For me the biggest thing I took away from doing the Freedom for Life small group besides the material was the connection. I moved back to Duluth in May and didn’t really talk to anyone outside of work. From that time until the group started, I was just wallowing in loneliness. Then two weeks before…

God is so good and continues to give us new creative ways to serve our city by meeting practical and spiritual needs in our Fruit of the Vine Food Shelf. Along with doing unlimited drive-through visits and delivering food to those in need, June has been full of things to celebrate: We had a fun…

“When I said yes to Jesus, it allowed for transformation in life in ways I could never imagine. Pain, recognizing the vow made to cover that pain, and the need to confess a sin… I did not know this was all a part of my path when I said yes in April 1973, but that…

A phone call. They seem so old fashioned these days but the art of conversation and reaching out to others has significant value to those receiving a call, especially during a pandemic. I was asked at the beginning of COVID-19 to help make some calls to individuals in our church community and I’m so glad…

“The key to happiness: a pandemic. Now isn’t that the most backward thing you’ve ever heard? I almost feel ashamed writing that, but it’s sadly true for me. Before I dive into my revelations during COVID-19, I want to state that I am so incredibly grateful for all of our medical professionals, service industry workers,…

“Last week our Small Group decided last-minute to meet online, and it actually went super well. 7 people were on the zoom call and they were very grateful we were meeting during this difficult time. We had one of the best ministry times we’ve had so far. Many of us who got prayer felt the…

“This past weekend in Fruit of the Vine, our team was chatting about how things went that morning and if there were any cool stories of getting to talk with guests, pray for someone or how God showed up. Our volunteer who had been working in the Free Clothing Closet shared that one of the…

“I recently greeted a gentleman who came into the church during the week asking to speak with a pastor. When I asked what it was about, he replied that he just really needed a pastor. I got him connected with a pastor who talked and prayed with him and he surrendered his life to Jesus.…

“This past weekend in Vineyard Kids, we were practicing praying. When we talk about prayer, we teach kids that it’s both talking and listening to God. So we help the kids practice listening to God, by creating a space to sit in the quiet and see what God says. We say they might feel like…

“A while ago, I developed a horrendous stabbing pain in my feet. Just getting out of bed in the morning was a painful experience. It would come and go throughout the day; if I was on my feet for an extended period of time my feet would ache. Once I got home and sat down,…