In this interactive Christmas sermon, Vicky Griffiths invites the children gathered at the front of the church to help open a table full of wrapped gifts, each one revealing a deeper truth about the Christmas story. As the eight gifts are opened, such as a a scroll of prophecy or a light-up star, Vicky reflects on how God’s plan unfolded through real history, unlikely people, and humble circumstances. Each object points to who Jesus is: the promised Messiah, the Son of God, the Good Shepherd, the Light of the world, and a King whose peace stands in contrast to the power of empires. The sermon culminates in the realization that these gifts are not meant for one character in the story, but for all of us. “For unto us a child is born” (Isaiah 9:6).
Advent: God With Us
In this message from Pastor Scott, we explore the breathtaking truth at the center of Christmas: God became human and dwelt among us. Walking through John 1:1–18, we linger on the mystery of the incarnation and what it means that Jesus fully entered the human experience—our weakness, suffering, sorrow, and joy. Far from being distant or unrelatable, Jesus is the God who understands, sympathizes, and draws near in our pain. Because God is with us, we are invited to approach him with confidence, honesty, and hope.
Advent: The Empathetic God
In this sermon, guest speaker Dr. Mike Caparelli explores empathy as a defining attribute of God, revealed most clearly through the Incarnation. Rather than putting humanity “in its place,” God chose to put Himself in our place—crossing the greatest possible gap between heaven and earth. Drawing from John 4 and Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman, the message highlights three expressions of Christlike empathy: emotional empathy that feels what others feel, cognitive empathy that understands how others think, and practical empathy that perceives underlying needs rather than merely reacting to behavior. Jesus models how empathy builds trust, interrupts harm, and opens the door to transformation by addressing thirst beneath brokenness. In a world marked by division, distance, and growing indifference, this sermon calls the church to embody the mindset of Christ—crossing aisles, bridging gaps, and allowing empathy to be a powerful force for healing, connection, and redemption.
The service closes out with a communion reflection from Pastor Scott about the gospel, followed by an original song written and sung by worship leader Brynn Carley.
Advent 2023: Joy
Listen for a short word on the joyous arrival of Jesus and the way God included shepherds as part of the celebration.
Advent 2023: Love
We may know in our mind that God loves us, but this truth does not always move to our hearts. We may feel our flaws are too much for God, or the experiences of being failed by others may affect our view of love. In these moments, we can ask God to help us with a fresh revelation of His love. As you listen to this message, let the truth of God’s depth love for you sink into your heart.
Advent 2023: Hope
We kick off the 2023 advent season by dwelling on the hope Christians have because the arrival of Jesus, who came like the dawn piercing the darkness. The Christian hope of eternal life is not a vague experience but is one grounded in reality. In this message Pastor Scott goes through several reasons for why we can anchor our hope in Jesus.
Advent 2022: Love
“Jesus loves you” is a truth that many churched people would find overfamiliar, but what if one really took time to ponder the vastness of God’s love? In this message Pastor Scott processes with us the impact of what Jesus did on earth for us out of love, and when we truly understand the gospel and respond to God, we’ll find that His love can satisfy the deepest part of our hearts.
Advent 2022: Peace
Ephesians 2:11 - 22
In the midst of Christmas kitsch, high-volume holiday ads, and impatient shoppers, the peace of Christ cuts through the noise. Advent is the time where we celebrate Jesus and anticipate his arrival. The first time Jesus came, he created a way for us to be reconciled to God and be reconciled to people who are different from us. The next time Jesus physically comes, we will see peace fully restored through the earth. Ren’s CityLove Director, Katherine Gosnell, gives a message that studies Ephesians 2:11 - 22 to explore in depth how peace comes with Christ.
Advent 2022: Hope
One element of the human life that is difficult to talk about is the fear of death. People may avoid the subject, use humor to deflect, or will hold onto vague sentiments about the afterlife, but death is a certainty in our future. Where do we hope beyond that? The good news is that Christ came to this world to give us a hope that solves the problem of our fear of death. Pastor Scott in this message shares how Christian hope is built on Christ himself who conquered death, and how His Spirit marks us for eternal life, giving us assurance.
Advent 2021: Love
For this week’s advent theme, Pastor Scott focuses on the love of God. The message looks at the demonstration of God’s love through the voluntary death of Christ, as well as the manifestation of God’s love through the Holy Spirit in us, which enables us to love with His own love.