Nothing But the Truth

  Four years ago on Tuesday, November 8, we witnessed one of the most surprising presidential elections in modern United States history. That may be an incredible understatement. I remember staying up till after 300am and still couldn't believe the outcome. On the next day, Wednesday, November 9, the world was supposed to begin ending. It didn't. It hasn't...although this year, 2020, might qualify as "close enough." We're coming into another "end-of-the-world-as-we-know- it" election. Candidates have been chosen. Lines have been drawn. Opposing positions staked out. Threats made. Denials. Obfuscations. Flat-out lies. It's nothing new. In fact, negative campaigning has been around almost as long as our country has been alive. If you don't believe me, do a little research on the Google machine and check out some of the campaigns from the 1800s. Those guys left nothing much off the table.  The next six weeks promise to be brutal. Nasty. Ugly. Bu...

Wanted to recommend a book I just finished... Grace and peace! Greg FULL DISCLOSURE : I worked with the author many summers ago. With that said, what a wonderful read! Christian contemporary fiction is a difficult genre to begin...Christian fantasy even more so. How do you transmit concepts of sin, sacrifice, and redemption in Christian theology without coming off preachy? Ms. Platt found a way and nails it with this novel. Although the beginning chapters take some time for world-building and character development, the last quarter of the book flies by with action, suspense, and some twists for which I was not prepared. Looking forward to the next one!  You can order Ms. Platt's book @ Ambassador International: https://ambassador-international.com/books/kingdom-above-the-cloud/ @ Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Kingdom-Above-Cloud-Tales-Adia/dp/1620205882/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3RHPR1PRZ0PPI&dchild=1&keywords=kingdom+above+the+cloud+maggie+platt&qid=1592092709&sprefix=kingd...

Greetings & Announcements Call to Worship One: People of God, worship the living God today! Remember that out of nothing God created the heavens and earth. Remember that not even the gates of hell can stand against God’s purposes. Let us behold and worship our God, who reigns now and forever! Prayer of Confession   All :  Holy and merciful God, in your presence we confess our sinfulness, our shortcomings, and our offenses against you. You alone know how often we have sinned in wandering from your ways, in wasting your gifts, in forgetting your love.  Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we are ashamed and sorry for all we have done to displease you.  Forgive our sins, and help us to live in your light and walk in your ways, for the sake of Jesus  Christ, our Savior. Amen . Assurance of Pardon Scripture Readings:       Luke 24:13-35 Message:   “Ordinary People”    ...

Then Jesus said to them:  “Nations and kingdoms will fight against each other.  There will be great earthquakes and wide-scale food shortages and epidemics. There will also be terrifying sights and great signs in the sky.  -- Luke 21:10-11 (CEB) Have you checked the news lately? There's a pandemic happening around the globe. Oh...my bad! You probably have heard about it.  I don't mean to make light of it. This is a serious situation. The COVID-19 outbreak appears to be very contagious, causing over 88,000 deaths worldwide -- more than 14,000 in the United States. However, it seems when something really bad occurs within our borders or around the globe, select groups of people will use it to their advantage to create more fear and panic. Super pink moon seen in the heavens this week! Is it a sign of the end of days? Worldwide plague! Didn't Jesus say something about that? Earthquakes shaking the globe! Could this be it? Empty shelves at the grocery! What is going on??...

Palm/Passion Sunday April 5, 2020 Welcome and Announcements; Notes on Communion Call to Worship : One: O Lord, open to us the gates of righteousness so that we enter them, and give you praise. All: We will give thanks to you, for you hear our prayer, and you have become our salvation One: Blessed is the One who comes in the Lord’s name. We bless your name from the sanctuary! All: Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. One: Come! Let us worship God! Hymn   All Glory, Laud and Honor (click link for music)              Prayer of Confession   All: Loving God, f orgive us those times when we think too highly of ourselves  and remind us always that you ask from us  lives dedicated to service,  to you and to our neighbors,  wherever and whoever they might be.  Enable us to take off our cloaks of self-righteousness  and lay them down a...

CSI: Jerusalem                Matthew 26:14-27:66           A crime has been committed. The victim is dead. Clues to what really happened are available at the crime scene. Evidence has been collected. Eyewitnesses have been interviewed, attesting to what they heard and what they saw.            All of this information is needed by a crime scene forensics team which is tasked with finding the truth. Forensic science uses scientific tests and techniques in the detection of crime to help answer legal questions: What was done? Who did it? Where was it done? How was it done?           Crime scene investigators, or CSIs for short, have been around a long time. Their primary responsibility is to collect and analyze physical evidence of a crime. They might collect hair, tissue, or body fluids from a crime victim or perform tests on items found at the crime scene. ...

Quarantines, self-isolation, and safer-at-home orders. We're now into Week 3 of social distancing and staying at home. No shopping in malls. No dining in restaurants. No exercising in gyms. No working in offices. No watching movies in theaters. What is there to do? You've read all of the Harry Potter books. You've binged several movies and series on Netflix or Disney+. You've played your 2,553rd round of Candy Crush. You've placed the 1,000th piece into your Star Wars jigsaw puzzle. You've taken more naps than when you were a kid. What is there left to do? Well, allow me to introduce you to someone who knows exactly how we're feeling as we try to keep our distance to stop the spread of the coronavirus... and to keep our sanity until the danger passes. This is  Layla .  It seems Layla has the beginnings of a bad case of cabin fever.  First used in 1918, cabin fever refers to an  extreme irritability and restlessness from living in isolation or a con...

Opening Prayer :  Holy God, Creator of Life, you call us out of our dark places,  offering us the grace of new life. When we see nothing but hopelessness,  you surprise us with the breath of your spirit.  Fill us now with your spirit of life, compassion, and peace,  In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Call to Worship : One: Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. All: If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered. One: Hope in the Lord!  For with the Lord there is steadfast love and great power to redeem. All: I wait for the Lord, my soul waits; and in the word of the Lord I hope. One: Come, let us worship the Lord ! Hymn                 All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name Prayer of Confession   All: Grac...

JESUS WEPT John 11:1-45 I've been a Commissioned Ruling Elder (or lay pastor) on and off for about 13 years. In that time, I've served Communion an untold number of times, written hundreds of messages, and married two couples. I have also performed eight funerals. When I first started, a mentor asked me my favorite thing about being a pastor. Of course, I love leading worship; it is almost always near the top of every pastor's list.  But, I've found that over the course of the years that officiating funerals is where I feel I am most helpful. Don't misunderstand me...it's not my FAVORITE thing to do as a pastor. I never look FORWARD to anyone's funeral. But, they do allow a pastor to really show God's love and compassion in a time of extreme emotional distress. I was anxious before the officiating my first funeral. A friend of the family, who had no pastor, died and I was asked to perform the service. Before the visitation, I was ...