SUNDAY SERMONS

AUDIO

Speed Bumps: When the Road Ends | Emily Wright

Pastor Emily's sermon centers on the theme of grief and loss, inspired by the responses of her congregation to her call for "speed bumps" in life. Using scripture, she reflects on the profound sorrow experienced when loved ones are lost, emphasizing the need for comfort in such times. Through the story of Naomi from the Book of Ruth, Pastor Emily illustrates the journey through grief, highlighting Naomi's despair and the loyalty of her daughter-in-law, Ruth. The sermon concludes with a call to support one another in times of grief, to be like Ruths for those who mourn, and to accept support from the community, echoing the promise of God's comforting presence.

Speed Bumps: Health and Humanity | Emily Wright

Pastor Emily's sermon reflects on the metaphor of speed bumps in life, drawing from her own experience of encountering unexpected obstacles on familiar paths. She asks her congregation to reflect on their own "speed bumps," which range from work challenges to health struggles. Through the story of Jesus healing a blind man, Pastor Emily emphasizes that struggles, whether physical or emotional, are not punishments or tests from God but rather opportunities for divine intervention and revelation. Despite the blind man's rejection from the temple after his healing, Jesus seeks him out, illustrating a profound message of acceptance and understanding. The sermon concludes with a powerful reminder that Jesus, through his unwavering presence and compassion, meets us wherever we are on our journey of faith.

Sent To Share | Ezequiel Herrera

EasteR - God Is Doing a New Thing

Just like the incredible transformation of a caterpillar, God brings new beginnings even in our darkest times. The women finding the empty tomb and the disciples' disbelief is an example. Even though all evidence pointed towards death, Jesus was resurrected. We also focus on Peter who, despite not fully understanding, still gets up and runs to the tomb. Just like Peter, we can hold onto hope and believe that God can bring new beginnings in our lives.

6Th Sunday of Lent -
Wandering Heart: LAY YOUR CLOAK DOWN

Pastor Emily's sermon on Palm Sunday offers a unique perspective, presenting a first-person narrative from the apostle Peter, vividly recounting his experiences with Jesus. Peter reflects on the complexity of life's priorities, contrasting his initial certainty with newfound understanding. Through Peter's reminiscences, congregants are transported to pivotal moments, such as Jesus' teachings on forgiveness and wealth. As Peter describes the symbolic act of laying down cloaks for Jesus, the sermon culminates in a powerful message about true worship and the sacrificial surrender of worldly status.

5th Sunday of Lent -
Wandering Heart: TEACH ME

4th Sunday of Lent -
Wandering Heart: I’m FIXED UPON IT

We all live hectic lives weighed down by worldly concerns. Jesus tells Peter to put aside earthly things and set himself upon divine things. That was hard for Peter and it’s no easier for us. In the fourth week of our Wandering Heart Lenten series, Pastor Kevin encourages us to let down that which we do not need to carry and to cling to the heavenly truths - that we are loved and claimed by God regardless of our success or failure.

3RD Sunday of Lent -
Wandering Heart: Praise the Mount

Pastor Emily's sermon focuses on the importance of questioning and understanding one's faith in stable times, not just during crises. She begins by reflecting on the 96th Academy Awards and a powerful short film called "The After," emphasizing the profound impact of personal experiences. The sermon delves into Matthew 16:13-20, where Jesus asks his disciples, "Who do you say I am?" Pastor Emily highlights Jesus teaching the disciples to own their faith and make it personal. She encourages the congregation to consider their own experiences of Jesus and boldly affirm their beliefs, drawing on a section from the PCUSA's statement of faith. Ultimately, she emphasizes the significance of sharing one's faith stories for greater understanding, tolerance, and appreciation of differences.

2ND Sunday of Lent -
Wandering Heart: RESCUE ME FROM DANGER

Pastor Emily Wright begins by highlighting the widespread influence of a young YouTuber, Mr. Beast, who tests various products, including one that claims to make items waterproof. Drawing a parallel to the iconic biblical story of Jesus walking on water, Pastor Emily emphasizes a crucial but often overlooked detail: Jesus approached the disciples in the midst of a storm. Exploring the narrative where Peter walks on water towards Jesus but begins to sink due to fear, she underscores that faith is not a simplistic binary of belief or unbelief, certainty or doubt. Instead, she encourages the congregation to understand that even in life's storms, Jesus walks towards us, offering hope, and our faith journey is not defined by the absence of challenges. The sermon concludes with the reassurance that, despite doubts, Jesus is ever-present, reaching out to lift us up in the storm.

1st Sunday of Lent - Wandering Heart: Jesus Sought Me

In this sermon delivered by Pastor Stephen Finkel, we embark on the Lenten journey focusing on the life and faith of the apostle Peter, one of Jesus' most prominent disciples. The sermon explores Peter's wavering yet steadfast pursuit of God, drawing parallels between his experiences and the challenges faced by believers today. The scripture reading from Luke 5:1-11 recounts the moment when Jesus calls Peter to follow him, demonstrating that Jesus seeks out individuals right where they are, regardless of imperfections. The sermon emphasizes that Jesus calls imperfect people and invites them to take faithful steps in their journey of faith. Through a personal anecdote, Pastor Stephen shares his own experience of being sought out by someone who demonstrated the love of Jesus, highlighting the transformative power of such encounters. We are encouraged to remember moments when Jesus sought them out and to extend the same love to others, embracing imperfection as God's chosen and called. The sermon concludes with a call to love people with the love of God, meeting them right where they are.

New Year, New Way to Live: New STRENGTH

Pastor Emily's sermon explores the pursuit of strength, both physical and spiritual, drawing parallels between gaining muscle strength through creatine, weight lifting, and a high-protein diet and cultivating emotional strength through resilience, patience, and endurance. It introduces Ephesians 6, highlighting the call to be strong in the Lord and to put on the whole armor of God to stand against spiritual forces of evil. She reflects on the symbolic armor described in Ephesians, drawing comparisons with Isaiah's context. The need for a different kind of strength against cosmic evil is emphasized, transcending the limitations of flesh and blood. She challenges the notion of seeking strength from tangible sources and urges the church to embrace spiritual armor for collective strength against evil. It introduces the idea of praying in the spirit as a secret weapon and calls for communal prayer, particularly focusing on those battling mental illness. The conclusion summarizes Ephesians' guidance for a new life in Christ, emphasizing new strength built in community and sustained by the Spirit.

New Year, New Way to Live: New WISDOM

In Ephesians 5:15-21, the focus is on making wise choices in the coming year. The passage advises readers to be intentional in their lives, paying attention to how they live and making the most of their time. The importance of being filled with the Spirit is emphasized, contrasting it with the potential pitfalls of excessive drinking. The call to be careful and filled with the Spirit is portrayed as not solely personal but also as a communal endeavor, reflecting the interconnected nature of the Christian community. The concept of mutual submission, a revolutionary idea in the 1st-century context, is introduced as an essential element in relationships within the community. This mutual submission is framed not as an obligation to others but as an act of reverence for Christ, emphasizing the overarching theme that wise living is deeply connected to imitating Christ's love and sacrifice. The three key directives for living wisely are summarized as being careful, filled with the Spirit, and subject to one another, with the reminder that who we are should align with how we live.

New Year, New Way to Live: New RULES

Join us on a transformative journey through the words of the Apostle Paul in this insightful sermon, "New Rules for Living: Words, Wisdom, and Unity in Christ." 

In the fourth week of our focus on the letter to the Ephesians, Pastor Kevin explores Paul's guidance to the church as they navigate the challenges of their new life in Christ. As followers of Christ, we are called to a higher standard – to be imitators of God, loving as Christ loved us.

As we unpack Ephesians, we encounter Paul's practical and relevant instructions for living as a united body in Christ. The sermon addresses the power of our words and the impact they have on our relationships, identity, and even our health. Scientific insights and personal anecdotes blend seamlessly to reinforce the truth that positive words inspire action and transformation.

The sermon doesn't shy away from the reality of disagreements within the Church. Acknowledging the challenges of expressing differing opinions, the speaker shares a profound realization about the potential limitations of Thumper's Rule. The importance of courageous conversations, active listening, and empathizing with one another is emphasized, drawing parallels with the session's engagement with Preferred Path facilitator Kerry Pollard.

The message concludes with a powerful prayer for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our words, that they may be instruments of inspiration, healing, and comfort. Ultimately, the sermon encourages us to strive for unity in the Spirit, imitating God in humility, gentleness, and love.

Don't miss this thought-provoking sermon that challenges us to live out our new identity in Christ with grace, compassion, and unity.

New Year, New Way to Live: New Love

In Ephesians 3, the author, the apostle Paul, writes a letter to a community of Christians in Ephesus. Unlike individual-focused letters, this addresses a group navigating their faith in a culture challenging traditional norms. The passage, Ephesians 3:14-21, presents Paul's prayer for the community, emphasizing strength through the Spirit, being rooted in love, and experiencing the fullness of God. Drawing on the metaphor of building projects in Ephesus, Paul connects their daily lives to their faith, stressing the importance of a strong foundation in the church. The prayer reflects Paul's understanding of the audience's context and encourages them to be rooted well, like plants thriving in rocky soil, by making space for the roots of love to grow. The overarching message is the significance of Christian community, emphasizing relationships and mutual support as the foundation for a fulfilled and abundant life in Christ.

New Year, New Way To Live: New Peace

In Pastor Emily Wright's sermon on Ephesians 2, she explores the concept of "frenemies" and applies it to the relationship between Jews and Gentiles in the Ephesian church. Drawing parallels between historical events and the Ephesian context, she emphasizes the need for finding common ground among Christians, especially when faced with differences in beliefs and practices. The sermon highlights Paul's message in Ephesians 2, where he addresses the division between circumcised Jews and uncircumcised Gentiles. Pastor Emily underscores the importance of Christ's sacrifice in breaking down the walls of judgment and exclusion, emphasizing the transformative power of peace. She challenges Christians to let go of bitterness and anger, promoting unity for the common good, even with those who may hold different views within the Christian community. The sermon concludes with a powerful personal story that illustrates the impact of shared humanity and empathy among diverse individuals.

New Year, New Way To Live

Christmas Eve - How Does a Weary World Rejoice?
We Make Room

THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Last week, Pastor Stacy prompted the congregation to create an advent playlist based on songs representing the circumstances of their lives. This week's theme focused on assigning songs to members of the staff. For example, Brian, the organist, received "Under Pressure" due to his busy schedule, and Pastor Stephen battling allergies got "I Want To Break Free." The sermon then transitions to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and her theme song, the Magnificat. The passage is read, and the congregation is encouraged to imagine Mary singing, not with extreme emotions but in the middle of excitement and weariness. Mary's song emphasizes trusting in God as the active and alive Savior, recounting past deeds and holding onto God's promises for the future. The congregation is urged to sing of God's saving love that is always at work, remembering past blessings and trusting in God's promises, concluding with a call to rejoice in the Lord's day.