Mark 3:19b-35 Hear the good news in these words Jesus spoke to the crowd: “Here are my mother and brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” And you know— Jesus is talking about us. It’s like he’s telling the whole world: “Yeah don’t...

Matthew 25:37-40 and Leviticus 19:33-34 So far this summer, nearly every Sunday has featured a different need mentioned in Matthew Twenty-Five. When, O LORD, did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or naked? When were you sick and we took care of you, or in prison and we...

Matthew 25:37-40 and Acts 12:1-12 Whoever you are and wherever you are on life’s journey, I’m pretty sure. There’s something in your imagination and in mine that allows us to be wholly captivated by a compelling story. Stories just have that power. As human beings, we...

Introduction to the Scripture This summer we’re sharing a worship series on Caring and Service. You might have noticed that nearly every Sunday we’ve been hearing a short snippet from this famous parable. Hear these words from Matthew, Chapter Twenty-Five, verses...

John 4:1-14  (Matthew 25:34-35) Today we continue our summer series on Caring and Service, and once again, we hear a short snippet from the famous parable in Matthew Twenty-Five. It’s a story about a king whom we imagine is Jesus. All the people — the righteous and...

Isaiah 58:1-12 Fifty-one years ago today, New York police raided the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village. It would be correct to call the Stonewall Inn a gay bar. It would be more correct to call the Stonewall Inn a sanctuary, a refuge in a world where it was...

Matthew 22:1-14 and Matthew 25:37-40 Today we hear two scriptures; both come from the Gospel of Matthew; both have to do with having appropriate apparel. In the first scripture, Jesus is speaking to the crowd which includes his followers but also the chief priests and...

Exodus 16:1-15 and Matthew 25:34-35 Today we’re starting a new sermon series to give nourishment to our Summer of Caring and Service. We begin in the wilderness. I invite you to imagine how the people were feeling. Only a few months ago, they never thought they would...

1 Corinthians 15:1-22 A quote I repeat as often as I can comes from Adrienne Rich who said this: “When a woman tells the truth, she’s creating the possibility for more truth around her.” Adrienne Rich made this observation back in the seventies, but beginning a few...

1 Corinthians 1:10-31 The first time I read Mary Oliver’s poem “Wild Geese” I tripped over the first line, and I couldn’t get back up. As she explained in an interview, Mary Oliver began writing this poem while giving a demonstration on the impact of ending a line...