“You are the salt of the earth.” This is the pronouncement Jesus gave in the Gospel of Matthew (5:13), for the 5th Sunday after Epiphany. In his sermon based on this Gospel, Pastor Eric said that when salt is added to food, it disappears and creates a flavorful, savory taste. It gives depth to the recipe and draws out…
In Sunday’s Gospel, Matthew 5: 1-12, Jesus names those who are blessed in the “reign of God”. He pronounces blessings on the outcasts, the sinners, the unwelcome and the spiritually poor, and he made their broken world a new world. These Beatitudes created a new reality for the crowds who followed him. When our world seems…
The 3rd Sunday after Epiphany has Jesus beginning his public ministry by calling fishers to leave their nets and follow him to be fishers of people. Matthew 4:12-23 tells the story of this calling and mentions that Jesus left his home in Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum where he settled in. Pastor Eric…
So, what is your name? Most of us will respond with our first, middle and last name. Once in a while, someone (thanks Ken L!) will answer,”I am a loved child of God.” As Pastor Beth pointed out on this second Sunday of Epiphany, NAMES are an important part of our identity. God says, “I…
The Baptismal Font is central to who we are but why did Jesus need to be Baptized? In Matthew 3:13-17, even John the Baptist questions why Jesus has come to him and asked to be Baptized. Pastor Eric said being Baptized is a gift, a good thing to do, a right thing to do. He…
On this first Sunday after Christmas Pastor Beth wished us all a resounding, “Happy New Year!”, and shared some quotes and statistics about the “happiness factor”. It was a surprise to learn that research lists the USA as the 12th happiest country in the world. Pastor Beth suggests that happiness is not merely a destination,…
Remember what is written on the the shampoo bottle? “Lather. Rinse. Repeat.” On this joyous night, Christmas Eve, Pastor Eric reminded us that Jesus comes to us in repeated ways. We repeat the sounding joy of his birth in everything we do. We feel his presence every week in communion. We hear his voice in…
Do you remember the TV show ‘Fear Factor’ where people had to compete against each other and face their fears? What makes you feel afraid? How often do you make decisions based on a fear? Fear motivates us in different ways and it can be crippling. Fear can keep us from living fully as God…
We lost a friend and brother in Christ. Jim Spaid passed away Friday night after performing the Hallelujah Chorus with the Olympia Choral Society. Pastor Eric, who is also a member of OCS, was with Jim when he passed. During Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Eric took some time to speak about Jim. More than living fully,…
Pastor Beth shared a confession with us this morning. And then a story. She went on to say that this week she had noticed a man walking down Pacific Ave. who was yelling as he walked which reminded her that this is not the most wonderful time of the year for everyone. Blue, in a…