Sermons
Sermon: Take the First Step…
Rev. Jeremy Bork
At the climax of this week's passage, the gospel writer records, "Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus." For the last two months, our 13 confirmands have been considering the boat in which they've been coasting along and the ways Jesus is calling them to leave their place of comfort and join him in the wind and waves of the world. Join us this Sunday as we celebrate these 13 confirmands and listen together for the voice of the one who calls each of us by name to take the first step.
Sermon: God Is Always Home
Rev. Chuck DeGroat
Dr. Chuck DeGroat is a professor of pastoral care and counseling at Western Theological Seminary, and he is “committed to spiritual and emotional formation for the sake of mission.” He has spent the last 20 years in seminary training and pastoral ministry, including several church plants and two church-based clinical counseling centers. Chuck participated in our 2016 Westminster Camp, so he may be familiar to many of you! Most recently, he was a teaching pastor at City Church San Francisco, where he co-founded Newbigin House of Studies, an urban and missional training center. His academic specialization is in the intersection of psychology and the Bible, and he has published three books. Chuck and his wife, Sara, have two daughters.
Sermon: The Value of Your Should
Rev. Dr. John Buchanan
This is our Stewardship Dedication Sunday and the Rev. John Buchanan will conclude our stewardship series "A Matter of Value." Based on Mark 8.27-37, this week's sermon will be "The Value of Your Soul.” Rev. Dr. John Buchanan served as pastor of Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago for 26 years. He has held various leadership positions in the PC(USA) and was editor/publisher of The Christian Century magazine for 15 years. He served as moderator of the 208th General Assembly in 1996-1997 and has represented the Presbyterian Church as a member of the Governing Board of the National Council of Churches. He has received numerous doctorates and honors and has written three books. John and his wife, Sue, have five children.
Sermon: The Value of Your Church
Rev. Dr. John Buchanan
This is the second of the three weeks that the Rev. John Buchanan will be preaching our stewardship series "A Matter of Value." Based on Mark 7.1-8, this week's sermon will be "The Value of Your Church.” At our 11:00a service we will also celebrate the sacrament of baptism.
Sermon: The Value of Your Possessions
Rev. Dr. John Buchanan
Rev. Dr. John Buchanan served as pastor of Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago for 26 years. He has held various of leadership positions in the PC(USA) and was editor/publisher of The Christian Century magazine for 15 years. He served as moderator of the 208th General Assembly in 1996-1997 and has represented the Presbyterian Church as a member of the Governing Board of the National Council of Churches. He has received numerous doctorates and honors and has written three books. John and his wife, Sue, have five children.
Sermon: The 19th Sunday after Pentecost
Rev. Sue Rozeboom
This Sunday, on Rev. Sue Rozeboom's final week of this series, we commission the members of our pastor nominating committee, otherwise known as PNC. Gathering around them in prayer, we commit to continuing to hold them in prayer as they discern on our behalf. Join us as we worship the God who leads us forward. May we step together in peace and in unity and in love.
Sermon: Wise or Otherwise
Rev. Sue Rozeboom
Rev. Dr. Sue Rozeboom will join us again this Sunday. She is an associate professor of liturgical theology at Western Theological Seminary, where she and students “together delve deeply into topics such as the Trinity and Christian Worship, the Holy Spirit and the Sacraments, historical Christian practices, and what we can learn from them for the church today.” She holds a PhD in Liturgical Studies from the University of Notre Dame. She will also be preaching at Westminster on September 30.
Sermon: Mistakes into Masterpieces
Rev. Sue Rozeboom
For the next three weeks, Rev. Dr. Sue Rozeboom will be preaching "The Good Life: Both Gift and Calling." She will lead us in considering God's gift in creation in Psalm 19:7-14 and our call to discipleship in James 3. Join us Sunday for this first sermon: Mistakes into Masterpieces.
Sermon: Right Here…
Rev. Jen Porter
We live in particular places and with particular people. Right here is the particular place and the particular people with whom we live God's love in the world. As we step into this fall readying ourselves to hear new voices speaking into our community, we examine our commitment to follow God's call and to live well in community together. Right here, we have the amazing opportunity to reflect Christ. Worship at 8:30 and 11:00 with Rev. Jen preaching.
Sermon: Religion That Is Pure
Brendan Omicioli
We begin the lectionary's reading of James on Sept. 2nd focusing on James 1:17-27. These verses open us up to James' imperative that faith and action cannot be separated. Together we will explore what James might imagine "pure religion" looks like in our fragmented world today.
Sermon: Abide
Kyle Nolan
One of the most famous sayings of the Desert Fathers of the early church goes like this: “A certain brother went to Abba Moses in Scete, and asked him for a good word. And the elder said to him: Go, sit in your cell, and your cell will teach you everything.” As our “Responses of Faith” sermon series comes to an end, and as our “yes, no, maybe…” is rounded off by a concluding “so,” we’ll explore what Jesus’ invitation to abide — to stay still – might have to say to teach us. Scripture: John 6:56-69.
Sermon: From the Crossroads of Maybe
Rev. Jen Porter
As we discern the yes or the no, we find ourselves living in between seeking our faithful response and action. We seek clarity and which direction to go. A maybe dwells in the middle and we find ourselves in no way aimless. While we wait and while we discern, we are formed. We find the way. We hear the Word of the Lord.
Sermon:The Yes Behind the No
Rev. Jeremy Bork
We continue our Yes, No, Maybe, So series this week with saying no. The Ephesians text is quite the list of dos and don’ts, and if you’re like me it’s not always easy to engage a passage like this. Join us as we wrestle and wonder together about the connection between the things God might be inviting us to say no to and the deeper yes behind them. Scripture: Ephesians 4:25-5:2
Sermon: Saying Yes
Rev. Laurie Hartzell
On Sunday August 5th, we welcome back to our pulpit Rev. Laurie Hartzell from Benton Harbor First Presbyterian. As we continue to join together in ministry, Kyle Nolan will be preaching in Benton Harbor while Rev. Laurie preaches here. She is preaching on Isaiah 6:1-8 and our continued "Saying Yes" to God. All are welcome.
Sermon: And They Asked Him…
Rev. Jen Porter
John 6:1-21 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Feeding the Five Thousand 6 After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias.[a] 2 A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. 3 Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. 5 When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, “Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?” 10 Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they[c] sat down, about five thousand in all. 11 Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, “Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself. Jesus Walks on the Water 16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles,[d] they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. 20 But he said to them, “It is I;[e] do not be afraid.” 21 Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.