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Sermon March 15, 2020 Reverend James Lumsden Exodus 17: 1-7 and John 4: 5-15,19-26, 39-42 Introduction Good morning and God’s peace to you all. I am the Rev. James Lumsden. I had been scheduled to lead worship and preach at First Congregational Church in Williamstown today, but in listening to the wise and compassionate counsel Continue reading …
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Sermon March 8, 2020 You Know This Woman Reverend Mac Bellner Mark 5:25-34 Jesus had been working in Gentile territory, the land of the Gerasenes. Then he came back to Jewish territory and there, by the sea, a huge crowd of people had gathered around him and his apostles. They were pressing close and Continue reading …
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Sermon February 23, 2020 Time Is of the Essence Reverend Mac Bellner Matthew 17: 1-9 Today is what, in the formal church calendar, is called Transfiguration Sunday. It celebrates the time Jesus took three of his apostles with him and went up on a mountain. There, out of sight of everyone else, he was transfigured, Continue reading …
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Sermon February 9, 2020 An Evolving Faith Reverend Mark Longhurst Matthew 9: 14-17 Following Jesus costs everything. I don’t mean that a follower of Jesus should attend church more frequently, although it’s not a bad thing to do. I don’t mean that a follower of Jesus should say Yes to every invitation to join a Continue reading …
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Sermon February 2, 2020 Rediscovering the Bible (5 of 5 in a series on Renewing the Mainline Church) Reverend Mark Longhurst Matthew 5:1-12 The Bible is a library of books collected and written by people over the time span of nine hundred or so. These 66 books—or over 70 if you ask Catholic or Orthodox Continue reading …
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Sermon January 26, 2020 Following Jesus is About Your Life (4 of 5 in a series on Renewing the Mainline Church) Reverend Mark Longhurst Matthew 4:12-23 Following Jesus costs everything. I don’t mean that a follower of Jesus should attend church more frequently, although it’s not a bad thing to do. I don’t mean that Continue reading …
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Sermon January 19, 2020 Come and See: Embracing Art and Culture (3 of 5 in a series on Renewing the Mainline Church) Reverend Mark Longhurst John 1:29-42 Jesus tells the disciples to “Come and see.” These disciples are not first, the text says, disciples of Jesus. They are followers of John the Baptist and they Continue reading …
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Sermon January 12, 2020 Discovering Mysticism (2 of 5 in a series on Renewing the Mainline Church) Reverend Mark Longhurst Mathew 2: 1-12 The Magi come from the East, and they have been observing a star. In ancient Greek circles, star-gazing is highly respected. Stars are thought to shine brightly at the birth of Continue reading …
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Sermon January 5, 2020 Revisioning Theology (On John 1, Incarnation, Trinity, and Cosmology) Reverend Mark Longhurst John 1: 1-18 John starts off, like all gospel writers do, courageously. In his first, memorable words, he reaches back to nothing less than the beginning of space and time, the origins of creation. He does this by referencing Continue reading …
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Sermon December 8, 2019 “… and a little child shall lead them” David Langston Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19, Isaiah 11:1-10, Matthew 3:1-12, Romans 15:4-13 When I was asked to offer a meditation on how today’s biblical passages — for this, the second Sunday in Advent — might provide a few lessons regarding the climate crisis, my Continue reading …