God was absurdly un-strategic when he entered the world. People expected to find him as a King in a palace, or at least born into a wealthy, well-connected family. Instead, he was born in a barn to a dirt-poor father and mother who were bewildered and exhausted. Then the family moves to the small unremarkable…
A Place of Grace
Sermons (Page 53)
Today at St. Mark it was all about the water. During Pastor Eric’s children’s sermon, he gave the kids each a small tree branch, had them dip it in the font and go out into the congregation and share the water with swooping sprinkles…in essence to remember our baptism. It’s all about the water. We…
On this Second Sunday of Christmas, one of our St. Mark youth, Lisha, shared the Gospel of Matthew 5:13-16. In part, it says…“Let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works, and give glory to your father in heaven.” God’s grace frees us to care, and to do good works.…
This first Sunday after Christmas was a one service day. We heard lessons and sang Christmas carols and heard the story of their individual creation. During children’s time, John Martin talked about and then read us the story of one man’s awakening to the meaning of Jesus being born in a manger. It has to…
Merry Christmas! Pastor Eric quoted what Pastor Beth recently said…..” We are all part of the Holy Family. We need each other and we can’t do it alone.” Listen to hear how this is part of the Christmas story. Christmas Eve
Life is not always easy. We long for “the light”. We desperately want to remember that “the light shines in the darkness and the darkness does not overcome it”. God always comes to us, often unannounced, and especially in the midst of the storm, to point us towards the light. During this time of year,…
On this Third Sunday of Advent we have no mention of shepherds nor angels but of John the Baptist who was a voice of one crying out in the wilderness pointing us to Jesus. Pastor Beth read Andrew King’s poem ‘Voice of John’ and suggested that at this time of year, when we have long,…
The beginning of the Gospel of Mark is the beginning of the good news. John the Baptist the truth-teller, says “Something is coming and it is big”! Throughout the chapter, the theme is…Jesus is always ahead of us, and God will be waiting. God’s grace is waiting, regardless. It is available to everyone, especially if you…
God is the potter and each of us is God’s work of art. Our world is not the way God created it to be. We are not the way God created us to be. Isaiah (64: 1-9) cried out, “You have hidden your face from us!” Pastor Beth reminds us that Advent is a time…
What does it mean to have Christ reign in your life? Pastor Beth asked four members of St. Mark’s congregation to reflect on this question and share their thoughts at both services on November 23, Christ The King Sunday. For Jenny G, her mother’s writings, her favorite Psalm, 139, and many other sources helped her sort out her beliefs. But her…