| In the beginning of the gospel of Mark, Jesus is baptized by John the baptist in the River Jordan and this jumpstarts his ministry. For us, baptism reminds us that we too begin as children of God and are proclaimed beloved. Through water and holy spirit, God celebrates not for what we do but who we are. |
Accompanying Scripture:
Genesis 1:1-5; Psalm 29; Mark 1:1-11
| Listen as Pastor CJ explores the familiar story of our Lord’s nativity in the context of today’s reality, as war rages in Jesus’ birthplace. In the midst of war and the daily stresses of our modern lives, Jesus comes. |
Accompanying Scripture:
Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 96
| Listen as guest preacher UMD Lutheran Chaplain Ray Ranker explores this week’s Gospel, on the fourth Sunday of Advent. |
Accompanying Scripture:
Luke 1:46-55; 67-80
| Listen as guest preacher Pastor Chaplain Peter Muschinske explores this week’s Gospel, on the third Sunday of Advent. |
Accompanying Scripture:
Luke 1: 57-66, Psalm 126
| Listen as guest preacher Rev. Craig Endicott explores this week’s Gospel, on the second Sunday of Advent. |
Accompanying Scripture:
Luke 1: 24-25, Isaiah 40:1-11
| We can be weary in various ways. We can be weary because of our age. We can be weary because of our waiting. We can be weary because of the state of the world around us. We can be weary for various reasons, but must we stay weary? Listen as Pastor CJ explores how we can exchange our weariness for hope. |
Accompanying Scripture:
Luke 1:1-23, Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19
| This week the “fun” parables continue as we hear about three different people who take the wealth given to them and do different things. Two of them invest it and the third buries it. How can we take all God has entrusted to us with care and creativity? |
Accompanying Scripture:
Judges 4:1-7, Psalm 90:1-8, 12 and Matthew 25:14-30
| This Sunday we celebrate the many ways stewardship is lived out in our congregation through our time, our finances and our hearts. In our scripture readings, we hear from the prophet Amos that as important as worship is, God’s heart calls for justice and righteousness to be what matters most. Jesus uses a parable to remind us to pay attention and stay awake. As we look onward to 2024, may we remain rooted in the heart of God and continue to reach out toward our neighbors and the world. |
Accompanying Scripture:
Amos 5:18-24, Matthew 25:1-13
| Today we give thanks for the saints who have gone before us, for the saints still among us, and for the saints of God still to come. We give thanks for the examples of faithful living that the saints have given us as they navigated the stormy waters of life, and also for the faithful acts of service we are empowered by God’s Holy Spirit to do in our own seas. We give thanks, too, for the fullness of eternal life in which the saints of God who have gone before us now partake and which we have yet to fully enjoy. |
Accompanying Scripture:
Psalm 34:1-10, 22, 1 John 3:1-3, Matthew 5:1-12
| Rooted in the past and growing into the future, the church must always be reformed in order to live out the love of Christ in an ever-changing world. As we celebrate Reformation Sunday, we embrace the good news of God’s grace, that Jesus Christ sets us free every day to do this life-transforming work. Trusting in the freedom given to us in baptism, we pray for the church, that Christians will unite more fully in worship and mission. |
Accompanying Scripture:
Romans 3:19-28; Psalm 46; Matthew 22:34-40
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