Just Sitting Here Thinking

In honor of Independence Day, we return to this timely discussion on the history of the church from the Holy Roman Empire to the Reformation, and the foundation of religious freedom in the American colonies up to today. (with Q&A)

The origins of Christian Nationalism in Rome through the 1600s, when Europeans fled to the American continent in order to escape persecution by national churches. Why a state religion historically alw...

For Easter, we revisit this lesson on St. Mark's account of Jesus' resurrection and the history of its translation and revision. The importance of the three women who discovered the empty tomb and the enigma of Joseph of Arimathea.

The closeness of Mark and Peter, and ending the story with the Great Commission: the message to spread the Good News, heal the sick and poor of spirit, and to be the power of Christ in the world.

Find th...

An inspiring sermon on embracing risk over our fear of failure. The importance of striving for what is out of reach.

Shying away from our talents out of insecurity, while our talents are gifts given from God for a unique purpose to serve God.

How failure can be healthy, to be used and overcome but never accepted. Where we find ourselves in circumstances compared to what we envision for ourselves.

The need for the church to take ris...

Sermon on Eden, earth, creation, and how greed and selfishness prevent us from sharing God's gifts with each other. God has made us caretakers, and we have become claim-jumpers claiming God's creation for our own.

Because we are the caretakers also of one another, how racism, prejudice, violence and mistreatment are an affront to God and the gift of all creation.

And how we treat ourselves and live our lives is how we treat God's m...

Paul's message to give affection for what is above. Not living on autopilot, with only the minimum effort required. Always challenging ourselves and setting goals beyond our ability in order to grow and to stay humble.

Building a relationship with God, and standing with courage and conviction for God's love.  The power of allowing our faith to widen our imagination and opportunities. Our invitation from God to live for something gr...

Sermon on pioneers in faith, Francis Asbury, the story of the circuit rider, and the urgent vitality of the United Methodist Church. 

The needs of people for us to minister have been constant, from arriving in colonial days to the Pittman Center in the twentieth century, and Methodists have always been ready to serve.

The power and importance of the connectional church as a collective fellowship of believers, focused and active in ...

Brief lesson on the promise of the coming savior in the 1st century A.D. Jesus' contemporaries under foreign oppression concentrated on the abundance of material blessing, not the spiritual awakening. Judea under Roman occupation envisioned the Messiah primarily as a military ruler.

Some, including Zealots, were intent on taking prophecy into their own hands, and believed they could force God's actions. Humankind can do nothing to ...

Sermon for a pastoral dedication on the call to ministry and feeling God's voice. The need for conviction to remain steadfast in your conscience, while keeping an open mind and submitting to trust in God.

Being informed, be able to be trusted, but not intellectualizing, meeting the needs of people with complex lives and sometimes heavy hearts.

Accepting, appreciating and loving them for who they are, without judgment. The challenge...

Lesson on the fundamental importance of grace and faith. Faith is our response to God. It must be a two-way relationship in order to deepen our connection and reveal God's presence in our lives.

Abraham is the father of our concept of faith, the first to make a covenant with God. God's call to Abraham to leave his homeland and create a new path. The conundrum of his call to sacrifice Isaac.

The legitimacy of both Isaac and Ishmael ...

Lesson on Paul and the church at Corinth, and reconciling with God in our lives. Paul's journey to live with the values he preached, his need to gain the peoples' trust, and the need for all of us to lead by example.

In Christ, there is a new life. But it comes differently, at different times for different people. Why not everyone who becomes a Christian feels a "conversion experience." John Wesley's example of a Christian wanting ...

"Who do you say that I am?" Lesson on Jesus' great question to the apostles and Peter's answer, "You are the Messiah, Son of the living God." (Matthew 16:16)

The true meaning of being the Messiah and fulfilling the prophecy. The difficulty for the apostles to accept the ultimate sacrifice, and their dedication to a life of discipleship.  Finding our own calling and hearing what God is asking each of us. The blessings that come with...