Orchard Conversations

THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO? - WEEK 4
Have you ever heard the phrase “money is the root of all evil”? This week, we’re taking a closer look at this familiar saying. Is it really from the Bible, and what does it truly mean for our lives? We’ll delve into its origins, uncover surprising insights, and challenge common misconceptions. How does this belief shape our views on wealth and influence our actions? Join us as we unravel the truth behind this phrase and discover its deeper implications for our daily lives. This conversation might just change the way you think about money.
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Question for contemplation and conversation:
How can we have a healthy relationship with money that acknowledges its potential for both good and evil?
How can we maintain a relationship with money that takes into consideration both our rights and responsibilities?
How can we foster a community that values generosity and the ethical use of resources?
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To learn more about The Orchard Community visit theorchardcommunity.com
Subscribe to Orchard Conversations in your favorite podcast app or at orchardconversations.com

THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO? - WEEK 3
This week, we jump back into our conversation series “The Bible Says So?” as we explore the saying, "God helps those who help themselves." We’ve all heard this statement roll off our tongues or the tongues of others. And there’s a lot of truth in it, right? Taking ownership of our lives feels pretty important. But what about those who aren’t in positions to help themselves? And what about the idea of grace and relying on God’s provision? Where do we draw the line? This week, we’ll dive into all of these questions and more!
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Question for contemplation and conversation:
How did thinking about the concept "God helps those who help themselves" resonate with you? How did it challenge your thinking around that need to integrate the ideas of grace and effort, faith and works, rather than seeing them as completely separate?
Looking back, can you think of a time when you tried too hard or didn't try hard enough? What can you learn from that experience?
Is there an area in your life where you might be waiting for help from God or from others? How can you apply the concept of helping yourself in a positive way? How might this conversation prompt you to ask others for help?
How have you experienced greater wholeness or greater joy in being one who helps another?
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To learn more about The Orchard Community visit theorchardcommunity.com
Subscribe to Orchard Conversations in your favorite podcast app or at orchardconversations.com

This week, as our community based in Aurora, Illinois celebrates Pride Month, we revisit our community value of Hospitality with a throwback sermon from Lead Pastor Scott Hodge. Sometimes we can go our entire lives without being truly seen. The spirit of Hospitality empowers us to see each other exactly as we are, and welcome each other with wide open arms. Today we reflect on this value and how to live it out in our day-to-day lives.
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To learn more about The Orchard Community visit theorchardcommunity.com
Subscribe to Orchard Conversations in your favorite podcast app or at orchardconversations.com

THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO? - WEEK 2
This week, we continue our conversation series “The Bible Says So?” as we explore the saying “love the sinner, hate the sin.” We discuss the origins of this phrase, why it’s commonly used, and the significant problems it presents, especially when it comes to defining and interpreting “sin” in our contemporary context.
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Question for contemplation and conversation:
Based on your own life experiences, background, and personal journey, what is your reaction to the phrase ‘Love the Sinner, Hate the Sin’? How has this phrase impacted your understanding of love, judgment, and community?
How does the focus on ‘hating the sin’ in others potentially distract us from our own need for personal transformation and repentance?
What might a faith community look like if it fully embraced the principle of unconditional love without the qualifier of ‘hating the sin’? How would this change the way we welcome, support, and journey with one another in our spiritual lives?
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To learn more about The Orchard Community visit theorchardcommunity.com
Subscribe to Orchard Conversations in your favorite podcast app or at orchardconversations.com

THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO? - WEEK 1
As we begin a new series, “The Bible Tells Me So?”, where we examine conventional wisdom often assumed to be biblical truth, this week we explore the statement “God never gives you more than you can handle,” uncovering its origins, truths, potential harms, and the deeper hope we find in community and God’s support.
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Question for contemplation and conversation:
When did you first come into contact with this idea that “God won’t give you more than you can handle”?
Can you think of a time when this statement was comforting to you, and a time when it felt minimizing, harmful, or perpetuated limiting beliefs?
Where have you experienced people being truly PRESENT with you during difficult times?
What does the story of Job teach us about hope and restoration after periods of intense suffering?
How can we better support each other within our community when someone is facing overwhelming difficulties?
How can we shift the narrative from “handling everything on our own” to embracing our need for divine and communal support?
Are there other phrases or cliches that you’ve experienced that have felt empty or hollow
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To learn more about The Orchard Community visit theorchardcommunity.com
Subscribe to Orchard Conversations in your favorite podcast app or at orchardconversations.com

This week, we wrap up the Easter Season with a Pentecost Liturgy, celebrating the annual movement of God through the Spirit.
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Question for contemplation and conversation:
What languages is the Holy Spirit nudging you to speak that you’ve never spoken before?
What stories do you need to listen to that you have not listened to before?
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To learn more about The Orchard Community visit theorchardcommunity.com
Subscribe to Orchard Conversations in your favorite podcast app or at orchardconversations.com

This week at the Orchard we take time to celebrate the mothers and mothering people in our lives as well as celebrate Ascension Sunday; and Lead Pastor Scott Hodge reminds us that the Ascension of Christ was about presence transformed, not presence removed.
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Question for contemplation and conversation:
What liminal space are you inhabiting right now, and what lessons might be emerging as you wait and listen in that threshold?
How can you expand your vision to recognize Christ in new ways, beyond the familiar and the expected, in your daily life?
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To learn more about The Orchard Community visit theorchardcommunity.com
Subscribe to Orchard Conversations in your favorite podcast app or at orchardconversations.com

This week we’ll explore an account from the book of Acts, where early Christians have their expectations about inclusion challenged. How can this story inspire us to move beyond our own cultural and conventional boundaries? Join the conversation and discover the Spirit's call to radical inclusivity.
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Question for contemplation and conversation:
Where do you experience confirmation bias?
What biases might you be holding onto that keep you from experiencing the fullness of life?
What preconceived beliefs, culturally assumed stories might be closing you off from experiencing the the Presence of God?
Where might Spirit be challenging your expectations right now, perhaps in a way that feels uncomfortable?
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Mentioned in today's episode:
Prayer to Overcome Confirmation Bias (by Brian McLaren):I do not know everything. I do not even know how much I do not know. Nor do I know how much of what I know is impartial, faulty, or false. So I pray: Source of all truth, help me to hunger for truth, even if it upsets, modifies, or overturns what I already think is true. Guide me into all the truth I can bear, and stretch me to bear more, so that I may always choose the whole truth—even with disruption—over half-truths with self-deception. Grant me passion to follow wisdom wherever it leads.
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To learn more about The Orchard Community visit theorchardcommunity.com
Subscribe to Orchard Conversations in your favorite podcast app or at orchardconversations.com