Granpres Sermons - First Presbyterian Church episodes:

• December 04, 2016The Savior We Needed

  Waiting doesn’t come easily to most of us… waiting for a flight that’s

  delayed, waiting for important news, even waiting for Christmas... Advent

  is all about waiting. It’s an odd kind of waiting, because we know it’s

  good news we’re waiting for. But it’s also odd because our looking forward

  to something only makes sense by looking backward...

  ...more

  

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• November 27, 2016Waiting with Hope

  "This Advent we’re going to be thinking about waiting. What it feels like

  to wait, patiently or impatiently, hopefully or with suspicion...

  When old Zechariah went into the Temple that day to perform the duties of

  the priest, he was practicing a different kind of waiting, something that

  was a whole lot harder..."

  ...more

  

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• November 27, 2016Waiting with Hope

  "This Advent we’re going to be thinking about waiting. What it feels like

  to wait, patiently or impatiently, hopefully or with suspicion...

  When old Zechariah went into the Temple that day to perform the duties of

  the priest, he was practicing a different kind of waiting, something that

  was a whole lot harder..."

  ...more

  

  ---

• November 20, 2016Build Common Ground on Christ

  We all share common ground, 

  As people of faith we all fall on our knees before our Lord 

  As followers of Christ, striving for the things that bring peace, striving

  for the things that build each other up.

  we are called to participate in the building of his kingdom of peace, 

  until it comes, on earth as it is heaven.

  ...more

  

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• November 20, 2016Build Common Ground on Christ

  We all share common ground, 

  As people of faith we all fall on our knees before our Lord 

  As followers of Christ, striving for the things that bring peace, striving

  for the things that build each other up.

  we are called to participate in the building of his kingdom of peace, 

  until it comes, on earth as it is heaven.

  ...more

  

  ---

• November 13, 2016What Is Church For?

  What does it mean to be church? I go back to what Amelia wrote in her essay

  for college: 

  The church has welcomed me and enfolded me into its heart…. Church has

  taught me to question, but with deep thought; to lead, but with humility

  and awareness; and to sing, not only when I’m happy, but also when singing

  is what leads to my happiness. 

  It’s not about having a great music program, though we do. It’s about what

  the music does to our souls, how it brings us to God’s presence, and how

  the Spirit restores us. 

  It’s not about having great children’s ministry, though we do. It’s about

  helping our children become followers of Jesus, to live with compassion and

  courage and wisdom. 

  It’s not even about being a welcoming congregation, though we are, and must

  be. It’s about becoming the body of Christ. A place where the broken are

  made whole. A place where those who are alone, find belonging. A place

  where justice and mercy come together. 

  A place to find life that really is life.

  ...more

  

  ---

• November 13, 2016What Is Church For?

  What does it mean to be church? I go back to what Amelia wrote in her essay

  for college: 

  The church has welcomed me and enfolded me into its heart…. Church has

  taught me to question, but with deep thought; to lead, but with humility

  and awareness; and to sing, not only when I’m happy, but also when singing

  is what leads to my happiness. 

  It’s not about having a great music program, though we do. It’s about what

  the music does to our souls, how it brings us to God’s presence, and how

  the Spirit restores us. 

  It’s not about having great children’s ministry, though we do. It’s about

  helping our children become followers of Jesus, to live with compassion and

  courage and wisdom. 

  It’s not even about being a welcoming congregation, though we are, and must

  be. It’s about becoming the body of Christ. A place where the broken are

  made whole. A place where those who are alone, find belonging. A place

  where justice and mercy come together. 

  A place to find life that really is life.

  ...more

  

  ---

• November 06, 2016How Do You Spell "Contentment?"

  There are two ways of life, Paul tells us. Two paths we can take. One is

  inward, focused on our hearts’ desires, what we think we must have. The

  other is outward, that sees others around us. One revolves around wanting,

  the other revolves around sharing. One focuses on ‘me, my and mine,’ the

  other on ‘we, us and ours.’ One leads to all kinds of pain; the other to

  all kinds of enjoyment. One trusts in money; the other way trusts in God.

   

  But here’s the really important thing: it’s not simply a matter of deciding

  which path we will take. It’s not like choosing Door 1 or Door 2. It’s much

  deeper than that. Much, much deeper.

  ...more

  

  ---

• November 06, 2016How Do You Spell "Contentment?"

  There are two ways of life, Paul tells us. Two paths we can take. One is

  inward, focused on our hearts’ desires, what we think we must have. The

  other is outward, that sees others around us. One revolves around wanting,

  the other revolves around sharing. One focuses on ‘me, my and mine,’ the

  other on ‘we, us and ours.’ One leads to all kinds of pain; the other to

  all kinds of enjoyment. One trusts in money; the other way trusts in God.

   

  But here’s the really important thing: it’s not simply a matter of deciding

  which path we will take. It’s not like choosing Door 1 or Door 2. It’s much

  deeper than that. Much, much deeper.

  ...more

  

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• October 09, 2016Bigger, Better, or Bury

  May you look for the paperclips God has put it your hand, 

  May you look for all of abundance that God has given you to care for in

  your life, and ask yourself… 

  What could I do with this…  

  However small the gift may seem at the time, 

  How might I do something with this gift to change the world around me? 

  How might I take this gift and make it something Our Master can be proud of

  ...more

  

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