Jesus is Lord. It’s part of almost every baptismal promise. It’s one of the basic ideas of unity of Christ’s church. Many people have died because of those words uttered in languages throughout the centuries. The meaning of that phrase isn’t always clear though. We’re in a summer series considering these names - these labels - that people have applied to Jesus. The hope is for each of us to consider who and what Jesus is to you. In our worship service this week, we are going to consider the power of what the meaning these words may have for you.

Our gospel lesson tells the story of the disciples being out in a boat with Jesus when a storm arises. Jesus is asleep in the boat. Alarmed, the disciples awake him. To the storm Jesus speaks, “Peace be still.”

Our guest preacher, Peter Luckey, will share experiences he had as a child with his own Dad, one who taught him about courage in the face of fears, point to the Presence of Jesus who continues as a reminder of the peace Jesus brings in the midst of the storms of life.

Jesus is called Rabbi - Teacher - more often than anything else in the Gospel accounts of his life. Yet no less than C.S. Lewis, the Christian author of the Narnia stories, once said: "But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about Jesus being a great human teacher." Huh. The best teachers don't just provide answers, but they help guide us to explore questions. We're going to look into Jesus as a teacher, and the power of those teachings to guide us on our journeys.

Sigmund Freud thought that thinking about God as an invisible friend was, in his words, an “infantile projection” and a neurosis. Yet, friendship with God and with one another was absolutely what people experience in Jesus. This Sunday we are going to explore the idea of Jesus as our friend. That simple concept has the power to change the world, and we certainly need more of it!

It is Memorial Day weekend. It’s a transition of seasons, and it’s also a moment to reflect and remember. From the beginning of history, the trauma of war has been with us. How we deal with trauma - individually and as a people - matters a great lot. Today, we are turning to the lessons of people returning from war to help us all deal with the trauma we’ve faced. Because right now we all need some healing and hope!

It is time to dance! This Sunday we celebrate Pentecost and the Baptism of Cecilia Cochran. It's going to be a day of joy! We will also be recording our Jerusalema Dance immediately after the in-person worship service. Have fun with it! Rev. Kayla Bonewell, guest preacher

The world is emerging from a dark year. There have been losses...and there has been learning. Now is a moment in the dance when we pause to consider our next steps. God has given us this special moment to reassess our "why" – our reason for being. In worship this week, we will focus on that question in order to decide what comes next.

Summer is right on the heels of this Mother's Day! Summer camps are special. You leave behind your normal grind and spend time with people. You have deep conversations. You may even fall in love. There was a certain "summer camp" vibe in the early church, but it didn't last. We may be on the cusp of God's Spirit calling us into new experiences for love and hope in our world!

Relaunching in person worship is an opportunity to rediscover the meaning and purpose of what we do. In our first live, in-person worship at 10:15 a.m., we're going to celebrate a Baptism! Even more though, we're going to consider how what this means may be exactly what this world needs right now.

Baptism is a sign of solidarity that is greater than our differences.

As we observe the power of water on this Earth Day week, we will hear from the Rev. David Wheeler.