My sermon, On Earth As It Is In Heaven, is inspired (as you probably guessed) by the Lord's Prayer and Revelation 21: 1-5a. Have you ever noticed when we pray the Lord's Prayer, we do not ask God to help us get into heaven? Instead, we ask for heaven to come down to earth so that God's will can be done today. And what is God's will? Seven hundred y…

The title of this sermon is “The Way to Heaven.” If you have ever despaired of qualifying, take heart! You may already be there! (I know, it doesn’t always feel that way. But just listen.)Rev. Dr. Paul Sanderson által

I'm really looking forward to sharing my sermon, Grace at Work, with you this Sunday. The sermon is inspired by a sermon by Rachel Held Evans, one of my favorite theologians, and by Jesus' teaching in Luke 17 on having "faith the size of a mustard seed." Jesus essentially says, "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed (and you do!), you'll be …

First Community Church 08.25.24 Mary Kate Buchanan -Sermon, Sticks and Stones by First Community ChurchFirst Community Church által

First Community Church 08.18.24 Akita Sunday Sarah Kientz -Sermon, Once Upon A Summer by First Community ChurchFirst Community Church által

This sermon, which focuses on the elder brother in Jesus' Parable of the Prodigal Son, looks at the parable from a Jungian psychological perspective. If you happen to be Freudian (or are so inclined for any other reason), you may stop listening now. If you happen to think, as I do, that Carl G. Jung just might help us understand the spiritual life …

This Sunday, I continue my sermon series, Speaking the Truth in Love, with Part 2 - "Watch What God Does," based on Ephesians 4: 25-5:2. The biblical text concludes with this clear instruction, "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love." I deeply appreciate it when the Bible is clear and direct with advice like this. Whe…

I would like to continue the exploration we began last week of Jesus’ encounter with the unnamed Samaritan woman by the side of Jacob’s well. The woman’s life was radically changed through this encounter. Even though there is some teaching in the exchange, e.g., around the issue of sacred space, it seems to me that the most important part of what h…

Part 1 "God Wants Us to Grow Up" I begin a new sermon series titled Speaking the Truth in Love: Growing in Grace. Our cultural climate seems to be dominated these days by vitriolic anger and attack-filled commentary. The culture of the early church was quite different from ours. They lived under the rule of the brutal Roman Empire, after all, but w…

This reflection, the third in my summer series sermons about little known people in the Bible, is about Jesus’ encounter with the unnamed Samaritan woman at the well. It raises the question of which is more important: what Jesus gives to us or what Jesus asks of us. It is about religious experience, specifically William James’s distinction between …

First Community Church 07.28.24 David Long Higgins -Sermon, Love Forms A Room by First Community ChurchFirst Community Church által

This sermon is part of a series that Charley Eastman of Pilgrim Church and I have been preaching in our two churches this summer. It is about some of the little-known or lesser-known people in the Bible. Today we are taking a look at Jacob. I took the liberty of reading the story of Jacob and Esau from the Children's Bible--I highly recommend it! J…

This Sunday in worship, I will deliver the sermon "Vulnerability is Not a Weakness," based on Mark 6:30-34, 53-56. In the biblical texts, Jesus shows deep compassion for the crowd of folks who are spiritually and physically hungry. He also demonstrates kindness toward his disciples who are overwhelmed by fear. Even though he must have been bone-tir…

First Community Church 07.14.24 Rev. John Girard -Sermon Spices, Aquanet, and A Little More Time by First Community ChurchFirst Community Church által

This Sunday, Rev. Seth Stearns, Minister of Spiritual Life & Learning, will deliver the sermon, "Who Do Think You Are?" That's a fun title! His message is based on Mark 6: 1-13.First Community Church által

In our scripture lesson this morning from the Gospel according to Luke, Jesus’ disciples ask him to teach them to pray--just like John the Baptist taught his disciples. The disciples’ question implies that John taught his disciples to pray. I wonder what John taught his disciples. We don’t know; there is not enough information. I’m just curious: wo…

The sermon will be inspired by Elemental, which is a love story at its heart, but it is also a parable on learning to overcome bigotry to form community. The Bible talks about this idea a lot! In Deuteronomy, Moses reminds his people (and us) to 'love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt." More than 1,000 years later, Paul wrot…

This Sunday, I continue my sermon series, Reel Theology: Going to the Movies with God, with Part 3 - "Respect: Twas Grace." Have you seen the movie Respect, which is the story of Aretha Franklin's life? It is an excellent film, and the music is powerful. Jennifer Hudson plays Aretha. Her renditions of Aretha's biggest hits both honor the Queen of S…

This Sunday, I will continue my summer sermon series, Reel Theology: Going to the Movies with God, with part 2, "The Boys in the Boat: Harmony, Balance, and Rhythm." If you have not seen this movie, I highly recommend it! It is available on Amazon Prime Video. It is the stirring story of the University of Washington junior varsity rowing team that …

This morning, we are continuing our reflections on the power of prayer. I hope our reflections during this Easter season and beyond have begun to lead us into a deeper understanding of the meaning and power of prayer, have led us to believe more fully in the power of intercessory prayer, and will lead us to pray more constantly and more meaningfull…

First Community Church 06-09-24 Glen Miles -Sermon Reel Theology Star Wars - A New Hope by First Community ChurchFirst Community Church által

Last week, in my sermon on the theology of the Trinity, I touched on one way of understanding intercessory prayer, prayers that I/we offer to someone in need. Today I would like to say a little more about this understanding and what it teaches about the importance of your prayer.Rev. Dr. Paul Sanderson által

Today is Trinity Sunday. The sermon title is "The Trinity--God's Crazy Math!" In this reflection, we explore the richness of a trinitarial theology, how it might help us pray by deepening our understanding of God and also our relationship with God. It also points to a direction that we may need to go theologically and in our prayer--the evolution o…

First Community Church 05.26.24 Mary Kate Buchanan -Sermon, Somethings Missing, It Matters by First Community ChurchFirst Community Church által

I'll conclude my sermon series, Somehow, Love Will Find a Way, with Part 3, "Courage is Fear that Has Said Its Prayers," based on 2 Timothy 1: 3-7. The scripture reading comes from a letter written by the Apostle Paul to a young pastor named Timothy. It is excellent advice on leading a church and living a Christ-like life. In Sunday's reading, Paul…

Author of Without Buddha I Could not be a Christian.Part 4 Making Peace and Being PeaceFirst Community Church által

Part 2 in the Sermon Series Somehow Love Will Find a WayLove is Our HopeThe sermon is also inspired by Paul's letter to the church in Thessalonica. He is very impressed by the Thessalonian Christians and their "work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in Jesus." Those three words, faith, hope, and love, are also found in Paul's oth…

Today is the sixth Sunday of the Easter season. The fifty days between Easter and Pentecost is a special time in our church year. It is a time that we set aside to reflect on what happened to Jesus following his crucifixion. On Easter Sunday, we focus our attention on the miracle of Jesus’ resurrection, on the empty tomb, the cornerstone of our fai…

Author of Without Buddha I Could not be a Christian.Part 3 Prayer and MeditationFirst Community Church által

Part 1 Life Delivers the UnbelievableThe first sermon in the series," Life Delivers the Unbelievable," is based on John 20: 19-31. The scripture tells the story of Thomas, a disciple of Jesus, who will not believe Jesus has been resurrected until he can touch the wounds in Jesus' hands. Thomas is like many of us who need proof before we can trust o…

Author of Without Buddha I Could not be a Christian.Part 1 - God and NirvanaFirst Community Church által

Author of Without Buddha I Could not be a Christian.Part 2 Jesus and BuddhaFirst Community Church által

We had a baptism in our sanctuary this morning during the worship service. My reflection, which focuses on the way our sanctuary is set up architecturally and on the relationship of form and function, is a reminder that baptism is only the beginning of our spiritual. journey. I think you might find it at least informative. (At least I hope you will…

First Community Church 04.28.24 Glen Miles -Sermon, Grace Required Grace Received by First Community ChurchFirst Community Church által

This reflection, the fourth Sunday of the Easter season, is entitled "Don't Try to Hold On." It could just as easily have been named, "Don't Touch Me," "Don't Cling to Me," or "Don't Hold Me," depending upon which translation of the passage in John you read. It is about the suffering that arises from our attachments, from our grasping, whether it i…

First Community Church 04.14.24 Rev Dr. Otis Moss III -Sermon, From Miseducation to Liberation. by First Community ChurchFirst Community Church által

First Community Church 04.14.24 Rev Dr. Otis Moss III -Sermon, These are my Confessions by First Community ChurchFirst Community Church által

The liturgical season of Easter is one of my favorite times of the Christian year. It is a time when we read the gospel accounts of how the disciples encounter Jesus, encounter their risen Lord, or are encountered by him. Their experiences of rediscovering the One whom they felt they had lost can guide us in our own experiences of our risen Lord, c…

First Community Church 04.07.24 Mexico Mission Sarah Kientz -Sermon Turning a Little Into A Lot by First Community ChurchFirst Community Church által

In our observance of Holy Week, we move from Palm Sunday, a day of triumph, to Easter Sunday, another day of triumph, without passing through the dark night of the soul that is a central part of Holy Week. It is tempting to think we can have a resurrection without a crucifixion, without a sacrifice, without a death, either in Jesus’ life or in our …

First Community Easter Sunday 03.21.24 Glen Miles -Sermon, And I Hope by First Community ChurchFirst Community Church által

Today is Palm Sunday, a day of celebration! Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem marks the beginning of Holy Week, one of the most profound and deeply symbolic weeks in human history. Churches distribute palms to their communicants on this day, sometimes as palm branches, sometimes in other forms. This morning, We reflect on the symbolism of the p…

This morning, the fifth Sunday in Lent, we are continuing our reflections on the power of prayer. I hope our reflections will lead us to a deeper understanding of the meaning and power of prayer, will lead us to believe more fully in the power of intercessory prayer, and will lead us to pray more constantly and more meaningfully in our daily life.…

Palm SundayHoly Week begins this weekend with Palm Sunday, the day we recall Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. My sermon, "Songs of Loudest Praise," is based on John 12:12-16. John's version of this story is briefer than the other three gospels. It is a bit quieter, too. The disciples are confused; the crowd is there for another miracle or two…

Scripture lessons and discussion topics on our journey through Holy Week by Mary Kate Buchanan.First Community Church által

This Sunday's sermon, "Teach Me," is part 5 in our Lent sermon series, Wandering Heart, and is based on Jesus' well-known response to how often we should forgive. As you may recall, he said, "Seventy times seven." Or, the Greek is a bit unclear in the text, he may have said, "Seventy-seven times." Either way, it is a huge number, much greater than …

First Community Church 03.13.24 Glen Miles, Sacred Doorways, The Study of Celtic Christianity by First Community ChurchFirst Community Church által

Rev. Dr. Paul Sanderson által

This Sunday, we continue the sermon series Wandering Heart with Part Four: "I'm Fixed Upon It," based on Matthew 16: 21-23. This is the famous story of when Peter tried to tell Jesus what to do and what not to do. Peter is confused. He is creating a stumbling block for Jesus. Jesus replies, rather harshly, "Get Thee Behind Me, Satan!" It sounds har…

First Community Church 03.06.24 Glen Miles Sacred Doorways, The Study of Celtic Christianity Part 3 by First Community ChurchFirst Community Church által