In worship today we contemplated the Trinity and the ever-present grace of God, from the very beginning until the very end. We are reminded that God has provided us Jesus to redeem us and give us an example to strive for and the Holy Spirit to guide us on our journey as we shape our […]
Our lessons focused on the coming of the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit. In Acts we heard the account of the first Pentecost and the disciples speaking in tongues so that everyone could hear the message of salvation. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians identified some of the gifts of the Spirit that […]
In worship we bridge between Ascension on Thursday and Pentecost next Sunday. A recurring theme of today was the realities of being people who exist in “the now” and “the not yet”. This past season has been a good example of the conundrum we live in. The Psalmist reminds us that God will run off […]
We “gathered” for worship for the 9th consecutive Sunday on YouTube live and introduced the prayer for Spiritual Communion as part of worship. It was fitting considering the tenor of our lessons and worship today. The Psalm reminds us that God hears us when we call and will not reject our prayers or withdraw God’s […]
On the fifth Sunday of Easter our lectionary begins the transition from Easter toward life after Pentecost. The psalmist sings a story of God’s saving presence, restating the words of commendation, “Into your hands I commend my spirit” to help us remember that God is always present to those who trust. The reading from the […]
In worship today there was the theme of the shepherd. We heard the 23rd Psalm and John’s gospel where Jesus declares that he is the gate and the shepherd – the one who leads the chosen flock in safety. But, the other two readings today spoke to the age-old process of what defines our community […]
We headed into the 3rd Sunday of Easter with the story shifting to the reminder that Easter isn’t just about the resurrection; Jesus’ life and resurrection is part and parcel to our ability to stand redeemed from our sinful self to being in God’s presence. The reading from Psalms reminds us that God hears us, […]
In worship today we heard stories that are a bit odd this early in Eastertide. In Acts we heard a sermon from Peter that told those who were assembled that Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection were not just a happenstance, they were part of God’s plan – to reinforce the relationship that was founded by […]
In worship today we heard the stories of resurrection and new beginning. In our lesson from the Acts of the Apostles we hear Peter tell Cornelius that God doesn’t show partiality. If someone comes to God with sincerity God will not reject them out of hand because of their heritage – Christ died for all. […]
In worship today we heard the stories both of Palm Sunday and Jesus’ Passion, which will be celebrated again on Thursday. We heard Psalmist’s cry for mercy and protection from God when they felt put upon and forgotten; persecuted by their society. Paul’s letter to the Philippians described the “why” and “what we need to […]