Psalm 17:1-9, Luke 20:27-38, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17 Jeff Davidson Jim Benedict is the pastor at the Union Bridge Church of the Brethren, not too far from New Windsor. He also grew up in Iowa listening to Cubs games, rooting for the Cubs, and for their AAA farm team the Iowa Cubs. After the…
Category: faith
TRUSTING THE ENGINEER
Genesis 32:22-31, Luke 18:1-8 Katie Furrow I like to pretend I’m a runner. It’s an activity that I’ve been off and on with since college–I’ll spend a few good weeks lacing up and heading out, proud of my choice to take care of my body. I get excited at the prospect of being able to…
SAMARITANS, LEPERS AND US
Luke 17:11-19 Jeff Davidson When you’re reading something in the Bible and trying to figure out it’s meaning and how that meaning applies in your life, it’s often a good idea to put yourself in different positions in the Bible story. Read through it once as you are, as a Christian in the Washington, DC…
MUSTARD VS. MULBERRY
Luke 17: 5-10 Nate Hosler Our passage includes a mulberry tree. As a preacher it’s good to make some sort of illustrative connection to some part or lesson of the scripture which helps the listeners to better understand, imagine, or remember the story. So the mulberry tree. As a child I grew up on a…
HAVE FAITH AND LEAP
Deuteronomy 31:6, Matthew 14:27-33, Matthew 17:20 Emerson Goering As a new BVSer, I have been reflecting on my life journey – from beginning to now – and I am astonished at what I have accomplished – given my previous fears. As a kindergartener, I didn’t say a word out-loud in front of my class until…
AS IF
Luke 14:1, 7-14 Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16 Jeff Davidson The two words “as if” have been standard English for a long time. Used together, they mean “as would be the case if”, for example, “She behaved as if he weren’t there.” For a little while, though, back in 1995 and for a few years after,…
TRANSFORMED
Psalm 30, 1 Kings 17:17-24, John 17:20-26, Galatians 1:11-24 Jeff Davidson Every year or so I like to say a word about the worship planning process, particularly as it relates to scriptures. Back when Nate and Jenn and I began sharing preaching responsibilities we were worried about preaching on the same Bible verses in close proximity…
WE HAVE SEEN THE LORD
John 20:19-31, Acts 5:27-32, Revelation 1:4-8 Micah Bales I’ve joked with Jenn and Nate that I feel like I tend to get some really tough lectionary readings on the Sundays that I’m asked to preach. Lots of passages about death, destruction, judgment, and Jesus’ command to give away all our possessions to the poor. I…
Prepare the Soil; Wait for Sunshine
Isaiah 55:1-9, 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, Luke 13:1-9 Micah Bales One of the biggest reasons that people reject religious faith is this simple question: “Why would a loving God allow terrible things happen to good people?” It’s a tough question to answer. Maybe an impossible one. Yet from the beginning of recorded history, people have been…
JACOBY AND THE THREE DOTS
Luke 1:39-55 Jeff Davidson I love old game shows on TV. How many of you remember the TV show Password? If you never saw it, the original version of Password ran from 1961 to 1975. The original host was Allen Ludden, Betty White’s late husband. We had a board game of Password when I was…
Washington City Church of the Brethren 