foreside

Scripture: James 1:27-2:8 The letter of James calls out the early church for creating divisions between the rich and poor as they gather for worship and the keeping of the feast. We strive to care for those in need around us, but we may find ways in which we need to improve our welcome, caring … Read more

Scripture: Matthew 22: 15-22 Confronted by a trick question about the entanglements of money, Jesus pulls another trick: reminding those who who can hear that all gifts flow from God. How are we called, then, to the gifts which have been entrusted to us? Note: Please excuse the audio from this week’s sermon! Snow storms … Read more

In a time of turmoil, we are often tempted to look for easy, direct answers, like a tv detective solving a crime. Isaiah writes to his people, encouraging them to look at the whole picture, to see how the community may create a larger justice. We strive for the same, as we hear from “My … Read more

Our ancestors in faith wove the church together across differences, but also constructed a new and shared identity of belonging. There are so many barriers of injustice—both real and metaphorical—we have constructed between ourselves… in our lives, in our cities and neighborhoods, in our access to basic rights. How can we build of ourselves that … Read more

As we explore a series of calls to the church, including this week, “Embrace Diversity,” we listen for how our ancestors incorporated and engaged difference—rather than erasing it—to find themselves a people of God on the journey together. In a time in which so many are feeling stressed and anxious, how can we resist the … Read more