On this 7th Sunday of Epiphany Season, we hear Jesus’ teaching about extending love, blessing, prayer, and generosity beyond all barriers – even to those who would be our enemies. Jesus speaks extending forgiveness to others, rather than judgment – and the Old Testament lesson tells the heart-moving story of Joseph, who forgave his brothers…
As a community of disciples STRETCHED BY THE CROSS, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to further EXTEND THE UMBRELLA OF GOD’S H-O-P-E: continuing to BREAK DOWN BARRIERS, so that more people may experience THE LIFE-CHANGING POWER OF GOD and move from SURVIVING TO THRIVING in a challenging world! + + + Walking together…
The fifth Sunday after Epiphany continues to highlight unlikely instruments and circumstances appointed to reveal God’s glory. “Who will go for us?” God asks. A person of unclean lips, a former persecutor of the church of God, and three fishermen who couldn’t catch a thing. More surprising still, perhaps, is that we are also called.
Here in the new Epiphany Season, we celebrate the light of God’s love revealed for each of us – and all peoples – through Jesus, our grace-filled Savior & Lord. This Sunday, we celebrate the Baptism of our Lord Jesus. We hear how the Holy Spirit appeared at the Jordan River and the voice from…
On Christmas Eve, we celebrate the Good News of peace & great joy announced by the angels: Good News that still comes to us amidst all the challenges of life in a tumultuous world. We marvel at a child born for us: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace! And the angels’ chorus rings out…
This Sunday, we light the 3rd candle on the Advent wreath, traditionally known as the candle of JOY. The prophets Zephaniah & Isaiah call for God’s people to rejoice – and the apostle Paul writes his famous words to the Philippians, “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, Rejoice! …. The Lord is…
Advent is about the “coming days.” God’s people have always lived in great expectation, but that expectation finds specific, repeated enunciation in the texts appointed for these four weeks. The ancients anticipated a “righteous Branch to spring up for David.” The Thessalonians awaited “the coming of our Lord Jesus with all the saints.” Jesus’ contemporaries…
Here in November, our hearts turn to the season of Thanksgiving. In spite of every road-bump in life, we do have much to be thankful for. This Sunday is a VERY important day, as we all bring our Giving Intents and place them on the symbolic Hope Beacon lighthouse during worship at both 8:15 and…
This Sunday, Jesus tells us that he came into our world not to be served, but to serve (Mark 10:45). In Isaiah’s ancient words about a “suffering servant” (Isaiah 53:4-12), we are reminded how much Jesus suffered for us, how much he gave for us, how much he humbled himself to show God’s love for…
This Sunday, Psalm 8 speaks about the mystery of God’s love for every one of us: “O Lord our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers…. what are mere mortals that you should be mindful of them, human beings that you should…