February 16, 2014 Deuteronomy 30: 15-20 Matthew 5: 21-37 Rev. Catherine Purves There is no one more calculating than a child who is trying to figure out how much he (or she) can get away with. There are various ploys and strategies that children use with great success. Of utmost importance is figuring out where the absolute line is, the line that must not be crossed. Children soon learn that they can get…
February 9, 2014 Isaiah 58: 1-9a Matthew 5: 13-20 Rev. Catherine Purves I know I have mentioned my grandmother before in sermons. She had a big impact on me when I was growing up, and her prayers for me carried me through college and graduate school, the early years of my marriage, and the birth of our three children. One thing that I know I have not told you about my grandmother is…
February 2, 2014 1 Corinthians 1: 18-31 Rev. Catherine Purves Everyone wants to be wise, no one wants to be foolish, and everyone wants to have power. This Scripture passage from 1 Corinthians is counter-intuitive in the extreme. It is saying the exact opposite of what we want to hear. In fact, it is downright insulting to just about everyone. The Jews are criticized for demanding signs. The Greeks are condemned for seeking…
January 19, 2014 Isaiah 49: 1-7 1 Corinthians 1: 1-9 Charissa C. Howe It seems like everyone around me has been throwing around the word “call” lately. Nearly every other sentence I hear talks about “calling” and what I’m “called” to and answering a “call.” I have more mentors and pastors and advisors and professors than I can keep track of most days and every one of them is asking about my “sense of…
January 12, 2014 Isaiah 42: 1-9 Matthew 3: 13-17 Rev. Catherine Purves Beginnings matter. We talk about getting off on the right foot in a relationship or in some enterprise. Things can go badly if you get off on the wrong foot. We all know that first impressions make a difference, and the way that you start out in a new job or a budding friendship or even a simple project will have a…