[This reflection is an edited excerpt from this sermon on Matthew 4:18-22.] Think, for a minute, about a time in the past few days that you were at work–your job work or working on some project or responsibility. You are grading papers or standing in front of a class full of kids. You are making…
Why are you here? We are passionate for God. Why are you here? We cannot bear the sorrow and violence of the world. Why are you here? We are hungry; we are tired; we are scared. God says: I am glad you are here. Watch. Listen. We hear the howling wind. We feel the earth…
I wrote this Call to Worship to go along with this week’s scripture reading. God calls us by name in our dreaming and our waking; in the Divine voice and human voices. God comes to us in the quiet and the noise; in the calm and the chaos. Always, God calls to us. Always, God…
Somehow I managed to preach on the magi story twice last year, so this year I went with Isaiah 60 for Epiphany. This is an excerpt. You can also hear the audio and read the full manuscript. – – – – – – – – – I imagine the captured Israelites expected their return home…
This week at Peace Mennonite, three people will be sharing about personal epiphanies. The call to worship is based on Psalm 19: The heavens declare and we declare the glory of God. Our voices join the speech of creation to tell of our known and unknowable God. Now may these words of our mouths and…
I’ve posted this before, and I offer it again. At our house we worship together before the present-opening begins. (You will note that it is a short service.) May you know the deep peace of Christ during this holy season. – – – – – Scripture: from Isaiah 9 The people who walked in darkness…
Call to Worship People of God, arise, shine, for your light has come! The light of Christ has come into the world. Immanuel. God with us. So arise, shine, for your light has come! And we will follow the light– when it shines brightly in the night sky when it glows dimly on the horizon.…
Candle-Lighting Liturgy (Isaiah 9:2-7; Hosea 11:1, 3-4) We come to proclaim the light of hope. Hope in the promises of God; hope in the power of the Holy Spirit; hope in the person of Jesus Christ. Hope for each of us and hope for all of us. The people who walked in darkness have seen…
Call to Worship In our poverty, we await the son of Mary, Who brings good news. In our brokenheartedness, we await the Incarnate One, Who heals our hearts. In our captivity, we await the Redeemer, Who proclaims freedom. In our mourning, we await the Wonderful Counselor, Who offers comfort. In the midst of this world’s…
Have you ever had this experience: You decide to watch a movie, and you’re in the mood for something light, something happy. So you choose your DVD at the library or video store or redbox, you make a big bowl of popcorn, and you settle in. You are ready for something fun, something comforting, something…
Spacious Faith 