The Vine Church

During Lent, we look onwards to the eventual sacrifice of the unblemished and perfect Lamb. Join us for our live, Good Friday service. Meeting ID: 862 6188 4815

It may be good for us to ask ourselves, what our experiences over the last year have revealed about our own need for healing. What is God showing us about our need for His fresh touch in our lives? What does it mean to let go of our shackles? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8wPNMhVmNw

Hebrews show us the very character of God, a character in which we are to demonstrate in a truly, liberating way. It's not a heavy command, rather, it is rather a gift that shows us what it means to be truly human, made in the image of God.

We won't find satisfactory answers to the realities of this world. Hebrews tells us that in order to run this race with perseverance, we have to lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely (Hebrews 12:1-13, John 1:14-18). As much as we want to avoid the pain, Scripture tells us that God's intended glory is vested in Jesus. Now crowned with glory and honor, by the grace of God, he might taste death for everyone.

Do we really need a High Priest? As the mediator for the new covenant between God and us, Jesus works in the present in-dwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Mike McNichols shares as fully God and fully man, Jesus is the perfect example as our merciful and faithful High Priest!

Pastor Mike McNichols illustrates a picture of the wedding banquet (Matthew 22:1-14). The dinner is prepared, and everything is ready. With God’s free grace and righteousness in hand, how are we going to respond to the greatest invitation ever given?

As we ponder the gospel of Mark (10:35-45), Pastor Mike McNichols shares the truth that to be first in this Kingdom, we must be slaves of all. Most of us struggle with the big question, What is my life’s calling? As Jesus’ calling is sewn among us, we dig deeper into our character of healing, forgiveness, reconciliation, and renewing of the whole world.

As we navigate through anger and division in this world, God calls us to offer up our bodies as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1-2). Pastor Mike McNichols offers several ways to do so while not only tolerating our neighbors, but loving them. In light of today’s discord and disunion, our response should be a love that flows from our entire selves, being given to God. Emphatically, we should be loving in a sincere, honorable, and hospitable way (Romans 12:9-21).

Our next Midweek Gathering is TONIGHT! If you missed the first one, no worries - these are stand-alone, pop-in-when-you-can gatherings. We will meet from 7-8pm, with a worship song and a reflection from Pastor Mike. Then, we’ll be grouped into breakout rooms to share and pray together. Hope you can join us on Tuesday nights this fall for this place of connection! Zoom meeting ID: 879 9293 0620

Pastor Mike McNichols expounds upon the story of Jonah (Jonah 3:10-4:11), focusing specifically on God and his generous nature. As Jonah reluctantly steps into the experiential reality of his vocation and God’s calling, he finds himself in God’s working and active presence. Even in light of Jonah’s own personal views on Nineveh, the God of the entire world responds with caring tenderness and kind generosity. The story of Jonah reminds us that God is present and at work in the most unlikely of places. https://youtu.be/kdr0Kwg9lAw

Referring to Jesus’ prayer to his Father in John 17, asking that we would be one, Pastor Mike McNichols considers the question: How can we consider ourselves to be one even while we are so scattered? The source of our unity is God’s love, and our work is to respond to that love. Our oneness comes from God alone and Paul offers a path towards that in Colossians 3:15 as he invites us to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts. As we do this we can be one for the sake of others. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHB845xVndA

Pastor Mike McNichols considers the question: How might we experience God as present to us even in a time of multiple disruptions? As we at The Vine find ourselves in an in between time of transition from one pastor to another, disorientation is multiplied by COVID19 restricted gathering and raging fires across the West. How can we learn from the disciples of Jesus who faced similar feelings of disappointment and distress (Luke 24)? Mike references the 1931 Hawke’s Bay Ea...rthquake (magnitude 7.8) which leveled hills and raised others, leaving survivors disoriented by their changed landscape. Just as survivors relied on a compass to navigate their changed world, so we can orient ourselves around Jesus, our True North. As we do this together, we can experience Christ present to us in this time of multiple disruptions and transition. https://youtu.be/W3EV2Z_Nhdg

This Sunday, our interim pastor, Mike McNichols, will be sharing his first sermon in a series of timely messages. This week Pastor Mike considers the question: In a time of multiple disruptions, how might we see how God is present to us? Please join us this Sunday at 10am for our Online Worship Service: youtube.com/thevinechurchoc

TOMORROW: Join us as we say God be with you to Pastor Michael and Ansley. Saturday, September 12 at 5pm, gather with the church family for a picnic to bless the Swanson Family and thank them for their years of serving our church family. Along with your mask, be sure to bring your picnic dinner, a blanket or lawn chair to Hillcrest Park (east side off of Lemon). We will join together in a time of blessing and prayer at 6PM, followed by ice cream for all!

Good news, friends! Orange County is moving from the Purple Zone and into the Red Zone, and with that shift, restrictions are being loosened so that we are once again able to gather outdoors! We will be resuming our Commune-ity Picnics on September 26th, and will meet each Saturday evening at 5pm at Hillcrest (Lemon side of the park, by the Rec Center). Bring your picnic dinner, a mask, and a blanket or chair. Pastor Mike will be offering communion as well, so if you’ve been missing that, it’s finally time! Hope you can join us in person soon!

Our bishop, Todd Hunter joins us for a special Service of Installation for our interim Pastor Mike McNichols and then shares a personal word of encouragement for The Vine. Drawing from Acts 13 and 16, Bishop Todd encourages us that we have reason to celebrate because we are living in a moment when we are being led by the Holy Spirit into a new season. He encourages us to continue seeking to be led by the Holy Spirit and find that according to Luke 11:13, there’s no way asking for the leadership of the Holy Spirit without receiving it. It’s the reception of the Spirit, through the gifts of the Spirit, that gives the church the capacity to heal itself and the world. https://youtu.be/htvnVOl-ZAI

This Sunday, our bishop, Todd Hunter, will be joining us for a special prayer of installation for our interim pastor, Mike McNichols. This will be an important Sunday in the life of our church as we enter into a brand-new season. Bishop Todd will also share a personal word of encouragement for The Vine. Join us online at 10am Sunday: https://youtube.com/thevinechurchoc.

Pastor Michael Swanson preaches his last sermon to our congregation today. Drawing inspiration from Paul’s farewell sermon to the Ephesians in Acts 20, Pastor Michael says goodbye. He outlines the history and values of The Vine in Phase 1 and encourages the church to head into Phase 2 with hope in God’s goodness. https://youtu.be/Afy7OTe6BXs