The sermon was delivered by Rev. Joann Lee on Sunday, December 7, 2025.

Repentance is part of the work of preparation – and both activities have individual and collective elements. As crowds come to John for baptism, their repentance becomes a community event. Preparing the path of God also requires communities to engage in peace, love, and justice.ADVENT 2025: SOON AND VERY SOONThis Advent, we acknowledge our need for radical hope. The scriptures from this season encourage us to prepare for God's best, yet it sometimes feels like we are living in the “worst of times.” Can we hold fast to the promise that “soon and very soon” we are going to see the hope, peace, joy, and love of God manifest in our lives and int the world? Soon and very soon, friends, soon and very soon. This Advent, we wait with hope.

The scripture reading was from Matthew 3:1–12.

Rejoice, rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.” But when? There is no holy itinerary for God’s arrival — no day or hour, no platform or gate. In Matthew 24, Jesus teaches us that if we want to live good and meaningful lives, we must keep awake: stay alert, attentive, expectant. God’s ever-dawning presence is always on the verge.

The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 29, 2025 by Rev. Victor Floyd.

The scripture readings were from Isaiah 2:1-5 and Matthew 24:36–44.

ADVENT 2025: SOON AND VERY SOONThis Advent, we acknowledge our need for radical hope. The scriptures from this season encourage us to prepare for God's best, yet it sometimes feels like we are living in the “worst of times.” Can we hold fast to the promise that “soon and very soon” we are going to see the hope, peace, joy, and love of God manifest in our lives and int the world? Soon and very soon, friends, soon and very soon. This Advent, we wait with hope.

The Bible has a tendency to compare us to sheep. In the 23rd Psalm, it is a good comparison because God is the shepherd and God's pretty good at the shepherding business, leading us to still waters. The prophet Jeremiah reminds us that sometimes human shepherds let God's flock down. How can we be helpful shepherds, filled with compassion for God’s flock?

The sermon was delivered by Rev. Marci Glass on November 23, 2025.

The scripture reading was from Jeremiah 23:1–6 

Amos was a small-town shepherd when God called him to be a prophet for justice. This relatively unknown "nobody" spoke boldly to those in power, railing against their policies and systems that favored profit over people. Join Amos on his quest for a fair and equitable society where justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

The sermon was delivered by Rev. Joann H. Lee on Sunday November 16, 2025.

The scripture reading was from Amos 1:1-2; 5:14-15, 21-24.

Elijah is a very relatable prophet. He has moments of great faithfulness, and moments where his fear gets in the way and his hope dissolves into despair. How does God respond to Elijah, and to us, in those moments when we forget just how great God's faithfulness really is.

This sermon was delivered by Rev. Marci A. Glass on Sunday, November 10, 2025.

The scripture reading was from 1 Kings 19:1–18.

The sermon was delivered by Rev. Marci Glass on Sunday, November 2, 2025.

The scripture reading was from Matthew 5:14-16.

We must learn to let our spirits dance with God, even in the thick of this world’s confusion—with Halloween costumes, deep questions, and all the rest. Come ready for joy, mystery and a holy mash-up where darkness becomes the very place where God does her best work.

This sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 26, by Rev. Victor Floyd.

The scripture reading was from 1 Kings 5:1–5; 8:1–13.

In an age of rising nationalism and executive power that feeds on our fear so it can take over, God offers us a new orientation. God looks to our hearts to guide our actions in the world.

The scripture reading from 1 Samuel 15 verses 34–35, 16 verses 1–13.

The sermon was delivered by Rev. Marci A. Glass on Sunday, October 19, 2025.

This story from Exodus 16 contains one of the best-known miracles in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible: when Moses and the people have no food to eat in the wilderness, God sends the miracle of manna to be their daily bread. The people eat that manna for the next forty years, as God sustains them throughout their wilderness journey. What might manna look like for us, when we find ourselves in our own wilderness seasons? 

The sermon was delivered by guest preacher Rev. Dr. Anna Carter Florence on World Communion Sunday, October 5, 2025.

The scripture reading was from Exodus 16:10–21, 35

Perhaps it was destiny, child, that drew Moses toward that burning bush. There he learns God's name. Let's remove everything that separates us from holy ground and listen together for a new divine revelation. 

The sermon was delivered by Rev. Victor Floyd on Sunday, September 28, 2025.

The scripture reading was from Exodus 2:23–25; 3:1–15; 4:10–17.