Chosen Family (Philippians 2:19-24)

Guest preacher Rev. Tina Carter looks at Paul's brief, personal words about Timothy in Philippians 2 and finds a much bigger idea underneath them: chosen family. Drawing on figures from Ruth and Naomi to Jacob to a present-day foster father who cares for terminally ill children, she traces how scripture is full of people who found family outside of blood ties, and makes the case that a baptism vow is really a promise to be that kind of family too. It's a warm, funny, occasionally pointed sermon (grandparents with red pens, beware) about what it means to love people well enough that they want to join in.