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June 12, 2022 Birthing Spirit Based upon Genesis 1:2-3 Rev. Mark Seifried A lover pressed his shirt, repeatedly, for many months, all the while struggling with thoughts that he would be rejected. Finally, his sweetheart yielded and sent him a note: “Meet me on the steps of Paresky Center at 4:00 on Monday afternoon.” At Continue reading …
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May 29, 2022 Healing Faith Based on Luke 8:43-48 Rev. Mark Seifried The gospel writer Luke offers a rich story for us to contemplate with a portrait of a desperate unnamed woman. Repeatedly seeking medical help for an endless flow of menstrual blood, for twelve years she suffers – physically, relationally, emotionally and financially. In Continue reading …
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May 15, 2022 Demons and Spirits Based upon Mark 1:21-28 Rev. Mark Seifried In our Bible story for today, as in several healing stories from the Gospels, Jesus openly and confidently confronts demons and spirits that torment and confuse the people of God. This genre of stories raises several issues for modern folk. Whereas first-century Continue reading …
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May 1, 2022 Do You Want to Be Made Well Based upon Matthew 4:23-25 Rev. Mark Seifried Early in my ministry career, I served a congregation in downtown Worcester, Massachusetts. You might be interested to know that a few people from our Williamstown congregation laid down spiritual roots there earlier in their lives. While I Continue reading …
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April 24, 2022 Wounded Healers Based upon Matthew 4:23-25 Rev. Mark Seifried Did you see the article in the news last week with the headline that read “As Earth’s temperature rises, Massachusetts residents’ sense of urgency on climate change declines”? The article in The Boston Globe went onto report that, despite increasingly urgent international warnings Continue reading …
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April 17, 2022 Easter Sunday Love Wins Based upon Mark 16:1-8 Rev. Mark Seifried Thirty years ago, Bosnia was living hell. Hope for a peaceful life was all but gone. Centuries of ethnic tension between Protestant Serbs, Orthodox Croats and Sunni Muslims had come to a head. Families were forced to leave their homes and Continue reading …
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Palm Sunday, April 10, 2022 Save Us! Based upon Matthew 21:1-11 People in the crowd were removing clothes from their bodies and scattering them on the ground along with palm branches they had stripped from trees. This was their way of showing their adoration for Jesus. As Phillip Yancey commented, “It sounds more like they Continue reading …
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April 3, 2022 Desertion Based on Matthew 26:31-32, 56 Rev. Mark Seifried In twenty-five years of preaching, I have yet to deliver a sermon about abortion. Quite frankly, I never thought I could add anything to the arguments that both the right and the left offer. That said, we are in a very different place Continue reading …
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March 27, 2022 Denying Injustice Based on Hebrews 13:1-3 + Luke 22:31-34 Rev. Mark Seifried There are folks in this congregation who are motivated to visit the archives of this hallowed church which is the oldest institution in Williamstown. The church archives are located in the Williams College library. Some would like to know if Continue reading …
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March 13, 2022 Conspiracy Based upon Proverbs 21:1-5, and John 11:55-57, 12:9-11 Rev. Mark Seifried Jerry grew up in a family of modest means. He was the youngest of four siblings and a beautiful boy. He could, as they say down South, charm the fuzz off a peach, including his grandmother who came to realize Continue reading …