Speaker: Intern Pastor Miriam Hanson

This week we hear the story of Peter’s attempt to walk across the water to Jesus, only to take one step onto the water and then begin to sink. Peter’s confidence unravels right there in the wind and the waves. Fortunately for him and for us, Jesus is there, the boat is there, his friends…

This week was Trinity Sunday, a day during the liturgical year where we remember that God meets us in three persons. We hear the story of the prophet Isaiah’s vision of God’s holiness, where the First Person of the Trinity is depicted with great and awesome power, so much so that Isaiah is overcome and…

This week we find the early church debating a pretty important issue: How do we know for sure that we’re in God’s good graces? How do we know if we’re doing enough to stay there? The apostle Paul has another idea: Perhaps instead of hustling to do the most, we can focus more on the…

This week we hear the story of the baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch. This story doesn’t get quite the same status and attention in our baptismal teachings as say, Noah or the Samaritan woman. His story is complicated. He lives on the margins of society and is often excluded and primed for rejection. It’s no…

This week, some disciples can’t recognize the man they called Messiah only three days prior, and Jesus spends a whole day with them pretending not to know anything about the trauma that has gone down in Jerusalem. Here we see Jesus’s prankster side and we give thanks for laughter during these days that seem serious…

While this Sunday we celebrate “Palm Sunday,” when we hear the story of Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem from the Gospel of Luke, there aren’t any palm branches mentioned. There aren’t any “Hosannas!” proclaimed either. In fact, as Jesus nears the city, he stops and weeps over it, grieving that the people did not recognize God…

As much as we shy away from conversations about money, most of us can admit to dreaming about all the things we could do if only we had a little more of it. This week, Jesus tells the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, offering a stark contrast between those who have and those…

This week Jesus has some difficult conversations with people about sin: Are some sins worse than others? Can we sin just a little bit, or is it all or nothing? Jesus then tells the parable of the fig tree, reminding us that our God is a god of second chances. Listen as Intern Pastor Miriam,…

In this week’s lesson, we hear the story of Jesus’s transfiguration, where, up on a mountain, Jesus’s face shines like the sun and his clothes become dazzling white; God’s divine presence peeks through. But what does this transfiguration really mean? And what difference does it make for us? Listen as Intern Pastor Miriam explores how God is…

This week Jesus and his disciples create a stir as they are seen working on the sabbath day, violating the Third Commandment. Like sheep who are fenced into a pen for protection and containment, the commandments exist to create order in the community and to keep people safe. Listen as Intern Pastor Miriam explores how…