Sermons
Church Year Seasons
The Christian Year calendar is our guide for worship and Christian faith formation. The beginning of the Christian year is the season of Advent, approximately four weeks before Christmas Day, and continues with special days and seasons following the life of Christ and the mission of the church.
There are two major cycles in the Christian Year. One is the Advent-Christmas-Epiphany cycle that is focused upon Christmas. The other is the Lent-Easter-Pentecost cycle that has Easter as its focus. The other periods in the year are referred to as “ordinary time.” This is not because they are “ordinary” days. Ordinary is taken from the word for “ordinal” numbers. The Sundays during this time are designated by the “first,” “second,” “third,” Sunday after Pentecost, for example. Therefore, they are designated “ordinary” time because of using ordinal numbers to mark them.
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Advent
From the Latin word, adventus, Advent means “arrival” or “coming” and marks the coming of Jesus as human being into the world. Including the four Sundays prior to Christmas day, this season is used as a time of preparing for the coming of the Christ child. Advent marks the beginning of the church year and is the first season in the Christian calendar. While our calendar begins with January 1, the church year begins with Advent.
Christmas
The season of Christmas is actually a period of twelve days which begins on Christmas Day and continues through January 5. We typically think of the season of Christmas as beginning after Thanksgiving and concluding on December 25. However, for the Church, December 25 is the culmination of the waiting, and marks the beginning of Christmas.
Epiphany
The Day of Epiphany follows the twelve days of Christmas. Epiphany, as a day and season of celebration, has been around as long as the celebration of Christmas. Epiphanies are those instances where gods reveal themselves, and make themselves known to humanity. Our January 6 celebration, as Christians, emphasizes the epiphany, or manifestation of God, and represents the revelation of God to the world in Jesus Christ.
Lent
Lent is a season of prayer, penance and self-discipline, beginning on the Wednesday of the seventh week before Easter. The season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is forty days prior to Easter, not counting Sundays. The sixth Sunday in lent is Palm Sunday, which begins Holy Week. Holy Week includes Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and officially ends on Holy Saturday. Easter Sunday then begins the season of Easter which lasts for seven weeks.
Easter
Easter Day commemorates the day of resurrection of Jesus following the crucifixion. Easter is more than a day of celebration in the Christian calendar; it includes a period of seven weeks, and is known as The Great Fifty Days. The full period of Easter continues from Easter Sunday to the day of Pentecost.
Pentecost
The day of Pentecost is the Sunday following the end of the fifty days of Easter. The Day of Pentecost commemorates the coming of the Holy Spirit to the followers of Jesus in the immediate days after the ascension of Jesus.
Sermons from Epiphany
The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany
January 28, 2024
Jesus and the Powers — Sermon by Matt Marston
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The Third Sunday after the Epiphany
January 21, 2024
Reclaiming Sin Sickness — Sermon by Emily Harbin
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The Baptism of the Lord
January 14, 2024
Jesus’ Baptism — Sermon by Howard Germany
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Epiphany Sunday
January 7, 2024
Do All Stars Lead to Jesus? — Sermon by Matt Marston
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Sermons from Advent and Christmas 2023
The First Sunday after Christmas
December 31, 2023
Christmas Isn’t Over — Sermon by Frank Granger
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Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
December 24, 2023
Saving the Relationship — Sermon by Matt Marston
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The Fourth Sunday of Advent
December 24, 2023
How Can This Be? — Sermon by Emily Harbin
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The Second Sunday of Advent
December 10, 2023
A Taste of Shalom — Sermon by Matt Marston and Dianne McNary
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The First Sunday of Advent
December 3, 2023
Empty and Rejoicing — Sermon by Matt Marston
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Sermons from the Season After Pentecost
November 26, 2023
Christ the King Sunday
Reign from the Cross– Sermon by Matt Marston
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October 22, 2023
The 21st Sunday after Pentecost
No Harness, With a Net– Sermon by Matt Marston
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October 15, 2023
The 20th Sunday after Pentecost
Love for the Loveless Shown– Sermon by Matt Marston
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October 8, 2023
The 19th Sunday after Pentecost
Fear, Trust and Love– Sermon by Matt Marston
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October 1, 2023
The 18th Sunday after Pentecost
When the Sun Keeps Moving– Sermon by Matt Marston
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September 24, 2023
The 17th Sunday after Pentecost
Trouble– Sermon by Emily Harbin
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August 27, 2023
The 13th Sunday after Pentecost
Sharing the Gospel– Sermon by Matt Marston
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August 20, 2023
The 12th Sunday after Pentecost
Sinning and Trusting Boldly– Sermon by Matt Marston
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August 13, 2023
The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
Gift, Not the Law– Sermon by Matt Marston
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August 6, 2023
The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
Good News, Not a Good Deal– Sermon by Matt Marston
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July 30, 2023
The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
God’s Love and Romantic Love– Sermon by Matt Marston
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July 23, 2023
The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
Is God a Celebrity?– Sermon by Matt Marston
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July 16, 2023
The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
Kingdom Clothes– Sermon by Emily Harbin
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July 9, 2023
The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
Long Live the King?– Sermon by Matt Marston
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July 2, 2023
The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
Good For You — Sermon by Matt Marston
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Loving Truth — Sermon by Gerald Wright
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June 25, 2023
The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Sexuality and Community — Sermon by Matt Marston
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Establishing Boundaries Around Property, Ideas and Services — Sermon by Michael Helms
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June 18, 2023
The Third Sunday after Pentecost
Even When No One is Looking — Sermon by Frank Granger
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“279” — Sermon by Mike Cleland
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June 11, 2023
The Second Sunday after Pentecost
What’s in a Name? — Sermon by Emily Harbin
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Worship as Rest — Sermon by Matt Marston
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June 4, 2023
The First Sunday after Pentecost
Gotta Serve Somebody — Sermon by Matt Marston
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Idols in 2023 — Sermon by Howard Germany
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May 28, 2023
Day of Pentecost
Feeling the Spirit — Sermon by Matt Marston
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