Welcome! You have arrived at Pastor David’s BRAND NEW BLOG! I’m thrilled that you have clicked your way over to this page and are taking a peek at what’s here.

“So who in the world is writing this?” you might ask. I’m simply David. A few people in my life call me “Son”, others I’m thankful to be called their “friend”. A few years ago my best friend started calling me “Hubby” and a little more than a  year ago I gained some new friends that call me “Pastor”. Overall, I’m as regular as a 24 year old as they come while at the same time those friends and family are glad there’s only one of me because they couldn’t handle another one. If I’m able to find some free time you’ll find me a watching movie, enjoying a good bottle of Dr. Pepper, or rooting for the Philadelphia Phillies and Green Bay Packers. Ultimately though, I love blessing my wife every chance I can get because she so deserves it for all she does.

Here on this blog on the California EC Church website you’ll find a whole bunch of different things. Here’s just a few:

            – Monthly Snapshots – Want to know what’s happening this month? As you flip your calendars to the next month be sure to check in here on the 1st of each month to see what’s happening here at California Church. Get a preview into the Sunday messages, keep up-to-date with missions opportunities, find out how you can serve our local community, and special events listings for the whole family. This is your one-stop shop so be sure to check it out!

            – Post-Sermon Discussions – Ever feel like Sunday is too short? Do you feel like you want to keep that conversation going from our morning worship but don’t know how? Still have questions or is God sparking on a conversation with you and you want to share? Then check in with our blog and see what others are saying and join in the conversation. It won’t be every single week but when certain topics are shared or there is more conversations to be had, be sure to check in here on the blog to add your thoughts along with your fellow attendees and seekers.

     – “The Gospel According to…” – I love movies. I also love God. And when those two things collide I love them even more. Movies have been a part of my entire life. I remember watching old films with my dad, going to the theaters as a reward for good grades, and now today we as a culture are spoiled with media monstrosities who pump out millions of dollars worth of films every single year. But when I was a teen, a mentor of mine challenged me to not watch movies, TV shows, or even listen to music without thinking. Easy to say – much harder to actually do!

It can be so easy to turn off our brains for a few hours and just enjoy the show or song, however, that leaves us susceptible to their message. “Is it always good?” I think we can honestly agree the answer is NO. There is plenty of garbage out there in both quality and content.

But the bigger question is: “Is it always bad?” Most movies have at least 1 redeemable quality whether that be an overriding theme of forgiveness and/or redemption or good cinematography and writing. We must be careful not to throw away the whole of something that has inherently good qualities.

So what can you expect? I’ll take a current piece of media (movie, TV show, song, etc.) that is in theaters now or a guilty pleasure from back in the day and talk about what’s great, what was a miss for me, and finding where the Gospel truth is so that we can use that media in conversations. Each piece of media you read, watch, or hear is trying to tell you their own gospel truth. My mission and vision are simple: tell the story of God through the stories of our culture. From the theologian Karl Barth, “Take your Bible and your newspaper, and read both. But interpret the newspapers from your Bible.”

            – And SO MUCH MORE!!! – Perhaps I’ll post an interesting article, discuss a Kairos in my life (when God breaks into my life and signals an opportunity to grow), discuss a book that I read (which does happen on occasion thanks to seminary work), or share awesome God stories from our congregation, missionaries, and friends…this list of possibilities goes on and on. Be sure to add this blog to your reading list and favorites page!

And so PLEASE let YOUR voice be heard on this blog. Pin, post, tweet, snap, chat, share, like (or dislike), whatever you want because I want to hear from you as well! This blog is not just for me as Pastor of California EC Church, it is a sacred space for you to join in the conversation, share your thoughts, encourage and challenge others, and enjoy the company of other believers and seekers who are on the journey of life with you. If you have a prayer request or a praise that you want to share, make your way to our prayer wall and share your requests and praises. And when people pray for you, they can let you know simply by clicking, “I prayed”. That is the power of prayer at work!

And so as the journey of this blog begins I feel like Bilbo Baggins in the Hobbit, I am excited to be “going on this adventure!”