God does not call us to save the world by ourselves. Instead Spirit is always inviting us to do the good that is ours to do, the good that waits right in front of us.

As Pastor Nancy says in her sermon, "In other words, if you want a kinder world, be kind.

If you dream of a more generous world, be more generous.

If you long for a world in which Christians are known by their love, be loving above all else."

Scripture readings: Isaiah 58:9-12 & Luke 3:7-16

We can't go alone.

The Advent journey leads us through days of shadows and darkness, when grief and loss come close to the surface, threatening to overwhelm and isolate us. Can we find ways to celebrate that indeed "Two are better than one?" May we discover in our everyday human companionship that we are lifted up by the welcoming presence of the Sacred in our neighborhoods, and that we are indeed, together, on our way back home.

Scripture: Ruth 1; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

You are a blessing. These are words for the beginning, words which challenge us to see ourselves and our world anew.

As Pastor Nancy shares in today's sermon:

"The world is a hard place right now. Truth is, it's always been so. Wherever you are today, the days of Advent invite you to pay attention, to see beyond the stories of fear which dominate our world. In this time, the powerful seek to control us with the algorithms of distraction and discord. Can we drag our eyes away from the next notification for just long enough to hear the angels at our doorsteps?"

Scripture: Luke 1:26-38

"Little birdie, why you worry like you do?

Don't you worry, just do what you can do."

--lyrics from Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, Vince Guaraldi Quintet

In her Thanksgiving sermon on the familiar passage, "Consider the lilies...," Pastor Nancy invites us to turn our focus from counting our own blessings and instead offer blessings to others and the world around us.

Scripture: Matthew 6:25-33

To read more about the offering of blessings, see Barbara Brown Taylor's book, An Altar in the World. See also, A Book of Blessings and How to Write Your Own, by Ruth Burgess on Iona Books.

How do we respond when the world is shouting, "

Do we panic? Spread rumors? Head to the hills?

In her sermon, "Rumors of Love," Pastor Nancy takes a deep dive into the apocalyptic vision found in Mark 13. How would Jesus's hearers have understood his words? What about the recipients of Mark's gospel--how would their situation affect their understanding? And how do we as 21st century folks respond to "wars and rumors of wars"?

Scripture reading: Mark 13:1-8

Lovingkindness in a Strange World

The psalmist offers a challenge to readers: Will you put your trust in the princes of this world? Or will you trust in the God who "executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry," and "sets the prisoners free"?

In her sermon following the 2024 U.S. election, Pastor Nancy delves into the story of Elijah after his first public confrontation with King Ahab.

Scriptures: Psalm 146; 1 Kings 17:1-16.

In the final sermon of the series, "Do unto Others: a Campaign for Kindness," Pastor Nancy reflects on Jesus's answer to a hostile, trick question: "What is the greatest commandment?"

Jesus responds, Love God wholeheartedly...and love your neighbor as yourself.

How do we follow Jesus's words when the loudest voices in our world want to pit us against one another? How can we hold fast to the values we believe as we work to repair the broken fabric of our society?

Sermon: Love, Actually

Scripture: Matthew 22:34-40

To support the ministries of First Christian Church financially, please visit our website, www.fccmorehead.org/give.html

R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

How do we show respect for others when our points of view vary so drastically?

In her fourth sermon in the series, A Campaign for Kindness, Pastor Nancy works through the Apostle Paul's approaches to conflict in an ancient house church in Corinth to explore the ideas of civility, respect, and the bonds of community.

Sermon: To Each Is Given

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:1-26

To read more about Daniel Dennett's approach to criticize with kindness, see The Marginalian.

To support the ministries of First Christian Church financially, please visit our website: www.fccmorehead.org/give.html

In her third message in our series on the Golden Rule, Do Unto Others: A Campaign for Kindness, Pastor Nancy explores the virtue of humility.

What is humility?

What role does humility play in our relationships and our politics?

Is humility static or can we learn to expand our capacity for healthy humility?

Sermon: Bound Together in Peace

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-6; Mark 10:30-45

To support the ministries of First Christian Church financially, please visit our website www.fccmorehead.org/give.html

"In our current situation, in which vitriol, scapegoating, and demonizing have become dominant speech patterns in the political sphere, are we losing the ability to be compassionate? to have the capacity to creatively imagine the experiences of the other? to listen, take in information, and change our minds?"

Listen as Pastor Nancy explores the practices of compassion in her sermon, "A Better Story of Us," the second in our series, A Campaign for Kindness.

Scripture: Isaiah 11:6-9; Matthew 9:35-38

To learn more about the Compassion Meditation she describes, visit The Greater Good Science Center.

#CampaignForKindness #DoUntoOthers