Posts by Pastor

Stewardship Worship Series:  A Place at The Table “The bread that we break is a communion (koinonia) with the body of Christ.  The fact that there is only one loaf means that, though there are many of us,  we form a single body, because we all have a share in this one loaf.” — 1 Corinthians 10:16-17  This series focuses on Holy Communion and the biblical theme of shared meals. When we break bread together, whether at the family...

September 24, 2023 ~ 17th Sunday after Pentecost Rev. Beckie Sweet ~ Cultivating God’s Love in Humanity   Most of us have been taught from an early age that fairness matters.  Just watch a bunch of children at play and it won’t be long before you hear someone say, “That’s not fair!”  My parents tried to model treating me and my three siblings fairly.  At Christmas time, we all received gifts of equal value.  For each...

September 17, 2023 ~ 16th Sunday after Pentecost Rev. Beckie Sweet ~ Cultivating God’s Love in Humanity   What a week to be focusing on mercy, forgiveness, grace!  Monday was the anniversary of the 9-11 terrorist attack which killed nearly 3,000 and injured more than 6,000.  Friday was the 60th Anniversary of the KKK bombing of the 16th St. Baptist Church, which killed four black girls, and injured many more.  All week we...

September 3, 2023 ~ 14th Sunday after Pentecost Rev. Beckie Sweet ~ Cultivating God’s Love in Humanity   During my lifetime, a popular trend in home décor was to post a set of “house rules.”  Posters, framed pictures, printing on wood or stone, even counted cross-stitch or needlepoint would articulate rules that should be followed for the harmonious functioning of the household.   Typically, the short list of rules would...

August 27, 2023 ~ 13th Sunday after Pentecost Rev. Beckie Sweet ~ Tending the New Creation   You don’t have to go too far to discover walls of hostility that divide people.  Here are a couple of this week’s headlines: Gangs engage in deadly shootout in busy downtown Syracuse; Store owner shot to death by man who made “disparaging remarks” about Pride flag; Mass shooting at Dollar Tree Store in Jacksonville, FL in predominantly...