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Progressive Christian voice from a conservative area. Most of the sermons are from Rev Jim CastroLang, Pastor of the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Colville, WA.
Episodes
Tuesday Oct 30, 2018
Tuesday Oct 30, 2018
This year we decided to have a little church fun. With Halloween in our sights we had a dress up and costume Sunday. Since how we dress is an expression of our identity - that is what the sermon focused upon. Lots of biblical imagery using the connection of clothes to our identity. The Galatians reading encourages us to "clothe ourselves in Christ." Listen to the fun and meaningful messages. Sacred Text - Galatians 3:23-29: (Audio)https://www.dropbox.com/s/cdi7e8molglwlgu/18-1028%20Galatians%203%2023-29%20Lynda.mp3?dl=0 (Text)https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians+3%3A23-29&version=NRSV
Tuesday Oct 23, 2018
Tuesday Oct 23, 2018
Being a follower of Jesus is not a spectator sport. Seems simple enough yet we often fall into the same trap that the disciples James and John do in this story in Mark. We want jesus to comfort us, take care of us, and we want a safe position of prominence so we don't have to fight in the trenches. Today, we consider what it means to follow Jesus by "drinking of the same cup" as he is willing to do. Sacred Text: Mark 10:35-45 (Audio) https://www.dropbox.com/s/b0u0i17it4lv4tr/18-1021%20Mark%2010%2035-45%20Annie.mp3?dl=0 (Read Text)https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+10%3A35-45&version=NRSV
Monday Oct 15, 2018
Monday Oct 15, 2018
Often considered a dangerous topic for a Pastor - at least in my tradition -- to talk directly in a sermon about money. The Rich Young Man story in Mark was the push but also since our Church is the only progressive spiritual community in our town -- the financial thriving of our Church is not just about us. There are people in this town who support us because of our voice, because we are an inclusive ally. Jesus calls us to deal with our attitudes about money and possessions. Is our church worth supporting financially - if yes, we must ask for that support whether those who value us are here Sunday morning or not. Sacred Text: Mark 10:17-31 (audio) https://www.dropbox.com/s/78tccgf83q61ba6/18-1014%20Mark%2010%2017-31%20Liz.mp3?dl=0 (text)https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+10%3A17-31&version=NRSV
Monday Oct 08, 2018
Monday Oct 08, 2018
On this World Communion Sunday, we looked at the problem of a divided world, divided Christianity, and divided culture. The vision of World Communion Sunday is not being realized so what do we do. How do we bridge the divide/ I suggest it requires an understanding of the difference between the old Binary thinking to the much more nuanced Spectrum approach. It is not male and female, God created them. It is male to female. Listen as I explore this and more. Sacred Text: Genesis 2:18-24, Mark 10:2-16 (auto of sacred text) https://www.dropbox.com/s/8uigdowl0w584v2/18-1007%20Genesis%202%2018-24%20Mark%2010%202-16%20Sandi.mp3?dl=0 (read the text) https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+2%3A18-24%3B+Mark+10%3A2-16&version=NRSV
Monday Oct 01, 2018
Monday Oct 01, 2018
The story from the book of Numbers takes a sliver of the experience of the 40 year journey out of Egypt into the Promised Land. It seems complaining to God through Moses regularly happened on this journey. How ungrateful the people were or were they? This sermon is a dialogue with the Congregation about how Complaining fits it the spiritual process and can lead us to understand the bigger vision God has. The dialogue portion of this sermon is stunning in its authenticity and insight. Sacred Text: Numbers 11:4-29 (audio)https://www.dropbox.com/s/xqhztyufisdqs02/18-0930%20Numbers%2011%204-29%20Lisa.mp3?dl=0 (text)https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers+11%3A4-29&version=NRSV
Monday Sep 24, 2018
Monday Sep 24, 2018
Do you think God is playful? Were we created to be playful? Should we take the quality of our play serious? You could argue that the book of the Bible that is most playful -- it has to be the Song of Solomon, Text of Song of Solomon 2:8-12: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Song+of+Solomon+2%3A8-12&version=NRSV Audio of the Text: https://www.dropbox.com/s/j2jk42rtqsqabz0/18-0923%20Song%20of%20Solomon%202%208-12%20-%20Mike.mp3?dl=0
Monday Sep 17, 2018
Monday Sep 17, 2018
Two Churches - Chewelah & Colville UCC worship together in the park. Two Pastors - Steve Lucas & Jim CastroLang - talking about God's new covenant and what our two churches only 20 minutes away on the highway might do to strengthen our covenant. Today was a new beginning. May the Spirit move through us calling us together to know, to trust, to love, to worship, and to serve. Love to hear about other churches who have successfully strengthened their covenant relationship. Sacred Texts: Jeremiah 31:31-34; Luke 22:14-23 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+31%3A31-34%3B+Luke+22%3A14-23&version=NRSV (Audio of texts read) https://www.dropbox.com/s/qhn4bqv1phi8ldl/18-0916%20Jer%2031%2031-34%20Luke%2022%2014-23%20Annie.mp3?dl=0
Monday Sep 03, 2018
Monday Sep 03, 2018
Do you think there is a lot bad behavior in our culture today? Some might suggest that this is a crisis. How did we get here? In the UCC, we focus on fixing the bad behavior that leads to great injustices like separating families at the border. We are not as good at focusing on the issues of personal bad behavior in the Progressive Christian Church. Today we focus on it. Especially, we don't like lists like presented in Mark's Gospel.
Monday Aug 27, 2018
Monday Aug 27, 2018
The rescuing aspect of God is explored in this sermon. Does God rescue? If yes, how does this work? What do you need to rescue from? What do we wish we could rescue the world from? I use a personal story to frame the question. To put my sermon in perspective, I begin by explaining my approach to preaching. Sacred Texts: Psalm 34:15-22, Ephesians 6;10-20 (audio of texts) https://www.dropbox.com/s/26fpbuysj904gyr/18-0826%20Psalm%2034%2015-22%20Ephesians%206%2010-20%20Lisa.mp3?dl=0 (read the texts)https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+34%3A15-22%2C+Ephesians+6%3A10-20&version=NRSV
Monday Aug 20, 2018
Monday Aug 20, 2018
Where is the Wisdom in the World today? This was one of our Pairing and Sharing questions today. This was a sermon about what blocks us from having more wisdom in our world. Upset by the betrayal of trust in the Catholic Church with the massive abuse scandal in Pennsylvania caused this to take a different twist in looking at wisdom. Let me know what you think. Sacred Texts: Proverbs 9:1-6 * Ephesians 5:15:20 (audio of readings) https://www.dropbox.com/s/zx5xx1p2kqqmlxb/18-0819%20Proverbs%209%20Ephesians%205%20Liz.mp3?dl=0 (text of readings)https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs9:1-6;Ephesians5:15-20&version=NRSV