On Easter morning, Pastor Tracy explored the other  miracle of the first Easter — Mary Magdalene’s story as recounted in John.  She also told us of a very real miracle she saw herself one icy morning in Portland.

Scripture: Mark 11:1-11  For Palm Sunday, Pastor Tracy points out that everything about Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem was a clear break with tradition for a champion of the people taking on the Romans.  Why? Because that tradition – repeated again and again – didn’t work. She illustrates the futility of trying the same thing over…

Pastor Tracy continues her exploration of the social justice message in the Gospels with the familiar Parable of the Sheep and Goats. She connects this to a life-changing encounter she had with one of “The least of these” while working in a local soup kitchen.  Her conclusion: “It is not our job to bring Christ…

Pastor Tracy explores the most pervasive theme in the Hebrew Bible: people as refugees, uprooted and forced to create a home amid people of different ethnic, political and religious backgrounds. She notes that our country’s history as an ongoing gathering of people from diverse backgrounds gives us a unique connection to this ancient story. Also,…

Pastor Tracy examines the familiar Parable of the Talents (Luke 19:11-27,) noting that it has been misinterpreted over the ages by the well-off as a rationale for not helping the poor. She shows that if you understand the historical context and the original language, it is actually the opposite — one of the most forceful…

Pastor Tracy examines the origins of Communion as a worship practice intended to create a single, genuine “community” that embraces all sectors of society. Her starting point is Paul’s angry letter to the church in Corinth, who just don’t seem to understand this essential idea.

For the first Sunday in Lent, Pastor Tracy examined the familiar story of the Devil offering Jesus three temptations. She showed how each of these related specifically to real-world aspects of oppression under the Romans and how Christ’s answers evoked the promise of the Messiah in the Hebrew Bible.

Pastor Tracy tackles an ancient story about the role of two powerful women in the early history of the Israelites (Judges 4:1-24) and finds parallels in her life as a young single mother starting seminary.  In both cases, we see that God provides the means, often in unexpected ways, for people to accomplish what He…

Starting from Mark’s description of Jesus recruiting “fishers of people,” Pastor Tracy examines some of the people chosen by Jesus in the parables, and how these choices make clear the meaning of “Love your enemy”  .  .  . a meaning in which acts of love, not emotions, come first.