Elder Jesy Littlejohn testifies to God's grace a la Psalm 20 and their story of accepting themselves for who and Whose they are.
No More Messiahs
In a world searching for strongmen - Presidents even - to save us: What could Samuel and Jesus teach us? 1 Samuel 8:4-20
The Gift of Receiving
Samuel to God: "Speak, for your servant is listening." How, through listening, can we practice what Henri Nouwen calls "the gift of receiving"? 1 Samuel 3:1-11
From Solving the Problem to Living the Mystery (Trinity Sunday)
The priest Nicodemus and the rabbi Jesus dialogue. Nicodemus: "How can I solve that problem?" Jesus: "Enjoy the Spirit's mystery - and enter the kingdom." How to enter into that mystery - when we cannot understand it? John 3:1-10.
Pentecost: From the Corporate to the Communal
The explosion of the Spirit! A megachurch's delight? What appears to be a story of immensity is grounded most of all in intimacy. Acts 2:1-12.
Love In Action II: What the Maternal Can Teach Us
Mother's Day message. Love maternally expressed can be disingenuous (Exodus 1:15-21, Romans 12:9-21). Does that diminish the love in any way?
Jesus' Love Commandment: Love Is Action
To know what we believe ... we see what we do. John 15:12-17
April 28: "What's To Stop Us From ______?"
Guest Message: Rev. Pat Jackson. Getting from A to B: How did we ever do that without GPS and smart phones? But getting from A to B isn’t just a geographic consideration, it’s a life consideration. How do we find our way today? Scripture: Acts 8:27-31, 35-28
April 21: Psalm 23: "I Have Everything I Need?"
Psalm 23 counsels that "The Lord is our shepherd, I shall not want" - another translation: "I have everything I need." How can we begin to know that?
April 14 - Easter: More Than "He Died for Our Sins"
Did Jesus die for our sins? Or did he die because of our sins - and our resurrection task is to tend to his broken body? Luke 24:36b-48
April 7: Cultivating Curiosity
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?
