Doubtful Thomas? Curious Thomas! And what kind of curious was he? Curious for a sheltered game of the mind - or a vulnerable plunge of the spirit? John 20:19-30.
Easter Sunday: Immortality or Resurrection?
"Im-mortal" means never having to die. How is resurrection different and more powerful than immortality?
March 24 - Celebrating Humility Waving palms?
To celebrate a Savior on a donkey? Can't get much more humbling than that ..
March 17 - Sacrifice Must Come from Within
If we say, "Jesus died on the cross for our sins": Was it necessary for God to pull that off for us? For him to suffer in that way? Or is Jesus' sacrifice meaningful because he was willing? And what are we willing - from within - to sacrifice in order to serve?
March 10 Message: From Faith to Trust
"Faith" is a heavily commercialized and trivialized term. How is the biblical understanding of Trust different - and can lead us to a deeper place?
March 3 Message - The Ten Commandments: "Don't Go There!"
Number 1 is key: no other gods before God. Lest our good become God: Can we commit to a God of the not-so-good?
February 25 - Fly Low, Travel Light, Have Fun!
Can our "God of the Ages" teach our old church new tricks? Perhaps no "tricks" are involved. Just an adventurous and flexible spirit to serve our community with joy! Genesis 17:1-7, 15-17,
February 18 "Beyond Rainbows And Butterflies"
Following the flood, God sends Noah a promissory note: "I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth." What if the bow ... was more than a rainbow? Genesis 9:8-17.
February 11: When Love Means Conflict
In healing a leper, Jesus' act of love brings him into direct conflict with standards and authorities of his day. What occasions in our lives can be conflictive and loving?
February 4 - Discipleship: That Two-Way Street
Scripture: Mark 1:29-39. In our search this Black History Month for the Beloved Community - aka the Kingdom of God - Jesus teaches us the art of "relational reciprocity": giving-receiving, action-reflection. How is that balance made known in our lives?
Beyond "Christolatry", Part 2
Scripture: Mark 1:21-28. Do we celebrate Christ - or celebrate with Christ? Do we focus on him - or follow him? And what difference does it make?
January 21: Beyond "Christolatry"
For over 20 centuries, the Church has focused on the Messenger at the expense of his Message. What would our world look like if we lived into the Good News: not Christ, but the Kingdom of God?
January 14 - "Come and See": The Art of Invitation
Nathanael: "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip: "Come and see." (John 1:46) Philip does not take the argument bait. Nor does he browbeat or cajole. He simply invites an encounter with Jesus. What's to prevent us from doing the same?
Epiphany: "A Sense of Where You Are"
Even as they search: the magi seem to have that sense! In this new year, what can they teach us about our sense of location - "where we are" - as a church? Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12.
New Year's Eve: Christmas and the Fullness Of Time - Guest: The Rev. Pat Jackson
Scripture: Luke 2:22-40. What does the arrival of the Christ child mean to us? What longing does Christmas satisfy? And what longing does it awaken?
Christmas Eve: "Here I Am ... Let It Be"
Scripture: Luke 1:26-38. How can Mary teach us to receive - versus to give? To let go - versus to be so good?
December 17 - Can Justice Be Joyful?
As we light the third Advent candle - Mary's candle, the pink candle, the candle of Joy: John the Baptizer's prophetic words may ring harsh. Must they be so? John 1:6-8, 19-28
December 10 - In the Wilderness: Communion!
'Midst the craziness of Christmas: Escape from the world's trivial madness into the communion of a common wilderness can actually be appealing! Scripture: Mark 1:1-8
December 3 - From Chaos to Calm: Seeing in the Dark
December 3 - From Chaos to Calm: Seeing in the Dark. (smaller letters) Practicing a Christmas alternative with those we love, perhaps we can see God's New Humanity more clearly around us. Scripture: Mark 13:24-37
November 26 - A Christmas Alternative
An invitation this Christmas to honor our loved ones ... with gifts for less loved ones ... our loved ones have chosen.
