A note from Brandy Knutson

With the winter session of Rooted having their celebration just a couple of weeks ago, and the spring session launching on April 11, I was thinking back to my own Rooted experience.

My first session of Rooted, I attended when Daniel and I were still at our previous church. We did it with our home community that had already been together for a couple years. To say that it strengthened the friendships I have with several of our group, would be an understatement. My time in that fist Rooted session changed a lot of things for me and grew my relationship with Jesus in new ways. It prepared me for the coming seasons of being a Jesus follower, wife, mom, and in ministry.

Since that first season of Rooted, this is a verse that has stood out to me in a new way - reminding me to look deeper than just what God is doing in my life and family, but also what He is doing in the lives around me.

Philippians 2:1-4 (NIV), "Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."

My second session of Rooted was about 6 months after Daniel and I began our time at Hope City. We were so new to the area, and the church, that we knew it would be a great way to build our lives in a new community. This time my experience was more growth as a leader, and not just a participant. But it also solidified a new home community and began new friendships that have been very encouraging in this current season of my life.

Here's what I know: no matter what season of life you're walking in, spending 10 weeks getting to know God better, and doing it alongside others with the same goal, is one of the best ways to grow in your walk with Jesus. To be more confident in your purpose, to create deeper connections with others who are seeking Him, and to learn practical rhythms of faith that you can carry with you in the coming seasons of life. This is what Rooted is all about.

I don't know if you've done Rooted before, but if you haven't, I want to encourage you to dive into it in this upcoming session. It will be on Tuesday nights from 6:30-8:30 PM starting April 11, childcare is available, and it's only 10 weeks long. You can do anything for 10 weeks! If you have already gone through Rooted as a participant, I want to encourage you to consider signing up to lead a group, or at least ask some questions about what that might look like! If you have questions, or you want to sign up, visit www.hopecitypdx.com/rooted, or don't hesitate to reach out to our Campus Pastor, Jeremy (jeremyt@hopecitypdx.com).

Brandy Knutson
Communications | Hope City Church