Counterintuitive Conversations – February 13, 2022

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Scripture: Luke 6: 17-26

The Sermon on the Plain–blessings and woes. The narrative takes us to one of Jesus’ most well-known sermons — a litany of “blessed are they…” This litany would have resonated with his congregation on that mountaintop. It contained the laundry-list of the hardships they were enduring. But Jesus is pointing out the blessedness even in the midst of that context and instead of treating them as the powerless downtrodden, he calls them blessed. Indeed, following Jesus’ path can increase the struggles, but also the blessing

The Call to Follow – February 6, 2022

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The Call to Follow – February 6, 2022

Scripture: Luke 5: 1-11

The extraordinary catch of fish and the call to the first disciples to begin catching people resulted in their leaving everything behind to follow Jesus. This Sunday includes the celebration of communion. We are called by God, as the disciples were, to share in the abundant feast of that which binds us together, the grace of God. And to share the literal feast — the resources of this earth — is to live in the image of a holy and gracious God.

No Respect in His Hometown – January 30, 2022

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Scripture: Luke 4: 21-30

Beginning on such a positive note, the people in Jesus’ hometown don’t like the challenges he issues in the synagogue. We discover from this episode that God’s truth may come in ways that we choose not to accept. How often does our familiarity with an advice-giver cause us to disallow that person’s suggestions out of hand? He or she can’t know as much, we think, as someone who’s grown up in a more exciting part of the world, encountered more exotic situations or been blessed with the ability to think more deeply than most.

Scripture Fulfilled – January 23, 2022

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Scripture Fulfilled – January 23, 2022

Scripture: Luke 4: 14-21

Reading from the Torah scroll, Jesus claims the Spirit of the Lord to bring good news to the poor, release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. As Christians, we believe that there is something of value in gathering together to hear, see, and experience the Good News. We gather for worship to “try on for size” what right relationship looks like — what it is to suffer together and rejoice together. The kingdom of God is built up by this coming together and then by our walking in the world together in the ways of Jesus, the Anointed One. We recommit to the power of community—daring to wall for sake of the life of all God’s creation.

Glory Revealed – January 16, 2022

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Scripture: John 2: 1-11

The story of the wedding at Cana and the turning of water into wine shows that God’s covenant brings abundant life and our discipleship compels us to share this river of God’s delight with others. Wine is meant for sharing, and God’s glory is revealed in Christ as he blesses the community with abundance and joy.

Spirit and Fire – January 9, 2022

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Spirit and Fire – January 9, 2022

Scripture: Luke 3: 15-22

The seeds of hope for God’s reign are sown in an infant before whom the wise kneel. The early church believed that Epiphany (besides Easter and Pentecost) was one of the most important times of the year for baptisms, making this a wonderful Sunday to both baptize and reaffirm our baptism, a baptism of water and the Spirit.

Overwhelmed with Joy – January 2, 2022

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Scripture: Matthew 2: 1-12

The star stops over where Jesus lived, and the Magi knew they had found the new King of the Jews. Their response? They were overwhelmed with joy as they recognized in this child the holy presence of God.

 

Two  Boys Take on Church – December 26, 2021

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Scripture:  1 Samuel 2: 18-20, 26; Luke 2:  41-52

Because the Old Testament and New Testament readings for this Sunday tell the story of a boy in “church,” we thought we’d start there — with boys in church.

Christmas Eve Message in Sight and Sound 7:30 pm December 24, 2021

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Christmas Eve Message in Sight and Sound

When Baby Jesus Goes Missing – Christmas Eve 9:30 December 24, 2021

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When Baby Jesus Goes Missing – Christmas Eve 9:30 December 24, 2021

Scripture: Luke 2: 1-20  

Many people wait until Christmas Eve to put the baby Jesus in  their  Nativity  Scenes. A  Chinese woodcarver said that many people simply lose baby Jesus. He’s so easy to lose, after all, when you wait  to add him to the rest of the scene.  There’s nothing malicious about it. People don’t intend to lose Jesus, he said. In fact, they probably made a commitment to keep Jesus, and put Jesus front and center where he belongs.  But he got lost. Somehow, we weren’t paying attention. Perhaps he was set aside to make room for other elements of the scene, and the intention was to return him to his rightful place in our lives