God’s Acre on the Go

In this message, Chapin reflects on Jesus’ invitation to “Come and see” from John 1:35–42 . From a front porch in West Virginia to a hospice bedside in New Canaan, from the hills of El Salvador to the embattled Christian village of Taybeh in the West Bank, this sermon traces how presence—not productivity—is often the most powerful way we love and serve others. The name Emmanuel means “God with us,...

In this episode, we reflect on Luke 8:40–48 , where Jesus is surrounded by pressing needs — Jairus pleading for his daughter’s life, a woman reaching for healing after twelve years of suffering, and a crowd pulling at him from every side. In the midst of the chaos, Jesus notices the touch of faith, declaring, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” This story reminds us that compass...

When Jesus calmed the storm in Matthew 8:23–27 , he didn’t just demonstrate his divine authority—he raised questions that still challenge us today. This sermon reflects on Jesus’ question to his disciples, “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?”, not as a rebuke, but as encouragement. Jesus, a “lake guy,” found rest and trust on the water—and even in a storm, he trusted his friends at the helm....

In this episode, we explore a moment of sacred interruption. “In the year King Uzziah died…” begins the powerful scene from Isaiah 6:1–8 , a passage where a young priest encounters the raw presence of God amid national instability and personal uncertainty. Isaiah’s instinctive reply to the divine question—“Whom shall I send?”—is stunning in its immediacy: “Here I am; send me.” But what causes some...

This week’s message reflects on Jesus’ healing of blind Bartimaeus in Mark 10:46–52 and Paul’s plea for deliverance in 2 Corinthians 12:7b–9 . What do we really want God to do for us—and how does God sometimes answer in ways we don’t expect? Drawing from real-life stories of struggle and grace, including the inspiring witness of a blind church member and a lesson learned from a high school footbal...

This week’s message, “Can These Bones Live?”, begins with a deeply personal story of addiction, emptiness, and hopelessness. The preacher compares his past to the prophet Ezekiel’s vision in Ezekiel 37:1–14 , where God brings him to a valley of dry bones—lifeless remains that seem beyond restoration. But even here, in a place of total despair, God is present. Through this vision, we see that God c...

This week we explore Luke 7:36–50 , where Jesus asks a striking question: “Do you see this woman?” She had just anointed him with perfume, tears, and love at Simon the Pharisee’s dinner party. But Jesus’s question goes deeper than physical sight—it’s about truly seeing someone’s worth, their transformation, and their capacity to bless others. The sermon draws out how God consistently sides with th...

This week, we turn to Matthew 16:13-20 , where Jesus takes his disciples to the politically symbolic city of Caesarea Philippi to ask a bold question: “Who do you say I am?” In a city named after Caesar—the so-called “Son of God”—Peter’s answer, “You are the Messiah,” is a revolutionary claim. But instead of launching into doctrinal explanation, Jesus does what he so often does: he asks a question...

This week’s sermon explores Luke 14:1, 7–14 , where Jesus dines at the home of a Pharisee and watches guests scramble for seats of honor. Rather than scolding, Jesus turns the moment into a graceful, witty parable on humility and hospitality. Drawing from both ancient and modern examples — including inherited fine china, youth mission trips, and Chef José Andrés’ work feeding people in crisis — we...

In this closing message of our Be the Church series, we turn to Matthew 6:25–34 and hear Jesus’s bold invitation: “Do not worry about your life… but seek first the kingdom of God.” Easier said than done, perhaps—but essential if we are to live as Christ’s people. In this sermon, we reflect on why trust in God is the foundation for everything else: loving God, protecting creation, fighting for the...

In this message from Isaiah 40:28–31; 43:18–19 , we explore the often-overlooked holiness of the “in-between” seasons of life. The people of Israel knew it in exile—caught between what was and what would be. We know it in our own transitions: the end of summer, a career shift, a health change, a move. Scripture reminds us that waiting on the Lord is not passive. In Hebrew, “wait” (qavah) means to...

What if we believed we truly had enough—not just in our wallets, but in our spirits? In this week's message from Acts 4:32–35 , we explore the radical generosity of the early church, where trust and connection replaced fear and scarcity. In a world that often insists we must hustle for worth and hoard for safety, the Gospel of Enough invites us into a different rhythm—one of grace, sufficiency, an...

In this challenging and grace-filled message, Pastor Kent reflects on Paul’s declaration that in Christ, we are made new—and entrusted with a holy calling: the ministry of reconciliation ( 2 Corinthians 5:17–19 ). But what does that mean in a world still deeply shaped by racism, division, and injustice? With humility and courage, this sermon names the hard truths of racial inequity, explores the s...

This week in our Be the Church series, we hear Jesus declare his mission: to bring good news to the poor, release to the captives, and freedom to the oppressed. And he invites us to join him. In this powerful message from Luke 4:16–21 , we explore what it means to have “faith with feet.” It’s not enough to believe—we’re called to act. Whether feeding the hungry, confronting injustice, or stepping...

What if protecting the environment wasn’t a political issue, but a spiritual one? This week in our “Be the Church” series, we explore what it means to till and keep the earth as God’s sacred gift. Genesis 2:15 reminds us that the first human calling wasn’t to build churches, but to tend a garden. From thin places to neighborhood compost bins, we reflect on how awe, gratitude, and reverence can lea...

In this quiet yet powerful message from Isaiah 30:15–18 , we’re invited to embrace a different kind of strength—one rooted not in hustle, but in trust. “In returning and rest you shall be saved,” God says, but so often, like the people of Judah, we flee. We grasp at control, race ahead, and forget that we are already being carried. Through a tender reflection on a child’s birthday wish and a surpr...

This week begins our new summer series, “Be the Church,” rooted in a bold truth: the church isn’t a building—it’s a way of life. In this opening message, we turn to Matthew 5:13–16 , where Jesus calls us the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Salt flavors what it touches; light illuminates where it shines. In the same way, followers of Christ are called not only to gather, but to go—liv...

As the Fourth of July brings fireworks and flags, many of us pause to celebrate independence. But what kind of freedom are we really celebrating—and what kind of freedom does Scripture invite us into? In Galatians 5:1, 13–25 , the Apostle Paul redefines freedom not as the right to do whatever we want, but as the gift to love well. True freedom, Paul says, comes through Christ and is lived out thro...

This week’s sermon takes us to the wild and wonderful story in Luke 8:26-39 , where Jesus heals a demon-possessed Gentile man—someone cast aside by society but chosen by Jesus for restoration. We encounter not just a dramatic healing but a moment rich in meaning: Roman military metaphors, echoes of Israel’s liberation, and a striking reminder that no one is beyond God’s reach. Why does Jesus cross...

This week’s message invites us to slow down and listen—to the birdsong, to the breeze, to the voice of God speaking through creation. Drawing from Psalm 8 and related scriptures, Pastor Chapin reflects on how summer gives us space not just to rest, but to be re-created. Nature isn’t just beautiful—it’s holy. From newborn babies to starlit skies, the created world reveals the glory of God and resto...

On this Pentecost Sunday, we return to the powerful story of Acts 2 , when the Holy Spirit descended like wind and fire and gave voice to the early church. But the true miracle? Understanding. People from many nations heard the Gospel in their own language, reminding us that the Spirit empowers us not just to speak, but to connect. In this message, Pastor Chapin explores how learning another’s lan...

This message draws us into a deep reflection on Deuteronomy 6:4-9 , known as the Shema—one of the most sacred affirmations in Jewish and Christian tradition: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.” In this passage, Moses calls God’s people to love the Lord with all their heart, soul, and might, and to pass on this love intentionally to the next generation. In this sermon, we explore...

This Memorial Day message draws us into a reflection on Deuteronomy 1:9-13 , where Moses invites the people to choose wise, discerning, and reputable leaders from among themselves to help govern their shared life. That same scripture shaped a foundational moment in American history: Rev. Thomas Hooker’s 1638 sermon to the Connecticut General Assembly, which inspired the Fundamental Orders of Conne...

On the night before his crucifixion, Jesus offers his disciples one final commandment—not a plan, not a parable, but a legacy: “Love one another as I have loved you” ( John 13:34 ). In this message, we explore what it means to take that command seriously—not as a gentle suggestion, but as the defining mark of the Christian life. This is not sentimental love; it’s love that shows up, bears burdens,...

This Mother’s Day sermon explores the transformation of Saul in Acts 9:1-20 , not just through a dramatic divine encounter, but through the quiet courage of people like Ananias—and the unnamed hands that led, fed, and cared for him during his blindness. It’s a story of caregiving, community, and the sacred power of showing up. Whether or not you are a mother, you’ve likely played a part in someone...