♪In encounters with people with a disability, Jesus shows us:
1. That a person with a disability has autonomy and will—“Do you want to get well?” (John 5:6).
2. That a person with a disability is not some angelic, sinless being, but like every human, is also in need of forgiveness—“Son, your sins are forgiven” (Mark 2:5).

♪Most of us know someone who is autistic, or you may be autistic yourself. Stephanie Fast, teacher and student, works to bring clarity to autism and presents ideas for making autistic people feel welcome in EMC congregations.

♪The sun ebbed, reflecting off the Sea of Galilee. Water lapped against the small fishing vessel, and the familiar cry of seagulls echoed overhead. A young rabbi, Jesus of Nazareth, slept as his disciples conversed in low tones.

Then, in a moment, everything changed.

♪I was twelve years old when my best friend at the time shared with me that there was a place where you could go where you would feel awkward for not raising your hands in praise to the Lord while you sang. Hearing this was revolutionary for me.

Aside from my Christian faith, drawing, writing, and crafting are my defining feature. However, faith and art initially seemed incompatible. Many creative Christians live in this tension.

Citizens of heaven: Abundant Springs 2025 in photos.

♪One of the tasks when I began my job here at the EMC office was to examine our external partnership: which were beneficial and which should change.

♪Peace is your portion. Grace is your gift. Love is your language. Son or daughter is your identity. Heaven is your home. You are a citizen of heaven!

♪As I struggled socially and intellectually in the church and with faith, I felt there was some other category that might better anchor me.

I gave up trying to make it look “correct,” fiddled with it a little longer to try and make it look intentionally impressionistic and—failing at that, too—walked away from the easel, defeated.

♪I have been involved in church life for nearly 70 years, half of those years as a pastor. I love the church except for one thing: churches and pastors don’t seem to know how to disagree agreeably. Too often when a church and their pastor cannot agree on how well he is doing, separation results. But must it be this way?

♪The NHL playoffs are finally upon us, and for many of us Canadian hockey fans this is the most wonderful time of the year. Teams are now finally prepared to push all their chips and truly do whatever it takes to get sixteen wins and hoist Lord Stanley’s glorious cup.