We live in a world that is constantly in transition.  What is true of the world is also true of the church. In this complex context, many today are asking the question, “Where do I fit in?”  The sermon attempts to show that there is permanence and belonging in Christ. Guest Speaker: Dan Jackson, President […]

The Bible says that perfect love casts out all fear, yet we have therapists, self help books, relaxation techniques, and even personal rituals all to help us live with the fears that sometimes seem to paralyze us. God never wanted us to live in fear; that is why he used so many analogies of himself […]

No one can be asked to do better than their best.  Win or lose—Gold, Silver, Bronze or no medal, if we each do our best, there can be a certain satisfaction in a race well run. And doing our best, giving our “all” in the places where we put our energy is God honoring. Excellence […]

How important to you is the value of having friends—someone who “gets” you? What are the traits exemplified by friends for one another?  Proverbs 17:17 says “A friend loves at all times!”  How can we develop the traits that make it easy for us to be friends? And what does it mean when Jesus says […]

While pagan temples may not be a big draw today, the temptation of idols is alive and real.  In fact, the most attractive idol is our self! Our excuses for not giving more may be about our loyalties and values more than the excuse we verbalize.  We are told by Jesus to “lay up treasure […]

The generosity of God towards us inspires our generosity.  When we think we are being really generous, it’s important to remember that we aren’t’ even being generous with our own stuff, but only what God has put under our management. At the same time, Scripture is clear that whoever sows generously will reap generously.  How […]

We will look at the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son to see how service and evangelism are two sides of the same coin, not too distant kin from faith and works. We first come in and receive mercy which every prodigal needs, and then having received mercy, we go out to care for our […]

That’s what the angel said: “Peace on earth!”  How can we do not just Christmas, but our whole life in 2018 so that the peace declared by the  angel might be experienced by us, our church, our community and the world? What kind of challenge are these words, “peace on earth,” as the angel views […]

As we approach Christmas, there is so much in our world of which to be afraid.  Many people are filled with fear.  Humans dehumanizing one another.  Fear the FED will make a bad decision and the recovery won’t last.  Fear about how to make our check stretch to cover the month.  Fear over health or […]

The back side of saying thank you is that it is a response to something from beyond ourselves. What are the “givens” that inspire our “thank you’s?” In preparation for this worship service and for the week of Thanksgiving, give some mental energy to thinking about what you have that you haven’t been given. Humble […]