April 2019

Loss and Love / April 28, 2019

David Moore, from Santa Barbara, shares thoughts related to grieving and the things that hold us together during times of loss and broken heartedness. This is a beautiful talk and it felt like a shared experience of depth and comfort and joy, all at the same time. It ends with a song that David wrote years ago, “This is Just What I Needed.”

Subscribe to the SCV podcasts in iTunes.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Podchaser | RSS | More

Easter Service / April 21, 2019

Music this morning was an integration of ordinary life and worship life through songs that spoke of various human emotions and questions. It was provided by Colourful Language and Friends, including Peter Fitch.

The talk was given by Colin Shilston from New Zealand. Colin and Rachelle have lived in St Stephen for the past two years while Colin attended a graduate program at St. Stephen’s University. Today he shares about how his understanding of Christ’s mission and death has changed while he’s been here. It’s a wonderful talk. The recording link is for the entire service, Colin’s talk starts around the 42 minute mark. To go straight to Colin’s talk, click

Subscribe to the SCV podcasts in iTunes.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Podchaser | RSS | More

False Expectations / April 14, 2019

Peter Fitch suggests that Palm Sunday is a good time to think about false expectations for ourselves, for others, and for society in general. After all, people had false expectations for Jesus and they quickly became disillusioned with Him when He didn’t fulfil their hopes and dreams. Peter thinks that a lot of religious expectations are still wrong, and today he speaks about hell as restorative, not punitive, justice. He also suggests that the picture of Jesus in Philippians 2 is an important model for how we ought to go through life, not controlling others from above with what we think we know, but serving them from below. He sees this as a call to humility that is in line with Christ’s character.

Subscribe to the SCV podcasts in iTunes.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Podchaser | RSS | More

Breaking Hearts / April 7, 2019

Peter Fitch looks at the story in Luke 7 of a woman who washes the feet of Jesus with her tears. He is interested in the perspectives of the different characters in the story and wonders how each one developed their view of the world. This leads to a discussion about “kinesthetic knowing” versus the knowing that comes through reason. Jesus is able to make the woman feel seen, known, and loved. One of the other characters dismisses her because he is operating out of a different kind of knowing. Peter wonders how to change from one to the other and suggests that it is often through the breaking of a heart. Then he reads a poem by Jonelle Martin about the rare and serious disease that she has faced and how it actually brought her to a deeper kind of love.

Subscribe to the SCV podcasts in iTunes.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Podchaser | RSS | More