This week Peter and James encouter a man who cannot walk begging at the entrance of the Temple (Acts 3:1-10). They have no money to give so they give him what they do have and teach us all a lesson about stewardship in a time like this.

We continue the narrative this week turning from the Resurrection to the Ascension and the very first days of the Church (Acts 1). Once again the disciples get confused and miss the point. The question is, will we?

On this Easter Sunday where we are scattered and worshiping at home we turn to John 20:1-23 where we find the disciples also huddled behind closed doors. The Good News is that neither death nor lock doors could stop him then--or now!

As we turn to Mark 11:1-11 on this Palm Sunday you may ask yourself, "How did I get here?" or "How can I sing Hosanna in the midst of a pandemic?" Those feelings are normal. The good news is there is no better time to sing "Hosanna!" than right now.

This week's reading from Mark (13:1-8, 24-32) might at first sound frightening with it's wars, earthquakes, stars falling out of the sky! We might even draw some paralells to our own tribulatons right now. However, what Jesus is really trying to tell his disciples is that someting new is coming and he will be right there with them through it. 

In this age where business are closing, hospitals are turning away visitors, people are hording, and politicians are fighting amonst themselves we turn to Mark 12:28-36 to remember what truly matters. Jesus told us to love God with our whole being and our neighbor as ourselves--everything else is just details. What does it look like to live that out in this moment?

*** First Presbyterian Church is now livestreaming our worship services at 10am on Sundays. Join us at facebook.com/FPCHammond for the live stream. The videos will be posted so you can watch it at any time after as well. ***

First Presbyterian Church is moving online in response to the spread of COVID-19. We will continue to post each week's sermon here on Small Steeple Preacher but you can also join us now for a live stream of worship at 10am on Sundays at https://www.facebook.com/FPCHammond. We invite you to like it now so that you will get the notification when we go live on Sunday. If you miss the live stream, you can still go back and watch the video on our page.

As we enter into a new election cycle and things are closing down because of COVID-19 nerves are frayed and opinions differ. In the midst of stress we are not always our best selves. This week we turn to Mark 12:13-17 to see what the Gospel has to say to help us through times like these.

James & John ask Jesus if they can sit at his right and left hand in glory (Mark 10:32-45). They miss the point, but Jesus redirects rather than rebuking them asking "Are you able to drink the cup that I drink?" This week we ask that same question of ourselves--are we willing to follow Jesus' example to face the evil of the world with love in order to transform and redeem it?

As we begin the season of Lent we turn to the book of Ecclesiastes (2:12-17) to come face-to-face with our own mortality and find the hope of the resurrestion on the other side.