December 24, 2025: God With Us
I want to tell you a story about how I became known to an entire conference full of pastors as the ‘NO BOOKS’ lady. If you know me, this is hilarious, because I actually really love books. Back in 2021, four pastor friends and I were part of a continuing education program through Princeton Seminary. The idea was that each small group would design their own learning goals and spend 6 months working on whatever they felt would make them better preachers. At the end of that six months, everybody would get together at Princeton for a few days for a conference, to share what they’d...
Read MoreDecember 21, 2025: Love
Our second reading comes once again from the gospel of Matthew, but today we’re going back to the beginning – chapter 1. The first 17 verses of this gospel are a long list of names, spelling out Jesus’ genealogy from Abraham on down. We’re not going to read all of that out loud today (you’re welcome), but it’s important to know that the genealogy goes from Abraham to King David to the exile, all the way down to Joseph, who is listed as ‘the husband of Mary, who bore Jesus, the Messiah.’ You might be wondering: “why is Jesus’ genealogy traced through Joseph? That’s not how...
Read MoreDecember 14, 2025: Joy
Our second reading comes once again from the gospel of Matthew – this time from later in Jesus’ ministry. And once again, it may not seem to fit the week’s theme very well, but we’ll get there, I promise. Scripture: Matthew 11:2-11 When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those with a skin disease are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the...
Read MoreNovember 30, 2025: Hope
This sermon was shortened significantly due to a weather-related closure, and preached online only. First, a reading from Isaiah 2:1-5: The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. In days to comethe mountain of the Lord’s houseshall be established as the highest of the mountainsand shall be raised above the hills;all the nations shall stream to it. Many peoples shall come and say,“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,to the house of the God of Jacob,that he may teach us his waysand that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth...
Read MoreDecember 7, 2025: Peace
Our second reading for today might not seem all that related to this week’s theme of ‘peace,’ but don’t worry, we’ll get there. It comes from the gospel of Matthew, and it’s actually about John the Baptist’s ministry, preparing the way for Jesus. Scripture: Matthew 3:1-12 In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:‘Prepare the way of the Lord;make his paths straight.’ ” Now John wore clothing of...
Read MoreNovember 23, 2025: Full Circle
Today, we come full-circle. Over the past weeks and months, we’ve been following Jesus in the gospel of Luke as he makes his way to Jerusalem and the cross. Next week, we’ll begin the season of Advent, which is the start of our church year. In some ways, that makes today kind of like New Year’s Eve, where we remind ourselves where we’ve come from and where we’re going. As we look forward to the cute baby Jesus, swaddled tightly and lying peacefully on some hay, it’s important for us to remember who this adorable baby grows up to be – the King of Kings, crucified and risen. ...
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