Here is our pastor’s newsletter article for February 2023, which tells of our Lenten Midweek services. With a few blinks and the sun dwindling on the horizon, Lent will soon be upon us, arriving on February 22nd. Each Lenten season provides us another opportunity to relearn the value of repentance and turn away […]
Isaiah 42:1-9: One Word
January 17, 2023 by
God’s ancient seer and prophet, Isaiah, needs no cackle or scream to pronounce justice in the land. In silent strength, a mere breath of a word will do! No clamor or loudness, only a single word, a whisper of truth to fulfill something unheard of in earlier centuries of shouting. From today’s Old Testament text, […]
Matthew 2:1-12: The Fragile World of Herod and the Wise Men
January 9, 2023 by
This morning, we celebrate Epiphany. Into our ears, Matthew paints a palette, vibrant in hue, an intricate tapestry woven together in a sacred narrative. Within a rich text, he shows us a derelict landscape fragmented by dark indiscretions yet still dappled with divinity’s life-giving light. Let’s begin with the fragile realm inside our Gospel reading. […]
Matthew 2:13-23: Herod’s Futile Rage
January 1, 2023 by
The journey began in haste, prompted by an unexpected influx of light and song. Gladsome tidings echo through the countryside as mighty angels appear, heralding Jesus’ arrival as the world’s Savior. So, humble shepherds pay homage to their newborn Lord, falling before Him in worship. Not long after, wise travelers from afar follow the splendor […]
Luke 2:19: Mary Pondered…
December 28, 2022 by
Now are the moments for deep reflection, the hour of contemplation. Linger in the depths of the word “ponder.” Like meditate, though less strenuous, conveying something more suited. Its Latin root, pondus, bespeaks of heaviness, of considering and weighing matters with care, to hold in balance. Thus, “Mary treasured the shepherds’ every word, pondering them […]
Isaiah 7:10-14: The Virgin Shall Be With Child
December 18, 2022 by
An era of maddening war when everything contends this world can only be cruel. The year is 734 BC. The Northern Kingdom of Israel and Syria allied together, shaped by a shared purpose, to overthrow Judah in the South. An unfathomable force—an army of soldiers with weapons blazing and banners flying—assemble for battle. These forces […]
2 Samuel 18:24-33: The Sordid Tale of King David and Prince Absalom
December 16, 2022 by
When an infant enters the world, the parents’ lives turn topsy-turvy. The occasions and energy once spent on their wants and needs go elsewhere, providing for their new child. Devotion and commitment unseen before, rise to offer their baby the best life possible. With time, hard-earned money, and much-needed sleep, mothers and fathers pay to […]
Isaiah 35:1-10: Our Wilderness Desolation into God’s Saving Sanctuary
December 11, 2022 by
The desert, a barren and harsh environment can teach us much. Its keen stillness can supply us with moments of clarity in lives too often swirling with chaos. Unforgiving sun and relentless sands can, likewise, lead us to pause and ponder the struggles we face. So Isaiah does in his prophetic poetry while tapping into […]
Romans 15:4-13: Our Hope in Daylight or Dark
December 4, 2022 by
A winter’s night descends as a cloak, dark and brooding. So this season turns for one, two—or uncounted others! Don’t we lament loss in the ache of emptiness? Someone dear to us is gone, and we mourn his death. Every person experiences this sorrow, a heavy heart, the numbness, though we carry on because […]
Genesis 4:1-16: Whose Begetting What?
November 30, 2022 by
After giving birth to Cain, Eve lays her firstborn son to sleep. The mother of humanity experiences something new: the first blush of motherhood. Such joy as she breast-feeds Cain, and he coos with delight in being fed. In her elation, she ponders on God’s promise. After Adam’s fall, God alerted the serpent, “I will […]
