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?
May 10 - Love Is Action
Jesus's parting words to his disciples (John 14:15-21) references our church's mission: Love In Action. Or could they be referencing our church's Commission: outlining how our Love Is Action?
May 3 Where Do You Want Your God to Be?
John 14:1-14 We want God to draw near us. Certainly - we do. Where can that presence best be made known among us? Hint: watch the last 7 minutes!
"The Lord is My Shepherd - and I Lack Nothing?"
Psalm 23. It's easy to claim the first part - yet, the second? In Caesar's world of "There's not enough!" and the resultant aggression of "Let's get more!": lacking nothing is, indeed, possible!
April 19 - From Welcome to Belongings
The Road to Emmaus story. Rev. Chuck offers three church stories in real time on welcoming and being welcomed by Jesus - and how these events led to a deeper sense of belonging for all involved.
"A People in the Desert, a Country on the Cross"
Rev. Robert Gamble and Olya Balaban of This Child Here share the redemptive power of the longsuffering of the besieged people of Ukraine. Scripture: 1 Cor. 1:18-25.
Easter: "Fear and Joy" - with Rev. Chuck's original Children's Message, "Spring Has Sprung!"
"They left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy" (Matthew 28:8). Can we name and claim the empty tomb of our fears and the joy of expectancy at the same time?
March 29 - Palm Sunday: The Joy of Traveling Light
Matthew 21:1-11. In living out - like Jesus here - our No Kings protest: hear these stories of how we can divest of what ensnares us, all around - to become more receptive of Good News, lying ahead.
March 15: From Words & Content to Worlds & Context
How can we formally educated North Americans who have lost ourselves in our carefully-crafted words and content embrace new worlds and contexts all around us? John 9:1-17, 35-41
March 8 - Communion: Our Watering Hole
John 4:5-15, 39-42: A Galilean Jew (Jesus) and a Samaritan woman commune at a village well. In our uncivil world, how powerful it is to commune likewise: in a small church, where everybody knows your name - or wants to!
March 1 - What Do You Want Your God to Be?
Letting go what you think God may want from you: What do you want your God to be? John 3:1-10
