Pastors Pen

Persist…on purpose! July 27, 2025 Scriptures: Hosea 1:2-10, Colossians 2:6-19, Luke 11:1-13 At first glance, it seems like there are two parts to today’s reading that are not really related. At first we hear Luke’s version of the Lord’s Prayer…and then Jesus tells the disciples a story…a story which I believe, actually gives context to, […]

‘The truth will set you free…sort of’ June 22, 2025   Scripture: 1 Kings 19:1-15, Luke 8:26-39 I chose to share from two of today’s readings with you. Because, although they are from completely different times and speak to completely different contexts, there was something in each one that spoke alongside of the other, with each

In all things, both great and small… June 8, 2025 Scriptures: Genesis 11:1-9, Acts 2:1-21, John 14:8-17 (25-27) Today is the day set aside in our church calendar to lift up and celebrate Pentecost…that most amazing story found in the account of the Acts of the Apostles when the Holy Spirit descended upon the large

Grace under pressure… June 1, 2025 Scriptures: Acts 16:16-34, Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21, John 17:20-26 There is a song, written by the famous lyricists Rodgers and Hammerstein for their 1945 hit musical Carousel titled ‘You’ll never walk alone’. The song has been performed by many artists over the years. In fact, Miss Kilcoyn, my music

Let the Spirit flow… May 11, 2025 Scripture: Acts 9:36-42 The city of Joppa in Israel was a well-known coastal port city some 30 miles northwest of Jerusalem.  And in Joppa there lived a disciple of Jesus’ whose Hebrew name was Tabitha.  As the city was a center of commerce and international trade there were

Who was this man…and why did he have to ask three times? May 4, 2025 Scripture: John 21:1-17  I find it curious that so many times throughout the gospel accounts people seem to be unsure of who Jesus is, seem unable to recognize him, even amongst those closest to him. Even in today’s reading, after

‘Cross Makers’…an Easter Story April 20, 2025 Scripture: Luke 24:1-12 The brothers Lucan and Silvanus lived and worked in Jerusalem. Born into a working class Roman family they were sons of a well known carpenter who originally hailed from Antioch. Early on in the two brothers’ lives their parents decided to relocate southward to Jerusalem

Who’s that talking’? April 13, 2025 Scripture: Luke 19:28-40 I would like to focus today on an aspect of the Palm Sunday story that at least for me, has long been overlooked.  As we listened to today’s passage, surely we felt the tension, we sensed the crowd’s excited anticipation, as we heard the shouts of

Prodigal love? April 6, 2025 Communion with Apostles Creed Scriptures: Isaiah 43:16-21, Philippians 3:4b-14, John 12:1-8 The word ‘prodigal’ is an interesting one. And one which I must confess I did not understand fully for much of my life. Probably because I never looked up the definition, but also because I always assumed that the

‘Keep the love light shining…’ March 23, 2025 Scriptures: Isaiah 55:1-9, 1 Corinthians 10:12-13, Luke 13:6-9 Today is the third Sunday in Lent, and though it may seem like we have not spent much time talking about it, we have in fact been sharing of the need to prepare, to be clear eyed and aware