Sermon Text: Acts 1

The Church is the body of Christ, so we reflect Christ's nature - fully human, fully divine. Therefore, there's nothing we do in the church that doesn't have eternal, spiritual ramifications. When it comes to stewardship, all of it draws us to Christ or obscures Christ to us. So as we go through the "administrative" parts of the church in the coming months, let us look with the eyes of faith - pray, listen, discern, and commit.

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Sermon Text: Proverbs 3:1-12; Matthew 19:16-26

So when we talk stewardship, we aren’t first talking about budgets, but about a vision. We aren’t talking about money, but about how we align our lives with a world being renewed by Christ, How do I take ALL of me and let Christ’s power flow from me and from us?  That’s the question of stewardship!

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Sermon Text:  Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12; Mark 10:2-16

Our associate conference minister, Sheresa Simpson-Rice, joins us to celebrate World Communion Sunday, and to reflect on a faith that calls us to a wider view of God's welcome for all people around the table!

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Sermon Text: James 2

We continue in James, who reminds us that if we are to be faithful people, we must do, not just believe. The minute we ask, "How do I love God?" we are into the realm of religion.  Religion based in love requires discipline and sacrifice, but it also makes space for joy. If we would love God well, let us "lift our hands, that our hearts may follow."

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Sermon Text: James 3; Mark 9

Our desires are central to our identity, and to our faith. Jesus calls out the apostles because they wanted greatness, instead of relationship.  Jesus' brother, James, teaches us to pay attention to our desires that we might live a wise life.

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Sermon Text: Ephesians 4:17-32

We welcomed 5 new members at St. Mary's, and we reflected on Ephesians' call to be a certain kind of community.  Because God has blessed us with "every spiritual blessing in Christ," we commit to following him. In doing so, there are some things we do, and some things we don't. In doing so, we lean into the shared calling we have as a community of Christ.

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Sermon Text: Psalm 104

We all desire renewal, and that's certainly a healthy part of what it means to be human. But we can seek renewal and never consider God's place in it. The scriptures tell us that all renewal begins in God's work.  God is moving, we discern, and then we respond. If we are serious about real renewal in our lives, it begins by listening carefully to the Spirit, and planting our feet firmly in God's promises.

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Sermon Text: Psalm 70

The opening to Psalm 70 has been prayed more than any other scripture, "God, come to my assistance!"  Our need of God is at the core of our existence and our prayers. But then the psalm goes to pray against one's enemies. How can we understand this in light of Christ and his cross? Are we really supposed to pray against others, or is there a healthier, truer way to pray this prayer?

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Sermon Text: Isaiah 42:5-12; Matthew 9:14-17

We celebrated our students' return to school, and we wondered about God's work in new places. We asked the question:  where is God and what is God doing? God is not an old man on a throne judging, but is living and active, taking us to new places, making all things new.

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Sermon Text: Daniel 3; Matthew 16

When faced with grief, society gives us two options: succumb to fear, or puff out our chest in bravado. Perhaps there is a third way, a way that roots us in faith? The story of Sharach, Meshach, and Abednego tells a story of three guys who stood at a real hell and lived to tell the story. When in grief, we discover God is in it with us. And Jesus says that the Church is to be the place where we trust in God's presence always.

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