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Sermon Lesson: Matthew 20:1-16 Alternate New Testament Lesson: Philippians 1:21-30 Psalm: Psalm 105:1-6 Author: Rev. Averill Elizabeth Blackburn A quick note on Translation The NRSV reads that the laborers or workers are promised a “daily wage.” The daily wage – traditionally – was a Roman coin known as a denarius that held cultural significance. I will be… Read More »

Sermon Lesson: Matthew 18:21-35 (NRSV) Psalm: Psalm 114 (NRSV) (KJV) Author: Reverend Averill Elizabeth Blackburn I know that I am sometimes a bit of a broken record. Whenever I come across a parable, many of you by now can probably tell I want to bang my head against the wall because Jesus has a tendency of being cryptic. His… Read More »

Come and get your pumpkins from Center Congregational Church!  Open daily throughout the    month of October, we will be hosting weekend extravaganzas such as a costume competition and trunk o’ treat!  We have plenty to choose from plus you’ll be supporting your local church! Choose from perfect pumpkins, minis, gourds, gizmos, snowballs, elf houses and… Read More »

Mini Sermon Sermon Lesson: Matthew 18:15-20 (NRSV) Alternate New Testament Lesson: Romans 13:8-14 (NRSV) Psalm: Psalm 149 (NRSV) Other Referenced Bible Texts: Exodus 22:18 (NRSV) Author: Reverend Averill Elizabeth Blackburn Disclaimer on Literalism I want to start off today’s mini sermon with a disclaimer because not only do we live in an age of disclaimers, but because I feel it’s important before… Read More »

Sermon Lesson: Matthew 16:21-23 (NRSV) Full Sermon Lesson: Matthew 16:21-28 (NRSV) Alternate New Testament Lesson: Romans 12:9-21 (NRSV) Psalm: Psalm 105 (NRSV) (KJV) Author: Rev. Averill Elizabeth Blackburn Our relationship to our God is the center of every major religion the human race has ever known. It is the focus point of worship, whether we are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Wiccan, or… Read More »

Sermon Lesson: Matthew 16:13-20 (NRSV) Alternate New Testament Lesson: Romans 12:1-8 (NRSV) Psalm: Psalm 124 (NRSV) (KJV) Sometimes, we should really count ourselves as fortunate. Now, I know this isn’t a terribly popular idea at the given moment. There are those who would have us ashamed of ourselves or our society for a multitude of reasons (really, sometimes it’s… Read More »

Scripture Passage: Matthew 15:21-28 (NRSV) Full Scripture Passage: Matthew 15:10-28 (NRSV) This passage is a microcosm of what I like to call the historical Jesus. The historical Jesus has been a hot topic in religious circles for centuries upon centuries. There are scholars who devote their entire lives to parsing through the New Testament, trying to discern what can be attributed… Read More »

Old Testament Lesson: Psalm 33:8-17 New Testament Lessons: Romans 13:1-7, Mark 12:13-17 Another year has turned and, somehow, as I sit at my desk at the end of July, I can’t help but think how disappointing my favorite holiday was this year.  If you were in church this Fourth of July weekend (or tuned in… Read More »

Sermon Lesson: Romans 8:12-17 Old Testament Lesson: Isaiah 6:1-8 Psalm: Psalm 29 Today we return to the Epistle of the Romans but we are going to be speaking more broadly to gain context of our passage.  Paul begins as he often does, addressing his fellow Christians as “brothers” as “sisters” for we are all brothers… Read More »

Sermon Reading: Romans 8:22-27 Alternate New Testament Reading: Acts 2:1-21 Psalm: Psalm 104:24-34 Preamble We move to Paul’s Letter to the Romans, which is perhaps the most well-known of his letters.  Paul is writing to Christians in diaspora—or Christians who live outside of Israel.  We know, just by looking at the title, that this particular… Read More »