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Brent Thomas Bramer

@brentbramer

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husband to @jennabramer
dad to @keeganbramer_5, @colebramer, Hattie & Isla
lead pastor at @slocitychurch
[email protected]

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“as we read the scriptures — they begin to read us”

What gets our attention shapes who we become—and Scripture forms us by bringing us to the person of Jesus.

As we open Scripture, we’re invited to let God examine our hearts, redirect our steps, and draw us closer to Jesus.
This week, make room to listen. Ask God to show you where you need to grow—and take a step toward what He reveals.

Join us as we continue Becoming at SLO City Church.

#slocitychurch #jesus #growth #becoming #hopeforeveryone

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O Holy Spirit, descend plentifully into my heart.
Enlighten the dark corners of this neglected dwelling and scatter there Thy cheerful beams.

Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit,
That my thoughts may all be holy.
Act in me, O Holy Spirit,
That my work, too, may be holy.
Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit,
That I love but what is holy.
Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit,
To defend all that is holy.
Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit,
That I always may be holy.

- Saint Augustine

come Holy Spirit

#holyspirit #prayer #breathe #jesús #church

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The truest thing about you is what God says about you.

Culture will tell you who you should be. Your successes and failures can start to tell you who you are. But in Christ, you receive an identity rooted in something greater: you are loved, forgiven, rescued, redeemed, and adopted into God’s family.

Baptism is a response to that grace. It’s confessing, “I was going the wrong way, and I’m turning my heart toward Jesus. I trust him with all of me.”

The act itself doesn’t save us. Jesus does. Baptism pictures the new life he gives us—buried with Christ and raised to life. The old is gone. The new has come.

We receive forgiveness. We receive identity. We belong to him.

We become what we’re immersed in. What would change if we let what God says about us shape who we’re becoming?

#Baptism #christianity #identity #jesus #slocitychurch

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Being honest about what hurts can feel risky, especially when opening up before has left you feeling judged, ashamed, or less than.

Jesus knows the parts of your story you struggle to talk about, or even accept. He meets you there with grace and an invitation to be made well. The wound you keep avoiding. The habit you’ve kept hidden. The hurt you’ve learned to live with and shoulder; You can bring it to him.

You don’t have to have the right words. Start with an honest prayer: “Jesus, this is where I’m hurting. Help me take the next step.” You can trust Jesus with you brokenness.

#broken #rescue #jesus #christianity #hope

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What’s growing in you? What’s changing in you? Does it look like Jesus?

In John 17:17, Jesus prays, “Sanctify them by your truth. Your word is truth.” Sanctification is the lifelong process of becoming more like Jesus as we respond to God’s grace and participate in what he’s doing in us.

And that growth happens in real life. In difficult relationships. In seasons of uncertainty. When we’re trying to forgive, break unhealthy habits, or find hope when life feels overwhelming. It’s take stepping into the life that God has called us to - and it takes the courages to step out of the things that work against the Kingdom of God.

Following Jesus means allowing his truth to shape our next step. So today- Ask for help. Choose forgiveness. Step out of the things that keep you stuck. Learn to trust Jesus.

If you’re walking through a hard season, you don’t have to walk alone. We are a community that will pray with you, encourage you, and moving toward Jesus with you.

Growth takes time. Keep responding to God’s grace. Keep showing up for one another. God is at work in you, even right here today.

#growth #godswill #christianity #jesus #slocitychurch

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Good production should be felt, not seen, and I love it in this picture. It keeps the main thing the main thing. I wish we would have had time to paint the PA, but it didn't make it in on a 90-day sprint.

A previous church voted to donate, at cost, their previous building to SLO City Church. We had 90 days to come in with no construction permits and honor the history and legacy of faith of this room while also making it feel more a part of SLO City's culture. This is one of the before photos.

This was the first conceptual drawing of where we wanted to take the worship center:
- shrinking the stage
- making the room bright enough to be immersed with the windows
- adding curtains on stage and also around the room to make it feel familiar and homey
- making the whole space feel warm and vibrant instead of high-contrast

While we didn't use this one for one, we definitely use this as a visual direction for how and where to go.

As a part of their history, they have met outside for more than 1.5 years. Post-COVID, they have been in, I think, over 9+ locations in 7 years. We really wanted to make these windows feel like they were a part of the outside. The issue is that, with a black ceiling and a dark stage, it was too high-contrast and actually hurt your eyes to be in the space.

This is one of the first architectural ideas we threw out to the church, trying to warm up the space.

This was the room before. We definitely wanted to change the seating layout, make the room wider, and make the stage feel far more immersed with people rather than focused on the platform. More personal and more connected. We lowered the stage. We wanted to brighten the room, widen the chair layout, and actually shrink the stage so that the majority of the room was people, not production.

This was the lobby beforehand. Again, almost a little too sterile, too high-contrast. We liked the bones, but we wanted to add texture, warmth, and vibrance to it.

Their building initiative was called Rooted. This was a rendering of a California oak being placed in the center of the lobby as a staple piece, a place to gather, a place to bring the natural hills into the room, and to honor the sacrifice

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Jesus is the Good Shepherd that leads the way to human flourishing — and the way home to the Father.

#jesus #faith #flourish #church #sanluisobispo

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Keep watch for your faith — by holding apathy at bay. Keep nourished in truth and grace and servant-heartedness — by pursuing justice and mercy — by walking humbly with Christ.

#faith #jesus #slocitychurch #church #discipleship

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Often we rename what God reveals in an attempt to excuse or justify a pattern, a habit — a behavior. Gods desire is for growth — to sanctify us — not to harm us.

We welcome change when we pray: “Search me. Reveal me. Lead me.”

#change #hopeforeveryone #honesty #discipleship #jesus

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To live a life with Jesus — is to see like Jesus, respond like Jesus and be sent by Jesus — to bring hope to everyone.

Today was such a powerful moment — as we heard from @jodihickerson — celebrated our summer intern — opened the scriptures and worshipped together.

And — there were a lot of fire extinguishers present.

#hopeforeveryone #forslo #downtownslo #slocitychurch #sanluisobispo

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Sometimes faith looks more like getting your hands dirty to help someone in need — fighting to get a friend in front of Jesus.

If you missed the message from Matthew 9.1-8 you can watch it on YouTube or the SLO City Church App

#faith #jesus #slocitychurch #friendship #service

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Don’t miss those sitting in front of you.
May we be as aware of others as Jesus is of us — and respond with grace.

Matthew 8.14-17

#family #faith #fathersday #jesus #slocitychurch

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