SUMMER AT HOME - 2020

What does it mean to be the church? To be Christian? Find out the meaning of these words and how to live as the church beyond the building in this sermon for June 21, 2020.

When something mechanical breaks, it can be a messy process getting to the problem, fixing it, and making the item useful again. Similarly, in our relationship with God, assessing and resolving problems can be messy and painful. However, when we allow God to search us and mend our brokenness, we may be restored to usefulness according to our intended design. This sermon looks at Psalm 139 and a brief look at the Christian prayer of Examen according Ignatius of Loyola. For the article referenced, please click on this link: https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/...

We don't like to wait. However, there are times in life when things outside of our control cause us to stop and wait. What do we do with times like this? In this message, we explore life lessons from Jeremiah 29.

Have you ever had a call drop without knowing it while you were in the middle of a lengthy conversation, only to be met by silence? Such one-way conversations do not qualify as communication. Prayer is not one way, but a mutual exchange of wishes and desires. This sermon examines the instructions in Jude 1:20-23, continually to "build yourselves up in the faith." If you listen to the end, you may even hear God calling you.

Have you ever set out on a vacation only to realize that you forgot something very important? So, you turn around, head home, grab the items, and set back out on your journey frustrated and rushed. Although there is a place for spontaneity, it is important to be prepared for vacations and in many aspects of life. We often practice prayer in a reactionary way, responding to crisis. Have you ever thought of prayer proactively?

We all probably have a tendency to be strong willed in various ways. Praying "Thy will be done" can be difficult. However, when we know God's love and care for us, when we consider that God knows everything and has our best and the greater good in mind, there is no other place to be but in the will of God.

In making cookies, it is important to include the right ingredients and the right amounts of those ingredients. If we consider the things that go into our minds as ingredients for our attitudes and actions, it is important that we are including the right ingredients in the appropriate amounts. Our media sources like to encourage news stories that leave us angry and frustrated. What would happen if instead, we filled our minds with that which motivates us to love and good deeds? Here, we look to Psalm 119 for counsel.

We have routines for everything including how we may brush our teeth to the order in which we get dressed in the morning. Routine is good and necessary. That is, as long as it doesn't lead us into a rut. There are numerous examples of the value of routine in prayer. Designated times, places, and structures enable us to remain connected to God.

As we looked at last week, there is a place for routine and structure in prayer. However, we are not limited to these routines. In Jesus' teaching on prayer, he gave permission to go beyond the routine and "bother" God any time, day or night. Find out more as we examine Luke 11 together.

In this series on prayer, we have examined Jesus' teaching in Luke 11. We looked at the importance of being planned, scheduled, and intentional in prayer; we also discussed the value of spontaneity in prayer in times of heartfelt need. In this sermon, we see the aspect of Jesus' teaching which moves prayer outside of structured time and beyond the cries in times of emergency to an ongoing lifestyle of interacting with God.

This video concludes the sermon series on Jesus' teaching on prayer found in Luke 11:1-13. We have examined the outline of Jesus' instructions, looking at the need for structured, planned, and intentional prayer; the place for spontaneous and need-based prayer; and the lifestyle of continual connection with God through prayer. This message looks at good gifts and one amazing gift in particular which God desires to give.

In times of turmoil, uncertainty, and cultural divides, how are we to respond? This sermon explores the message found in 1 John 4 and the call to love.

David, the shepherd turned king, was also a prolific songwriter and poet. In this video, we reflect on the relationship between God and humankind as expressed in David's analogy including the shepherd and sheep in the twenty-third Psalm.