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: transformation
NO CROSS, NO CROWN
Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16; Romans 4:13-25, Mark 8:31-38 Micah Bales When I first read through the scripture readings for this Sunday, it wasn’t immediately clear to me how our gospel reading relates to the passage from Genesis. The story of Abraham and Sarah seems to be all about God bestowing unconditional blessing and abundance on…
EVERYONE, COME TO THE FASTING PARTY!
Joel 2:1-2, 12-17, Mark 1:9-15, Luke 18:9-14 Jennifer Hosler A Plant Geek Last week, I was talking with someone about the plants I have in my garden. I mentioned the different herbs that I grow and how my bay leaf tree has survived several years, even though it is not technically zoned for our city….
REPENT, AND BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL
Jonah 3:1-5, 10; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31; and Mark 1:14-20 Micah Bales I don’t need to tell you that we’re living in a particularly dark, chaotic time. We can all feel it. Our national government is off the rails in a very visible way with the present federal shutdown. But our dysfunction as a society goes…
O THAT YOU WOULD TEAR OPEN THE HEAVENS AND COME DOWN
Isaiah 64:1-9, 1 Corinthians 1:3-9, & Mark 13:24-37 Micah Bales The first Sunday in Advent I’ve been accused of many things. But I’ve never been accused of being without imagination. When I was a child, I had what you could probably describe as an overactive imagination. Every book I read, every cartoon I watched,…
Reflections by Members of the Congregation
James 4:1-12, Colossians 3:12-17 This is the seventh sermon in our sermon series on the book of James. You can find the audio for this sermon here: https://soundcloud.com/washingtoncitycob/reflections-november-5-2017. *Note* The audio differs from the text. Will Morris This passage has particular resonance with me because it speaks to an on-going, interior argument of sorts that constantly goes…
THE UPSIDE-DOWN or SOWING IN PEACE
James 3:13-18; Mark 9:30-37; Galatians 5:13-26 Jennifer Hosler This is the sixth sermon in our sermon series on the book of James. You can find the audio for this sermon here: https://soundcloud.com/washingtoncitycob/sowing-in-peace-october-29-2017. *Note* The audio differs from the text. For science-fiction and fantasy lovers—or people who just generally swoon over a 1980s visual aesthetic—this weekend was highly…
LISTEN TO HIM!
Exodus 34:29-35 & Luke 9:28-36 Micah Bales When I was in college, I visited Mexico for the first time as a foreign exchange student with Brethren Colleges Abroad. I spent seven months there, living mostly in the eastern city of Xalapa, Veracruz – where Xalapeno peppers come from. But first, I spent several weeks studying…
WARNINGS, MOUNTAINS, AND CONSUMING FIRE
Hebrews 12:14-29; Psalm 103:1-8 Jennifer Hosler Nate and I recently spent time in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. The landscape is staggeringly beautiful. Expanses of sheer, sharp mountains, turquoise lakes, acres and acres of pine trees, aspen trees, and larch trees. We hiked most days and found ourselves climbing steeply through fields of alpine wildflowers and…
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…
Washington City Church of the Brethren 