a reason for hope…

Have you ever felt like everything was falling apart around you? 3 months ago I resigned my call as pastor of a congregation, and I have been looking for a congregation to go to as leader for a long time… I have tried to keep it together for my children and my wife… But IContinue reading “a reason for hope…”

chose who…

John 15:9-17 continues the gospel lesson from last week, the final discourse from John where Jesus teaches the disciples about the vines and branches. How we are all interconnected… We are all branches and leaves interconnected to the vine. We get cut off and thrown away, or pruned back so we produce more fruit. And because weContinue reading “chose who…”

to serve or to be served?

Why do you go to church? Ok that was a trick question, we can not go to church, we are the church.  We are the body of Christ in the world. We are charged with showing forth the love Christ has given to all of us. But why are you a part of a communityContinue reading “to serve or to be served?”

A new song…

Psalm 98 starts “O sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvellous things.” Sing to the Lord a new song. New is a scary word for us in the church… Most of us like the tried and true methods of doing things, and the songs from our youth. It is comfortable, like that old pairContinue reading “A new song…”

no partiality

Our reading for today is from Acts 10:1-34 – please take a moment to read it… It is the story of Peter going to Cornelius’ house… it includes the sheet being lowered from Heaven with the unclean/non kosher animals on it and Peter being told to eat from it. Peter says he has never eaten anything thatContinue reading “no partiality”

Orphaned

Have you ever lost your parents? Been walking in a store and looking at your favorite toy and turn around and they are not there… You are alone. No one around. Now this is not the same as being orphaned. But for that moment you do not know what to do or where to go.Continue reading “Orphaned”

Restore us…

I was taking my girls to school this morning and Stronger by Mandisa came on KSBJ. Here is the first verse: Hey, heard you were up all night Thinking about how your world ain’t right And you wonder if things will ever get better And you’re asking why is it always raining on you WhenContinue reading “Restore us…”

Live by the Spirit

Paul tells the Galatians to live by the Spirit. To not live by the flesh because the Spirit and the flesh are opposed to each other and we are to live in the Spirit to keep us from doing what we want to do… Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify theContinue reading “Live by the Spirit”

pruned…

John tells us the I am statements of Jesus. These are important because I am is the name that God gave to Moses at the burning bush. I am is the name of God. And in John Jesus expands on this understanding through  the I am statements. This Sunday’s I am is the vine. WeContinue reading “pruned…”

Mustard…

Mark 4:30-32 ESV And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it?  It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth,  yet when it is sown it grows up andContinue reading “Mustard…”