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…
Tag: church
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….
JESUS, MEAT, AND VEGGIES
Deut. 18:15-20; Mark 1:21-28; 1 Cor. 8:1-13 Jennifer Hosler How do we show love? Sometimes, it’s by holding back on the meat. Across the US, traditionally, meat and potatoes or meat and some other starch, are ubiquitous on the table. Many of our folks in this congregation come from places like Missouri or central Pennsylvania—traditionally…
IT’S COSMIC! – EPIPHANY
Isaiah 60:1-6, Ephesians 3:1-12, Matthew 2:1-12 Nate Hosler I am not a cosmonaut nor even an average person with a solid grasp of space lore. I did, however, watch the new Star Wars two times already. Given my lack of expertise in this area, and the clear need for space knowledge in this sermon I…
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,…
TANGIBLE FAITH (OIL, SONG, AND PRAYER)
James 5:13-20; John 9:1-12 Jennifer Hosler This is the tenth and final sermon in our sermon series on the book of James. Since it is Thanksgiving weekend, it would be rather appropriate to start my sermon with some gratitude. I’m thankful for many things but one which came to mind is my fantastic and caring…
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…
YOU’RE MY FAVORITE or BLAND NEUTRALITY
James 2:1-13, Luke 6:20-26 Nate Hosler This is the third sermon in our sermon series on the book of James. You can find the audio for this sermon here: https://soundcloud.com/washingtoncitycob/youre-my-favorite-or-bland-neutrality-october-8-2017. *Note* The audio differs from the text. Jenn rightly noted that Martin Luther, the Reformer, disliked James. His big thing was faith and the grace of…
GOOD TROUBLE: DISOBEYING THE POWERS FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD
Exodus 1:8-2:10; Psalm 124; Matthew 16:13-20 Jennifer Hosler A leader stands up and says, “They are taking over. They are ruining our country. They are overrunning our cities. They are plotting, they are seeking to undermine our values and our prosperity. Those people must be stopped, must be controlled, must be contained, so that we…
WAS IT GOD: CHARLOTTESVILLE VS. EGYPT
Genesis 45:1-15, Psalm 133, Matthew 15:10-28 Nate Hosler Though the white-supremacist rally in Charlottesville and counter protest—which included many clergy, including some Brethren pastors—happened over a week ago it remains on our minds. In part, this is because of the responses, lack of responses, and responses to responses that have happened this week. While…
Washington City Church of the Brethren 