As a Christian community, called to peacemaking and reconciliation, we affirm that people of any race, ethnic identity, gender, who are gay or straight, of any ability, age, or economic status, are welcome to full participation in our congregation.
On this second Sunday of Advent, the anticipation of Christ’s arrival, Susan Scott provided the message based on Isaiah 11:1-10. Most of us have plenty of light, hope and joy in our lives, but certainly it can be a struggle at times. Where in your life do you need to hold on to hope?
Scripture: Isaiah 2:1-5 Melissa began her sermon on this first Sunday of Advent by sharing a rendition of Down by the Riverside by Rosetta Tharpe. In the Isaiah passage, God paints a picture for Isaiah of a world where tools of war become obsolete. That is a pretty bold vision for people locked into a […]
Scripture: Luke 23: 33-43 On this Sunday celebrating the reign of Jesus, Melissa shared the image of some graffiti archaeologists uncovered depicting a man with his arm raised toward a man with a donkey’s head nailed to a cross. Under it bears the inscription “Alexamenos adores his god.” There are frequently two depictions of Jesus. […]
Melissa reflects on and gives voice to the hypothetical woman who was married to seven brothers from the story in Luke 20:27-38. The Sadducees pose this question about the resurrection, but all along what Jesus wanted to tell the Sadducees, wanted to tell us, is that all women, all people, need good news. We need […]
Scripture: Ephesians 1:11-23 On this All Saints Day Melissa provided the message, explaining that saints are people who have lived in a way that help us believe that God is real. They are not necessarily the ones who are the best at believing stuff. Saints carry faith for one another and make make God credible […]
Melissa shared The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14) in its original form and as it might play out right here at Raleigh Mennonite. This version as acted out had a Bishop, a philanthropist, an activist and a payday lender. The first three were smug in their righteousness and celebrated that […]
Melissa began the four-part message sharing the story of the widow who demanded justice from the judge in Luke 18:1-8. This was followed by three stories of RMCers who shared out of their calling to work for social justice in their varied roles: Rachel “RED” Davis, Elizabeth Korver-Glen and David Rohrer.
Susan brought the message from Luke 16:19-31, telling the story of the rich man and Lazarus. How often are we so caught up in our own world that we miss those at the margins? And it’s not just about being blind to those at the margins but about being so sure you know what God […]
Scripture: Jeremiah 32: 1-3a, 6-15 In the final sermon of the four Melissa preached reflecting on her sabbatical, she focuses on hope, even in the midst of incredibly trying times. Often times it’s difficult to see hope in current circumstances, but frequently it’s churning and breathing below the surface, even if we can’t see it. […]
In the midst of our busyness it’s easy to miss the beauty of God’s extravagant creation all around us. Through the poetry of Psalm 65 and several more modern authors, Melissa recounts more of her sabbatical journey and encourages us to stop and notice that we too are a part of the joyful abundance of […]
Scripture: Ezekiel 18:1-4, 19-32 Melissa continued sharing about some of the experiences from her sabbatical, this time about Belfast and the historical divisions between Catholics and Protestants. Each of us is more than our past, more than our histories. More than the actions and illnesses of our parents in our nations and our communities. Your […]
Scripture: Jeremiah 18:1-11, Luke 14:25-33 Melissa is back from her sabbatical and will use this month’s sermons to report on several aspects of her family’s travels and some of the learnings along the way. This Sunday she contrasted the work of Akram, a Palestinian craftsperson who recycles tear gas canisters into works of art, with […]
Rachel provided the message this Sunday based on Hebrews 13:1-2. There are many examples of folks at Raleigh Mennonite carrying out acts of hospitality. When we practice radical Christian hospitality, we are opening ourselves up to the gift of an unexpected messenger or bearer of God’s good news. May we as a community continue to […]
Susan Scott brought this Sunday’s message based on Luke 13:10-17, the story of Jesus healing the crippled woman at the synagogue on the Sabbath. Susan asked us to contemplate, “How does God feel about you at this moment?” Jesus was chastised for breaking strict Sabbath rules by the leader of the synagogue. This leader was […]
Scripture: Isaiah 5:1-7, Psalm 80:14-19 Pastor Chalice Overy, from Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, provided the message this morning. Prior to her preaching we heard a rendition of Lift Every Voice and Sing and Chalice begins by sharing with us some of the significance of that song for her. Prayer is a place where our will […]
Scripture: Luke 12:13-21 Liddy Grantland brought our message this morning. She serves as the service team leader for two L’Arche homes outside Washington D.C. Liddy shared with us stories of L’Arche community life, particularly during COVID, including some of the joys and the frustrations. God wants us to live in the world as our home, […]
Scripture: Colossians 2:6-19 and Luke 11:1-13 Elizabeth Korver-Glenn provided the message this Sunday, drawing on four themes from the Gospel of Luke passage. May our bodies, the bread and the breaths we ask for and receive, and the baptism in which we participate through breaking, recreating, crush the empires of this world, and usher in […]
We were privileged to have Greg Jarrell as our guest speaker this Sunday. Chrys introduces Greg, then Eric reads from Mark 9:14-29 before Greg gives the message. The silenced understand the silent spirit spoken about in the Mark passage. What it’s like to be told to go along just to get along. What it’s like […]
Rev. Teresa Kim Pecinovsky was our guest preacher this Sunday. In this recording, Susan introduces her and Hans reads the scripture passage from Proverbs 8: 1-4, 22-31 before Teresa brings the message. “Today’s text comes from a rich passage in Proverbs, where the writer chronicles the personification of wisdom. “She is indeed more splendid than […]
Rachel provided the message this Sunday drawn from the story of Elijah in 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14. It is a strange irony that Elijah, who lived in the shadow of the forces of death for the entirety of his ministry, narrowly avoiding dying of starvation, thirst, violence, depression, should meet the end of his own […]
Scripture: Matthew 5:38-42 While Melissa is on sabbatical we are privileged to have a number of guest speakers. Yuri Yamamoto recently graduated from Shaw University with her Master of Divinity and is commissioned and endorsed by the Federation of Christian Ministries as a Christian minister and chaplain. Yuri is very active in the community and […]
I Corinthians 12:12-26, Luke 24:44-53 On this last Sunday before Melissa and her family leave for a three-month sabbatical, it was also Ascension Sunday. It was also the Sunday following another deadly mass killing in a Texas school, and just a week after a mass shooting in a Taiwanese church in LA, and a day […]
Colossians 2:6-18 It was our annual covenant renewal Sunday, plus the opportunity to welcome new members, plus baby dedication for two of our newest beloveds, along with communion. A full Sunday! In covenanting with others at Raleigh Mennonite, we’re deciding together to trust that a certain story is true, that we can trust that story […]
Scripture: Matthew 25:31-45 We were honored to have Sarah Jobe and Cindy Locklear share in today’s service. Melissa introduced chaplain Sarah Jobe from the Interfaith Prison Ministry for Women who shared about the prison awareness quilt crocheted by women incarcerated at North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women as they survived COVID in prison. Cindy shared […]
