Today, we are so blessed to worship together with our Golden Triangle Congregation, a group of our members who worship most weeks in the chapel at 10:30 am in the Karen language. I am grateful for Pastor Sandy Sakrapante, who founded and leads this community and for Hia Htoo who will translate the sermon. Hai […]
Tag Archives: christianity
Our beautiful opening prayer asked us to ponder: What is the mind of Jesus? How is God at work in us? There is so much going on between Palm Sunday it is easy to miss how John’s Gospel describes the mind of Christ. Only John tells how “Jesus got up from the table, hung up […]
It was an unusually cold fall day when I woke hours before sunrise. Wide awake, I made coffee and slipped out into the darkness. The predawn sky swirled with a slow moving masterpiece of grey clouds that obscured the last stars and hinted of rain. I walked down the farm lane, across frosty fields, and […]
Maybe like me, you spent the week crying to Dolly tunes? In 1996 Dolly Parton covered Yusuf/Cat Stevens “Peace Train” for her album Treasures. Dolly heard the South African band Ladysmith Black Mambazom’s tight zulu harmonies and flying vocalizations in a Lifesavers commercial and reached out to collaborate with them. Dolly said “Peace Train” reflected […]
The CEB translates the first line in the Bible, “When God began to create…” I love the implications behind “When God began to create…” an affirmation that God “is still making all things new”. (2 Corinthians 5) When God began to create, God created light, land, sun, seas, sky, moon, stars, mountains, seeds, trees, bats, […]
Last week, as soon as the 8:10am service ended, I raced across the chancel to speak to Phil, Anna, Mary Kay and Louis before they could get away. Did I run over to rejoice “with exceedingly great joy” that our campaign was going so well? (Matthew 2) Did I rush over to make a point […]
There was no fast fashion, no jumbo pack of tube socks at the Dollar Tree, nor Tshirt vendors hawking Passover Festival 33AD hoodies. In the ancient world, everything was handmade and many people owned only what they were wearing and little more. The law told a lender they could not hold a cloak overnight as […]
Early in the morning Jesus returned to the Temple Mount. It is about a two mile walk from the Mount of Olives to the Temple, down a few hundred feet and then back up. Perhaps Jesus entered through the beautiful eastern or Golden Gate. I picture Jesus strolling through gardens or sitting up on an […]
Last week, our benediction came from Ephesians 3: Now to the one who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to the power that is at work within us, to God be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Judaism, Christianity, […]
When Jesus heard the news of John’s death, Jesus withdrew in a boat to a deserted place. (Matthew 14) The Gospel of Luke begins in the Temple with John the Baptist’s Father, Zechariah, standing before the altar making that day’s incense offering for the nation. As the fragrant smoke fills the Temple, Zechariah has a […]
