Through their partnership with Start With One Kenya, the team witnessed firsthand how access to safe drinking water can transform entire communities—improving health, restoring dignity, and creating new opportunities for families. What may seem like a simple resource becomes a powerful expression of faith in action, meeting both physical and spiritual needs.

As they prepare to return this summer, Hill and Meg share how the experience reshaped their own perspectives, deepened relationships across cultures, and revealed the lasting impact of showing up with humility, compassion, and the love of Christ.

Make a donation here to make a difference by giving the gift of clean water!

Both Jim and Thomas are walking the difficult road of terminal cancer, an experience few can truly understand. Yet in that shared reality, they’ve found something profound: a bond marked not by fear, but by honesty, companionship, and even joy. As Jim reflects, there’s a level of understanding that only comes from “walking the walk,” and in each other, they’ve found someone who truly gets it.

Together, they talk about the simple but meaningful moments that have shaped their friendship: conversations about college football, a first-ever trip to the zoo, shared meals, and the quiet gift of just being present. What began as a connection through Rachel has become, in Thomas’s words, something guided by the will of God.

This is a story not just about illness, but about friendship, dignity, and the kind of hope that doesn’t ignore hardship, but meets it with grace.

Over the course of several Sunday afternoons, the council learned how philanthropy works, visited local nonprofits, asked difficult questions, and ultimately decided how to distribute $12,000 to organizations serving the community. Along the way, they discovered that giving well requires thoughtful listening, collaboration, and a deep understanding of the needs around them.

This conversation highlights how young people at Canterbury are learning to connect faith with real-world action, proving that generosity isn’t just something for the future, but something they are already living out today.

What if generosity isn’t just about giving money, but about learning how to listen, discern, and care for a community well?

What started as a simple act of encouragement through Canterbury’s outreach efforts grew into a meaningful friendship that carried through incarceration, release, recovery, and new beginnings. From handwritten notes and book club conversations to reunions at the Lovelady Center and a new career in dental assisting, Carol and Rebekah reflect on the moments, and the people, that shaped their journey.

This is a story of connection, second chances, and the quiet ways God weaves lives together through small acts of faithfulness.

From the symbolism of ashes to the purpose of Lent’s 40 days, the conversation offers insight into how this season invites us to slow down, reflect, and remember whose we are. You’ll also hear about the multiple ways Canterbury will observe Ash Wednesday this year, including drive-through ashes, a traditional noon chapel service, and a soulful evening Blues Service in the Canterbury Center.

Whether you’ve observed Lent for years or are simply curious about its meaning, this episode offers a welcoming and accessible starting point for the journey ahead.

Why would the church begin a season with ashes, and call it good news? What if beginning with ashes isn’t about shame, but about grace, honesty, and the chance to begin again?

What might change in your faith, and in our church, if we committed to reading Scripture together, one day at a time?

Through colorful puppets, creative storytelling, and plenty of laughter, children are invited to experience the Christmas story with fresh eyes and open hearts. Eleanor and Tori walk us through how this playful retelling helps families connect more deeply with the meaning of Jesus’ birth, reminding us that God’s love meets us in joy, imagination, and childlike faith.

Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, or simply young at heart, this episode offers a glimpse into the magic waiting on December 24 at 1:00 PM in Canterbury Center. Come celebrate the story that changed the world, told in a way your family will never forget.

This week, Rev. Hill Carmichael preached from Isaiah 2:1–5, where the prophet speaks hard truths to God’s people, but also points them toward a promise. Isaiah reminds us that even in seasons of uncertainty or darkness, God’s light cannot be overcome. Hill shares how this ancient vision still speaks today: calling us to walk in God’s ways of hope, peace, joy, and love as we journey into Advent.

If God’s light can never be overcome, what might change in us if we chose to walk toward it, especially in the places that feel most like darkness?

Support Christmas Village:

🎁 Shop from the Amazon Gift List → Amazon Wish List