“A Single Act” – Mark 1:21-28

Sermon by The Rev. Elizabeth N.H. Link from January 31, 2021. "The exorcism of the unclean spirit is Jesus’ first act in Mark. Jesus crosses into those spaces where no one else is willing to go. That’s who God is―that’s what God does. Jesus has ushered in God’s kingdom, opened up a future of possibility and hope, and equips us to live in that kingdom now. A single act. One man helped. A single lif...

“Freedom” – I Corinthians 9

Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from January 24, 2021. "'We live in the land of the free,' say we as Americans. But as Christians, should we not then choose how to be free? Being free in Christ is to say 'No' to what is false, what destroys, what is evil and what is selfish; and to say 'Yes' to what is true, what heals, what is good, and what is loving. That’s the freedom of...

“The Voice to Trust” – Mark 1:1-15

Sermon by The Rev. Jen Brothers from January 17, 2021. "God’s reign has come near, Jesus said. And then he came closer to show us what God’s reign looks like. He healed diseases of the body and mind, he brought dignity to women and immigrants. He challenged the civic values and religious practices that created boundaries between people. He welcomed everyone to the table, and he spoke out agai...

“Order” – Genesis 1:1-10, Mark 5:1-20

Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from January 10, 2021. "Do not wait for chaos to be calmed in the nation before finding order within. Right now, we can center ourselves on God’s love, we can remind ourselves of the virtues that should guide us, and we can commit ourselves to making a witness without insisting that we have to win or be seen as right."

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“Happiness” – Matthew 5:3-12

Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from January 3, 2021. "How did we handle the circumstances of the year? ...was it possible that some of us could have been happier even under the circumstances? Jesus says we can, but to get what it is he is saying is possible―what he might even be offering as a gift to us―we need to understand what sort of happiness Jesus is talking about."

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“About the Child” – Luke 2:22-40

Sermon by The Rev. Elizabeth N.H. Link from December 27, 2020. "As we approach a new year, may we be reminded of the call to lean into the future with hope. We know not what 2021 holds for us, but we do know that God goes before us. The trials of this life aren’t easy. The trials of this past year have not been easy. But we worship a Savior who became flesh and dwelt among us. Who chose to walk...

"Love" – Matthew 1:18-25 Part IV of the Advent sermon series, "What Can't Wait?"

Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from the fourth Sunday of Advent, December 20, 2020. "But God wants more of Joseph than good behavior. In fact, God wants more goodness than Joseph can willfully give on his own. And what happens next can only be described as a conversion of Joseph’s insides; a conversion of his soul, his heart,...

"Joy" – Isaiah 35:1-10, Luke 1:46-55 Part III of the Advent sermon series, "What Can't Wait?"

Sermon by The Rev. Elizabeth N.H. Link from the third Sunday of Advent, December 13, 2020. "A word of joy may seem out of place this year. But it is exactly the word a people of faith are commanded to proclaim. Ours is the joy of Isaiah in the exile. Ours is the joy of Mary in a world that gives her no voice. Ours ...

"Peace" – Jeremiah 6:13-15, Luke 2:8-14 Part II of the Advent sermon series, "What Can't Wait?"

Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from the second Sunday of Advent, December 6, 2020. "Peace for Jeremiah is going to have to be busy, disruptive, lively, active, noisy. It is going to be that way because the peace the prophet looks for, that peace that the Bible calls “Shalom,” is something alive and working. Sha...

"God’s Promised Day of Hope Can’t Wait" – Isaiah 2:1-5 Part I of the Advent sermon series, "What Can't Wait?"

Sermon by Jen Brothers from the first Sunday of Advent, November 29, 2020. "Despite what things may seem . . . Christians throughout the world are this day lighting the candle of hope. But we don’t stop at candle lighting. God’s coming new day asks something of us . . . To walk toward God’s presence...

"Giving in Is Not Giving Up" – Acts 28:17-31 Part X of the sermon series, "Catching Up With the Spirit."

Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Sunday, November 22, 2020. "We have to strive to be better, to do better, to better our world—to promote dignity, to fight against injustice and corruption, to promote the moral rule of Law in personal and communal life. But we do so because we are called to it—called to...

"More" – Acts 19:1-7 Part IX of the sermon series, "Catching Up With the Spirit."

Sermon by Jen Brothers from November 15, 2020. "What strikes me most throughout the book of Acts is how unafraid Christ’s disciples seem to be. They are not afraid to change their minds. They are not afraid to try something new. They are not afraid to dream and hope and work for a better day. They are not afraid because they are c...

"Toward Light and Life" – Acts 17:16-34 Part VIII of the sermon series, "Catching Up With the Spirit."

Sermon by The Rev. Elizabeth N.H. Link from November 8, 2020. "So, what do we say to those radically different? We start by recognizing the other’s search for something deeper, for something more. We start by remembering each person is 'God’s offspring,' God’s child whom God loves. We start with genuin...

"Forward Remembering" – Acts 2:22-36 Part VII of the sermon series, "Catching Up With the Spirit."

Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from All Saints Sunday, November 1, 2020. "If I could summarize Peter’s sermon it would be to say that he is remembering forward. He remembers David who sees a future for himself because he is forgiven. He remembers Jesus who died, but whose sermons, teachings and works of kindness...

"The Community That Refuses to Break" – Acts 15:1-21 Part VI of the sermon series, "Catching Up With the Spirit."

Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from October 25, 2020. "The solution is not perfect, but it is a beautiful miracle. . . . The Jews in Jerusalem somehow found it within themselves not 'to settle for the love of their own people but surrender to a love that creates people.' That’s a great way...

"The Revolution Comes to Us" –  Acts 10:1-23a Part V of the sermon series, "Catching Up With the Spirit."

Sermon by The Rev. Elizabeth N.H. Link from October 18, 2020. "Throughout the New Testament, it’s like we are seeing Peter’s conversion and reconversion over and over again. God is continually revealing more of God’s self and God’s plan―and with each revelation comes a revolution, a change, an opening. God’...

"What We Fled Has Found Us" – Matthew 14:13-21

Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Commitment Sunday, October 11, 2020. "And what do you think happens when you are in small groups and someone begins to share with them? It is easy to imagine that they look in their own bags to see what they have. . . . In other words, it turns out that the crowd doesn’t just have needs, it has resources. And when they are given the ri...