Sermon: Re-Form- Leaving Comfortable Places

"Re-Form- Leaving Comfortable Places" (April 23, 2017) The more we learn about butterflies (and moths) and the process of metamorphosis, the better it preaches about the transformations of the Christian life. Tombs, cocoons (or chrysalises), wombs, and locked rooms may seem like safe places, but instead are the places where Jesus finds us. Like the…

To Bishop KO with Love

Next week, the Judicial Council of The United Methodist Church will rule on cases concerning out LGBTQ clergy in the denomination. While the outcome of these cases will certainly have a huge impact on the global UMC, no matter what that outcome is, I'm distressed by the mischaracterization of what the cases address. The Judicial…

Sermon: Emerge- Tombs & Cocoons

"Emerge- Tombs & Cocoons" (April 16, 2017 - Easter) You'd never suspect that a cocoon would hold a butterfly, and yo would certainly never suspect that a tomb might hold a risen Savior. Yet, God is full of surprises, and the Easter season beckons us to break free from all that confines us, spread our…

Series: Emerge

Easter Worship Series - Emerge Sometimes, creation itself tells of God’s glory and of the Resurrection promise! Nature offers a perfect symbol for the journey through hardship and loss, sorrow, death, and new life and joy. The butterfly has long been a symbol of the resurrection of Jesus as well as the resurrection of believers…

Sermon: The Gift of Disappearing

"The Gift of Disappearing" (April 9, 2017 - Palm Sunday) Caught between the poles of fear and shame, we sometimes let one or the other construct an image of ourselves, when in fact, each pulls us away from who God calls us to be. Jesus, having journeyed in the Dark Wood, knows the gift of sliding…

Sermon: The Gift of Temptation

"The Gift of Temptation" (April 2, 2017) We think of temptation as a bad thing, but what if it is a gift-- one that points us to our path? What if our temptations give us the chance to confirm our calling and commitment? (Matthew 4:1-11)