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.
The New Thing
Rev. Cari received the question, “Why do Crossroads leaders use language like “stolen land” and “genocide” in the opening of our service? How does this language contribute to Reconciliation?” This sermon is her effort to clearly explain the choices that we have made at Crossroads regarding Indigenous justice, and to place those decisions in the…
Twenty Year Testimony
On July 2, 2023, Rev. Cari opened the Bible to Mark 6:30-44, the very first text from Scripture she ever preached on at this church, twenty years ago. Then she proceeded to lift stories from her journey of ministry with the congregation of Crossroads (and its predecessor congregation), and weave those stories together with the…
The Break Will Come
For the fourth Sunday after Pentecost, Rev. Cari preached on Matthew 10:24-39, a text full of “hard sayings” from Jesus. She started with a reference to a sermon by the Rev. Ha Na Park at the recent meeting of the Pacific Mountain Regional Council, called “Break.” Then, she reminded herself and the congregation of the…
A Dialogue for World Refugee Day
Two days before World Refugee Day, Rev. Cari invited members of our first (Syrian) family sponsored by the North Delta Refugee Project, as well as our second individual sponsored (from Uganda), to join her in conversation. After hearing the Biblical story from Genesis 18:1-15, with its themes of hospitality and hope, the group launched right…
Compassion for “Sinners”
For the second Sunday after Pentecost, Rev. Cari preached on a series of moments, from Matthew’s gospel, in which Jesus was repeatedly interrupted. The text was Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26, and she invited the listener to consider their own response to being interrupted. She also framed the whole text with Jesus’ quote from Hosea 6:6 –…
The “Great” Commission
In this sermon for Trinity Sunday, Rev. Jim really digs into this famous text from the end of Matthew’s gospel, when Jesus sends the disciples out to “go make disciples of all nations.” Rev. Jim takes an honest look at what has come of that project, including a warning about the growing trend of Christian…
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…