Sunday, August 23, 2026

Sermon: "Logos, in Terms of Legos", 2 Timothy 2:8-15 (August 23, 2026)

When I was growing up, my church had a weekly evening program for kids and youth, as many churches do. I don’t remember a whole lot about it, but I *do* remember how confusing I found the program’s name - “Logos”. At that point, I had zero knowledge of ancient Greek or Johannine theology, so my child-brain fished around in my existing frame of reference for a way to make sense out of this unfamiliar word. Without putting too much thought into it and based on absolutely nothing aside from phonetics, I found myself somehow associating this weekly gathering with the interlocking bricks that have defined countless childhoods  - Legos. 

Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Liturgy: Words, 2 Timothy 2:8-15 (August 23, 2026)

     *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know that you have either used or adapted it.*


Hymns
Hymn GTG #459, “O Word of God Incarnate”
Hymn GTG #463, “How Firm a Foundation”
Hymn GTG #462, “I Love to Tell the Story”


Sunday, August 9, 2026

Sermon: "The Murky Middle", 1 Timothy 6:5-19 (August 9, 2026)

My friends, I approached the reading for this week wanting to say something nuanced and clever, wanting to offer a subtle commentary that would unfold for you slowly as the week progressed. I wanted to be gentle about this passage’s revelations so that they could grow on you without causing too much discomfort. I wanted to, I really did. But I can’t. Because this passage isn’t nuanced, subtle, or gentle in any way. It’s uncompromisingly clear in its message: wealth and faithfulness are fundamentally incompatible. 

Before anyone gets the wrong idea, hear me when I say that this statement isn’t political - it’s biblical.

Wednesday, August 5, 2026

Liturgy: Love of Money, 1 Timothy 6:5-19 (August 9, 2026)

     *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know that you have either used or adapted it.*


Hymns
Hymn GTG #846, “Fight the Good Fight”
Hymn GTG #716, “God, Whose Giving Knows No Ending”
Hymn GTG #643, “Now Thank We All Our God”


Sunday, August 2, 2026

Sermon: "Know Better - Do Better", 1 Timothy 1:12-17 (August 2, 2026)

When I was younger, I used to be a VORACIOUS reader. I was one of two kids in my kindergarten class who could read before they started school, and I was devouring classic novels like *Jane Eyre* and *Les Misérables* for fun by junior high. I was the kid reading under the covers at midnight to keep from getting into trouble for being up so late. I always finished the books assigned for English class weeks before everyone else did - the ONLY homework that I ever finished early, by the way. My appetite for books significantly decreased later in my education when reading started to feel less like a banquet and more like force-feeding, but during my formative years, I spent the vast majority of my free time with my nose buried in a book.

Saturday, August 1, 2026

Liturgy: Paul's Conversion, 1 Timothy 1:12-17 (August 2, 2026)

    *You are welcome to use or adapt any of my resources for free, but I ask that you provide proper citation AND comment on this post to let me know that you have either used or adapted it.*


Hymns
Hymn GTG #12, “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise”
Hymn GTG #287, “Gracious Spirit, Heed Our Pleading”


Sunday, July 26, 2026

Sermon: "A Tale as Old as Time", Christmas in July (July 26, 2026)

While there are many stories about Jesus’ life that have been passed down to us - both canonical and extracanonical - the Christmas story has a special place in our collective hearts. Part of it, I’m sure, has to do with the fact that we associate it closely with “the most wonderful time of the year”. But I think another part of the reason that we love this story so much is because it makes it clear that our Messiah is special. Long before he heals the sick or walks on water, Jesus' conception through the Holy Spirit, the shepherds, the star, all clearly tell us that we’ve hitched our wagon to the right savior. The Christmas story tells us that OUR messiah is someone that the world has never seen before and will never see again.

Or does it?