Using the story of the men on the road to Emmaus, from Luke 24: 13-35, Hugh relates how some of his experiences with people without homes, have shown him aspects of Christ that we might might not otherwise take note of.
Tag Archives: Luke
The Rest of the Story – Feb. 12, 2017
Claire Unruh brought the message today using the texts from John 4:1-29 and Luke 10:25-37. Jesus’ counter-culture teachings and actions showed that he reached out to and cared for the oppressed and those who were discriminated against. He taught us to do the same.
God Finds a Way – Dec. 24, 2016
In addition to singing Christmas carols, Melissa shares the story of Jesus’s birth from the perspective of the innkeeper in this short homily at our Christmas Eve service.
Hope and Cookies – Dec. 18, 2016
On this fourth Sunday of Advent Joy spoke from Luke 2:36-40, the story of the new testament prophet Anna waiting for the arrival of a little baby. She drew comparisons of Anna’s work with the ongoing work of the Water Protectors and their continuing vigil at Standing Rock.
Hope calls us to a new way of being….
Pregnant with God’s Word – December 11, 2016
Using Isaiah 35:1-10, James 5:7-10 and Luke 1:46b-55, Sarah, our District intern, speaks about how we like Mary give birth to God’s Word, when we hear it and keep it.
Here at the Cross – Nov. 20, 2016
On this Christ the King Sunday Melissa spoke of Jesus’ crucifixion, the very first Christian community and the radical example of our Anabaptist forebears. The scripture texts were from Jeremiah 23:1-6 and Luke 23:33-43.
Many church leaders have said, in response to the recent political machinations, “God is in control.” However, that does not mean that everything will be all right. We are called into a Christian community into which not everything is all right. We are called to transform ourselves into a community of people so dangerous that we can not be allowed to exist.
Love is Here – November 13, 2016
Using Isaiah 65:17-25 and Luke 21:5-19, Melissa shows the effects of last week’s election and what we can do about it.
How can we be silent? – October 16, 2017
Melissa talks about the danger of being silent in the face of injustices. She used clips from the movie “Pray the devil back to Hell“, in which Leymah Gbowee started a prayer movement of Christian and Muslim women to promote peace and to end the war in Liberia.
God leaves everything…to pursue God’s beloved – Oct. 9, 2016
Melissa spoke from 2 Kings 5:1-14 and Luke 17:11-19, focusing on the story in 2 Kings about Naaman being healed of his skin disease after hearing about God’s prophet Elisha from a little servant girl.
We don’t see things as they are; we see them as we are. God sees things as God is, and when God sees you…God sees a beloved.
Increase our faith – Oct. 2, 2016
Melissa spoke from Luke 17:5-10 and Psalm 37:1-9. She envisioned Jesus telling the disciples, “Faith isn’t something you get; it isn’t a form of currency to be increased. Faith is a particular disposition in the world.” A disposition of faith means putting our bodies next to the bodies of others, particularly the bodies of those who are most vulnerable. How do we make space for anger–such as the anger of those who continue to face oppression–without hatred?
Today was also World Communion Sunday. A time to break bread together, but also a time to remember the oppression faced by so many of our sisters and brothers throughout the world.
Rich in Good Works – Sept. 25, 2016
Daryl Byler, executive director of Eastern Mennonite University’s Center for Justice & Peacebuilding, preached from the lectionary readings of Amos 6:1,4-7, I Timothy 6:6-10,17-19 and Luke 16:19-31. The readings all talk about wealth. They can be a bit unsettling since by most global measures most of us fit into the category of being wealthy. What is our responsibility when there are so many disparities here in the U.S., but even more so world-wide? Daryl used a number of slides to illustrate his sermon and provide some suggestions.
A life of debt, the bonds of love – Sept. 18, 2016
Melissa spoke from “the slimiest story in the New Testament,” Luke 16:1-13, the parable of the dishonest manager. This manager makes some mischief. Throughout the Gospel of Luke the good news is the reversing of social boundaries, boundaries maintained by economic disparity. What if Jesus’ followers actually knew how the system worked, and what if they caused some mischief?
Rejoice with me – Sept. 11, 2016
Isaac Villegas, pastor of Chapel Hill Mennonite Fellowship, provided the message for Melissa’s installation service this Sunday. He spoke from Luke 15:1-10, the story of the Good Shepherd, and explained how the story is about God, our church and Melissa.
Be a Body – September 4, 2016
Using Luke 14:25-34, Melissa talks about the difficult passage where Jesus says, “He who loves family more than me is not worthy of me”
Life altering encounters – Aug. 14, 2016
Drawing from Luke 7:11-17 and I Corinthians 12:12-26, as well as a TED talk given by Drew Dudley, Stan reminds us that our words and actions–individually and collectively as the embodiment of Christ in our world–matter. Even when we may not be aware of it we are impacted by and have an impact on others, sometimes through chance encounters, but more often through our ongoing encounters in community.