Weekly Metaphors
Each week our worship service revolves around a visual metaphor (seen below). We seek to communicate a message in a language easily understood by our congregation using multiple media including the visual medium. The visual dimension of our service is made possible by four large plasma screens run by a state-of-the-art control system.
|
Gusty Winds May Exist Life can never go back to normal once the Holy Spirit blows through. As Peter preaches in Acts: "Your sons and daughters will prophecy, your young people shall see visions and your old people shall dream dreams." May it be so for you and for me and for this church. May 11, 2008 |
|
This Way to an Open Table Lines that would divide us get redrawn in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus that all may be welcome at the table. May 4, 2008 |
|
One Way? Jesus said: "I am the Way, I am truth and I am life....No-one comes to the Father except by me." April 27, 2008 |
|
No U Turn It would have been so very much easier for the disciples to head home and think of their time with Jesus in terms of "What Might Have Been." Except there was something about this Jesus that simply would not let go. And so it is for us still. April 20, 2008 |
|
Bump In the Road Thomas' story in the Book of John says we must all slow down when there is a bump in the road of faith and life. Slowing down gives us an opportunity to consider how we do (and do not) come to believe. April 13, 2008 |
|
Two Hour Parking 2 Hours or so here to learn who and whose we are, and the rest of our days to put that knowledge to use. April 6, 2008 |
|
Share the Road This is what we are here for: To share the road; to share our lives; to share the story of who Jesus was and how God wills the world to be - for all God's children. March 30, 2008 |
|
New Direction Ahead The empty tomb story becomes our resurrection story once the message of Jesus life and death and life beyond death is real for us. We can finally turn around/repent of those tombs, and let Jesus take hold of us as we journey together in a new direction ahead. Easter 2008 |
|
The Virtuous Life - Humility Our service began with Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem including a parade of palms and loud Hosannas. As worship unfolded, through music, readings, Communion, and symbolic actions, the congregation was invited into the dramatic remembrance of Jesus' passion and death. March 16, 2008 |
|
The Virtuous Life - Kindness Jesus did not spend time defining agape-- loving kindness. He left it with "Do this." Love God, love your neighbor, love yourself. You know kindness when you see it. Which one showed mercy? Which one was a neighbor? Which one was kind? Go and do likewise. March 9, 2008 |
|
The Virtuous Life - Patience As we struggle to live an ever more virtuous life, practicing patience - and in so doing lessening anger - benefits ourselves, our family and society. March 2, 2008 |
|
The Virtuous Life - Diligence "You can praise the Lord by peeling a spud if you peel it to perfection... Run in God's name and let the world take notice." Chariots of Fire February 24, 2008 |
|
The Virtuous Life - Charity The Farmer in the story Jesus tells is wasteful and extravagant in his scattering of seeds. He doesn't seem to have a plan and he doesn't seem to care that some of the seed might not fall on fertile soil. He puts it out there anyway. It is that kind of generosity that leads to a harvest 100, 60, 30 fold. February 17, 2008 |
|
The Virtuous Life - Temperance The problem with temperance is the way it defies our easy categories: either/or, yes or no, all or nothing. Instead we must wrestle with what moderation means for us in our situation. We must weigh how what we eat, what we buy, and what we do impacts us, our neighbors, and all of creation. Freed for all things, we find ourselves only limited by the love that reminds us of the consequenses of our actions. February 10, 2008 |
|
The Virtuous Life - Chastity The trouble with a theme like Chastity is we get hung up on Original Sin - a later addition to our faith - and think it means abstinence. It means purity- it calls us to a loving, temperate life: the virtuous life. February 3, 2008 |
|
Can You Hear Me Now? Jesus call almost always comes as an interruption, a disruption of some kind. Are our phones on silence, or are we ready to hear in the midst of our ordinary routine Jesus call, "Can you hear me now?" January 27, 2008 |
|
Community Movement When Jesus notices his would be followers he asks: "What are you looking for?" The invitation then and now is the same: "Come and see." Come and see if you find the answer to your deepest questions in me. January 20, 2008 |
|
Mine! In our Baptism, God has marked us in a way that is more enduring than even a Sharpie. What God has once spoken to us can never be undone -- we are Beloved. God writes on our lives "Mine!". The Sharpie slogan invites us to "Write Outloud". Remembering our baptism reminds us who we are and whose we are and challenges us to "Live Outloud." January 13, 2008 |
|
Quest II We are invited on a spiritual quest which can begin with a resolve to more conscious living and to developing gratitude as we move towards feeling we are part of God's global and much-interconnected family. January 6, 2008 |