Sunday, November 29
Friday, December 4th, 2009
“Are We In The Dark?” – Rev. Jim Lawrence
Click on the title to hear the sermon!
Mark 13: 1-26
As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!”
“Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?” Read more…
“Are We In The Dark?” – Rev. Jim Lawrence
Click on the title to hear the sermon!
Mark 13: 1-26
As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!”
“Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?” Read more…
Sermon from Sunday, November 8 by Rodrigo Marcus
Sunday, November 8th, 2009
“Watering Our Soil”
Click on the title to listen to the sermon!
1 Kings 17:8-16
Then the word of the Lord came to him: “Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food.” So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.” Read more…
“Watering Our Soil”
Click on the title to listen to the sermon!
1 Kings 17:8-16
Then the word of the Lord came to him: “Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food.” So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.” Read more…
Rodrigo Marcus, October 25, 2009 – Persuading God
Sunday, October 25th, 2009
“Persuading God“
Click the link above for the MP3 file of the sermon!
Readings:
Psalm 126
When the LORD brought back the captives to Zion,
we were like men who dreamed.
Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy.
Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
like streams in the Negev. Read more…
“Persuading God“
Click the link above for the MP3 file of the sermon!
Readings:
Psalm 126
When the LORD brought back the captives to Zion,
we were like men who dreamed.
Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy.
Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
like streams in the Negev. Read more…
Rodrigo Marcus – October 11, 2009 – Loving the Giver of the Gifts
Tuesday, October 13th, 2009
Readings (printed at end of document):
Job 22:12-28, Mark 10:17-31
Swedenborg: True Christian Religion n. 504
The rich man in the gospel is indeed wealthy. He has not murdered, not committed adultery, not stolen, not given false testimony, not defrauded, and has honored his father and mother. He has an abundance of spiritual wealth. Yet, Jesus said he lacks one thing. What could this thing be, when he has followed the commandments he thinks God has asked of him? Read more…
Readings (printed at end of document):
Job 22:12-28, Mark 10:17-31
Swedenborg: True Christian Religion n. 504
The rich man in the gospel is indeed wealthy. He has not murdered, not committed adultery, not stolen, not given false testimony, not defrauded, and has honored his father and mother. He has an abundance of spiritual wealth. Yet, Jesus said he lacks one thing. What could this thing be, when he has followed the commandments he thinks God has asked of him? Read more…
“Samson’s Riddle” – Rev. Jim Lawrence, October 4
Tuesday, October 6th, 2009
Judges 14:1-14 (New International Version)
Samson went down to Timnah and saw there a young Philistine woman. When he returned, he said to his father and mother, “I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.”
His father and mother replied, “Isn’t there an acceptable woman among your relatives or among all our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her Read more…
Judges 14:1-14 (New International Version)
Samson went down to Timnah and saw there a young Philistine woman. When he returned, he said to his father and mother, “I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.”
His father and mother replied, “Isn’t there an acceptable woman among your relatives or among all our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?” But Samson said to his father, “Get her Read more…
Rodrigo Marcus – September 27, 2009
Sunday, September 27th, 2009
“Stone Soup“
Click the link above for the MP3 file of the Stone Soup sermon!
Numbers 11: 25-29
Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took of the Spirit that was on him and put the Spirit on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but they did not do so again. However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the Tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp. A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses’ aide since youth, Read more…
“Stone Soup“
Click the link above for the MP3 file of the Stone Soup sermon!
Numbers 11: 25-29
Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took of the Spirit that was on him and put the Spirit on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but they did not do so again. However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the Tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp. A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses’ aide since youth, Read more…
Rev. Kim Hinrichs – September 20, 2009
Monday, September 21st, 2009
“Why Isn’t it Just Easy? Some Thoughts on the Mandorla, Misfits and Paradox.”
Numbers 14:1-4
Matthew 5:1-12
Swedenborg
People uninformed about human regeneration suppose that a person can be regenerated without temptation, and some that he has been regenerated after he has undergone a single temptation. But let it be known that no one can be regenerated without temptation, and that he suffers very many temptations, following one after another. The reason for this is that regeneration takes place to the end that the life of the old man may die and a new, heavenly life may be instilled. From this one may recognize that conflict is altogether inevitable; for the life of the old man stands its ground and refuses to be snuffed out, and the life of the new man cannot enter except where the life of the old has been snuffed out. From this it is evident that fierce conflict takes place between mutually hostile sides, since each is fighting for its life. Arcana Celestia #8403.2
Check back — we hope to post the video of Kim’s sermon on Wednesday!
“Why Isn’t it Just Easy? Some Thoughts on the Mandorla, Misfits and Paradox.”
Numbers 14:1-4
Matthew 5:1-12
Swedenborg
People uninformed about human regeneration suppose that a person can be regenerated without temptation, and some that he has been regenerated after he has undergone a single temptation. But let it be known that no one can be regenerated without temptation, and that he suffers very many temptations, following one after another. The reason for this is that regeneration takes place to the end that the life of the old man may die and a new, heavenly life may be instilled. From this one may recognize that conflict is altogether inevitable; for the life of the old man stands its ground and refuses to be snuffed out, and the life of the new man cannot enter except where the life of the old has been snuffed out. From this it is evident that fierce conflict takes place between mutually hostile sides, since each is fighting for its life. Arcana Celestia #8403.2
Check back — we hope to post the video of Kim’s sermon on Wednesday!
Rodrigo Marcus – September 13, 2009
Sunday, September 13th, 2009
Following God’s Three-Step Program
September 13th, 2009
Readings: Proverbs 1:20-33; Mark 8:27-38
Jesus tells us in three steps how to not only save our soul, but also to embrace true spirituality.
Step 1: Deny Yourself
Step 2: Take up your Cross
Step 3: Follow Jesus
What does Jesus mean by these three steps? What must we do to not “forfeit” our souls? We can find some sense of them in Jesus’ words about his fate that he highlights prior to these steps. He says he must be rejected, suffer, die, and rise again. He is sharing the steps that he, the Christ, will model. Read more…
Following God’s Three-Step Program
September 13th, 2009
Readings: Proverbs 1:20-33; Mark 8:27-38
Jesus tells us in three steps how to not only save our soul, but also to embrace true spirituality.
Step 1: Deny Yourself
Step 2: Take up your Cross
Step 3: Follow Jesus
What does Jesus mean by these three steps? What must we do to not “forfeit” our souls? We can find some sense of them in Jesus’ words about his fate that he highlights prior to these steps. He says he must be rejected, suffer, die, and rise again. He is sharing the steps that he, the Christ, will model. Read more…
Rev. Jim Lawrence – September 6, 2009
Monday, September 7th, 2009
The Short Version
September 6, 2009
Hillside Community Church
Rev. Dr. Jim Lawrence
Mark 12:28-34
“One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him: ‘Of all the commandments, which is the most important?’” –Mark 12:28
The ability to summarize judiciously and to extract the essence is perhaps the highest form of wisdom. Joseph Campbell and Huston Smith, for example, come to mind as significant wisdom figures in the modern era due to their ability to look deeply into the spiritual philosophies across the world and across the centuries and to draw out skillfully the nectar from the core. Read more…
The Short Version
September 6, 2009
Hillside Community Church
Rev. Dr. Jim Lawrence
Mark 12:28-34
“One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him: ‘Of all the commandments, which is the most important?’” –Mark 12:28
The ability to summarize judiciously and to extract the essence is perhaps the highest form of wisdom. Joseph Campbell and Huston Smith, for example, come to mind as significant wisdom figures in the modern era due to their ability to look deeply into the spiritual philosophies across the world and across the centuries and to draw out skillfully the nectar from the core. Read more…
Carol Anne Fusco – August 9, 2009 – Spiritual Diversity
Monday, August 31st, 2009
Widening the Conversation
When I lived in Maine, my then-husband and I sometimes went up to T3 R9, one of the unincorporated territories that had numbers rather than names. The only roads had been put in by the paper company that owned most of the land. It was wilderness and walking in the unlogged woods was wonderful. It was so vibrant. It being a Northeast forest, there lots of different kinds of trees and ground vegetation, as well as animals sharing the same space. Read more…
Widening the Conversation
When I lived in Maine, my then-husband and I sometimes went up to T3 R9, one of the unincorporated territories that had numbers rather than names. The only roads had been put in by the paper company that owned most of the land. It was wilderness and walking in the unlogged woods was wonderful. It was so vibrant. It being a Northeast forest, there lots of different kinds of trees and ground vegetation, as well as animals sharing the same space. Read more…
