(Sermon preached on October 8, 2023) Matthew 5:9 says, “Blessed are the peacemakers…” The Sermon on the Mount describes the path of peacemaking, from loving your enemies and refusing to retaliate, to taking the log out of your own eye. FCCO made a commitment to peacemaking when it became a Shalom Congregation and continues to promote peace.
Practicing Unity
(Sermon preached October 1, 2023) Unity is part of our DNA, as a denomination and as a congregation. In Ephesians 4:1-6, Paul notes the patience, gentleness, and humility that is required to practice unity. Unity is not the absence of conflict, nor is it uniformity. Unity happens when we continue to gather in love, and deal with conflict in a way that affirms the dignity of all.
Righteousness
(Sermon preached on September 24, 2023) This sermon concludes the series “Speaking Christian” based on a book with the same name by Marcus Borg. The objective of the series was to revisit the “big” words of the Christian faith through the lens of a more progressive Christian perspective. This sermon’s focus is on the word “righteousness” which in the Biblical world is often synonymous with justice. Amos 5:21-24 is an opportunity to talk about the social world of the Bible and God’s concern for those who are systematically kept poor and oppressed for the benefit of a few.
Believe
(Sermon preached September 10, 2023) In the Christianity we have inherited, too often, the word “believe” means agreeing with a list of propositions or doctrines. When we revisit what the earliest Christians meant by the word “believe” we discover words like trust, commitment, loyalty, and belove. Mark 12:28-30 is where Jesus sums up all the commandments. Love God, love what God loves, love the way God loves. That is what it means to believe.
Jesus
(Sermon preached August 27, 2023.) This sermon explores the importance of returning to the pre-Easter (historical) Jesus. The scripture reading is John 1:1-5.