Spiritual Formation
In a noisy, chaotic, and often reactive world, how do we open ourselves to the slow, sacred work of becoming? This August, we’re exploring the essential practices that make spiritual transformation possible—not through self-improvement or striving, but by surrendering to the active work of the Holy Spirit. Transformation is not something we can guarantee or control, but we can arrange our lives to be available to God. This series will walk us through five ancient and time-tested spiritual disciplines: surrender, scripture meditation, self-examination, sabbath, and solitude. Each practice confronts a different cultural resistance—our addiction to productivity, our fear of vulnerability, our discomfort with silence—and invites us to consider the deeper question: Who am I becoming? Whether you’re just starting your spiritual journey or have walked with Jesus for years, these weeks offer a chance to reflect, realign, and say yes again to God’s transforming love. Join us as we slow down, pay attention, and create space to become the people God designed us to be.
Paying Attention – Romans 12
August 3, 2025
Speaker: Pastor Hannah Witte
Description
In her first sermon as a pastor at Ann Arbor Community Church, Pastor Hannah Witte introduced herself with warmth, humor, and a powerful testimony of God’s transformative grace in her own life. She shared her journey from a non-religious upbringing in Columbus, Ohio to a life devoted to Christ, sparked by an invitation to a youth group and a deep encounter with God’s love. Framing her heart for ministry, she emphasized a longing to see all people recognize their belovedness, to participate in renewal in Ann Arbor, and to co-create a diverse, Spirit-empowered church. Rooted in Romans 12, Hannah invited the congregation to consider what it means to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Using vivid metaphors—a smiling God delighting in our spiritual growth and the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly—she challenged listeners to examine the rhythms shaping their lives. Transformation, she said, is not a matter of self-improvement but surrender, and the Spirit does the deep work as we create space through spiritual practices. As the church enters a month focused on spiritual formation, Pastor Hannah laid the foundation for a series exploring four time-tested practices: self-examination, scripture meditation, Sabbath, and solitude. Rather than being conformed to the world around us, we are invited to arrange our lives—like a cocoon—for the Spirit’s renewing work, becoming the people God created us to be. With honesty and hope, Pastor Hannah encouraged the community to pay attention and open themselves to God’s loving transformation.