Advent 2 - December 4, 2022 Contrasting Prophets by Michael Swartz Prophets are people who speak for God.  And today we have the message of two prophets; John the Baptist and Isaiah.  There are many prophets named in the scripture - Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk. ...

SERMON ADVENT 1 - 2022 Michael Swartz   Everything is a crisis. On the way to our daughter Taylor's house in Minnesota for the Thanksgiving holiday I heard my umpteenth story about the crisis of the cost of Thanksgiving and inflation.  Cost of turkey, cost of...

National Holiday Thanksgiving 2022 By Michael Swartz I have served now two UCC churches with roots in the Congregational side of our faith family since I retired in 2012.  You remember that the UCC was formed when the Evangelical and Reformed Church, our side of the...

All Aboard Stewardship 4 - 2022 Michael Swartz As a Gospel train rolling down the tracks we welcome passengers onto the train.  All Aboard!  A train is public transit, so on one level it is open to everyone.  Most trains ask for tickets.  You get on a particular train...

Loyal Stewardship 3 - Trains November 6, 2022 - All Saints Sunday, Church of Peace Michael Swartz The word "Loyal" describes relationship.  The word itself derives is related to the word "legitimate."  When a relationship is genuine, when it is legitimate it is...

Stewardship Two - Location Asset for Ministry October 30, 2022 Michael Swartz     "If we were a mission minded people coming to this area, this would be a strategic location for mission and ministry."  This is my take on the report of the Self Study...

We love God October 23, 2022 - Stewardship One Church of Peace Michael Swartz One of the major developments in church in the last 50 years has been computers and printers.  Publications look better and better, photographs are commonplace in bulletins and newsletters. ...

Persistence October 16, 2022 - Proper 24 Luke 18:1-8 Michael Swartz Luke 18:1-8 Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart.  He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people.  In...

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2022 CHURCH OF PEACE WORLD COMMUNION Sunday Pastor Michael Swartz   In the gospel the disciples ask Jesus, "increase our faith." One way to understand the cumulative power of worshipping together on Sunday mornings is to develop an enriched language...

Lazarus Treasure in Heaven September 25, 2022 - Peace Rev. Michael Swartz Luke 16: 19-31 The Rich Man and Lazarus 19 ‘There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus,...