I have terrible eyesight, but I mostly refused to wear glasses until I was in my twenties just because I didn’t like to wear them. And then, when I was 24, I got contacts. I wore them all the time. For the first time in my life, I could see.  The parables are like that—like … Continue reading "Parables of Jesus // Unjust Tenants: Receiving What Is Beyond Rejection // Kate Murphy"

Many of us are carrying bruised hearts into worship this Sunday. Some of us have already watched loved ones get buried. Some of us are wondering how much longer we can hold on financially. Some of us are overwhelmed by the mental, relational, and spiritual challenge of continued isolation. Some of us are raw from … Continue reading "Parables of Jesus // New Wineskins: Restoring What Is Beyond Repair // Kate Murphy"

Many of us have heard the parable that Jesus told about the man who built his house on a rock and the man who built his house on the sand. But, before he told this story, he asked a question. “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” Why, indeed. Because, … Continue reading "Parables of Jesus // Firm Foundations: Walking Out What We Already Understand // Kate Murphy"

Some of us are surprised, and a little ashamed, to admit how difficult just staying home with my family can be. We cycle through feelings of boredom, worry, panic, and frustration. As followers of Jesus, we thought this would be our time to shine with hope and wisdom and courage. We had hoped that this … Continue reading "Upside Down Kingdom // Unsatisfying // Kate Murphy"

On Easter evening, Jesus broke into a room, where the disciples had barricaded themselves in fear, and breathed on them. And what was in him was infectious and contagious. They caught his peace, his power—his Spirit. Jesus gave to them the most impressive and most valuable thing in all creation. And God offers the same to us … Continue reading "Upside Down Kingdom // Unappealing // Kate Murphy"

Mark’s account of the Gospel, and especially his story of the resurrection (which he would have learned from Peter, an eyewitness) is the worst. The story leaves out some of the best details and then ends without much good news at all. The tomb is empty. But now what? This Easter, amidst a pandemic and … Continue reading "Upside Down Kingdom // Unfinished // Kate Murphy"

This Sunday, we enter into Holy Week. And many of the things we treasure most about these days will be absent. We won’t break bread around one long table for our beautiful Maundy Thursday meal and foot washing service. We won’t gather in a hushed and holy sanctuary to sing and pray and weep our way through the … Continue reading "Upside Down Kingdom // Unimpressive // Kate Murphy"

This Sunday, we smash our last idol: control. None of us have it anyway, so it’s long past time to stop worshiping it. And we learn how to worship what gives us life: grace. It’s even more than you thought.

We prayed and plotted out this Smashing Idols worship series months ago, asking the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom and direction. And, how amazing is it that God led us to decide that on March 22, 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting public health and economic fallout, we would … Continue reading "Smashing Idols (a Lenten series) // Fear // Kate Murphy"

Greed is probably our favorite idol to redefine. We agree that greed for other people is a problem. But for us? Well, we just put another label on it and re-frame the situation as if it is good for us to have the blessings we do, regardless of how it impacts someone else. But greed … Continue reading "Smashing Idols (a Lenten series) // Greed // Kate Murphy"