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November 2017

“Are We Amazed?” 11/5/17 Scripture: Mt 22:15-22; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10; Ps 24 (selected “Are We Amazed?” 11/5/17 Scripture: Mt 22:15-22; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10; Ps 24 (selected verses) by Rev. Laurie Williams verses) by Rev. Laurie Williams

By |November 8th, 2017|Sermons|

             The Rev. Jill Duffield, editor of the Christian Magazine The Outlook, tells the story of a man, many years older than she was in her mid-twenties at the time, who came into the affluent church where she pastored in the early years of her ministry, and asked for assistance.  Certainly, in her experience, as well as mine and Rodger’s, asking for assistance is almost always indistinguishable from asking for money.  She took him through the richly appointed hallways into her beautiful office laden with theological tomes and expensive furniture.  She went to sit in her comfy chair behind the desk while he sat on the stiff, formal couch across the room from her desk. […]

June 2017

A Peek at VBS 2017

By |June 29th, 2017|Announcements|

        In case you missed the fun of this year's five-church cooperative Vacation Bible School, here ae a few highlights in photos. Save Save

November 2016

“To Each An Ability, a Talent” 11/6/16 Scripture: Mt 25:14-29; 1 Cor. 12:4-11 by Rev. Laurie Williams

By |November 9th, 2016|Sermons|

            The Matthew parable I just read (Matthew 25: 14-29) is often used on a  Stewardship Sunday, kicking off a church’s Fall Campaign.  It is easy to simply think of it as “oh, here we go- the church is asking us for money– AGAIN!”  Many congregations seem afraid to talk about money and ours is no exception.  However, in the past several years in which we have had a year-round stewardship program, it seems we are at least a little less shy concerning talk of finances.  In our year-round stewardship program we have learned, time and again, that stewardship isn’t merely about money.  It is also about our time and abilities offered as well as monetary giving.  I have five explanatory points I will put before you. […]

May 2016

Women of Faith Down Through the Ages 5/8/16 Mark 14:3-9; Phil 4:1-7 Rev. Laurie Williams

By |May 9th, 2016|Sermons|

          On our official PC(USA) year-long calendar, the Celebration of Gifts of Women is to happen the first Sunday in March.  However, I think it makes more sense to celebrate the gifts of faithful and courageous women on Mother’s Day and that is exactly what we are doing!           There have been women of faith since during the time of Jesus’ ministry.  According to the historian Geoffrey Blainey, women were more influential during the period of Jesus’ brief ministry than they were in the next thousand years of Christianity.  Blainey explains:  “Whereas neither the Jewish, nor the Roman family would warm the hearts of a modern feminist, the early Christians were sympathetic to women.  Paul himself insisted in his early writings that men and women were equal”- “there is no longer male and female,” stated his letter to church in Galatia.  […]

March 2016

“A Joy-Filled Spiritual House” 3/27/16 1 Peter 2:1-10; John 20:1-18 by Rev. Laurie Williams

By |March 28th, 2016|Sermons|

           “This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!”  That is a perfect verse for our resurrection day.  We recited it together in our responsive Psalm 118 reading a few minutes ago.  Rejoice as in be joyful or joy-filled.  Glad, as in the happiest day of all days for Christ died for us and rose again so that we will have eternal life with God, now and beyond our earthly existence.  Biblically speaking, joy and happiness are joined.  Sometimes Christians are taught that joy in the Lord is right and good but that happiness is a worldly pursuit.  Yet, there are several places in scripture that join those two emotions, such as in Jeremiah chapter 31: “I will turn their mourning into joy. . . and bring happiness out of grief.”  The two are also found together in the Old Testament book of Esther: “For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor.”    […]