The Rev. Meghan Mullarkey
Exodus 1:8-2:10

"When we realize our power is not meant to diminish others, but it is actually when we come together that are full power is actualized, the realization that a king is never what we needed, but an understanding that when our power is found within our community that all will thrive. "

Micah Kurtz
Text: Exodus 3:1-15 & Matthew 16:21-28

"Maybe even my anger can be a reflection of God’s image, as all of us are created in God’s image.

This is a challenge. It means that being human, I will use all my feelings, sometimes well, and other times less well. 

In our texts today, God’s anger shows up when God’s chosen leaders get in the way of God’s purposes. 

God acts with anger in these texts not to reject or condemn, but to redirect and guide these chosen leaders, to orient them to God’s saving work in the world.

God upsets their expectations to tell them there is more, bigger, and better in God’s plan and purposes.

It’s less that these are sinners in the hands of an angry God. Rather, they are barriers in the way of a saving God."

The Rev. Meghan Mullarkey
Text: Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28

But here is what I am asking you to do with your anger, that Joseph’s brother’s couldn’t do or didn’t do, recognize it, honor it, and then wonder what anger is telling you about how you can love God, yourself, and one another. 

See here is the issue, angers job is to protect us and to keep us safe, so when anger tells us there is a threat and we need to fight, this is a cue for us.  Often when we are angry it is because we don’t feel safe.  Angers job is to rise up and send us a message, that we want something to be different, that we feel threatened, our job now is to figure out how to be safe again - not to fight the first person coming our way who represents that threat.

Pray with us: Prayers of the People in August

The Rev. Meghan Mullarkey
Texts: Genesis 45:1-15 & Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28

 "As we connect with our embodied experience of the world and find ourselves in deeper connection with God, we will long to be more connected to all people, we won’t allow differences to divide us, we won’t accept the poor treatment of other bodies around us, or the rejection of any body.  We will know deeply, our connection to one another and to God. "

Pray with us. 

The Rev. Meghan Mullarkey
Text: Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

"Oh, but to be good soil - if you are questioning your place in this parable I want to tell you two things that I know to be true. 

Number one - You are a seed - your are a millions seeds with so much life in you.  You are so abundantly filled with life, goodness, possibility, and potential that the good sower isn’t quite worried exactly where you will land, isn’t so much concerned if sometimes you get anxious with the cares of the world, get pre-occupied with your paycheck, or get overwhelmed about choosing the way of the Kingdom of God - this kingdom filled with grace and forgiveness, but so foreign to most anything we see or experience every day. 

These days are going to happen.  These seeds will find other purposes - nothing is wasted in God’s kingdom.  Nothing is beyond redemption and repair.  Not even death itself. 

The second thing I know to be true - Some of your seeds will find good soil.  You will bear fruit hundred fold. Nobody who is open to God - no one who is open to love, grace, forgiveness, and humility does not bear fruit in this world.  It may be hard, we may not always get it right, but if we seek these things, if we desire these things from God there will be fruit. "

The Rev. Meghan Mullarkey

Texts: Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 & Romans 7:15-25a

"We work to make this space accessible and welcoming for people of all ages and abilities.  Our soft spaces, our liturgy of the word for our children, our welcoming of loud noises at unplanned times - yes, we create our space intentionally to be welcoming, but we do it for a deeper reason than just to make sure everyone feels invited- 

We do it because we believe all ages and people of all physical and intellectual abilities have something to reveal to us about who God is - we try to prepare a place at the table for everyone because we believe everyone has something important and of value to bring and to teach."  

The Rev. Meghan Mullarkey

Text: Genesis 21:8-21

"Let’s take our first lesson this summer about anger from Sarah. Don’t stuff it away or ignore it or place it on to some undeserving soul - whether that be Hagar, Ishmael, or the woman on the passport help line, instead wonder what anger is telling you about yourself, What is it that you really want?  How is it that you want to live?  Does it align with our call to love God and love our neighbor?  

When you let anger do what it has come to do you might be surprised to find on the other side of that anger is God’s blessing, for you and all those you encounter. "

The Rev. Meghan Mullarkey

Text: Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26

"And thats why we come here

because as much as we want to live alone

we cant, we are connected and we are one body

as much as we want to kill hope, it rises within in us

it continues to be birthed, and it feeds on things 

we cant help but see and we cant help but feel

the kindness of the stranger, the love of the friend, the child

I just heard squealing with joy in anticipation for the Eucharist

and Jesus came to remind us of what already flows through our veins

and Jesus came to say it is here and it is now

and yet we live in a world that separates and divides

and hurts and deceives and makes us hate

our desire to be connected and our hope for a better world."