Month: December 2015

Click to listen to the Message by Rev. Paul Zoschke from December 27, 2015 – Finding Christ at Worship

Sermon:           “The Gift of a Shepherd

Theme:            God sends us direction and love so that we may joyfully participate in the reconciliation and justice that is from God.

Purpose:          The congregation will be open to direction in seeking justice and peace.

Scriptures:       Micah 5:2-5a   The Lord will send ones to shepherd the people and lead them in security and righteousness.

Luke 1:46-55   Mary’s Magnificat, the description of the Messiah as one who will care for the poor and bring justice.

Questions:

Are we ready for Christ’s call to humility and openness? Why do we want to preserve our own myths of control and power rather than open our hearts to the security of God’s steadfast love? What is it about keeping control that is so attractive to us, even when we know that we are not actually in control? How do we open our hearts to receive Christ when we are slow to embrace God’s call to justice and mercy? How do we let go of our grasp of the things that are not that important in order to focus on the gifts that come from God and which last?

Click HERE to listen to the message.

Sermon:           “The Way to Joyfulness and Peace”

Theme:            A relationship with Christ calls us away from empty living and sets us free to know meaningful relationships and lasting joy.

Purpose:          The congregation will take time to think about what is important in their relationship with God and what is getting in the way.

Scriptures:       Philippians 4:4-7         Rejoice in the Lord, The peace that passes all understanding.

Luke 3:7-18     John the Baptist calls the people to a new relationship of righteousness with God.

Questions:

How does John the Baptist fit into the Advent season? What does it mean to seek to be renewed by focusing on our relationship with God over and above our traditions? What might happen if we take seriously a call to find meaning in God’s love and purpose? How do we learn to set aside the things that get between us and our healthy relationships with God and our family? In what ways would a renewal of our hearts result in renewal of other parts of our lives? How do we commit to what is really important for Christmas?

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Sermon:           “Preparing the Way for the Messiah”

Theme:            We humbly submit our hearts to God for the stripping away of what separates us from Christ and draws us back into our old hostilities, anxieties, and grudges.

Purpose:          The congregation will pray and offer to God their hearts, offering to be released from attachment to control, revenge, and those things that attach them to past hurts.

Scriptures:       Philippians 1:3-11       The one who has begun the work in you will bring to completion a harvest of righteousness

Malachi 3:1-4  The messenger will come

Luke 3:1-6       John the Baptist will come to bring a refiners fire.

Questions:

In what ways do we see our faith as “A work in progress?”  Why do we schedule ourselves to be so busy, and not set aside time to enjoy the gifts of the Advent season? What is it we are trying to ignore or leave behind? In what ways is there “hard work” to be done, dealing with loss, grief, and change so that we may welcome the gift of Christ’s love? In what ways do we need to focus on our own need to grow so that we may fully enjoy the gift of Christmas? How can we set aside time for spiritual renewal as we approach the gift of Christmas?

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Sermon: “Something New for Christmas”

Theme: If we will be awake to what God is doing in our midst, the Messiah will transform and change our world so that we may experience the fruit of love and grace in our relationships with God and others.

Purpose: The congregation will seek to let go of their needs for control so that they may be open to change that God will bring.

Scriptures: Luke 21:25-36 See the signs but know what to focus upon.
Jeremiah 33:14-16 Promise of a branch of righteousness

Questions:
What needs to change in our lives in order to be ready to receive Christ in a new and powerful way? Do we want to be changed? Do we want a fresh sense of Christ’s presence enlivening us? Or are we more determined to have a Christmas that reaffirms our memories and keeps alive what was important to us in the past? What needs to go in order to have something fresh in our hearts and relationship with Christ for Christmas? What needs to be stripped away that has been in the way of enjoying Christ’s love and presence fully in our lives?

Click HERE to listen to the message.