In this worship service we hear the entirety of the Passion of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ according to the gospel of John, beginning with 18:1 and concluding with 19:42. We travel to a variety of locations in the Oneida-Rome area, chosen to resonate with the different human elements of the story, and respond […]
On the night before Jesus’ crucifixion and death, he ate a final meal with his disciples, washed their feet, and gave them a new commandment: Love one another as I have loved you. That love is much more than human affection; it is both the overarching principle and the deep foundation that guides and defines […]
Are you feeling a bit undone these days? Hopeful in one breath and cautious in the next, unsure of where to land right now? You are in good company. On Palm Sunday, we hear that Jesus comes for people that are conflicted, people shouting “Hosanna!” in one breath and “Crucify him!” in the next. He […]
When you need a little extra Jesus in your life…what do you do? Go to church? Say a prayer? Call a friend? Head outside? In our gospel reading, the Greeks come and ask to see Jesus. He responds by pointing to plants growing from seeds, and all the places he shows love for his friends, […]
Well before modern vaccines, ancient people knew that sometimes, the cure is found within the illness. Snakebite antidotes are derived from poison, phobias are cured by facing fears, and spiritually, God’s treatment for sin is the cross of Jesus Christ. Through God’s strong, gracious and eternal love, the cross is transformed from a method of […]
Our world doesn’t know what to do with anger. Do we express it? Stifle it? Hide it away? Let it destroy us? Or use it for good? Even Jesus got angry, because he cared deeply for those who were left out. His example can help us come to terms with the anger we see everywhere. […]
Is faith something you have? Or something you live? Are we willing to live out our faith fully, no matter the cost? In our first reading, God asks Abraham to go out on a limb and trust that he and Sarah will have a child. In our gospel, Jesus teaches Peter, the disciples, and everyone […]
Forty days and forty nights. From Noah to Moses to Jesus, to medieval Venice and finally to us, the period of forty days represents struggle and turmoil, but also transformation and new life. (The city-state of Venice was the first to adopt a rule of “quarantine” in the 14th century–forty days of isolation for incoming […]
When everything changes, what do you do? Elisha had to learn how to go on without his mentor Elijah. Peter and James and John had to see Jesus’ glory on the mountain in order to tell others about it after his death and resurrection. We are able to cross the thresholds of life because we […]
Jesus heals a woman when he lifts her up and restores her to community and purpose. Before long, he gains fame as a healer, but decides to go on to the other towns in his area. We, too, are called to work for healing for all people, but also to trust that God will finish […]