You will be my witnesses

 

Ascension Sunday (May 29, 2022)

This week our nation is grieving the shooting in Uvalde, Texas; we are not simply grieving the children, but the loss, as a nation, that we can promise our children a safer and more prosperous tomorrow.

Pastor Rob names this grief and helps us see how this the background grief for the whole New Testament.  In that grieving and fallen world — the same as ours — Jesus invites us to witness to THE story of hope.

The image is from the song at Disney’s Carousel of Progress.

Do you want to be made well?

 

Easter 6, 2022

“Do you want to be made well?  Jesus asks a simple but ultimately challenging question.  

The reply to Jesus reveals the person does not want to be made well, but in fact, for some reason are okay with the dysfunction in their life.

How does Jesus respond?  By shaming the man?  No — with something more powerful!

God of Surprises

 

Easter 5 (May 15, 2022)

“Where do you experience God?”  It is a simple question that we feel that we should be able to answer as faithful questions.  Yet it is surprisingly difficult to give a confident answer.  A reflection on experiencing God doing churchy things…and not-so-churchy things!  Based on John 13:31-35 as well as Acts 11.

The picture is from a website entitled Had any surprises lately

An alternative to cynicism?

 Easter 4, Good Shepherd Sunday (May 8, 2022)

It turns out that people of sincere faith can come to different conclusions.  This fact can lead some to arrogant confidence:  I am right, you are wrong.  In response to this, others succumb to cynicism, rejecting the whole religious life.

Pastor Rob offers that there is another alternative – the way of the cross, the way that seeks to follow Jesus’ teachings…but always with a large dose of humility that we might be wrong!

You are a medical missionary (of sorts!)

 

Easter 3 (May 1, 2022)

Are you a medical missionary?  Most of us would say no.  However, Pastor Rob looks at the story of Ananias (Acts 9:1-20) and the medical missionaries we support at St. Paul (The Swanson family) and finally suggests that we are

a) sent by Jesus

b) out of our comfort zones

c)  to bring healing in Jesus’ name 

And that is the work of a medical missionary!