Scripture:  1 Corinthians 15:12-26 & John 11:1-44 Ultimately, all our hope is in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. If Jesus was not raised from the dead, then our faith is meaningless and in vain. We turn to the story of Jesus raising his friend Lazarus from the dead and discover that we can hope in … Continue reading "Hope-Week 4 // A Resurrecting Hope // Pastor Kate Murphy"

Scripture:  Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV) & Daniel 3:13-18 (NIV) Dear Church,  The hope we have in Jesus is a hope that resists.   Our hope is not resigned to evil in the world.Our hope does not compromise or collude.  Our hope does not hide, even when it makes enemies.  Our hope fights.Our hope will lead us … Continue reading "Hope-Week 3 // A Resisting Hope // Pastor Kate Murphy"

Scripture:  Luke 17:1-5, Acts 9:10-19 Dear Church, There’s a beautiful verse of psalm 85 that reads      Mercy and Truth have met together,      Righteousness and Peace. have kissed each other. In our world, in our individual lives, in our church, so often it seems like we have to choose between mercy and truth.  It … Continue reading "Hope-Week 2 // A Reconciling Hope // Pastor Kate Murphy"

Scripture:  Romans 5:1-5 & John 2:1-11 Dear Church, Do you have hope in these days? Notice I didn’t ask you if you were feeling hopeful.  I asked you if you have hope. That’s important because hope isn’t an emotion we feel (or don’t feel).  Hope is something concrete we possess if we believe in the … Continue reading "Hope-Week 1 // A Surprising Hope // Pastor Kate Murphy"

Scripture:  Revelation 21:1-8 Dear Church, This Sunday will be a soulful and joyful celebration. We will gather to remember and give thanks for the lives of our loved ones who have gone ahead of us into eternity. And we will grieve as we remember. It isn’t only fresh losses that hurt.  The grief we’ve long … Continue reading "A Celebration for All the Saints // Revelations 21 // Pastor Kate Murphy"

Scripture:  Philippians 4:10-20 Dear Church, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13) While he was imprisoned, the apostle Paul wrote these words to his beloved church in Philippi and believers have found strength and encouragement in them ever since. It has become one of the most familiar and heavily marketed … Continue reading "You Heard It Wrong-Week 4 // Philippians 4:13 // Pastor Kate Murphy"

Scripture:  Exodus 20:7, Exodus 3:13-17 Dear Church, Thou shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain That’s how I learned it when I was a child and this is what they told me it meant: Don’t swear. Don’t say, ‘Oh God!’ when you are annoyed or angry. Don’t say the word … Continue reading "You Heard It Wrong-Week 3 // Exodus 20:7 // Pastor Kate Murphy"

Scripture:  Romans 12:14 – 13:10 Dear Church, “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For … Continue reading "You Heard It Wrong-Week 2 // Romans 13:1 // Pastor Kate Murphy"

Scripture:  Mark 14:1-10 Dear Church, This Sunday we launch into a new worship series called, ‘You Heard It Wrong: the holy art of unlearning.’  Because it is a good and holy thing to regularly lay our own faith upon the altar and ask the Lord to show us what is gold and what is dross, … Continue reading "You Heard It Wrong-Week 1 // Mark 14:7 // Pastor Kate Murphy"

Scripture:  Hebrews 11:32-40,  2 Peter 1:2-8 Dear Church, This Sunday we conclude our worship series ‘How to Faith’ by turning to the final portion of the roll call of faith found in Hebrews 11.  The preacher brings his sermon to a crescendo by calling out all the stories of faith he doesn’t have time to … Continue reading "How to Faith-Week 4 // Jesus’ One Promise // Pastor Kate Murphy"