Lydia preaches on Mark 4:26-34, focusing on the Parable of the Growing Seed. What could this seemingly unexciting parable tell us about the Reign of God? What is the importance of this mysterious little seed? And, how can parables help us to see our world in new and beautiful ways?
Identifying God, Identifying Ourselves
Lydia takes a look at Mark 3:20-35, exploring how the authors of Mark intertwine two stories, “The True Kindred of Jesus” and “Jesus and Beelzebul,” into one story, highlighting the theme of identity. What is the identity of Jesus? And what does Jesus’ identity say about us? Who is our mother? Who are our brothers…
Ordinary Times
Lydia explores the meaning of the “Season of Ordinary Times,” considering 2 Corinthians 4:5-12. Paul’s language of “life” and “death” as well as his use of “servant” can help us to make sense of the cycles in our own lives and our own calls to Christian discipleship and servanthood.
A Letter from Betty
Mother’s Day at Crossroads is always an opportunity for us to celebrate our relationship with the Mama Orphans Children’s Home (MOCH) in Busia, Kenya. This morning, since our text was the “greeting” from the letter to the Ephesians, we also heard a letter from Betty Emmenica (the daughter of Mama who is now the administrator…
Shout Out to the ‘Nones’
For the fifth Sunday in Lent, guest preacher the Rev. Joan McMurtry opens up the reality of many families today, which is that they mark “none” on their census form, regarding religious affiliation. She refers to the work of Bishop John Spong (whose controversial work invites the church to “ditch” outmoded explanations of theology). She…
Invitation to God’s Love
Candidate for ministry from Crossroads, Nam Ok Yoo, returns to Crossroads to offer the sermon on this fourth Sunday of the season of Lent. The text for the day is John 3:14-21. It includes John 3:16, one of the most foundational texts of the New Testament, and, Nam Ok confesses, a challenging one for her….
It’s Not Fair
For the second Sunday in Lent, the Rev. Edith Baird preached on Mark 8:31-38, in which Jesus begins to orient the disciples to the reality of the cross. Edith points out the difference between a common misunderstanding of the “crosses we bear” and Jesus’ true invitation. Following Jesus, we can choose, like him, to experience…
The Lion and the Bear
The Rev. Edith Baird preached today on Amos 5:18-24, a “hard word” from the prophet delivered to the people Israel in an era of great prosperity (and great injustice). She shares the clarion call of the text: to live in such a way that our words in worship line up with our actions in the…
I Doubt It
A team of lay leaders led worship at Crossroads today, and Bruce Holvick was our preacher. Listen as he explores the story of Jesus walking on the water found in Matthew 14:22-33.
Swords to Ploughshares
Our friend (and former student minister) Craig Perry was up for a Stump the Preacher challenge and goes after a funny discrepancy in the prophets in today’s sermon… Why does Scripture say “beat your swords into ploughshares” in one place and “beat your ploughshares into swords” in another? And furthermore, when Scripture speaks out of…
