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.
Genesis 1: 26-31 Our recent societal and political experiences with the concept of gender are highly charged, to say the least, and often the insistence of a black and white interpretation of God’s word is used as a club to injure others who do not share our viewpoint. Sarah Neff, a student at Duke’s Divinity […]
On this second Sunday in Lent, Melissa preached from Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 and Romans 4:13-25, focusing on the story of Abram. Way before Moses gives those laws on the tablets, Abram is righteous before there’s a temple to sacrifice things in. Even before circumcision. And that’s really important, especially for us, because most of us […]
Dr. Candace Laughinghouse brought the sermon during this last Sunday in the summer series focused on Genesis 1 and creation care. God applies purpose and abundance to the earth even before humanity’s existence. From earth’s exception to today’s reality. How did we get to this place of chaos, catastrophe, and destruction? Today’s text reminds us […]
RMC’s summer series on the Genesis account of creation continues with this Sunday’s sermon by Elizabeth Korver-Glenn. Dr. Korver-Glenn is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Washington University in St. Louis, and a member of Raleigh Mennonite. Elizabeth began by sharing from a booklet she and Randall received at their wedding. God creates out of […]
Continuing the summer’s theme on creation, this Sunday Dr. Derek Hicks brought the sermon. Dr. Hicks is associate professor of Religion and Culture at Wake Forest University. What is creation for ALL if some are pushed to the margins? Or left out altogether? How does that square with the radical nature of Jesus’s declarations about […]
Our summer series focusing on the creation story from the beginning of Genesis continued. Dr. Christopher Hays, president of Scholar Leaders, joined us this Sunday. He shared the Babylonian creation story, the “Enuma Elish,” comparing and contrasting it with the biblical creation story. The Enuma Elish provides insight into how the contemporaries of the ancient […]
In the continuing summer series on Genesis 1, this Sunday’s guest speaker was Ren Martin. Ren is the Eco-Justice Connection Program Coordinator for the North Carolina Council of Churches. Genesis teaches us that all of creation is a gift from God. Our response to this gift should be one of deepest respect and gratitude. We […]
As our summer series focused on creation from Genesis 1 continues, Chas Edens brought the message this morning. Melissa introduces him at the outset. Do we name and care for creation, for the environment, as an asset or part of our livelihood, an extension of ourselves? How we look at it may depend upon our […]
On this third Sunday of our summer series focusing on creation care, Dr. Aminah Al-Attas Bradford provided the message, speaking from Genesis 1, 2:9, 15-17, 3:1-6, 22-23. We’ve been misreading what it means to be a reflection of God. The world in its entirety is meant to mirror and reflect a symbiotic God. Symbiosis is […]
On this second Sunday of the summer series focusing on creation care, Doug Kaufman brought the message. Doug will be taking on the role of executive director of the Anabaptist Climate Collaborative and has been an environmental activist, along with being a pastor. Doug preached from Genesis 1:2-3 and Jeremiah 4:23-28. He spoke of the […]
Melissa kicked off a summer series focusing on creation care. Over the course of the summer we will hear the story of creation from Genesis from nine different preachers. She started us off, combining it with the passage from Colossians 1:15-20. Another aspect of the series this summer is captured in this web page, suggesting […]
On this first Sunday of Lent, Melissa preached from Genesis 2:15-17 & 3:1-7 and Romans 5:12-19. During this season we are focusing our time and attention toward “confession.” We have varied experiences with confessions. Confession is when we come clean, when we tell the truth about who we are. We are not God!
Elizabeth, herself pregnant, welcomes Mary and offers Mary a blessing. A blessing of resistance to the powers that be. … Read More →
Melissa continues the series on gifts with the story from Genesis 32 about Jacob meeting his brother Esau after battling with someone all night long. There are parallels between this story and that of Cain and Abel from a few weeks ago. Jacob is under the impression that he can buy anything he wants if […]
Rachel brought the message this morning from Genesis 18:1-15, the story of Abraham and Sarah receiving word that she would bear a child even though she was in her nineties. The story follows the arc of many fairy tales, with a few key differences. Isaac was a sheer gift in the midst of the messiness […]
Scripture: Genesis 4:1-16 Cain and Abel gave gifts to God, but they were not gifts for them to give since all they have is already from God. When we hear that God had regard for Abel’s gift of animal parts, but no regard for Cain’s gift of fruit of the land we might ask ourselves, […]
Scripture: Genesis 1 & 2 Melissa began her message by sharing the video “Manoomin: Food That Grows on the Water” [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eOz8CPW0m0]. The audio is included in this recording. For the Anishinaabe creation is a gift. But it’s also a gift that forms a bond not just between giver and receiver, but between creatures. The concept of […]
After Dennis and Kathy read the scripture passages from Genesis 9:3-17 and Mark 1:9-15, Rachel shared a story of the ark, reminding us that many of us have been isolating from others for well more than 40 days due to the pandemic. This year has felt like a year of living in the ark. But […]
Genesis 18:1-15 Melissa began her sermon talking about her many visits to A Place at the Table. Unfortunately, the first two minutes were not recorded, so we pick up from her comparison of A Place at the Table with the story of the three strangers who visit Abraham and Sarah at the oaks at Mamre. […]
Genesis 1 Melissa’s sermon was preceded by viewing a video featuring James Weldon Johnson reciting the poem The Creation. The poetry of Genesis is where we’re starting our “Year at the Table.” Our lives are dependent upon creation, just as they’re dependent upon a loving, creative God. Every time we eat, we are reminded that […]
Today’s lesson from Genesis 39:1-23 about Joseph and Potiphar’s wife was particularly salient given the week’s current events. Melissa asks, “How is the empire we can’t help but be a part of controlling our lives? Where is our allegiance?” As Ta-Nehisi Coates has said, “You are called to struggle, not because it assures you victory but […]
As a result of some last minute storm-related changes, Melissa and Hans provided a Bible study for today’s message based on Genesis 12:1-9 and Hebrews 11:8-16. Their interactive review, including a discussion of Abram’s blessings, was followed by Sri Mayasandra who shared about his life and current ministry as the Asia regional peace resource coordinator […]
Donna Coltrane Battle joined us this Sunday and provided a riveting message based on the story of Noah from Genesis 6-9. Covenants are birthed out of pain. Recovery, or salvation, requires sacrifice. On this side of the covenant, we must press for ongoing justice. Dr. Battle currently serves as the chaplain at Meredith College.
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