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Lent at The Journey Church a season of reflection generosity and hope

Lent at The Journey Church: A Season of Reflection, Generosity, and Hope

Written by Kay Stonecypher on . Posted in Latest Events. No Comments on Lent at The Journey Church: A Season of Reflection, Generosity, and Hope

Lent at The Journey Church is a season of reflection, generosity, and spiritual growth leading up to Easter. During these forty days, we slow down, remember the sacrifice of Jesus, and practice simple ways of growing in faith together as a community.

Refocusing Our Lives

Each year, the Christian calendar invites us into rhythms that help us pause, reflect, and refocus our lives on what matters most. One of the most meaningful of these seasons is Lent. At The Journey Church, Lent is a time when we intentionally slow down, reflect on our faith, and prepare our hearts for Easter.

Lent at The Journey Church begins on Ash Wednesday and continues through Good Friday and Easter Sunday. This season traces its roots back to the early church. In the earliest centuries of Christianity, believers would spend time fasting and reflecting between Good Friday and Easter as they remembered the sacrifice of Jesus and anticipated the celebration of his resurrection.

Over time, this practice expanded into the forty-day season we know today. For centuries, Christians around the world have used this season as an opportunity to step back from the busyness of everyday life and reconnect with their faith. At The Journey Church, we continue this tradition in ways that are simple, meaningful, and accessible for everyone.

Slowing Down During Lent

One of the central invitations of Lent at The Journey Church is to slow down. Life moves quickly, and it is easy to go weeks or even months without intentionally reflecting on our spiritual lives. Lent gives us space to pause and remember what our faith is really about.

Throughout this season, we encourage people to take time to reflect on the life and sacrifice of Jesus. This reflection helps us approach Easter not just as a holiday, but as the celebration of the resurrection that sits at the center of the Christian story.

This year during Lent, our Sunday teaching series is called “Spiritually Formed.” Through this series, we will explore what it means to grow in our faith and allow God to shape our lives from the inside out. Each week we will look at practices and perspectives that help us become more rooted in the love of God and more aware of how our faith shapes our everyday lives.

Giving Something Up

One of the most well-known traditions during Lent is the practice of giving something up. At The Journey Church, we invite everyone to consider setting aside something meaningful for the forty days leading up to Easter.

The purpose is not simply self-denial. Instead, it is about creating a small but intentional reminder of our faith. When we give something up for Lent, it helps us pause and remember the sacrifice of Jesus and the love that led him to the cross.

For some people, this might be giving up a certain food or drink. Others might step away from something like social media, entertainment, or another daily habit. The specific choice is personal and flexible. The goal is simply to choose something that helps you pause and reflect whenever you notice its absence.

During Lent at The Journey Church, each moment of that reminder becomes an opportunity to reflect on what Christ gave up so that we might experience life and hope.

Giving Something Out

Alongside giving something up, we also practice giving something out. Lent at The Journey Church includes an opportunity for generosity through our annual Rice Bowl project.

Rice Bowls are small containers that people take home during Lent. Throughout the season, you can place spare change or bills inside them. At the end of Lent, these gifts are collected and donated to support vulnerable children and orphans in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Globally, there are more than 160 million orphaned children, with many living in extremely difficult circumstances. Through the Rice Bowl project, our church partners with organizations working specifically in Sub-Saharan Africa, where many children face challenges like poverty, hunger, and limited access to support.

Most of the compassion projects we support as a church focus on our local community. Rice Bowls give us the opportunity to extend that compassion globally and support children who need care and resources. Our goal this year is to raise $1,000 to support this work.

If you would like to participate, simply pick up a Rice Bowl at church and place your donations in it throughout the season.

Good Friday Agape Feast

Another meaningful tradition during Lent at The Journey Church is our annual Good Friday Agape Feast.

The word “agape” is a Greek word used in the New Testament to describe self-giving love. In the early church, believers would gather for a shared community meal called an Agape Feast. This meal reminded them of the love of Christ and the unity of the church.

Each year on Good Friday, we continue this tradition together. Our Agape Feast is a potluck-style meal where everyone is invited to bring something to share. It is a simple and meaningful evening that includes food, conversation, and a short reflective service as we remember the sacrifice of Jesus on Good Friday.

This gathering also helps us prepare our hearts for the joy of Easter Sunday, when we celebrate the resurrection and the hope it brings.

Join Us for Lent at The Journey Church

Lent is not about perfection or pressure. It is about creating space to reflect, reconnect with God, and walk together as a community of faith.

Whether you participate by giving something up, contributing to the Rice Bowl project, attending the Good Friday Agape Feast, or simply engaging with the Spiritually Formed teaching series, Lent at The Journey Church offers a meaningful way to slow down and focus on what truly matters.

As we move through this season together, we invite you to take small steps that help you reflect on your faith and prepare your heart for Easter.

Lent at The Journey Church is ultimately about remembering the love of Christ, growing in faith, and walking toward the hope of resurrection together.

Christian faith and busyness—making space for God

When Life Feels Overcrowded: How Jesus Reframes Our Priorities

Written by Kay Stonecypher on . Posted in Sermon Highlights. No Comments on When Life Feels Overcrowded: How Jesus Reframes Our Priorities

This week at The Journey, we explored how easily our lives become overfilled with busyness—and how Jesus invites us to live differently. Drawing from Luke 12, we explored Christian faith and busyness and were reminded that when we intentionally make space for God, people, and purpose, our everyday lives can take on deeper meaning and lasting hope.

This Week’s Sermon: How to Live Intentionally

Key Takeaways

  • Busyness can quietly crowd out what matters most if we’re not intentional.
  • Jesus invites us to trust God’s care instead of obsessing over possessions or status.
  • Our days are shaped by habits, not willpower—and small choices matter.
  • God calls us to prioritize relationships and purpose, not just productivity.
  • Our ordinary lives can carry extraordinary meaning when they’re rooted in God.

Sermon Highlights
Christian Faith and Busyness: When Life Feels Overcrowded

Most of us know the feeling of having days that are completely full—and still feeling like we’re behind. Our calendars fill up quickly with responsibilities, errands, obligations, and the endless “have-to’s” of daily life. Even good things can leave us feeling stretched thin. Somewhere along the way, we may start telling ourselves, I’ll focus on what really matters later—when life slows down.

This week at The Journey, we paused to ask an honest question: What are we filling our days—and our lives—with right now?

The Big Idea of This Week’s Teaching:

The central message of the sermon was simple but challenging: busyness can distract us from living intentionally with God, people, and purpose. Jesus doesn’t ignore our everyday needs, but He does invite us to see our lives through a different lens—one shaped by trust, presence, and meaning rather than anxiety and accumulation.

Key Scriptures

  • Luke 12 – Jesus responds to a man asking about inheritance by shifting the focus away from possessions and toward trust in God’s care.
  • Romans 12 – A reminder that a transformed life begins with renewed thinking and intentional choices.
  • Ephesians 2:10 – We are God’s workmanship, created with purpose and prepared for good work long before we realize it.

Each passage reinforced the idea that life is more than what we own, accomplish, or worry about—it’s about who we are becoming in relationship with God.

1. Filling Our “Squares” with Busyness

The sermon used a powerful image from theologian Lewis Smedes: our lives are made up of “squares”—each day, each moment, framed by time. Whether we realize it or not, we live one square at a time.

Most of our squares fill up quickly. Work, meals, commuting, emails, appointments, family responsibilities, and unexpected problems all compete for space. Over time, we can feel like our lives are packed wall-to-wall with activity, leaving little room for reflection, prayer, or rest. Our Christian faith and our busyness don’t work well together.

“We live one square at a time—and how we fill them shapes the meaning of our lives.”

Jesus gently challenges this way of living. When we become overly focused on ourselves and our worries, our problems often feel bigger. But when we shift our attention toward God and others, something changes—our perspective widens, and our anxieties lose their grip.

2. Steeping Ourselves in God’s Reality

One of the most memorable images from the sermon was the idea of “steeping” ourselves in God’s reality. Like tea slowly infusing water, God’s presence is meant to gradually shape every part of our lives—not through force or hurry, but through patience and presence.

Jesus reminds us that God is attentive even to wildflowers most people never notice. If God cares so deeply for creation, how much more does He care for us? Our lives are not random or overlooked. God is already at work within them.

“When we steep ourselves in God’s reality, our ordinary lives begin to carry extraordinary purpose.”

Steeping requires slowing down. It means allowing God’s truth to saturate our thoughts, habits, and priorities over time.

3. Habits Over Willpower

Another key insight was the difference between willpower and habits. Willpower alone rarely sustains meaningful change. Habits do.

Instead of waiting to feel more spiritual or motivated, we’re invited to create rhythms that gently shape our days. Simple practices—like reading Scripture, praying briefly but consistently, or talking about God in everyday conversations—can slowly transform how we live.

Even short prayers matter. A simple “Thank you, God” or “Help me” can re-center our hearts. Over time, these small habits create space for God to meet us where we are.

4. God, People, and Purpose

As we make room for God, our attention naturally begins to shift outward. The sermon reminded us that prioritizing people means choosing relationships that bring life—relationships marked by encouragement, honesty, and hope.

Deep relationships take effort. They’re rarely convenient. But they matter. Being a good friend, neighbor, or family member often requires showing up first, even when life feels full.

From there, we’re invited to reflect on purpose. Purpose isn’t about comfort or self-promotion. It’s about becoming who God created us to be and using our gifts to bring good into the world. Each of us was designed with intention, and our lives can reflect God’s creativity and care in unique ways.

Practicing This Week

Here are a few simple ways to live out this message:

  • Choose one daily habit that helps you stay connected to God—Scripture, prayer, or quiet reflection.
  • Create a little margin in your schedule this week, even just a few minutes.
  • Express gratitude daily by naming one thing you’re thankful for.
  • Reach out to one person you care about—send a message, make a call, or plan time together.
  • Reflect on purpose by asking, “How might God want to use my gifts right now?”

Questions for Reflection

  1. What currently fills most of your “squares”?
  2. Where do you feel most rushed or distracted in your daily life?
  3. What small habit could help you stay more aware of God’s presence?
  4. Who are the people God may be inviting you to prioritize right now?
  5. What might it look like to live more intentionally this season?

Christian faith and busyness often seem at odds. The good news is that our hope doesn’t rest in how perfectly we manage our time or priorities. It rests in Jesus—who meets us in our busy, imperfect lives and invites us into deeper relationship. We don’t walk this journey alone. Together, we learn to fill our days with grace, trust, and love, one square at a time.

Trusting the wisest person in the room

Winning at Life: Trusting the Wisest Person in the Room

Written by Kay Stonecypher on . Posted in Sermon Highlights. No Comments on Winning at Life: Trusting the Wisest Person in the Room

This week at The Journey, we explored what it means to live well by trusting the wisest person in the room—God Himself. The teaching invited us to stop relying only on our own understanding and instead learn to trust the wisest person in the room: our God who knows the whole track ahead. These practices aren’t about perfection—they’re about learning how to live with humility, trust, and freedom.

This Week’s Sermon: Game Plan for Winning in 2026

Key Takeaways

  • Loyalty is not just a feeling but a practiced way of life that shapes who we become.
  • Trusting God means choosing His wisdom over our instincts, even when it feels uncomfortable.
  • Where we invest our resources often reveals—and reshapes—what our hearts truly trust.
  • God’s correction is not rejection; it is loving guidance meant to help us grow.
  • Lasting change happens when our hearts learn to trust God, not just our behavior.

Sermon Highlights: Loyalty, Control, and the Way We Try to Win at Life

Most of us want the same things: a good life, meaningful relationships, and a sense that we’re heading in the right direction. Yet so often, we try to achieve those things by relying on our instincts, our logic, or our experience alone. When things go wrong, our first impulse is often to grip the steering wheel tighter and try harder. Proverbs 3 reminds us that trusting the wisest person in the room means choosing God’s wisdom even when it contradicts our instincts.

This week at The Journey, we asked a different question: What if living well isn’t about trying harder, but about trusting deeper? What if the path to a full life begins with loyalty to God, humility about our limits, and a willingness to be guided?

The Big Idea of This Week’s Teaching

At the heart of this teaching was the invitation to stop relying only on ourselves and begin trusting the wisest person in the room in every decision. Proverbs 3 invites us to stop pretending we know best and instead learn how to follow a God who sees the whole picture. At the heart of this teaching was the invitation to stop relying only on ourselves and begin trusting the wisest person in the room in every decision.

This kind of trust isn’t passive. It’s practiced—through consistency, generosity, humility, and openness to correction.

Key Scriptures From the Teaching

  • Proverbs 3:3–4 – We’re invited to bind love and faithfulness to our hearts, making loyalty part of who we are, not just something we do.
  • Proverbs 3:5–6 – Trusting God with all our heart means letting go of the illusion that we fully understand the road ahead.
  • Proverbs 3:9–10 – Honoring God with our resources becomes a tangible way to train our hearts to trust Him.
  • Proverbs 3:11–12 – God’s correction is framed not as punishment, but as loving guidance from a Father who delights in His children.

1. Loyalty Above All

The sermon began with the idea that love—at its biblical core—is loyal, dependable faithfulness. Proverbs uses two Hebrew words often translated as love and faithfulness, but together they describe something deeper: relentless, dependable loyalty.

Loyalty isn’t just what we feel when it’s easy. It’s what we practice when it’s inconvenient. Over time, those practices shape our character. Showing up—again and again—forms us into people who are reliable, trustworthy, and present.

“Loyalty isn’t just something we feel—it’s something we practice until it becomes who we are.”

When loyalty becomes part of our identity, it spills into every area of life: friendships, work, family, and faith. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about being someone who keeps showing up.

2. Trusting the Wisest Person in the Room: Why Trusting God’s Wisdom Changes Everything

Proverbs 3 reminds us that trusting the wisest person in the room means choosing God’s wisdom even when it contradicts our instincts. The sermon illustrated this with the image of a rookie racer trusting a seasoned coach—someone who knows the track, the terrain, and the hidden dangers ahead.

In our own lives, we often act like we’re the wisest person in the room. We rely on logic, instinct, and past experience. But Scripture reminds us that God is not just present—He is wise beyond anything we can see or calculate.

Trusting God means choosing humility. It means believing that the Creator of the universe might actually know something we don’t.

3. Investing in God and His Kingdom

One of the most practical—and challenging—parts of the teaching focused on money. Proverbs connects trust in God directly to generosity, because money has a powerful way of revealing and shaping our hearts.

Jesus taught the same principle: where we place our treasure, our hearts tend to follow. Investing in what God is doing isn’t about earning favor or checking a box—it’s about training our hearts to trust Him.

When we give intentionally and first, we’re reminded that our security doesn’t come from what we store up, but from the God who provides.

4. Learning to Appreciate Course Corrections

Finally, the sermon addressed God’s discipline—those moments when we feel nudged, corrected, or redirected. These moments can sting. They challenge our pride and disrupt our plans.

“God’s correction is not rejection; it’s loving guidance from a Father who wants us to thrive.”

But Proverbs reframes correction as love. A good coach corrects because they want us to win. A loving Father guides because He wants us to thrive.

Learning to accept correction without resentment is heart work. It’s a daily practice of reminding ourselves that God’s guidance is not meant to restrict us, but to lead us toward life.

Practicing This Week

  • Notice where loyalty shows up—or is lacking—in your everyday commitments.
  • Ask yourself who you’re trusting most when making decisions: yourself or God.
  • Reflect on where your money goes and what it reveals about your priorities.
  • When you sense correction or conviction, pause and remind yourself that God’s guidance is rooted in love.
  • Practice repeating truth when resentment or resistance rises in your heart.

Questions for Reflection

  • Where do you find it hardest to trust God instead of yourself?
  • What practices have shaped your character over time—for better or worse?
  • How does generosity affect your sense of trust and security?
  • When you experience correction, what emotions surface first?
  • What would it look like to trust God with the unknown parts of this year?

As we practice trusting the wisest person in the room, we learn to release control and receive the life God is leading us toward. Following Jesus isn’t about having everything figured out—it’s about learning to trust the One who does. God doesn’t invite us into a life of control, but into a life of freedom shaped by loyalty, humility, and grace. As we practice trusting the wisest person in the room, we learn to release control and receive the life God is leading us toward.

Finding Joy in Life

Advent Joy: Finding Meaning Beyond Pleasure

Written by Kay Stonecypher on . Posted in Sermon Highlights. No Comments on Advent Joy: Finding Meaning Beyond Pleasure

In the third week of Advent, we had a sermon on “Finding Joy in Life,” where we explored the difference between fleeting pleasure and lasting joy. Centered on the birth of Jesus in Luke 2, this teaching reminded us that joy is not about escaping pain, but about discovering deep meaning and freedom through God’s grace.

This Week’s Sermon: Finding Joy in Life

Key Takeaways

  • Pleasure can distract us from pain, but it can never give lasting meaning.
  • Biblical joy flows from gratitude for God’s grace, not from circumstances.
  • Jesus entered a world of despair to bring joy rooted in freedom and hope.
  • Joy is not something we manufacture—it is a gift God gives.
  • The Eucharist is a table of joy, reminding us that death is not the end of the story.

Sermon Highlights: When Pleasure Isn’t Enough

We live in a culture that tells us pain should be avoided at all costs. If something hurts—emotionally, physically, spiritually—we are encouraged to cover it up, distract ourselves, or numb it. Entertainment, shopping, food, work, substances, and constant stimulation promise relief, at least for a moment.

But many of us know the truth: even with endless opportunities for pleasure, exhaustion and emptiness still linger.

This week at The Journey, during the third week of Advent, we paused to talk about joy—not the kind that comes from comfort or distraction, but the kind that brings meaning, freedom, and deep gratitude, even in the midst of hardship. How do we find this joy in life?

The Big Idea: Finding Joy in Life Is Not the Same as Seeking Pleasure

The heart of the teaching centered on a crucial distinction: pleasure and joy are not the same thing.

Pleasure is often immediate, enjoyable, and temporary. It can soothe discomfort for a while, but it fades—and usually demands more the next time. Joy, on the other hand, is deeper. It isn’t dependent on circumstances, and it doesn’t disappear when life is hard.

True joy is rooted in gratitude for God’s grace—the profound awareness that God has met us with love, purpose, and freedom.

Key Scriptures from the Teaching

  • Luke 2:1–11 – The birth of Jesus is announced as “good news of great joy,” spoken into a world filled with fear, oppression, and despair.
  • Luke 1–2 (encouraged reading) – The larger story of humanity finding joy when God entered human suffering to bring hope and meaning.
  • The language of joy (Greek: chara) – Closely related to charis (grace), showing that joy flows from receiving God’s undeserved love.

1. Why We Chase Pleasure When Life Hurts

The teaching named something many of us experience but rarely say out loud: when pain goes unresolved, we often turn to pleasure to cope. Whether it’s overworking, over-consuming, scrolling endlessly, drinking more than we intend, shopping impulsively, or constantly staying entertained—these habits can become ways of avoiding deeper struggles.

“Pleasure may distract us from pain, but only joy gives our lives meaning.”

Pleasure isn’t inherently bad. In fact, many good things in life are pleasurable. But when pleasure becomes our primary strategy for dealing with pain, it loses its power and leaves us feeling even more empty.

As Viktor Frankl famously wrote, “When people lack meaning, they often distract themselves with pleasure.” Joy, however, grows when we stop running from pain and allow God to meet us there.

2. Joy Arrives in the Middle of Despair

The world Jesus entered was not peaceful or comfortable. Israel lived under Roman occupation—marked by poverty, violence, public executions, and relentless fear. There was no easy pleasure to numb the pain.

And it was into that reality that the angels proclaimed:

“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.”

Joy did not arrive because circumstances improved. Joy arrived because God came near.

Jesus’ birth was the beginning of a great reversal—heaven and earth brought together. God stepped into human suffering, not to explain it away, but to redeem it.

3. What Joy Really Is

Biblical joy is not pretending everything is fine. It is not denying pain or avoiding grief. Instead, finding joy in life comes from knowing:

  • You are created and loved by God
  • You are not separated from Him
  • Your life has meaning beyond your circumstances
  • Death and despair do not get the final word

Joy is freedom. Like grace, it is given—not earned, not chased, not manufactured.

“Joy is gratitude for God’s grace—and it is given freely.”

4. The Eucharist: A Table Where Joy Is Found

At first glance, communion (or Eucharist) may seem like a somber act—remembering suffering, death, and brokenness. But this teaching reframed the table as something far more powerful.

The Eucharist is a table of joy.

By remembering Jesus’ death and resurrection, we proclaim that pain is not the end of the story. The bread and cup point us toward resurrection, renewal, and the promise that God is making all things new.

Each time we come to the table, we are reminded that despair gives way to joy, and death gives way to life.

Practicing This Week: Finding Joy in Life Every Day

This Advent season, we were invited to gently examine our habits and ask deeper questions:

  • Where am I using pleasure to avoid pain instead of facing it with God?
  • What might it look like to simplify—just a little—in order to make room for joy?
  • How can I practice gratitude for God’s grace this week?
  • Where is God inviting me to experience meaning instead of distraction?

These are not rules or guilt-driven resolutions. They are invitations into freedom.

Questions for Reflection

  1. Where do you notice yourself reaching for pleasure when life feels hard?
  2. What pain or fear might God be inviting you to face with Him instead of avoiding?
  3. How would you describe finding joy in life as something deeper than happiness?
  4. In what ways does the story of Jesus’ birth reshape how you understand joy?
  5. What would it look like to approach the Eucharist as a table of joy?

Joy does not come from having an easy life. It comes from knowing that God has entered our hard lives with us. This Advent, we remember that Jesus came not to remove all pain, but to give us meaning, freedom, and hope within it. You are not alone. Heaven has come near—and joy is still being offered.

SEVENS: Warm meal in Westminster

Free Meal in Westminster Colorado | SEVENS Ministry at The Journey

Written by Kay Stonecypher on . Posted in Latest Events, Resources. No Comments on Free Meal in Westminster Colorado | SEVENS Ministry at The Journey

Providing a free meal in Westminster Colorado is more than an idea for us at The Journey—it’s a calling we live out each month through our SEVENS ministry. We believe people should practice faith in practical, tangible ways, especially alongside those experiencing homelessness and food insecurity in our community.

SEVENS takes place on the second Thursday of each month at 5:30 pm at Westminster Presbyterian Church. Each month, volunteers from The Journey come together to prepare and serve a hot, homecooked meal—not just food, but dignity, hospitality, and care.

Free Meal in Westminster, Colorado: December’s SEVENS Dinner

On December 11, our SEVENS volunteers served a comforting winter meal that included meatloaf, mashed potatoes, rolls, fruit, and cookies. It was the kind of meal many of us associate with home—warm, filling, and made with intention. These meals are more than filling; they’re an expression of welcome and worth.

Serving a Free Meal in Westminster Through Volunteers

People who are willing to show up and serve make SEVENS possible. In December, 10 volunteers cooked or purchased meal items and transported the food. They also set up the space, served guests, and cleaned up afterward. It was an evening of work, connection, and shared purpose.

Scripture reminds us that serving others is central to following Jesus. In Matthew 25:35, Jesus says, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat.” SEVENS is one small way we respond to that invitation.

Why We Do This

The Bible consistently calls God’s people to care for those in need. Proverbs 19:17 tells us, “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.” This isn’t about charity from a distance—it’s about relationship, compassion, and shared humanity.

Those who attend the SEVENS meals as guests are our neighbors. Our team welcomes, greets, and serves each guest with respect. As Isaiah 58:10 reminds us, when we “spend ourselves on behalf of the hungry,” light breaks into places of darkness—for them and for us.

Join Us

SEVENS happens every month, and there is always room for more hands and hearts. Whether you enjoy cooking, serving, or simply being present with people, this ministry offers meaningful ways to participate. It is a wonderful way to live out God’s love in our community.

SEVENS provides a free meal in Westminster, Colorado. We welcome every guest into a space of dignity and hope. If you’d like to join an upcoming SEVENS meal, we’d love to have you with us. Together, we bless others—one warm meal at a time.