This first Sunday after Christmas was a one service day. We heard lessons and sang Christmas carols and heard the story of their individual creation. During children’s time, John Martin talked about and then read us the story of one man’s awakening to the meaning of Jesus being born in a manger. It has to…
A Place of Grace
Sermons (Page 50)
Merry Christmas! Pastor Eric quoted what Pastor Beth recently said…..” We are all part of the Holy Family. We need each other and we can’t do it alone.” Listen to hear how this is part of the Christmas story. Christmas Eve
Life is not always easy. We long for “the light”. We desperately want to remember that “the light shines in the darkness and the darkness does not overcome it”. God always comes to us, often unannounced, and especially in the midst of the storm, to point us towards the light. During this time of year,…
On this Third Sunday of Advent we have no mention of shepherds nor angels but of John the Baptist who was a voice of one crying out in the wilderness pointing us to Jesus. Pastor Beth read Andrew King’s poem ‘Voice of John’ and suggested that at this time of year, when we have long,…
The beginning of the Gospel of Mark is the beginning of the good news. John the Baptist the truth-teller, says “Something is coming and it is big”! Throughout the chapter, the theme is…Jesus is always ahead of us, and God will be waiting. God’s grace is waiting, regardless. It is available to everyone, especially if you…
God is the potter and each of us is God’s work of art. Our world is not the way God created it to be. We are not the way God created us to be. Isaiah (64: 1-9) cried out, “You have hidden your face from us!” Pastor Beth reminds us that Advent is a time…
What does it mean to have Christ reign in your life? Pastor Beth asked four members of St. Mark’s congregation to reflect on this question and share their thoughts at both services on November 23, Christ The King Sunday. For Jenny G, her mother’s writings, her favorite Psalm, 139, and many other sources helped her sort out her beliefs. But her…
On Sunday, November 23, we celebrate the end of our liturgical church year with Christ the King and The Reign of Christ. At our 8:30 and 11:00 worship services, four members of St. Mark (Jenny G., Brian S., Gary D., and Gail F.) will reflect upon what it means to them that Christ reigns in…
Pastor Eric preached on the big message of Matthew’s gospel, 25:14-30…”In the meantime, I am with you always.” The image, on the front of our Sunday bulletin, portrayed three servants who are part of the parable concerning the use of the talents (huge sums of money) given to them by their master. Two are dressed…
Retired Pastor David Nelson preached today. The Gospel spoke of the foolish bridesmaids that missed out on the wedding because they ran out of oil in their lamps and were shut out of the wedding feast. Whether this is an allegory or a parable, it is difficult to understand why God would shut anyone out…