Genesis 1:1-5 Heaven and earthMark 1:4-11 Baptism of JesusActs 19:1-7 Paul’s baptizes in the Spirit The baptism of Jesus reminds us of the importance of being named. After Jesus was baptized he was named “the Beloved” “God’s Son”. We also hear how God named the light “day” and the darkness
Continue readingIsaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 Announce freedom to all captivesJohn 1:6-8, 19-28 Thunder in the desert John the Baptist knew Isaiah’s ancient words about liberty to the captives and good news to the poor. He also knew the kind of message Jesus was about to proclaim: a light shining in the darkness.
Continue readingPsalm 85:1-13Mark 1:1-8 What does it take for God to get our attention these days? Perhaps what we are longing for isn’t the perfect home, the perfect Christmas, the perfect job, the perfect family. Perhaps what we are longing for is the joy and peace that comes from moving through
Continue readingMatthew 25: 31-46 When you helped the lease of these, you helped me. We have inherited God’s Kingdom which means we are called to participate. We come to God’s Kingdom as children, with a sense of openness, curiosity, hope, and a willingness to help. We will explore how God’s spirit
Continue reading1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 Keep awakeMatthew 25:14-30 Parable of the talents So much is entrusted to us. Just as the master in the story Jesus told entrusted his wealth to his servants, so God has given us hearts, minds, bodies and souls; the world and time, wisdom and love — all
Continue readingWisdom of Solomon 6:12-20 Wisdom is radiant and unfadingMatthew 25:1-13 Parable of the ten bridesmaids The wholeness we seek, the freedom from care, the nearness to God — the fulfillment of our longing: all this is there for the taking, graciously and freely given, longing for us as much as
Continue readingSo often our experience of church is one of gathering with a large group of people some we recognize, some whose names we know, and occasionally some we have served on a committee or have participated in a program with, but by in large we really don’t know the people
Continue reading1 Thessalonians 2:9-13 Lead a life worthy of GodMatthew 23:1-12 The greatest one will be the servant Paul pleads with the people of Thessalonia to lead a life worthy of God. What does a life worthy of God look like? Have we become preoccupied with things that are not important?
Continue readingLeviticus 19:1-2, 15-18 Ritual and holinessMatthew 22:34-46 The greatest commandment Holiness, Torah, justice and love come together in these biblical teachings from Matthew and Leviticus. Justice and love are the way to live holiness. And justice is no more that “love writ large”. Love is also the focal point of
Continue readingExodus 33:12-23 Moses’ intercessionMatthew 9:35–10:4 Harvest is plentiful The Exodus series over the past few weeks has taken us with the Hebrew people from their bondage in Egypt to the promise of a new life. It is a time of wilderness, a time of hope and promise, a time of
Continue reading