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, as we light the 4th candle on the Advent wreath, we ponder Mary’s visit with her relative Elizabeth after receiving the news form the angel Gabriel that she will carry God’s child. We join our voices with Mary’s voice in proclaiming, “My soul magnifies the Lord, my Spirit rejoices in God my Savior!”…
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…
This Sunday, we gather in our sanctuary now decorated for this joyful season, and we light the 2nd Advent candle to continue prepare our hearts for Christ’s coming. We worship Sunday morning at 8:15 & 10:30 – and then Sunday afternoon, the entire congregation is invited for a time of singing and fellowship with our…
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…
On the weekend before Thanksgiving, we begin to pause & ponder the many blessings God has given us for life (too many to process!): not only basic needs like food, shelter, clothing; but profound blessings like relationships, family, love, forgiveness, grace, and the joyful promise of eternal life through Christ our Lord! Thanks be to…
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…
Of all three years of the lectionary cycle, this year’s All Saints readings have the most tears. Isaiah and Revelation look forward to the day when God will wipe away all tears; in John’s gospel, Jesus weeps along with Mary and all the gathered mourners before he demonstrates his power over death. On All Saints…
Rooted in the past and growing into the future, the church must always be reformed in order to live out the love of Christ in an ever-changing world. We celebrate the good news of God’s grace, that Jesus Christ sets us free every day to do this life-transforming work. Trusting in the freedom given to…
“The Lord has done great things for us – and we are glad indeed!” This Sunday, the words of Psalm 126 ring out in our ears and hearts. How blessed it is to be loved by a God who wants us to know gladness – and works great things for us, in the midst of…