The weekly sermons and other messages of Rev. Jennie Ott and guest preachers of Lake Oswego United Church of Christ in Lake Oswego, Oregon.
This week, members Jim Crane, Lauren Dole, Jennie Ott, and Katie Diaz reflect together about two healing stories from the Gospel of Luke. Sharing their unique insights and perspectives, they model how we can read scripture from our own lenses and each find meaning for our lives today.
We continue in the gospel of Luke and hear about Jesus' call to healing and wholeness. We'll listen in on a debate he has with the religious leaders over Sabbath, and explore how we are called to seek healing and wholeness for ourselves and others, even when it may challenge our traditions, rules, or practices.
We continue in the Gospel of Luke and hear about the calling of the first disciples. We'll listen for how Jesus invites us to join him in ministry, repurposing our skills for the work of justice and peace in our world today. Notes: The scripture is a reading of Luke 5:1-11 . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeVQj... . The audio of Amanda Gorman is of her reading of the poem “The Hill We Climb” at the Presidential Inauguration on January 20, 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ULuO... ....
We hear about the start of Jesus’ public ministry. He preaches his inaugural sermon about “bringing good news to the poor,” which offers both comfort and challenge to his hearers. Director of Faith Development Katie Diaz preaches about accepting good news that challenges our lives and asks us to reorient ourselves towards service. We’ll also hear a Moment for Mission about Our Church’s Wider Mission and hear special music from youth of the Ba’hai community, Beit Haverim, and LOUCC.
We celebrate Epiphany, the day when we remember the Magi's journey of following the star to the Christ Child. This Sunday we'll hear Epiphany star stories from LOUCC members Pam Rossio, Maddy Lovett, Brenda Fulle, and Kathi Rise, as they share how their star words guided them through 2020.
We celebrate Epiphany, the day when we remember the Magi's journey of following the star to the Christ Child. This Sunday we'll hear Epiphany star stories from LOUCC members Pam Rossio, Maddy Lovett, Brenda Fulle, and Kathi Rise, as they share how their star words guided them through 2020.
We continue the story of Jesus’ infancy. We’ll hear how two elder prophets, Simeon and Anna, recognize Jesus as the Messiah when he is 8 days old. Jennie will share a sermon from one of her spiritual elders and prophets, Barbara Brown Taylor, who helps us see God in the infant Jesus and in the world around us.
We begin our journey through the Gospel of Luke. We'll hear the story of Mary's call to bear the Christ Child, her visit with her cousin Elizabeth, and her song the Magnificat. We'll explore how God invites ordinary people, like Mary and like you and me, to help bear God's light, love, and justice to the world.
We continue our Advent theme "Standing Up in Faith." This week we hear a beautiful promise of restoration and healing from the prophet Isaiah, a promise that Jesus quotes when he begins his own ministry. We'll listen for how we are called to bring good news, bind up the brokenhearted, and work for God's vision of justice and flourishing in our world today.
We hear from the prophet Joel, who speaks to the people of Jerusalem in a time of great trouble and promises them that the Spirit will give them visions and dreams for the future. As we face troubling times in our world today, we listen to young people within our congregation--Genevieve Guertin, Maddy Lovett, and Charlie Grimm--as they share some of their dreams for the future.
We begin our Advent season "Standing Up in Faith." This Sunday we welcome LOUCC member Rev. Elizabeth Durant as our guest preacher. Liz will draw from the story of the prophet Daniel and Psalm 130 to examine "Standing Up for Religious Freedom." On this first Sunday after Thanksgiving, Liz will explore the limits on the religious freedoms of indigenous/First Nations peoples and how that still echoes today in the ordinances of the city of Lake Oswego. Together, we'll listen for a way forward throu...
We hear of God's grace and abiding love as the prophet Jeremiah speaks of a new covenant that God will write on our hearts. In the midst of difficult circumstances, God promises the people of Israel--and us--transformation through love and relationship. How does this transformation shape our lives and our practices of gratitude and generosity?
We continue in the narrative lectionary with the call of the Prophet Isaiah. Like many prophets in scripture, Isaiah initially resists the call; yet, God equips and empowers Isaiah for the call he is given. How is God inviting us to step into this present moment in our time? What are the gifts that God has given us, and how is God calling and equipping us to share our gifts—time, talent, passions, and treasure—for what the world needs now?
We continue in the narrative lectionary and our theme "Standing up as People of Faith." We hear the story of Jonah, a reluctant prophet sent to preach God's word among Israel's enemies in Nineveh. Confounded and bitter at God's compassion to the Ninevites, this story invites us to consider how we perceive enemies in our lives today. On this post-election Sunday, how do we hang on to God' grace and compassion even as we face very real divisions in our nation?
We celebrate All Saints Day and remember God's invitation to care for others in an intergenerational service. As part of our service, we'll hear from some of the living saints in our church --Cami and Luke Oh, Antjuanece Brown, Clayton Crowhurst, Kurt Munson, and Wana Maurer. They'll share about people in their lives who have taught them about caring for others and share stories about how they care for others in their own lives
We hear a story about King David and God's faithful covenant. Whereas David is ready to build God a temple, God shows David that God has other plans for how to make God's presence known--namely through the people. We'll listen for how God meets us when our plans go awry, and how we can trust in God's faithfulness in these tumultuous times.
We continue our journey through the Narrative Lectionary and our theme "Standing Up as People of Faith." This week we hear the poignant and powerful story of Hannah, who demonstrates courage and commitment in standing up for the future she longs for. We'll listen to the voices of modern day Hannahs, those in our community and nation crying out for a new future.
We pick up with the Narrative lectionary and hear the story of the Israelites worshipping the Golden Calf. We'll hear how anxiety drives them to make some hasty decisions and talk about how anxiety is functioning in our lives today. We'll also listen for how God may be inviting us to tear down some of the golden calves that our society has built over time.
We continue our journey into Year 3 of the Narrative Lectionary. This week we move into the stories of Abraham and wrestle with a difficult story about power, privilege and exclusion. When God's promise of decendents doesn't come as quickly as Abraham and Sarah hope, they force Sarah's servant Hagar into surrogacy and then exclude her when she conceives. Yet God seeks out Hagar and blesses her. We listen for what this story can teach us about inclusion, courage, antiracism, and working for justi...
Join us Sunday, September 13, as we begin our new program year with the theme "Standing Up as People of Faith." We start year 3 of the Narrative Lectionary, this week focusing on Genesis 2 and 3 with the story of Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden. We'll listen for what these ancient stories tell us about our sense of connection, disconnection, and longing for re-connection, and how that relates to "Standing Up as People of Faith." We'll also have a special Back to School blessing for our stude...
Our confirmands lead our worship service and share their expressions of faith. This culminates their year of faith exploration and will be a joyful celebration
We complete our "Unraveled" series and meet up with the disciples on Easter afternoon as they hide away in fear and worry, and we'll hear how Jesus meets them there, breathing peace, Spirit, and courage to them. We hear how God is meeting us in our fears and worries today.
We continue our "Unraveled" series with the story of Job, a man whose whole life and world unraveled before his very eyes. John Aney preaches about how we might find hope and understanding in the midst of calamity in our lives and world.
We continue our "Unraveled' series in the book of Exodus as we hear Moses's famous words to Pharaoh "Let my people go." With a hardened heart, Pharaoh doubles down on his enslavement of the Hebrew people, and we witness the escalation of God's call for liberation in the face of Pharaoh's call for oppression. We explore how this story relates to our world, lives, and own hearts today.
We continue our "Unraveled" series and explore the story of the birth of Moses. Born into a time of state-sanctioned slavery and genocide, we'll hear how five women worked to resist the Pharaoh and his policies, in order to protect Moses and other vulnerable Hebrew children. We bring that story into conversation with John Lewis and his op-ed piece from last week's New York Times, as we consider it what it means to resist and work for the vulnerable today.
We welcome Rev. Jennie Ott back from her vacation, and continue our exploration of the Unraveled series in our intergenerational Sunday service. We hear the story of how God tested the ability of the Israelites to follow God's instructions as they leave Egypt. They were asked to trust that God would provide enough food for them, but they must take only what they need each day. We find out how the people learn to trust and follow God's instructions during their 40-year journey to the land of Cana...
We continue our exploration of the Unraveled series. Katie Diaz preaches on the story of Zaccheus. Katie invites us to think about the different ways inclusivity and childlike faith are reflected in the story.
Natalie Becker, co-manager from Camp Adams, invites us to listen to the trees and shares her reflections on the connectedness of God’s creation. Immerse yourself in the beauty of our church camp in Molalla, Oregon
We continue our exploration of the Unraveled series. Ralph Holcomb is our guest preacher, and he preaches on the story of Sarah's unexpected joy and the promise of Isaac from Genesis.
Our teen class leads us in worship. Continuing our Unraveled series, they draw from the story of Peter walking on water to reflect on what it means to get out of the boat and follow Jesus. Sasha Aney, Charlie Grimm, and Anna Wallin share a conversational sermon about how they have witnessed and experienced taking risks for something important.
