Duane H. Larson, Senior Pastor

Based on Jonah 3:1-5, 10; Mark 1:14-20

This has been a profound week. No doubt, from whatever angle we approached it. Focus met poetry and song in the inauguration of a new president. The poetry and song, in turn, congealed with a mighty ecumenical and interfaith prayer service from the national cathedral. Whether there was an automatic fit or not with both of today’s assigned scripture lessons, I saw it so, and was deeply moved. Just as we preachers are commanded to proclaim God’s reign with the Bible in one hand and now a digital newspaper in the other, I was met by a mighty fusion of word and song in our national concerns and our most private crises.

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Duane Larson, Senior Pastor

 “Called from a Nightmare to Act on a Dream”
1 Sam. 3: 1-20; John 1:43-51. 

“The word of the Lord was rare in those days” (1 Samuel 3:1). It is clear why. Through their regular bad choices, the leaders had become deaf to the word of God. The head priest Eli was not only going physically blind. He chose to be blind to the chronic lying and corruption of his priestly sons. God would punish them. They would lose their place of presumed privilege. And God would find new ears to hear in the young boy Samuel. And to this Samuel, whose name means “God hearer,” God said “I will do something wonderful that will make your ears tingle.” Continue reading →

The Rev. Karin Liebster
Associate Pastor

Genesis 1:1-5
Psalm 29
Mark 1:4-11

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

O Lord, give strength to your people; give them, O Lord, the blessings of your peace. Psalm 29:11 (ELW)

We live in an emotional, anxious time, dear sisters and brothers.

Chaos broke out in the Capitol building on Wednesday when the sacred order of the democratic process to elect a new president was thrown into mayhem after violence was incited. Lives were lost.

We have not experienced such a thing. We struggle what to say.

And here we are, it is Sunday, the pandemic precludes us from being together when we needed to be together, and yet are greeted by the beauty of God’s Word of creation that speaks order and meaning into the universe; we are greeted with John’s baptism of forgiveness and hear Jesus named as the Son of God, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” Continue reading →

Sergio Rodrigues, Pastoral Intern

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Word made flesh who dwells among us. Amen.

Merry Christ and a Happy New Year to you all. Thanks be to God that we bade farewell to such a drawn-out year. As one often does at the commencement of a new year, one reflects upon the the challenges faced, the joys experienced, and the lessons learned from the previous year so that we may live more wisely than years prior. Continue reading →

Sergio Rodriguez, Pastoral Intern
Series A, November 15, 2020,
Lectionary 33: Parable of the Talents

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ, our savior. Amen.

“The People, meaning the Gwich’in people, should hold together, and last winter they had not done so. They had inflicted an injust on themselves and the two old women…” Continue reading →