Sin No More? We sort-of-progressive Christians tend not to talk about sin, per se, but we recognize its power. We see the ways that human greed causes harm. We know that political (and economic and religious) systems enshrine and expand power for some, while oppressing many more. We are all too familiar with racism, sexism, homophobia and the other prejudices…
Always and Everywhere Finding God – Trinity Sunday The Sunday following Pentecost is Trinity Sunday, when we celebrate the Triune nature of God. We will definitely not fully understand Trinitarian theology by the end of worship! But we might open ourselves up to the presence of a God who is both more magnificent and more intimate than we usually believe.…
Letting Go of Jesus Ascension Sunday, the last Sunday of the season of Easter, is kind of a strange one for modern readers. Jesus is raised into the sky and disappears. Where does he go? Does he just drift up into space? What happens to the Resurrected Christ? But while this text certainly raises lots of interesting questions about geography…
To Believe, To Understand: Easter Sunday Celebrate the risen Christ with us, including wonderful music selections from our Handbells, Praise Band, Choir and Organ! Read John 20:1-18 to prepare for Sunday’s sermon, “To Believe, To Understand.” The livestream will be available on April 5 at 9:00 or any time after. You can download the bulletin from the April 2 or…
We’ll be celebrating God’s gift of music and song – a gift for times of joy, of sorrow, of lament, of uncertainty and even of anger. As we celebrate Chris Rust’s 20 years of serving as our choir director, we’ll bless him as he steps into the next opportunity to share his gift for creating music with the world. Join…
Who Are We? The Sunday after Epiphany celebrates Jesus’ baptism. And while we might think of baptism in lots of ways – cleansing, renewal, rebirth, initiation – it is vital that we remind ourselves of the life-long vows of baptism – to live in faithfulness to Christ and the Way he has opened to us. On Sunday we’ll recall the…
What Do You See? Third Sunday of Advent The Third Sunday of Advent is considered the “Joyful Sunday.” We have a pink candle! But the joy of this week is maybe different than we might expect. It is the joy of a promised revolution – a breaking down of the systems of oppression and a lifting up of the lowly.…
The Table of Grace World Communion Sunday is an invitation to remember the Church that lives in all places. It is an invitation to remember that we are part of a world-wide community that gathers at the same table of grace. The livestream will be available at 10:30 on Sunday, October 5, or any time after. Read Galatians 3:23-29 and Luke…
We Already Know We’ll be hearing from Stephanie Hollingshead, The Father’s Heart Day Center Program Manager, as she shares about the work and vision of The Father’s Heart. And the story of “The Good Samaritan” will frame our reflection on what it means to be a neighbor in Christ-like ways. (And also, have you ever noticed that the phrase “good…
“Lizard Brains and Fiery Ends” We might like to think of Christian Nationalism as something that exists “out there,” but in reality we are also ensnared in it sometimes. Both historically and in our church today, Christian Nationalism is a powerful force. Naming it, repenting of it, and keeping our eyes fixed on God’s Kingdom of love are vital ways…
Graves, Gardeners and What God Will Do It is THE high holy day of the Christian liturgical year. And we’ll celebrate the resurrection of Christ together with joyful music and celebration. Like Mary Magdalene, who is not expecting to meet Jesus in the garden tomb, we’ll be invited to meet Christ in unexpected ways. Before and between the services we’ll…
Double Vision Scripture is filled with images of triumph and joy as well as images of heartache and lament. The world and humanity are portrayed sometimes as beautiful and holy, and other times they are portrayed as awful and nearly hopeless. Which of these ways of seeing is true? Perhaps our faith calls us to a kind of double vision…
