a Church Podcast

Today is the shortest day and the longest night.  It's the winter solstice, which is a day that can help us find meaning in the dark nights of pain and loss.  It's also a day that offers us hope that light and life will return.   Support the show

John eats a scroll that is sweet to taste but bitter in his stomach.  This symbolic act tells us that God's message is bitter because it reveals the pain and suffering caused by empires.  But it's also sweet because God is shining a light onto an unjust and unfair world that needs healing.   Support the show

Absolute certainty is a claim made by empires.  Jesus' way of love, however, requires humility and an awareness of our own limitations.   Support the show

The 7 trumpets reveal a series of environmental catastrophes.  But who's causing all this chaos, death, and destruction?  Is it God?  The answer, in Revelation 8 and 9, is in the images of falling stars.   Support the show

Two people are experiencing the same event at the same time and yet what they experience is different.  There are always multiple perspectives, because each of us will see things from different angles and through the lens of our own lived experiences.  The same is true in the book of Revelation where the author is showing us multiple perspectives.   Support the show

In the book of Revelation there is a contrast between what is heard and what is seen.  This contrast reveals both the reality of suffering in our world and the stunning beauty of Jesus' healing way of love.  Support the show

Welcome Rev. Dr. Grace Park from Palisades Presbyterian Church.  Support the show

In his life, death, and resurrection Jesus was loving, inclusive, and non-violent.  How then did we come to believe that when Jesus returns he'll be coming back looking for revenge?   Support the show

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse!  Conquest, Division, Economic Injustice, and Death, followed by hell on earth.  Where is the good news?     Support the show

When something incredible needs to happen, what kind of character comes to mind?  What do our heroes look like?  In Revelation 5, a hero is needed and what happens next will be the most important part of this entire book.   Support the show

Faith, in part, involves remembering and retelling our stories.  As a community we tell stories from the Bible, from history, and from our own lives.  We do this because we believe that in each telling there is always more to experience and discover.  Today, we remember and celebrate 150 years of faith, hope, and love at First Pres.   Support the show

What happens when an introvert is told that being a Christian requires extraverted expressions of faith?   Support the show

Jesus is walking among 7 lampstands and holding 7 stars.  What does that mean?   Support the show

What images come to mind when you hear the word, APOCALYPSE?  Fire, war, pandemics, nuclear bombs, and natural disasters?  How about zombies?  The book of Revelation begins with the word, Apocalypse, but it does NOT mean "the end of the world."  If not the end of the world, then what is the book of Revelation about?  Support the show

Welcome Rev. Suzanne Swartz as our guest preacher.   Support the show

Was Jesus right-handed or left-handed?  Support the show

What can the stained glass windows in our sanctuary teach us?  Support the show

How many pipes do you think make up our organ?  It's an incredible instrument, whose history and design can hold meaning for us beyond the music.   Support the show

The table is the piece of furniture that sits front and center in many churches, including our church.  But why?  What is the meaning?  What is so important about the table?   Support the show

The next piece of church furniture we're looking at is the baptismal font.  The font is a symbol of God's over flowing love and grace, but it means even more. Support the show

What is the meaning of elevated pulpit in churches and why do we use a music stand on level ground instead?   Support the show

Welcome Rev. Suzanne Swartz, First Pres. Parish Associate. Support the show

Welcome Rev. Dr. Grace Park from Palisades Presbyterian Church. Support the show

I hate interruptions!  But perhaps what we need right now is a pause, an intentional interruptions from the chaos and bad news of the day, to take a deep breath.  Selah.  Support the show

The healing stories of Jesus are NOT just about Jesus or the individual.  The community always plays a big part in either the harm or the healing.  Along with immigrants, and the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities are also targets of societies blame and exclusion. Support the show