Views from The Ridge 8.20.25
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 13:10-17
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 13:10-17
Fellowship Hall
Adult Bible Class: Open to all
BEMA Podcast Discussion group
Chapel Classroom, Discipleship Group
Room 220, Youth Group, 7th-12th grade
Roots: Children’s Discipleship through Godly Play
Bible Story Focus this Week: Gen 6:5-9:17
Key Verse: John 6:9
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
Room 220, Contact Den to join this group, open to 9th-12th Grade
Connections
Are You Called to Nurture the Faith of the Next Generation?
We're seeking a compassionate and visionary Children's Minister to join our vibrant team at Sunset Ridge Church in San Antonio, Texas. This is your opportunity to help shape the faith and belonging of children, equip families for spiritual growth, and be part of a community grounded in love, grace, and hope.
See full job description here.
Ready to take the next step? Please send your resume and a brief statement about your passion for children's ministry to admin@sunset-ridge.org.
Teddy Bear Drive in Memory of Kellyanne Lytal
Our Mission Team is partnering with Girl Scout Troop Community R to collect teddy bears for the Children’s Bereavement Center of South Texas. This drive is in memory of Kellyanne Lytal, a beloved local Girl Scout and Camp Mystic camper.
Collection bins are located in the Sanctuary foyer, the Chapel, and the front office. Donations will be received now through September 1.
Please join us in supporting children and families walking through grief by bringing a teddy bear to share.
This Week
Wednesdays, 11 AM - 1:30 PM, Open Studio Painting
Thursdays, 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM, Community Fitness with Lauren, Charis Park
Saturdays, Sunset Ridge Farmers Market, Charis Park
Sundays, Worship at 9 AM and 11 AM
Beyond Sunday
Ruthlessly Graceful
Jess Lowry, Executive Director & Pastoral Leader, Sunset Ridge Church & Sunset Ridge Collective
“Heaven is leaning over the rails waiting for you to stop playing it safe.”
In Fall 2015, I heard these words from author and speaker Bob Goff. I was in a season where I was barely hanging on, and the fire inside me had fizzled to the tiniest ember. I was at a Youth Specialties conference looking for direction, for clarity, for something—but I didn’t exactly know what. Bob Goff’s words rang out in my heart.
That weekend I also heard Dr. Kara Powell speak—a brilliant woman, mother, theologian, and teacher. At lunch afterward, I gushed about her to my husband Nathan. I told him about this strong leader who was also a woman, who was also a mother—she seemed like a unicorn to me. He looked me in the eyes and said, without hesitation but with complete confusion, “Do you not know that’s who you are?”
The words from my partner, Bob Goff, and Dr. Powell changed the trajectory of my life. I was only at the conference because I had made a promise to stick it out in ministry until then. My heart and soul felt like I could not go on—too much heartache, too much anxiety, too much loss.
But love swept in. It picked me up from the ground and carried me one step at a time. I learned to take a small, faithful step forward into the unknown God had ahead of me. And each time I felt afraid, I asked the Spirit to show me how to turn to love instead.
As I listened to the Spirit speak through Scott this Sunday, I couldn’t help but remember this and many other times in my life when love pervaded my heart and changed it entirely. I believe that each time love is chosen over fear, a miracle takes place. And it was the people in my life who chose to stand beside me, who chose to see me, and who spoke love and life into me that changed my path.
Each and every day, we encounter people—human beings who are God’s beloved, each one. Yet we can be quick to judge, to hold expectations, to relish resentment. But you and I are called to a different way—one that puts us in direct opposition to the cultural norm. We are called to the way of love. We are called to goodness. To speak love and life in a way that is, as Scott said Sunday, ruthlessly graceful.
May the love of God and the fire of the Spirit pervade your life this week, and may the world around you be changed toward love because of it. Heaven is leaning over the rails waiting for you to stop playing it safe.
Love, Jess
Prayers of the People
Please join us in honoring the life and legacy of Kathy George, Sunday, August 31st. We will gather to celebrate her memory, reflect on the joy she brought into our lives, and give thanks for her many years of devoted marriage to her loving husband. There will be a service in the Chapel at 1:30 PM, followed by a reception in the Fellowship Hall.
