Justin Porter Justin Porter

The “I”s have it

Recently, we have been talking a lot about what it means to be God’s “viral kingdom agents” in the spaces and places around us. Or, put in our Hillspring lingo, how do we “connect with the people God puts in our lives, develop meaningful relationships, and change the world for good?”

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Justin Porter Justin Porter

Prepare to step up

As I age, I am increasingly astounded by the intricate and interconnected nature of everything. Whether it’s a…

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Bryan White Bryan White

Hope Sings

What are first five things you think about when you hear the word Christmas? For me, singing Christmas Carols are at the top of the list.

When I think of Christmas, I immediately go back to…

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Peggy Zumhofe Peggy Zumhofe

Jesus Calms the Storm

Growing up in the '70s, a common phrase we used was Hang in There. The idiom was an informal and friendly expression that people used to encourage someone not to give up, to be …

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April Bergez April Bergez

A Love Like No Other

Holy Week, the week leading up to Easter Sunday is when we reflect on the important events and acts of Jesus leading up to His death, waiting, and resurrection. We often mention on Sundays that we cannot have a resurrection without a death.

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Trevor Owen Trevor Owen

A story to tell

This year I have the honor of playing Simon Peter, one of Jesus’s disciples, for the inside scene of the Living Nativity. The inside scene is designed to…

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Nicole Jansen Nicole Jansen

Nativity community

It’s November, and the holidays are quickly approaching. I’ve seen Christmas decorations in Hobby Lobby since July and in Target since mid-October.

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Justin Porter Justin Porter

The Abundant Life

A couple Sundays ago, our good friend Reggie McNeal came and visited us! While here, he encouraged us to move deeper into living and experiencing life as God intended AND to be …

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Bryan White Bryan White

Becoming

This morning was our Fall Kickoff at Hillspring! It was awesome to worship together then share lunch with so many friends as we celebrated our ministries, signed up for new classes and reflected on…

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April Bergez April Bergez

Forever and Ever, Amen

The new song we sang in worship yesterday is likely the final one we will introduce this year. Yes, there is a method to the madness of which songs we sing, how many we have in our repertoire, and when/how we introduce them. This so-called madness provides…

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Bryan White Bryan White

Live Love Grow

Several years ago, we journeyed through a time of prayer to discern our church vision. God gave us a gift with what we called our DNA Statement, Live, Love, Grow…

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Peggy Zumhofe Peggy Zumhofe

Approaching Holy Week

On March 2, we observed Ash Wednesday marking the beginning of Lent. Ash Wednesday focuses our hearts on repentance and prayer. It is a time set aside each year for…

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Grimelda Sanchez Grimelda Sanchez

A Fruitful Life

This week we started our Women's Bible Study on the book of John, chapter 15. I am really excited that we will embark on this journey of…

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April Bergez April Bergez

Where would I be

It may seem like a cop-out for the worship leader to write about a song she loves every time it is her turn to write the weekly blog, but I can't help it! I love this new…

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Trevor Owen Trevor Owen

Relationships are roots

A couple weeks ago, we came to church and found one of our trees doing what trees are not supposed to do:

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April Bergez April Bergez

Hope is alive

Every year I start preparing for Christmas in the summer when things aren't quite so hectic. Yes, this means when you are setting off fireworks that I am listening to "Joy to the World." I sometimes joke that I'm a Scrooge before Thanksgiving because of this, but…

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April Bergez April Bergez

What are you yearning for?

Yearning may seem like an odd word to use in casual conversation with someone. "I yearn to go on vacation," or "I yearn for a pumpkin spice latte." We don't normally use "yearn" in our day-to-day conversations. It sounds more like…

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April Bergez April Bergez

All clogged up

You've seen your kitchen sink refuse to drain because a piece of food is lodged in the drainpipe, and the water cannot get past it. Perhaps you've been brushing your teeth one morning and noticed your bathroom sink has water sitting in it because hair and soap residue prevents the sink from draining.

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Bryan White Bryan White

Reflections

What’s the race set before us? How do we look to and consider Jesus? If I spend time looking at Jesus, what should I expect will happen to me? What if I want to be His follower but don’t run this race?

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Trevor Owen Trevor Owen

The time between

Have you ever longed for someone but knew you were separated from them by their will or their circumstances, and you were at their mercy? No matter how much you longed for things to be different, your longing couldn't solve the situation or bring the desired resolution. Maybe it was…

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