Westminster Presbyterian Church, Alexandria Va

In eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the woman and man were not giving into or falling into some base, lower nature; rather they were rising, extending themselves, aspiring to exceed and excel. They were responding to all that is good and noble, hopeful and helpful, not base or demeaning: Nourishment, beauty, knowledge. What’s not to like? Larry Hayward preaches today on Genesis 3:1-7 and Matthew 4:1-11.

Rev. MaryAnn McKibben Dana, writer and Presbyterian pastor, leads us in Improvising with God. How is God at work in our lives and how do we respond? Examples of God’s improvisation from scripture are explored as we challenge ourselves to see God in creative and surprising ways through music, pop culture, literature and psychology.

Third of a three-class series on world religions and Christian theology that adopts a way of belonging, behaving, and believing for the common good.

We welcome to our service the Reverend Whitney K. Fauntleroy, the Westminster Associate Pastor Nominating Committee’s candidate for Associate Pastor for Youth & Young Adults. Reverend Fauntleroy comes to us from Wilmington, NC. She holds a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Youth and Young Adult Ministry from Princeton Theological Seminary. Reverend Fauntleroy preaches today from 1 Samuel 3:1-10.

Sathi Clarke, Wesley Seminary’s Chair in World Christianity and Professor of Theology, Culture & Mission Second of a three-class series on world religions and Christian theology that adopts a way of belonging, behaving, and believing for the common good.

Dr. Larry Hayward concludes an accidental sermon series on the Sermon on the Mount, preaching on Matthew 5:38-48. How do we address the gap between the demands of these words of Jesus and the world in which we seek to understand and live them out?

In her sermon a few weeks ago, Casey FitzGerald challenged us to re-engage with Scripture such that we might see the tension within it; between it and ourselves; and between it, ourselves, and our world. Today, she leads us in hearing a large piece of Scripture—three chapters from the gospel of Matthew—that our time in worship does not normally afford us to hear. Let anyone with ears, listen.

Sathi Clarke, Wesley Seminary’s Chair in World Christianity and Professor of Theology, Culture & Mission This is a three-class series on world religions and Christian theology that adopts a way of belonging, behaving, and believing for the common good.

Peter Wehner, Senior Fellow at the Ethics & Public Policy Center, speaks to us about how many orthodox and evangelical Christians feel increasingly marginalized. How should we think about engagement in a culture that is both effective and faithful, and what is the political role in all of this?

“You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored?” “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden.” Though Jesus never uses the word “church,” he is describing not only what the individual life of the Christian is to be, but also what the followers of Jesus Christ are collectively to be. He is describing the church. Larry Hayward preaches on Matthew 5:13-20.

The decades-old conflict between Israel and Palestine is at a critical impasse. What will American diplomacy be in the days and year ahead? Ambassador Wilcox talks about this tragic conflict between Israel, who aspires to be a democratic and Jewish state, and Palestine, whose people live under unjust occupation and want a state of their own. Ambassador Wilcox served in the U.S. Foreign Service for 31 years, his last post as Chief of Mission and U.S. Consul General in Jerusalem.

The Beatitudes speak to what it means to be a Christian and what it means to be the church. Are they commandments to follow in this life, or are they descriptions of the life to come? Are they reflections of the way things are or the way things ought to be? Larry Hayward preaches on Matthew 5:1-12.

Dr. G. Wilson Gunn, Jr., General Presbyter, National Capital Presbytery, speaks to us about adaptive change and leadership in posts where we seek to lead, about changes at the presbytery level, and answer any questions members might bring to the session concerning our presbytery.

The Christian Church around the world is in a season of focusing on the beginnings of the ministry of Jesus Christ. How did Jesus’ ministry reflect the political circumstances of his day, and how did he prepare for it? How did his followers respond to his call to ministry? Larry Hayward preaches today from Matthew 4:12-22.

A follow-up to their fall discussion on Christian-Muslim engagement, at this session Salih speaks to the challenges of fostering interfaith dialougue in America. His wife, Dr. Zeyneb Sayilgan, brings a Muslim woman’s perspective to the conversation. Salih Sayilgan is a teaching fellow at the Catholic University of America where he teaches courses on Islam and World Religions.

“I must confess that I am not afraid of the word "tension." I have earnestly opposed violent tension, but there is a type of constructive, nonviolent tension which is necessary for growth." (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) “Here is the Lamb of God who lifts up the sins of the world!” (John 1:29) On the weekend we celebrate and remember the life and work of Dr. King, we see in John’s gospel a Savior that makes the sins of the world visible before us. When we say we want to follow Jesus, do we understand what it is we’re going to see? How do we live with the tension that recognizing our sins brings us? Casey FitzGerald preaches on John 1:29-42.

How do we extend brotherhood and sisterhood to those with whom we disagree? What are our own misperceptions of people of other faith? Imam Zia and his wife, Fatimah, have spent a decade working in this field. They have much to share with us. Learn more about our Muslim brothers and sisters and hear first-hand how we can bridge our divides with selfless service and compassion.

You may best know the words to the third chapter of Ecclesiastes from a pop song. But what do these words tell us about life as we begin a new year? Larry Hayward preaches today on Ecclesiastes 3:1-15.

On Christmas Day, Larry Hayward leads us in a series of Scripture and literature readings in celebration of Christ's birth. Today's literature readings come from "For the Time Being" by W.H. Auden. The Scripture lessons are Matthew 2:1-2, 10-12; Luke 2:15–20; John 6:1–3, 5, 8–14; Luke 2:25–32; and are read by Amanda and Laura Wilcox.

"When we come to this place on Christmas Eve, we bring what is going on in our lives, what is going on in our families, and what is going on in our world, including its inherent sadness. Yet what we experience when we arrive here are words and music and silence and prayer and candlelight and harp that tell a story so transcendent that it reaches down from the heavens, lifts us into its arms, calls us by name, consoles and strengthens us, as it moves us to a new emotional and spiritual place." Rev. Larry Hayward preaches on Christmas Eve. Tonight's scripture lesson is Luke 1:26-38. The reading from W.H. Auden's "For the Time Being" was done by the Rev. Casey FitzGerald.