Aug 20, 2017 |
Hidden Yesses
| The Rev. Nancy Hopkins-GreeneHidden Yesses
“I suppose all of us have those times, those occasions, when
our lives seem to have come to a dead end… or simply a relationship or a job… when
someone has died, a relationship has ended. When somehow there seems to be one ‘no’
after another. Can we trust that God is behind the scenes? That in that ‘no’
somewhere is hidden a ‘yes…’ a way forward?”
Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28
Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28
Aug 13, 2017 |
Big Faith
| The Rev. Nancy Hopkins-GreeneBig Faith
“This is the story of the cross, of the crucified Christ:
that even in adversity… even with fallen humanity… the folks that put him to
death, the brothers that threw their brother into a pit, sold him off into
slavery and hatred… the people in our country who hate those that are other
than them and wish them harm… that in the midst of this adversity, in the midst
of suffering and struggle, come the possibilities of life and joy.”
Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28
Matthew 14:22-33
Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28
Matthew 14:22-33
Aug 13, 2017 |
Walk On Water
| The Rev. Philip DeVaulWalk On Water
“And so it is for us. We are people who have been set apart
to participate with God in his work of love and reconciliation in this world.
We are people who God pointed to and said, “I am going to redeem the world and I
want you to help. I am healing the world and I want you to heal with me. I am
forgiving, and showing mercy and love, and that’s what justice looks like, and I
want you to participate in that.”
Matthew 14:22-33
Matthew 14:22-33
Aug 06, 2017 |
Can You Imagine?
| The Rev. Nancy Hopkins-GreeneCan You Imagine?
"Can we look at the world as God sees it and imagine it?
Imagine injustice transfigured into justice. Imagine hatred transfigured into
love. Imagine our greatest enemies transfigured into friends. Can we join Jesus
in imagining this kingdom, the kingdom of God"
Luke 9:28-36
Luke 9:28-36
Aug 06, 2017 |
Jesus, Wonder Woman, and Friendship
| The Rev. Philip DeVaulJesus, Wonder Woman, and Friendship
“But the beauty of this story and the good news of this
gospel is that when we allow ourselves to love and be loved
fully, and to love others fully … to allow them to tell
their story and live their lives, and listen to them for
who they are… we will not be
turned off, we will not be pushed away. When we
really get to see someone for who they are in love,
we see them as beautiful sons and daughters of God.”
Luke 9:28-36
Luke 9:28-36
Jul 30, 2017 |
Starstruck
| The Rev. Philip DeVaulStarstruck
“God is love. God is love and you may be start struck by
that love and you may not know how to deal with that love and you may not know
how to deal with yourself but God knows what it means to be love and God knows
what it means to be in relationship and love with you.”
Matthew 13:31-33,44-52
Matthew 13:31-33,44-52
Jul 23, 2017 |
Judge Not
| The Rev. Joyce KeeshinJudge Not
We are called to love God, and our neighbor as ourselves. We are called to spread the good news. We are called to use the gifts we have been given, whatever they might be, in service to God and those in need. We are not called to judge. We are not called to judge. We are not called to be the ones who sort the week from the grain. That falls to a much higher court."
Matthew 13:24-30,36-43
Matthew 13:24-30,36-43
Jul 23, 2017 |
Nirvana, Foot Loose, and the Reality of Evil
| The Rev. Philip DeVaulNirvana, Foot Loose, and the Reality of Evil
"In this story, good and evil are not always obvious in terms of how they take root in the lives of people. And so Jesus says wait, reserve judgment. In fact, don’t even judge the other people. Leave that to the angels, they’ll have work to do later. In the mean time grow amongst one another, grow with each other, grow towards each other, in love."
Matthew 13:24-30,36-43
Matthew 13:24-30,36-43
Jul 16, 2017 |
Living Into Abundance
| The Rev. Nancy Hopkins-GreeneLiving Into Abundance
“So often in our lives, and often in our children’s lives we
are in such a world of competition as if there were limited love, as if there
were limited opportunity and space and we need to run to get it first, to hold
onto it. There are no winners or losers in God’s economy. God keeps sowing the
seed.”
Genesis 25:19-34
Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
Genesis 25:19-34
Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
Jul 16, 2017 |
You Are What You Are
| The Rev. Philip DeVaulYou Are What You Are
“So often we are left with the question, or presented with
the question, ‘What kind of soil are you?’ I’ve decided it’s a dumb question.
I’m done with it. Or, maybe it’s a good question for a little while but its
only gonna get me so far. Because here’s what I’ve figured out about soil… soil
doesn’t have a lot of say about what kind of soil it is, right?”
Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
Jul 09, 2017 |
Glimpses of Grace
| The Rev. Nancy Hopkins-GreeneGlimpses of Grace
“We don’t get to choose how God comes into our world. If we
spend too much time figuring out what God should look like, we might miss the
very presence of God in our midst.”
Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67
Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67
Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
Jul 09, 2017 |
Expectations
| The Rev. Joyce KeeshinExpectations
“We have high hopes for the next generation and yet each
generation has its burdens, its challenges, its growing edges. We look for
greater wisdom, greater justice, greater altruism or enlightenment, greater
faith… and we find some of these things among the human struggles that we seem
to continue to have and that can overwhelm our access to wisdom.”
Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
Jul 02, 2017 |
You Can't Pick and Choose
| The Rev. Nancy Hopkins-GreeneYou Can't Pick and Choose
“But we live in the tension of these things and we can’t pick and choose which kind of God we want to have. We can’t pick the God of endless mercy and love and forgiveness, and somehow ignore the God who asks us to amend our lives, to change in light of that mercy and forgiveness.”
Genesis 22:1-14
Matthew 10:40-42
Genesis 22:1-14
Matthew 10:40-42
Jul 02, 2017 |
God's Steadfast Love
| The Rev. Joyce KeeshinGod's Steadfast Love
“We can find ourselves in terrible straights. We can find
ourselves in difficult circumstances that are so far beyond our control we just
can’t even imagine what to do. We can find ourselves in the midst of glorious
gifts, or in the midst of despair… but God’s love is steadfast.”
Genesis 22:1-14
Genesis 22:1-14
Jun 18, 2017 |
Under the Oaks of the Mamre
| The Rev. Nancy Hopkins-GreeneUnder the Oaks of the Mamre
"Each of us has a seat at the table, a place in God's purpose for the world ... and Jesus continues to call us out, call us out into the world in our own barrenness and brokenness not because we have it all together but to serve those who are empty, those who are hopeless, whose lives are barren and broken in the world..."
Jun 11, 2017 |
Continual Discipleship
| The Rev. Joyce KeeshinContinual Discipleship
“God, our creator, redeemer, and sanctifier, continues to
move, continues to call us to action, continues to bless us. Let us continue to
listen, to watch, to respond to God’s call.”
Genesis 1:1-2:4a
2 Corinthians 13:11-13
Matthew 28:16-20
Genesis 1:1-2:4a
2 Corinthians 13:11-13
Matthew 28:16-20
Jun 11, 2017 |
Inconceivable Friendship
| The Rev. Philip DeVaulInconceivable Friendship
“So when he says go
and make disciples of all nations, Jesus is not saying go and fix, go and win,
go and conquer, go and make everyone think like you. He is literally telling
you to go out and share the love life of God that you have experienced with the
people you meet out there of any nation, any color, any tribe, any language,
any gender, any sexuality… go out there and share yourself, of yourself, of
your life, and commit to life with the people around you…”
Matthew 28:16-20
Matthew 28:16-20