Listen Now

During this Sunday service, there was prayer and a celebration in the critical work of family development and the volunteer service, which are a really important part of our community. We are honoring the contribution to serving others and making dreams a reality through your service. #FirstPres #Family #Parents #Volunteers #Service #Development #Community #Honor #Work #Theology #God #Economy #ImagineBayArea

This past Sunday's message, "Ours" by Jake Medcalf, a part of the God's Economy: Theology of Vocation. Scripture: Matthew 6:33-34

On October 7, 2018, Jake Medcalf continued the God's Economy: Theology of Vocation series, speaking on Psalm 145 with an original sermon called "Common Good". #CommonGood #Entreprenuership #workmatters #theologyofwork #Business #Service

On September 30, 2018, Jake Medcalf continued the God's Economy: Theology of Vocation series speaking out of Colossians 3:23-24 with an original sermon called "Put Back Together". A powerful and challenging sermon, as well as the ordination of those who serve in the Science and Technology sector of the Castro Valley/Hayward/Eden community.

Joaquin Sotelo speaks at First Presbyterian Church of Hayward (on August 26, 2018), sharing his life story, experience with the immigration system, and faith in God through storms.

On August 5, 2018, Jake Medcalf shares a message on Samuel, a part of the Characters of the Old Testament Summer Sermon Series at FirstPres Hayward in Castro Valley, CA.

On July 29, 2018, Chizu Buckalew continued FirstPres Hayward's Characters of the Old Testament with Noah entitled, "That Doesn't Make Any Sense."

Luke 9:57-62 & Genesis 19:23-26 On July 22, 2018, Reverend Debra Avery of Justice House continued FirstPres Hayward's Summer Sermon Series, Characters of the Old Testament with Lot's Wife.

Genesis 32:22-33 On July 15, 2018, Phil Grebe continued FirstPres Hayward's Summer Sermon Series, Characters of the Old Testament preaching out of Genesis 32:22-33 with "Jacob: What's in a Name?".

On July 8, 2018, Reverend Dr. Sarah Reyes Gibbs brings a strong message and an insightful narrative of "Jezebel" as she speaks out of 1 Kings 16:29-31, with the continuation of the Characters of the Old Testament Series at FirstPres Hayward in Castro Valley, CA.

On July 1, 2018, Kairos Fellowship's Pastor, Kirk Davis was FirstPres Hayward's Featured Speaker and. brought a powerful message out of 1 Kings 18: 1-2, 41-44 entitled, "Elijah: Are You Ready for the Rain?" in Castro Valley, CA.

Daniel 1:1-9 On June 24, 2018, FirstPres Hayward's Commissioned Lay Pastor, Rich Williams brought a powerful message out of Daniel 1:1-9 titled, "Daniel: Faith in the Face of Adversity" in Castro Valley, CA.

FirstPres will be going over Ten Biblical Characters during their Summer Series of 2018. Jake Medcalf spoke about Abraham on Sunday, June 17, 2018.

Week 3: Abraham Below are some study questions and commentary from Pastor Phil Grebe regarding Pastor Jake's sermon on Abraham last Sunday. Over the course of the Summer we hope you enjoy these thoughts and questions. Please feel free to answer all of them, one of them, or none of them :). Personally, we really enjoy processing what Phil has been writing and we think you will as well. Full Sermon Video: https://youtu.be/e6GGVVAFfwo The first book of the Bible, Genesis, is the story of beginnings. The first part of the book deals with the creation of the universe, including humans. In this process, it is clear that God has made people so that they would take care of the world that God has created, and so that they would have a full relationship with the creator God. The book continues to tell the story of how people rebelled against those purposes and began to build their own civilization, culminating with the tower of Babel, whose express purpose was to “reach into heaven and make a name for ourselves.” God saw this and destroyed the tower, creating in the process different languages and scattering the people (Gen 11:1-9). How was God to restore the creation order back to the original intention? How could there be a relationship with humans when they are so consistently refusing to acknowledge God as God? Enter Abraham. When God calls Abram, it has been several generations since the tower disaster. God calls Abram to leave his family and move to Canaan, promising Abram that through him and his descendants he (and they) would be blessed so that “in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” (Gen. 12:3) In Abram, God is reversing the curse that God put on all of humankind when they rebelled. Even though Abram is not perfect, God makes several promises to him. In this study, we will look at the promises of God to Abram, and work to understand what the covenant is that God makes with Abram. The first of the promises comes from Genesis 12:1-7: What does God promise He will do for Abram? What does Abram have to do? What does Abram do? Who else is party to this promise? The second statement of the promise comes from Gen. 12:14-18: What does God promise He will do for Abram? What does Abram have to do? What does Abram do? Who else is party to this promise? In chapter 15, the third statement of the promise is made. Read the whole chapter. What does God promise He will do for Abram? What does Abram have to do? What does Abram do? Who else is party to this promise? Look particularly at verse 6. What does this say about Abram? To understand this verse better, you ( the leader) might read Romans 4. Romans 4 and the book of Galatians both talk about verse 6 in Genesis 15, and are about convincing the readers that we humans are accepted by God through faith alone, and not by trying to follow the Law, given through Moses. What does Abram wait for as the sun goes down? What does God tell him in the dream? Notice that here the word covenant appears. What is the difference between a covenant and a promise? A covenant is “a[n]... agreement or promise usually made under seal (or sign) between two or more parties especially for the performance of some action.” “A promise is a declaration that one will do or refrain from doing something specified”(Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary) The seal, or sign of the covenant is discussed in the last of the promises God gives to Abram/Abraham. This is found in Genesis 17. What does God promise He will do for Abram? What does Abram have to do? What does Abram do? Who else is party to this promise? How does this agreement, this covenant, affect the next generations? Who receives the promise given to Abraham? What is the significance of the name change recorded here? Together, close with the words from Galatians 3:6-9: 6 Just as Abraham “believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” 7 so, you see, those who believe are the descendants of Abraham. 8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, declared the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the Gentiles shall be blessed in you.” 9 For this reason, those who believe are blessed with Abraham who believed. 23. Who is the promise for? 24. Notice that the blessing is found in the gospel. What is the gospel? 25. How can you pass the blessing along to the next generation? #FirstPres #Week3 #Abraham #Presbytery #SummerSeries #Abram #Gospel #Group #Questions #Community #Study #Discussion #PhilGrebe #JakeMedcalf

Below are some study questions and commentary from Pastor Phil Grebe regarding DeAnna Christmas' sermon last Sunday. Over the course of the Summer I hope you enjoy these thoughts and questions. Please feel free to answer all of them, one of them, or none of them :). Personally, I really enjoy processing what Phil has been writing and I think you will as well. - Pastor Jake Medcalf Week 2: Boaz and the Kinsman Redeemer In the book of Ruth we first encounter Boaz, an ancestor of David and Jesus. This book takes place during the same period of time as the book of Judges, although later than Gideon. Ruth is a foreigner to Israel, a moabite, from the area east of Israel. Ruth and her Jewish Mother-in-law, Naomi, had come to Israel after both of them became widows. As widows, they had no source of sustenance, and so relied on the kindness of landholders to provide for them. As they settled near Bethlehem, Naomi encouraged Ruth to go out and help clean up the fields that were being harvested. In those days, it was one of the few ways that widows, orphans, the homeless, and foreigners were able to get food. Read Ruth 2 Who is Boaz to Naomi and Ruth? What does Ruth ask the overseer for? How does he respond? What does Boaz tell Ruth to do? How does this show his character? What kind of reputation did Boaz have? What kind of reputation did Ruth have? In chapter 3, Naomi convinces Ruth that she needs to find a husband, and suggests Boaz, because he is a relative. According to Jewish law, the closest relative had a responsibility to marry the widow of the deceased in order that the dead might have an heir. Boaz tells Ruth that, while her approach is good, he cannot redeem her because there is a man closer to her in relation. He promises further that he will redeem her if the other man cannot or would not. This idea of redeeming people comes from the book of Leviticus, in its discussion about the Jubilee year, a sabbath year that occurs every 50 years. As God is telling the people about the Jubilee year, God reminds them of the basis upon which this whole thing is centered: The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine; with me you are but aliens and tenants. Throughout the land that you hold, you shall provide for the redemption of the land. (Leviticus 25:23-24) This word, redeem, comes from a root that means to be the next of kin, and therefore to have the welfare of your relative at heart. The idea behind it is this sense of community in the family: when tragedy befalls your relative, you are to help them out. If they lose their land, to help them to buy it back, if the relative dies, to marry the widow so that their line would continue. This is the source of what we see in the book of Ruth as Boaz and Ruth are working to redeem her father-in-law’s property and inheritance. It was in this way that the land would perpetually remain with a given owner. All of this comes from the law, particularly Leviticus 25 and Deuteronomy 25: Leviticus 25: 25 If anyone of your kin falls into difficulty and sells a piece of property, then the next of kin shall come and redeem what the relative has sold. 28 But if there are not sufficient means to recover it, what was sold shall remain with the purchaser until the year of jubilee; in the jubilee it shall be released, and the property shall be returned. 35 If any of your kin fall into difficulty and become dependent on you,[b] you shall support them; they shall live with you as though resident aliens. 36 Do not take interest in advance or otherwise make a profit from them, but fear your God; let them live with you. 37 You shall not lend them your money at interest taken in advance, or provide them food at a profit. 38 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, to be your God. 39 If any who are dependent on you become so impoverished that they sell themselves to you, you shall not make them serve as slaves. 40 They shall remain with you as hired or bound laborers. They shall serve with you until the year of the jubilee. 41 Then they and their children with them shall be free from your authority; they shall go back to their own family and return to their ancestral property. 42 For they are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold as slaves are sold.

Below are some study questions and commentary from Pastor Phil Grebe regarding DeAnna Christmas' sermon last Sunday. Over the course of the Summer I hope you enjoy these thoughts and questions. Please feel free to answer all of them, one of them, or none of them :). Personally, I really enjoy processing what Phil has been writing and I think you will as well. - Pastor Jake Medcalf Week 2: Boaz and the Kinsman Redeemer In the book of Ruth we first encounter Boaz, an ancestor of David and Jesus. This book takes place during the same period of time as the book of Judges, although later than Gideon. Ruth is a foreigner to Israel, a moabite, from the area east of Israel. Ruth and her Jewish Mother-in-law, Naomi, had come to Israel after both of them became widows. As widows, they had no source of sustenance, and so relied on the kindness of landholders to provide for them. As they settled near Bethlehem, Naomi encouraged Ruth to go out and help clean up the fields that were being harvested. In those days, it was one of the few ways that widows, orphans, the homeless, and foreigners were able to get food. Read Ruth 2 Who is Boaz to Naomi and Ruth? What does Ruth ask the overseer for? How does he respond? What does Boaz tell Ruth to do? How does this show his character? What kind of reputation did Boaz have? What kind of reputation did Ruth have? In chapter 3, Naomi convinces Ruth that she needs to find a husband, and suggests Boaz, because he is a relative. According to Jewish law, the closest relative had a responsibility to marry the widow of the deceased in order that the dead might have an heir. Boaz tells Ruth that, while her approach is good, he cannot redeem her because there is a man closer to her in relation. He promises further that he will redeem her if the other man cannot or would not. This idea of redeeming people comes from the book of Leviticus, in its discussion about the Jubilee year, a sabbath year that occurs every 50 years. As God is telling the people about the Jubilee year, God reminds them of the basis upon which this whole thing is centered: The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine; with me you are but aliens and tenants. Throughout the land that you hold, you shall provide for the redemption of the land. (Leviticus 25:23-24) This word, redeem, comes from a root that means to be the next of kin, and therefore to have the welfare of your relative at heart. The idea behind it is this sense of community in the family: when tragedy befalls your relative, you are to help them out. If they lose their land, to help them to buy it back, if the relative dies, to marry the widow so that their line would continue. This is the source of what we see in the book of Ruth as Boaz and Ruth are working to redeem her father-in-law’s property and inheritance. It was in this way that the land would perpetually remain with a given owner. All of this comes from the law, particularly Leviticus 25 and Deuteronomy 25: Leviticus 25: 25 If anyone of your kin falls into difficulty and sells a piece of property, then the next of kin shall come and redeem what the relative has sold. 28 But if there are not sufficient means to recover it, what was sold shall remain with the purchaser until the year of jubilee; in the jubilee it shall be released, and the property shall be returned. 35 If any of your kin fall into difficulty and become dependent on you,[b] you shall support them; they shall live with you as though resident aliens. 36 Do not take interest in advance or otherwise make a profit from them, but fear your God; let them live with you. 37 You shall not lend them your money at interest taken in advance, or provide them food at a profit. 38 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, to be your God. 39 If any who are dependent on you become so impoverished that they sell themselves to you, you shall not make them serve as slaves. 40 They shall remain with you as hired or bound laborers. They shall serve with you until the year of the jubilee. 41 Then they and their children with them shall be free from your authority; they shall go back to their own family and return to their ancestral property. 42 For they are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold as slaves are sold.