Scripture Reading: Luke 1: 26-38

December 6, 2020

Scripture Reading: Mark 1:1-8

Greetings to you all in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen. Today is the second Sunday of Advent. Last Sunday the message was on the angel Gabriel visiting Zachariah to announce the birth of John the Baptist who would prepare the way for the coming of the messiah. Today’s message is from the Gospel of Mark on the ministry of John the Baptist. The Gospel of Mark’s version of the ministry of Jesus is probably the earliest to be written. This gospel was written probably around AD 70, from Rome, or maybe from Antioch to the Gentile believers, or followers of The Way.

We are not even sure who Mark the writer of this gospel is. Tradition claims this is the same John Mark we read about in the book of Acts (13:13), who traveled with Paul and Barnabas, spreading the good news throughout the Mediterranean and starting churches. Read more…

November 29, 2020 

Pastor Joel Plisek               

Scripture Reading: Luke 1:5-25

What event lets you know that Christmas is right around the corner?  How do you know the season of Advent is here?  Apple pie for breakfast tells me Advent is here.  I walk into the kitchen after Thanksgiving Day and find some pie left over, and I weigh my options between pie and cereal. It is the most wonderful time of the year; it is a trigger for me that lets me know that Christmas is coming.

What about you?  Maybe it is a movie on TV?  Or Christmas parties?  Or maybe it is putting up lights and decorations.  Do you have those little triggers that indicate to you Christmas is coming? 

Here is the interesting thing that I have noticed, as we grow older, we can lose the eager anticipation.  The reason is that there are a lot of to do lists.  There are a lot of responsibilities. The eager anticipation that we have as children can be replaced with Read more…

November 22, 2020

Pastor Charles 

Scripture Reading: Matthew 25: 31-46

Greetings to you all in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Today’s scripture reading is perhaps one of the most famous parables in the Bible. It is a powerful reminder of our shared responsibility to care for the most vulnerable, the “least of these,” the last, and to care for one another. This story is important to everyone as we are called upon to protect and care for each other from the ravaging Covid-19 pandemic.

Today’s parable uses a very traditional Middle Eastern plot where the king goes to wander the streets of his kingdom disguised as a commoner or a poor person to see for himself how things really are. The important question here is: How do we act when no one is Read more…

November 15, 2020

Pastor Charles

Scripture Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

In last week’s sermon we learned that Christ’s death has turned our death into sleep, and thus we should not be afraid of death anymore. Sleep is a good thing when it brings a long-expected rest to us. But sleep can also be a bad thing – especially when we are not supposed to be asleep. Falling asleep while driving may result in a serious accident. We can see how important it is for those who perform critical tasks to stay awake and remain alert. This will help us now to understand our own need to watch and be sober as we live the Christian life in the last days.  Paul writes the brethren in Thessalonica to Watch and Be Sober as they wait for the second coming of Jesus Christ.

1. Why We Need to Watch and Be Sober 

November 8, 2020

Scripture Reading: Matthew 25:1-13

Our former Bishop Scott Jones loved to make this statement on the Annual Conference floor when the business was winding down; he would turn to one of his senior staff members, wanting them to do a closing prayer, and he would say, “Jack Preach, Pray or Die…it’s your choice.”

The idea was that as pastors we needed to be ready at seconds notice to do one of those three things: Preach, Pray or Die. 

I bring that up because pastor Charles called me Friday evening to let me know that I would be preaching on Saturday and Sunday.  Pastor Charles was at a pastor’s gathering and it turned out that one of the other pastors there came down with COVID-19.  As a precaution Charles is taking a test, but he can’t take it until Tuesday.  So, he and his family are isolating themselves, please keep them in your prayers. At this time, he does not feel like Read more…

          Today’s message comes from Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonian congregation. Tradition says that this letter is the first written document in the New Testament. This letter may have been written from Corinth around AD 50-51 immediately after the Jerusalem Council of AD 49-50 as recorded in Acts 15.  When Paul was pastoring the church at Thessalonica, he told them about Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, and how Jesus had defeated death, giving Christians the promise of eternal life. As time passed, the people in the Thessalonica church began to die, just as happens today.  They were concerned because they thought that as believers they would not die since Jesus had defeated death.  They believed the promise of eternal life for all believers.   So, why were members of the church dying?   Were they notfaithful enough?   Today’s scripture reading is Paul’s response to these concerns. Read more…

September 13, 2020

by Pastor Joel Plisek

Growing up I had this dog named Misty, we learned not to leave things around the house.  Why?  Because she would eat them?  No!  Misty’s problem was that she would bury what she found outside in the back yard.  There was one time I could honestly say to my teacher that my dog took my homework. Shoes, hats, coats, if you were looking for a missing sock it was outside.  She just had a natural inclination to bury things.

When I was reading this scripture, I was thinking about Misty and how sometimes we bury that which God gives us. Read more…