Rise Up, Fall Down (1st Sunday in Advent) Preacher: Nathan Hosler Scriptures: Isaiah 64:1-9, Luke 1:46-55 There is a certainty, and inevitability about it. The planets spin. In the night sky. Seen from the playground in the early evening, before the stars and bright enough to be seen even in the city. In a pair…
Category: Washington City COB Podcast
Give Thanks. Give Back. Give Joy.
Preacher: Jessie Houff Scripture: Ephesians 1:15-23. Matthew 25: 31-46. Psalm 100 Today, we are focusing on three scriptures, each with a different theme and what each message means. We’re going to reflect on giving thanks, giving back, and giving joy. As I read, an artwork will be next to the message. I invite everyone to…
Becoming the Dregs
Preacher: Jeff Davidson Scripture: Zephaniah 1:7, 12-18; Matthew 25:14-30 Sometimes you’re reading something and there’s a phrase or an expression that jumps out at you or raises a question of some kind. That’s what happened to me with our reading this morning from the prophet Zephaniah. It’s there in verse 12, where God, speaking through…
WWJND?
Preacher: Jeff Davidson Scripture: Isaiah 45:1-7; Matthew 22:15-22 Some of you will remember the slogan from back in the 1990s.WWJD – What Would Jesus Do? There were WWJD bracelets, there was aWWJD book that was an update of the original WWJD book from the 1800sby Charles Sheldon, there were lots and lots of WWJD sermons,…
Context and Church
Preacher: Jeff Davidson Scripture: Matthew 16:13-20 Context matters. There are a lot of different things that can go into making up a context. The physical setting. The history of a place or a people. Who it is that is saying or writing something. Who it is that they are saying or writing it to. The…
Not a Place Where We Can Be but God is Present There
Preacher: Jennifer Hosler Scripture: Genesis 45:1-15; Psalm 139:1-14 How closely does God care for us? Is God concerned with the intimate details of our lives, or just with some broader, overarching plan of redemption? Christians have varied in terms of how they understand God’s work in history and in daily human affairs. Sometimes, I have…
On Meeting God Unexpectedly
Preacher: Nathan Hosler Scripture: 1 Kings 19:8-19, Matthew 14:22-33, Romans 10:5:15 The prophet Elijah met God. Being a prophet, Elijah was causing some trouble. More accurately, he was pointing out to the people and the regime where there already was trouble—and he was doing this on God’s behalf. He was calling people to repentance. Earlier…
Easter in a Pandemic
Preacher: Jennifer Hosler Scripture: John 20:1-18 It’s intense, the pressure of preaching an Easter sermon during a global pandemic.How can I have the right words to say,to point us to the divine solidarity of Jesus entering with us in our suffering,to the existential hope of Jesus triumphing over betrayal, torture, and death,to the future that…
Thoughts and Meditations
Preacher: Jeff Davidson Scriptures: Exodus 17:1-7, Psalm 95, Romans 5:1-11, John 4:5-42
War or Baptism
Preacher: Nathan Hosler Scripture: Isaiah 42:1-9, Acts 10:34-43, Matthew 3:13-17 Last Sunday we changed our church sign to “No War with Iran.” It is clear we are opposed to war with Iran. This statement is, however, rather limited. The Church of the Brethren’s stance is much stronger. It has more bite and less agreeable. It…
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