Posts by Pastor Denise

ACTS: WHAT GOD HAS DONE ACTS 1:3-11                                                                                   Here we are in the early days after the resurrection. Jesus is going around telling people about the kingdom and getting ready to return to the Father. Let’s just imagine for a moment that you and I run a first century marketing consulting firm, we have…

MATTHEW 28:1-10 Do you remember what you were doing about this time three years ago? I do! We were all at home trying to figure out how to live with a pandemic. The sanctuary was empty on that Easter Sunday in 2020 and our worship was only on line. Do you remember that?  I looked back at the sermon from that Sunday and was reminded of a few things. I was reminded…

JOHN 3:1-17 During Lent I will be preaching a series with an emphasis on welcome and the many ways that Jesus extended a welcome to all sorts of people. This week we meet Nicodemus, a member of the educated elite who can’t quite understand Jesus. He comes to Jesus under the cover of darkness and Jesus welcomes him and his questions. Even though he doesn’t really answer…

MATTHEW 4:1-11 Sometimes I wish I had some sort of magic 8 ball that I could shake up and when I turned it over it would give me all the answers and understanding necessary to know everything about a bible passage. Do you ever feel that way?  A little unsure what it all means? There are certainly Commentaries and material available to aid in our understanding, these…

MATTHEW 17:1-9 There are some moments in our faith that take us into the unknown, into the unfamiliar, into the transcendent. Moments that are so holy and unexplainable that all we can do is stand in open-mouthed-awe and wonder. When Moses encounters the burning bush that never burns up in the wilderness of Mt. Horeb – it is such a moment. When Elijah encounters God…

1 CORINTHIANS 3:1-9 To understand what is happening in today’s passage, we need to spend just a moment looking at the entirety of the letter to the Corinthians. That’s what this is a part of – a letter to a church. Can you imagine our church receiving such a letter? “Hey you babies, you’re so juvenile you can only drink milk. I’ve had it with your quarreling! Grow up!” We…

MATTHEW 5:13-16 Last week we reviewed our “to-be” list and considered what it might mean to “be bold, be caring, be courageous” in living out our faith. We also reminded ourselves of Jesus’ blessing upon us and upon others as we read the part of the Sermon on the Mount known as the Beatitudes. Our passage today is also from the Sermon on the Mount and it follows directly…

MATTHEW 5:1-12 Did anyone bring their “to-be” list? You know, your homework from last week? Our Tuesday Book study was discussing this a little – what kinds of things they had on their to be list. They also talked about how challenging it can be to take on too many things at once. Maybe try to be kind today and then work on being patient tomorrow. When we allow the way we…

MATTHEW 4:18-23 Good morning, Beloved children of God! Last week Anne Marie suggested that you think about who you could invite to “come and see” and experience the good news of Jesus Christ. Did you get to that assignment this week? It’s an important one – inviting others. Think about who first invited you. Was it parents who took you to church? A teacher, a friend, a…