Paul's witness to the resurrection of the body cost him greatly. Embracing this central teaching of his faith costs us, as well. Are we up to accepting the Communion truth that only in the midst of death do we experience true life? Acts 23:6-10
September 27 - Paul for All: Good News for the Gentiles ("Remember the Poor")
The Apostle Paul cajoled his Jewish siblings to reach and include the Gentiles with the Good News of a new allegiance and community. What does this outreach look like for us - today? Part 3 of 5, "Power, Politics, & the Making of the Apostle Paul" Acts 15 (excerpts), Galatians 2:8-10.
September 20 - Paul and His Call: The Body of Christ Is Everything
Out of a blinding light, Jesus cries out, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" But wait: Saul had never even met Jesus. What's going on here? Part 2 of 5, "Power, Politics, & the Making of the Apostle Paul"
Paul Before All: The Man Behind the Myth
Rev. Chuck begins a five-part series, "Power, Politics, and the Making of the Apostle Paul", by presenting the man, exposing a great myth - and sharing how Paul's prophetic witness to Caesar informs our own, in these fraught days of "Christian" nationalism. Philippians 2:5-11, 3:4b-11.
September 6 - A Passage from Our Egypt
Exodus 14:19-31: The Emancipation of the Israelites from the Egyptians. As our church pursues significant antiracism witness, we are reminded in the Exodus journey of the ways white privilege has enslaved others who long for freedom. How has that privilege left us in spiritual bondage? And what hope does scripture hold for all of us to be set free?
August 30 - "Of Burning Bushes ... and Being the Church"
Exodus 3:1-15. Approaching the burning bush, Moses was a man of adopted Egyptian privilege. When he left, he had a call to lead his native Israelites' out of their enslavement. How can we, as a church, come before God to have our privileged identity slowly burned away - to identify with, and serve, vulnerable humanity?
August 23 - "Resisting Pharaoh's Great Replacement Theory"
Exodus 1:8-2:10. Pharoah's oppression then sets the precedent for our Pharaoh's Great Replacement Theory oppression today. Watch how two midwives and Pharaoh's own daughter resist - and show us how resistance is possible!
August 16 - "Poor in Spirit" with Rev. Deryl Davis
Matthew 5:1-3. Practicing humility - surrendering self-importance, power, and control - is countercultural today. How could the practice of "poverty of spirit" change American Christianity?
August 9 - Unmerited Luck
Ruth Hamilton challenges our standard emphasis on unmerited grace - emphasizing instead the unmerited luck of our privilege. Watch as she outlines the causes and challenges the assumptions of our privilege! Ruth 2:1-12, Galatians 5:22-23.
July 26 - From Small Beginnings: Great Things!
Rev. Bernice Parker-Jones, Pulpit Guest. From a ruminative beginning, Bernice gets rollin' with s rousing message of racial justice hope 'midst of civic and incivil chaos. Scripture: Parables of Mustard Seed and Yeast, Matthew 13:31-33.
July 19 - "Truth Be Told" (Pulpit Guest: Jan Moody)
The Parable of the Weeds among the Wheat (Matthew 13:23-30). Truth be told, many of us - if not most of us - would side with the perspective of the enslaved in this story: pull out the weeds, and now! Jesus begs to differ. Biblical Storyteller at 11:18: Jean Dudek
July 12 - "Can You Hear Me Now?"
The Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-9) Message: Jan Moody ... Storyteller: Jean Dudek. Listen and ponder the ways that this parable can leave the mind in "sufficient doubt about its precise application to tease it into active thought" (C.H. Dodd).
July 5 - Our 250th: "The Pearly Gates of Heaven"
Guest: Rev. Elenora Giddings Ivory, Director Emeritus, PC(USA) Office of Public Witness. Elenora recounts American slaveholders who took seriously the Book of Revelation's promise - and so, approaching the heavenly TSA line (Telling Sins Accountability), manumitted their enslaved upon their death. Do we delay the prosecution of economic justice in similar ways?
June 28 - "Drawing God's Kin-dom"
Our Guest: Rev. Timothy Chon, Director of the Henry Luce III Center for the Arts and Religion at Wesley Theological Seminary. From Timothy: This message is about the Kin-dom of God. Yes - I said Kin-dom.
Because this King - Jesus - does not build an empire. He builds a family. Luke 23:33-43.
June 21 - Square Visions of The Transfiguration
Rev. Timothy Chon, Director of the Henry Luce III Center for the Arts and Religion at Wesley Theological Seminary. Timothy shares a couple of his square visions over the years of Jesus' Transfiguration among us that surpasses - goes beyond - all our envisioning powers. Luke 9:28-36.
June 14 - Pride. Pass It On!
Rev. Booker shares stories of how LGBTQ+ pioneers revolutionized the Presbyterian Church - and how they could inspire us, as people of faith, to share all our stories of what brings us pride! Matthew 9:35-38, 10:7-8.
June 7 - First: Stop the Bleeding
Before resurrecting us from death, Jesus resurrects the dead among us. Perhaps we should join him ... Matthew 9:10-13, 18-26.
May 31 - "Can I Get a Withness?"
"I - with you - Am, always," the resurrected Jesus assures his disciples - in departing. Why does the biblical Greek intentionally state it this stilted way? Matthew 28:16-20.
Pentecost: The Fire This Time!
When the disciples felt the heat, they began to see the light. Ever happen to you? Acts 2:1-12.
May 17 - Love Is Action, Part 2
It's Ascension Sunday! - though ascension is not the focus here. The descension of the Holy Spirit on the disciples is. Are we prepared to reject the church's personality cult of the Christ - cease outsourcing our faith to him - and show the love that is action in our lives?
