Dear Church, It’s hard to believe that it has only been 18 months since I began my time here as your associate pastor. Together, we have been through much: successfully navigated a church merger, went on a service trip, had the best Christmas pageant ever, and started up a new worship service. We studied the […]
BOCE Changes
Change is afoot! With my departure coming up quickly, leadership changes are happening in our Christian education and faith formation programs. I would first like to welcome our two new board members, Cindy Sweeney and Rob Delossa. Cindy comes to us with years of serving on many committees in the church including BOCE. Rob is […]
Risen Indeed
When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 “Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated! Christ […]
The Road Ahead
We’re going into the home stretch in the program year for our children and youth faith formation, and what a joyful time we’ll have! After Easter, our children will learn about Jesus’s resurrection, and soon after, Pentecost. Over the summer we’ll be planting and caring for the children’s herb garden in front of the office […]
Body of Christ
Now y’all are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 1 Corinthians 12:27 In the Sunday Morning Bible Study, lately we’ve been going through Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. The church in Corinth is a troubled one; we believe this is so because the advice that Paul gives throughout the letter points to […]
Source of Healing to Others
O give thanks to the LORD, for God is good; for God’s steadfast love endures forever. Psalm 107:1 At our Ash Wednesday service, we drew upon the wisdom of our Eastern Orthodox cousins in faith, who showed us a new understanding of the word “mercy.” In the words of Benjamin Williams in his book, Orthodox […]
Lost
Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long. Psalm 25:4-5 I get really frustrated when I’m lost. When I’ve missed a turn on my GPS, or I can’t […]
Ash Wednesday: The First Day of Lent
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Psalm 51:10 Ash Wednesday is the day in the Christian liturgical calendar (our calendar of holidays and seasons, separate from the secular calendar) that begins the penitential season of Lent, which ends with Easter Sunday, this year on […]
Where Was God?
From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27: 45-46 “Where was God?” Sometimes it’s easy to see God. In our children, learning and […]
Images of Jesus
Lenten Devotional by Shane Montoya March 19, 2017 “God will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.” (Psalm 91:4) “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified”. (1 Corinthians 2:2) Most of us […]