For the fifth Sunday in Lent, Rev. Cari preached a combination sermon, starting with Ezekiel 47:1-12 and then incorporating Romans 6:15-23 as well.

The surprise in the sermon is that sanctification – a process we typically think of as involving we humans becoming holier, or more like Jesus – in the text from Romans is actually about we humans “sanctifying God’s name.” By our cooperation with God’s grace, we draw attention to the holiness and beauty of God’s presence.

The insight from Ezekiel 47 is that the location where God’s grace is deepest and most profound is NOT in the church, but out in the world… even on the margins. So what will our response be?

Thanks to the pandemic, we are learning more deeply to pay attention to God’s activity out of our “church” community. What will happen as we move forward into God’s future? What will our next step be?