Hummelstown UCC Podcast

Matthew 1:18-25; Modern Herald: James Baldwin Lots of angels appear in the biblical story of Christ’s birth with a consistent message, “Do not be afraid!” When the angel visits Joseph this week, he is wrestling with the contrast of good news with the difficulties of the world. What can we hear from the angel’s message to Joseph this year? Join us on this final Sunday of Advent as we prepare for th...

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; Luke 1:39-55 Listen to heralds of joy this week! In the story of Mary and Elizabeth, Mary was in need of good news before she could herald for God. Before she could sing her song, she needed to hear God’s good news and love for her first. Her herald was her cousin, Elizabeth. Who have been heralds for you reminding you that no matter what you are loved by God? Join as we Hark...

Isaiah 40:1-11; Mark 1:1-8 John the Baptist was the herald for Jesus’ ministry. He prepared the way for Jesus by calling for peace and justice, sometimes very bluntly. This Sunday, we will focus ourselves on his message. How does his view of the good news inspire us? How does it challenge us? Let’s Hark to the herald, John the Baptist, so we can discern God’s calling to peace. -Hark to John, Heral...

Isaiah 2:1-5; Mark 13:24-37 “Hope has two beautiful daughters; their names are Anger and Courage. Anger at the way things are, and Courage to see that they do not remain as they are.” -Modern Herald, Augustine of Hippo

Matthew 25:31-46; Psalm 100: All Lands Summoned to Praise God; Ezekiel 34:11-24 Hear ye, hear ye! Everywhere and all people. Lift your voices. Shout it to the mountaintops! It’s ok to have fun praising God! Don’t be shy. Bask in the joy that comes only from God. There are times for seriousness but also times for revelry! So, laugh. Loosen up. Play. Be happy. God loves to see you smile. -Maren Chri...

Mathew 25:14-30; Psalm 123: Supplication for Mercy; Judges 4:1-9 Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow. -Melod...

Matthew 25:1-13; Psalm 70: Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies; Amos 5:18-24; Wisdom of Solomon 6:12-20 “Turn your wounds into wisdom.” -Oprah Winfrey

Matthew 23:1-12; Psalm 107:1-7; 33-37; Joshua 3:7-17 Gracious God, oil the hinges of our hearts’ doors that they may swing gently and easily to welcome your coming. -Prayer from New Guinea

Matthew 22:34-46; Psalm 90:1-6; 13-17; Deuteronomy 34:1-12 “Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” -Lao Tzu

Matthew 22:15-22; Psalm 99; Exodus 33:12-23 “The truth is rarely pure and never simple.” -Oscar Wilde

Philippians 4:1-9; Exodus 32:1-14; Psalm 106:1-6; 19-23 Hope keeps our hearts beating. It helps us see the light in the darkness. It gets us up in the morning. -Eric Mason

Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9-12-20; Psalm 19; Matthew 21:33-46 “Be faithful till the end. In the end, you will be fruitful.” -Gift Gugu Mona

Matthew 21:23-32; Psalm 78:1-4 12-16; Exodus 17:1-7 “Raise a ruckus and make a change. You may not always be popular, but you’ll be part of something larger and bigger and greater than yourself.” -Samuel L. Jackso n

Matthew 20:1-16; Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45; Exodus 16:2-15 “Grace and gratitude belong together like heaven and earth. Grace evokes gratitude like the voice an echo. Gratitude follows grace like thunder lightning.” -Karl Barth

Matthew 19:13-29; Exodus 14:19-31, 15:1-11, 20-2 With all my heart I praise the Lord, and with all that I am I praise the holy name! Withall my heart I praise the Lord! I will never forget God’s kindness. The Lord forgives our sins, heals us when we are sick, and protects us from death. God’s kindness and love are a crown on our heads. Each day that we live, God provides for our needs and gives us...

Matthew 18:15-20; Psalm 149; Exodus 12:1-14 “When I say it's you I like, I'm talking about that part of you that knows that life is farmore than anything you can ever see or hear or touch. That deep part of you that allows you to stand for those things without which humankind cannot survive. Love that conquers hate, peace that rises triumphant over war, and justice that proves more powerful than g...

Matthew 16:21-28; Romans 12:9-21; Exodus 3:1-15 “Most of us have nicknames—annoying, endearing, embarrassing. But what about your true name? It is not necessarily your given name. But it is the one to which you are most eager to respond when called. Ever wonder why? Your true name has the secret power to call you.” -Vera Nazarian

Matthew 16:13-20; Romans 12:1-8; Exodus 1:8-2:10 “It’s like everyone tells a story about themselves inside their own head. Always. Allthe time. That story makes you what you are. We build ourselves out of that story.” -Patrick Rothfuss

Matthew 15:10-28; Psalm 33; Genesis 45:1-15 "Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.” -Lilo And Stitch

Matthew 14:13-21; Psalm 17:1-7, 15 Genesis 32:22-31 Open wide the window of our spirits, God, and fill us with light; open wide the door of our hearts that we may receive and entertain you with all our powers of adoration and love. -Jamie Norwich McLennan

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43; Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24; Genesis 28:10-19 “It’s wonderful to climb the liquid mountains of the sky. Behind me and before me is God and I have no fears.” -Hellen Keller

Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23; Genesis 25:19-34 “We are part of this family and we will not be divided by any person.” -Keith Boyki n

Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30; Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67 ONE: to dare more boldly, to venture into wider seas where storms show Thy mastery, where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars. In the name of Him who pushed back the horizons of our hopes and invited the brave to follow. MANY: Amen. -Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu adapted from a prayer by Sir Francis Drake

Matthew 10:40-42; Psalm 13 Prayer for Deliverance; Genesis 22:1-14 Come and create a place setting. Imagine or remember a time you hosted a family gathering, a house guest, or a special dinner party. What were the elements of preparation? What was your task? How do you like to help? Draw or write about your favorite foods on the paper. How do your efforts help to make your guest feel comfortable a...

Matthew 10: 24–39; Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17; Genesis 21:8-21 Hear these words of grace and assurance taken from the words of trans artist, Déjà Baptiste: You are not alone. You are not the first or the only. There is a lineage you are inheriting. It is your courage, your faith, your spirit that sets you apart. We are not doomed – we are not cursed. We are the blessed ones, the blessing. We are blessed...