We turn this week to Deuteronomy 5:12-19 to explore Sabbath and justice through the eyes of freed Hebrew slaves. We also turn to James Weldon Johnson's "Lift Every Voice and Sing" to help us understand how that call for justice and rest is still with us today.

Our "Heart, Soul, and Strength" series turns this week to Genesis 2:4b-23 where we see that these parts of our lives are so hard to separate because they were made to fit together. 

Paul writes to the Church in Philippi saying "Rejoice in the Lord Always" (Philippians 4:4-7) but sometimes (and maybe now is one of those times) we do not feel like rejoicing. What do we do then?

Paul admits that he does not always understand his own actions because he sometimes (often?) acts contrary to his own best intentions (Romans 7:14-25). Understanding why we do what we do is an important step to living a life where our "Heart, Soul, and Strength" are totally committed to God. 

This week we turn to Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and Mark 12:18-31 to remember what is most important in these troubling times. This week also marks the beginning of a summer-long series on what it means to love God "with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with al your strength" and what we need to do to replenish our minds, bodies, and spirits when they are depeleted so that we can fully respond to God's call.

Our pastor currently serves at the Moderator of the Presbytery of South Louisiana. On Tuesday, June 2 he preached as the presbytery came together on Zoom in the midst of this pandemic. For the occassion he turned to Mark 5:21-43 and reflected on all of the ministry that happens when the Holy Spirit steps in and destroys our carefully made plans.

On this day we turn to 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 as we celebrate family and heritage with the Kirking of the Tartans. We even give thanks for those difficult members of our family and the church family (like the Apostle Paul!) whom God has worked through to bring grace into the world.

This week we turn the 1 Corinthians 13, the famous "wedding scripture" and learn that while it is appropriate for newly weds it is also appropriate for much more including our present pandemic.

Paul tells the Church in Corinth that we have "been called into the fellowship of [God's] Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." What does it mean to be in fellowship in the age of social distancing? How can we embrace each other without touching? 

When Paul and Silas visit Thessalonica the accusation is that they are "turning the word upside down" (Acts 17:1-9). We turn to this text today and ask if we want to return to normal or something better--maybe even resurrection?