Sermon

Sermon

Sunday Worship, February 14, 2021

Jesus Chooses

Moved with compassion,
Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him,
and said to him, “I do choose. Be made clean!”

Mark 1:41
.


The many choices we make every day, both big and small, reveal what is most important to us. A man with leprosy says to Jesus, "If you choose, you can make me clean." Jesus chooses to do something others were afraid to do, he reaches out and touches this man others regarded as untouchable and heals him.

Jesus' choice to touch an unclean outcast reveals a powerful truth about the value God places on those in need, people regarded as unclean, and humility.

May we receive this grace for ourselves and generously share it with others - particularly those others avoid.

Sunday Worship, February 7, 2021

Into the Quiet

In the morning, while it was still very dark,
Jesus got up and went out to a deserted place,
and there he prayed.

Mark 1:35
.


We live in the midst of a busy and chaotic world with never ceasing demands for our attention and efforts. Faced with demands and expectations, Jesus found a quiet place and prayed. May we do likewise.

Sunday Worship, January 31, 2021

Divine Interruptions

They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another,
“What is this? A new teaching—with authority!
He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”

Mark 1:27
.


We all miss gathering together, hugs, and the fellowship of those we love. We all long to return to the way thing were, and there much of eternal value to that, but God never leads anyone back to the way things once were. Instead, God’s purposes and path fully embrace the present while leading toward what is yet to be.

Sunday Worship, January 24, 2021

Faith on the Edge

And Jesus said to them,
“Follow me and I will make you fish for people.”
And immediately they left their nets and followed him.

Mark 1:17-18
.


The call of Jesus, by its very nature, takes us far beyond what we can do on our own, so God can accomplish, in and through us, what only God can do.

Sunday Worship, January 17, 2021

Bigger and Better

Jesus said to him, “Very truly, I tell you,
you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending
and descending upon the Son of Man.”

John 1:51
.


Philip and Nathanael recognized Jesus as the Messiah and had high expectations for him. What they did not expect was that God had big and better plans for them. And, if we dare, for us too.

Sunday Worship, January 10, 2021

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have called you by name, you are mine.

Isaiah 43:1
.

Endings and transitions bring change, and very possibly fear, anxiety, and sadness. But let us remember that God is at work fulfilling God's good will.

We may be reluctant to close a chapter in our life, but let us trust God together. God was here before us, God is here with us in this moment, and God will see us through.

Sunday Worship, January 3, 2021

Epiphany Sunday

On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Matthew 2:11
.

Epiphany refers to something being revealed or a sudden insight.

What would happen if we experienced an epiphany revealing Jesus beyond our tame expectations? Why do we often avoid what we consider "costly" steps of faith that are actually the path following Jesus?

Sunday Worship, December 27, 2020

First Sunday of Christmas

In him was life, and the life
was the light of all people.

John 1:4
.

Christmas, the birth of Jesus, does not end with Jesus laying in a manger. It is an amazing revelation of God's love, that he would send his Son into the world so that we might live through him.

Christmas Eve Worship, December 24, 2020

Christmas Eve

God’s love was revealed among us in this way:
God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him.

1 John 4:9
.

Like the shepherds, let us go an see the Christ-child that God has given.

Our worship service tells the story of God's great expression of love through, song, scripture and the sacrament of communion.

Please consider gathering communion elements from your home for communion such as bread, crackers, water, juice or wine and a candle to light later in the service.

Scripture passages for this Sunday:
* Isaiah 9:27-
* Luke 1:26-38
* Luke 2:1-7
* Luke 2:8-20

Sunday Worship, December 20, 2020

The Fourth Sunday of Advent

God’s love was revealed among us in this way:
God sent his only Son into the world
so that we might live through him.

1 John 4:9
.

The gift of Jesus reveals God's love.

Today's service was made from today's live worship service using Zoom.

Scripture passages for this Sunday:
* Psalm 89:1-4,19-26
* 1 Corinthians 16:13-14