On Independence Day weekend, we are bombarded with messages about patriotism, but for Christians, the line between a healthy love of country and dangerous, idolatrous nationalism can be incredibly delicate.

This week, we dig into Daniel chapter 6—the familiar story of the lions' den—to uncover a profound act of subversive faith. Discover how we can rescue the word "patriotism" from those who use it as a disguise for power, and redefine it as fiercely loving our neighbors enough to hold our nation to God's higher standard of justice, liberty, and the common good.

Bullet Points:

• The critical distinction between a healthy devotion to our community and the toxic idol of blind, unquestioning nationalism.
• How Daniel’s seemingly simple act of praying with his windows open actively denied the corrupt empire’s ultimate authority.
• A close encounter with real lions on a South African safari that reveals the terrifying vulnerability Daniel faced—and the miraculous power of God's liberating love to shut the mouths of systemic abuse.

Liturgical Details: July 5, 2026 | Daniel 6:6–23. (Please note: We are off-lectionary for our summer sermon series).

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the crushing weight of systemic oppression, or noticed how society tends to push its most difficult problems "out of sight, out of mind" beneath the floorboards?

As we prepare to celebrate Juneteenth, Pastor Charissa explores the terrifying reality of the Gerasene demoniac and the occupying "Legion" that torments him. Discover why Jesus refuses to turn a blind eye to the tombs, and how the church is called to stop hiding in comfortable sanctuaries so we can join Christ in the holy work of liberation.

• The ancient, military meaning of "Legion" and how it mirrors the violent, bruising forces of systemic oppression and racism at work today.
• The danger of our human tendency to isolate marginalized people in the tombs because their suffering makes us uncomfortable.
• The delayed but triumphant promise of Juneteenth, and our holy commission to practice "Active Hope" by praying with our feet to dismantle unjust systems.

Liturgical Details: June 14, 2026 (Proper 6) | Isaiah 61:1–11 and Mark 5:1–20 // Not the lectionary passages for this week.

What happens when stepping into the beautiful truth of your God-given identity costs you your entire safety net?

Pastor Charissa explores the terrifying leap of faith it takes to leave our familiar origins behind. Looking at an ancient patriarch's journey into the unknown, we discover a profound challenge for the church today to become a new, radical community of grace for those who have lost their support systems.

• The ancient meaning of the "father's house" (beit-av) and the terrifying vulnerability of leaving it.
• How the troubling binary of rigid religious rules can bring wrath and exclusion rather than belonging.
• Our holy obligation to become the "chosen family" and protective network for those in the LGBTQ+ community who have had to leave theirs behind.

Liturgical Details: June 7, 2026 (Pride Sunday) | Genesis 12:1–9 and Romans 4:13–25.

Do you ever find yourself preferring a domesticated, predictable faith over one that pushes you out of your comfort zone? Why is it so terrifying to truly listen to people who are completely different from us?

This Pentecost, Pastor Charissa challenges our tendency to stay in our safe silos and demand that others learn our "Christianese" to belong. We explore how the Holy Spirit breaks in to shatter the status quo, reminding us that true communion assumes difference, not uniformity.

May 24, 2026 | Pentecost Sunday | Acts 2:1–21

Watch the full worship service and experience the joyful reception of our new members on the Sixth Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel.

The scripture passage for May 17, 2026 (Ascension Sunday) is Acts 1:6–14. The modern church often makes the exact same mistake as the disciples—paralyzed by anxiety, staring up at the empty sky, or fixating on the past because the unknown is terrifying. However, the Ascension is not an abandonment, but a mandate to mobilize. We are challenged to stop looking in the rearview mirror, let go of our need for perfect blueprints, and step boldly into our neighborhoods equipped with the power of the Holy Spirit. For the full worship service, you can subscribe to the Sixth Presbyterian Church YouTube channel.

Are you frustrated by a church culture that demands conformity and hides behind exclusionary jargon? You aren't alone. Today, we live in a highly secular, pluralistic landscape full of deep spiritual hunger, yet the church often responds by hiding behind its walls or stepping out swinging.In this episode, Rev. Dr. Charissa Howe explores the Apostle Paul’s dramatic shift in strategy at the Areopagus in Acts 17. We discuss how the modern American church has alienated the world by forcing its own terms, often resulting in deep, church-related trauma. Discover how to drop the defensive posture, step out of your comfortable shrines, and adopt the "Areopagus Approach." Learn how to look for God's fingerprints in the unexpected, messy spaces of your city and offer true "soul friendship" to those who are desperate for authentic connection.If you are ready to build bridges instead of walls, tune in now! Don't forget to subscribe and share this episode with a friend.

In this message for the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Rev. Dr. Charissa Clark Howe explores the counter-cultural imagery of 1 Peter 2:2–10. We live in a world that builds monuments to the powerful and the victorious, and it is easy for the church to fall into the exhausting trap of trying to be a pristine monument made of perfectly polished bricks. But what happens when we realize our foundation is a cornerstone that the empires of the world rejected and discarded?

Using the metaphor of running a marathon—where things rarely go according to plan and the true beauty is found in the shared camaraderie of the struggle—Pastor Charissa reminds us that God doesn't demand perfection. Instead, we are called to be "living stones," brought together with all of our rough edges, painful blisters, and dying earbud batteries. Tune in to discover the immense freedom of letting go of worldly status to embrace the messy, beautiful reality of running the race together and offering radical solidarity to those the world pushes to the margins.

In this message for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, Rev. Dr. Charissa Clark Howe reexamines the familiar words of Psalm 23 alongside Jesus' teaching of the Good Shepherd in John 10:1-10. While "The Lord is my shepherd" is frequently read as a private, individualized comfort during times of personal grief, this sermon challenges listeners to expand their theological imagination.What happens when the "I" in the Psalm is expanded to represent our collective church community, or even the Earth itself? Exploring the congregation's need for "unstructured fellowship" and the call to practice "active hope" through holistic Earth care, this message reveals that God's compassion is not compartmentalized. Instead, the Good Shepherd's care encompasses an interconnected ecosystem, leading us together and preparing a table of abundant life right in the middle of our most difficult valleys.

On the Third Sunday of Easter, Rev. Dr. Charissa Clark Howe explores the familiar story of the Road to Emmaus in Luke 24:13–35 through the poetic framework of 19th-century Black and Indigenous activist Olivia Ward Bush-Banks. The fight against systemic injustice and the violence of the empire often leaves us carrying the heavy, traumatized weariness of modern-day martyrs, blinded to God's presence by our own grief.In this message, we examine how the resurrected Christ meets the defeated disciples exactly where they are—not with quick fixes or theological debates, but with pure presence and a listening ear. Furthermore, as the congregation celebrates the baptism of Austin Brown, this sermon highlights how the physical, communal solidarity of the sacraments serves as the ultimate antidote to our exhaustion. It is through the breaking of the bread and the waters of baptism that our trauma is reframed, our hearts are rekindled, and we are given the collective resilience to turn around and return to the messy work of liberation.

Original Poem can be found here: https://scalar.lehigh.edu/african-american-poetry-a-digital-anthology/olivia-ward-bush-banks-the-walk-to-emmaus-1899

On the Second Sunday of Easter, we usually point the finger at "Doubting Thomas" for his skepticism. But in this message exploring John 20:19–31, Rev. Dr. Charissa Clark Howe suggests taking Thomas off the hook and looking instead at the terrified disciples hiding behind dead-bolted doors. At a time when so many are walking away from the modern American church due to a disconnect between what is preached and what is practiced, we are challenged to stop cowering in our comfortable, safe silos. The greatest proof of the resurrection isn't an empty tomb, but a resilient, grassroots community that unlocks its doors, receives the peace of Christ, and steps out into the margins to offer radical compassion, inclusion, and solidarity to a hurting world.