Hope Central Church

September 1, 2019 Rev. Terry Steeden Labor Day Blessings Readings: Galatians 6:2-5, John 21:15-19  

August 18, 2019 Rev. Benjamin Perkins West of Eden: The Journey from Innocence to Freedom Readings: Psalm 103:1-14; Matthew 19:16-22, 25-26 Many consider the Garden of Eden a myth of our origins, how we came to our human condition, particularly why we suffer. At the heart of the story is the question: are we essentially good or...

August 11, 2019 Rev. Laura Ruth Jarrett The White Gaze Readings: Psalm 107:1-9, 43; Luke 12:13-21 Earlier, I preached on “need” – knowing our own needs, the practice of asking our needs be met, and seeing to the needs of others as a spiritual practice and technology. This is especially true in a world that...

July 28, 2019 Rev. Laura Ruth Jarrett A Kind of Hell: Scorpions for Children Readings: Psalm 138, Luke 11:1-14 This Sunday, I’m preaching on the radically inclusive vision of Jesus, as told by Luke. Luke understands that Jesus taught the kind of economy which requires the needs of the people met, including daily bread, the...

July 21, 2019 Rev. Courtney Jones Being and Doing Readings: Luke 10:38-42, Psalm 15 This Sunday’s scripture lesson is Luke 10:38-42. The story of Mary and Martha so aptly captures the tension between “being” and “doing” that we described at our all-church retreat. When is the work enough, and when is it appropriate to slow...

July 7, 2019 Rev. Laura Ruth Jarrett Flourishing Readings: Isaiah 66:10-14; Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 As a congregation we’ve gotten clear that accumulating wealth, power, access to the levers of white supremacy, and a list of accomplishments which perhaps include tanks on the mall in Washington DC are standards empire claims for success. We so clearly...

June 30, 2019 Susan Clinkenbeard Personal Discipleship Readings: Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20; Luke 9:51-62 I am preaching from Luke, one of those difficult texts where Jesus responds to his followers with cryptic statements, “because his face was set toward Jerusalem.” What does it mean to follow Christ? Disciples have been trying to answer that question, as...

June 23, 2019 Rev. Laura Ruth Jarrett Stories from Montgomery, Selma, and Boston Readings: Psalm 43, Luke 8:26-39 I’m back from Montgomery, from the Pettis Bridge in Selma, from the Lynching Memorial, and from an asylum hearing in Boston, a hearing that saved a man’s life. I’m preaching from Luke, the story of the healing...

June 16, 2019 Rev. Benjamin Perkins The Tracks of Our Tears: A Meditation on the Humanity of Men Readings: Psalm 56, John 11:35 One of the greatest gifts a father can give their child is their full-bodied emotional availability, not the least of which includes their tears. In fact, the Syrian Fathers Ephrem and Simeon actually...

June 9, 2019 Rev. Courtney Jones The Spirit of Pentecost Reading: Acts 2:1-21 I am preaching on the story Pentecost, widely understood as the birthday of the Church. We engage the spirit and Spirit of Pentecost all the time as we speak and listen across difference, code switching and learning new ways to talk about our...

June 2, 2019 Rev. Laura Ruth Jarrett Ascension and Our Big Yes All-Church Retreat Readings: Psalm 93, Luke 24:44-53

May 19, 2019 Rev. Terry Steeden Easter 5, Chosen Family Readings: Psalm 148, John 13:31-35 We continue in the month-long theme of making family. But that does raise the question of who is family, and when and how do you participate?  Let’s explore our families and discover if sometimes families are not really family, and...

May 12, 2019 Rev. Courtney Jones Easter 4, What Could Be, What Is Readings: Psalm 23, Revelation 7:9-17 I’m preaching from Revelation about holding our visions of what could be in tension with the realities of our lives now. How do we participate in the imaginative and creative potentials that God dreams for us, as...

May 5, 2019 Rev. Laura Ruth Jarrett Easter 3, Practices for Making Family Readings: Psalm 30, John 21:1-19 I’m preaching about the family created after the death of Jesus, how we make the family we need, and the practices for keeping family together.

April 28, 2019 Rev. Laura Ruth Jarrett Easter 2: God Who Changes Not – Or Does Readings: Psalm 118:14-29, John 20:19-31 I want to explore how our idea of Jesus, of God, of the divine realm changes – or does it? My sermon is God Who Changes Not – Or Does.

April 21, 2019 Rev. Courtney Jones Easter 2019, Life After Life Readings: Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; Luke 24:1-12 I get to preach Easter for the first time as pastor of this congregation, and I am so excited!  I will be preaching on the slow work of resurrection – what makes Easter a miracle is not the overnight...

April 7, 2019 Rev. Laura Ruth Jarrett He Was a Thief Readings: Psalm 126, John 12:1-11 For this final sermon in Lent, I want to explore what it might be to be extravagant when we have poor among us.

March 31, 2019 Rev. Courtney Jones The Prodigal Son: Compassion and Abundance Readings: Psalm 23; Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 This week I am preaching on Luke 15:1-3; 11b-32, the Parable of the Prodigal Son.  This parable exemplifies so much of what we’ve already discussed about economic equity this season, and it adds a layer of complexity...

March 24, 2019 Rev. Laura Ruth Jarrett My Dad Needs His Shoes Readings: Psalm 27, Acts 6:1-6 This Sunday, I’m preaching on the joy of participatory economics in community. Christianity is encoded from the get-go with participating in each other’s well being. I want to imagine this for our congregation. My sermon is “My Dad...

March 17, 2019 Susan Clinkenbeard You That Have No Money, Come, Buy and Eat! Readings: Psalm 63:1-8, Isaiah 55:1-9 Isaiah’s text for today tells us that God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, and God’s ways are not our ways. What if we could get all the food we need without money? Will that work in...