What is life really about? Having all the right things? Doing good deeds for other people? Being the best you can be and getting the most points possible—no matter how you define that? In the words of a well-known improv show, “the points don’t matter.” God gives life, eternal life, as a gift. No points […]
God made us to need other human beings…but also with a great capacity to hurt each other. Jesus speaks about divorce in our gospel reading today, but really, his words apply to all human relationships. Instead of blaming, Jesus takes the side of the vulnerable one who lacks an advocate in these situations. The Bible […]
“The mountains are calling, and I must go.” John Muir, known as the patron saint of the American wilderness, penned these words. But mountains are more than a beautiful, wild, majestic trek in the wilderness. They convey the truth of our faith journey, that God’s future awaits. This worship service includes Communion as an extension […]
God is “up there.” Right? Human beings throughout history have looked to the skies for help, for divine providence, for inspiration. We have also viewed the skies as an inexhaustible dumping ground, or a harbinger of God’s wrath. What would it look like to reconcile, or indeed to unify, heaven and earth? This worship service […]
“It’s too peopley out there.” Phrases like this were popular before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, but now they can mean a situation is too crowded for comfort, or that one’s faith in humanity is being shaken. In our readings today, God calls humanity to turn away from “peopley” things like domination and unbridled power and […]
What would happen if we could look at Planet Earth the way that God sees it? A blue marble in the depths of space, it is at once beautiful, fragile, awe-inspiring, and beloved. God sees our planet with great love, creates and celebrates it as good, and calls us to do the same. This worship […]
What’s the point of tradition? Often it signifies who’s IN and who’s OUT. When the Pharisees needle Jesus because some of his followers don’t ritually wash their hands, Jesus explains that what comes out of your heart is the most important thing. Tradition that comes from God should foster relationship…not prevent it. This worship service […]
Jesus’ own disciples are losing confidence in him. This “eat my body and drink my blood” stuff is just too much for them. Jesus knows that you can’t force belief, but at the same time, his followers are not called to eat the bread of life and leave the crusts behind. Jesus came to feed […]
As Jesus talks about being the bread from heaven who brings life to the world, he gets into a sticky situation with the Jewish religious leaders about just how far this metaphor really goes. Eating flesh? Drinking blood? Sounds a little bit…beyond the pale, for them and for us. How do we receive what Jesus […]
What do you eat when you’re far from home? What do you need when you’re out of your comfort zone, when you’re at your wits’ end, when you find yourself beyond hope? Jesus does more than provide for our daily needs, he is there in our time of great need, nourishing us with food for […]