Lectionary Scripture: Luke 13:1-9. What's happening in our world today might be more important than ever. Jesus offers a Lent challenge for us: to shift our focus on what the world is doing to us ... to what we are doing alongside of others.
Mother Bird Jesus vs. Herod The Fox
Honoring Women's History Month. What could the comforting and fierce maternal spirit of Jesus teach us in these times of great uncertainty and injustice? Luke 13:31-35.
Welcome to Lent: Let Go ... Let God ... Let Grow
Scripture: Luke 4:1-3. Midst the DC desert wilderness surrounding us at this time, we learn from Jesus how to move forward - so that our civic responses may be grounded less in divine presumption, and more on divine dependence.
Rev. Chuck's Transfiguration Message: From Becoming Divine to Being Human
Why, in this stressful DC time, is it important to ground our identity not in Jesus' divinity - but in our humanity?
Our Deep River of Hope
Where, 'midst the current civil chaos, lies our deepest hope? Rev. Chuck recalls Jesus' central proclamation - and references a paragon of the Wisdom Psalms (Psalm 37) to find out ...
Psalm 1: Pathway Picks
Guest: Rev. Dr. Sharon Stanley-Rea, Director of Church World Service/DC. Following the recent federal plunder of refugee resources, Sharon's entire staff was furloughed. Listen here to her prophetic word!
Fishy Faith - or, Between Fear and Hope
The deep water can be scary. How can we honor the gap between the fear of scarcity and the hope of abundance?
February 2: When Love Is Not Enough
Love is essential. Love is primary. Yet there are times - and in these chaotic times ... Luke 4:21-30
Jesus' Inaugural Address
Luke 4:14-21. Here we hear Jesus inaugurating his ministry ... and our own, words "fulfilled in our hearing". In these extraordinary days: where can his commission lead us?
Practicing Intimacy in a Time of National Anxiety
The Wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11). Facing the Inauguration ... Celebrating Dr. King: how to drink deep of Jesus' good wine when we fear its depletion?
January 12 Message: We Will Pass Through This
Thursday, a President was redeemed. Friday, another was sentenced. January 20, a nation will begin serving time. With exile staring the faithful in the face: where lies our hope? Isaiah 43:1-7
Can We Claim That "Jesus Grew" ?
These two words from Luke 2:52 (sometimes translated as "Jesus increased") are more than many churches seem to claim! What does his experience as a boy in the Temple teach us about maturing as disciples today? Luke 2:41-52
Christmas Meditation: The Music of Christmas
What was the "music" of the first Christmas? And why does it matter to us today? Rev. Chuck walks us through the shepherds' encounter.
Is Advent Still Possible?
Micah 5:2-5a. Celebrating our Christmas preparations: perhaps the greatest challenge to an Advent spirit of preparing for our Christmas celebration. Can we linger - with the prophet Micah - just a little while longer?
The Peace That Surpasses - or, Suppresses?
In a letter from imperial prison the Apostle Paul offers "the peace of God that surpasses all understanding." What does that transcendent, Advent peace look like among us - today? Featured: Colman McCarthy, teacher of peace. Philippians 4:4-7
Small Victories
God's promise of "justice and righteousness" in Jeremiah (33:14-16) seems grand and elusive these days. Hear in this message three interracial ways - including a powerful 7-minutes pilgrimage video at the end - that our small congregation takes small steps to achieve small justice victories.
Post-Election: The Power of Uncertainty
Pontius Pilate asks Jesus, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus does not answer directly. He leaves Pilate with uncertainty - which Pilate does not appreciate (John 18:33-37). Can our appreciation of uncertainty - in these uncertain times - serve as a spiritual superpower?
Post-Election: Revolutionary Patience
The response of Mark's Jesus to the Great Jewish Revolt holds many lessons for us 'midst the political upheaval of our day. With the specter of social pathologies hanging over us: how and where can we establish new faith footing? Mark 13:1-8
Post-Election: Honoring Our Exile
As we face Caesar's new reign of terror over our land: How can we honor our church's wandering in the wilderness? Perhaps the best way is to change our lens to see and our location to be with those long in exile ...
For the Election: Commandments Inseparable
In Mark's gospel, Jesus offers two great commandments. How can his teaching here - that our love of neighbor-as-self is of equal significance with our love of God - shape our response to the election ... unconditionally?
