As we continue our Dear Paul, Sermon Series, Rev. Venida invites us to imagine a world where body shaming does not exist. Where we are free to move and make decisions about our bodies and lives without being hindered by others’ impressions or opinions of us. Where we are able to use our authentic voices, minds, and creativity to decolonize and free our bodies from self-sabotage and everything restricting us from experiencing liberation. A world where we truly love ourselves and others.

This sermon examines body image oppression, Scripture which may have led us here, and how we can break free of the chains, heal, and reclaim our bodies. What a world!

Forefront continued our series, Dear Paul: What’s Up with Excluding Queer Folks. Preaching Bootcamper, Jaim Zimmerman-Kent shared a powerful journey about what happens when your heart's truth clashes with what you've been taught. He reveals how his own path led him to better access peace and self-acceptance by rethinking everything he once knew.

Mary Obasi wrestles with Paul's writings on slavery—he wrote “there is no slave nor free in Christ”—but his words were used to justify slavery. Our sermon this week wrestles with Philemon, systems of control, and what it means to live like we’ve got siblings.

Jesus reveals and awakens us to radical visions of community. In the context of the Roman Empire, Jesus’s radical visions of community call his followers into conflict with the status quo. Preaching Bootcamper Em Slezak shows us how these awakenings push us to clarify, reconcile, and redefine kinship.