Lessons: Isaiah 49:1-7 Psalm 40:1-12 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 John 1:29-42 In her marvellous book, Rising Strong, Brené Brown tells the story of a question that haunted her and that, ultimately, ended up setting her free. The question was initially posed to Brown by her therapist. And it goes like this: Do you think that,ContinueContinue reading “Second Sunday after the Epiphany by The Rev. Martin Elfert”
Author Archives: gracememorialpdx
“An Appointment with God” with Charles Addy McGee II
Charles Addy McGee II Interview by Denise Jarrett-Weeks When the life you know is collapsing—your country is at war with itself, your career is being wrested from you, and you may soon become a hunted man—you know you must go. To protect your family, you must go ahead without them, to a safe placeContinueContinue reading ““An Appointment with God” with Charles Addy McGee II”
Holy Name by The Rev. Ken Powell
Lessons: Numbers 6:22-27 Psalm 8 Philippians 2:5-11 Luke 2:15-21 Good morning friends, And greetings to each of you on this first day of the New Year! Let me begin by acknowledging what a great blessing it is for me to be here with you today and in the days to come! For Karen and myselfContinueContinue reading “Holy Name by The Rev. Ken Powell”
Christmas Eve by The Rev. Martin Elfert
Lessons: Isaiah 9:2-7 Psalm 96 Titus 2:11-14 Luke 2:1-20 Jesus just keeps on asking you and me questions. After telling us the story that we know as The Good Samaritan, Jesus asks us, “Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?”ContinueContinue reading “Christmas Eve by The Rev. Martin Elfert”
Third Sunday of Advent + Advent Lessons & Carols by The Rev. Richard Toll
Lessons: Isaiah 35:1-10 Canticle 15 James 5:7-10 Matthew 11:2-11 The things we will never know. We will never know what Jesus was like as a child. We will never know what Jesus was like as a teenager. We will never know about his early adult life. We will never know who his friendsContinueContinue reading “Third Sunday of Advent + Advent Lessons & Carols by The Rev. Richard Toll”
Second Sunday of Advent by The Rev. D. Corbet Clark
Lessons: Isaiah 11:1-10 Romans 15:4-13 Matthew 3:1-12 Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19
First Sunday of Advent by The Rev. Martin Elfert
Lessons: Isaiah 2:1-5 Romans 13:11-14 Matthew 24:36-44 Psalm 122 * Keep awake. Keep awake, therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. One of the major gaps in my theological education is that I have never read any of the Left Behind books. Nor, for that matter, have I seenContinueContinue reading “First Sunday of Advent by The Rev. Martin Elfert”
Consecration Sunday + Christ the King by Holly Puckett
Lessons: Jeremiah 23:1-6 Psalm 46 Colossians 1:11-20 Luke 23:33-43 Today’s psalm says: God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved, and though the mountains be toppled into the depths of the sea Though its waters rage and foam,ContinueContinue reading “Consecration Sunday + Christ the King by Holly Puckett”
Twenty Sixth Sunday after Pentecost by The Rev. Martin Elfert
Lessons: Malachi 4:1-2a Psalm 98 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 Luke 21:5-19 We are on the far side of one of the most intense elections in memory. The months leading up this past Tuesday were frequently angry and uncivil and just generally emotionally fraught. And that continued on Tuesday night. Across this nation, we sawContinueContinue reading “Twenty Sixth Sunday after Pentecost by The Rev. Martin Elfert”
Memorial Service for Patty & Dale Walhood by The Rev. Stephen V. Schneider
Lessons: Isaiah 25:6-9 Psalm 23 (KJV) 1 Corinthians 13 John 14:1-3