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.

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”

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?

Sermon: “Stay (A)woke”, Mark 14:32-42 (July 12, 2026)

As we near the end of our sermon series about “disputing with God”, we’ve been given this text, Mark’s version of Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane. It’s pretty clear why this passage wound up in the series: I can’t think of a more intriguing sermon topic than “God arguing with Godself”. I’m sure we’ve all wondered at some point how a prayer from one person of the Trinity to another would work - is it like talking to yourself? Or is it more like a “multiple personality” situation? How can something be both not what Jesus wants, and also what God does want at the same time? There are a lot of fascinating directions that this sort of sermon could take. But as I wrestled with which of these questions I should tackle this week, I found an entirely different one distracting me: why are the disciples reacting SO differently from Jesus in this passage?

Liturgy: Jesus in Gethsemane, Mark 14:32-42 (July 12, 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 #451, “Open My Eyes, That I May See”

Hymn GTG #220, “Go to Dark Gethsemane” [vv. 1, 2, & 4]

Hymn GTG #343, “Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life” [vv. 1-3, 6]

Sermon: "The Deepest of Wounds", Matthew 15:21-28 (July 5, 2026)

This weekend (this whole year, really) our country has been celebrating 250 years of independence from British rule - the “birthday” of the United States. But even as we display our sense of national pride with waving flags, parades, and red, white, and blue EVERYTHING, many of us hold our sense of patriotism alongside complicated feelings. It’s not that we don’t love our country; it’s that we recognize a deep and painful divide between ourselves and our fellow compatriots. The wound is deep. Our seemingly insurmountable differences make us question whether we’ll be able to be “one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all” ever again.

Liturgy: A Canaanite Woman Confronts Jesus, Matthew 15:21-28 (July 5, 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 #620, “Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven”

Hymn GTG #754, “Help Us Accept Each Other”

Sermon: I Wanna Be Like Christ, Philippians 2:1-13 (May 17, 2026)

Do any of you remember the “Be Like Mike” commercial for Gatorade from back in the ‘90s? Even though I was only about five when it came out, I can still remember it. The ad took video clips from some of Michael Jordan’s most impressive moments on the court and cut them together with clips of regular kids and teens playing basketball outside (presumably they were trying to emulate the pro ball player). The footage was accompanied by children’s voices singing about their dreams of being “like Mike.” And just in case the song and video didn’t communicate the commercial’s message clearly enough, the spot ends with the words, “Be like Mike. Drink Gatorade” in big, bold letters over a black background. 

Liturgy: Imitating Christ, Philippians 2:1-11 (May 17, 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 #652, “A Grateful Heart”

Hymn GTG #720, “Jesus Calls Us”

Hymn GTG #767, “Together We Serve”

Sermon: Listen, Learn, & Love, Philippians 1-11(12-18) (May 10, 2026)

Anyone who’s ever read the epistles in any depth can tell you that Paul’s theology is firmly rooted in agape. As you may or may not recall, “agape” is the Greek word for active, unconditional, and sacrificial love, the type of love that seeks the well-being of others without expecting anything in return. It’s the kind of love that God has for humanity and that Jesus exhorts us to practice towards one another. It most famously shows up in chapter 13 of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians - “Now faith, hope, and love remain - these three things - and the greatest of these is love”  - but between the noun, verb, and adjective forms of the word, agape is mentioned as many as 136 times throughout the epistles. Paul clearly considers it foundational to the gospel’s message. 

Liturgy: Paul's Greeting to the Philippians, Philippians 1:1-18 (May 10, 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 #366, “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”

Hymn GTG #693, “Though I May Speak”

Hymn GTG #546, “Lord, Dismiss Us with Your Blessing”

Sermon: Pounding the Pavement Like Paul, Acts 17:16-31 (May 3, 2026)

Have any of you ever done door-to-door sales before? I never have, but I imagine it’s a pretty tough job. I mean, I know that as the person on the other side of the door, I almost always start out skeptical and annoyed when someone shows up at my house to sell me something. Before I even open the door, I have to convince the worst guard dogs ever to stop barking so that I can hear what the person is trying to sell me. But even after overcoming that initial hurdle, there are always plenty more. Maybe it’s an inconvenient time, maybe their product isn’t something I’m particularly interested in, maybe I’m wary of being scammed, maybe I’m just not in the mood to talk to anyone at all. More often than not, a door-to-door salesperson who finds themself on my front porch starts out at a distinct disadvantage. 

Liturgy: Paul's Sermon at Athens, Acts 17:16-31 (May 3, 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 #409, “God Is Here!”

Hymn GTG #317, “In Christ There Is No East or West”

Sermon: "Until We All Are Free", Acts 16:16-34 (April 26, 2026)

This story about Paul and Silas in prison is a strange one. It reads more like Christian gossip to me than Church history, with each claim more outrageous than the last: “Did you hear that Paul got arrested for driving a spirit out of a slave-girl?” “Well, *I* heard that he converted all of his fellow prisoners *and* the prison guard!” “Oh yeah? Well, *I* heard that God sent an earthquake so big that it knocked all the doors of the jail off their hinges and even loosened the prisoners’ chains!” 

Liturgy: Paul and Silas in Prison, Acts 16:16-34 (April 26, 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 #234, “Come, You Faithful, Raise the Strain”

Hymn GTG #653, “Give Thanks to God Who Hears Our Cries” [v 1-3]

Hymn GTG #772, “Live into Hope”

Sermon: "Not Here", Luke 24 (April 5, 2026 - Easter)

You may have noticed some yellow papers taped to the pews as you sat down this morning. If you’ve joined us for worship at any point over the past few weeks, you probably recognize them: they’re the names of marginalized groups that have been hanging on our walls since Ash Wednesday. These are not groups that *I* have decided are marginalized; they’re ones that you as a community have lifted up. These are the people that we tend to forget, disregard, and push away so that we don’t have to practice empathy or confront the ways that our society has failed them. These names have been on the walls throughout Lent to remind us how again and again - especially in Luke’s gospel - Jesus demonstrates compassion and solidarity with the very people that society would prefer to stay “out of sight, out of mind.”  But they’re in our pews this morning because today, something is different. Something has changed. They are no longer out of sight and mind because today, the angels tell us, Jesus is not here. 

Liturgy: Easter Sunday Lessons and Carols, Luke 24 (April 5, 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.*

 Additional Hymns:

Hymn GTG #232, “Jesus Christ is Risen Today” [vv. 1, 3, & 4]

Hymn GTG #238, “Thine Is the Glory” [vv. 1 & 2]

Liturgy: Palm Sunday Lessons and Carols, Luke 19-21 (March 29, 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.*

 Additional Hymns:

Hymn GTG #197, “Hosanna, Loud Hosanna” [vv. 1 & 3]

Hymn GTG #198, “Ride On! Ride On in Majesty!” [vv. 1-2]

Liturgy: Lent 5 Lessons and Carols, Luke 16-18 (March 22, 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.*

Additional Hymns:

Hymn GTG #396, “Brethren, We Have Met to Worship” [vv. 1 & 4]

Hymn GTG #383, “Dream On, Dream On” [vv. 1] 

Liturgy: Lent 4 Lessons and Carols, Luke 13-15 (March 15, 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.*

Additional Hymns:

Hymn GTG #318, “In Christ There Is No East or West” [vv. 1 & 4]

Hymn GTG #771, “What Is the World Like” [vv. 1, 2, & 5]