There is no shortage of storms in our world today, whether in weather, politics, or the state of the human heart. Storms originally had a purpose to play in creation, but today they have grown unbalanced in intensity and power. Jesus doesn’t prevent storms. Nor does he stand apart from them. But he is with […]
Oceans have captured human imagination for centuries. They are deep, mysterious, dangerous and unpredictable…but they are also part of us. God cares for the ocean like a child, like our brother or sister. Jesus partners with the ocean to teach his followers and bring abundance to the people. Through Christ we are one with the […]
If faith is a relay race, Jesus would run both the first leg and the anchor leg. He is the strongest and most reliable runner, able to endure the greatest hardship of all, but as each of us takes our turn with the baton of challenge and heartbreak, he is right there, coaching and encouraging […]
Jesus says, “It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” It is God’s promise from the beginning—to Abraham, to the early church, and to the “little flock” of which we are a part in today’s assembly. Faith, God’s baptismal gift, trusts the promises of God. Have no fear. This worship service includes […]
Talking to yourself is totally normal…right? Sometimes it’s just safer than trying to engage with other people. But today we hear about the misstep of talking only to yourself. How easily we get caught up in ourselves and our stuff and forget about the needs and perspectives of others! How easily we forget that true […]
Does it matter how we pray? As we hear the story of Jesus teaching his disciples to pray, we ponder the words of the Lord’s Prayer that hand us a lifeline to the faith of previous generations. At the same time, we explore how to continue this conversation as we go forward, knowing our loving […]
“Comparison is the thief of joy.” We see this so clearly in the story of Martha and Mary welcoming Jesus into their home. Martha is hard at work, taking care of business, but struggling to keep it together. Jesus reminds her that she, too, deserves to know joy. This worship service includes Communion as an […]
We all know the story of the Good Samaritan, right? Love your neighbor as yourself, and all that jazz. Well…it might be more difficult than it seems. Our neighbor might not be who or what we expect, and we might not be the hero of the story. Today we re-think this key parable of Jesus. […]
Freedom! It should be a simple concept, but as we see today, it’s anything but. Freedom and power have a complex relationship and in our second reading, Paul has many thoughts on how Christians should exercise them both. On this weekend when we celebrate freedom in the United States, we ponder what it truly means […]
Elijah and Elisha might be called the dynamic duo of prophets in the Old Testament. Elijah was brash and bold (most of the time); Elisha was the faithful apprentice learning the ropes. Until one day everything changes, and Elisha has to wrestle with how to move forward. Like Elisha, how do we move forward into […]