Sermons are listed below with the most recent sermons first. Sermons may be browsed by date, books of the Bible, speaker, and more. Check back often for updates.
Inspired: Gospel Stories
This week we continue our worship series “Inspired” based on the book Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again by Rachel Held Evans. As United Methodists and Christians, I think it’s a safe assumption that the Gospel stories hold particular significance for us. This is the Gospel, the Good News! In these stories are the proclamations that we are no longer slaves to sin and death, that we are not alone, that God has walked with…
Inspired: Resistance Stories
This week we continue our worship series “Inspired” based on the book Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again by Rachel Held Evans. One of the main themes of the Bible is that God is on the side of the faithful minority within vast, oppressive empires. God shows up to walk alongside the poor and disinherited. God gives strength to those who speak truth to power, those who display courage in the face of death. Even…
Inspired: Wisdom Stories
This week we continue our new worship series “Inspired” based on the book Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again by Rachel Held Evans. As humans working in and through all that their is in this world to work in and through, we seek guidance and wisdom and inspiration. This week we look at where we might find such wisdom in our sacred text. Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (CEB)
Inspired: War Stories
This week we continue our new worship series “Inspired” based on the book Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again by Rachel Held Evans. It is my hope that people of faith regularly read from our sacred texts. For any of us who regularly read, I suggest that we sometimes find stories and passages that we find difficult to read or even troubling. I believe that facing these difficult stories and passages and questions is essential…
Inspired: Deliverance Stories
This week we continue our new worship series “Inspired” based on the book Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again by Rachel Held Evans. It is surely safe to say that we all wish for deliverance from something. For some of us we may wish for deliverance small inconveniences and annoyances. Still others may wish for deliverance from major emotional upheavals and other difficult circumstances. We are reminded that God hears our cries, even our most…
Inspired: Origin Stories
This week we transition from our series on the Apostles’ Creed to our new worship series “Inspired” based on the book Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again by Rachel Held Evans. In this book, Rachel draws on the best in recent scholarship and uses her well-honed literary expertise to examine some of her favorite Bible stories and possible interpretations, retelling them through memoir, original poetry, short stories, soliloquies, and even a short screenplay. Undaunted by…
We Believe: Life Everlasting
This week as we conclude our Worship series, we end by claiming what we believe when our life in this world comes to an end. Surely every person has moments in their lives when they wonder what happens next. Whether we are Christians who affirm the idea of resurrection and eternal life or if we are a non-theist who does not believe in such a thing, there are moments when these questions are particularly present for us. Scripture: John 11:1-45…
We Believe: The Forgiveness of Sins
This week we focus on a short and powerful statement in the Apostle’s Creed: the forgiveness of sins. The forgiveness of sins is a fundamental belief in the Christian faith. When we declare that we believe “in the forgiveness of sins” we affirm our belief in a divine grace that is available to everyone. Scripture: Romans 5:12-19, Matthew 5:38-48 (CEB)
We Believe: The Holy Spirit
This third week we consider God’s Holy Spirit. The words in Hebrew and Greek for spirit generally have more than one additional meaning including breath, air, and wind. Consider, then, that it is God’s Spirit that is close enough to be the air that we breathe. Scripture: Genesis 1:1-2, Acts 2:1-4 (CEB)
We Believe: Jesus Christ
Our second week jumps into the absolute core of Christianity in the exploration of the history and personhood of Jesus of Nazareth. The creed makes a litany of statements that highlight classic Christian theology. Scripture: Philippians 2:5-11, Matthew 16:13-18 (CEB)
We Believe: God
Our first week focuses appropriately on God, named in the Apostle’s Creed as The Father Almighty and as the creator of Heaven and Earth. In these few words, we encompass not just the Christian Almighty, but the same God of our Jewish and Muslim siblings. We remember the stories of power and might from the ancient Hebrew texts and the parental figure who gave us a humble Messiah in the New Testament. Scripture: Psalm 90:1-8, 12 (CEB)
How Deep the Father’s Love
Sunday, June 19th is Father’s Day. Our message is “How Deep the Father’s Love”. Through scripture, readings and the singing of hymns, we will reflect on God as the Father; the Father in Creation, the Father in Refuge and Nourishment, the Father is Redemption and the Father in Faith. Together, we will confirm our faith and experience again how deep the Father’s love for us is vast beyond all measure. Scripture: Ephesians: 3:14-19 (CEB)