We are God's own: named, claimed, and given a purpose. Our guest preacher Lex Allum invited us into this sacred reality as our sermon series on the first letter bearing Peter's name continues.

Lex Allum, a graduating student at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, preached "Named and Claimed" on May 3, 2020, the fourth Sunday in the Easter Season, at Hector Presbyterian Church.

Scripture readings: Exodus 19:1-8 & 1 Peter 2:1-12.

Download the sermon transcript.

"You must be holy in every aspect of your lives, just as the one who called you is holy. It is written, 'You will be holy, because I am holy.'" (1 Peter 1:15-16). Our sermon series on the first letter bearing Peter's name continues, begging the question: Is holy living any different from 'holier-than-thou' living? Yes, for the sake of the world God loves, yes!

Pastor Ben Masters preached "Ready for Worship, Ready for Relationship" on April 26, 2020, the third Sunday in the Easter Season, at Hector Presbyterian Church.

Scripture readings: Leviticus 19:1-2, 20:22-26 & 1 Peter 1:13-25

Download the sermon transcript.

What difference does a living hope make? Where dead hope settles for comfort or fears failing some heaven-sent test, a living hope stirs us to action and to demand God bears witness to our troubles. And God, whose first word is mercy and whose final word is faithfulness, will not turn us away.

Pastor Ben Masters preached "Living Faith, Living Hope" on April 19, 2020, the second Sunday in the Easter Season, at Hector Presbyterian Church.

Scripture readings: 2 Kings 4:17-37 & 1 Peter 1:1-9.

Download the sermon transcript.

Thumbnail art: Amy Low, Austin, Texas

Resurrection power doesn't unfold gently like spring leaves; it shakes our lives like an earthquake. This is the grace of God we proclaim on Easter: God has bigger dreams for us than our shattered expectations. What's more: we will see Christ when we dream with God.

Thumbnail art: Heather Thum-Gerber

Pastor Ben Masters preached "A Grace that Shakes Things Up" on April 12, 2020, Easter Sunday, at Hector Presbyterian Church.

Scripture readings: Psalm 114 & Matthew 28:1-10.

Download the sermon transcript.

NB: Please forgive the audio quality. I forgot to press one button (it's always just one), so there's more echo than I would like. -Ben

During the coronavirus pandemic, there are no "good" days. Technology flops. The laundry piles up. Feelings of grief and anxiety aren't easy to cope with. Just as he did on Palm Sunday, Jesus enters our messiness out of love for imperfect people.

Photos:

• Which kitty in isolation are you today?
• On a scale of hedgehog cake, how are you feeling?

Pastor Ben Masters preached "Grace for Imperfect people" on April 5, 2020, Palm Sunday, the last Sunday in Lent, at Hector Presbyterian Church.

Scripture readings: Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 & Matthew 21:1-11.

Download the sermon transcript.

According to Jamie Anderson, "Grief is just love with no place to go." The extravagant grace of God embraces us in our grief over coronavirus and gives us neighbors with which to share the love in Jesus' own heart.

Pastor Ben Masters preached "The Extravagant Grace of God" on March 29, 2020, the fifth Sunday in Lent, at Hector Presbyterian Church.

Scripture readings: Deuteronomy 15:1-11 & John 12:1-8.

Download the sermon transcript.

The news about coronavirus changes every day, but the story that Jesus is writing for us remains the same: we are children of God, sent to invite others into that joyful story. We continue our Lenten series on neighbor-love, looking for ways to live out Jesus' new story right here, right now.

Pastor Ben Masters preached "The Grace of a New Story" on March 22, 2020, the fourth Sunday in Lent, at Hector Presbyterian Church.

Scripture readings: Genesis 12:1-8 and Matthew 28:16-20.

Download the sermon transcript.

As our nation and our local community come to terms with a coronavirus pandemic, Jesus' call grounds us in the truth: we belong to God, and so we belong to each other. We continue our Lenten series on neighbor-love, listening for how God's love can transform our lives.

Pastor Ben Masters preached "The Grace of Belonging to Each Other" on March 15, 2020, the third Sunday in Lent, at Hector Presbyterian Church.

Scripture readings: Isaiah 58:1-12 & Luke 8:26-39.

Download the sermon transcript.

This Lent, the Spirit is showing us how God's grace transforms the world through our neighbors; children and youth are no exception to that. When we welcome children as partners in ministry, we welcome the presence of God who kept company with young people.

Pastor Ben Masters preached "The Grace of Children" on March 8, 2020, the second Sunday in Lent, at Hector Presbyterian Church.

Scripture readings: Exodus 1:22-2:10 & Matthew 18:1-5, 10-14

Download the sermon transcript.

This year our Lenten discipline is loving our neighbors. Responding to the command of Leviticus 19, Jesus adds an important footnote: we can love our neighbors only when we let them love us. That's how God's grace enters the world.

Pastor Ben Masters preached "The Grace of Neighbors" on March 1, 2020, the first Sunday in Lent, at Hector Presbyterian Church.

Scripture readings: Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18 & Luke 10:25-37.

Download the sermon transcript.