Luke 3: 7-18 The second week of advent Melissa preaches on John the Baptist from the Gospel of Luke, who is paving the way for the coming of Christ. His message is fiery, convicting, and demands dramatic change of those who would desire to answer God’s call. However, Melissa reminds us that John’s call is […]
baptism
Young people following in the faith
On Sunday, Sept. 8, we as a church family gathered at the Eno River to share in a meal, in fellowship, and in a very special time of worship and celebration as we welcomed two young people into our congregation through baptism. This is the third time we have traveled to Few’s Ford to witness […]
Jesus is the Bread of Life – Aug. 25, 2024
In this last of Melissa’s three-part series on Jesus’ teaching on bread, the scripture was from John 6:56-59. As we eat this bread, this Jesus, we see God’s life growing and healing us. We become a people; a people that believe that we love our neighbors as ourselves. We become a people who refuse to […]
A Grounding in Baptism – Jan. 14, 2024
Scripture: Mark 1:1-14 Nina Balmaceda provided the sermon this Sunday. Nina is on the faculty at Duke Divinity and president of the Peace and Hope International. She and her family are active at RMC. In the context of John the Baptist baptizing Jesus, Nina shared about the history of baptism and its relevance for us […]
Three Doorways to the Holy Spirit – Jan. 15, 2023
Scripture: John 1:29-42 Melissa shares about Jesus’ baptism and anointing by the Holy Spirit through three different encounters: two icon images and a video. The Holy Spirit is frequently an under-considered member of the trinity, an afterthought. Feel free to participate in this visio divina by studying the icons as you listen to the sermon […]
Body, Bread, Breath & Baptism – July 24, 2022
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 […]
The Gift of the Spirit through Baptism – Nov. 21, 2021
In this final sermon in the fall series on gifts, Melissa preached from Matthew 3:13-17 and Acts 2:1-13. The holy spirit is somehow both a gift and a giver of gifts. One of the awkward parts about Jesus’ baptism is that Jesus does not need to be baptized. Jesus does not need to receive the […]
Baptism Service at the Eno River – Aug. 1, 2021
You don’t go down into the waters of Jordan without stirring up a great deal of mud… if being baptized is being led to where Jesus is, then being baptized is being led towards the chaos and the neediness of a humanity that has forgotten its own destiny” – Rowan Williams
No, you shut up! – Feb. 28, 2021
Scripture: Mark 8:31-38 Today’s scripture talks about Peter rebuking Jesus, and Jesus in turn rebuking Peter right back. Melissa tells us that term could be interpreted today as, “Shut up!” The term is used elsewhere in the gospel four times, when Jesus silences violent and evil spirits. This passage illustrates two ways for the world […]
The Faith of our Baptism – Jan. 10, 2021
Scripture: Mark 1:4-11, Acts 19:1-7 To what baptism have you been baptized? The story in Acts talks about Jesus’ followers being baptized in the Holy Spirit. This baptism gave them, among other things, the power to stand up to powerful and dangerous interests. In baptism, we receive the Holy Spirit to enter into this life […]
Jesus Calls Us Friends – Aug. 9, 2020
John 15:14-15 & Acts 8:26-38 Ann Roberston shared two of the favorite songs of her father as our summer series continued. She spoke of learning from him how he loved the songs “In the Garden,” which many of us know better as “He Walks with Me and He Talks with Me,” and “What a Friends […]
De-mummification of Rigid Communion Ritual
by David Rohrer Below are highlights from my reading of Laurel Marshall’s masters thesis regarding the practice of communion and baptism in Christian base communities in El Salvador: The role of liberation theology in informing communion and baptism. The emphasis on sharing and inclusiveness in practicing the communion. Caring for one another as being a way […]
Remembrance of baptism – Jan. 12, 2020
Matthew 3:3-17 NOTE: There were electronic issues during the recording which caused interference in the audio. It gets progressively worse toward the end of the recording, but it’s a good sermon, so if you can persevere, it’s worth it! Baptism is a little death. At the same time, all of life is baptism. There is […]
Baptism of Jesus – January 13, 2019
In the second message in the series on Jesus’ life as told in Matthew, we come to Jesus’ baptism. Melissa provides a fresh perspective on this age-old story and invites those of us who have been baptized to reflect back on what it means. Matthew 3:1-17
Born of Water & Spirit – Jan. 28, 2018
Today’s message came out of John 3:1-21. Nicodemus wasn’t quite ready to trust Jesus yet, approaching him at night. He asks what he must do to enter the kingdom. Jesus’ initial responses are rather nebulous. Then we hear what is maybe the best known verse in the Bible. Melissa helps unpack it all. In John’s gospel, […]