Pastoral Prayer: April 4, 2021 Sunrise Service

Easter April 4, 2021 RKL We rejoice, loving God, that you have raised Jesus Christ from the dead – that indeed new life blossoms where dead hopes we once buried. Easter morning often surprises us and sometimes terrifies us.  We often have forgotten to look for your...

Passover (2021)

Passover Text: I know why the caged bird sings, ah me, When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore,— When he beats his bars and he would be free; It is not a carol of joy or glee, But a prayer that he sends from his heart’s deep core, But a plea, that upward to Heaven...

Jesus Is Arrested

“Looking Up During Uncertain Times” A Daily Devotional Text:  Mark 14:43-52 International Children’s Bible Scripture Reading:  Jesus Is Arrested 43 While Jesus was still speaking, Judas came up. Judas was 1 of the 12 followers. He had many people with him. They were...

Jessye Norman’s Legacy

Jessye Norman Jessye Norman was born on September 15, 1945 in Augusta, Georgia to Janie King Norman and Silas Norman. She graduated from Augusta’s Lucy C. Laney Senior High School. Following her participation in Philadelphia’s Marian Anderson Vocal Competition in...

National Marriage Week: Robbie and George

National Marriage Week: Robbie and George Let’s take a look at our Interim Administrative Assistant Robbie and get to know her and George a little better. How long have you been married? 31 years. George and I were married by Rev. Terry Smith at The First...

Move Forward

Move Forward “Looking Up During Uncertain Times” A Daily Devotional Text:  Mark 6:30-44 International Children’s Bible Scripture Reading:  More Than 5,000 People Fed 30 The apostles that Jesus had sent out to preach returned. They gathered around him and told him...

Faith Journeys

Faith Journeys “Looking Up During Uncertain Times” A Daily Devotional Text:  Mark 4:1-9 & Mark 4:15-20 International Children’s Bible Scripture Reading:  A Story About Planting Seed 4 Another time Jesus began teaching by the lake. A great crowd gathered around...

We go into ceremony to talk with God

We go into ceremony to talk with God Text:  “When we run out of words, then and only then can God be God. When we have eaten our words until we are sick of them, when nothing we can tell ourselves makes a dent in our hunger, when we are prepared to surrender to the...

Focusing In A Loud World

Focusing In A Loud World A Daily Devotional Text:  Mark 1:35-38 International Children’s Bible Scripture Reading:  35 Early the next morning, Jesus woke and left the house while it was still dark. He went to a place to be alone and pray. 36 Later, Simon and his...

Perfection Isn’t Needed For Jesus’ Love

Perfection Isn’t Needed For Jesus’ Love “Looking Up During Uncertain Times” A Daily Devotional Text:  Mark 2:14-17 International Children’s Bible Scripture Reading:  14 While he was walking beside the lake, he saw a tax collector named Levi son of Alphaeus. Levi was...