WildWords: Sermons from Wildwood Mennonite Church

Footwashing? As in, the ritual that some churches do once a year during Holy Week? That's about following Jesus' example in humility and service, the status and work of the servant and their master flipped upside down. That's true, but it's not the whole story. The footwashing story of John's gospel (ch 13) is also about intimacy, knowing and being known. We're well practiced in the serving and giving piece; are we also willing to receive?

Happy Halloween!... in church? Seriously, people dressed up in costumes and everything! Even the preacher, wearing a "Grim Reaper" costume to preach a sermon on Halloween, the most un-Christian of holidays. Our fundamentalist Mennonite ancestors must have been rolling over in their graves (or perhaps just lying really still so as to discourage any and all grave-related activity…)

But really--what's the good of Halloween? Can God really be present somewhere amidst the graveyards and ghouls? Join us to find out!

This Sunday our worship service is a celebration of our church's work through and with the Mennonite Central Committee! As you may recall (through the timey-wimey fog of the pandemic year that was), 2020 marked 100 years of MCC, and we celebrated that long and deep and wide history in one of our Zoom services last fall. As part of the centennial festivities, we also raised over $10,000 for MCC's "New Roots" campaign, and this summer a tree was planted in front of the church building as a living tribute and inspiration for the ongoing work of "Relief, Development and Peace in the name of Christ."

All of that was and is excellent, but with our return to in-person worship (in small doses) this fall, we thought it would be appropriate to revisit the MCC Centennial, with a particular focus on the many, many connections between MCC and our congregation specifically. In this service, we heard from multiple MCC volunteers and staff, a braved the wind and rain for a quick trip outside to surround and dedicate our new "MCC Centennial Tree."

Listen for a testimonial from WMCer Bruno Baerg about his time serving with MCC and a sermon from Eileen Klassen Hamm, MCC SK Executive Director (and also a WMCer). The sermon is called "We Are Connected Like Tree Roots" and is drawn from 2 Corinthians 5:18-20.

An influential Jewish teacher, a Samaritan woman, an ancient well, a failing water filter, the Garden of Eden. What do they have in common and who is willing to dance? Strange questions that the book of John might possibly have some answers to as we continue looking at a path of deeper wisdom. Put on your dancing shoes and follow along as Jesus continues to unsettle age old traditions. Sermon from Dwight Eisler.

A wedding, a garden, an age-old moral quandary, and a 150 GALLONS of the best wine you can imagine--our journey through the gospel of John brings us to John 2, the "water to wine" miracle story. More than just testing out his supernatural abilities, this origin story has Jesus flipping ancient metaphors and unsettling age-old religious traditions... it's BYOB at this point, but there will definitely be something here worth raising your glass to!

"In the beginning was..." The Word? The Christ? The Truth? The Dance? This week's sermon finds us back on the Four Gospel Journey to Radical Transformation (with Alexander Shaia's Heart and Mind), entering the third path in the Gospel of John. What is the nature of the universe and the nature of God, and how is it possible that those could come together in the person of Jesus the Christ? Let's try some metaphors--truth, light and... bacteria??--to help us move further on the path.

We’re back to that first question: Why church? What’s the connection between faith and deeds; faith and service? Other questions might be: Why are we on this earth? What gives meaning and purpose? What does God intend for us? And what are the connections in those questions? Listen to the words of scripture and the voices of other Christ-followers to hear their perspectives and to consider your own. What do you offer?

As we resume in-person worship services for the first time in almost a year, we are paying attention to the mix of emotions and intentions swirling within and around us. Particularly noting that the pandemic is not yet finished with us and that many folks are still participating in worship primarily online. Last week we shared our Gratitude, and this week we held together our Lament. What is Lament? Forrest Gump summed it up nicely: "Mama always said dyin' was a part of life. I sure wish it wasn't."

As (some of us!) make a long-awaited return to in-person worship services, we begin with a service of gratitude reflecting on the many things we are thankful for from the past year-plus. Joe's sermon also considers what it means to be grateful in the middle of a crisis, when every gratitude is accompanied by a shadow.

Remember coming to church in person? Getting dressed up (or at least fully dressed), leaving the house, sharing mediocre church coffee, making (or avoiding) eye contact with real humans... Well, it's almost time for that again at WMC--starting next Sunday, Sept 12. And first, tune in to hear why Joe thinks church might just be worth the effort (even for those of you not paid to be there...)!