This is a half service recording. Today was our last service with our wonderful pianist and choir director Pat Strainer. You will hear a wonderful solo by Amy Dolzine (Pie Jesu), accompaniment by Pat. Pat's communion meditation music will follow. Then the sermon on confronting comfort. At the end of the service is a celebration of Pat and Rich Strainer for their work and presence in our church family.

First Sunday in Lent - Sermon from this morning

What does it mean to be "with" the wild beasts of our day?

Wouldn't we want to fight them, avoid them, cage them, or even save them? What does it mean to be "with" them as Jesus was?

Lent is a time to take a deep breath, find balance, become grounded so we can face a world often filled with anger, frustration, and fear.

Have you ever felt like you were in a place of "irreparable hopelessness"? Felt like you couldn't see the way and how to move forward? Sometimes the rhythm of life is broken - - for all sorts of reasons - - and we have an example of what it means to step out in faith.

This continues our MCCC Journey through the Bible series...

The Noah's Ark story offers reflections on the nature of God and how God interacts with the world.

Does God plan everything out exactly? Does God experience emotion?

As a result of the story do people change or does God change? What does God promise?

During the sermon I showed a video clip near the beginning. Find here: https://youtu.be/2K7ntQyglWg

This week we explore the second part of the story of Adam & Eve. Many see it as an "explainer" story about why we wear clothes, why there is pain in childbearing, and where sin came from...but the story has a deeper teaching.

The classical interpretation focuses on the sin of Adam & Eve, but there are other interpretations which say it wasn't they who committed the original sin, but the snake.

We look at the way the tradition has treated Eve and how a group of Korean Christians (Minjung) see this ancient story. Indeed a challenge to the church today!

Sermon on the first part of the "Adam & Eve" story.

What does it mean to be human? What is our deepest human need according to the story?

What is humankind's original problem? It may not be what you were always taught it was!

Is "Adam" who we thought he was?

Some really interesting word study in the Hebrew. Much to learn from this beautiful passage of scripture...

Jan 17, 2016 - Matthew 5:1-12 - What is it America has Failed to Hear?

Sermon from January 17, 2016

How do the Beatitudes teach us that Black Lives Matter?

Who are the hurting we are not hearing today?

For those who have recoiled from this movement for Justice...can you think about it a different way?

First in our MCCC series: Journey through the Bible

How can Genesis 1 help us to read and study the rest of the Bible?

Is Genesis 1 really about giving a play-by-play narration of how the universe was created?

Are there really TWO Creation stories?

Should anyone get in fights about creation/evolution based on this scripture?

What else could be happening in Genesis 1?

Scripture, Poetry, and Music to tell the story of Jesus' Birth.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The Christ Child is almost here...

Are we blockheads sometimes? Missing it?

Is there both fulfillment and mystery in our lives in the same moments?

Let's prepare to receive the gift...