Remembering is a key theme through the story of faith and yet we know how is easy it is to forget. This week in the midst of our current situation we are called to take a moment and to remember where we have seen God at work in our lives. Along the way we are cautioned about the many ways we numb, make excuses, and have selective memories, about the ways we forget. Unforgetting, reconnects us to each other, to our true selves, and to divine life. It frees us in ways unexpected.

So much around us is in need of repair, so much in our own souls too! Acknowledging this need and embarking on that journey is not easy and yet again and again we are called to it. This week Pastor JC invites us to consider repair, within ourselves, in our families, communities, and even in the world.

"I see you" is an informal idiom used to express several things, including acknowledgement, understanding, admiration, or support. It's a way of recognizing someone's efforts, understanding their situation, or appreciating their qualities. It feels good to be seen and can be very painful when we feel invisible. In our beautiful gospel passage this week, Jesus sees - really sees - a woman who is suffering and he heals her by helping her stand up tall and be seen by others as well. Dr. Jim Keck will describe how it takes a special effort to truly see one another.

This weekend, Pastoral Intern Jacob Mason will preach a sermon entitled, “A Faithful Detour.” Informed by Jacob’s civil rights pilgrimage to Selma, Alabama, the sermon will focus on the tempting of Jesus in Luke 4. Together, we will explore how Christ’s response to temptation informs our faithful walk with both God and neighbor. Along life’s path, we just might find ourselves taking a faithful detour!

Two Pastors and Four Books

It might be that you have a few books that were very important to you in some way. Maybe it was the certain time in your life that you read them, or the story continues to captivate you in some way. For example, many people will describe how enthralling the Harry Potter books were or how “To Kill a Mockingbird” stayed with them. Pastors Jim and JC will each share two books that have been part of their lives in meaningful ways and helped propel their spiritual journey.

This weekend, Dr. Jim Keck will preach a sermon titled "Faith on Earth," grounded in Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-10—a stirring passage that reminds us that faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. From Abraham’s bold journey into the unknown to our own modern quests for meaning and trust, we’ll explore how to live faithfully in a world that often demands certainty.

Greed is prevalent around us. It is easy to point at others, at the billionaire class, at the politicians, or big business, and yet those examples are the fruit of a culture that seems to never be satisfied, always wanting more no matter what the cost. What does it look like to live a more simpler life, so that others have an opportunity to live. There is enough for all, is that enough for us?

In 1972, Rev. Dr. Otis Young preached his first sermon at FP. He was to be our pastor for the next 34 years. And what he had to say then, is still critical today. Dr. Jim Keck will replay that basic message.