Hear a different interpretation of the story of the sisters Martha and Mary, one that doesn’t pit woman against woman and might actually encourage all the busy Marthas we know … even the one we see in the mirror!
Listen to the full sermon here.
Featured Image Credit: Mary and Martha with Jesus. PD from Pexels.
The story of the good Samaritan inspires us to see and help neighbors wherever we go, not only in those in close proximity.
How can we incorporate this practice into our daily lives?
Listen in – download the full sermon here.
Featured Image Credit: The Good Samaritan, by Eugene Delacroix, c. 1852
“We’re good with giving, but not so much with receiving. Naaman shows us that very well,” says Rev. Lisa Heckman. “Yet when we open ourselves to receiving, we allow someone else to have the joy of giving. And we find that being self-sufficient isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”
Can being more open to receiving gracefully make a difference?
Download: Listen to the full sermon from Sunday, July 7, 2019.
Feature Image Credit: Christ Washing the Feet of His Disciples, by Jacopo Tintoretto, c. 1547. PD Wikimedia.
Guest speaker, Zach Dubord, invites us to reflect on the question, “No Joy Allowed?”
Rev. Lisa gives this summary of Sunday’s sermon:
“We all have some kind of demons we battle: our extensive to-do lists, the voices from our childhood, the culture telling us what we should say, what we should think, how we should act, who we should be.
Jesus meets us in our out-of-the-way places and quiets the noise inside our heads, telling us we are good enough, we are worthy, we are loved.”
Download and listen to the full 6/23/2019 sermon here.
Featured Image Credit: Illuminated Forest Path. Image from Jplenio, Pixabay’s Nature Gallery. PD.
With the first creation story (Genesis 1:1 – 2:4a) and David’s song from Psalm 8, we explore the many ways we know and experience God on this Trinity Sunday and Father’s Day.
Listen to the full sermon here.
Feature Image Credit: The Creation (c. 1896–1902) by James Tissot. PD, Wikimedia.
When the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, it enabled Jesus’ followers to declare the wonderful love of God given thru the Resurrection.
The message was heard by thousands in Jerusalem for a holy festival, but miraculously, each heard the message in his/her native language.
God speaks our language and comes to us in our messiness, meeting us right where we are.
Listen to the full sermon here.
Grace and Peace!
Rev. Lisa
Featured Image Credit: Mosaic of Pentecost in the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis. Photo by Pete Unseth. CC-SSA, Wikimedia.
Pastor’s Ponderings
Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely.
~Psalm 139:4The single biggest problem in communication
is the illusion that it has taken place.
~George Bernard Shaw
Communication is so important! How could we ever live together in
families, work cooperatively, get anything done, and show our love and emotions, if we couldn’t express ourselves and be understood?
In a lovely psalm of being known by God, the Psalmist says God even
knows what we’ll say before we say it.
Unfortunately that’s not the case of us humans for one another!
Far more true is the quote from Bernard Shaw. How many times have you shared with your friend, spouse, or child something that has happened, only to hear them say later, “You never told me that!”?
All too frequently in the church we put announcements in the bulletin and in the newsletter, share during worship, even send out a special email regarding an upcoming event, then have someone indignantly proclaim: “I didn’t know that was happening!”
One of the difficulties with communications today is the sheer amount of information bombarding us. We’re overloaded. It is hard to take it all in.
Experts say that a message has to be given 10-12 times through a variety of means before it penetrates our consciousness. It’s no wonder things get missed!
Despite all that, please keep making the effort!
This wonderful congregation has so many worthwhile activities taking place and we extend our building to many outside groups as well.
That makes good communication — rather than operating in ‘siloes’ or assuming others’ know (or don’t need to know) — is really very important.
In church scheduling alone, considerate, proactive communication helps to avoid double booking and to keep everyone in the loop.
Before you announce an event, tell your group when your next meeting is, etc., please check with Li (Lisa Roth, our new church administrator) to make sure nothing else is on the calendar for the space and time you want.
Then keep Li in the loop for announcements, newsletter articles, and the website so the communications extend to the wider community.
Again, the more ways we can spread the word, the better!
God is doing good things in and among us. Let’s get the word out!
Grace and Peace,
This and more … read the full newsletter via the link below.
Read / download the full June Forecaster.
Featured Image Credit: The Archangel Gabriel (detail), c. 1430, by Masolino da Panicale. The Archangel Gabriel has been known as the Communicator!
The apostles were taught by Jesus how to live the Christ Life.
Then, after the Ascension of Christ 40 days following the Resurrection, they had to figure out how to “live and lead” the Christ Life without Jesus there to lead them.
Listen to the full sermon here.
Featured Image Credit: Helligåndskirken, Copenhagen, Denmark. Altarpiece. 24 August 2006 photo by Ib Rasmussen. PD Wikimedia.
Rev. Lisa Heckman delves into Psalm 148 and its example of abundant inclusivity — all are called to praise (including some that we’d rather not have around).
But then, isn’t the heart and work of that inclusivity (and so on) what being a Christian is all about?
Listen to the full 5/19 sermon here.
Featured Image Credit: People, by Geralt, PD image via Pixaby.
