensified effort to get close to the Lord! Even though it officially started on January 1st you can jump in any time you are ready. You can make it a 90-day pursuit. :) The content that I’m putting out each morning at 4am is also posted on the 100 Days section of our website. If you want to receive the daily emails you can do that through the website or just click here. I’ve really been seeking hard after the Lord to get a fresh word (fresh bread) daily. It’s a challenge, but I’m loving it.

Think about the state of the world 2000 years ago. Spiritual darkness covered the earth like a heavy blanket. Most humans were utterly estranged from the Creator. Though God created humans, they did not seek God, honor God or love Him. They broke his laws. In exchange for the true God they fashioned their own gods to suit their sinful desires. Though the Creator gave breath to all and was the author of all blessings and pleasures humans enjoyed, well, they shut him out.

Starting January 1st we will begin something we are calling "100 Days of Pursuit." I’ll be sharing more in later emails but I want to give you a little now just so you can be thinking and preparing.

Dear Ren Family,

We have passed the tipping point of being able to gather safely on Sundays. Effective immediately we will have online services only. It’ll be recorded and streamed live at 11am as we’ve been doing. We plan to do this till January and then evaluate.

Hi Ren family. I imagine many of you have listened to one or more of the governor’s recent updates on Covid. Restrictions are getting tighter as the numbers have skyrocketed back up higher than ever. I heard that neighboring Massachusetts has also tightened restrictions. We decided to drop our max capacity down to 60 each week instead of 100 to ensure ample distancing.

Why is this happening?

You’re probably wondering why—if God is in control—all this is happening in our world. It’s as if the whole planet has been confronted with their mortality. Our normal way of life has been restricted in numerous ways and there still isn’t clear light at the end of the tunnel. What is God doing? With Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up, many of us mourn that our holiday traditions won’t happen this year. Some of us have become extremely isolated and feel like the walls are closing in; the busyness of life has ceased and days have become long and lonely. Some have vocations that have kept you busier than usual and your trials have been of a different sort. But I think we all are experiencing this strange darkness over the earth. I want to share with you what I believe God is doing in His people during this challenging season.

Dear Ren Family,

As one who grew up in New England I have memories of learning about the early pilgrim settlers. They sailed across the Atlantic on the dangerous seas and settled in a place far away from the resources of England. What was especially difficult was the New England winters. They had to fight against the cold and they didn’t exactly have grocery stores to acquire food. Winter illnesses took many lives. Over time, they adapted by canning food and curing meats; they made warmer clothing and shelter. They learned how to prepare for winter.

I recently heard a statistic that when the pandemic started (March) that a huge percentage of pastors—including myself!—believed that the pandemic would spark a turning to Christ and a wave of numerical growth in the churches. The thought was that the hardships would drive people to their knees. That the sickness and death of so many would awaken people to the brevity of life and put in them a hunger to be reconciled to God.

All Ren small groups are taking a pause for a couple weeks and the next cycle begins the third week in September through to December. Most of the groups will continue with the same leaders and formats but there will be some changes. For example, some groups will physically gather at the church building in the sanctuary. The way that will work is everyone attending will enter the building with masks. Once seated in the circle, at a proper social distance (6 feet), masks will be dropped. Exiting the building masks will be worn.

Hi Ren Church family!

This Sunday I’m going to be talking about the thing that has caused more ruin than perhaps any other thing. It has destroyed marriages, friendships, churches, companies, music groups and entire nations. It is the reason for violence and has led to hundreds of thousands of people being slaughtered in battle. Many people are in prison for life because of this thing. When this thing manifests it can be like shrapnel that wounds everyone in proximity.

Hi Ren Family!

Last Sunday was pretty sweet with about 50 gathered. It feels a little like the early days of planting a church. But then I remember that most of you are watching from home. The livestream worked well and it was exciting to all be together for Sunday worship through technology! I’m so grateful for the production team led by Shayna, Carlos and Alli, who have made this possible. We have such an amazing church community!

Hi Ren Family!

Last Sunday was our reopening service and we had about 50 people. It felt very safe for the most part. The one thing I noticed that I wanted to mention is the importance of wearing masks properly. It seems that some people had them only over the mouth and not the nose. Some masks don’t fit great so when you start talking they slide off of the nose. So make sure you find a mask that works well for you.

Hi Ren Family,

I just wanted to take a few moments to update you on plans to reopen and other important details.

There is a very special online event happening tonight 7pm (June 20th) hosted by the Gospel Coalition called “A Night of Lament for Racial Justice”. This would be an excellent way to get closer to God’s heart in these matters of racial justice.

Hello Ren Family,

Last Sunday I shared my heart regarding the recent incidents of police violence against people of color. From what I can tell, the response has been very positive. I received more emails, texts, social media comments in the last week probably than any other week of my life. I’m encouraged by that and feel hopeful that change is in the air!

Dear Ren family and friends,

My heart has been heavy all week following everything happening in our nation. Another innocent black man was killed by police. Riots are happening and small businesses are being destroyed. Looting. Violence against police. Violence against protesters. Scathing political conflicts on social media related to what’s happening. Christians are divided. It’s hard to take it all in.

Note: this letter was sent out to the Ren Core (Membership).

What we are seeing this week in America and around the world is historic. The merciless killing of Mr. Floyd—as you’ve likely seen with your own eyes on video—has become what some are calling “strike three”. It is the “straw that broke the camel’s back”. The outrage is not merely over the blatant police brutality against this one man but it is the countless blacks who have been victimized by police in recent years. It is an outrage not just against the crimes against blacks that were exposed and went viral but it’s the thousands upon thousands of incidents that happen when no one is looking.

It’s been a couple weeks since I’ve written a newsletter. Sorry to disappear but I desperately needed some time off. Since the pandemic began I’ve been working (and thinking) at an unhealthy pace just wanting to pastor well through all this. As usual, this lifestyle of excessive mental work and no rest caught up to me and caused me to crash a bit. Some of you have been worried about me. Thanks for worrying! I’m taking it slower and feeling much better. Each day my strength seems to be increasing. But please continue to pray for me.

Hello Ren family and friends!

What a beautiful service last week featuring about a dozen Ren people who each made home videos as a way to minister to us. I was so refreshed by it. I was overwhelmed with gratitude for the many amazing people who are part of the Ren church family. If you missed the online service you can still access it on the homepage of our website.

Hello Ren family!

This Sunday you are in for a special treat as you’ll hear from about a dozen Ren folks who have put together short home videos to inspire and encourage the church. I’m especially excited about this because I’m tired of watching so much of myself on Sundays. It’s like the “Scott show” :)

Hello Ren Family!

I am at my office and just finished the final piece for this Sunday’s service. Filming has been fun but is quite exhausting. We shot the worship Monday night. My sermon was Thursday and today I did the opening and closing pieces. I really hope everyone is encouraged by the service. I’m praying much that God would really move upon hearts as they watch.

Today, as many of you are, I’m working from home. My youngest daughter is also home because her college campus at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY) is closed. She’s continuing her architecture studies at home and attending classes through Zoom technology. I’m now sharing an office with my wife who is a photographer. With all three of us working here, the house, which is small, feels even smaller. But we are making it work. Our older daughter is living with friends in Providence and it’s been hard not seeing her as frequently as everyone is practicing “social distancing”. My wife and I have been trying to get fresh air daily by going for a walk by the ocean at Rocky Point. Sadly, since the parks are getting closed soon, this won’t be an option. I’m really missing my normal routine of gathering with the church, having people over for meals, going to restaurants and cafes and so on. It’s a daily fight to stay positive and productive.

I’m sitting in my office at the church as the sun is setting over the football field. It’s been a beautiful sunny day full of hope. The highlight for me was a Zoom video gathering with some of the local pastors for prayer. What a gift to connect with them and pour out our hearts in prayer for the people we have been entrusted to pastor.

Hello everyone! I have a million things to share but I’m going to try to share what’s most important. This pandemic is one of the strangest and most dramatic things I’ve ever seen in my 52 years of living. It is affecting the entire planet! Everyone has some sort of message about how we need to respond right now. The messages come from presidents and CEO’s and celebrities and NPR and pastors and Who leaders and the CDC experts and governors and mayors. We are told to stay calm, don’t panic, practice social distancing, flatten the curve, wash your hands and don’t touch your face. We are being instructed on how to stay connected through technology. Christians seem to be talking a lot about not being fearful.

If you didn’t get a chance to listen to the service from yesterday I want to strongly encourage you to. It can be found on the homepage of our website. It’s a message from Psalm 46 followed by some prayers from several of our leaders. I believe it will encourage you to not be afraid.

Many of you are probably asking questions about whether we will gather Sunday or not in view of the present pandemic. The governor of Rhode Island asked that all gatherings of 250+ be suspended for two weeks. In addition, Mayor Elorza asked for a ban on gatherings of 100+. In the spirit of cooperation with authority figures we have decided it’s best to suspend Sunday services for two weeks. Hopefully, we can resume meeting together by March 29th (3 weeks) but we cannot predict. Easter is April 12th so we are really hoping the suspension is lifted by then.

As most of you probably know, September is the month when we see an influx of visitors more than any other month of the year. Easter service is the day we see the most new faces but September is the greatest month. Part of the reason lies in the fact that our city is a college town and Ren has always been a church college students have chosen. So we will see college students streaming in. September is also a month when people get back into routines and into the habit of attending church. It’s also a time when people move to the city to start jobs. For all these reasons we will see a beautiful influx of new people at our gatherings in the coming weeks. This is always exciting!

Do you enjoy praying? Do you consider it one of your absolute favorite things to do? Do you enjoy gathering for prayer and worship? Pause before reading on and answer these questions honestly in your own heart.

Prayer has always been an important aspect of my life since I came to Christ in 1989 and throughout my ministry. Before we started Ren in 2003 countless hours were given to bathing the idea in prayer. In 2009 prayer deepened in my own life and began to overflow to the community. What I've observed in my life and the life of the church through the years is that prayer can be a little like the waters of the sea. At times it can be dead and other times there is rapid movement. It's up and down. It's a fight to maintain a strong passionate fiery prayer life. It seems like everything in our flesh, and in this present world and in the invisible demonic realms around us, is fighting to squelch the spirit of prayer within us. I'm feeling that resistance this week.

God is doing deep things in my heart in this season. I can feel a beautiful shift happening and an increase of hunger and thirst. I'm eager to go out into the deep waters of God. The picture that came to me recently was that we've been in shallow waters. Refreshing and real and good but shallow. And now God wants us to push out into the deep and envelop us with His glory. The plethora of promises of fullness and greater works and abundance are so alive to me right now. I just sense God drawing us into something greater.

For some time now I've been unsettled about the format of our mid-week gathering called Refresh.

What has been happening in recent days is absolutely appalling but not surprising. I think most of us are aware that racism is alive and well, not just in a small band of white supremacists, but in a significant portion of American society. I'm certain it has sunk into every human heart to some extent which is why we all need to constantly ask God to search our hearts. We should always be on the side of promoting justice and defending those who are being oppressed. It's our calling as followers of Jesus.

Have you ever noticed that love can grow cold? It can be like bread that is just so delicious and warm when it comes out of the oven but if you neglect it for a few weeks it will be stale and moldy. One of the greatest things we need from God is His love. I don't mean simply His love for us, but His love released within us so that we can love Him and others.

Starting this Sunday and through November we will be doing a special campaign to raise money for a much needed elevator lift at Ren. The installation of a lift is quite costly and the best quote we have gotten was still about $30,000 not including construction and electrical. I'd like to see us use our collective force of generosity and just whip this thing. As a community last year we raised $150,000 to make the overall renovation happen. Wow. Let's do it again this Fall with passion.

There's no question that in recent days the Lord has been stirring the church. Many have been breaking down and getting a fresh passion for Christ. The last few Sunday gatherings have been marked by the palpable presence of God. There have also been an unusually large number of people to the point that we are ordering more chairs. This is a wonderful problem to have!

This letter from Pastor Scott followed his sermon on September 20, 2015 from the "Lavished" series called "Spirit". Listen to it here.

I know I'm writing to some who were present last Sunday and some who weren't. Since the start of the church in January 2003 I have never seen the moving of God so strong at a Sunday gathering.

I'm taking a break this week from my regular communication of all the Ren opportunities. Hopefully you know what's happening by now. If not, go back especially to my last email when I shared about the small groups, Refresh prayer, Q Commons event, young adult Bible study, the smaller Sunday 5pm gathering, Family Nights, Ren Youth and so on.

It's so exciting to see thousands of college students flood into our city at this time of year. Many of them are looking for spiritual nourishment and are searching for that perfect community to be a part of. At Ren we always see a swell of students come through the doors in September checking us out and we love it!

I love this time of year when the city comes alive with returning college students and everyone seems to get back into good routines. As much as I love summer, I'm always sort of glad when it's over.

As we start this new fall season we are also beginning a brand new series that I'm really excited about.

Our finance team just set up a brand new online giving system that gives a variety of options for giving.

My heart has been stirred in recent days over the great numbers of people who come and go at Ren.

This Sunday I'll be teaching on Colossians 3:9-11 which is a fitting portion of Scripture in light of the recent shooting in Charleston.

Since moving into the new space at 184 Broad I have noticed that our Sunday gatherings have been crowned with the presence of God. Theologically we know that God is everywhere and always present. God is always at Ren on Sundays. But as imperfect humans we experience varying degrees of awareness of Him. So what I'm saying is that there seems to be more and more of an awakening to the reality of God each week. There is a momentum building and each service seems to take us deeper into God's heart. It's very exciting and an answer to many years of praying.

With so many different people coming to Ren each week, one of my greatest concerns is how to unite everyone and develop relationships. I am constantly meeting with people to try to get to know everyone and hear your stories. If you are attending and you have not really met me I would love to get together with you. Sometimes people think I'm too busy to meet with them but honestly this is what I do. A huge part of my ministry is just meeting with people.

Sometimes I look around the city of Providence and wonder why so few people are interested in attending church. Even last Sunday morning I was driving down Broadway and observing how the restaurants and cafes and gyms were overflowing with people. It seems like most people would rather sleep in or just read the newspaper in a cafe than attend a church. It got me wondering why.

Dear Ren friends and family,

This week I'm not going to take the time to give you all the details of regular happenings. Hopefully by now you know that we meet Wednesday night at 7pm, Sunday at 10am and 5pm.

What is most on my heart is the spiritual health of the community.

We have been in our new building for about a month and each week we are experiencing beautiful outpourings of the Spirit. I have been overwhelmed at times at how tangible the presence of Christ has been during worship. I'm so thankful for the musicians who prepare passionately to lead us.

I'm still sort of floating that we are actually in our new building and everything is completed. We have our full certificate of occupancy with the city and are approved for gatherings of 500. Our first couple Sundays were smooth and I especially want to thank the dozens of volunteers helping to provide ushering, security, parking lot, prayer, coffee, hospitality, ministry to children, visual displays, and worship. It's so beautiful when everyone works together.

If you have not heard we are finally in our new location at 184 Broad Street and last Sunday was our opening day on Easter. We had close to 500 come to our services to celebrate and we sensed a special strong presence of God upon us!!!

Hello beautiful Ren community and friends. I'm sitting in one of the local cafes called White Electric and there is music filling the air that is I think the worst music I've ever heard. The coffee is amazing and the music is usually fine but today it sounds like a group of 20 teens who don't play instruments raided a school band closet and just started vandalizing the instruments. And someone recorded it. I'm not even hearing a melody. It's just straight noise and static. Maybe I'm getting old?

Someone once said, "the hardest part of faith is the last half hour." This statement strikes a chord with me right now as we are finishing up this extensive renovation.

Every February at Ren the window opens to enlist to be part of the Core (membership). The way membership works at Ren is that people join in February and commit for one year. Memberships expire on the last day of February each year and must be renewed.

Over the years I've met so many genuine followers of Jesus who sell themselves short and think small thoughts about their lives. They struggle to imagine themselves being great in God's kingdom. They hold high views of God, but for whatever reason don't believe they are candidates for the fullness of God.

Last week I began a brand new series on the fullness of God.

New Series

I am so excited and burning to begin a brand-new series on the fullness of God. The idea of fullness may mean different things for different people, but it essentially means the full spiritual life of God that can work in and through us.

Last Sunday, Pastor Scott spoke to us about the light that Jesus brings, and that he dwelt among us and revealed to us who God really is. This is good news to our souls and the more we think about this and mediate on it, the more we will have joy in our lives. God bring us into deeper joy when we really begin to understand what he has done for us.

Christmas is upon us and, if we are honest, even as followers of Christ, we sometimes struggle to be excited about the season. The shopping malls, parties, advertisements and extra responsibilities threaten to dull our minds from being captivated by the wonder of Christ's birth. I am praying for us this year that we would be awakened to the glory of the birth of Christ and that we would ascend the heights of joyful worship.

Many people have traditions around Thanksgiving to help them count their blessings. Some families take time at the dinner table to express specific things they are thankful for. Others retreat to quiet places to muse on all the good that has come to them. Many folks gather around living rooms or in churches the night before Thanksgiving to sing songs of gratitude. It's actually pretty awesome that our culture does this each year.

This Sunday I'll be unpacking the book of Habakkuk. We don't actually know too much about this obscure prophet, but we know he likely wrote the book during the time before the Babylonian captivity when God's people were corrupt and suffering greatly for it. The little book of Habakkuk is a glimpse of the prophet's conversation with the Lord. He speaks to God and God responds. It's very raw and real.

The story of Jonah is not merely about a big fish. It's really a story about God's parenting tactics and it can be a little uncomfortable to take in. Here's a guy, a prophet of God, who refuses to do what God is calling him to do. He basically doesn't like the Ninevite people God is asking him to minister to. So he runs.

This Sunday we continue in our "Epic Stories" series talking about Daniel and the lions den. The book of Daniel is a great read, and if you have time this week I'd encourage you to read the first six chapters in preparation for Sunday.

This Sunday we will be looking at the wonderful story of Ruth that took place back in the days of the judges.

On Sunday morning before my 9am sermon I took some time to talk a little about the need for all of us to step up and be the church during this time of renovating our new building at 184 Broad.

It seems that there are homeless folks just about everywhere in the Northeast. Because we see them so frequently it is easy to ignore them. They can become part of the landscape. We take a quick glance at them, read their sign and scurry away. Some of us stop to talk with them but most do not acknowledge them at all.

The whole reason Christ came into the world was to take upon himself the sin of the world. He who knew no sin would become sin. All the rebellion and hate and filth and sin and guilt of the world would be placed on Christ and the wrath of God would be poured out upon him.

I was pondering recently about how not all people want to be found by God. They are happy to remain lost and dirty, disconnected and without place in the kingdom of God. In the great effort to promote the Gospel around the world we must search for those who are ready to be found.

The Scriptures say in one of the more famous portions of the Bible (1Corith13) that we see through darkened glass. In other words, we can see God with the spiritual eye but it’s not perfectly clear. The lens is dirty in a sense. It’s dirty with the corruption of the world, with doubts, with fears, with our flawed capacity to comprehend God and so on. It’s darkened by our own selfish natures. Nevertheless, we can see.

One of the strongest memories I have from childhood is playing in a large sandbox that my father built in the back corner of the yard. Hours upon hours were spent shaping and sculpting tunnels and roads that formed imaginary cities. Sand became familiar from constant association with it. I became well acquainted with how it moved, how it held together, how it related to water and the ways it could be shaped by my hands.

This is Jack. Because he is constantly pampered and coddled and dressed in silly outfits by my daughters I think he sometimes loses his vision for manhood. However, when the mailman or some innocent neighbor walks by he lunges at the glass door and smashes against it to make loud rattling vibrations to accompany his ferocious barking. For a brief moment he is awakened to the primal fighting spirit within. I love this about him. He is a warrior at heart who has been domesticated against his will by two lovey girls. I pray that he is not killed by a life of comfort and ease.

What is the big hurry? Why do we always rush? Why do we always fall into the trap of feeling we need more. I have been so slow to learn that the best things are found in stillness. As a driven person obsessed with productivity I always want to get a lot done. I want to accomplish 20 things carelessly instead of 3 things thoroughly. I have little patience for gardening for example. Or oil painting.

Went to court to see about getting a traffic violation reduced. I was ready to claim “guilty with an explanation.”

Spent the day at Lake Compounce with Madeline’s class. I was a chaperone for about 8 middle school girls. I think the kids had fun but there was something almost a bit sad about the entire experience. An amusement park is created to be a sort of catch-all experience of all the best kid cravings. Candy, junk food, free soda, thrills, amusement, games and gifts abound. Sexual tension charges the atmosphere. This is meant to be everything you could wish for on a day. At least when you are 13. But for many, the day ends in disappointment and even a measure of depression. Like if this doesn’t make me happy nothing will.