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Raleigh Mennonite Church

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.

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Melissa Florer-Bixler

Revolutionary Magnificat – Dec. 15, 2019

December 15, 2019

Melissa preaching at RMC on August 18, 2019

Isaiah 35:1-10 & Luke 1:46-55 When women in the Bible have something to say, it often comes out as a song. Mary’s song, recounted in Luke 1, is revolutionary. God is on the side of the dispossessed and Mary sings of the revolution taking place through God’s world-toppling love. Melissa’s message was preceded by a […]

Revolutionary Magnificat – Dec. 15, 2019

Tagged With: Isaiah, Luke, Magnificat, Mary, Melissa Florer-Bixler, Revolutionary

Fulfilled – Filled Up – Dec. 8, 2019

December 8, 2019

Melissa preaching at RMC on Oct. 27, 2019

Isaiah 11:1-10 & Matthew 3:1-12 On this second Sunday of Advent, Melissa told us, “this is a season to be shaken up and shaken out.” Christians have a profound failure to live out the Gospel, but we’re also attuned to our failure. We require outside intervention and Jesus comes through an intervention of love. It’s […]

Fulfilled – Filled Up – Dec. 8, 2019

Tagged With: Advent, Gospel of Matthew, Isaiah, Melissa Florer-Bixler

Reconciled in God through Jesus – Nov. 17, 2019

November 17, 2019

Melissa preaching

Food is political. Eating is a kind of politics. Isaiah offers this vision of the the end of all things, centering around a meal. In this passage, all things, all people, are reconciled in God. Everything bruised and damaged is made whole, but also those who bruise and damage are made whole. We’re all there […]

Reconciled in God through Jesus – Nov. 17, 2019

Tagged With: Colossians, Isaiah, Melissa Florer-Bixler, pacifism, table, veterans

Lamentations – Nov. 3, 2019

November 3, 2019

Melissa preaching Oct. 6, 2019

Lamentations 4:1-9 What did you bring today that you have not said aloud? What corner of sorrow have you left covered? We work without pause, return again to a race for efficiency, too busy to attend to the grief we bury in our chests. So pause here… Pause here among others who have come to […]

Lamentations – Nov. 3, 2019

Tagged With: cross, lamentations, Melissa Florer-Bixler, sorrow

The Glory of the Ordinary – Oct. 27, 2019

October 27, 2019

Melissa preaching at RMC on Oct. 27, 2019

Ecclesiastes 8:10-15 The book of Ecclesiastes is a strange book to have in our canon. It’s a pessimistic book that veers into sarcasm, and it has no issue telling you exactly how life is in the world. A book for the frustrated and the cynical. It’s comforting to know that the Bible has room for […]

The Glory of the Ordinary – Oct. 27, 2019

Tagged With: Ecclesiastes, frustration, Joy, Melissa Florer-Bixler

Retelling the Story – Oct. 6, 2019

October 6, 2019

Melissa preaching Oct. 6, 2019

Deuteronomy 26:1-15 History isn’t recorded, it’s interpreted. Melissa begins her sermon this Sunday by telling about the Bible study she is co-leading on the grounds of the state capitol that compares the Confederate monuments with idolatry. Rather than statues, we need to tell stories to one another. Stories of how God’s love extends to all […]

Retelling the Story – Oct. 6, 2019

Tagged With: Deuteronomy, history, idolatry, Melissa Florer-Bixler, statues, stories

In Covenant with Creation – Sept. 29, 2019

September 29, 2019

Melissa preaching at RMC on August 18, 2019

Leviticus 11:1-22 This Sunday Melissa wove together an explanation for the Levitical rules for what meat was clean and unclean with both the current climate change crisis and our focus with A Year at the Table. Human lust for domination over creation is the root cause of climate change. God loves the whole world and […]

In Covenant with Creation – Sept. 29, 2019

Tagged With: animals, climate change, covenant, Leviticus, Melissa Florer-Bixler, table, Zonk

Invited to the Table – Sept. 8, 2019

September 8, 2019

Melissa preaching at RMC on Sept. 8, 2019

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. […]

Invited to the Table – Sept. 8, 2019

Tagged With: Abraham, Genesis, hospitality, Melissa Florer-Bixler, Sarah, table

Made in God’s image or like God? – Sept. 1, 2019

September 3, 2019

Melissa preaching

Made in God’s image or like God? – Sept. 1, 2019

Tagged With: Creation, Genesis, Melissa Florer-Bixler

God shows up at the Table – Aug. 25, 2019

August 25, 2019

Place setting with A Year at the Table in text over the plate

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 […]

God shows up at the Table – Aug. 25, 2019

Tagged With: Creation, Genesis, Melissa Florer-Bixler, poetry, table

Surprising Faith – Aug. 18, 2019

August 18, 2019

Melissa preaching at RMC on August 18, 2019

Hebrews 11:1-16 Melissa continued the series focused on Hebrews in this morning’s message. What is faith in the midst of political distress, in a government hellbent on terrorizing the vulnerable? It’s the failures of the people talked about in this Hebrews passage that animates our faith to continue on. They provide hope because of their […]

Surprising Faith – Aug. 18, 2019

Tagged With: faith, grace, Hebrews, hope, Melissa Florer-Bixler

Babette’s Feast

August 6, 2019

by Melissa Florer-BixlerA blog entry in response to our “A Year at the Table” series. It seemed fitting to me that we began our year of exploration and reflection on Communion practice in grace. Babette’s Feast, the first in our film series featuring movies about food and faith, is a story about grace received in […]

Babette’s Feast

Filed Under: Table Tagged With: communion, grace, Melissa Florer-Bixler, table

Sacrifices & Finding Life – July 28, 2019

July 29, 2019

Melissa preaching May 19, 2019

Hebrews 4:14 – 5:10 & Matthew 26:36-40 Melissa works at clearing up misconceptions we often have and reconciling some of our notions of the sacrificial system of the Old Testament and Jesus’ life and crucifixion. We were forgiven long before we knew we needed forgiving.

Sacrifices & Finding Life – July 28, 2019

Tagged With: crucifixion, Gospel of Matthew, Hebrews, Melissa Florer-Bixler, sacrifice

In Hope We are Saved – June 30, 2019

July 4, 2019

Melissa preaching at RMC on June 30, 2019

Romans 8:18-30 Hope seen through Arethra Franklin, the Holy Spirit, and our own congregation.

In Hope We are Saved – June 30, 2019

Tagged With: Aretha Franklin, hope, Melissa Florer-Bixler, Romans

Finding God in Unexpected Places – June 16, 2019

June 23, 2019

Melissa preaching at RMC on May 12, 2019

Psalm 9, Isaiah 53:4-9 This Sunday the service used the music of Patty Griffin to tell stories of a God who is present in the messiness of life. What does the Gospel of Jesus Christ have to say to those with their backs against the wall? The scriptures tell us the answer: God is there […]

Finding God in Unexpected Places – June 16, 2019

Tagged With: Isaiah, Melissa Florer-Bixler, Patty Griffin, Psalms

The Unknown God – May 26, 2019

May 26, 2019

Melissa preaching May 19, 2019

The Unknown God – May 26, 2019

Tagged With: Acts, Melissa Florer-Bixler

Breaking down prison walls – May 19, 2019

May 19, 2019

Melissa preaching May 19, 2019

Acts 16:16-40 RMC has been part of an interfaith group that spends time at the NC women’s prison, celebrating birthdays and sharing times of worship. Prisons are created to get people out of the way. They did in the day of Paul and Silas, and they do so today. As Willy Jennings has said, prisons […]

Breaking down prison walls – May 19, 2019

Tagged With: Acts, Melissa Florer-Bixler, Paul, prison, Silas

Decisionmaking in the Church – May 12, 2019

May 12, 2019

Melissa preaching at RMC on May 12, 2019

Acts 15:1-29 While the passage is specifically about whether male Gentiles who followed the Way of Jesus needed to be circumcised, Melissa explains this really speaks to the broader decision-making process within the early church. We think we have difficulty coming to a consensus as a church; this was a much more volatile issue! Note: […]

Decisionmaking in the Church – May 12, 2019

Tagged With: Acts, church, decisionmaking, Melissa Florer-Bixler

Encounters with Jesus – May 5, 2019

May 8, 2019

Melissa speaking at the Dec. 24, 2018 Christmas Eve service.

Acts 9:1-19 Melissa’s retelling of the story of Saul on the road to Damascus brings a fresh perspective. Experiencing Jesus changes us. God is no longer a set of propositions, no longer a belief system that needs to be defended by logic. Instead, faith is seen in how our life is lived.

Encounters with Jesus – May 5, 2019

Tagged With: Acts, Damascus, faith, Melissa Florer-Bixler, Saul, trust

The Resurrection Reorders Life – April 21, 2019

April 21, 2019

Matthew 28:1-15 Melissa tells us there were two very different realities that Sunday morning, three days after Jesus had been crucified. The contrast between the Jewish women and the Roman soldiers at the grave couldn’t have been greater. The Easter story is a story of grace. It’s a reordering of life. We’re encouraged to let […]

The Resurrection Reorders Life – April 21, 2019

Tagged With: Easter, Gospel of Matthew, Melissa Florer-Bixler, resurrection

The Questions of Holy Week – April 14, 2019

April 14, 2019

Melissa preaching

Matthew 21:1-17 It’s Palm Sunday. The day we celebrate Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem as the King of Peace. But Jerusalem is a powder keg at Passover, and Jesus tosses in a match. It’s not unlike the unrest during the Civil Rights movement, when activists carried out a series of non-violent direct actions, pushing against […]

The Questions of Holy Week – April 14, 2019

Tagged With: Gospel of Matthew, Melissa Florer-Bixler, Palm Sunday

Come home – April 7, 2019

April 7, 2019

Melissa preaching at RMC, April 7, 2019

Matthew 25:31-46 Johnny Cash plays heavily in Melissa’s sermon today. In fact, the service included listening to one of his songs that talks about today’s parable of God’s judgment, separating the sheep from the goats. When I hear Johnny saying God’s going to cut you down, or Jesus preaching the story that might make our […]

Come home – April 7, 2019

Tagged With: Gospel of Matthew, Johnny Cash, judgement day, Melissa Florer-Bixler, parables

Stay Awake! – March 31, 2019

April 7, 2019

Melissa speaking at the Dec. 24, 2018 Christmas Eve service.

Matthew 25 & 26 Melissa places the parable of the bridesmaids waiting for the groom at the wedding in the larger context of parables around it. All of you who call yourselves followers of Jesus, now is the time! Stop getting distracted. Focus on what we are called to do. We need to find Jesus […]

Stay Awake! – March 31, 2019

Tagged With: Gospel of Matthew, Melissa Florer-Bixler, parables

The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard – March 17, 2019

March 18, 2019

Melissa speaking at the Dec. 24, 2018 Christmas Eve service.

Matthew 20:1-16 A farmer hires workers throughout the day. Some work all day others just short time but the farmer pays all of them the same wages. This may not be fair but it is right. God does not bless people according to title, power, salary or any measure, God’s grace is freely given to […]

The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard – March 17, 2019

Tagged With: Gospel of Matthew, Melissa Florer-Bixler, parables

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121 Hillsborough St.
Raleigh, NC 27603

Phone: 919-831-2969

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