Views from The Ridge 7.23.25
Sunset Ridge is a church that desires to follow Jesus, reach people, and radiate God’s love and hope to all.
Worship
Sunday
9 AM, Chapel, Acapella
11 AM, Sanctuary, Instrumental
Luke 11:1-13
We are going through the lectionary this summer.
Watch previous sermons here.
Discipleship
Sundays, 10:15 AM, Bible Class & Discipleship for All Ages
Studying Luke 11:1-13
Fellowship Hall
Adult Bible Class: Open to all
BEMA Podcast Discussion group
Chapel Classroom, Discipleship Group
Room 218, Youth Group, 7th-12th grade
Roots: Children’s Discipleship through Godly Play
Bible Story Focus this Week: Luke 13:20-21
Key Verse: Matthew 13:33
Room 102, PreK - Kindergarten
Room 122, 1st - 2nd Grade
Room 203, 3rd - 6th Grade
Tuesdays, 7 AM & 9 AM, Men’s Discipleship
Scott Heare’s Office, Limited spaces; Contact Scott to join a group.
Wednesdays, 6 PM - 7:30 PM, High School Tableship & Study Group
Chapel Classroom, Contact Den to join this group, open to 9th-12th Grade
Connections
A Message from the Board of Trustees
Deadline Extended
Sunset Ridge has been growing in mission and community, guided by our calling to follow Jesus, reach people, and radiate God’s love and hope. As part of that journey, the Board is prayerfully exploring a meaningful question:
Should our name remain Sunset Ridge Church of Christ, or shift to Sunset Ridge Church?
This is not a departure from our history or tradition, but a reflection on whether our name is creating any barriers to the mission we believe God has given us.
We’re asking each member of our church family to do two things:
Pray over this question.
Share your discernment in writing, or sign up for a phone conversation with a Board member.
Click here to share your reflections or schedule a call
Thank you for joining us in this prayerful process.
This Week
Wednesday, July 23rd, 11 AM - 1 PM, Open Studio Painting
Saturday, July 26th, 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM Watercolor Wellness Workshop: Simple Techniques
Coming Up…
Every Wednesday, 11 AM - 1:30 PM, Open Studio Painting
Every Saturday, Sunset Ridge Farmers Market, Charis Park
Every Sunday, Worship at 9 AM and 11 AM
Beyond Sunday
Empty hands, open eyes.
Jess Lowry, Executive Director & Pastoral Leader, Sunset Ridge Church of Christ & Sunset Ridge Collective
Showing up empty-handed.
I’ve recently discovered this is a hurdle for me. When I mentioned to a friend that our new house is under construction and we have no kitchen she casually said “Come to ours for dinner!”
But what could I bring? I guess a pack of Coke? Not much else without a sink, stove, etc.
I went to visit a friend in the hospital and because the visit was urgent I resisted the urge to stop for flowers. It challenged me to show up empty-handed, as if anything I could bring would ease what they were going through in that moment.
As we listened to preacher Evan Tardy this week, her message through the lens of Mary and Martha felt so clear – presence takes many shapes and forms. Sometimes presence and hospitality looks like bowls of pasta and fresh bread lovingly prepared over the course of hours in the kitchen, and other times it looks like simply showing up and being fully present.
Historically, as Evan mentioned, we pit these two sisters against each other. We identify with one or the other. I believe that this story reveals to us that both action and contemplation are necessary for a full life. Perhaps we lean toward one or another, but Jesus models both presence and the work of goodness and hospitality and welcome in the world.
In this story, Jesus is not concerned with Martha’s practice of welcome, but instead concerned with her worried, anxious, distracted heart. I can see the faces of the people that I was too distracted to be present with in the last couple of days, can you? Allow yourself to consider who was right in front of you only asking to be seen. Did you see them? Did you stop to listen?
A friend, a neighbor, your child or partner?
These are all the presence of Christ in our daily lives, may we be people who stop long enough to witness them.
Whether you think you have anything to bring—
Your presence is a gift.
Love-Jess
Prayers of the People
We express sympathy to the family of our beloved member Kathy George, who passed away July 17th. Arrangements are pending; details will be published when finalized.
