Sermons & Such - Haven Berkeley Faith Community

In this compelling Pride Sunday teaching, speaker Jenny Kwan explores the intersection of psychology, spirituality, and social exclusion through the provocative claim that “disgust is not the voice ...

In this deeply personal and theologically grounded teaching, guest speaker luca reflects on burnout, trauma, interdependence, and the spiritual damage caused by cultures of endless productivity and ...

In this opening teaching for Haven’s new series, “Collective Care in Uncaring Times,” Leah explores how communities of compassion can resist the hostility, isolation, and exhaustion of the modern wo...

Guest speaker Remi Shores (they/them) reflects on the Emmaus road story in Gospel of Luke, exploring what it means to live in a story whose ending we can not yet see....

In Resurrection Amidst Fear, Leah wrestles with the tension between the Easter proclamation and the very real fear shaping our world today. Grounded in Matthew’s resurrection account, she highlights...

In this Lenten teaching inspired by the Tell Me Something Good series from A Sanctified Art, our guest Speaker Sylvia reflects on three healing stories from the Gospel of Mark and what they reveal a...

In this teaching from the Everyday Heroes series, Leah turns to the story of Rahab to explore courage, faith, and resistance from the margins....

In this new series, Everyday Heroes, Leah invites us to look beyond biblical “heroes” we already know and toward the quiet courage of everyday people who resist violence and preserve life. Centering...

In this final Sunday of Advent, Pastor Leah reflects on how love calls us to move through fear and into solidarity....

In the final instalment of Adulting in Faith, Pastor Leah explores what it means to grow into mature, justice-oriented faith through the practice of solidarity....

What does it mean to keep growing in faith once we’ve already “grown up”? In this teaching, Pastor Leah invites us to explore “centered-set” spiritually: a faith not defined by boundaries of who’s i...

In this powerful teaching, Leah explores what true greatness looks like in the Divine Kin-dom, contrasting it with the domination and hierarchy of empire. Drawing from the gospel of Mark, she unpack...

In this storytelling-centered teaching, Leah weaves together three profound “scar stories” to explore how resurrection, resilience, and healing often show up bearing the marks of suffering. She begi...

This Easter, Leah invites us to see resurrection not just as personal salvation, but as a profound act of resistance to Empire. In a time when powerful voices long for modern-day Caesars, Leah contr...

In this teaching of the “Earthly Empire and Divine Kin-dom” series, Leah walks us through the last, harrowing chapter of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s life: his work in the German resistance, his arrest, an...

In this next teaching on Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Leah explores his leadership in the Confessing Church and his efforts to disciple Christian resistance in Nazi Germany. She shares how Bonhoeffer traine...

As Lent begins, Leah launches a special series within “Earthly Empire & Divine Kin-dom,” focusing on the life and resistance of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. She examines how Bonhoeffer’s time in New York—st...

In this next installment of the “Empire and Kin-dom” series, Leah examines how resistance stories have shaped movements for justice and survival....

Leah launches the “Earthly Empire and Divine Kin-dom” series by exploring the stark contrast between earthly power and God’s vision for community....

In this powerful reflection, Leah draws upon the prophetic legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to inspire “A Time of Sacred Preparation.”...

In this Epiphany teaching, Leah explores the Divine revelations in the story of Jesus’ baptism and how they resonate today....

Leah kicks off Advent with a reflective teaching on the theme “You Are a Blessing.”...

In this closing teaching of the “Hurt to Whole” series, Leah introduces the concept of post-traumatic growth (PTG), the remarkable capacity of the human spirit to find resilience and even transforma...

In this insightful teaching, Leah delves into the significance of sharing our untold stories as part of the “Hurt to Whole” series....

In this special service, Leah bridges the themes of the “Hurt to Whole” series with Caleb’s renaming ceremony, highlighting the profound concept of embodiment....

Join Leah as she leads us into the transformative new “Hurt to Whole” series, where she explores the deep connections between trauma, healing, and spirituality. Reflecting on her father’s experience w...

Join Leah as she concludes the "Sacred Sources" series with a captivating look at biblical interpretation. Drawing inspiration from the Greek god Hermes, Leah introduces us to the art and science of h...

In this Sunday’s teaching, Leah starts off with a light-hearted anecdote involving a text message mix-up during an airport pick-up, highlighting the generational differences in communication. This set...

In today’s teaching, Leah unpacks the complexities of the New Testament Gospels as part of the summer series, “Sacred Sources.” During seminary, many students face a pivotal moment when they realize t...

Discover the captivating story of the Bedouin shepherds whose curiosity in 1947 unearthed one of the most profound archaeological discoveries of our time: the Dead Sea Scrolls. Join Leah as she contin...

Discover the transformative power of scripture in two poignant stories that span decades. From a freshman’s eye-opening Bible study experience to the unsettling rise of Christian nationalism, these t...

Join Pastor Leah as she delves into the intersection of spirituality and mental health through the lens of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). This teaching unpacks the "Wise Mind" concept, highligh...

Step into a journey of discovery with Lead Pastor Leah as she shares a heartwarming anecdote about her daughter's profound insight that reshaped her perception of God. Set against the backdrop of Prid...

Embark on a transformative journey of spiritual exploration with this Sunday’s enlightening discourse. Inspired by personal encounters and sacred sites like the Temple Mount, our guest speaker invite...

Embark on a soul-stirring exploration with Leah as she ventures into the depths of theodicy, seeking to unravel the tangled threads of suffering and faith. Reflecting on poignant personal moments and ...

Embark on a transformative journey with Leah in her thought-provoking teaching series, "Navigating the Maze: Finding God in the Midst of Complexity," where she skilfully interweaves profound insights ...

Step into the realm of faith and doubt with Cara Meredith, our special guest speaker, as she guides us through a rich exploration of Thomas's encounter with the risen Christ. In this week's Sunday se...

Embark on a captivating exploration with Leah as she delves into the ancient Greek myth of Theseus, Ariadne, and the Minotaur, seamlessly weaving it into our contemporary struggles in her latest teach...

Connie Barker is a white cis lesbian and former aspiring academic who has been living at the interesting intersection of Environmental Illness, Queerness, Disability and adult-onset Christian faith fo...

Discover profound insights with Yu-Shuan Tarango-Sho, founding Director of Sacred Roots, as we explore "Showing up for Liberation." With inspiration drawn from Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer and Dr. Grace Ji...

Join Leah in this thought-provoking reflection as she explores the profound tension in Jesus' teachings about peace. Drawing parallels between the fictional dystopia of Panem in The Hunger Games and ...

Join Leah as she reflects on the events of January 6th, particularly the attack on the Capitol in 2021, and explores the concept of peacemaking in the context of current challenges. She connects the s...

Journey into the sacred silence of Advent with this insightful sermon as Leah explores the biblical story of Elizabeth and Zechariah. Delve into the mystery of their encounters with the divine, as Ze...

Join Leah for an engaging exploration of these thought-provoking topics and gain a deeper understanding of their relevance today as she delves into the enigmatic parables of Jesus, including a teachin...

Explore the unexpected wisdom in this captivating teaching series. Join the thought-provoking discussion on growing in action, inspired by Jesus' parables. Unravel the mystery of the “Dishonest Manage...

Join us for a special collaborative discussion on Haven's identity and action steps this Sunday. Your voice matters as we build on the insights from our retreat. If you’d like to contribute your voi...

Join Leah as she discusses the discovery of the essential components of trust. Engage in the discussion on the core pillars of trust - ability, integrity, and benevolence - and witness how they inter...

Join us for this transformative teaching from Pastor Leah Martens as she delves into the powerful biblical story of Naaman's healing in 2 Kings 5. Through a captivating exploration, Leah uncovers the ...

Our service this Sunday featured the brilliant guest speaker Sandhya Jha, an esteemed activist, author, and speaker. In their thought-provoking discussion titled 'A People United?', Sandhya shared ins...

Starting off a new teaching series called "Dialogue with the Divine, Leah leads us in a discussion on prayer. She shares her personal journey, exploring the different forms and meanings of prayer in h...