Christ the King Sunday
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”—Revelation 1:8 This Sunday is the last Sunday of the Church year. It is called “Christ the King Sunday” or as others call it “Reign of Christ Sunday”. It’s a...
Little Red Riding Hood Goes to Jerusalem
One holiday a little northern country girl set out for God's house in the capital city. With a basket of offerings in hand, she skipped through packed streets and marveled at the grandeur of the buildings. She thought to herself, "If a city can be this magnificent,...
All Are One In Thee, For All Are Thine
Oh, blest communion, fellowship divine, we feebly struggle, they in glory shine; yet all are one in thee, for all are thine. Alleluia! Alleluia!—from For All the Saints, v.3 Anyone else feel like they are “feebly struggling” some days? As always, people are...
Blessed Assurance
How sure is your salvation and God’s pleasure in you? Well, how sure and pleasing is Christ, sitting at the Father’s right hand? I recently attended my favorite conference for the third time. The organization named “1517” exists to “declare and defend the Good News...
All Saints Day
The First of November is All Saints Day. And on this day, we remember all who have gone before us and all who have shaped the people that we are. In our tradition, we also recognize that all of the baptized are saints. In our worship this Sunday, we will remember the...
Reformation Day
John 8:31-36 "Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to...
Grief
Jesus said to the twelve, ’See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles; they will mock him, and spit upon him, and flog...
Following Jesus
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast save in the death of Christ, my God; all the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to his blood. —from When I Survey the Wondrous Cross vs 2 As Jesus sets out on a journey, he runs into a man who kneels before him and...
Hosea Youth Services Pallet Shelter FAQ’s
The Church Planning Council has been working with Hosea Youth Services over the past couple of months to place six pallet shelters in the west parking lot for six young adults to live in between the ages of 18-25. These shelters will be fenced in by cyclone fencing...
3 Big Questions that Change Every Teenager (and You?)
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” -Ephesians 2:10 Twenty years in, I’ve found ministry among young people to be, Always the same Never the same Youth ministry is never the same, year to...
We Are The Children Whom Jesus Welcomes
Do you recall what it was like to visit your parents the first few years after moving out? Did you ever feel like a child again? Did you revert to old antics with siblings? Was there any awkwardness in relating to your parents, having become more independent? Two...
Whoever Is Not Against Us Is For Us
John said to [Jesus,] “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.”—Mark 9:38 I’ve been a fan of the Green Bay Packers my whole life. There were times as a kid that they weren’t easy to follow...