Category Archives: Worship

We worship. Here there will be prayers, or sermons, or pictures, or something unique.

Sunday, September 30 2018

The scripture and sermon were merged into one message. The Narrative Lectionary selected Exodus 14:5-7, 10-14, 21-29 as the text. In brief, this is the story of how the Hebrews made it past the Red Sea and the Egyptians did not. But instead of starting the story of the Israelites with the ending of the Egyptians, we told the story from the point when the Pharaoh had forgotten Joseph (last weeks text/story) until this point. The story was done in two voices: Alison Gravel and Mark Pitton. On the whole, Alison was the voice of the narrator, Moses (once he got with the program), and God. Mark inserted a few comments, but largely did Moses when he was obstreperous and Pharaoh. 

Because the recording device could not pick up both voices equally, it wa not used. You can read the text with the two voices noted. 

To read it, click here to go to a google online document

Worship, September 9 2018

Scripture: Mark 10:31-52

Sermon: “See Too”

for download: 180909_0902

The sermon title reflects that last week Sunnie McPhetres had to preach because Rev. Mark was delayed coming home. Since Sunnie had 13 hours and 15 minutes warning, she used the same scripture and sermon title listed in the bulletin. She then convinced Rev. Mark to preach his prepared sermon on this day. He did. To acknowledge/honor that Sunnie preached a sermon entitled “See” the previous week, he called this one “See Too”. 

In this recording you will hear odd static and Mark will make a few comments about something you can not see. The microphone for the sound system was acting up (static) and Mark can not help but comment (more static, really). 
Eventually that microphone was just turned off. 

About 20 minutes into this recording the sermon is finished. The recording continues with the communion service. It even has the music while the people were being served. Again, Mark can be heard over the music, but this time not really static, but a greeting to people as they come for the bread of heave

Sunday, September 2 2018

Rev. Mark had travel delays coming back from seeing his Mom in Florida. He did not preach. Instead the amazing and wonderful Sunnie McPhetres returned to our pulpit to fill in. Having only been asked at 8:15 the night before, she decided to simply use the Scripture and Sermon title that Mark had in the bulletin. 

Scripture: Mark 10:31-52

Sermon: See

But, alas, there was no recording of this. 

Sunnie did convince Mark to give his prepared sermon next week, September 9. He did.

Sunday, August 26 2018

Scripture Mark 1:17-31

Mark: As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him,
Sunnie: “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.’ ”
Mark: The man said, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.” Jesus, looking at him,
loved him
and said,

Sunnie: “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
Mark: When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions. Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,
Sunnie: “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”
Mark: And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again,
Sunnie: “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
Mark: They were greatly astounded and said to one another, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said,
Sunnie: “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.”
Mark: Peter began to say to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said,
Sunnie: “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

Sermon: Noble Heart

To download: 180826_0849 

Prayer:

Lord, when you hold us and we feel loved, we feel safe like a town nestled in a valley. You calm our fears when the night winds blow and strengthen our resolve when bullies blow hard in the day. We look out at the world and see the beauty you  created. Our hearts fill with gratitude. 

We look in ward and marvel at our own workings. How the blood gathers nutrients and oxygen to move them and deliver them where they need to go. Our hearts taking what they need move the rest of life giving blood to all our parts. We are fearfully and wonderfully made; made by you. It’s why we call you God. 

Our imaginations fill our hearts with emotions: love, gratitude, wonder, anger, jealousy, and fear. Our hearts overflow – and break – and turn to stone. Our hearts we give to you, O God and Lord and Creator and Sustainer. Our hearts move life and hold our emotions – and we give our hearts to you. Again and again. We place them in your hands; to warm, to soften, to love and cherish, and to gently mold them into a Noble heart – willing and righteous and holy. Make in us a Noble heart that distributes life and love to all. 

Lord, hear our prayer. 

Amen.

Sunday, August 12 2018

Scripture: Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear,
though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble with its tumult.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved; God will help it when the morning dawns.

The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.
The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.

Come, behold the works of the Lord; see what desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.

“Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations,

I am exalted in the earth.”

The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.

 

Sermon: “Tumult”

for download: 180812_0858

Prayer:

for download: 180812_0858