Most weeks, our worship leader offers a 15–20 minute sermon based on the Scripture texts for the day.
Our regular preacher is pretty versatile. She’ll tell stories, pull together different ideas, lead a meditation, give the congregation an “assignment” to talk about in twos or threes, show a slide show or video, or sometimes even sing to the congregation. The sermon functions to deepen our reflection on the Scripture themes of the day, and often leaves us with a challenge or a question.
Scripture texts are outlined in the Revised Common Lectionary.
Gifts of the Holy Spirit
For Pentecost Sunday, Crossroads worshipped as an all-ages community, and Mary shared a Godly Play story about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The community wondered together about that story, and then the children engaged in response activities. Rev. Cari then offered a spoken word (she called it testimony, rather than a sermon) amplifying the…
Falling and Rising
For Ascension Sunday, Rev. Cari preached on the first eleven verses of the book of Acts. After identifying that the disciples had already “fallen down” in their response to Jesus crucifixion, Rev. Cari notes that their question after his resurrection is actually quite predictable. It is in the nature of humans to want a leader…
We Are One
May 14, 2023 was not only Mother’s Day and the 6th Sunday after Easter at Crossroads, but also “Mama’s Day” – a Sunday when we focus on the partnership with Mama Orphans Children’s Home in Busia, Kenya. Rev. Cari preached on John 14:15-21, a part of Jesus’ long discourse in John’s Gospel to the fearful…
Who’ll be a Witness?
For the fifth Sunday of the Easter season, Rev. Cari preached on the story of the stoning of Stephen from Acts 7. The actual lectionary text is 6 verses long, but she summarizes what comes before early in the sermon. Then she spends a bit of time unpacking the concept of “witness” — which is…
Recognizing the Voice
For Shepherding Sunday, the fourth Sunday of the season of Easter, Rev. Cari preached on John 10:1-10. (The congregation also sang a musical setting of Psalm 23.) Though apparently a bucolic image, and a soothing idea, Rev. Cari got underneath the metaphor of the Good Shepherd and talked about leadership – and fear. She referred…
Trust in the Presence
For the third Sunday after Easter, Rev. Cari preached a sermon in which she held two stories side by side: the Biblical story of the “Road to Emmaus” from Luke 24: 13-35, and the story of a cold-water swimmer named Lynne Cox. The connection between the two stories is the “more than” quality of presence…
Doubting Thomas
For the first Sunday after Easter, Dr. Bruce Harding preached on John 20:19-31, the narrative featuring the disciple typically called “Doubting Thomas.” Bruce began by singing the song by the same name by Nickel Creek, then offers the congregation an extended testimony on the value of doubt in the Christian tradition, by the United Church…
Hidden in Christ
Rev. Cari’s Easter morning sermon was based on the story of the Resurrection morning, as told in John’s Gospel (John 20:1-18). It’s a complex and meaning-laden story, as John’s gospel always is, and gives us an Easter “pattern” or “rhythm” rather than a happy ending. Easter is a moment when God reveals God’s great love…
Who is This?
For Palm Sunday, Rev. Cari preached on Matthew 21:1-11, referring also to the quoted material in that text from Zechariah 9:9-10. The sermon launched from the all-too-familiar feeling of dread that humans of every age feel … whether related to personal circumstances, or social or political ones. She then spent some time in the text…
Trust in God Even in Time of Death
For the 5th Sunday in Lent, Rev. Cari returned to the pulpit to preach on the 11th chapter of John’s Gospel. This traditional Lenten narrative about the raising of Lazarus has long lived in the hearts and imaginations of Christians as we prepare for the mystery of Easter. Not the least of which because it…