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.
National Day for Truth & Reconciliation
On this Sunday closest to September 30, the National Day for Truth & Reconciliation, Crossroads welcomed our new Coordinators of Children and Youth Ministry, Carson Beck and Nia Bentayen, into worship leadership. Pam Shaw moderated a conversation with Carson & Nia in which each of them responded to questions (framed by Rev. Jim) on the…
The Absurdity of Forgiveness
In an article by David Brooks from the Atlantic Magazine – entitled “How America Got Mean” he says that the lack of moral formation over the last number of years in North American Society has meant that selfishness and cruelty to others have been given free rein and we live in a society in which…
Back to School and Making Friends!
Learning that there are many different kids we meet during back to school. Many of these kids we might become friends with but also we should be prepared not to connect with everyone right away.
The Paradox of Losing Life to Find it.
The disciple Peter whom Jesus says is the rock upon which his church will be founded understands clearly what others have not grasped — that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. Having given a right answer to the question he balks at Jesus’s teaching about what it will mean to follow Jesus to…
Who is Jesus for you?
Peter is asked by Jesus the question: “Who do you say I am?” It’s the central question of Christian faith through the centuries and still hotly debated. A internet search of the question that I did this week registered two billion hits along with 1.3 billion hits for images of Jesus. We will tackle the…
Faith into Action
On this summer Sunday, Craig Perry returned to Crossroads to share in worship leadership. He gave the congregation an introduction to his work in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver with the organization Mission Possible. Craig shared honestly and personally about his own learning and growth, and referred to the text for the day, Matthew 25:31-46, as…
Walking on the Water
On this summer Sunday, Pastor Carl Amouzou joined Crossroads to share in worship leadership. The text for the day is Matthew 14:22-33, and Pastor Carl introduces it – and himself – then invites the congregation to hear Jesus’ invitation to Peter to walk to him on the water with new ears.
Discernment, Struggle and Call
On this summer Sunday, the Rev. Cindy Terry joined the Crossroads congregation in worship leadership. Her text is the story of Jacob wrestling by the river Jabbok in Genesis 32:22-31, and she uses that story of struggle and discernment to invite the congregation to reflect on their own stories of discernment. She introduces the “backstory”…
The Goodness of Bodies
Rev. Cari’s third Stump the Preacher sermon is in response to a pointed question about the Christian tradition’s betrayal of the body. The follow-up question asks whether there are any resources in Scripture that move toward recovery of embodiment, and integration. So she addresses parts of Genesis 1, and John 1 (the prologue to the…