Readings: Sirach 27: 30 – 28:7; Psalm 1- 4, 9 -12; Romans 14: 7 – 9; Matthew 18: 21- 35 Preacher: Christine Nowak Kvam Once again, I feel like I am the worst person to be writing this reflection. Around this time last year, I was asked to reflect on the Gospel about renouncing possessions right as I was at the… read more →
Readings: Ezekiel 33: 7-9; Romans 13: 8-10; Matthew 18: 15-20 Preacher: Margot Van Etten If you are old enough, the name “Nickel Mines” might spark a shudder. Or wonder. On October 10, 2006—an innocent age where mass shooting was rare, if you can imagine that —thirteen girls ages 6 to 13 were shot in a one-room Amish schoolhouse in a horrifying… read more →
Readings: Jeremiah 20:7-9; Romans 12: 1-2; Matthew 16: 21-27 Preacher: Ruth Marchetti The life of a prophet is racked with hardship. The Old Testament stories show us that God sends prophets when God’s people have lost their way; they’ve forgotten the God of love and justice. Getting lost is a subtle process. It sneaks up on us in the guise of… read more →
Readings: Isaiah 22: 19-23; Romans 11: 33-35; Matthew 16: 13-20 Preacher: Marlene Bessette My husband has been a deacon for 12 years now and we have become an effective homiletics team. He spends a great deal of time crafting his homilies after researching and praying over what message would speak to the community to draw them closer to God. I support… read more →
Readings: Isaiah 56: 1, 6-7; Romans 11: 13-5, 29-32; Matthew 15: 21-28 Preacher: Brigit Hurley “Are you a believer?!” I struggled to answer this question, posed to me by a work acquaintance I ran into at a concert featuring Christian artists many years ago. Growing up Roman Catholic, I attended Mass and was active in youth group, but I never used… read more →
Readings: 1 Kings 19: 9a, 11-13a; Romans 9: 1-5; Matthew 14: 22-33 Preacher: Sonja Livingston Does this happen to you? You need to read the tiny script on the back of a bottle or take a quick drive to the store, so you reach for your glasses, only to find they’re not there. You check the kitchen counter. No luck. You… read more →
Readings: Daniel 7: 9-10, 13-14; 2 Peter 1: 16-19; Matthew 17: 1-9 Preacher: Cathy Kamp Who among us likes to hear that change is coming? No matter how predictable or inevitable a change in life circumstances might be, we most often seem to be caught off guard. Whether it’s welcome and positive news like a new job or a new relationship… read more →
Readings: 1 Kings 3:5, 7-12; Romans 8:28-30; Matthew 13:44-52 Preacher: Irene Goodwin When some of us were young our religious training mainly consisted of memorizing answers to questions. One of the questions asked was: “Where is God?” Our answer was, “God is everywhere.” To a young seven-year-old this was quite an intimidating image. A God-like figure hovering about watching all we… read more →
Readings: Wisdom 12:13, 16-19; Romans 8:26-27; Matthew 13:24-43 Preacher: Deirdre McKiernan Hetzler The first time I reflected on these readings, I was overwhelmed with a sense of God’s great love for each of us. This God that Wisdom tells us cares for all. Twice emphasizing that God is lenient. Our psalm sings of a God who is loving and forgiving. Slow… read more →
Readings: Isaiah 55: 10-11; Romans 8: 18-23; Matthew 13: 1-23 Preacher: Gloria Ulterino Have you ever felt at a loss? Not sure which way to turn? So did St. Paul, it seems, as he groaned over human suffering. Surely there must be a way through this mess! We know it’s not magic. But, what is the answer? Come, take a look… read more →