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Click on "Sermon Title" for PDF.
May 24, 2020 - Seventh Sunday of Easter
"The Certainty in Uncertainty"
Scripture: Acts 1:6-14; 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11; John 17:1-11
Today was Ascension Sunday, which is the celebration of Jesus' ascension into Heaven. It is a weird event, and we try to find out what it means for us, especially in this uncertain age, where the eternal has become unchained and untethered from the temporal.
Enjoy the video!
Peace! Pastor Seth
"The Certainty in Uncertainty"
Scripture: Acts 1:6-14; 1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11; John 17:1-11
Today was Ascension Sunday, which is the celebration of Jesus' ascension into Heaven. It is a weird event, and we try to find out what it means for us, especially in this uncertain age, where the eternal has become unchained and untethered from the temporal.
Enjoy the video!
Peace! Pastor Seth
May 17, 2020 - Sixth Sunday of Easter
"In Him We Live and Move"
Scripture: Acts 17:14-31; John 14:15-22
There were all sorts of internet problems this morning. Even so, we heard about Paul's visit with the Athenians and the rest of Jesus' talk with his disciples.
Enjoy the video!
"In Him We Live and Move"
Scripture: Acts 17:14-31; John 14:15-22
There were all sorts of internet problems this morning. Even so, we heard about Paul's visit with the Athenians and the rest of Jesus' talk with his disciples.
Enjoy the video!
May 10, 2020 - Fifth Sunday of Easter
"Martyrs of Faith: Witnesses to Death and Life"
Scripture: Acts 7:55-60; John 14:1-14
Martyrdom has been a very present pattern in the Christian faith since the very beginning. After all, Jesus was martyred by the Roman Empire for his transgressions against state and religion alike. His disciples followed suit. One can deliberately provoke his/her martyrdom, or one can simply proclaim Jesus as equal to God and face the lions and centurions in the arena merely by being heard or turned in by the authorities. Today, we hear the story of Perpetua and Felicitas. The audio cuts out for a moment, when the call was dropped on ZOOM, but picks back up, around the 36 minute mark. Enjoy!
Peace and grace, Pastor Seth.
"Martyrs of Faith: Witnesses to Death and Life"
Scripture: Acts 7:55-60; John 14:1-14
Martyrdom has been a very present pattern in the Christian faith since the very beginning. After all, Jesus was martyred by the Roman Empire for his transgressions against state and religion alike. His disciples followed suit. One can deliberately provoke his/her martyrdom, or one can simply proclaim Jesus as equal to God and face the lions and centurions in the arena merely by being heard or turned in by the authorities. Today, we hear the story of Perpetua and Felicitas. The audio cuts out for a moment, when the call was dropped on ZOOM, but picks back up, around the 36 minute mark. Enjoy!
Peace and grace, Pastor Seth.
May 3, 2020 - Fourth Sunday of Easter
"Voice We Trust"
Scripture: Psalm 23, Acts 2:42-47, John 10:1-10
Today, our intern, Ed Gabrielsen, led us in an exploration of The Good Shepherd passage in the Gospel of John. Enjoy the video from our ZOOM worship. I have also included a PDF of Ed's sermon. Click on the title above.
"Voice We Trust"
Scripture: Psalm 23, Acts 2:42-47, John 10:1-10
Today, our intern, Ed Gabrielsen, led us in an exploration of The Good Shepherd passage in the Gospel of John. Enjoy the video from our ZOOM worship. I have also included a PDF of Ed's sermon. Click on the title above.
April 26, 2020 - Third Sunday of Easter
"Stay With Us"
Scripture: Psalm 116, Luke 24:15-31
We celebrate the Third Sunday of Easter today.
This is the well-trod Road to Emmaus story. We hear how
Jesus is with us but we don't know it
Jesus is with us and we feel it
Jesus is with us and we know it in our whole being.
Enjoy!
"Stay With Us"
Scripture: Psalm 116, Luke 24:15-31
We celebrate the Third Sunday of Easter today.
This is the well-trod Road to Emmaus story. We hear how
Jesus is with us but we don't know it
Jesus is with us and we feel it
Jesus is with us and we know it in our whole being.
Enjoy!
April 19, 2020 - Second Sunday of Easter
"Touching Wounds and the Presence of God"
Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3-9; John 20:19-31
Our service today looked at what it means that a Wounded Savior revealed himself to the disciples.
During this time of pandemic, fear, and death, what is it that Jesus seeks to restore within us?
The full service is posted below.
Peace and grace to you!
"Touching Wounds and the Presence of God"
Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3-9; John 20:19-31
Our service today looked at what it means that a Wounded Savior revealed himself to the disciples.
During this time of pandemic, fear, and death, what is it that Jesus seeks to restore within us?
The full service is posted below.
Peace and grace to you!
April 12, 2020 - Easter Sunday
"A Transfigured World and a Resurrected Christ"
Scripture: Matthew 28
We had a wonderful ZOOM worship. We gathered virtually to celebrate the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Enjoy the video!
Peace and grace to all!
Christ is Risen!
Pastor Seth
"A Transfigured World and a Resurrected Christ"
Scripture: Matthew 28
We had a wonderful ZOOM worship. We gathered virtually to celebrate the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Enjoy the video!
Peace and grace to all!
Christ is Risen!
Pastor Seth
April 11, 2020 - Dark/Holy Saturday
What Was Jesus Up To Between the Cross and the Resurrection?
I have thought for many years that Dark Saturday is the most neglected and perhaps the most important, aside from Easter, day of the three days of Easter week. This is the day where we are completely at the mercy of the unknown with the disciples. This is the day when despair, desolation, deep loss, and the weight of nothingness are fully present. A global pandemic seems to provide the best platform to explore this day, and remember that even in the depths of Hell, God is still with us.
What Was Jesus Up To Between the Cross and the Resurrection?
I have thought for many years that Dark Saturday is the most neglected and perhaps the most important, aside from Easter, day of the three days of Easter week. This is the day where we are completely at the mercy of the unknown with the disciples. This is the day when despair, desolation, deep loss, and the weight of nothingness are fully present. A global pandemic seems to provide the best platform to explore this day, and remember that even in the depths of Hell, God is still with us.
April 10, 2020 - Good Friday
The Seven Last Words of Jesus on the Cross
Here is a video I made exploring Jesus' 7 last words. For many Protestant churches, particularly of the Lutheran and Calvinist persuasion, Good Friday often involves bringing in preachers from the hours of noon to 3pm to preach on each of the verses comprised by the Seven Last Words. Since we are in a pandemic and are locked down for the foreseeable future, I have put together a few minutes on each of the verses in this video. Enjoy!
Stay healthy, stay faithful, stay kind.
Be blessed in this Easter season.
The Seven Last Words of Jesus on the Cross
Here is a video I made exploring Jesus' 7 last words. For many Protestant churches, particularly of the Lutheran and Calvinist persuasion, Good Friday often involves bringing in preachers from the hours of noon to 3pm to preach on each of the verses comprised by the Seven Last Words. Since we are in a pandemic and are locked down for the foreseeable future, I have put together a few minutes on each of the verses in this video. Enjoy!
Stay healthy, stay faithful, stay kind.
Be blessed in this Easter season.
April 5, 2020 - Palm Sunday
"The Jesus Pattern" - preached by Ed Gabrielsen, our Intern
Psalm 118, Isaiah 64:9-10; Matthew 21:1-11
We are trying to work out our virtual worship in this time of pandemic.
Our intern, Ed, gave an impassioned, deep sermon about the pattern of Jesus during times such as this.
Enjoy the video!
Peace, healing, and grace to all!
Pastor Seth
"The Jesus Pattern" - preached by Ed Gabrielsen, our Intern
Psalm 118, Isaiah 64:9-10; Matthew 21:1-11
We are trying to work out our virtual worship in this time of pandemic.
Our intern, Ed, gave an impassioned, deep sermon about the pattern of Jesus during times such as this.
Enjoy the video!
Peace, healing, and grace to all!
Pastor Seth
March 22, 2020 - Lent 4A
"The Table Before Us"
Psalm 23, Ephesians 8:5-14; John 9
The world has changed. Our lives have been radically disrupted. In the space of a week, we went from gathering together to being at home waiting for the pandemic to pass over us.
Now, all our services are virtual. Most of our conversations are online. Thank God for the internet, and thank God for all the people who work to keep the infrastructure in place for our ability to communicate.
I hope you are handling physical distancing and new social outreaches as best you can. I hope the stresses of each day, as we watch the numbers and cities go into lockdowns and economies falter, find some solace in your faith, companionship, and rest.
May the Lord bless and keep us all.
Here is the link to our new YouTube site with yesterdays virtual service:
"The Table Before Us"
Psalm 23, Ephesians 8:5-14; John 9
The world has changed. Our lives have been radically disrupted. In the space of a week, we went from gathering together to being at home waiting for the pandemic to pass over us.
Now, all our services are virtual. Most of our conversations are online. Thank God for the internet, and thank God for all the people who work to keep the infrastructure in place for our ability to communicate.
I hope you are handling physical distancing and new social outreaches as best you can. I hope the stresses of each day, as we watch the numbers and cities go into lockdowns and economies falter, find some solace in your faith, companionship, and rest.
May the Lord bless and keep us all.
Here is the link to our new YouTube site with yesterdays virtual service:
March 15, 2020 - Lent 3A
"Remember Your Baptism"
(click title for order of service)
Scripture: Exodus 17:1-17; John 4:5-15
Today begins one of the strangest times I have ever seen in my lifetime. Our church has closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We are days away from a harrowing time for our nation, and our prayers are with all of you and for our caregivers at the hospitals and in the community.
Since, before today, I had time to learn how to live-stream and do all the stuff to prepare to video our services, I never took that time. Now, we are learning on the fly.
What better time than now to Remember our Baptism? To remember that God says to each of us, "Blessed are you, My Child, in whom I am well pleased."
So here is our first video presentation of virtual church. We will get better!
Please click the sermon title above to access the order of service.
Stay healthy. Listen to the doctors in this crisis. Flatten the curve.
And trust the Lord your God!
Peace and grace, Pastor Seth
"Remember Your Baptism"
(click title for order of service)
Scripture: Exodus 17:1-17; John 4:5-15
Today begins one of the strangest times I have ever seen in my lifetime. Our church has closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We are days away from a harrowing time for our nation, and our prayers are with all of you and for our caregivers at the hospitals and in the community.
Since, before today, I had time to learn how to live-stream and do all the stuff to prepare to video our services, I never took that time. Now, we are learning on the fly.
What better time than now to Remember our Baptism? To remember that God says to each of us, "Blessed are you, My Child, in whom I am well pleased."
So here is our first video presentation of virtual church. We will get better!
Please click the sermon title above to access the order of service.
Stay healthy. Listen to the doctors in this crisis. Flatten the curve.
And trust the Lord your God!
Peace and grace, Pastor Seth
March 8, 2020 - Lent 2A
"How Can These Things Be?"
Scripture: Genesis 12:1-4a; Romans 4:1-5, 13-17; John 3:1-17
Jesus and Nicodemus meet at night to discuss some strange and difficult things about Jesus and what he is doing here with us. Like Nicodemus, I am sure all of us struggle in some way to understand (stand under) what Jesus is telling us. He speaks in metaphors, stories and narrative parables. He rarely answers a question straight. How, indeed, can these things be?
Enjoy the audio and PDF.
Peace! Pastor Seth
"How Can These Things Be?"
Scripture: Genesis 12:1-4a; Romans 4:1-5, 13-17; John 3:1-17
Jesus and Nicodemus meet at night to discuss some strange and difficult things about Jesus and what he is doing here with us. Like Nicodemus, I am sure all of us struggle in some way to understand (stand under) what Jesus is telling us. He speaks in metaphors, stories and narrative parables. He rarely answers a question straight. How, indeed, can these things be?
Enjoy the audio and PDF.
Peace! Pastor Seth
March 1, 2020 - Lent 1A
"The Forces of Evil in a Bozo Nightmare"
Scripture: Genesis 2:15-17; Matthew 4:1-11
When we lose our capacity to recognize the presence of God in our world and also discern good from evil, we begin to live in a 'bozo nightmare' (Thank you to Beck for the lyric!). The tree in the garden that Adam and Eve eat of is the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Understanding good and evil requires developing a knowledge of those aspects of the universe now that we are living outside the innocence of the Garden. What does it mean to have "The Knowledge"?
Enjoy the audio of today's sermon!
Peace and grace, Pastor Seth
"The Forces of Evil in a Bozo Nightmare"
Scripture: Genesis 2:15-17; Matthew 4:1-11
When we lose our capacity to recognize the presence of God in our world and also discern good from evil, we begin to live in a 'bozo nightmare' (Thank you to Beck for the lyric!). The tree in the garden that Adam and Eve eat of is the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Understanding good and evil requires developing a knowledge of those aspects of the universe now that we are living outside the innocence of the Garden. What does it mean to have "The Knowledge"?
Enjoy the audio of today's sermon!
Peace and grace, Pastor Seth