Title: Work Date: February 25, 2009 (Ash Wednesday) Texts: Genesis 3:17-19 Author: Isaac Villegas Work. The alarm clock wakes you up on Monday morning. You lie there for a few minutes, getting ready to do it all over again this week. Or it’s Friday: you get home after the week of work, you are tired, […]
Roadside Jesus
Has God abandoned us? The world seems like a desolate place. But the Scriptures tell us that Jesus is Immanuel, “God with us.” Where can we find this One who gives life? Isaac suggests that the Christ shows up among those who gather at the edges of our comfortable world. Here’s a passage from his […]
Now what?
Title: Now what? Date: February 15, 2009 Texts: Psalm 30, I Cor 9:24-27, Mk 1:40-45 Author: Isaac Villegas My dad grew up running. Not from the law; just running. He ran track when he was a kid in Colombia. And he was good at it. His coach said he had a future. So my dad […]
Emergent church; Mennonite churches
The February 16th (2009) issue of the Mennonite Weekly Review features an article on the Eastern Carolina District’s local ecumenical conversations. The best part about it is that there’s a wonderful picture of a few folks at Chapel Hill Mennonite. Follow this link: Emerging Churches find treasures in Anabaptism.
A short and joyful history
Title: A Short and Joyful History Date: Feb. 8, 2009 Author: Tom Lehman OPENNG PRAYER. O Lord, guide our thoughts, that we might better understand you, and better understand ourselves as your children. In today’s lectionary reading from the first letter to the church in Corinth, the apostle Paul describes his missionary strategy, and makes […]
Demons: Malcolm X and exorcisms
Title: Demons Date: February 1, 2009 Text: Mark 1:21-28 Author: Isaac Villegas I usually rent movies from the shelves of the new release section. But last week I quickly glanced at that section and got bored. So I walked around some of the other shelves and a movie caught my eye. Now, I’m a sucker […]
Guided by Voices
Title: Voices Date: January 18, 2009 Texts: I Sam 3:1-20; Jn 1:43-51 Author: Isaac Villegas “In my soul I feel just that terrible pain of loss, of God not wanting me, of God not being God, of God not really existing.” “If I ever become a saint, I will surely be one of darkness.” — […]
Ami Kushi : Nathan in Bangladesh
One of the Charles family traditions that my Grandmother started is that instead of exchanging Christmas gifts we share a story about something which happened to us during the year. This is the story I wrote a little belatedly this year and decided to send it out as my latest update. “It’s the simple things” […]
Fully Alive: on baptism
Title: Fully Alive Date: Jan 11, 2009, the Baptism of our Lord Texts: Gen 1:1-5; Ps 29; Mk 1:4-11 Author: Isaac Villegas “The glory of God is the human being fully alive…” — Irenaeus, 2nd century Last week I finally got around to cutting out a bunch of the dead plants in my front yard—Baptisias, […]
Exactly what you want
Title: Exactly what you want Date: December 28, 2008 Texts: Isaiah 61:10-62:3; Luke 2:22-40 Author: Isaac Villegas Sometimes you get exactly what you want. Eric wanted bike gloves and bike pants—those nice spandex kind with the butt padding. I thought he was going to wear them to church as a sermon illustration. He was asked […]
Waiting for what?
Title: Waiting for what? Date: December 21, 2008 (4th Sunday of Advent) Texts: Luke 1:26-38, 47-55 Author: Isaac Villegas What are you waiting for? Think about it. What are you waiting for?—a new job, a child, friends, a paycheck, love, a restored relationship, forgiveness. Or maybe you’re simply waiting for the end of my sermon. […]
Pregnant with God
Christians are people who make room for God. Mary is the first one in the Christian story who shows hospitality to Christ. She gives her very body as the space where good news can be born in our world full of bad news. In his Advent reflection for The Mennonite, Isaac looks to Mary as […]
Letter from Nathan in Bangladesh: Dekha hobe
For the past few years Nathan Charles has worshiped with us. He recently decided to serve with Mennonite Central Committee in Bangladesh for the next three years. Below is his latest letter. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – […]
Isaiah’s Advent vision, and ours
Title: Isaiah’s Advent vision, and ours Date: December 14, Third Sunday of Advent Texts: Psalm 126; Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24; John 1:6-8, 19-28 Author: Tom Lehman The sequence of passages in the Revised Common Lectionary during Advent reminds me every year that the Sundays between Thanksgiving and Christmas are more varied and complicated […]
Anticipating Glory
Title: Anticipating Glory Date: December 7, 2008 (2nd Sunday of Advent) Texts: Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13; Isaiah 40:1-11; 2 Peter 3:8-15a; Mark 1:1-8 Author: Monica Schmucker Growing up with a German mother, advent was a season we celebrated, and so I have long felt that I understand the concept of Advent better than most Americans. I […]
Beware, Keep Alert
Title: Beware, Keep Alert Date: Nov 30, 2008 Texts: Ps 80:1-7, 17-19; Isa 64:1-9; 1 Cor 1:3-9; Mark 13:24-37 Author: Chris K. Huebner We come now to the season of Advent. This is, of course, the beginning of the so-called Christian year. And so it would not be inappropriate to greet each other with the […]
Thanksgiving
Title: Thanksgiving Date: November 23, 2008 Texts: Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24; Ps 100; Eph 1:15-23; Matt 25:31-46 Author: Isaac Villegas When Steve and Sandra sit down for dinner, they have to do one thing before they can eat. They have to say what they are grateful for. That shouldn’t be too hard, right? Well, I ate […]
Hope buried or planted?
Title: Hope buried or planted? Date: Nov. 16, 2008 Text: Matthew 25:14-30 Author: Ryan Koch Chiapas, the southern most state in Mexico. To many, Chiapas might seem like one of the last under-explored, abandoned areas in the Western world. For those trying to picture the size of Chiapas, it’s about the size of South Carolina. […]
The Resurrection of the Dead
Title: The Resurrection of the Dead Date: November 9, 2008 Texts: Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25, Psalm 78:1-7, I Thess. 4:13-18, Matt. 25:1-13 Preacher: Julian Forth Almost one thousand years ago, during the Medieval period, was born a theologian by the name of Peter Damian. He was born in Italy and in his late twenties he entered […]
Letter from Nathan: Ami Klanto Achi
For the past few years Nathan Charles has worshiped with us. He recently decided to serve with Mennonite Central Committee in Bangladesh for the next three years. Below is his latest letter. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – […]
…born of Mary
Title: “…born of Mary” Date: Nov 2, 2008 Texts: Rev 7:9-17, Matt 5:1-12 Author: Isaac Villegas We said the Apostle’s Creed a few moments ago. I asked that it be included in our worship service. Like any good Mennonite, I will admit that there are problems with the Creed. The biggest problem is that it […]
Seeing in the Dark
Title: Seeing in the Dark Date: Oct 26, 2008 Author: Isaac Villegas Texts: Deut 34:1-12, Ps 90, I Thess 2:1-8, Matt 22:34-46 It’s the end for Moses. He led Israel out of Egypt and spent the rest of his life wandering in the wilderness. The Lord takes him up the mountain top of Nebo and […]
God’s own people
Title: God’s own people Date: Oct 19, 2008 Author: Tom Lehman Texts: Psalm 99, Exodus 33:12-23, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10, Matthew 22:15-22 Today is the last of nine consecutive Sundays for which the lectionary prescribes passages from the book of Exodus. Quite by coincidence, my sermon in August started the series. We have looked at the […]
Images of God
Title: Images of God Date: October 11, 2008 Author: Isaac Villegas Texts: Ex 32:1-14; Ps 106:1-6, 19-23; Phil 4:1-9; Matt 22:1-14 Moses is taking a while up on the mountain. The people of Israel are tired of waiting. They approach Aaron, Moses’ right hand man. “Do something,” they say, “We want God.” It’s a very […]