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…
“Old Paul, New Paul” — Introduction to the Preaching Series on Paul October 5, 2008 Doug Johnson Hatlem & Tim Schmucker Tim: Today the Preaching Team begins a seven-Sunday series on Paul. Doug: The Apostle Paul. Tim: Yes, that’s how many of us learned his name in Sunday School. Doug: Well, other than Jesus, no Biblical figure is larger in our faith story than Paul. Tim: Paul has shaped post-Jesus Christianity…
From There to Here September 28, 2008 David Brubacher Text: Exodus 17:1-7 Exodus 3 How do we get from there to here and from here to there? In many respects, that’s the question we have been asking in the last months as we have reconsidered TUMC’s identity and purpose. Another aspect of the question is, “By whose strength do we get from there to here, and from here to there?” The obvious answer is, “By…
Light for Life’s Path September 14, 2008 David Brubacher Text: Psalm 119:105-112 Matthew 5:13-16 In preparation for this sermon I pondered some of the earliest influences that shone a light of faith my life path. Of course there was my mother. She was just always there providing nurture much as I understand God even to this day. My dad was a role model for life and encouraged my developing technical skills. In his own quiet way…
Faith on the Off-Beat August 24, 2008 David Brubacher Text: Exodus 1:8-2:10 Romans 12:1-8 Introduction: I have always liked things to work. As a young boy I remember struggling with a gate on my grandfather’s farm. The gate dragged on the ground because a major support piece was broken. Things like that frustrate me. Talk about frustration! As I was getting ready to work on this sermon, I was having difficulty with our computer.…