Living at the Margins + Sunday Morning Resources

TCC • June 2, 2023

This summer at Twin Cities we are going to talk about how to stand firm and have hope in times of despair and hopelessness. Our Dare to Hope series will take us on a verse-by-verse journey through the New Testament book of 1 Peter. He wrote to people who were exiles and outcasts because of their faith in Jesus. His purpose was to embolden them to stand strong in the face of adversity and opposition and to live as people of enduring hope. Grab your Bible, join us for this series, and learn how to be a hope-filled counter-cultural. 


Counter-cultural living starts with trusting the Good News of who Jesus is and whom He says we are. It’s all about identity. Rather than blending in and accepting the values of the culture around us, God calls us to live differently by trusting and obeying Him. He calls us to stand against the flow of culture. When we do, we will experience ridicule, marginalization, and maybe even suffering and persecution. At the same time, we have the promise that even though things may be difficult, we can also experience joy, purpose, and hope.


On Sunday, we’ll kick off the series by looking at the first two verses as we set up the entire series. The message is Living at the Margins. We’ll see that we can still have influence even when we feel we’ve been pushed to the margins of the world. 


Summer is a great time for spiritual growth and development for kids and students. Click here and look at the awesome opportunities we’re providing this summer. Our kids are being influenced by culture in more ways than ever before. Camps are a fun and exciting way we can come alongside you in training your kids up to know God and love Jesus.


Parents, you’ll want to notice and plan for “Move Up” Sunday on June 11. That’s the day kids and students move up to the next grade or age level.


I love you and can’t wait to see what God does in our church and for our community this summer.

 

Here are the links you’ll need to prepare for Sunday’s Service: 


 

Joyfully living on mission in intimacy with Jesus and others,

New Paragraph

By TCC December 19, 2025
This Sunday, we come to the final week of our Reclaiming Christmas series, and we’re turning our attention to a tradition many celebrate… and many others don’t understand: Advent. For some, Advent is a sacred rhythm — way to slow down, prepare their hearts, and anticipate the celebration of Jesus’ birth as well as look forward to His second coming. For others, it’s simply a countdown marked by tiny doors holding a daily dose of Christmas chocolate. And for some, it doesn’t factor into Christmas at all. But where did Advent come from? What does it actually mean? And how might reclaiming this ancient practice reshape the way we experience Christmas today? Join us as we unwrap the history, purpose, and surprising depth of Advent and discover how it can draw us closer to the hope, peace, joy, and love we celebrate in Jesus. Also don’t forget that Christmas Eve is only a few days away! We will gather for three candlelight services on Tuesday, December 24, at 2, 4, and 6pm. Invite your friends, your neighbors, and anyone who needs the light of Christ this season. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry Can’t wait to celebrate with you!
By TCC December 12, 2025
Why do we give presents at Christmas? Why does Santa show up in living rooms, movies, and mall photos every December? And how did a generous bishop from the 4th century become the jolly icon of Christmas consumerism? This Sunday, we’re digging into the surprising story behind one of Christmas’ most beloved (and debated!) traditions. We’ll trace the journey from the first Christmas gifts in Scripture… to Saint Nicholas and his secret acts of mercy… to Santa Claus and the swirl of expectations that often define our holiday season today. But more importantly, we’ll explore what all of this means for Followers of Jesus now. How do we practice generosity without fueling entitlement? How do we parent wisely in a culture of over-the-top gift-giving? And what do we do with Santa — embrace him, rethink him, or retire him? It’s going to be an eye-opening, thought-provoking and, possibly tradition-reshaping conversation that you won’t want to miss. A quick pastoral note: because we’ll be taking an honest look at Santa’s history and role in our celebrations, if you’re a parent of young children and haven’t yet had “the Santa talk,” you may want to prayerfully consider whether to have them with you in the service or check them into Children’s Ministry and choose what to share afterward. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday,
By TCC December 5, 2025
Ever wonder why we bring a tree into our living rooms every December? Is it just nostalgia or something deeper? This weekend, we will look at the ancient roots of our evergreen tradition. Join us as we discover why our Christmas trees might preach a better sermon than we realize. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry I can’t wait to celebrate with you!
By TCC November 21, 2025
This Sunday, we are concluding our Walking With Jesus series. We will consider those moments when even Jesus’ closest followers had to wrestle with their expectations of who they thought He would be and decide whether they would keep following Him when the path became costly, confusing, or different than what they hoped for. Spiritual maturity means learning to trust and follow Jesus not just in the moments when He feels close or when He meets our needs, but also in the seasons when emotions fade, answers aren’t clear, and obedience requires surrender. We will also celebrate baptisms at the end of each service! Baptism is a powerful, public declaration of a person’s decision to follow Jesus wherever He leads, so come ready to celebrate with our brothers and sisters who are going public with their faith. And if you’ve sensed that God may be inviting you to take this step, we’ll make space for you to respond as well. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry I can’t wait to celebrate with you!
By TCC November 14, 2025
We live in a world that celebrates busyness disguised as faithfulness. But in Luke 10:38–42, Jesus gently reminds us that what He desires most isn’t our activity for Him, but our presence with Him. This Sunday, as we continue our Walking With Jesus series, Pastor Ron will help us unpack the story of Mary and Martha — two sisters who loved Jesus deeply but expressed it in very different ways. Through their story, we’ll discover how easy it is to get caught up doing things for Jesus while missing the invitation to be with Him. We will learn what Jesus really wants us to do (hint: it’s not more) as we grow in our intimacy with Him. Interested in getting baptised? We’ll be hosting a baptism class during the 9:00am service this Sunday, and another class on Tuesday at noon for those ready to take this step of faith and publicly declare their trust in Jesus. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.
By TCC November 7, 2025
As we near the end of our Walking With Jesus series, we’re stepping into one of the most challenging and sobering teachings Jesus ever gave: His call to count the cost of following Him. Many of us first come to Jesus hoping He’ll fix what’s broken in our lives — and He often does. But Jesus also invites us into something deeper: a life of surrender, transformation, and daily choosing Him over our comfort, desires, and autonomy. As we’ll see this weekend, discipleship is costly, but what we gain in Christ is far more valuable than anything we lay down.  If you’ve ever found yourself asking: Why does following Jesus sometimes feel so hard? What is He actually calling me to surrender? Is following Him really worth the cost? …this message is for you. Join us this Sunday as we explore what it truly means to take Jesus at His word and follow Him with our whole lives. You won’t want to miss it. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.
By TCC October 31, 2025
In Luke 9, Jesus calls His followers to “deny themselves and take up their cross daily.” In a world that celebrates comfort and success, that’s a shocking invitation. Yet as we’ll see, it’s only by dying to ourselves that we discover what it truly means to live. This Sunday, as we continue our Walking With Jesus series, we’ll explore what it means to lay down our own desires and trust that God’s way is better — even when it costs us something. Because on the other side of surrender is life, freedom, and joy in Him. This Sunday also marks the end of daylight saving time, which means you get an extra hour of sleep, so I look forward to seeing you well rested and ready to learn. 😊 And don’t forget — tonight is our Fall Family Festival from 5–8pm ! This completely free, family-friendly event is a chance to shine the light of Jesus’ love into a night that’s often marked by darkness. Bring your family, invite your friends and join us as we love on our neighbors. I hope to see you there. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.
By TCC October 24, 2025
This weekend, we’re continuing our Walking With Jesus series by exploring a topic that’s both fascinating and often misunderstood — spiritual authority. Throughout Luke’s Gospel, Jesus teaches and heals with astonishing authority. But what’s even more surprising is that He extends that same authority to His followers. What does that mean for us today? How do we understand and engage with the authority God has given His people? To help us navigate this conversation, I’ll be joined by my friend Dan Prout, founder of Sierra Ministries International . Together, we’ll look at what Scripture teaches about spiritual authority and how to walk in it with humility, faith, and confidence in Jesus. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.
By TCC October 17, 2025
Last week, we saw how Jesus meets us with both grace and truth — grace that meets us where we are, and truth that calls us into something more. But that journey of transformation doesn’t happen automatically. There’s a battle taking place for what we believe about God, about others, and especially about ourselves. This Sunday, we’ll continue Walking With Jesus as we look at how He leads us out of the false identities and broken narratives that have shaped us, and into the freedom of knowing who we truly are in Him. I hope you will join us as we learn how to let go of the lies that hold us back and live in the truth that sets us free. Here are some helpful resources to get you ready for the weekend: Message Notes and Study Guide Weekly Spotify Playlist Children's Ministry Student Ministry See you Sunday.
More Posts