Speaker: Rev. CJ Valenti

On Transfiguration Sunday, we get a glimpse of Jesus divine and it is both comforting and terrifying. In worship, we show up to encounter God in the water, in the word, at the table and in one another. May we wake up to God’s liberating light which shimmers in all people, places and beings.  Accompanying Scripture:Exodus 34:29-35,…

Today’s readings remind us we are called to speak God’s love and embody God’s love where we are as we are. We know as we do these things – we are imperfect and wobbly at best. Sometimes speaking a word of love feels harsh and challenging, a mirror we do not want to look at. And yet,…

As the season of Epiphany continues we are reminded how God shows up in our midst. To the church in Corthin, Paul nudges the community that all people are needed no matter how small or pesky. In Luke, Jesus proclaims to his hometown what he is here to do – bring good news to the poor,…

The Sundays after Epiphany continue to celebrate the revelation of God’s glory to us as it was made known to the magi and to those on Jordan’s banks at Jesus’ baptism—today using celebration imagery. By the power of the Spirit there are gifts galore for everyone. In Christ Jesus the best wine is saved for…

The gospel this Sunday is about Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist. A voice speaks from heaven, and the Spirit descends like a dove. This story is also about us: we too have been baptized, we have heard God’s loving call, and we have received the Holy Spirit. What is God’s voice like? Psalm…

The feast of Epiphany (“manifestation”) concludes the Christmas season with a celebration of God’s glory revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. In Isaiah that glory is proclaimed for all nations and people. Like the light of the star that guided the magi to Jesus, the light of Christ reveals who we are: children of…

In winter’s deepest night, we welcome the light of the Christ child. Isaiah declares that the light of the long-promised king will illumine the world and bring endless peace and justice. The angels declare that Jesus’ birth is good and joyful news for everyone, including lowly shepherds. Filled with the light that shines in our…

Love magnifies the beloved. It notices the unnoticed. It heralds the unheralded. It calls down blessings on what has been ignored and overlooked. Love is a cherishing attention that requires our whole hearts and our whole selves. (More Than Words: Weekly Theme Overview. © 2024 Barn Geese Worship. Used by permission.) Accompanying Scripture:Corinthians 13:1-14 , Luke 1:39-55 

Joy is a time traveler: it catches God’s future vision for justice, peace, and restoration and superimposes it on the present landscape. Joy celebrates the future as if it’s already happening while getting down to work to make it a reality. It can coexist alongside other experiences, even sorrow and pain. Joy ebbs and flows,…

Sometimes we settle for peace as an absence of violence or tension. John the Baptist and other prophets call us to a more robust peace: one that brings safety, refuge, and rest to the vulnerable. Peace enacts justice, and it requires the hard work of constructing new roads through the wilderness. (Barne Geese) Accompanying Scripture:Malachi…