Pastors Pen

‘to my beloved…’ Easter Morning April 9, 2023 Story based on Matthew 28:1-10 Each year at Easter, I try to find a new way into these old and beloved stories of our faith. I try to find a character whom we know was there, who experienced all that went on, but for whom there is […]

Who is this man??? Six Letters of Palm Sunday April 2, 2023  Scripture: Philippians 2:5-11, Matthew 21:1-11         The events leading up to and surrounding Palm Sunday, when Jesus entered Jerusalem were filled with hope in the minds and hearts of the disciples, as well as a mixture of fear and trepidation. For Jesus had

‘Fear not little flock, for I am with thee, I have called you by name’ March 26, 2023 Scriptures: Ezekiel 37:1-14, John 11:1-45 There is certainly no shortage of ‘Dooms-day’ predictions flying around today. No lacking in those wringing their hands as yet more difficult news emerges. So much so that, as David Burpee shared

All you are, is all God needs’ March 19, 2023 Scriptures: 1 Samuel 16:1-13, Ephesians 5:8-14 Surely we have all heard the expression, you need to ‘Put your best foot forward’. It is what is called an idiomatic expression or phrase. In looking up the meaning of ‘put your best foot forward’, I was surprised

‘…born again?’ March 5, 2023 Scriptures: Genesis 12:1-4a, John 3:1-17         It seems that it is not all that uncommon, and especially so today, for someone to support an idea or an individual, but not to be able to do so publicly, as the idea or the individual in question stands in opposition to their

‘whose are we?’ February 26, 2023 Scripture: Matthew 4:1-11 Today marks the first Sunday of Lent…that season in the church year marking the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness just prior to beginning his public ministry. Growing up I was never exposed to a lot of religious practice concerning Lent. I was aware of

‘…and what is truth?’ February 12, 2023 Scriptures: Deuteronomy 30:15-20, Matthew 5:21-24, 33-37 I think the two readings for today tie together in some interesting ways. Our gospel reading from Matthew finds Jesus admonishing us to, ‘Let your ‘Yes be Yes’ and your ‘No, No’, while our reading from Deuteronomy implores us to, ‘Choose life’.

Called as ‘repairers of the breach’… February 5, 2023 Scripture: Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12) We hear in our somewhat lengthy reading from Isaiah, that those answering his prophetic call would become known as ‘repairers of the breach’…but what does that mean? What is a ‘breach’ anyway? The first definition of breach in The Oxford Online Dictionary

Is it really all or nothing with God? Yes, sort of… January 22, 2023 Scriptures: Isaiah 9:1-4, Matthew 4:12-23         I have long been interested in the fact that once Jesus saw James and John, and called out to them that morning, that they left their nets and their father in the boat, seemingly without

Notice…share…invite January 15, 2023 Scriptures: Isaiah 49:1-7, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, John 1:29-42 Last week, in looking at the circumstances surrounding the baptism of Jesus and the ‘voice’ that spoke of who Jesus was,  we began to consider together who we are as a church, and what it is that makes us truly us…thinking deeply about