“This Joy That I Have”
Guest Preacher: Dana Cassell5-12-2024John 17: 6-19 Every Friday afternoon, when I was in seminary, at Emory University in Atlanta, a group of us seminarians would get together to play ultimate frisbee on the quad in the middle of the campus. We took over a big field-sized area between giant academic buildings and ran, threw, and…
Welcomed into the Family of God, without Discrimination
Jennifer HoslerActs 10:1-48 (lectionary was 10:44-48) In the past two years, we have undertaken congregational processes to specifically consider how our congregation could become publicly inclusive of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer individuals (LGBTQ+). For many years, our congregation has been functionally inclusive in many ways. We’ve had LGBTQ+ persons involved in worship leading,…
Abide
Pastor Nate Hosler, Phd Acts 8:26-40 John 15:1-8,1 John 4:7-21 (scripture texts at the bottom) A surprise meeting on a desert road. When I think of a wilderness road, I think of the road from Yola to Mubi. Going from central Adamawa state to the northern part of the state is a four-hour drive through…
Crying out and Clinging to Hope
April 21, 2024 Psalm 42 & 43Rev. Christie Dahlin Psalm 42 and 43Inclusive Bible VersionLike a stag, a doe,Longing for streams of cool water,My whole being longs for you, my God. My soul aches with thirst for God,For a god that lives!When can I go and see God face to face?My only food, day or…
It’s Called a Coffee BREAK for a Reason!
Sermon 4-14-2024 Washington City Church of the Brethren Dana Cassell Luke 24:36b-48 I was following this week’s action by Christians for a Free Palestine on Instagram, where both Pastor Jenn and Pastor Nate made appearances, witnessing outside and blocking access to a Senate staff cafeteria inside. “Congress and their staff will not eat,” they said,…
Bisan, Poppies, Bluebells, and the Resurrection: Wildflowers along the Path
Preacher: Rev Jennifer Hosler, PhD Date: April 7, 2024 Scripture: Luke 24:13-35; Romans 8:18-25 We hike almost every Saturday. Since the beginning of the pandemic, most of our Saturday hikes have been along the Potomac Heritage Trail, a footpath managed by the National Park Service along the Potomac River. There were many times during the…
Wildflowers
Sermon To Follow After Sunday Morning Worship These Instagram Posts are used as illustrations within the sermon. Join us in person or via Zoom at 11am EST.
Death Swallowed up: Easter
Preacher: Pastor Nathan Hosler, PhD Date: March 31, 2024 Scripture: John 20:1-18, 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, Isaiah 25:6-9 February 14th, the beginning of Lent, feels like a long time ago. Lent is the time often designated for preparation for this past week. If, however, you were like me, you probably lost sight of this at times over…
Hosanna – Save Us!
Preacher: Rev. Jennifer Hosler, PhD Date: March 17, 2024 It was desolate and lonely. A few chirping birds. Some wild mustard growing along the edge of a fence. Numerous CCTV security cameras peering down at me. Just three weeks ago, I hiked up and then walked down the Mount of Olives and made my way to…
Following Jesus with Sumud (steadfastness)
Preacher: Rev. Jennifer Hosler, PhD Date: March 17, 2024 Scripture: Luke 9:51-62 Two weeks ago, I worshipped with our siblings in Christ in Bethlehem, Palestine, at the Lutheran Christmas Church, where Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac is the pastor. This beautiful church at the top of the old city of Bethlehem is home to about 200 Palestinian Christian…
The Risk of Following Jesus
Preacher: Rev. Jennifer Hosler, PhD Date: February 25, 2024 Scripture: Mark 8:27-38 The past two weeks, I was part of a multifaith action called the Pilgrimage for Peace. It was led and cosponsored by Faith for Black Lives, Rabbis for Ceasefire, CAIR Philadelphia, the National Council of Churches, Hindus for Ceasefire, and many other congregations or…
THE FEAR OF GOD
Preacher: Daniel Kwadwo Akomea-Agyin Date: February18, 2024 Scripture: Luke 12:4-10 Prelude: What if you knew that you could never die. Never fall sick. Never fail. How would you live your life? Many people advice that we live everyday as if it were our last – this in the hopes that we would make groundbreaking decisions that…
Of Service and the Border: The Gospel call to action and proclamation
Preacher: Pastor Nathan Hosler, PhD Date: February 4, 2024 Scripture: Mark 1:21-39, Isaiah 40:21-31 We gathered at the border. Tall, slated fence at our backs. Beyond that a dirt road flanked by razor wire. In the razor wire, clothing. Pulled from people struggling across. And beyond that, the Rio Grande. We gathered to pray, recount stories,…
Healing Compassion
Preacher: Julia Baker Date: January 28, 2024 Scripture: Mark 1:21-28 I have had a keen interest in healing for a long time. This has not merely been an intellectual pursuit, but has risen from a place of raw survival. Maybe some you can relate also, maybe you have cried out to God, a convulsion from…
Jonah and the….Mercy of God
Preacher: Pastor Nathan Hosler, PhD Date: January 21, 2024 Scripture: Jonah 3:1-5, Jonah 3:10, Mark 1:14-20 The fish was huge! It was, at least, big enough for us to keep and eat—(I didn’t really like it as a child). If I say, “Jonah and the….” How do you fill in? Jonah and the big fish or…
Psalm 139
Preacher: Dana Cassell Date: January 14, 2024 Scripture: Psalm 139: 1-6, Psalm 139: 13-18 Are any of you RPG gamers? RPG stands for “role playing games,” like Dungeons and Dragons. I was never a gamer until the pandemic, when my friend Carynne and her gamer husband Garrett gathered a group of us to play RPGs…
Joy and Weeping (Epiphany)
Preacher: Rev. Jennifer Hosler, PhD Date: January 7, 2024; Epiphany Sunday Scripture: Matthew 2:1-18 If you’d like to watch a video of this sermon, you can find it here. This weekend is a weekend of milestones and markers, some joyful and many somber. Orthodox Christmas is celebrated today, as our Eastern Christian siblings in Christ observe…
Waiting. Hoping. Christmas 2023
Preacher: Pastor Nathan Hosler, PhD Date: December 24, 2023 Scripture: Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26, Luke 1:26-28, 2:1-40, Titus 3:4-7 Waiting with bated breath we have been. Waiting for the coming Christ child. In these weeks of Advent—we have—at least principle, been waiting for the promised Messiah, the long-expected savior. Waiting. Longing. Hoping. If, however, you were distracted…
Mercy (3rd Sunday of Advent)
Preacher: Julia Baker Date: December 17, 2023 Scripture: Luke 1:46b-55; Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 At this time, only the audio is available for the sermon, which you can find below.
Voices that We Do Not Expect
Preacher: Pastor Jennifer Hosler, PhD Date: December 10, 2023 Scripture: Mark 1:1-8, Luke 1:39-55 I learned a new word recently: muzak. I was reading a Bethany Theological Seminary update email with a reflection by President Jeff Carter that included this word, discussing the saturation of stores with Christmas background music during this season. Momentarily puzzled, I…
Advent 2023 – In Bethlehem, Christmas is Canceled
Preacher: Pastor Nathan Hosler, PhD Date: December 3, 2023 Scripture: Mark 13: 24-37, Psalm 80 Munther Isaac is the pastor of the Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem—the Bethlehem. His family and the Palestinian Christian community trace their history back, literally, to the beginning. The Church of the Brethren has sought to read the New Testament…
Who You Are and Whose You Are
Preacher: Pastor Jennifer Hosler, PhD Date: November 19, 2023 Scripture: I Thessalonians 5:1-28 May the Words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my redeemer. – Psalm 19:14 Preaching is a curious thing. Preaching is more than public speaking. Not only is there…
Not In Word, but In Power
Preacher: Daniel Kwadwo Akomea-Agyin Date: November 12, 2023 Scripture: Acts 17: 22-28, I Corinthians 4: 6-7. 16-21 Acknowledgement: Thank you for inviting my family and me to be a part of your worship experience. I am sure that this will be the beginning of a very good relationship. Prelude: Power is intoxicating. As irresistible as it…
Reflections from Ukraine
Preacher: Brad Hendrickson Date: November 05, 2023 Scripture: Matthew 22:34–40, Luke 6:34–36 Audio for this sermon can be found here: To be posted As I’ve taken these last few weeks since Jenn and Nathan first invited me to speak to think over how I might reflect here with you this morning on some of my…
Hope Amidst Transition and a Culture of Mutual Care
Preacher: Pastor Jennifer Hosler, PhD Date: October 29, 2023 Scripture: Deuteronomy 34:1-12, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 Image: John August Swanson, Moses, 1983 Audio coming soon In our two passages today, we have two vignettes of leadership in religious communities. The first vignette is of Moses at the end of his life, while the second is of…
Give Yourself, who are God’s, to God
Preacher: Julia Baker Date: October 22, 2023 Scripture: Matthew 22:15-22 Audio for this sermon can be found here: To be posted I invite you to place yourself on the street in Jerusalem just days after Jesus rode over palm branches on a donkey. There is tension in the air, the authorities are on high-alert, wanting to…
Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Prepared by Jennifer Hosler, Pastor Our worship service focused on the theme of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. As followers of Jesus, we are called to love and know all of our neighbors, to work for justice, and to work for peace. Justice for our indigenous or Native North American neighbors is important. Our 2023 Church of…
Reconciling Like Jesus
Preacher: Tabitha Hartman Rudy Date: September 10, 2023 Scripture: Matthew 18:15-22, Matthew 5:21-24 Audio for this sermon can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oTKPqeUyMN3cAtACzaXKIR_IAROV6Sdd/view?usp=drive_link Ah, conflict! Our favorite thing to talk about in the church! Not really, right? Conflict, sin, inappropriate behavior…. None of it is easy to address or discuss, and yet we’re human – we’re…
How Do You See God?
Preacher: Nicole Crouch Date: July 30, 2023 Scripture: Luke 5:17-26 Audio for this sermon can be found here via Google Drive: It is an honor to be here with you all. (As Rev Jenn mentioned) I am the Site Manager for thischurch and Capitol Hill United Methodist Church, and I have been working here since…
Creation Groans – Listen to It
Preacher: Nathan Hosler Date: July 23,2023 Scripture: Psalm: 139:1-12, 23-24, Romans 8:12-25 In Verse 12 of Romans 8:12-25 (passage below)the “so then” points back. The “so then” is what comes as a result of the new life in the Spirit. The chapter begins, Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ…
Washington City Church of the Brethren 
Hi WCCOB
Is there a link that I could listen to Pastor Chibuzo’s sermon on May 22. I was not able to attend via zoom
Hello Madonna, it all depends on staff capacity, whether the service was recorded (sometimes there are errors), and whether preachers provide a textual sermon. Sorry that that is not a precise answer but if we have it, it will be posted eventually.