The scriptures today call us to self-examination. What keeps us from God? What is holding us back from simply accepting the kingdom? How do we find the strength to be persistent? Looking around upon whom does your gaze fall as the person who calls you back as John the Baptist
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Luke 1:68-79 • Zechariah sings, “Blessed be the God of Israel.” Luke 3:1-6 • A voice calling in the desert. I wonder if we will ever be prepared for what God has in store for us? Imagine how you would react if God surprised you? I think many of us
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The pathways to Bethlehem begin to open before us. There is a small crack through which we begin to see the light. Preparation for a trip can include many things: sometimes we try to map it out, sometimes we choose to wander, sometimes we end up wandering even tho’ we
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Psalm 132:1-12 • The eternal dwelling of God in Zion. Revelations 1:4b-8 • I am the Alpha and the Omega. The psalm reminds us that we are in relationship with God, a covenantal relationship. We have committed to listen and trust in God to guide us and that we will
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Between birth and death we travel a path leading to an ever deeper maturity, wisdom and grace. At least that is the hope. How do we nourish our soul into maturity? What does it mean to provoke love and kindness? Read
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Psalm 127 • God’s Blessings in the home. Mark 12:38-44 • Jesus denounces the scribes. As faithful followers of Christ we are called to notice, to speak out, and to question injustice in the world. As a faith community our call to follow Jesus comes with difficult choices where our
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Ruth 1:1-18 • Ruth chooses to go with Naomi Mark 12:28-34 • Which commandment is the first of all. The name Ruth means friendship and that is exactly what the story of Ruth is about. The steadfastness of Ruth transforms social and cultural conventions. The story is an example of
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Job 42:1-6, 10-17 • Job acknowledges God’s power; Job’s fortunes are restored. Mark 10:46–52 • The healing of Bartimaeus. Someone must be to blame. We have to be able to point to the person or persons responsible for the mess we are in. Job’s friends all suggested blaming God. We
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Job 38:1-7; 34-41 • God’s rebuttal to Job’s complaint. Hebrews 5:1-10 • Christ learned obedience. COVID brought the world to a grinding halt and since that time, we have been doing a tango between moving forward and stepping back again. It is time to re-acquaint ourselves to God’s call as
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Each year we celebrate Thanksgiving as a way to ritualize our gratitude for all of the blessings we have received. And living in one of the wealthiest cities in one of the wealthiest countries in the world might give us pause to consider the depth of our gratitude. Amos and
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