Advent, again, begins with a bang. An apocalyptic bang. We are welcomed into this season with the startling yet strangely familiar words of Jesus from Mark's "little apocalypse." Pastor Megan invites us to consider how we simultaneously inhabit two entirely different seasons in this month: Advent with our faith community, and the "holiday season" with the rest of the world outside the walls of our church, and invites us to consider where we might find hope in the midst of the chaos of our world ...
Dec 03, 2017•19 min
We look at Micah 6 – the full chapter in which beloved verse 8 (“What does God require of you? But to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.”) finds a home. Pastor Megan invites us to reflect on the heart of God’s Jubilee vision, found in these familiar and beloved words of the prophet.
Nov 19, 2017•15 min
We look at Micah 6 - the full chapter in which beloved verse 8 ("What does God require of you? But to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.") finds a home. The setting for that most familiar and beloved verse - a verse that beautifully and aptly describes the heart of God's Jubilee vision - is a courtroom drama. Listen as Pastor Megan invites us to reflect on the first 5 verses of this chapter.
Nov 12, 2017•2 min
When you learn to follow Jesus, you might act a little strange. As we celebrate All Saints day, we look to the strange saints and weirdos who followed Jesus against what our culture tells us is normal and right.
Nov 05, 2017•8 min
Pastor Megan wraps up our worship series with Paul's letter to the Corinthians by reflecting a bit on Paul's final messages to his friends in Corinth.
Oct 22, 2017•15 min
Pastor Megan continues our worship adventure with the church at Corinth with a reflection on chapter 12, Paul's use of the familiar Greco-Roman body metaphor with a significant subversive twist for the church, and his call for the church to not just be LIKE family, but to actually BE family. Listen to hear more about unique manifestations of the Spirit and knife sharpeners.
Oct 15, 2017•18 min
Pastor Amy reflects on men and women, hair and head coverings, praying and prophesying. What does it mean to be faithful?
Oct 09, 2017•17 min
Pastor Megan continues our adventure with the congregation at Corinth by reflecting on Paul's mixed metaphors (are we God's field or God's building?!), and the distractions that keep us from claiming our foundational unity.
Oct 01, 2017•13 min
The communion table has greater implications than just the gathering on a Sunday morning. The way we share food together around the Lord's table should be reflective of the way we share all our resources in community and with our neighbors.
Sep 24, 2017•14 min
Pastor Megan kicks off our 6-week series on 1 Corinthians reflecting on what it's like to read someone else's mail from 2000 years ago and across the globe, what resonance there might be between ancient Corinth and our own contemporary Seattle, and what it means for Paul (and us!) to proclaim "Christ crucified."
Sep 17, 2017•18 min
Pastor Megan reflects on the parable of the day laborers from Matthew 20.1-16, the lack of fairness in life (no one said it would be...), and the (sometimes annoying) generosity of God.
Sep 10, 2017•14 min
Rex Rempel auctioned off a sermon on the topic of bid-winner's choosing to support our youth traveling to Orlando for the Mennonite Church USA gathering. Pete Lagerwey won the bid and set him up with two stories from Matthew of God naming Jesus "My Beloved" (baptism and transfiguration), as well as the story of Abraham and Isaac from Genesis, and some Isaiah for good measure. Listen to the beautiful result of this Spirit-collaboration...
Aug 27, 2017•15 min
Pastor Megan reflects on packing for a 7-day backpacking trip, Isaiah's prophetic encouragement to eat what is good and delight in rich foods, the life (and imminent death) of one of our own SMC saints, and our tendency to overpack for meeting God.
Aug 06, 2017•19 min
The reign of the loving God sneaks in and gets in the way and grows and is a nuisance. But it’s so sweet!
Jul 30, 2017•15 min
A rich time of storytelling about God’s heart for the refugee, foreigner, and immigrant! We heard from our own Caitlin and Zach, as well as Caitlin's co-worker Alex. We were treated to stories about the epic state-crossing biking fundraiser known as Sea-Tri-Kan, as well as the work World Relief is doing in our community to empower all of us to welcome the stranger in our midst. You can watch the full video featuring the story of mutual transformation through the Women's Sewing Class here... http...
Jul 23, 2017•26 min
Pastor Megan shares some stories and initial reflections from her time at the biennial gathering of Mennonite Church USA in Orlando, July 4-8.
Jul 09, 2017•27 min
Pastor Amy reflects on our interdependence in this weekend of celebrating July 4th and the nation telling us how independent we should be.
Jul 02, 2017•16 min
Pastor Megan reflects on the compassion Jesus has for the "helpless, harassed, oppressed, and discarded" crowds of his day as well as our day. What compassion is stirring and rising from deep within you; sending you to proclaim the good news of the Compassionate One come near?
Jun 18, 2017•13 min
Remembering the childhood enchantment of lying under a quilt in its frame while her grandmother quilted, Pastor Megan reflects on the magic of forever binding together three disparate pieces into a single whole. Jesus, breathing the Holy Spirit into his fearful disciples, forever bound them into a Spirit-breathed, Christ-centered community. A sermon for our annual Pentecost Covenanting Sunday.
Jun 04, 2017•18 min
"Wait. Do it actively and with intention and expect the Holy Spirit to show up. Worship. Refocus on loving and being loved by God. Witness. Tell the story of Jesus. Enact the story of Jesus. Be the body of Christ. He left in order that we could be."
May 28, 2017•17 min
Jesus said that the sheep know the shepherd's voice. Pastor Megan reflects on her experience as a farmhand on a Swiss dairy farm - calling cows in from pasture who knew the voice of their actual farmer - and wonders how we might discern the voice of God from the many other voices that surround us.
May 07, 2017•17 min
Pastor Amy explores the place between disappointment and hope with the disciples who encounter the risen Jesus on the road and at the table.
Apr 30, 2017•13 min
Pastor Megan reflects on the untimely and violent death of dart-throwing, prankster peacemaker MJ Sharp, Mary Magdalene weeping at the tomb of Jesus on that first Easter Sunday morning, and proximity that leads to proclamation.
Apr 16, 2017•22 min
An undomesticated look at the Palm Processional and just how funny, just how serious, and just how dangerous it was for Jesus to ride a baby donkey into the eastern gate of Jerusalem while Pontius Pilate was riding a stallion into the western gate. Which procession will we join?
Apr 09, 2017•20 min
Pastor Megan interviews Sarah Sommers from Christian Peacemaker Teams, asking her to reflect on the actively nonviolent way of Jesus as it connects with the gospel story of encountering Martha and Mary in the their grief, and calling Lazarus from the tomb.
Apr 02, 2017•19 min
Pastor Megan tells the story of the man born blind who has a healing encounter with Jesus and then tense encounters with some would-be prosecutors in John 9, and reflects on her own experience with a prosecuting attorney after having been arrested at Raytheon, third largest defense contractor in the U.S.
Mar 26, 2017•12 min
Pastor Jonathan reflects on Jesus encountering the woman at the well and offering her living water. What harsh stories do we tell about ourselves and what self-judgments do we hold onto? How might Jesus receive us and invite us to receive the transformative power of living water?
Mar 19, 2017•15 min
Nicodemus comes to Jesus under cover of night. Pastor Megan preaches the third Sunday of Lent
Mar 12, 2017•8 min
Jesus is tempted in the wilderness and then attended to by angels. Pastor Megan preaches the first Sunday of Lent.
Mar 05, 2017•12 min
Pastor Megan preaches the final sermon in our 4-week "A Place We Love" series, all about Watershed Discipleship. Having moved from learning to knowing to loving, we conclude with "protecting," making links with the story of the Transfiguration.
Feb 26, 2017•14 min
