The Taste of Scripture (1 Thess 2:1-15)

For Christians, Scripture is a like a river that invites us to drink deeply. But anyone who does so will quickly find that it’s words are bittersweet – they simultaneously comfort and challenge us. This morning we continue our look at the “Apostle’s Teaching” referenced in Acts 2 and see what it does to those who drink from it.

• St. Paul and the River (1 Thess 2:1-15) – Christian Cryder
  (Click here for download instructions)

The Problem With Scripture (1 Thess 2:9-13)

For Christians, the "Apostle's Teaching" is one of the primary ways we draw near to God. And that actually presents a huge problem for most of us: Where do we find their teaching? Scripture. And what do those pesky apostles claim? That THEIR words = God's Word. That's a tough pill for most of us to swallow. So that's what we'll be tackling today...

• The Problem With Scripture (1 Thess 2:9-13) – Christian Cryder
  (Click here for download instructions)

Groups Fostering Faith & Community (Fall 2010)

Here at All Souls, we believe that church is more than just Sundays - we think it happens all week long as we gather together in community. This Fall, we're offering 3 specific groups that meet during the week:

• Explorers 1 (Who is Jesus?) - Tuesdays @ 6:30 PM at the Cryder's (2307 River Rd). A safe place for people with questions to explore their beliefs and doubts and learn how the biblical Jesus answers life's biggest concerns. Our non-Christian friends tell us this is one of the coolest things we do. Contact Christian (529-5568) or click here for more details.

• Gospel Community - Wednesdays @ 6:30 PM at the Cryder's (2307 River Rd).
  If you're curious about the DNA of All Souls and the type of community we're seeking to create, this group is for you! One large community group, with lots of food, voices, ideas, and dialogue. Babysitting provided. Contact Christian (529-5568) or Ryan (529-2468) for details.

• Jesus and Money - Wednesdays @ 6:30 PM at the Kesler's (7935 Double Tree Lane). A group for people to learn what the Bible has to say about our money - not just how to manage it, but how to keep it from owning us. We'll explore God's purpose for money in our lives and see how Jesus claims to liberate us from our financial fears. Contact Joe (396-6372) or Nancy (829-6636).

We also continue to meet at the Kettlehouse (both locations!) most Fridays around 5 PM. Nothing formal, just a chance to foster friendships and love our city, all over great beer! Please stop by and join us!

Explorers - Who Is This Jesus?

Let's face it: most of us have questions about faith and spirituality. Often though, our friends don't really want to talk about these things, and churches seem to look down on people with doubts and struggles. Wouldn't it be nice if there was a safe place to figure out what you think about God, regardless of what you conclude?

For nearly 3 years now, we've been creating discussion groups for people with questions to explore their beliefs and doubts together - people like you, people like us. Our non-Christian friends tell us this is one of the best things we do at All Souls. Why?

Explorers is a place for unbelievers, and for the unbeliever in all of us. It's a place where you can be honest about what you think, and get honest answers about the Christian faith. It's a place where you can make up your own mind about historic Christianity, by looking at the sources, rather than settling for second hand opinions.

Fundamentally, Explorers is all about working on our spirituality in community. It's a place where you can be yourself - share a meal, talk about your struggles, wrestle with your faith, as friends rather than foes. We meet once a week for about two hours. We share a meal. We laugh together. And we share our thoughts.

This Fall we're looking at the life and teachings of Jesus.

• In 7 weeks you'll study an entire book of the Bible - the Gospel of Mark.
• You will learn a LOT about Jesus, Christianity, and your own spirituality.
• You won't be asked to sing, pray, or do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable. 
• You can come as you are; you can say as little or as much as you like. 
• No one's going to nag you, try to convert you, or ask you for money.

Our job is simply to help you figure out what you think about the Jesus of Scripture, and to introduce you to others who are in the same place you are.

If this sounds interesting, please contact Christian (529-5568) ASAP for details.

The group will begin in mid-September, and we need to find out a night that works best for everyone. Hope to see you soon!

Habitat For Humanity

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who helped with last Saturday's work day - together, we're helping our friends the Hallands build their new Habitat for Humanity home. We've also been raising money to help purchase an elevator and make their new home fully wheelchair accessible for their son Maddy.

If you'd like to know more about Habitat for Humanity, look what's going on this week...

• Habitat 101 - Wed., Sept. 15^th from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Missoula Public Library Small Meeting Room
• Site Tour - Thurs., Sept. 16^th from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m.at the Windsor Park construction site
• Northside Walking Tour - Sat., Sept. 18^th from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. (Meet at the Antique Mall) led by Historian Allen Mathews
• Volunteer Appreciation BBQ - Sun., Sept. 19^th from 1 - 4 PM in Bonner Park (there will be a  raffle drawing for a new furnace at 3 PM)

Call the Habitat office at 549-8210 for more information.

Drawing Near To God (Acts 2:36-47)

So what does Christian spirituality look like? And how do Christians actually draw near to God? The answer might surprise you! This message will lay out the roadmap for where we are headed as a church this Fall...

• Drawing Near To God (Acts 2:36-47) – Christian Cryder
  (Click here for download instructions)

When God is Far - part 2 (Matthew 22:34-40)

How does our attitude towards the Great Commandment affect how we approach community? How does our struggle with community affect whether God is near or far? That’s how we concluded this short series.

• When God is Far - part 2 (Matthew 22:34-40) – Ryan Sutherland 
  (Click here for download instructions)