Advent 2023: Entering the Mystery

Journey into the sacred silence of Advent with this insightful sermon as Leah explores the biblical story of Elizabeth and Zechariah. Delve into the mystery of their encounters with the divine, as Zechariah's silence and Elizabeth's voluntary seclusion unfold into profound moments of spiritual revelation. Discover the transformative power of silence and solitude during the busy holiday season, and join us in practical contemplative practices to tune into the sacred presence. This sermon invites you to reflect, find joy in the midst of weariness, and make space for encounters with the divine in your own life.

Review Leah’s notes here and listen to or watch the teaching below.

Activated Faith: A Future Story

Join Leah for an engaging exploration of these thought-provoking topics and gain a deeper understanding of their relevance today as she delves into the enigmatic parables of Jesus, including a teaching story by AJ Levine—a Jewish New Testament scholar—and an analysis of a famous parable from the Gospel of Matthew. The teaching also addresses the cultural context of the parables and the significance of discussing the concept of consequences in the afterlife as a teaching tool.

(The video by AJ Levine is an excerpt from her “Jesus in Text and Context” speech at Westminster Town Hall. The exact times are Part 1: 21:35 to 24:02 and Part 2: 24:02 to 26:47.) 

Review Leah’s notes here and listen to or watch the teaching below.

Activated Faith: True Riches

Explore the unexpected wisdom in this captivating teaching series. Join the thought-provoking discussion on growing in action, inspired by Jesus' parables. Unravel the mystery of the “Dishonest Manager” as we delve into the power of generosity and building relationships that transcend worldly wealth. Listen or watch the teaching and be part of a community committed to investing in true riches.

Review Leah’s notes here and listen to or watch the teaching below.

Community Conversations With Joanna & Leah

Join us for a special collaborative discussion on Haven's identity and action steps this Sunday. Your voice matters as we build on the insights from our retreat. If you’d like to contribute your voice, watch the video or listen to the audio below and fill out the provided Google Form. Let's shape our vibrant community together!

Activated Faith: A Question of Worth

In this thought-provoking session, we embark on a journey of self-discovery and faith activation. Starting with a grounding experience, we explore moments of pure joy and delve into two intriguing parables shared by Jesus. Join us as Leah helps us uncover the deeper meanings behind these stories and ponder their relevance to our lives today. Are you ready to find your own “pearl of great value?” Let's explore what truly matters and how it can shape our faith journey.

Review Leah’s notes here and listen to or watch the teaching below.

Let’s Collab: Living Into Interdependence

In this engaging sermon, Leah leads us as we reflect on a recent camping trip experience and draws wisdom from the disability justice movement, biblical teachings, and the concept of “interdependence.” Explore how resisting cultural norms, serving with our unique strengths, and practicing proximity can help us build a more inclusive and compassionate community. Discover the beauty of collective care and how it aligns with our Jesus-centered faith. Watch now and be inspired to embrace interdependence in your own life.

Review Leah’s notes here and listen to or watch the teaching on YouTube.

Let's Collab: Building Trust

Join Leah as she discusses the discovery of the essential components of trust. Engage in the discussion on the core pillars of trust - ability, integrity, and benevolence - and witness how they interplay in fostering collaboration and connection. Delve into the insightful journey of Jesus and Simon Peter, discovering the lessons in personal connection, partnership, and cultural understanding that pave the way for building trust within your own relationships.

Review Leah’s notes here and listen to or watch the teaching below.

Let's Collab: Getting Humble

Join us for this transformative teaching from Pastor Leah Martens as she delves into the powerful biblical story of Naaman's healing in 2 Kings 5. Through a captivating exploration, Leah uncovers the profound connection between humility and collaboration, shedding light on the necessary steps to foster meaningful collaboration within our faith community.

Review Leah’s notes here and listen to or watch the teaching below.

"A People United?" by guest speaker Sandhya Jha

Our service this Sunday featured the brilliant guest speaker Sandhya Jha, an esteemed activist, author, and speaker. In their thought-provoking discussion titled 'A People United?', Sandhya shared insightful perspectives and powerful messages that are sure to leave all viewers and listeners inspired and motivated to create positive change in their lives and communities and ask the harder questions of themselves and their communities.

Listen to or watch the teaching below.

Dialogue with the Divine: Elijah and the Listening Prayer

In this week's teaching, Leah explores the importance of listening prayer and growing in our ability to hear from God. She shares a personal story of challenges at Haven's beginnings and how the community found new life and growth through prayer and seeking direction through the Divine. Leah also delves into the biblical story of Elijah, highlighting the significance of encountering God in the quiet and gentle whisper rather than in spectacular events.

Review Leah’s notes here and listen to or watch the teaching below.

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Dialogue with the Divine: David and the Creative Prayer

In this teaching, Leah reflects on the theme of spiritual connection and focuses on the character of David from the Bible, known for his robust communication channel with God through poetic prayers. She explores an incident where David brings the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, emphasizing David's expressive and embodied prayer as he freely communicates his heart to God. The story highlights the importance of being honest and open-hearted in our communication with the Divine, inviting us to bring our whole selves before God without holding back.

Review Leah’s notes here and listen to or watch the teaching below.

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Dialogue with the Divine: Hannah and the Prayer for Help

Starting off a new teaching series called "Dialogue with the Divine, Leah leads us in a discussion on prayer. She shares her personal journey, exploring the different forms and meanings of prayer in her life. Drawing from diverse religious contexts, Leah emphasizes the importance of communication in nurturing a relationship with God. Using the story of Hannah as an example, who prayed fervently for a child, she invites viewers to delve into biblical narratives. Through this series, Leah encourages us to deepen our spiritual connection and explore our own unique relationship with prayer and the Divine.

Review Leah’s notes here and listen to or watch the teaching below.

The Building of Mary the Tower

In her Easter Sunday sermon, Leah explores Mary Magdalene’s longing for Jesus, her persistence in finding him after discovering his tomb empty, and her exploration of the mystery of his absence and proclamation of hope that we are not alone; that our spiritual journey can be one of transformation, moving us from grief or loss to hope and acceptance.

Review Leah’s notes and listen to or watch the teaching below.

The Blessing of Being Seen

On her final Sunday at Haven, Jeanne gives a teaching on a famous passage in Mathew, often called "the Beatitudes", in which she speaks directly as a woman of color to the BIPOC folk in the room.

You can view Jeanne’s Paraphrase of the Beatitudes here and listen to or watch her teaching below.

Evolving Systems

In her final teaching in the "Community Evolving" series, Leah take a look at an incident in the early church, as reported in Acts 15, and invites Haven to consider the way a group can work together through a process to pursue growth and change.

Review Leah’s notes here and listen to or watch the teaching below.

Evolving Awareness

This message is the second-to-last of Leah's teachings in the "Community Evolving" series. As the series comes to a close, we're looking at a couple of connected incidents in the book of Acts, with the hope that they may serve as a kind of case study in what collective evolution can look like. This first is a look at an incident in Acts 10, as the Spirit brings together two characters in a surprising way.

Review Leah’s notes and listen to or watch the teaching below.