Sermon: "Crocheted in Christ", 1 Corinthians 1:10-18 (April 28, 2024)

As we all know, the apostle Paul was an exceptionally well-travelled man. He took his call to evangelize very seriously, which resulted in journeys to over fifty cities across three continents. And the message that he preached in each of these cities never strayed far from the famous one that he wrote early on to the church in Galatia: “There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

But, well – humans gonna human, right? No matter how far he trekked, no matter how often he preached this message, Paul encountered the same problem again and again: people choosing to divide themselves into rival groups, gravitating towards conflict instead of unity. In spite of the young Church’s vulnerability in the shadow of the Roman Empire. In spite of Paul’s teachings. In spite of the gospel.

Liturgy: Fifth Sunday of Easter, 1 Corinthians 1:10-18 (April 28, 2024)

*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.*

Hymns

Hymn GTG #317, “In Christ There Is No East or West”
Hymn GTG #321, “The Church’s One Foundation”

Hymn GTG #296, “Go in Grace and Make Disciples” 

Sermon: “Smaller Miracles”, Acts 3:1-10 (April 14, 2024)

This is a pretty miraculous story, isn’t it? If I were to ask you what makes it miraculous, what’s the first thing you think of? ...The healing, right? This is the very first time we see the disciples do something seemingly impossible in Christ’s name; it’s the first time they prove themselves to be anything other than a bunch of ordinary dudes who happen to have an extraordinary best friend. This is the moment that makes us think the apostles are somehow fundamentally different from us – there’s certainly no reason to believe that any of US are capable of such things. Either they’re somehow special, or there was something in the first-century water. This appears to be a great story for celebrating the disciples’ ministry, but there doesn’t seem to be much in it that we can learn from.

Liturgy: Third Sunday of Easter, Acts 3:1-10 (April 14, 2024)

*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.*

Hymns:

Hymn GTG #451, “Open My Eyes, That I May See”
Hymn GTG #205, “Live in Charity”
Hymn GTG #320, “The Church of Christ in Every Age"

Hymn GTG #315, “In the Midst of New Dimensions"

Sermon: "Witness Protection", Acts 1:1-14 (April 7, 2024)

Happy Second Sunday of Easter! He is risen! [He is risen, indeed!]

Today, as we continue to celebrate the resurrection, we’re shifting from the terse, fast-paced narrative of Mark’s gospel to the book that contains all the stuff that Luke’s couldn’t cram into his. Although the styles of these two writers are about as different as they could possibly be, Acts is the only canonical record we have of the resurrection’s immediate aftermath, and the only one that offers us a full account of the Church’s earliest days – hence, the shift. But that’s a good thing as far as our curiosity is concerned. All those questions Mark left unanswered? The Book of Acts doesn’t leave us hanging. How did the disciples know the resurrection wasn’t a trick? “[Jesus] showed them that he was alive with many convincing proofs.” What did Jesus do in the time between the resurrection and his ascension to heaven? He instructed the apostles and spoke to them about God’s kingdom. We even find out exactly how long the resurrected Christ stuck around for (forty days).

Liturgy: Second Sunday of Easter, Acts 1:1-14 (April 7, 2024)

   *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.*

Hymns:

Hymn GTG #234, “Come, You Faithful, Raise the Strain”
Hymn GTG #388, “Come All You People”
Hymn GTG #511, “Come, Behold! The Feast of Heaven"

Sermon: “Be Still and Know: What Comes Next?”, Mark 16 (March 31, 2024)

He is risen! [He is risen, indeed!]

This year, March came in like a lion and is going out like the Lamb of God! Amen?

After six long weeks, we’ve finally arrived at what is inarguably the pinnacle of the Christian liturgical year: the day we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Since Lent is a time of preparation and reflection, we’ve spent it learning new ways to stop in the midst of our busy lives and pay closer attention to God’s work in the world. To NOTICE God around us in every moment, so that we’re even more ready to welcome the miraculous Good News of Easter Morning – that Christ is risen! [He is risen, indeed!] In case you need a reminder of all that we covered in the last month and a half, the bulletin insert provides a brief summary of each practice we’ve discussed – take it home and use it as encouragement to keep up with whatever Spiritual Practice (or practices) you’ve found most meaningful.

My Favorite Moment of Easter Worship

When I used to serve an Episcopal Church, one of the liturgical differences that stood out to me the most was the fact that we didn't have a prayer of confession during Easter. Don't get me wrong; I totally appreciate the theology behind this, but as a cradle Presbyterian, it just feels wrong not to confess our total depravity every week, even on the day that we celebrate the divine act that ensured our salvation. So I always include it in every liturgy that I write.

Liturgy: Easter Sunday Lessons and Carols, Mark 16 (March 31, 2024)

   *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.*

Additional Hymns:

Hymn GTG #232, “Jesus Christ is Risen Today”
Hymn GTG #589, “Aleluya”
Hymn GTG #591, “Halle, Halle, Hallelujah" [Refrain only]

Hymn GTG #246, "Christ Is Alive!"

Hymn GTG #238, "Thine Is the Glory"

Hymn GTG #248, "Christ is Risen! Shout Hosanna!"

Liturgy: Good Friday Lessons and Carols, Mark 14:43 - 15:47 (March 29, 2024)

*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.*

You can watch the video HERE.

Leader: Over the course of the past six weeks of Lent, we’ve been reading through Mark’s gospel from the beginning to the end, a practice that we’ll be continuing tonight. But we’ve also been exploring different spiritual practices that can help us to “be still and know that God is God.” Tonight, we will be experiencing the story of Jesus’ betrayal, trials, crucifixion, death, and burial alongside the ancient tradition of Breath Prayer.

Liturgy: Maundy Thursday Lessons and Carols, Mark 13:1 - 14:42 (March 28, 2024)

*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.*

Opening Words: Mark 13:1-2

Leader: Throughout Lent, we have been hearing the story of Jesus’ life through Mark’s gospel, and we’ve been learning about how we can encounter God through different Spiritual Practices. Tonight, we continue our journey: we will hear the story of Jesus’ final moments with his disciples as we encounter God through the Spiritual Practice of Meditative singing.

Liturgy: Palm Sunday Lessons and Carols, Mark 10:46-12:44 (March 24, 2024)

  *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.*

Additional Hymns:

Hymn GTG #199, “Filled With Excitement”
Hymn GTG #281, “Holy Spirit Come to Us”
Hymn GTG #200, “A Cheering, Chanting, Dizzy Crowd”

Liturgy: Lent 5 Lessons and Carols, Mark 9:33-10:45 (March 17, 2024)

 *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.*

Additional Hymns:

Hymn GTG #188, “Jesus Loves Me!”
Hymn GTG #281, “Holy Spirit Come to Us”
Hymn GTG #749, “Come! Live in the Light!”

Liturgy: Lent 4 Lessons and Carols, Mark 8:22-9:32 (March 10, 2024)

 *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.*

Additional Hymns:

Hymn GTG #410, “God Is Calling through the Whisper”
Hymn GTG #281, “Holy Spirit Come to Us”
Hymn GTG #463, “How Firm a Foundation”

Liturgy: Lent 3 Lessons and Carols, Mark 6:30-8:21 (March 3, 2024)

*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.*

Additional Hymns:

Hymn GTG #819, “Be Still, My Soul"
Hymn GTG #281, “Holy Spirit Come to Us”
Hymn GTG #498, “Loaves Were Broken, Words Were Spoken”

Liturgy: Lent 2 Lessons and Carols, Mark 4:35-6:29 (February 25, 2024)

     *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.*

Additional Hymns:

Hymn GTG #724, “O Jesus, I Have Promised"

Hymn GTG #281, “Holy Spirit Come to Us”

Hymn GTG #542, “God Be with You Till We Meet Again”

Thirteen-Year-Old Seminary Paper About Prayer Beads

Thirteen years ago, I wrote a paper in seminary about Prayer Beads. It is FAR from my best work, and it's not the most compelling read (I hope my writing has improved since then) but it has a lot of interesting information about the history of prayer beads as used in spiritual practices. Since our Lenten theme this year is about being still and knowing that God is God, and since we created prayer beads in worship tonight, I thought I'd make this paper available as a resource for anyone who might be curious and want to develop their own practice.

(Also, from tonight's worship service, to prove that my writing has gotten better:)

A Greater Sin than Hypocrisy? (Tangential Response to "He Gets Us" Campaign)

 So.

I didn't watch the Superbowl on Sunday (except for a few minutes while we were out at dinner) and I have no regrets, so you may already be skeptical of any opinion I may have.

But I do like to think that I know Jesus and the Bible pretty well, and I've seen the "He Gets Us" ads before as well as many of the commentaries that have followed, so I figured I'd give my two cents.

Liturgy: Lent 1 Lessons and Carols, Mark 2:1-4:34 (February 18, 2024)

    *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.*

Additional Hymns:

Hymn GTG #738, “O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee”

Hymn GTG #281, “Holy Spirit Come to Us”

Hymn GTG #542, “God Be with You Till We Meet Again”

Sermon: “A Mountaintop View of Mark’s Gospel”, Mark 8:27-9:8 (February 11, 2024)

When we refer to a “mountaintop experience”, we generally mean any moment of revelation or transcendence, regardless of where it actually takes place. It’s a solid metaphor; after all, a mountaintop is both literally and figuratively far above the monotony of everyday life, where the air is fresh and the view is clear – ideal conditions for an epiphany. It’s no wonder that so many important biblical moments take place on top of a mountain: Abraham’s almost-sacrifice of Isaac, Moses’ encounter with the burning bush and receiving of the Ten Commandments, and of course, Jesus’ transfiguration. It’s hard NOT to gain new perspective on top of a mountain. It’s the sort of place where the heavens and the earth meet, where we can see and understand the divine in ways that we wouldn’t otherwise be able to.

Liturgy: Transfiguration Sunday, Mark 8:27-9:8 (February 11, 2024)

    *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.*

Hymns:

Hymn GTG #191, “We Have Come at Christ's Own Bidding”
Hymn GTG #414, “Be Still and Know”
Hymn GTG #462, “I Love to Tell the Story”

Hymn GTG #267, “Come Christians, Join to Sing”

2024-02-04, "I Am WEnough", Mark 6:1-13 (February 4, 2024)

I’m not necessarily on what you’d call the “cutting edge” of popular culture, despite my apparent youth. I usually see new movies at least a year after they come out, if not more. So, I guess by those standards, the fact that I finally watched the new Barbie movie a mere six months after it was released in theaters makes me, if not cutting edge, at least temporarily edge-adjacent. The important part is that I managed to see it before the Oscar nominations came out, just in time to watch all the drama unfold.

Liturgy: Fifth Sunday after Epiphany, Mark 6:1-13 (February 4, 2024)

   *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.*

Hymns:

Hymn GTG #494, “Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts”
Hymn GTG #281, “Holy Spirit, Come to Us”
Hymn GTG #761, “Called as Partners in Christ's Service"

Sermon: "What Jairus Learned," Mark 5:21-43 (January 28, 2024)

Today’s scripture reading is a long one, but it’s difficult to separate the one healing account from the other. Mark has given us a story sandwich, with two accounts of miraculous healings woven together into a single unit. Most Bible translations title this passage something like, “Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman,” or “Jairus’ Daughter and the Woman Who Touched Jesus’ Cloak”. Since most people naturally assume that our focus should be on the objects of Jesus’ miracles, it makes this passage difficult to summarize in a few words. It also raises the ire of many a feminist biblical scholar: why doesn’t Mark bother to name these two women at the center of this story? As a feminist myself, as well as a woman in ministry, I can appreciate this frustration, born out of centuries of women being relegated to the background of both history and religion.

Liturgy: Fourth Sunday After Epiphany, Mark 5:21-43 (January 28, 2024)

  *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.*

Hymns:

Hymn GTG #386, “Come, Worship God”
Hymn GTG #466, “Come and Fill Our Hearts”
Hymn GTG #27, “Sacred the Body”

Sermon: "Snowed In", Mark 5:1-20 (January 21, 2024)

I had a big week: I got stuck in the snow in a parking lot this past Thursday. It’s only the second time that this has happened to me, as far as I can recall (if there were other times, I must have blocked them from my memory). The previous time was, unsurprisingly, during the snowpocalypse of 2017. At that time, I vowed to never again attempt a vehicular adventure until everything was fully plowed, but this week, I decided to give it a shot, thinking that my brand-new car with a higher suspension would keep me out of trouble. Sadly, I was very much mistaken. Not only did I get stuck in that parking lot, but I almost got stuck again on my own street, and I had to park in the driveway because my car couldn’t make it up the 5˚ slope into the garage. It’s a pretty helpless feeling, sitting in your vehicle, surrounded by ice and snow, wanting to get on with your day but unable to do much more than spin your wheels.

Liturgy: Third Sunday After Epiphany, Mark 5:1-20 (January 21, 2024)

  *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.*

Hymns:

Hymn GTG #377, “I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light”

Hymn GTG #616, “Our God Is an Awesome God”

Hymn GTG #727, “Will You Let Me Be Your Servant”

Sermon: "Read the Room", Mark 2:18-22 (23-3:6) (January 14, 2024)

If you’re especially observant, you may have noticed that today’s scripture reading is a direct continuation from last week’s reading. The truth is that the Narrative lectionary actually included most of this passage in the lectionary for last week. It was a lot of scripture to tackle in one sermon, so I chose to focus on just the first half. But if I’m being ENTIRELY honest, I also didn’t want to deal with the second part – especially the metaphor of the new cloth/old clothes and new wine/old wineskin.

Liturgy: Second Sunday After Epiphany, Mark 2:13-22 (January 14, 2024)

 *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.*

Hymns:

Hymn GTG #415, “Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy”

Hymn GTG #616, “Our God Is an Awesome God”

Hymn GTG #309, “Come, Great God of All the Ages”

Sermon: "Blurred Lines", Mark 2:1-12 (January 7, 2024)

We’re in kind of a strange temporal place this week. We’ve officially turned the corner into a new calendar year, crossing a boundary of sorts, and yet the Narrative Lectionary seamlessly carries on with the story of our faith. There is another shift, though – Christmas marked a liturgical transition for us from First Testament readings to New Testament readings. Continuity alongside boundaries, changes and consistency, each persisting and coexisting in the same moment. It’s something to think about, especially as we continue our dive into Mark’s gospel, the version of Jesus’ life that we’ll be focusing on for the next several months.

Liturgy: Epiphany, Mark 2:1-12 (January 7, 2024)

 *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.*

Hymns:

Hymn GTG #110, “Love Has Come" 

Hymn GTG #155, “Raise a Song of Gladness”

Hymn GTG #154, “Jesus Entered Egypt”