Sermon Archive
The Point
It's life’s oldest question, and it comes in many forms: Why am I here? What's my purpose? How will I make my mark? In other words: What’s the point? Many people spend their whole life asking, some end life without an answer, and still others conclude that there's no point to life at all. But there is a point, a purpose, a reason, and scripture says a surprising amount about it. Join us as we unpack the answers scripture offers us to determine what the point is - and why so often we miss it.
In The Midst Of Our Doubt
Often times doubt is discouraged in the arena of faith, but it can actually be a very healthy and necessary part of the journey. Rev. Linda Gastreich reflects on the story of Thomas, what we can learn from Jesus' response to Thomas' doubt, and how we can embrace and process our own doubts as we grow into our faith.
Easter 2012
The Easter story begins with fear, something which the disciples felt immensely when Jesus died. This story, one they were not ready to have end, was suddenly canceled, over. That is, until 3 days later when suddenly it wasn’t. Jesus’ resurrection and gift of the Spirit means that stories we thought were done, over are not. They have a next chapter, they can take a new turn, and the ending is still unknown.
Sanctification
Ever had the impression that church was a place for "perfect people"? Ever wondered whether life is supposed to fall perfectly into place once you become a Christian? Well, Christians aren't perfect people, and salvation is more than being saved in an instant – it's a lifetime of growing closer to the example of Christ. Join us as we explore the gift of sanctification, and share why it's good news for those of us struggling with our imperfections, or stalled out in our growth in faith.
Money Equals Happiness
We've all heard the saying "Money can't buy you happiness", but is that really true? What if the way we spend our money really could make us happier? Join us as we look at what scripture says about the connection between wealth, generosity, and joy, and how we can leverage our money towards a better world, and a happier life.
Wearing The Mark
During the imposition of ashes on Ash Wednesday, we are marked, physically, with the symbol of the cross on our foreheads. This mark carries with it a claim about who we are as Christians to anyone who sees us. Often we don't carry a visible mark with us, but the claim is the same, so why should we act any differently?
A Complicated Life
The path from here to there is messy. It often doesn't go quite as planned. Our lives can get like that, sometimes: complicated and screwed-up. We tend to think that that somehow disqualifies us from God's plan - that He only uses people who have their act together. But God lifts up unlikely people for a greater purpose, even if their flaws make for a messy journey along the way. Join us as we look at what God did with David's life, and discover what He can also do with ours.
Starting Strong
Most of us are ready to start 2012 with a blank slate. But scripture reminds us that part of starting a new year off right is looking back at where we’ve been. Baptism is a ritual of new beginnings. In Part 1, we talk about the how Jesus baptism sheds light on how we ought to start a new year. In Part 2, we examine the critical error we often make in starting something new by allowing past experiences to define future possibilities.
New Year’s Day 2012
A meditation on the magi and their decision to go home another way, and how they can serve as an example for the paths that we follow, the choices that we make, and the legacies we leave behind.
