Awaken Bowness Podcast

Trickster Jesus: A Parable Series on the God who is Gentle and Shrewd

This Sunday Pastor James Wheeler leads us in a brilliant and trauma-informed sermon on the parable of the Lost Son in Luke 15:4-32. What a gifted preacher and compassionate steward of the Word - thank you James!
Engaging the parables is an art that has largely been lost. The parables of Christ are designed to surprise, challenge, and shake us up because Jesus comes to us, gentle as a dove but shrewd as a serpent. Jesus isn’t just a teacher – he’s a trickster and a conspirator. Jesus speaks as both omniscient creator and innocent fool – an impassioned judge and a childlike prankster. This is the art of teaching in parables. In this series we will let the Trickster Christ conspire goodness in our midst and draw us closer together as a courageous community of Christ-followers in the neighbourhood.
 

Element: Water

We have reflected on Body and Blood at Awaken this year, and now we are wrapping up these reflections at the Communion Table with a series called ELEMENTS where we will reflect on the four elements: earth, fire, water, air and how all of creation is gathered together at the table where we are nourished together on the body and blood of our Incarnate God. All of creation eagerly awaits the reconciliation of all things: element to elements.
 
Today, Malcolm Klager leads us in a sermon about the theme of water in the bible - it's short but packed! He ultimately invites us to come to the waters to be washed and reborn. Thanks Malcolm!

Pentecost Sunday: The Wind and Fire of God

Dallas Loewen gives this brilliant sermon on Pentecost Sunday where he brings together Willie Jennings and Robin Wall Kimmerer to invite us to be a people shaped by a vision of belonging achieved not by forcing others to be like us but by being a people that learn to speak the language of others. The church is a guest in the world and we are here to listen and learn. God has invited us "...inside the risk of following the Spirit - the risk is believing in new relationships" - Willie Jennings. 
 
 

Element: Air

Please forgive the technical glitch at the beginning of this sermon - we made the mistake of trying to be fancy which meant you can't hear the first five minutes so the intro might not make sense but trust us - it gets great! 
 
We have reflected on Body and Blood at Awaken this year, and now we are wrapping up these reflections at the Communion Table with a series called ELEMENTS where we will reflect on the four elements: earth, fire, water, air and how all of creation is gathered together at the table where we are nourished together on the body and blood of our Incarnate God. All of creation eagerly awaits the reconciliation of all things: element to elements.
 
 

Element: Fire

We have reflected on Body and Blood at Awaken this year, and now we are wrapping up these series at the Communion Table with a series called ELEMENTS where we will reflect on the four elements: earth, fire, water, air and how all of creation is gathered together at the table where we are nourished together on the body and blood of our Incarnate God. All of creation eagerly awaits the reconciliation of all things: element to elements.
 
Pastor Nikayla leads us in a reflection on fire in the bible focussing on Elisha and the showdown on mount Baal and the God who is fire (Hebrews 12:29 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our “God is a consuming fire.”).

Element: Earth

We have reflected on Body and Blood at Awaken this year, and now we are bringing these ideas together at the Communion Table with a series called ELEMENTS where we will reflect on the four elements: earth, fire, water, air and how all of creation is gathered together at the table where we are nourished together on the body and blood of our Incarnate God. All of creation eagerly awaits the reconciliation of all things: element to elements.
 
Kara Boda Harvey leads us in a sermon on the earth and how we should learn to learn again from our ancient teachers. 

Blood: The Blood of Jesus

Kara Boda Harvey takes us into a deep dive celebrating the blood of Jesus. This is another take on the atonement and why the blood Jesus is significant. Enjoy! 
 
 

Blood of Atonement

Here Nikayla discusses a bit about the blood of atonement - we look at the sacrificial system in Leviticus and the day of atonement and reflect on what it means that Jesus satisfies the wrath of Jesus (or in other words, how God Godself satisfies the wrath of God).
 
What does it mean that God became the sacrifice on the altar to atone for the sins of the whole world, *while we were still sinners*?

Blood: Blood of New Life

Here Kara Boda Harvey leads us in a beautiful and thoughtful reflection on the blood of new birth - menstrual blood and post-partum blood. These blood sources are a big deal in the Old Testament and Kara connects it beautifully to the blood of Christ and the birth of the church. 
 
Questions for reflection:
Beginning again is sometimes painful - share a story about the pain of new beginnings

Blood of Liberation

The Exodus story is the only story and the entire bible is just telling that same story over and over and over - pain turns to speech, the heart of a God turns towards the cry, water turns to blood, blood turns to wine.