We feel powerless when life’s storms rage around us. Despite our best efforts, we cannot navigate those dangers without the hand of God to guide and free us. In today’s readings from the gospel of Luke and the letter to the Galatians, demons of all kinds threaten to possess us, to divide us, to harm […]
“O Lord our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” Today we celebrate the holy Trinity. Paul writes that through Jesus we have peace with God, whose love pours into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, giving us lasting hope. We celebrate the gracious One-in-Three, eternal Three-in-One, as we worship in community; […]
We hide our true selves behind all sorts of things: clothes, hair and makeup, behaviors, language, and social spheres, just to name a few. On Ash Wednesday we hear Jesus’ words urging us to stop concealing the child of God each of us truly is. There’s no need to hide—God’s love erases our shame and […]
When the angels appeared in the sky to the shepherds, their song was a song of peace for all humanity. So where is this peace, we ask? In a world of turmoil and division, we need peace more than anything. The Christmas story reminds us that through Jesus, God began setting the world right, healing […]
The story of Jesus feeding five thousand people with five loaves and two fish is always a favorite. But Jesus is just as intentional about instructing the disciples to gather up all the pieces that are left. He gathers up our own broken pieces, too, and carefully stitches them back together, so that not one […]
Like sheep without a shepherd, we wander in our own groups, suspicious of the other groups and not quite sure where we belong. Such is our world, then and now. Jesus steps forward to be our shepherd, and calls us (the church) to be part of one new household where everyone can belong. Together we […]
How do you do the right thing when you’re convinced you’re surrounded by pure evil? We hear about a grisly scene at King Herod’s birthday party that shows what happens when his appetite for power and control can never be satisfied. By comparison, Jesus offers a banquet that values all human life, where everyone has […]
Even Jesus had bad days. Even Jesus had to deal with the haters. In a visit home, Jesus finds that his home synagogue is not ready to accept his new ministry. They think they know Jesus best…but they might be in for a surprise. When Jesus sends his disciples out to continue his work, he […]
There’s never enough time to do it all, is there? On the way to heal one person, Jesus gets interrupted by another. Rather than rush to help them both, he takes the time to make sure each one is healed and given a new future…even if it means overcoming death. This worship service includes Communion […]
When is a storm more than a storm? In the gospel of Mark, Jesus and the disciples face an epic storm that seems larger than life, representing the battle between good and evil. Jesus doesn’t always calm the storm on our preferred timeline, but when it counts, he is there, and he uses his power […]