Rev. Josh Lee takes the stage and explores the hidden message behind the Advent figure: the Donkey. Have you every felt left out or unappreciated? Have you ever been the ass in a Christmas pageant?
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Rev. Venida Rodman Jenkins reflects on the Shepherds and The Great Joy of Good News in our series: "Hidden Figures of Advent". The shepherds in ancient times were deemed to be unreliable witnesses, and these hidden figures received and shared the good news of the birth of the Christ child. There are things in our life which we may deem to be insignificant yet can bring great joy to someone else's life.
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This Sunday we began a new series: "Hidden Figures of Advent". Community Pastor Rev. Josh Lee took inspiration from the story of the three wise men and how the coming light of a star led the men to find hope and relief in a newborn baby. Are you in need of hope and relief? What burdens do you carry?
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Rev. Venida Rodman Jenkins explores forgiveness in this service. This sermon marks the end of our "Keepin' It Real" series.
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We're excited to welcome our new Community Pastor at Forefront, Rev. Josh Lee to the stage today as he tackles shame and how we might overcome it in our own lives.
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In our "Keepin' it real" sermon series, Rev. Venida C. Rodman Jenkins presents a powerful message about fear. "It seems at times action from fear is easier than action from hope - how can we change that?".
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Building a radically inclusive and diverse Church requires understanding the difference between our written and our lived theology. In this sermon Guest Preacher Mark Charles challenges us to explore where we believe we are included into the Gospel story. And the answer might not be where we think. Systemic racism, white Christian Nationalism and implicit racial bias are continuing to dominate the national news and headlines. And unfortunately the Church is not a place of refuge from the issues. This sermon challenges the church to be better.
Mak Gomez takes to the stage and speak about the disciples and community. In the midst of loss, change or fear, where do we turn for stability, for reassurance? In this sermon, Mak reminds us of the love that surrounds us all as being part of a community. We aren't meant to go it alone.
Love and dignify your neighbor. Rev. Venida C. Rodman Jenkins inspires us to consider how we can embrace others, regardless of differences, and how scripture speaks to this through the passage of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10: 25-37). Happy National Coming Out Day!
Our discontent with the challenges of life can be channeled into productive actions which can help us find contentment and freedom. Watch Rev. Venida C. Rodman Jenkins in this third sermon in our "This Far, By Faith" series.
Guest Preacher, Emmy Brett talks about change, about a new dawn rising. Emmy takes the recent changes at Forefront as inspiration for the continued journey to usher in the next 500 years of Christianity. We remain the change, and forge ahead. Though the church may not always have welcomed change, Jesus was a catalyst for change. How do we respond to his example and how do we adapt to the changes we see in our church and in our lives? In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, an entire globe has found itself faced with unprecedented change. Socially, new changes are making us re-consider how we define Christianity and whether or not America is the true center of expanding Christian practice.
Why do you attend church? In our new series, "This Far, By Faith", we explore the underpinnings of faith. Rev. Venida C. Rodman Jenkins starts us off with the basic question, "why church?" The church can be a beacon of hope promoting equity and working to end all forms of oppression. We've been through quite some change at Forefront these past months, but some things never change, especially when it comes to the Spirit.
This past Sunday Guest Preacher, Pastor Josh Lee (he/him/his), shined his bright light on the Forefront congregation! Thank you, Josh! In this sermon, Josh Lee speaks about community. Many of us feel like spiritual refugees, fleeing, or being chased out of our communities of faith because we weren’t in a safe place anymore, or left because of oppressive doctrine. Our community at Forefront is made up of spiritual refugees and we can be an example of a community that doesn’t require uniformity to have unity. Josh is the Teaching Pastor at Imago Dei Church in Peoria, Illinois, and has a rich theological background.
We welcome yet another outstanding graduate from our Forefront Preaching Bootcamp, Denia Pérez (she/her/hers). Denia has been with Forefront for several years and this Sunday she'll preach about the story of Jael. Jael's story serves as a lesson in how we can betray traditions and use our privilege for good.
We're excited to welcome Forefront's Deacon Jim Rohner to deliver the message. Jim explores the story of Job. It's not a story that can be broken down into simplistic, easily conveyed morals. Instead, it's a complicated and nuanced look at a culture trying to find meaning amongst uncertainty, which in turn gives us permission to question the easy lessons that have been told we should believe. In fact, the story of Job has great relevance to what we're facing today with so many crises at our doorstep. With an ongoing COVID pandemic, climate change, an economic roller coaster, and social unrest, accepting uncertainty about the future has never been so difficult, especially when powerful forces seek to advance a narrative of certainty that keeps them in power.
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In this sermon, Jonathan Williams explores how disruption is a place where God is perhaps most present. Disruptions mess with our lives and what we know. They take away our comfort. And worst of all, they make us grow. We hate growing. But these are the times when the divine is really up to something. On theme, Jonathan used this sermon to announce that he is leaving Forefront to pursue new challenges. He is choosing disruption in order to grow and learn.
In this joint sermon with outgoing co-founder of Forefront Church, Jonathan Williams, and new Teaching Pastor, Rev. Venida C. Rodman Jenkins, Jonathan inspires us with the Vision and Mission of Forefront and Venida speaks women in the Church. Why are people so opposed to women leading in ministry when the first preacher of the Gospel was Mary?
In this second sermon of our “What in the…?” series, Joel Field, a “graduate” of our Preaching Bootcamp, tackles one of the strangest scriptures and uncovers how Jesus shows his love through the miracle involving a fish. Joel has been with Forefront for several years and preaching is nothing new to Joel. Originally from Louisville, KY, Joel earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Louisville and, later, a master's of divinity from Cincinnati Christian University. Now living in NYC with his husband, Joel runs a boutique financial practice and serves as Chairman of the Board of The Family Center in Brooklyn, NY, which is a social services organization serving disadvantaged families to help keep them together and stronger when they do not have anywhere else to turn. Joel and his husband are hoping to have children and start a family in the near future.
We welcome our second Forefront Guest Speaker, Emmy Brett. Emmy takes us on a fascinating journey into the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. The story of Sodom and Gomorrah isn't just about fire and brimstone, but about choosing holy resistance against evil and refusing to be a voyeur to systems of oppression.
Unlearning Purity Culture and Shame
Venida Rodman Jenkins joins us again as Guest Preacher and closes our "Sex Positive" series. Many of us have been taught that our "flesh is a mess" which can lead to body shaming. Let's unpack this message and more as we seek to reclaim our bodies.