Sermons

Our spirits hunger for tenderness: Our spirits grow when we are tender to ourselves and to one another.

Art often inspires us; sometimes it helps us to sense something deeper in the world. Before I became your pastor, I took an informal poll with folks who went to church regularly and folks who did not. I asked them, "What do you or would you most want from a church worship service?” The number one answer I got was the word inspiration.

Baptism is about being a sharing people. It's about entering into a covenant together.

The assumption for the Christian is that God has given us the light of the world in Jesus Christ. The assumption for the Christian is that Jesus offered us a living example of what it means to travel, be and live the light in our world.

This Advent, let us continue to listen for God's call. Where is God asking us to shine the light? Where is God calling us to shine our light?

What cards have we been dealt and have we put them to play? Have we sacrificed what we've been given?

We can want the right thing, want to be the right person, want to live the right way, want to… we can have the desire but if it's never converted to action, it's a missed shot, a missed opportunity.

I learned a Sunday school song ages ago that went like this: I've got a river of life... Isn't that the point of Jesus' encounter with this woman? Their conversation offered her a river of life – deep within her that she then turned around and gushed it out to others.

Focus:  Hurt by the past, afraid of the future, Hagar couldn't see the miracle before her. Or:  Aware of what was, putting aside what could be, Peter experienced a miracle in the present.  Do/Think:  Consider that our responses of fear and/or hope, may be keeping us from experiencing the present miracle.