All Episodes - Things to Ponder
Sermons and other things from St. Mary‘s, a congregation of the United Church of Christ in Silver Run, MD
View Podcast Details112 Episodes
March 26, 2025 - What We Need Is Here: Listen. Really Listen.
Sermon Text: Deuteronomy 11:7-21 God is not mindless about land, but cares for it, so the Lord sees your faithfulness on it and sees your unfaithfulness on it.“ There is an ominous – perhaps a fatal – presumptuousness in living in a place by the imposition on it of one’s ideas and wishes.” Scripture calls us to this agrarian work, to tell the truth about our land and our selves. Our first, most faithful step isn’t to do, but to listen. An agrarian people must be a contemplative people. Action emerges from silence. Planting emerges from pasture walks. Design emerges from seasons. Repentance emerges from confession. Programming emerges from observation. Because good land, good economy, good communities come from deep faithfulness. Listen. And it is listening, to God, ground, and neighbor, that we come to learn how we live faithfully in this place, a place that Christ gave himself for. Follow St. Mary's: www.facebook.com/stmarysunitedchurchofchrist/ www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
March 9, 2025 - What We Need Is Here: A Good Life of Limits
Sermon Text: Genesis 11:1-9, Philippians 2:1-13, Luke 4:1-13 The Church is the body of Christ, so we reflect Christ's nature - fully human, fully divine. Therefore, there's nothing we do in the church that doesn't have eternal, spiritual ramifications. When it comes to stewardship, all of it draws us to Christ or obscures Christ to us. So as we go through the "administrative" parts of the church in the coming months, let us look with the eyes of faith - pray, listen, discern, and commit. Follow St. Mary's: www.facebook.com/stmarysunitedchurchofchrist/ www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
October 20, 2024 - Fully Human, Fully Divine
Sermon Text: Acts 1 The Church is the body of Christ, so we reflect Christ's nature - fully human, fully divine. Therefore, there's nothing we do in the church that doesn't have eternal, spiritual ramifications. When it comes to stewardship, all of it draws us to Christ or obscures Christ to us. So as we go through the "administrative" parts of the church in the coming months, let us look with the eyes of faith - pray, listen, discern, and commit. Follow St. Mary's: www.facebook.com/stmarysunitedchurchofchrist/ www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
October 13, 2024 - Stewardship: Come, Follow Me
Sermon Text: Proverbs 3:1-12; Matthew 19:16-26 So when we talk stewardship, we aren’t first talking about budgets, but about a vision. We aren’t talking about money, but about how we align our lives with a world being renewed by Christ, How do I take ALL of me and let Christ’s power flow from me and from us? That’s the question of stewardship! Follow St. Mary's: www.facebook.com/stmarysunitedchurchofchrist/ www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
October 6, 2024 - Guest Preacher! Rev. Sheresa Simpson-Rice
Sermon Text: Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12; Mark 10:2-16 Our associate conference minister, Sheresa Simpson-Rice, joins us to celebrate World Communion Sunday, and to reflect on a faith that calls us to a wider view of God's welcome for all people around the table! Follow St. Mary's: www.facebook.com/stmarysunitedchurchofchrist/ www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
September 29, 2024 - Religion: Joy and Discipline
Sermon Text: James 2 We continue in James, who reminds us that if we are to be faithful people, we must do, not just believe. The minute we ask, "How do I love God?" we are into the realm of religion. Religion based in love requires discipline and sacrifice, but it also makes space for joy. If we would love God well, let us "lift our hands, that our hearts may follow." Follow St. Mary's: www.facebook.com/stmarysunitedchurchofchrist/ www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
September 22, 2024 - Amo Ergo Sum
Sermon Text: James 3; Mark 9 Our desires are central to our identity, and to our faith. Jesus calls out the apostles because they wanted greatness, instead of relationship. Jesus' brother, James, teaches us to pay attention to our desires that we might live a wise life. Follow St. Mary's: www.facebook.com/stmarysunitedchurchofchrist/ www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
September 15, 2024 - Some Things We Do, Some Things We Don't
Sermon Text: Ephesians 4:17-32 We welcomed 5 new members at St. Mary's, and we reflected on Ephesians' call to be a certain kind of community. Because God has blessed us with "every spiritual blessing in Christ," we commit to following him. In doing so, there are some things we do, and some things we don't. In doing so, we lean into the shared calling we have as a community of Christ. Follow St. Mary's: www.facebook.com/stmarysunitedchurchofchrist/ www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
September 8, 2024 - God Moves, We Respond
Sermon Text: Psalm 104 We all desire renewal, and that's certainly a healthy part of what it means to be human. But we can seek renewal and never consider God's place in it. The scriptures tell us that all renewal begins in God's work. God is moving, we discern, and then we respond. If we are serious about real renewal in our lives, it begins by listening carefully to the Spirit, and planting our feet firmly in God's promises. Follow St. Mary's: www.facebook.com/stmarysunitedchurchofchrist/ www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
Sept 1, 2024 - The Most Prayed Line in Scripture
Sermon Text: Psalm 70 The opening to Psalm 70 has been prayed more than any other scripture, "God, come to my assistance!" Our need of God is at the core of our existence and our prayers. But then the psalm goes to pray against one's enemies. How can we understand this in light of Christ and his cross? Are we really supposed to pray against others, or is there a healthier, truer way to pray this prayer? Follow St. Mary's: www.facebook.com/stmarysunitedchurchofchrist/ www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
August 25, 2024 - Where Is God and What Is God Doing?
Sermon Text: Isaiah 42:5-12; Matthew 9:14-17 We celebrated our students' return to school, and we wondered about God's work in new places. We asked the question: where is God and what is God doing? God is not an old man on a throne judging, but is living and active, taking us to new places, making all things new. Follow St. Mary's: www.facebook.com/stmarysunitedchurchofchrist/ www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
August 18, 2024 - Turntable Gospel: "I Won't Back Down" by Tom Petty
Sermon Text: Daniel 3; Matthew 16 When faced with grief, society gives us two options: succumb to fear, or puff out our chest in bravado. Perhaps there is a third way, a way that roots us in faith? The story of Sharach, Meshach, and Abednego tells a story of three guys who stood at a real hell and lived to tell the story. When in grief, we discover God is in it with us. And Jesus says that the Church is to be the place where we trust in God's presence always. Follow St. Mary's: www.facebook.com/stmarysunitedchurchofchrist/ www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
August 11, 2024 - Turntable Gospel: "Weapons" by Jars of Clay
Sermon Text: Matthew 5:20-26 As we explore grief, anger seems to be a strange but constant companion. Anger reveals something about our desires, and if we aren't careful, we can use that anger to defend ourselves from others, when the spiritual reality is inside of us. So "lay your weapons down, there are no enemies in front of you." Follow St. Mary's: www.facebook.com/stmarysunitedchurchofchrist/ www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
August 4, 2024 - Turntable Gospel: "Totem" by Rush
Sermon Text: Matthew 14:22-33 From a religious point of view, "Totem" is a chaotic song, with all of its religious references. In this way, it's a lot like grief - in challenging times, we grasp for solutions to ease the pain. When we do that, we become spiritually confused. Where do we actually put our trust in times of grief? In the story of Jesus walking on the water, we are invited to keep our eyes fully fixed on Jesus even in the most difficult moments of our lives. He's got us, and we can trust him. Follow St. Mary's: www.facebook.com/stmarysunitedchurchofchrist/ www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
July 28, 2024 - Turntable Gospel: "Born in the USA" by Bruce Springsteen
Sermon Text: Psalm 77; Matthew 8:1-4 In Week Two of Turntable, we turned to the grief of others. "Born in the USA" is the dark story of a Vietnam veteran. The beauty of the song is the in the tension of the struggle in the verses and the triumph in the chorus. When we encounter people with grief, what can we offer? Jesus shows us the gift of dignity, that our grief and suffering does not have to define us. Follow St. Mary's: www.facebook.com/stmarysunitedchurchofchrist/ www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
July 21, 2024 - Turntable Gospel: "He Stopped Loving Her Today" by George Jones
Sermon Text: Psalm 137; Luke 9:18-25 Turntable Gospel will center on grief, so we started with the genre that does that best: country. Country music thrives in its specificity, to bring you into the story. In faith, grief is what starts our journey towards God, but we must be specific about our grief and name it. In doing so, we discover that our Savior joins us in that grief. Whatever you are carrying, it is a good place to seek the Savior. Follow St. Mary's: www.facebook.com/stmarysunitedchurchofchrist/ www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
July 14, 2024: Joy at the Core
Sermon Text: 2 Samuel 6 We wrapped up a week of VBS by asking the question we asked the kids all week: What is at the core of YOUR faith? For so many of us, it's really fear. But the Bible says, "Fear not." In Christ, we can know a joy deeper than our circumstances. Joy is not a requirement of discipleship, but is rather the by-product of it. We experience that joy as we walk in the way of Christ. Follow St. Mary's: www.facebook.com/stmarysunitedchurchofchrist/ www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
June 23, 2024 - Concentric Circles: The Power of Covenant
Sermon Text: Exodus 19 In our final installment of this series, we talk about the United Church of Christ. At the heart of the UCC is a commitment to covenant - an exchange not of goods or services, but of people. In the UCC, we are not connected by laws or authority, but by deep relationships to one another. That empowers our work to proclaim the gospel, work for reconciliation, and to seek justice and liberation for all. Follow St. Mary's: www.facebook.com/stmarysunitedchurchofchrist/ www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
June 16, 2024 - Concentric Circles: Feed My Sheep
Sermon Text: John 21:3-19 We are built for community, which means that as soon as we start following Christ we find ourselves in a community of believers, and Christ calls us to care for them, "Feed my sheep." We don't do that as "volunteers," but as "disciples" who are carrying out God's purposes for our lives. To help us do this, we have structures at St. Mary's that lead us, structure our work, and call us to our best selves. Follow St. Mary's: www.facebook.com/stmarysunitedchurchofchrist/ www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
June 9, 2024 - Concentric Circles: The Heart of Membership
We're covering the basics of membership in our Sunday worship. Today, we talked the heart of membership - discipleship of Jesus Christ. When we join a church, we don't join an organization, but an organism. At the heart of the church is the story of Jesus - his birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension. And his most basic call to us is, "Follow me." And we're given some important tools - prayer, scripture, and sacrament - to guide us on good and faithful paths. Follow St. Mary's: www.facebook.com/stmarysunitedchurchofchrist/ www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
March 3, 2024 - If You Wanna Go Far...Narrow is the Wy
Sermon Text: Genesis 12:1-9; Matthew 7:13-20 A testimony is a record of the choices we make to live by faith out of the soil of our disciplines, and the impact our lives make on others. There is no testimony that doesn't require making choices. Abram's choice was to go in the complete opposite direction of the entire world, and Jesus tells us to enter by the narrow gate. Make those hard choices towards the way of God - the love of God, and the love of neighbor. Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
February 25, 2024 - If You Wanna Go Far...Followers of the Way
Sermon Text: John 14:1-9; 1 Timothy 4:1-12 We are all spiritual beings because we are beings who love. If we love anything at all, we are being spiritually formed. The question then is, “Who or what is forming you?” and “is that where you wanna go? Jesus doesn’t say, “I’ll show you the way.” He’s saying, “I am the way…no one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus makes a bold statement: there’s no path to God you’ve glimpsed in your own soul, without Jesus. Follow St. Mary's: www.facebook.com/stmarysunitedchurchofchrist/ www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
February 18, 2024 - If You Wanna Go Far...Follow Me
Sermon Text: Deuteronomy 6:1-12; Luke 5:1-11 We kick off a new sermon series for Lent, "If You Wanna Go Far..." We begin with motivation. What drives us forward? Can external things, really keep us moving forward in life? Our Scriptures give us a different answer. At Sinai, God implores the people to "Love the Lord your God." And in Luke, Peter has an experience that changes his life. Love is at the core of our most meaningful journeys. What's your story? Follow St. Mary's: www.facebook.com/stmarysunitedchurchofchrist/ www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
February 11, 2024 - The Full Divinity of Christ *with Bonus Content*
Sermon Text: Mark 9:2-9 The Transfiguration shows us fully what the gospels have only shown us in part: the full divinity of Christ. Elijah and Moses bear witness to this final, full revelation of God's purposes, "This is my beloved Son, listen to him!" Follow St. Mary's: www.facebook.com/stmarysunitedchurchofchrist/ www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
February 4, 2024 - Curing and Healing
Sermon Text: Mark 1:29-39 When we participate in intercessory prayer, what is it that we do? In our reading today, Jesus shows us how he interacts with the sick and suffering. Not only was Simon's mother-in-law cured, but she was restored to her vocation. In this way, we see a difference between curing and healing. And when we understand the difference, our eyes can be opened to new ways of seeing the work of God in the lives of others. Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
January 28, 2024 - Love Builds Up
Sermon Text: 1 Corinthians 8:1-18 Last week, Mary told us to "do whatever he tells you." This is the path of discipleship. Faith is less about what we think, and more about what we do. Apply this to a unique situation of meal being sacrificed to idols - what should we do? The answer? Always prioritize the needs of others. Don't let anything come between them and their Savior. Follow St. Mary's: www.facebook.com/stmarysunitedchurchofchrist/ www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
January 21, 2024 - A Simple Gesture
Sermon Text: John 2:1-11 In all of scripture, Mary is our most faithful guide for following Jesus, and helps us understand what we are called to be as the church. In the story of the wedding at Cana, she gives us the most basic instruction of discipleship, "Do whatever he tells you." And in this step, Jesus turns the regular water of our lives into the wine of life and purpose and meaning. To make it even more clear, we took a look at a religious icon to show us in color what being the church is all about - point them to Jesus. Follow St. Mary's: www.facebook.com/stmarysunitedchurchofchrist/ www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
January 14, 2024 - A New Identity
Sermon Text: Mark 1:4-11 In Noah's flood, a dove announced dry land, a new world is here! Except it wasn't. But in Christ, a dove announces that new world is here, and it lands upon Christ, who has given us a new identity - the Beloved. As we welcome our new consistory, they too receive a new identity, to lead this "ark" not to keep people out, but to bring people on board. Follow St. Mary's: www.facebook.com/stmarysunitedchurchofchrist/ www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
January 7, 2024 - A Final Story and a First Principle
Sermon Text: Matthew 2:1-12 The Magi came to worship, and so we are invited in this final Christmas story to worship Christ. In worship, God and his story is made present to us, in a deeply personal way. God is nearer to you at this very moment than your own breath. Worship is simple, but it is a choice to make ourselves fully and personally present to God. And when we fix the life and person of Christ as our star, and we worship with body and soul and spirit, we find a central point to follow on the vast journey of life. Follow St. Mary's: www.facebook.com/stmarysunitedchurchofchrist/ www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
November 12, 2023 - Light Heart and Stout Conviction
Sermon Text: Psalm 119 Today we celebrate the hiring of our new program leader for children, youth, and families, as well as bless our 2023-34 confirmation class! Psalm 119, an extended treatise on the "law of God," says they are "happy" who follow in the way of God. Happiness is what we all seek, but our young people are as unhappy as any generation we've seen. The world has promised that all sorts of things can ease that unhappiness, and yet the call to follow Christ promises to remove us from the highway of noise and information and help us walk on water when we keep our eyes fixed on Christ. Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
November 5, 2023 - Hope in the Face of Death
Sermon Text: Revelation 7 Today we celebrate All Saints Sunday, and we are brought face to face with the reality of death. And while death is all around us, and can make us lose hope, we don't have to. Even Christ died, and so there is no place we can go where Christ has not already gone. And Revelation shows us, in images and suggestions, how we can draw hope for our lives from the lives of those who have walked the way of Christ. Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
October 29, 2023 - Not My Responsibility
Sermon Text: Ezekiel 36 We usually think of the "Protestant Reformation," but reformation is required anytime people ask other things - church, other people, celebrities - to carry our faith for us. Why? Because our God is intensely personal, and that means faith's beauty and power only comes to full bloom when we carry that faith inside ourselves and live it out in our lives. Perhaps reformation is needed in our lives and in the Church's life once more.
October 15, 2023 - When Are You ”Saved?”
Sermon Text: Mark 1 When are we saved? Is it at baptism? Is it at confirmation? When we say a prayer? Or are we bound to guess for our entire life, hoping to attain heaven one day? In baptism, Christ comes to us, and the powerful voice of God says, "You are my beloved child." Is that not salvation? A good word today as we celebrated the baptism of Bryce! https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
October 8, 2023 - A New Way to Human
Sermon Text: Ephesians 2 What is the role of the church? What are we supposed to do? In Ephesians, Paul identifies the problem - "sin," as he calls it; identifies the solution - God's amazing love, and our path forward - a new way of being human. That is what Christ called us to be. And the role of the church is to live as that new humanity, and in doing so, become the "poem" God intends us to be. https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
October 1, 2023 - What Question Are We Answering?
Sermon Text: John 12 Worldwide Communion Sunday was established in the 30's to meet the needs of a world that was coming apart. Its message was to bring Christian communities together. Today, the world is different, as we all receiving teaching and encouragement from a variety of Christian sources. So what is the urgent question facing the church today? And what can communion say about it? https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
September 24, 2023 -
Sermon Text: Romans 12:1-5 While the gospel is a message of what Christ has done for us, it can only be fully understood as it is lived, and the Church's responsibility is to witness to that love in the same cruciform way. As Christ gave his body, so we give our bodies. This is what Paul stresses when he writes "Present your bodies as a living sacrifice." And we know this changes lives because someone did that for you - someone gave of themself and witnessed to you so that you could witness to others. So let's do our shared work as a church looking for those who need that love and support. https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
September 17, 2023 - The Primary Teaching of Our Religion
Sermon Text: 1 Corinthians 15:1-7 Pastor Sam stumbled across a social media post that claimed that the main tenet of each religion is basically the same., "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." While there's value to understanding the similarities of religion and the humanity of those who practice them, we also do well to discover what is distinct about Christianity. That distinctiveness we call the gospel - Christ crucified, buried, resurrected, and living today. That is the core of our faith, and is the key to understanding it all - even love. https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
August 27, 2023 - Turntable Gospel: ”I Will Wait” by Mumford and Sons
Sermon Text: Luke 19:1-10 What does a life – shaped by Kingdom realities, priorities, and values – look like? How do we worship here and go to work on Monday? We can't do it i the style of Babylon; it begins by waiting. Waiting leads to discipline, and discipline leads to passion. And that is a recipe for a vibrant life of God. https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
August 20, 2023 - Turntable Gospel: ”Caught by the River” by Doves
Sermon Text: Galatians 2 We celebrated a baptism today, which intersected nicely with Turntable. If baptism is to mean anything, it has to help us live well, which means it has to be able to speak love and hope to us on our worst days. So we "learn a hard lesson" at the baptismal font, that we are crucified with Christ. But in that death, we know that Christ accompanies us always, and whispers love and hope throughout our life. https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
August 13, 2023 - Turntable Gospel: Gloria by U2
Sermon Text: Romans 57:15-24 Armed with the most wonderful story in the world, why is it that so few believers seem to live as if it makes a difference? Truth is, it's really hard to move into the new life of Christ. As U2 sings, we find ourselves unsteady and unsure. The path forward? To keep practicing the new life, doing the small things that keep us moving forward, trusting that God is bringing the new life inside of us to fruition. Just keep singing. https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
August 6, 2023 - Turntable Gospel: ”Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors” by the Editors *WITH BONUS CONTENT*
Sermon Text: Romans 5, Psalm 40 This song moves our conversation about "Babylon" from the global to the personal. Babylon makes false promises, and yet there's this nagging sense of hope, that things can be different. In Romans, Paul teaches us that in Adam, we are all fallen, but in the second Adam, Christ, we are all made new. This is reflected in the Editors lyrics - our "broken hearts" of shame are turned into the "broken hearts" of freedom and joy. And as a church, we are called to share that new life with others. In our Bonus Content, we talk about a simple prayer that can help us tell this deeper truth - the truth about Christ, and the truth about ourselves - and how this prayer can move from confession to rejoicing. Let us introduce you to the Jesus Prayer. https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
July 30, 2023 - Turntable Gospel: Jimi Hendrix, ”All Along the Watchtower”
Sermon Text: Isaiah 21; Luke 4 This song is taken right from Isaiah 21, where Isaiah pronounces judgment on Babylon. Babylon is one of the major themes of the entire Bible. What is Babylon? Why is she judged? And what does it mean to live faithfully in the midst of her? Into the midst of another Babylon - Rome - just comes and shows us an entirely new Kingdom. https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
July 23, 2023 - Remember Your Baptism
Sermon Text: 1 Chronicle 16:7-15; Psalm 42 Last week, we celebrated a baptism. This week: do you remember your baptism? Baptism makes present the reality it proclaims - the cross of Christ and new life! If it is so core to our identity, we cannot allow it to become a distant memory or an old certificate. We must remember regularly. And when we do, God transforms us. https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
July 16, 2023 - The Truest Thing About Us
Sermon Text: Matthew 3:13-17 Today, we celebrated the baptism of Everett! So we wondered about the sacrament of baptism: what is the truest thing about us? At its core, baptism is a desire to say unequivocally the truest thing about you, That you are the beloved child of God. Full stop. And that is why we baptize children. We want to say it before anyone else whispers anything else to you. Before you decided to follow Jesus, Jesus decided to follow you, and called you, and seeks to lavish on you grace and mercy and peace and growth and discipleship and the very Kingdom of God. https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
July 9, 2023 - No Such Thing as ”Small” with Pastor Bill Rumbaugh
Sermon Text: 1 Samuel 17; Matthew 14:13-21 Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
July 2, 2023 - Put on Love with Pastor Bill Rumbaugh
Sermon Text: 1 Corinthians 13; Colossians 3:9b-14 Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
June 25, 2023 - Love in Light and Lead: Extra-Ordinary
Sermon Text: John 15; Ephesians 4 We concluded our series on the windows by looking at the final two, representing baptism and communion. What are the sacraments, and what do they do? We talked about the remarkable gift they are. Then we stepped back and looked at the sanctuary in its fullness - what is the message of this place? Short answer? In our deepest heart, God meets us with love and bids us come follow him. That's still our call today. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
June 18, 2023 - Love in Lead and Light: Divine Diversity *with BONUS Content!*
Sermon Text: Revelation 4:6-8 Today we looked at the traditional symbols for the four gospels in our windows, and discovered these images come from Scripture itself! They are a reminder that every time we open Scripture, we are brought into the presence of God in a powerful way. the Bible is intended to point us to Christ, and the Bible is only life-changing as we allow Christ to shine through it. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
June 11, 2023 - Love in Light and Lead: Glimpsing the Invisible God *with BONUS content*
Sermon Text: Colossians 1 Today, we released a new logo! Logos - and imagery of all kinds - makes our feelings, beliefs, and visions tangible. But the Bible is notoriously skeptical of images, because we can't capture God in a finite image. But what if God GAVE us an image? In Christ, God did. And all of our images are intended to point back to that singular image - Jesus crucified, resurrected, and coming again. BONUS: For the mission to be alive in the church, it has to be alive in us. What is God cultivating, growing, and renewing in you? Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
June 4, 2023 - Trinity: God is Love
Sermon Text: 1 John 4 Trinity Sunday is one of a very few Sundays where we celebrate a doctrine. But what does the doctrine of the "Trinity" actually do for us? In the Trinity, God is a swirling, living, breathing experience of love. By being 3-in-1, God can be love in God's very essence. And through the Holy Spirit in us, we participate in that life. To be disciples, then, is to go seeking to give love in community. That is the challenge of the Trinitarian Church. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
May 28, 2023 - The People We’ve Been Praying For
Sermon Text: Acts 2 The apostles waited eagerly for the sending of the Holy Spirit, and on that Pentecost Sunday the Spirit was sent and the gospel began its spread across the world, until it reaches us. We are the people the apostles were praying for. In the same way, this congregation has prayed for an outpouring of God's Spirit, and today we confirmed 6 students into the faith and family of Jesus Christ. They are the people we've been praying for. May God bless them, and us, as we set out on this new journey together. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
May 21, 2023 - Heaven’s Tea Time
Sermon Text: Acts 1, Ephesians 1 Good theology starts with a simple question: Where is Jesus' body? On Ascension, we celebrate that Jesus' body goes to the right hand of God. He is above all powers, and fills all things, and our citizenship is in heaven. Church, then, is the place to experience heaven right now, and our responsibility is to join Jesus in bringing heaven's life to earth, "Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done." Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
May 8, 2023 - The Way, the Truth, and the Life (with Bonus Content!)
Sermon Text: John 14:1-14 In his resurrection, Christ has created a new home for us. "But how do we get there?" Thomas asked. It can feel that way for us as well. How do we get to resurrected life? Jesus gives us three metaphors, "way, truth, and life." As we commit our lives to Jesus and follow in his way, his truth, and his life, the Kingdom is made real in us. Bonus Content begins at 21:55. In light of the many shootings and acts of violence all around us, we wonder: can a contemplative life lived in the Jesus way, truth, and life actually bring about change in the world? Spoiler warning - yes! Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
April 30, 2023 - The Good Shepherd With Diane Flickinger
Sermon Text: John 10:1-10 Mrs. Diane Flickinger was our special guest speaker to reflect on the ways that Christ is the Good Shepherd. Thank you, Diane, for your wonderful message! Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
April 23, 2023 - The Farmer and the Monk (with Bonus Content!)
Sermon Text: Genesis 32 Today we did a Blessing of our Garden. In our gospel reading, Jesus withdrew to a secluded place to pray, a place a lot like this one. It was out of that that he could do the miracles he did. The life we live in relationship to agriculture and the earth is spiritually weighty, and we often find ourselves wrestling with God. That wrestling is holy, and brings us to a place where we can experience God. That's what can happen in a garden - contemplative space that can change us. Bonus Content (begins at 21:40): What We Need Is here. On the heels of our garden blessing, I thought we might continue the theme by diving into a little poetry - Wendell Berry's "Wild Geese." And through simple, powerful images, he makes a compelling case for resurrection life breaking out in you and in me precisely where we are. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
April16, 2023 -Spiritual Alloys
Sermon Text: 1 Peter 1:3-9 Rev. Sheresa Simpson-Rice, Associate Conference Minister for the Central Atlantic Conference, UCC, was with us this Sunday to bring greetings and a message! Alloys are created when multiple metals are joined together, bringing the best characteristics of each to bear on a new thing. The apostle Peter tells us that in light of Christ's resurrection, we will go through hard times. But it is our alloyed strength that will see us through. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
April 9, 2023 - Great Fear and Great Joy
Sermon Text: Matthew 28:1-10 How do we get from a crucified Messiah to Easter? How do we get stories of the apostles being murdered and early Christians gathering in holes and caves to tell this story? How do we get martyrs and mystics? How do we get abolitionists and peace activists? How do we get teachers and leaders and pastors and volunteers who talk to you with that look in their eye, that tone in their voice, that communicates love and faith, and hope? Because this happened. And it has been told down through the ages, one person to another, until today. And you're invited to believe it. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
April 2, 2023 - Lent: A Clear Choice
Sermon Text: Mark 11:1-11 On Palm Sunday, Jesus proclaims himself as King as he rides to Jerusalem on a donkey, and the peasant crowds cry out, "Hosanna!" come save us! But from the other side, Pilate rides in on a warhorse, accompanied by soliders. The stage is set: two ways of looking at the world, two ideas of salvation. And we are left with a choice. Some of us have never made a choice for Christ; we've received him as a hand-me-down. Palm Sunday invites all followers of Jesus to consider: is this the King we want? Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
March 26, 2023 - Lent: A Straightforward Question
Sermon Text: John 11:1-45 As we've walked this Lenten journey, we've told stories and discovered lessons. But...we don't need Jesus for any of them. But Jesus says, "I am the resurrection and the life." Jesus is making a bigger, more remarkable claim. Jesus is more than good stories and moral platitudes. He joins us to the very point of death. And he asks if we believe this. If we are to be people of faith, we must deal with Jesus. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
March 19, 2023 - Lent: Glory Days
Sermon Text: John 4:1-41 Through your life, God is shedding light on who God is and what God is doing in the world, no turning back. And that story is a gift which makes claims about Christ and his Kingdom. In today's gospel, Jesus changes a man's story forever, but that story falls under scrutiny. Yet though it all, the man grows in his understanding of Christ and his boldness in sharing his story. For us who struggle to know our place, to understand our purpose, the invitation is clear: let Christ show you who you are and who you are being made to be, and the critics can get out. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
March 12, 2023 - Lent: Us V. Them
Text: John 4:5-42 To become a part of the body of Christ is a wonderful thing. But when we create an "us," we also create a "them." So how do we handle this basic human instinct? Jesus shows us how as he meets a Samaritan woman. He acknowledges the differences, but never tries to "win." Rather, he meets the woman in her deepest needs, and in doing so, changes her life and the life of her community. That's the power of the Church: Us FOR Them. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
March 5, 2023: Lent - Take It From the Top
Sermon Text: John 3:1-17 Ultimately, Jesus is not asking us to adhere to certain beliefs or a certain behaviors. He offers us a new self. And we’re either going to decide to stay exactly where we are – we’ve worked hard to get here, of course – or we’ll take the leap. A logic-defying, risk-it-all, never-look-back leap of faith. A leap that believes the spirit will blow wherever it wants to, far outside the bounds of what you consider “proper religion.” Why? Because “God so loved the world.” God took a leap when Jesus came and took on flesh. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
February 5, 2023 - Trailhead: Altar Call (with Bonus Content!)
Text: Exodus 16; Luke 24:27-35 Altar calls offer a powerful emotional response to the creative Word of God. The response to God’s Word has to be personal; God’s love must be met with a response, with our bodies and our intentions and our will. Why don't liturgical traditions have such a tradition? It turns out that we do. In the sacraments, we respond to the death and resurrection of Christ with all of our lives. When we participate in the sacraments, we participate in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, and there find God's love and mercy in abundance. Bonus Content: We had some great thoughts and questions come in about liturgy and the sacraments, so let's have some fun with religion, history, philosophy, and science. Maybe the sacraments create enchantment, and that is good for our bodies! It begins at 21:00, for those who want to skip ahead:-) Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
January 29, 2023 - Trailhead: The Holiness of Words (with Bonus Content!)
Text: Revelation 10:9-10; Luke 24:17-27 Ours is a faith based in words, and those words carry meaning. We should therefore let our words be shaped by the community, which is what we find in the Bible. When we encounter those words with deep hearing and faith, they create the realities they proclaim - new things are created, forgiveness is given, relationships are built. As a people, then, we are invited to fall in love with the Scriptures as a way of seeing the world made new. Bonus Content! We've added a story at the end, the story of a famous Christian whose life changed because of the Scriptures. And, by the way, his changed your life as well. It begins at 24:00 minutes. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
January 22, 2023 - Trailhead: A Joyful Company
Text: Philippians 4:4-9; John 15:9-17 We participate in worship because we seek joy, but joy comes from relationship and common purpose. Worshipping with and for others is where we develop the capacity for joyful worship, discerning the Communty past, present, and future. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
January 15, 2023 - Trailhead: Public Service
Text: Romans Exodus 32:1-11; Romans 10:9-17; Luke 4:16-21 We kicked off a new sermon series about liturgy! God desires that we should learn to love God more. Liturgy is a tool to do that. But if liturgy is based in our wants and desires, we'll only be formed into what we already are, rather than growing into all God has for us. Liturgy based in love honors God, and forms us in faith. It is the great and wonderful gift of liturgy that in coming to render our service to God, God in his wisdom reveals who we are. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
January 8, 2023 - Gospel Under Pressure
Text: Matthew 2:1-12 Under pressure, the powers and principalities of the world showed us what they are – brutal, jealous, scheming. Under that same pressure, Christ and his story invites all people to hope. It is a global gospel for every single person. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
November 27 - Prepare Him Room
Sermon Text: Matthew 24:36-44 Advent is the season that is honest about the fact that our lives are too full for God’s goodness and abundance. When this child comes, he’s bringing some stuff. He’s bringing a new way of being in the world. He’s bringing forgiveness of sins. He’s bringing a sense of life and purpose to you. He’s bringing hope, peace, joy, and love to you in heaping helpings. And like a good grandmother on Thanksgiving, God isn’t gonna heap more on your plate if you already got a full plate! You want your stuff, or you want God’s stuff? If the answer is God’s gifts, then it’s cleanout time. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
November 13, 2022 - The Joy of Your Master
Sermon Text: Matthew 25:14-30 The parable of the talents goes far, far beyond money to two ways of seeing God. One way: a kind, generous, risk-rewarding God. The other: hard, lazy, judgmental. The question we are left with: which God do we choose? The God Jesus points to is a risk-taking, initiative-seeking, joyful God. Therefore, reject any pull towards the hard God who makes you think you should bury your gifts in a hole. Choose the God who is calling you to his very own joy. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
November 6, 2022 - A Bigger Table
Sermon Text: Luke 6:20-31 All Saints asks a very blunt question: do you buy this story of Jesus? We've heard this question before, but today it is asked by our loved ones. If that answer is yes, then it is our loved ones who say, Come. Draw near to Christ, and he will draw near to you." Where shall we do this? Well, today we have a table. This table is powerful, for here we are brought into the gates of heaven itself. And if we believe all that Christ says, then it is the very gate of heaven where the saints meet us, our Sunday meal. If we want to be close to our loved ones, let us draw near to this table and Christ's cross, and follow the way of Christ. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
October 30, 2022 - A Sacred Trust
Sermon Text: Matthew 18:18-20 Intercessory prayer remains at the heart of a local church. When someone asks us to pray for them, they are opening for us an entry to the sacred. Prayer requests are a sacred trust, a sacred encounter that needs to be nourished, cared for, and respected. Intercessory prayer takes us into a bigger, more complex, more mystical world, where God is living and active, and we are invited to participate in the healing of the world. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
October 23, 2022 - The Proud and The Humble
Sermon Text: Luke 18:9-14 For Jesus the most critical categories aren't sinner v. saint, but the proud and the humble. Whatever we believe about ourselves and our adversaries, we’re all sinners. The question is, are we proud sinners or humble sinners? If we’re proud sinners we create ways to justify ourselves in our own eyes by favorably comparing ourselves to those whom we deem worse than us. But if we are humble sinners we throw ourselves entirely on the mercy of God. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
October 16, 2022 - A Faith Unveiled
Sermon Text: 2 Corinthians 3 We serve a Christ who was prophesied about, came to us born of a virgin, did miraculous healings, said that he and God are one, walked on water, calmed the storm, raised the dead, was crucified and raised himself, ascended into heaven, and our only takeaway is, “Be a good person"? Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
October 9, 2022 - Cultivate, Grow, Renew: Out Here in the Wilderness
Sermon Text: Exodus 19 Rural churches sit on the margins of society and have an opportunity to live deep faith in the wilderness. Wilderness is volatile, and challenges us. But we have the opportunity to become acquainted with our deepest selves, to think God's thoughts in a contemplative community. Let us seek living into the quiet that strengthens souls and communities. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
October 2, 2022 - Cultivate, Grow, Renew: Our Capacity to be Surprised
Sermon Text: Matthew 15 Churches can find themselves leaning into personal devotion or social justice, when both are necessary to a full and vibrant mission, and fear will then drive our work. But God is already at work in the world, and there are wonderful and beautiful things for us to find. We should be prepare to be surprised as we seek the renewal of our communities and the world. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
September 22, 2022 - Cultivate, Grow, Renew: Growth and Imagination
Sermon Text: 1 Peter 2:1-10 Faith is a work of imagination, seeing what cannot yet be seen. As we draw near to the cross, we discover a community forming around it. We are called to embrace that community, and to imagine what it means to have the crucified Christ at the very center of it. Imagination allows the church to grow strong and beautiful. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
September 18, 2022 - Cultivate, Grow, Renew: Consider the Pokeberry
Sermon Text: Luke 9:51-62 Amongst a distracted and undisciplined age, Jesus asks his church to set our face, to be serious about cultivating the life of Christ. The only thing we have to offer the world is Christ, to make him known. And that alone feeds the world, heals the world. Jesus says, “Here’s who I’ve made you to be. Allow me to cultivate that: tear out what isn’t truly you, form you into what you already are. Just keep looking at me, your eyes ahead, keep plowing.” Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
September 11, 2022 - The Good Deposit
Sermon Text: John 16:12-24 Faith cannot be "renewed," it is either given as a gift or not. Spiritual growth most usually feels like something is revealed inside of us, not something entirely new. As we celebrate 260 years as a congregation, the faith that was in our ancestors is in us, it simply continues to be revealed more and more by the Spirit inside us. If we seek a faithful future, then we must be rooted in prayer and contemplation, which will drive us to discover more of what the Spirit has yet to reveal. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
September 4, 2022 - Rev. John Shillingburg, The Lord’s Prayer
Sermon Text: Matthew 6:5-15 Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
August 28, 2022 - Turntable Gospel: ”Hey Brother” by Aviici
Sermon Text: Luke 5:17-26 The only place we have influence is those with whom we will have relationship – hey brother, hey sister.This is why the Christian church has used these words to describe one another for millennia. The work, then, is to always bring others into the circles we call brother and sister. And then, we dance. And we can dance when the vision of who my brother is and who my sister is always expands, so that I can carry them. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
August 21, 2022 - Turntable Gospel: ”Samurai Cop” by Dave Matthews Band
Sermon Text: Luke 15 Sin isn't the truest thing about us, and it's not the place to start when we think about God. Love is the place to start. When we start with love, we see how beautifully made we are, how beautiful the world is, and love calls us to our best and most authentic selves. Because of this, the most authentic sound of faith is joy and celebration. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
August 14, 2022 - Turntable Gospel: ”Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush
Sermon Text: Mark 3:1-6 When we are in pain, we seek connection more than solutions. Empathy is the spiritual virtue of connecting with others in their pain so that it can be processed and healed. Our best religion is a religion of empathy. Jesus becomes irate when he sees his people practicing sympathy - seeing pain, but staying far away. We are called to run up that hill alongside of others. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
August 7, 2022 - Turntable Gospel: ”Dangerous” by The Who
Sermon Text: Mark 11:12-25 Fear is powerful because it is clarifying and drives passion; fear makes us feel alive! It is entirely natural for us both as individuals and communities, which makes our fears spiritually critical. In the wake of Jesus, communities of faith needed to be warned about the tendency for change to come for the change-makers. And so he warns with pastoral affection - there is no fear in love. Perfect love casts out fear. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
July 31, 2022 - Turntable Gospel: ”Dirty” by grandson
Sermon Text: Ecclesiastes 3:16 - 4:7, Luke 4:31-37 The central question of grandson's song, and this generation: "Is hope even viable?" Ecclesiastes will meet this hopelessness with honesty, and Jesus will meet it with compassion. To be the church is not to cast judgment on those who suffer, but to get our hands dirty is offering hope to all. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
July 24, 2022 - Come On Back
Sermon Text: 1 Samuel 7 This is a weird story for a VBS, but it is an important one for believers. After chasing gods and relevance for years, Samuel finally calls the people back to their truest selves. And together, they commit to God. A powerful story in a world that is constantly seeking to call us away from our most essential self. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
July 17, 2022 - Vacation Bible School...For Whom?
Sermon Text: Deuteronomy 6:1-9, Matthew 19:13-15 God wants to reach you and teach you in those spaces that you thought were for someone else. Spiritual formation is never one person or group doing something for another person or group. It is always a communal work. We are shaping and are shaped, iron sharpening iron. So what does a great week of VBS look like? Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
June 26, 2022 - Little Old Church Lady
Sermon Text: Luke 8:43-48 Roe v. Wade thrusts the local church back into the work of addressing national issues. When the issues come close, we discover we aren’t talking about ideas, but about people who want healing, relationship, peace. And there's a small, unnamed saint who draws near to Jesus for that healing, and invites us to do the same. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
June 19, 2022 - The Paradigm of the Prophetic
Sermon Text: 1 Kings 19 When we live our lives tethered to a deep contemplative life and God’s ongoing provision, we will walk with the wisdom and grounding of Elijah. This is the deep life to which we are called if we are serious about a life of meaning, purpose, virtue. It’s either that, or be swallowed by the darkness of ignorance, folly, and destruction that defined Elijah’s world and ours. But we can make a choice. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
June 12, 2022 - The Two Poles of Trinity
Sermon Text: Proverbs 8 Trinity - three persons, one God. It's not just a way to understand God, but also ourselves – we are one, we are ourselves, living moving and breathing in this world. And yet we are inextricably part of a community – the community that is God, and the community that is one another. And only when we embrace that tension do we discover our truest selves, and get called deeper into the mystery of our faith. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
June 5, 2022 - The Nation Born on Pentecost
Sermon Text: Acts 2:1-21 Pentecost exists prior to the Church. But on this Pentecost, we weren't given a book, or a new law, but the Holy Spirit. The message is clear: the law we live by is the Holy Spirit, who is making everything a new creation. Pentecost is a call to new life and a creative spirit. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
May 29, 2022 - A Theology of Imagination
Sermon Text: Acts 1:1-11 Ascension invites us to imagination. If Christ is king of all, and all things are under his feet, what is possible? Is it possible to have a world without shootings, without war, without violence? The church is called to be a prophetic witness and embodied presence of the King of kings who is over every nation, every economics, every politics. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
May 22, 2022 - House of Merit, House of Mercy
Sermon Text: John 5:1-9 Meritocracy leaves bodies in its wake. Mercy seeks out the most vulnerable and brings healing. The question is: do we, the Church, want to be healed? Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
May 15, 2022 - Fine Tuned Faith
Sermon Text: Acts 11:1-18 Peter's mystic vision wasn't about dietary laws, or some particular piety. It was about people. Less boundaries, more inclusion, more discovery of God's goodness everywhere. Follow St. Mary's: https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/ Want to support the work of St. Mary's? https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
May 8, 2022 - The Mothering Christ: The Eleousa
Sermon Text: Luke 15:1-10 Our pictures of Jesus are often so tame. Leave it to a religious icon to show us a rambunctious, unruly, undeterred Christ, who grabs for everyone with unrestrained love. Follow St. Mary's: Facebook Instagram Want to support the work of St. Mary's? Give Online
April 27, 2022 - Easter Sunday: The Gardener
Sermon Text: John 20 Mary Magdalene mistakes the resurrected Jesus for the gardener. Is it possible she spoke more than she knew? Follow St. Mary's: Facebook Instagram Want to support the work of St. Mary's? Give Online
April 10, 2022 - Baked In: Kingdom Clash
Sermon Text: Luke 19:28-44 Palm Sunday sets up a clear confrontation between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Caesar. Whom shall we follow, and what is the path? Follow St. Mary's: Facebook Instagram Want to support the work of St. Mary's? Give Online
April 3, 2022 - Baked In: Generous Discipline
Sermon Text: John 12:1-8 The question at the heart of all disciplines, is, “What do you love?” Follow St. Mary's: Facebook Instagram Want to support the work of St. Mary's? Give Online
March 27, 2022 - Baked In: Navel Gazing
Sermon Text: Luke 15 Follow St. Mary's: Facebook Instagram Want to support the work of St. Mary's? Give Online
March 20, 2022 - Baked In: You Must Be Born Anew
Sermon Text: John 31-17 Follow St. Mary's: Facebook Instagram Want to support the work of St. Mary's? Give Online
March 13, 2022 - A Religion I Can Get Behind
Sermon Text: John 5:19-24 Follow St. Mary's: Facebook Instagram Want to support the work of St. Mary's? Give Online
March 6, 2022 - Baked In: Finding Clarity in the Desert
Sermon Text: Luke 4:1-13 Follow St. Mary's: Facebook Instagram Want to support the work of St. Mary's? Give Online
January 30, 2022 - Look Up: Put Some Muscle On It
Sermon Text: Hebrews 12, Matthew 6 Follow St. Mary's: Facebook Instagram Want to support the work of St. Mary's? Give Online
January 23, 2022 - Look Up: We Are All Disciples of Something
Sermon Text: Nehemiah 8, 1 Corinthians 12, Luke 4 Follow St. Mary's: Facebook Instagram Want to support the work of St. Mary's? Give Online
January 16, 2022 - Look Up: Forged in Fire and Water
Sermon Text: Luke 3, Isaiah 43 Follow St. Mary's: Facebook Instagram Want to support the work of St. Mary's? Give Online
January 9, 2022 - A Snow Day Reflection
Sermon Text: Colossians 2:1-3 Follow St. Mary's: Facebook Instagram Want to support the work of St. Mary's? Give Online
January 2, 2022 - A Confluence of Kings
Sermon Text: Matthew 2:1-12 Follow St. Mary's: Facebook Instagram Want to support the work of St. Mary's? Give Online
December 5, 2021 - Love
Sermon Text: Philippians 1:3-11 N.B. - For Advent, we're doing a series of Children's Sermons, so there will be some times where the children speak. Hope it blesses you! Follow St. Mary's: Facebook Instagram Want to support the work of St. Mary's? Give Online
November 28, 2021 - Hope
Sermon Text: Jeremiah 33:14-16 N.B. - For Advent, we're doing a series of Children's Sermons, so there will be some times where the children speak. Hope it blesses you! Follow St. Mary's: Facebook Instagram Want to support the work of St. Mary's? Give Online
November 21, 2021 - The King We Have, The King We Want
Sermon Text: John 18:33-37 Follow St. Mary's: Facebook Instagram Want to support the work of St. Mary's? Give Online
November 7, 2021 - The Saints as Gospel
Sermon Text: Psalm 24 Follow St. Mary's at https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/... Want to support the work of St. Mary's? Give Online: https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
October 31, 2021 - To Be Reformed Is to Fall In Love
Sermon Text: Deuteronomy 6:1-9; Mark 12:28-34 Follow St. Mary's at https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/... Want to support the work of St. Mary's? Give Online: https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...
October 24, 2021 - The Pilgrim‘s Way: What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?
Sermon Text: Psalm 150 Follow St. Mary's at https://www.facebook.com/stmarysunite... https://www.instagram.com/stmarysucc/... Want to support the work of St. Mary's? Give Online: https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-...