What are the limits of forgiving? Should we forgive our enemies, no matter the magnitude of their harm? Do we forgive a friend or family member when they hurt us so badly we do not see a way through the hurt? What about those we don’t know well, yet judge to be sinners? As Jesus advised…
A Place of Grace
Sermons (Page 39)
Our Children’s Time talk this morning was a wonderful story about two brothers who due to a disagreement decide to build a wall between their adjoining properties. Listen to the audio below of this tale as the intervention of a third party changes the construction from a wall to a bridge and the impact that…
Today is the 14th Sunday after Pentecost and today’s gospel, Matthew 18:15-20, talks of situations having to do with church discipline. Pastor Beth asked us if we remembered a TV game show called: The Weakest Link Contestants were voted off the show one by one as they were selected by the other contestants and had…
When Jesus revealed the purpose of his ministry, the words were hard to accept by his disciples. Jesus told them he must go to Jerusalem and “undergo great suffering…and be killed.” When Peter began to question him, Jesus reminded Peter that he was dwelling on human things rather than divine things. Jesus asks us to…
Pastor Eric’s sermon was based on the 16th Chapter of Matthew where Jesus asks his disciples who they think he is. Peter tells Jesus that he is the Messiah, the Son of God. Jesus, pleased with Peter’s response, tells him that he is the “rock” on which the church will be built, and that he…
It is hard to believe the violence and hatred seen recently in the media is actually happening in our time, in our country. Pastor Beth encouraged us that in times like this we especially need to remember God’s dream for us to live as a family. The Word of God challenges us, convicts us and…
Pastor Eric attempted to walk on water today, to illustrate in the Children’s’ Sermon that miracles are extraordinary moments in ordinary lives. He gave the children ice cubes to remember the story, along with a reminder to notice the miracles that happen in our lives every day. In today’s Gospel, Matthew 14: 22-33, Jesus comes…
Picture this…the setting is a market in Jesus’s times, with a merchant behind a fish stand bearing a sign above it…”Fishes: Buy 2, Get 5000 Free”. Our Gospel for today, Matthew 14, tells the story a bit differently. The crowd was tired and hungry and Jesus told his disciples to feed them. There was nothing…
Today’s Gospel is by Matthew, the 13th chapter, in which the story of the mustard seed parable is told. Jesus told the crowds many parables. The word parable means to throw aside. These were stories that Jesus threw out to his followers. They were often a mystery that wove the crowds into and then out…
When we pray, we most often ask for God’s blessings for those we love, those who are struggling or suffering, or perhaps for those we respect for doing good works in our communities or in the world. However, we may be hesitant to pray for individuals doing harm to others or who are just plain…