Let Us Stand Up Together
Pastor Doug Dent
God will fight for us when we are battling illness in body, mind, or spirit. God will help us when we are feeling lonely, overwhelmed, or confused. God will assist us in the face of any difficulty, and God often does this through members of the church, the body of Christ. It is in the […]
Jesus Gets a Reputation
Pastor Doug Dent
Jesus had a reputation as being someone who did “everything well.” This needs to be our reputation, too. To quote Cardinal Suhard (Bishop of Paris, 1940-1949), “To be a witness does not consist in engaging in propaganda nor even in stirring people up, but in being a living mystery. It means to live in such […]
How to Talk Like a Christian
Pastor Doug Dent
It is a simple but reliable principle of human life: how people talk reveals a lot about who they are. The way we talk can also reveal something about how committed we are to being Christians. It has nothing to do with accent, or vocabulary or grammar. It has everything to do with how we […]
We Are Food
Pastor Doug Dent
Jesus’ message resonates with us on this Communion Sunday as we gather at the table to receive the bread of heaven and the cup of salvation. We remember how Jesus broke bread with his disciples and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me” […]
A Quality Miracle
Pastor Doug Dent
Jesus presents an entirely different kind of world, one infused with the mystery of abundance and a cross-shaped, sacrificial generosity. Five thousand are fed and 12 baskets of food are left over – one for every tribe of Israel. Jesus transforms the world by blessing it and breaking it beyond our narrow self-interest. The feeding […]
The Compassion of the Christ
Pastor Doug Dent
The word “passion” comes from the Latin word passio, which means “suffering.” We can easily forget this when we speak of romantic passion, or the passion that someone has for a hobby or a sport. But in our reading today, it is very important to remember that the root of the word passion is suffering. […]
What Blessings?
Pastor Doug Dent
What is something you consider to be a blessing in your life! Is it family? Friends? A good job? Good health? The first verse of today’s reading (v. 3) mentions a form of the word “blessed” three times! And as I keep telling you: when scripture repeats itself, it is probably important! Our reading today […]
Doing What Is Possible
Pastor Doug Dent
Doing what is possible puts us in a position where God will transform us from people who think real change is impossible, to people who are doing the life-changing work of God, even when it looks like the odds are against achieving anything. In Nazareth, Jesus “could do no deed of power there, except that […]
A Touching Tale
Pastor Doug Dent
This is a story about touch and what a powerful force for good it can be in our lives. It was common in pre-pandemic worship services for people to share greetings with one another, to “pass the peace” with a handshake, a hug, or a pat on the shoulder. Such caring touch was a symbol […]
The Still Point
Pastor Doug Dent
Prayer is not some useless activity. Regular prayer is a sort of spiritual agility training. Cultivating a regular prayer life is a way of developing a spiritual tool that is adaptable to all sorts of crisis situations. We are well-advised to not wait for the spiritual crisis to come crashing down upon us. If we […]
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