Feb. 25 – Lent 2- “Suffering” – Rev. Catherine Hicks
The sermon was about suffering. Three types of suffering – those due to natural causes, sin, redemptive were included.
“God does not ask us to suffer needlessly. But God does hope that we will accept redemptive suffering if our suffering can contribute to the growth of goodness and justice in the world around us, and if our suffering and self-denial could possibly lead to the redemption and healing of even one other person by letting God’s grace work through us.”
Feb. 18 – Lent 1 – “Symbols of Lent” – Rev. Tom Hughes
“What you want to do is give up things that are bad for you, the things that separate you from the people that you love ,things that separate you from the power and presence of God. That’s worthwhile doing and that’s what we’re all challenge to be about in this Lenten season. When Jesus came up out of the water it was a whole new ball game for him in his life and so it will be so it is for us as well we got to claim it and that’s the good news of the Gospel this day. “
Feb. 11 – Last Epiphany, “Transfiguration “– Rev. Tom Hughes
“What happened to him on that day he was transfigured he became fully the person he was created to be. Now I don’t know about you but I know that I look back over my life, I’ve had little experiences from time to time which I can say were profound where I had that experience of the presence of Christ and having had that experience of love. I know that I’ll never be the same person again. I’m not that person anymore.”
February 4 – Epiphany 5 – “Jesus came not to be served, but to serve”- Rev. Catherine Hicks
The Gospel was about healing Peter’s mother in – law. Jesus himself said that he came not to be served, but to serve. Jesus hearing our concerns and addresses them. Our response should be one of gratitude
“This is the job of the church—to be a place where Jesus is, where the disciples have gathered, where people heal and serve one another, a place where light pours out and the doors are always open and people want to come in because they know they’ll find Jesus and healing and love and serving one another here in this place. This place is where we meet Jesus, get healed, and serve one another, and then our ministry grows out from here.
“…But Jesus has received his marching orders. It’s time to go now into the neighboring towns so that Jesus can proclaim the message there also, for that is what he has come to do. And so Jesus goes, and so do the disciples, leaving what has already been done so that they can carry out the work that God has laid out for them beyond their familiar hometown. And just think, their house has already been filled with miracles.
“What a lesson for the church. Of course we want Jesus to keep up the good work right here because we need Jesus HERE, we want more miracles here, but this lesson reminds us that the healing lifegiving work of Jesus can never be contained in one place.
“Jesus is always going out further and further into the world, to the whole world—in Christ there is no East or West, in him no South or North, but one great fellowship of love throughout the whole wide earth!