Casas Church

Renovating Religion - Week Three/January 19, 2025/Ryan Kramer

When we come to know and believe the unconditional love God has for us, we are assured that it will drive out fear as it says in 1 John 4:18, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” Life is full of hurts and in those moments, it can be easy to leave love and reach for something else. However, love will transform us. We are encouraged to choose to trust the love of God and remain in that love. Let’s not let fear sit in the driver's seat of our faith, but let love be there and stay there. 

Renovating Religion - Week Two/January 12, 2025/Ryan Kramer

If what you’re being taught isn’t moving you to be centered in Christ and living out love then it’s not God. Keep testing what you hear against what John teaches us in 1 John 4 and keep testing it. It’s ok to wonder and ask questions when it comes to building your spiritual life. Everything God does flows from love and that’s how you know it’s God. If that’s not what you’re experiencing then maybe it’s time to renovate your spiritual life and test your foundation against who God is and what Jesus lives out in scripture. 

Last Sunday of the Year/December 29th, 2024/Glenn Barteau

There’s a theme running through scripture about how God remembers certain things and forgets others. This is asked of all of us too. Remembering includes holding on to the larger story of what God is doing. And forgetting, or letting go, includes stepping into the new thing God is doing. As we begin 2025, how do we end this year well and enter the new year embracing how God might use us as part of His larger story? 

Renovating Religion - Week One/January 5, 2025/Glenn Barteau

We often talk about the love God has for us and the love of Jesus we can share with others. However, we might forget that God actually likes us! In Genesis, God declares creation - including us - very good. He created us and wants to have a relationship with us. In Isaiah 43:25 He doesn’t say, “I will blot out your sin for your sake.” He declares, “I will blot out your sin for my sake.” He forgives our sins and remembers them no more because He wants a relationship with us. As we move forward in our spiritual life, it’s better to build a foundation on that knowledge rather than attempting to earn anything from God. We can’t earn His approval and we don’t have to worry about losing it either. He gives it freely. 

Songs of the Season - Week Three/December 22, 2024/Seth Kreimeyer-Kelly

One of the oldest Christmas songs is “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” It is written with a perspective of longing similar to how we can often wonder in life circumstances, “Where is God?” The verses capture the darkness of life before Jesus while the chorus embodies the rejoicing and hope that Jesus will arrive. In our day-to-day lives - are we choosing to live in the verses of the song? Or are we embracing the hope that is Jesus as reflected in the chorus by seeing things differently and trusting God? It isn’t a one-time choice, but a continual process of choosing to live as though Jesus is with us.

Songs of the Season - Week Two/December 15, 2024/Glenn Barteau

As we change our focus from what we see in the mirror to the people around us, we'll begin to recognize that there are people who need to experience God's heart and His love and we are the ones who can do that! This is what the song “Little Drummer Boy” can teach us. God can use whoever we are and whatever we have for His purpose. We all have something to offer that can benefit the world around us in beautiful and amazing ways. 

Songs of the Season - Week One/December 8, 2024/Ryan Kramer

When we sing "O Holy Night," we are reminded that people are of great value to God, there is always hope on the horizon, and Jesus is good news for everyone! In the story of Jesus's birth, we are reminded that God is constantly seeking to love us and set us free, which is good news indeed. If we don’t embrace the good news for ourselves, as described in Mark 1:14, we can get in the way of the good news for others. Let it be a blessing to us and everyone this season that there is hope because Jesus can carry the weight of it all. 

Outward Facing - Week Two/December 1, 2024/Glenn Barteau

Outward Facing means finding a way to intentionally do good and to keep doing good in multiple different ways. In Galatians 6:9, Paul encourages the early church to “not become weary in doing good.” Sometimes, it takes time to see the benefit of all we’re trying to do for others. We have to trust that God is at work in the good and unique things we are doing in this world and trust His timing, just as a farmer trusts that there will be a time of harvest.

Outward Facing Week One/ November 24, 2024/ Glenn Barteau

Thanks for being with us this morning! At Casas, it doesn't matter what your story is, your background, or the stage of life you're in - you are valued and accepted just as you are. We believe everyone has value and purpose and is loved by God. We're glad you're here!

Hurts, Habits, and Hangups Week Three / November 17, 2024 / Ryan Kramer

In this series, we’ll discuss different hurts, habits, and hangups that can become a sticking point in our lives. We might find God in the midst of them or move past them. Either way, we will learn more about how to process these impactful experiences.