Have you ever lost power? A couple of times in the last year we’ve lost power at our house for more than 24 hours. Why is power important? How does it feel to be without power? Helpless, frustrated, & it’s hard not knowing when you’re going to get it back. Food can spoil. Cooking is…
In a healthy family, a mother serves as a source of unity. Siblings can be very different and sometimes have virtually nothing in common, yet they all are united by the fact that they have the same mother who – ideally and hopefully – loved, nurtured, sacrificed, educated and cared for them. I shared at…
I came across a story online this week that caught my attention. The headline read, Woman Embalmed, Bronzed in Favorite Pew. There was even a photo. The by line read MOSCOW, Idaho — Longtime church-goer Gert Rizzoli was so devoted to her spot in the pew at Featherside Congregational Church that when she passed away…
Having been born in Boston and growing up in Brookline less than three miles from the Boston Marathon finish line, the events of last week were very difficult for me. My connection to Boston is very strong. In the wake of the tragedy that happened at the conclusion of the Marathon and in the days…
4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in…
Today’s encounter between the disciples and Jesus happens after the empty tomb of Easter morning; after Jesus appeared among the fearful disciples who had locked themselves in a house and said to them “Peace be with you.” After Jesus breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” It happens after Jesus appears to them…
I suspect that none of us would want to be remembered for one of our weakest moments. Can you imagine if for all time someone attached a label to you that you could never shake? Clumsy Carolyn, Dumb Doug, Rude Rita, Selfish Sam. That would stink wouldn’t it? We’d probably protest, “C’mon, I did some…
“But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in, they did not find the body. 4 While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men…
Pastors Mary Scheer and Patti Ricotta team up to fill in for Pastor Doug. As Pastor Patti and I are sharing this message, we will be using the scripture Pastor Doug had planned on using today. When we realized on Friday that we would be preaching, we decided to split the scripture passage. I will…