A Tale of Two Pats, Or, Friend, Move Up Higher
In her John Hines Preaching Award-winning sermon, the Rev. Patricia Grace takes the opportunity at a dinner party to teach about welcoming and serving the undesirable people of the world.
Redeeming Our Religion
The noted educator and author shows us that religion has been a source of great human good, a deep reservoir of hope and grace, but despite its dark side we can learn to embrace one another as God's children.
Where Earth and Heaven Meet
As we think of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the general minister of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) shares with us how to hear and respond to the call of God on our lives.
As It Was in the Beginning
What we learn from the account of creation in Genesis 1 and the launching of Jesus' ministry in Mark 1 is that beginnings matter--they tell us who we are, whose we are, and where we are going.
Joy Comes in the Evening
The story of Anna and Simeon greeting the infant Jesus in the temple gives us insights on joy. And whether we are young or aged, we have much to learn from each other about the joy of God.
Look to the Child
On this Christmas Day, the Rev. Dr. John Philip Newell offers a powerful message of hope as we look to the Child of Peace, as did the shepherds and the Magi, so that we in turn can help bring peace to this world.
Call and Response
On this final Sunday in Advent, the Rev. Dr. Ken Carter examines the important role that Mary, the mother of Jesus, plays in the story of our faith, and encourages us to listen for God's call to do extraordinary things.
The Hand of God on the Shoulder of a Troubled World
For Advent 3, the Rev. Dr. Ken Carter shares a theme woven through the texts for today: the theme of joy in the good news of the coming of Jesus Christ.
Making Straight the Way
As we continue in Advent, the Rev. Dr. Russell Levenson guides us through Mark's account of the coming of John the Baptist, and helps us wrestle with his call to repent.
Two-Minute Warning
In his sermon for the first Sunday in Advent, the Rev. Dr. Russell Levenson explains that Advent gives us an opportunity to get our heads back in the game and get to work for Jesus' sake.
If Christ Is King, What Does That Mean?
In his sermon on the Reign of Christ, Greg Garrett explores Jesus' teaching on separating the sheep and the goats, and helps us wrestle with the questions, "What does Jesus want me to do and to be? How will my life be different if Christ is King?"
The Church IS Worth the Effort!
Despite all its dysfunction and scars, all its confusion and humanity, the church is worth the effort, because it is doing the work of the kingdom of God in the world.
We Are Blessed
In studying and living out the Beatitudes--Jesus' teachings on the saintly virtues--we can respond to his call to exercise our sainthood as his followers.
Practice What You Preach
We can learn a great deal about the humility and sacrificial service Christ desires of his followers by exploring his prickly condemnation of the hypocrisy of the religious leaders of his day.
Loving God with All Your Mind
We are called to love God with heart, soul, and mind, but too often we fail to use our minds to know and serve God and others as fully as we could.
Longing to See God
In his conversation with God, Moses is honest about his doubts and asks to see God's glory. How can we become more aware of God's presence in our own midst?
The Uriah Factor
There is a character in the Bible who is often overlooked--a person of faith in God and integrity in every area of life: Uriah the Hittite.
How Do We Get to Holy?
In light of Paul's teaching in Philippians, the Rev. Stephen McKinney-Whitaker explores the question, how do we get to holy? And discovers we may already be there.
Is the Lord Among Us Or Not?
Exodus 17 says the Israelites put God to the test, and God doesn't seem to mind. Is the Lord among us or not? God seems to welcome the challenge--God loves hard questions and doubts, says James Howell.
Small and White, Clean and Bright
What does God's provision of manna to the murmuring Israelites in the wilderness tell us about our relationship with God? Quite a lot, as James Howell explains.