Dear friends in Christ,

Why does the king in the Parable of the Wedding Feast get so angry? For centuries, scholars have debated whether this is an allegory and tried to get to the heart of the violent conflict between the king and the wedding guests. Rev. Dr. Richard Rohrbaugh cracked that code when he discovered a cultural phenomenon in ancient Rome that breaks open the mystery of this story. What does invitation mean? What does integration look like as it unfolds in real time? This parable – and it’s parallel version in the book of Luke – have much to teach us about the power of Jesus’ message and example to break down the walls we construct between each other. Please join us this Sunday as we dig into this parable and find what wisdom it holds for us in our world today.

We will also be receiving three new members: Thomas Mitchell, He “Nemo” Yu, and Ronnie Grantham. We hope to see everyone there so we can welcome them and covenant with them together.

Starting this Sunday, we will be collecting for One Great Hour of Sharing, a denominational offering that supports disaster relief around the world. Stay tuned for more info.

Feb 15 at 9 AM – Bible Study on the Book of Revelation. This Sunday we will be studying the number of the beast.

We will look forward to seeing you there!

SAVE THE DATE

Friday, February 13 – our local chapter of Dare to Struggle is helping to coordinate the national walkout in protest of ICE policies and tactics. Find more information here.

Saturday, February 14 from 9 AM to 12 N in the Fellowship Hall – Knitting/Crocheting Ministry and potluck brunch. All are welcome!

Sunday, February 22  – We will gather for our annual Congregational Meeting immediately following worship. At this meeting our Treasurer will present the budget, Pastor Tracy will give a State of the Church Address, and we will confirm our new Council Member for 2026. We will also be discussing our goals for 2026 and beyond, as a key culmination of our discussions over these next few weeks. On 2/1, our Council Secretary Jenni Nichols asked the congregation to identify 1-5 words about what church means to them, and write those words on a paper in the Fellowship Hall. We will be continuing this brainstorming and visioning exercise over the next few weeks preceding the Congregational Meeting.

Forum Against Repression on 2/28/2026. Our local chapter of Dare to Struggle is hosting a Forum on how to fight repression. Find more information here.