On the afternoon of September 11, 2022, Our Pastor, Rev. Barbara Paronteau, was formally installed in that post. In recognition of Barbara’s unique and inspiring journey to ministry. Guest speakers include the Rev. Andy Lang, Executive Director of the Open and Affirming Coalition and Rev. Dr. Steven Ohnsman of Reading, Pennsylvania. Watch and share the…
Today’s scripture is the Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12: 13-21) but Pastor Kristi focused on the phrase at the very end, the direction to be “Rich toward God.” The parable is clear enough that piling up earthly treasure is foolish, but what, truly, is the opposite? That is not a simple question.
(Scripture: Luke 11:1 – 13) Today, pastor Barbara takes a deep dive into the Lord’s Prayer, finding many layers of meaning in those simple, familiar words.
(Scripture: Amos 8:1-12, Luke 10:38-42) Starting with the ancient metaphor of “Summer Fruit” as a summing up at a time of transition, Pastor Barbara explores the familiar story of Jesus at the house of Mary and Martha. She finds a profound metaphor for the nature of God and for the two distinct, but inseparable roles…
For our National Birthday, Pastor Barbara revisits one of the most basic concepts of Christianity – – one we all learned as children, but one that seems in constant danger of being forgotten: There is nothing we can do to “earn” God’s grace. It is a gift, freely given. All we have to do choose…
For Pride Sunday, Pastor Barbara drew on many sources – – scripture (Galatians 5:1,13-25 and Luke 9:56-62 ), her childhood love of basketball, the folk arts of the Pennsylvania German tradition and the ongoing saga of LGBTQ rights – – to find the essential, universal rule of all great struggles: Always take the long view…
Drawing on two stories from scripture of people who felt small and unseen (1 Kings 19:1 – 15a and Luke 6:26-9) Pastor Barbara explores the idea of unearned grace, as expressed in the promise “God comes anyway.”
Scripture: Genesis 11:1-9, Acts 2, 1-21 This was Pentecost, and Pastor Barbara tried to put the familiar story of many languages and tongues of fire into its deeper context as part of an ancient prophetic arc that starts with the Tower of Babel and the scattering of the nations.
On the Sunday before Pentecost Pastor Barbara shared her long-standing fascination with the unnamed, enslaved female fortune-teller (in Acts 16: 16-34) whose actions precipitated one of the important episodes in the first days of the church. This was also only 5 days after the shooting tragedy in Uvalde TX, and Barbara addressed that too, reading…
In her first sermon as our new Pastor, Rev. Peronteau takes a deep dive into the central issue of this season: the nature of Grace, as promised in Easter. Scripture: Revelation 21:9-10; 21:22 – 22:5 and John 5:1 – 9