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Why Not Be Completely Changed Into Fire?
Rooted in Amos 5:6-7, 10-15, Tim Reardon, preached on James James 1:22-27; 2:18-26. Tim begins with a story of the desert fathers — or better yet, “desert parents” — a dialogue between Abbot Lot and Abbot Joseph, his elder. The question ultimately posed by Abbot Joseph, “Why not be completely changed into fire?” is contrasted…
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Wisdom that Unifies
On September 23rd, Lauren Murtidjaja led us in a reflection on Mark 9:30-37, and James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a. James seems to be writing a “tough-love letter to the diaspora. The diaspora was dealing with partiality and favoritism — caught up in appearances. Most of us can relate at some level: we like to be seen in…
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A Double Minded Gospel
On September 16th, Tim Reardon led a reflection on James 1:1-12 — emphasizing that justice cannot be seen as separate from the cross. James talks about a double minded person as one who wants to hear the gospel but not do it. Tim reminds us that the cross is a revelation of injustice. The cross…
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A Few Dirty Words: Holiness (James 1:17-27)
We often separate “social justice” from more “religious” ideas of holiness, but Jesus does not artificially separate these. He teaches us that the tree and the fruit are intimately tied together. A tree is known by its fruit, and it matters who we are and what we do. But this is not a call to…
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When Doubt Cries Out in Faith
On July 15th, Madeleine Cameron spoke to the PMC shared a sermon with PMC that she’d prepared during an internship in Fresno, where she’s preparing to take part in a community project following her graduation from Fresno Pacific University.
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Being Rooted in Love
On July 8th, Tim Reardon referenced David Benner’s book Surrender to Love, asking our congregation, “Imagine God thinking about you — what do you think God feels when you come to mind?” Though we might have various responses, he went on to describe that we are created out of love by a God whose essence…
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We All Need a Savior
On July 1st, Tim Reardon talked about Luke 18:18-30 and Luke 19:1-10 — and the difference in how a rich ruler approached Jesus in comparison to the story of Zacchaeus. What did it mean to be a wealthy ruler in Jesus’ time? How did this differ from Zacchaeus, in spite of his wealth? Zacchaeus was…
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Picking Up Righteousness
On June 24th, Lisa Lockwood Thornton of PICO California (www.picocalifornia.org) talked about the lectionary passages — 1 Samuel 17:38-45 where Saul dresses David to enter battle with Goliath, Psalm 9:7-10 about God establishing justice in the the world, and 2 Corinthians 6:1-10 where through adversity Paul says they carried the weapons of righteousness — in…
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Subversive Joy (And a W. J. Jennings Video!)
In this last week’s sermon, I talked about joy. And I don’t just mean any joy, I mean a subversive joy that confronts and attacks the powers of capitalism, racism, militarism, economic exploitation, materialism, etc. that thrive on despair and division. Here I delve in deeper with the help of Willie James Jennings.
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Pentecost—A Baptism of Love
On June 3rd, Melissa Hofstetter spoke to Mark 2:23-3:6, beginning with the connection of baptism to census and taxation at the time of the formation of the Mennonite faith, and a move to adult baptism as a sign of discipleship—just as Jesus was baptized as an adult. Pentecost is a season when believers celebrate their…
Pasadena Mennonite Church 