The One We Need The Messiah is born! He may not be what we expect, or even what we want, but Christ is exactly what this aching, weary world needs. Read Luke 2:1-20 in preparation for worship. You can download the bulletin from the December 22 QuickNews.
A Disruptive Peace The peace promised by the Messiah is one that disrupts the normal order. The Pax Romana constrained conflict by force. God’s peace is a holistic and healing, not violently enforced, but disrupting the power of the empires and powers of our world. Read Matthew 1:18-25 in preparation for Sunday’s sermon, “A Disruptive Peace.” Join us at 9:00…
A Peculiar Sort of Joy The holidays are joyful – and we need more joy these days! But divine joy is not rooted in happiness, it is rooted in justice and wholeness. Divine joy is always communal rather than personal. Read Matthew 11:2-11 and ILuke 1:46-55 in preparation for this Sunday’s sermon, “A Peculiar Sort of Joy.” Join us at…
Love is Weird We talk about love ALL THE TIME. Especially as we head toward Christmas. And well we should. But the love we celebrate at Christmas is not always an easy or convenient love. It is a radical love that changes our lives when we receive it. Read Matthew 3:1-12 and Isaiah 11:1-10 in preparation for this Sunday’s sermon,…
A Strange Hope Isaiah and Paul both remind us that, as people of faith, we live in hope. But the hope to which we are called is not like hoping to give or receive a great gift. It is a hope for a world that looks radically different than the world we live in. But that dream of a transformed…
How Shall We Live? The prophet Micah lays out succinctly and beautifully the life God’s people are called to lead – to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with God. Our whole lives – not just our financial gifts – are an offering to God. Read Micah 6:1-8 in preparation for this Sunday’s sermon, “How Shall We…
Not for Ourselves The life of faith is not measured primarily by how much it helps us or comforts us, or even in how many people we attract to worship, but in how much we love others and make the world a more just and loving place. At the beginning of his ministry, Jesus uses the words of the Prophet…
Here a Saint, There a Saint On All Saints Sunday, we honor the lives of those who have come before us, whose faithfulness continues to inspire us to live faithfully. We remember and give thanks for their lives. We also hear the call to be the living saints of the world – to live with such love and generosity that…
A Story of Redemption Do you remember the story of Zacchaeus from Sunday School? It’s a simple story of the ‘wee little man’ who meets Jesus, but (seemingly) simple stories are often surprisingly complex. The story Zacchaeus reminds us that we all stand in need of redemption, and that we are never far removed from God’s love. Read Luke 19:1-10…
Visions and Prayers How should we pray? How does God speak to us – as individuals and as a community? God has a vision for us – a life of wholeness and abundance. But to receive what God offers, we have to be willing to let go of what we think we already have. Read Joel 2:28-32 & Luke 18:9-14…
Wrestling with Love The story of Jacob wrestling with the angel is well-known, but what does it mean? Does God wrestle with us? Will we, like Jacob, find ourselves changed by our struggles with God? Read Genesis 32:22-31 in preparation for this Sunday’s sermon, Wrestling with Love. Join us Sunday at 9:00 You can download the bulletins from the…
The Welfare of This City Jeremiah brings an unexpected word to those in the Babylonian exile – seek the welfare of the foreign city in which you find yourself. The ancient words of the prophet resonate for us today: God is ever at work for the welfare of all people, and the people of God are called to be avenues of…
