May 9, 2025
Dear Radiant,
This sermon series we are exploring the simple way of Jesus in community, considering what habits, patterns are essential to flourishing in the new family of Jesus.
We begin with that most intimate form of Christian community: marriage.
Scripture explains that marriage was created by God for companionship (“it is not good for man to be alone” Genesis 2:18), creativity (“be fruitful and increase in number” Genesis 1:28) and mysteriously as a sign of Christ’s love for the church (Ephesians 5:32).
But marriage, as powerful and beautiful as it is, can be really challenging. This is the most obvious statement in the universe. But our way of viewing marriage (perhaps even more so in the church) can be more conditioned by culture than the bible.
The theologian Stanley Hauerwas explains this well (in a very unromantic by the way):
“Destructive to marriage is the self-fulfillment ethic that assumes marriage and the family are primarily institutions of personal fulfillment, necessary for us to become ‘whole’ and happy. The assumption is that there is someone just right for us to marry and that if we look closely enough we will find the right person. This moral assumption overlooks a crucial aspect to marriage. It fails to appreciate the fact that we always marry the wrong person. We never know whom we marry; we just think we do. Or even if we first marry the right person, just give it a while and he or she will change. For marriage, being [the enormous thing it is] means we are not the same person after we have entered it. The primary problem is…learning how to love and care for the stranger to whom you find yourself married.”
While Hauerwas’ words are hyperbolic, he is right that marriage is about learning to love and care for the person we find ourselves married to. This Sunday we’ll be exploring how to practically approach this as disciples of Jesus.
More than that: we trust that just as Jesus turned water to wine at the wedding in Cana, we believe he longs to transform our marriages from scarcity into places of his gracious, redemptive, and joyful work. He can do it but he’s water for us to bring him our water.
See you Sunday at 10AM! (and bring Mom to church for Mother’s Day while you are at it!)
EVENTS CALENDAR
5/11 – Mother’s Day Pastries after church
5/13 – Youth Modesto Nut’s Game
5/14 – Women’s Gathering 6-7AM
5/17 – Radiant Youth – Disc Golf Outing
5/18 – High School Senior sharing during service
6/3 – Home Church leader, Missional Entrepreneurs Gathering 6:30-8PM ELC
6/12 – Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Course begins 6:30-8PM ELC
6/15 – Baptism Sunday
7/25 – All church Lake Day at Lake McClure Splash and Dash
MOTHER’S DAY PASTRIES THIS SUNDAY.
This Sunday is Mother’s Day! We are honoring Mom’s and all women by providing some pastries and treats for after service next Sunday. Guys, this is on us! You can email me [email protected] and tell me what you are bringing.
DIAPER DRIVE MOTHER’S DAY THROUGH FATHER’S DAY!
Hey Radiant, we are partnering with the ministry Modesto Pregnancy Center this May and June to provide some diapers for new moms who are attending parenting support classes. This is from Erin Koolhass, the MPC executive director:
We give diapers to all of our students who attend our parenting classes, where they learn valuable parenting tools, memorize scripture, and build community. We have roughly 60 parents who attend in person each week, and another 50+ who attend online, so we get to bless a lot of babies with diapers!! We almost always have a need for size 4, size 5 and size 6 diapers. MPC gives out over 1200 diapers each week! I really appreciate how MPC is supporting moms and their babies spiritually, relationally, and materially. Let’s bless this new moms and their children with some diapers. We’ll hold this drive May 11 (Mother’s Day) through June 15 (Father’s Day) bring a pack of size 4, 5, or 6 diapers to church and we’ll get them to MPC.
RADIANT YOUTH EVENTS
Disc Golf Day is locked in for May 17 from 11 AM to 1 PM at the Shelter Cove disc golf course with professional disc golfer Josh Purney! It’s open to all 6th–12th graders. Excited for a fun time outside!
Sign up here to receive more information on our Radiant Youth gatherings.
WOMEN’S GATHERING THIS WEDNESDAYWomen – you are up! This Wednesday from 6-7AM at ELC Fellowship Hall.
HOME CHURCH LEADERS/ MISSIONAL ENTREPRENEURS INTEREST MEETING JUNE 3RD.
As this season of Home Church wraps up, we are inviting those interested in exploring Home Church leading or leading another group to come to a discernment/ interest meeting on June 3rd from 6:30-8PM at ELC. This is a time to begin learning discernment on what the Spirit might be inviting you into for the 2025-2026 school year. No commitment required — just let Zach if you are interested [email protected]
EMOTIONALLY HEALTH SPIRITUALITY – COMING THIS JUNE.
Peter Scazzero writes “emotional health and spiritual maturity are inseparable. It is not possible to be spiritually mature while remaining emotionally immature.” Emotionally Healthy Spirituality is an invitation to flourish in Christ as we consider what is going on “under the surface” in our lives. This is a 8 week course that will meet on Thursdays beginning June 12 and end on July 31. Sign up here to indicate interest and we will be in touch. If you’ve completed the course — I’ve done it many times — consider taking it again: there are always new things to discover.
UPCOMING BAPTISM SERVICE
Are you ready to make a public declaration of your trust in Jesus Christ as Lord? If you have not been baptized and you believe God might be leading you to this, please reach out to Zach (reply to this email or text 209.497.3710) for more information. We are planning a June service (tentatively June 15).
BAND APP
One way to connect at Radiant is to join our BAND APP group. Think of this as a sort of Radiant message board — our own little social media space. People can extend invites, share about needs and opportunities.
GIVING
Thank you for your generosity and partnership in Radiant’s ministry!
Here’s the link to online giving.
Grace and Peace!
Zach
[email protected]
209-497-3710
www.radcov.org
