Numbers 21:4-9 Ephesians 2:1-10 John 3:14-21 Jeff Davidson The comedian Norm MacDonald has a shaggy dog story that he sometimes tells. I’m going to do a very, very shortened version of it here. A moth visits a podiatrist’s office. The podiatrist says, “What can I do for you today?” The moth says, “Doc, my life…
Category: Lent
LIFE – A RATTLING
John 11:1-45, Ezekiel 37:1-14, Romans 8:6-11, Psalm 130 Nathan Hosler When I have read, or heard this passage from Ezekiel (the dry bones) I think I have typically envisioned of something like Halloween. It’s not that I have much experience in this subject—my family lived far from town with a driveway as long as two…
CIRCLES OF LIGHT
John 9:1-41, Ephesians 5:8-14 Jeff Davidson When I started working on this sermon I ran across this reflection from Dr. Rachael Keefe on her blog “Write Out of Left Field.” (https://rachaelkeefe.wordpress.com/) She’s writing in part about our gospel reading from John, and she says, “As for myself, I have been the recipient of social judgments….
GLORIFYING THE STRENGTHS GIVEN BY GOD, FOR GOD
Romans 5:1-11, John 4:5-42, Psalm 95 Emmy Goering I’ve just returned to D.C. after spending the last week in the Chicago area at the Brethren Volunteer Service retreat. There, I was able to get some much needed rest and was able to connect with the friends who I’d bonded with at our orientation. While we…
What is the Spirit of Life?
Romans 4:1-5, 13-17, John 3:1-17 Micah Bales Throughout his ministry, Jesus speaks of a mystery that can only be described in parables and metaphor. We heard a lot of these last month as we went through the Sermon on the Mount together. Jesus tells us that we are the salt of the earth. We’re the…
Fancy Food
Matthew 4:1-11, Genesis 2:15-17, Nate Hosler [Think of the style of the “Tall Man” and the “Middle Man” children’s books] There is a man named Bill Cox. Bill Cox—in addition to being well versed in the Brethren and assorted Anabaptist genealogies of Lancaster Pennsylvania and in addition to being quite conversant in the various styles…
KING JESUS AND THE DEEDS OF POWER
Luke 19:28-40 Jennifer Hosler I like Palm Sunday, because I like waving palms. Tactile worship is a lot of fun and we should probably figure out more ways to include props in worship. But Palm Sunday is about more than just fun worship props. Palm Sunday is important, not just because it marks the last…
COMING HOME
Psalm 126, Isaiah 43:16-21, Philippians 3:4b-14, John 12:1-8 Jeff Davidson Two weekends ago Julia and I went back to Ohio for a few days. It was fun. We had some goals, some things to get done, but it was a good time. We stayed with friends of mine from the church youth group growing up, we…
Mini-Sermon Sunday
Matthew 6:19-34 Sermon 1 – Katie Furrow It’s been 3 years, 8 months, and 13 days since I last intentionally ate meat (approximately). After spending a week at the Church of the Brethren’s National Young Adult Conference in 2012 where I didn’t eat any meat with my meals because I thought it all looked unpleasant,…
SPARROWS, ROCKS, AND SHINING GLORY
Psalm 84; Psalm 27; Luke 9:28-36 Jennifer Hosler Wait for the Lord, whose day is near. Wait for the Lord, be strong, take heart. Waiting. It’s hard to wait, at least in the manner we mean in the song. There are a few ways to define “waiting.” According to one definition, to wait is to…
Washington City Church of the Brethren 