Cute little bunnies are more part and parcel of Easter than they are of Christmas. But “The Runaway Bunny,” a children’s story of a young rabbit with a stubborn wanderlust, seems tailormade for understanding why the birth of Jesus is such a big deal. The story is relatable on a couple different levels. For starters,Continue reading “The Runaway Bunny”
Author Archives: First Presbyterian Church
Speaking to Suffering
The dramatic events surrounding the birth of Jesus begin to unfold long before the expected cast of characters starts arriving in Bethlehem, and for our discipleship during these Sundays of Advent, Luke’s Gospel has been sharing those miraculous scenes. Luke’s curtain rises with the archangel Gabriel visiting Elizabeth and Zechariah, an elderly, childless couple who’dContinue reading “Speaking to Suffering”
Holy Cow and Zoinks!
For the past two Sundays of Advent, scenes from the first chapter of Luke’s Gospel have been moving us toward Bethlehem and the birth of Jesus. In both scenes, the angel Gabriel has been hard at work bringing incredible news to unlikely recipients. First, Gabriel visits the AARP-card-carrying Zechariah and Elizabeth and shares the surprisingContinue reading “Holy Cow and Zoinks!”
A Pink Cowboy
Pretend for a moment that a cold winter’s night finds you snuggled into your living-room recliner under a comfy blanket. And as you surf through the channels on TV, you stumble into the middle of movie. Two cowboys are standing about 30 yards apart in the middle of a dusty street. The men’s hands hangContinue reading “A Pink Cowboy”
Even in a Broken World
Our journey to Bethlehem and the birth of Jesus begins this first Sunday of Advent with the Gospel of Luke and the story of a faithful, long-serving priest named Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth. For years, Zechariah prays anxiously for the birth of a son only to get back what he hears as a great-bigContinue reading “Even in a Broken World”
The Power of Your Story
If you worship with us regularly, then you know that I always begin our Sunday services with a question: How has God been working in your life this past week? And I’m always grateful when a few brave souls share a story about a “God moment” that they experienced. I’m grateful because your stories ofContinue reading “The Power of Your Story”
Under Construction
Two Sundays ago, seven of our sons and daughters confirmed their faith, and two adults reaffirmed their baptismal vows. In the weeks leading up to that celebration, our Scripture lessons spoke to all of us about what it means to have faith and belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and how it isContinue reading “Under Construction”
All Wrapped Up in Jesus
Timing is everything! If it’s meant to happen, it will – at the right time and for the right reason. And so it goes with this morning’s Scripture lesson. Jesus is giving his followers some last-minute teaching, some 11th-hour instruction, because the day of his death on the cross is fast approaching. Jesus has givenContinue reading “All Wrapped Up in Jesus”
It’s Simple: Love One Another
Most of us have been baptized, and many of us have been confirmed. Those baptisms and confirmations were celebrated across the wide range of Christian belief and practice, with each tradition holding nuanced understandings of what baptism and confirmation are all about. Yet, I think all of us who follow God in Christ by theContinue reading “It’s Simple: Love One Another”
Genuine Love
As some of our members prepare to confirm their baptismal vows on Sunday, Oct. 3, we’re spending some time looking at the three questions of baptism and confirmation: Do you reject sin and evil?Is Jesus your Lord and Savior?And do you promise to live for him? Last Sunday, we unpacked that first question about rejectingContinue reading “Genuine Love”