Sermons
Wrestling Match
Speaker: Madeline Kauffman
This past weekend was the annual summer gathering of Allegheny Mennonite Conference. It was a good weekend. I feel privileged to have been able to join Cindy, Michelle, and the other pastors of the conference in their pastor peer meetings, as well as sit in on the work and seminars of the conference. From my […]
Fragments
Speaker: Cynthia Lapp
When I read this oh-so-familiar story again this week, it seemed like there was nothing here. I mean where am I going to get food for my people? What could there possibly be here that we don’t already know? Is there anything filling in this loaves and fishes text? Soon there seemed to be meaning […]
Compassion: Who, What, When, Where, and How?
Speaker: Madeline Kauffman
A couple of weeks ago, my twelve year old sister Sophia called me no less than six times in four days. That same week, she texted me five times and I responded halfheartedly to two of those five texts. Presumably, she wanted to talk about the art camp she was participating in, how excited she […]
Meanwhile, In The Palace . . .
Speaker: Cynthia Lapp
It has been a while since we looked at the bible. The three week series “It’s not in the bible, but…” was great. It is helpful and good to hear from each other about our everyday spirituality and what keeps us moving forward, even if it is not strictly in the bible. Today we return […]
Give Thanks For Small Things
Speaker: Cynthia Lapp
Give thanks for small things. I am grateful for an ancient text that seems to describe and understand the world we live in. I am grateful to find some meaning in the midst of the chaos and injustice in this country. I am grateful for a text that helps give some guidance when the world […]
Do We Really Want A King?
Speaker: Cynthia Lapp
We are living through a particularly poignant season where we do well to ponder our Christian faith with new urgency. And though the biblical text may seem archaic and outdated, it does not get old. We are predictable as humans; we keep replaying and reliving the story, over and over again; the text is history […]
Nevertheless She Persisted
Speaker: Cynthia Lapp
It has been a week. On Monday, I joined a beautiful cross section of folks from the Poor People’s Campaign in a morning of preparation and then a rally on the Capitol grounds. Around 3pm about 60 of us processed in silence to the Capitol visitor’s center. We entered the rotunda to demand that Congress […]
That All May Be One
Speaker: Nathan Detweiler
Introduction: During the past week, as I’ve read the John text for this Sunday, I’ve frequently been reminded of one of my favorite lines from the film National Treasure. After frequent dead ends and ongoing brushes with violence and potential death Riley, the funny philosophical comedian type in the film, asks a very good question […]
Love, Life, and Laying It Down
Speaker: Cynthia Lapp
Last week we heard some verses from I John about love. Today the lectionary gives us more love in I John and John. While Love is foundational to faith, it can be hard to talk about love without sounding trite. Heart icons, over the top reviews of restaurants and movies. Many of us love our […]
Trusting Doubt
Speaker: Cynthia Lapp
Today is the Sunday after Easter but this great Thomas story begins last Sunday evening. And the story the disciples tell the absent Thomas is pretty incredible. They are hiding, and mourning, and Jesus appears, right there in the middle of their huddled, frightened group – without even opening a door. Give me a break. […]