Category: Uncategorized
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Getting along with God
given on Human Relations Sunday, January 17, 2016: Scripture base: Psalm 36, esp. v. 5-9, NLT Get along with God. It sounds so simple, so why don’t we do it. Get along with God! Today is Human Relations Sunday according to the UMC calendar, but nationally it is also…
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Do We Ever Grow Up in God’s Eyes?
–given on Sunday, January 10, 2016 Scripture base: Luke 3:15-22 (lectionary reference to Jesus’ baptism) Luke 18:15-17 Biblegateway.com connections: Matthew 19:13 [ Jesus Blesses Little Children ] Then little children were being brought to him in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke…
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Looking into the Mirror: Would God Hire You?
given on Sunday, January 3, 2015 An opening thought: Today is Epiphany Sunday and it is coupled with communion, as is our local tradition of serving communion on the first Sunday of the month. Epiphany is the final celebration of Christ’s birth while communion is the covenant reminder of Christ’s…
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December 27 service
Special note: The final worship service of 2015 continued the Christmas story much in the same fashion as the annual gathering–scripture and hymns/carols. The key was to ask reflective questions and know it is time to look at our responsibility to continue telling the story as carefully as Luke did…
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Angels of Peace: Are you an angel?
given on the fourth Sunday of Advent, December 20, 2015 Scripture references: Micah 5:2-5a (from the Common Lectionary) A Ruler from Bethlehem 2 [a]But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past,…
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Angels of Joy: Haniel and Others We May Know
given on the third Sunday of Advent, December 14, 2015 Joy to the World! The song seems to say so much, but how can we consider joy in the world today? In fact, joy seems like a missing emotion from our world because there has been so much negativity…
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Angels: Messengers of Hope
given on November 29, 2015, the first Sunday of Advent Scripture foundation from The Message Joel 2:12-14 Jeremiah 2:19 and 33:14-16 Luke 1:8-19, 26-38 Reflection in three parts Welcome to Advent! The Christian season filled with anticipation, with hope, with love, with joy, and with peace. Around us the…
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God Is Our Wild Card
given on Sunday, November 22, 2015 Scripture references: Psalm 118:21-25 I Timothy 2:1-3 Matthew 6:25-33 Psalm 126 Reflection: Growing up, playing cards was a huge part of our recreation. The game my maternal grandparents played was Pitch while my dad and his cousins played Pinochle. Then during the…
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Building Our Christian Foundation: 2 The Sacrament of Baptism
Building Our Christian Foundation The Sacrament of Baptism The weeks after Christmas traditionally review the story of the Baby Jesus and his early, pre-ministry years. The Bible provides only small pictures of those first 30 years as Jesus grew up, learned a trade, and prepared for the ministry he…
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What was I scared of? Faith is the answer.
given on Sunday, March 16, 2014–the second in a series based on Rev. Kemp’s book, The Gospel According to Dr. Seuss. List all the things that scare you. (pause) Now remember of all your childhood fears. (pause) How did you learn not to be afraid? (pause) …
Susandoodles 