(Sunday, October 6th At 11 AM, Hybrid Communion Worship: In-Person and Live-Streamed On Zoom)

Scripture: Mark 8:22-25 and Luke 19:1-10

Sermon: Reparations and the Struggle to See by Pastor Mark Harper

“Seeing clearly almost always is a struggle.” - Reparations: A Christian Call for Repentance and Repair by Duke L. Kwon and Gregory Thompson

(Sunday, September 29th At 11 AM, Hybrid Worship: In-Person and Live-Streamed On Zoom)

Scripture: Acts 2:1-4 and Acts 2:43-47

Sermon: You Know It’s The Holy Spirit When, led by Rev. Mark Harper

“The true power of the Holy Spirit is to yield power and thus demonstrate the gospel in unexpected ways, such as by raising up the powerless and voiceless.” -Soong-Chan Rah

Photo by 卡晨 on Unsplash

(Sunday, September 22nd At 11 AM, Hybrid Worship: In-Person and Live-Streamed On Zoom)

Scripture: James 3:13-18 and Mark 9:30-41  

Sermon: Loving Our Way Out of Control, led by Rev. Mark Harper

“Nationalism is power hunger tempered by self-deception.” 

-George Orwell, Notes on Nationalism  

(Sunday, September 15th At 11 AM, Hybrid Worship: In-Person and Live-Streamed On Zoom)

Scripture: Mark 24:13-21 and Acts 1:1-8

Sermon: Beyond Borders, led by Rev. Mark Harper

“Although nations may serve God’s purposes in history, the church which identifies the sovereignty of any one nation or any one way of life with the cause of God denies the Lordship of Christ and betrays its calling.” -The Confession of 1967 (PCUSA)

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

(Sunday, September 8th At 11 AM, Hybrid Worship: In-Person and Live-Streamed On Zoom)

Scripture:Mark 1:16-20 and 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 27-31, 13:1-3

Sermon: Testimonies from Servant Leaders, led by Rev. Mark Harper

“The triune God gives to the congregation all the gifts of the gospel necessary to being the Church … In the life of the congregation, individual believers are equipped for the ministry of witness to the love and grace of God in and for the world. The congregation reaches out to people, communities, and the world to share the good news of Jesus Christ, to gather for worship, to offer care and nurture to God’s children, to speak for social justice and righteousness, to bear witness to the truth and to the reign of God that is coming into the world.” -Book Of Order of the PCUSA, G-1.01

Photo by Katherine Conrad on Unsplash

(Sunday, September 1st At 10 AM, Hybrid Communion Worship: In-Person and Live-Streamed On Zoom)

Scripture: James 1:17-27 and Mark 7:1-2,5-8,14-23

Sermon: The Cult of Innocence by Pastor Mark Harper

“While we are made in the likeness of God, we are not God. We do not possess the authority to create truth – only to reflect it. God does not authorize us to dominate our neighbors. To do so is to dominate the image of God, to enact violence against God, to declare war on God. To be re-humanized is to stand down in the fight against God for supremacy.” -Lisa Sharon Harper

(Sunday, August 4th At 10 AM, Hybrid Communion Worship: In-Person and Live-Streamed On Zoom)

Scripture: 11 Kings 8:1,7,10,22-23,41-43 and Ephesians 6:10-20

Sermon: Faith and Wonder by Peter Lukehart

“I believe the world will be saved by beauty.” - Fyodor Dostoevsky (and quoted often by Dorothy Day)

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

(Sunday, August 4th At 10 AM, Hybrid Communion Worship: In-Person and Live-Streamed On Zoom)

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:17-22,27-29 and Exodus 16:2-4,9-15

Sermon: What is It? by Pastor Mark Harper

“I will tell you something about stories … they aren’t entertainment. Don’t be fooled. They are all we have, you see, all we have to fight off illness and death.” -Leslie Marmon Silko

(Sunday, July 28th At 10 AM, Hybrid Worship: In-Person and Live-Streamed On Zoom)

Scripture: Psalm 27:1-6 and Psalm 27:1-6

Sermon: There will be a hymn sing this Sunday.

“When spoken words are impossible or inadequate vessels, singing is a superpower, resonating through the body, shifting the atmosphere, and communicating beyond words … The power of singing and collaborative resistance are superpowers that we, in the 21st century, would do well to remember as we pursue the full realization of freedom and justice for all.” - Rev. Dr. Donna Cox

Photo by Josep Molina Secall on Unsplash

(Sunday, July 21st At 10 AM, Hybrid Worship: In-Person and Live-Streamed On Zoom)

Scripture: Ephesians 2:11-22 and Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

Sermon: Fringe People by Pastor Mark Harper

“Right at the depth of the human condition lies the longing for a presence, the silent desire for a communion. Let us never forget that this simple desire for God is already the beginning of faith.” -Brother Roger of Taize

Photo by Guillaume QL on Unsplash

(Sunday, July 14th At 10 AM, Hybrid Worship: In-Person and Live-Streamed On Zoom)

Scripture: Psalm 85:8-13 and Mark 6:14-29

Sermon: Trapped by Pastor Mark Harper

“Well, it seems like I’ve fallen in your trap again;
And it seems like I’ll be wearing the same old pains;
But good must conquer evil and truth will set me free;
So you see that somewhere I have found the key;
Yes, you see that somewhere I have found the key.”

-Jimmy Cliff

Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

(Sunday, July 7th At 10 AM, Hybrid Communion Worship: In-Person and Live-Streamed On Zoom)

Scripture: Ezekiel 2:1-5 and Mark 6:1-13

Sermon: Shake it Off by Pastor Mark Harper

“Prophets are dangerous. But dangerous to the status quo. Prophets are God-intoxicated people. And they are dangerous to people intoxicated by the status quo. Prophets are intoxicated and caught up in God’s dream of a just and loving world.” -Anthony Smith

(Sunday, June 30th At 10 AM, Hybrid Worship: In-Person and Live-Streamed On Zoom)

Scripture: 2 Samuel 1:1-17 and 2 Corinthians 8:7-15

Sermon: Rev. Eugene Eastman

You come through thick stone walls, armed guards, and bars;
you bring me a starry night and ask about this and that.
You are the redeemer.
I recognize you.
Even my cellar blooms with stars, and peace,
and light pours forth.
You sprinkle beautiful words on me like flowers:
“Son, what are you afraid of? I am with you!”

Viktoras Petkus

(Sunday, June 23rd At 10 AM, Hybrid Worship: In-Person and Live-Streamed On Zoom)

Scripture: Psalm 139:1-12; 23-24 and Mark 4:35-41

Sermon: Fear by Rev. Carolyn Tilley

Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good. - Maya Angelou

Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash

(Sunday, June 16th At 10 AM, Hybrid Worship: In-Person and Live-Streamed On Zoom)

Scripture: Luke 4:16-21 and Mark 4:26-34

Sermon: The Danger of Watching the World Burn by Pastor Mark Harper

“Through non-violence, courage displaces fear; love transforms hate. Acceptance dissipates prejudice; hope ends despair. Peace dominates war; faith reconciles doubt. Mutual regard cancels enmity. Justice for all overthrows injustice. The redemptive community supersedes systems of gross social immorality.” - Rev. James Lawson, September 22, 1928 - June 9, 2024

Photo by Thomas Bormans on Unsplash

(Sunday, June 9th At 10 AM, Hybrid Worship: In-Person and Live-Streamed On Zoom)

Scripture: 1 Samuel 8:1-22 and Mark 3:20-27

Sermon: Time to Eat by Pastor Mark Harper

“A new world is possible. It doesn’t have to be this way.” - Andre Henry

Photo by RUT MIIT on Unsplash

(Sunday, June 2nd At 10 AM, Hybrid Communion Worship: In-Person and Live-Streamed On Zoom)

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:5-12 and Mark 2:23-28

Sermon: Living a Better Story by Mark Harper

“Justice is good, but supper is essential.”

-Ed Loring

(Sunday, May 26th At 10 AM, Worship on the Steps: In-Person and Live-Streamed On Zoom)

Our worship this Sunday is a recent tradition for Memorial Day Weekends - Worship on the Steps. Worshippers are invited to join us on the Maple Avenue side lawn (weather permitting). Please bring something to share: a thought, a reading, a poem, a song, an instrument.

(Sunday, May 19th At 11 AM, Hybrid Worship: In-Person and Live-Streamed On Zoom)

Scripture: Acts 2:1-13 and Acts 2:14-21

Sermon: by Pastor Mark Harper

“Listen to the word that God has spoken; listen to the One who is close at hand; listen to the voice that began creation; listen even if you don’t understand.” - Canadian Song

Photo by Miguel Alcântara on Unsplash