Advent is a time of waiting, waiting for a promise. This promise is the coming of Jesus, a "righteous branch of David that will execute justice and righteousness in the land." We wait for Jesus to come, even in the small moments of life. Jeremiah 33; 14-16, and Mark 6; 27-29.

In this "sermon", Pastor Jon interviews 3 people from Shepherd RSM during worship, asking questions about their lives, how God is working through them, and why they are thankful this year. Philippians4:10-20.

It should be easy to accept that we are loved by God, but we find this practically difficult. We are dying to be loved and accepted by those around us, trying to earn or prove our worth. God's love is different from that; God's grace abounds in reckless love. Hosea 11:1-9.

"When everything's dark, and nothing seems right/ there's nothing to win, and there's no need to fight." These words come not from the Bible but the band Supertramp. Many people have despaired recently over our government's treatment of immigrants and our own UMC's treatment of the "incompatible" among us. Hosea tells of a God whose passionate and revolutionary love is our sure hope in times of trial. Hosea 11:1-9

Being thankful is an appreciation for what we have received, not what we are indebted to. Gratitude opens us to see the divine. Both Jesus and the Apostle Paul give thanks to God often in their ministries. All of this is wrapped in the Hebrew word "hesed" - a thankfulness wrapped in kindness, mercy, loyalty, covenant, and commitment. Psalm 136.

Psalm 136 is a thank you note to God from the people of Israel. The word oft repeated in Hebrew is "hesed," which connotes an unwavering faithfulness from God that lasts for all eternity. Hesed is not a theological construct; rather, it is who God is in the world and in community. Psalm 136.

What is the Gospel, the "good news?" Much like the Grand Canyon can be viewed from many perspectives, the Gospel is big enough to encompass God's love for us. For Jesus, the center of the Gospel seems to center on the Kingdom of God, God's intended way of life revealed thru the life, death, and resurrection of the Christ. John 4:5-15.

There are locations on earth known as "thin places" - places where the boundary between heaven and earth is a mere veil, where eternity and the present intersect. Jesus proclaims in one of his first lessons that the year of the Lord's favor is here, now, today. The Kingdom of God is mentioned over 80 times in the Gospels, and the Good News is that this kingdom is open to all. Are you in? Luke 4:16-19.

Since the Traditional Plan passed in the special session of the General Conference of 2019, there have been many questions as to the future of the UMC as well as our mission at Shepherd as an open and affirming congregation. In this town hall meeting, Pastor Karl lays out the history of this debate, some possible scenarios for the upcoming 2020 General Conference, and what all this means for Shepherd in MV and RSM.

In the Bible, when the author talks of beasts and monsters, these tales are usually told during a time of political oppression. How can they possibly survive? By resisting the "beast" and leading a different kind of life, a life in Christ. What are the "beasts" we face today? Revelation 13:1-4.