A Subversive Welcome Epiphany January 4, 2009David Brubacher Texts: Matthew 2:1-12 Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14 Most of us love a good story. Good stories, when they are really good, get under our skin to touch us in the depth of our being and cause us to change our mind. The story of Epiphany as we have heard it in the scriptures read today is a story like that. It is a subversive story. Stories,…
God’s Grace Embodied IV Advent December 21, 2008David Brubacher Texts: II Samuel 7:1-11, 16 Luke 1:26-38, 46-55 Somewhere within most of us there is a young child that likes to have its own way. That child can become so focused on the matter at hand that it insists on having its way. We might even throw a tantrum. Rage grips us as we perceive the injustice that keeps us from our desired objective.…
Something Old, Something New II Advent December 7, 2008 David Brubacher Texts: Isaiah 40:1-11 Mark 1:1-8 My father-in-law always wore his glasses to eat. “Food tastes better that way,” he reasoned. He was suggesting seeing enhances taste. Today the conversation between our scriptures and our Advent theme reflects something of one sense enhancing another. Our theme, Let Your Face Shine, explores the faces of God shining upon us so that we might be saved.…
Where is God? I Advent November 30, 2008 David Brubacher Texts: Isaiah 64:1-9 Mark 13:24-37 When our children were young, the Where is Waldo? books were popular with children, and adults. In a busy landscape of people and social activity the idea was to see how many times you could locate Waldo. Turning the book at different angles helped. Today is I Advent. Our Advent theme, Let your face shine, invites us to…
Justice or Benevolence in Paul’s New Creation? Sermon VI in the “New Paul” series November 16, 2008 Tim Schmucker Texts: 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, 8:1-24 Ephesians 6:10-20 I’ve got to be honest with you this morning. This sermon’s about money; how we use money, how we accumulate money, how we share it, and how we don’t. It’s about money, and I’m nervous. You see, no matter if I’m preaching on Paul or Jesus or the…
Wrestling with Principalities and Powers in a post-Christian World Sermon V in the “New Paul” series November 9, 2008 Aldred Neufeldt Texts: Psalm 93 Ephesians 6:10-20 Introduction My commission in our series on the Apostle Paul’s letters to early church communities is to consider what he said about Powers and Principalities. What could be more appropriate on this Sunday before November 11 – Peace Sunday, a day when we as Mennonite and Brethren…
Paul’s Understanding of Grace November 2, 2008 Jonathan Slater There are some things in Paul’s letters that are hard to understand, and which have been interpreted and used in ways that have been harmful. Which is not to say that we should not read him, but be forewarned so that you don’t get “carried away with the error of the lawless and lose your own stability.” (2 Peter 3:16-17) This warning from the second…
Paul as a Jew October 19, 2008 Michele Rizoli Text: Romans 11:1-4, 13-24 There’s a curious ad campaign going on lately on TV for diamond Shreddies cereal. Shreddies are square little pieces of shredded whole wheat.(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqRtynIV96E) The ad shows a worker watching a conveyer belt with little squares running by. Suddenly he looks down and the squares have turned and now they look like diamonds. The frightened worker hits a big red emergency button and…
Thanksgiving Sunday October 12, 2008 Jodie Boyer Hatlem I. Intro The task set before me for this week as a member of the “preaching team” felt complicated. I like lectionary preaching because I hate making decisions. This week I had decisions to make. This week I am suppose to speak on: the “New Paul”, about the church, in a service set aside for Thanksgiving, and– I am suppose to choose the text—myself—out of the…
Participating in Christ Jesus October 5, 2008 David Brubacher Text: Galatians 3:15-29 Psalm 43 Thirty five years ago I was in spiritual turmoil. In my religious context dos and don’ts – mostly don’ts – pointed the way. Hedges of shame kept one from wandering too far off the path. My well developed conscience told me I had walked too far into the world of don’ts. Lest you start speculating about the don’ts, let me assure…