Isaiah 49:1-7 (MSG) Fellowship of Faith @ St. John’s Meadows January 19, 2020   Isaiah 49:1-7 (MSG) Listen, far-flung islands,    pay attention, faraway people: God put me to work from the day I was born. The moment I entered the world he named me. He gave me speech that would cut and penetrate. He kept his hand on me to protect me. He made me his straight arrow   and hid me in his quiver. He said to me, “You’re my dear servant,  Israel, through whom I’ll shine.” But I said, “I’ve worked for nothing.   I’ve nothing to show for a life … Continue reading “Plenty of Work to be Done”

John 1:1-9 and Matthew 3:13-17 (NIV) Fellowship of Faith @ St. John’s Meadows January 12, 2020 – The Baptism of Jesus   John 1:1-9 (NIV) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it. 6 There was a man sent from God whose name was … Continue reading “Water Authority”

Matthew 2:1-12 (NIV) Fellowship of Faith @ St. John’s Meadows January 5, 2020 – Epiphany Communion   Matthew 2:1-12(NIV) After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. … Continue reading “Made of Stardust”

Luke 2 and Matthew 3 Fellowship of Faith @ St. John’s Meadows December 24, 2019 – Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service Given the collective age in this room, I think we have probably heard most of the traditional Christmas Eve reflections that we could ever want to hear… Most – I hope ALL – were about God’s LOVE for all of us … Some might have included some explanations about what was historical and what was added later, including what influence our carols and hymns have had on our theology … Some probably focused on the marginalized Holy Family … … Continue reading “Convergence, Wholeness, & Union”

Mt 1:18-25 (MSG) Fellowship of Faith @ St. John’s Meadows December 22, 2019 – Advent IV – Peace Matthew 1:18-25 (MSG) 18-19 The birth of Jesus took place like this. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. Before they came to the marriage bed, Joseph discovered she was pregnant. (It was by the Holy Spirit, but he didn’t know that.) Joseph, chagrined but noble, determined to take care of things quietly so Mary would not be disgraced. 20-23 While he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream. God’s angel spoke in the dream: “Joseph, son of … Continue reading “God Surprises”

John 5:1-13 (NIV) Fellowship of Faith @ St. John’s Meadows December 8, 2019 – Advent II – Healing   John 5:1-13 (NIV) Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in … Continue reading “Healed v. Cured”

Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44 (MSG) Fellowship of Faith @ St. John’s Meadows December 1, 2019 – Advent I – Communion Romans 13:11-14  (MSG) But make sure that you don’t get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing! God is putting the finishing touches on the salvation work he began when we first believed. We can’t afford to waste a minute, must not squander … Continue reading “Make Your Bed”