The Refugee Option
Dan Schrock
Most of us grew up with nativity scenes in our homes. At the center of the scene is a cute baby Jesus, happily lying in a manger. Around him are a proud Mary and Joseph, along with three or four shepherds and maybe some chorusing angels flapping around on the roof of the shed. Of […]
God’s Presence in Our Worship: The Manger is Empty
Marilyn Rudy-Froese
God’s presence in our worship…we continue with our theme of God-with-us this morning, with the boy Jesus in the temple. Each week, we come to worship, expecting, hoping, longing to find God here; wondering perhaps how it is that God is here; wondering if God is here. In our worship, we offer to God all […]
In the Flesh
Dan Schrock
During these Advent worship services, we’ve been dancing around with the idea of the Incarnation. “Incarnation” is a big word in theology that describes the coming together of God’s life and human life in the person of Jesus. We Christians believe that Jesus was a unique person—there wasn’t anyone like him before in history, and […]
God’s Presence in Hope
Marilyn Rudy-Froese
As I sat down to work on this sermon, the words of Psalm 137 ran through my mind: By the rivers of Babylon—there we sat down and there we wept when we remembered Zion. On the willows there we hung up our harps….How could we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? In the […]
Vigorous Speech
Dan Schrock
Have you ever found yourself wanting to argue with God? I have. Often. Not only did I want to argue with God, I have argued with God. For example, on several occasions I’ve had it out with God over violence. Why, I ask, won’t you do more to stop the civil war in Nigeria, the […]
The Refugee
Dan Schrock
I’d like you to meet Rose Kingston. Rose Kingston lives in New York City, but that’s not where she was born. In fact, Rose was not born anywhere in the United States. She was born in Monrovia, Liberia, where she and her family once lived comfortably and safely. Rose’s mother worked as a secretary in […]
The Threat
Dan Schrock
Who would have thought that Mary would pose a threat to Herod? King Herod was one of the great men of the world. His father was Antipater, a man who had lots of wealth and influence. His mother was a Nabataean princess. He was born in 73 BCE and died in March or April in […]
Theologian of the Possible
Dan Schrock
Mary’s words in this passage of scripture are hard for us to hear. This short passage has been set to music and sung more often than maybe any other passage of scripture in Christian history. If you pick up a book of morning and evening prayers, this passage is often featured prominently in the daily […]
Friends
Dan Schrock
If something really wonderful happened to you, who is the first person you would want to share the news with? Suppose you were offered a new job in a better organization for more pay. Who would you call up first and tell the news to? Or suppose you won a lottery to have solar panels […]
Mary, Breaker of Codes and Conventions
Marilyn Rudy-Froese
One of my favorite novels is The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, set in South Carolina in 1964. In it a white teenager, Lily, struggling to make sense of her hazy memories from the afternoon her mother was killed, and living with a father who is abusive, runs away from home with […]
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