Seattle Mennonite Church Sermons

This week, we jump from the gospel of Mark into Luke's distinctly different world and voice, as experienced in the book of Acts. Jesus is kidnapped by a cloud (!!!), and the disciples are left, jaws dropped, gawking at the sky. They are looking in the wrong direction, two messengers inform them, and they are also looking for the wrong thing altogether. Jesus doesn't call them - or us - &...

Easter comes whether we're ready or not. Thanks be to God! We gather to hear Mark's (short! sweet! scandalous!) resurrection account, to sing a couple of our favorite Easter chestnuts, to create a joyous cacophony of Hallelujahs, and to pray for and with one another. Oh, and Pastor Megan's "sermon in a sentence" this week? Fear isn't the final word; you are. Tune in f...

We gathered for a Good Friday service via zoom, to hear Mark's Passion Narrative, to sing, and to pray together. +++ Mark 15.16-39 +++ Permission to podcast the music in this service obtained from One License with license #A-726929. All rights reserved. Jesus walked this lonesome valley, words and music: traditional spiritual. Were you there, words: Old Plantation Hymns, Boston, © 1899, music...

We celebrate the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem with Jesus and shouts of Hosanna and waving our branches.  Then Pastor Amy reflects on the good news of love poured out. Jesus silences the haters who would shame a woman for her loving gift and affirms extravagant love.  He reminds them (and us) that there is more than one kind of good news.  We will always be called to serve the poor.  We will al...

Sermon-in-a-sentence this week: "Keep alert and don't worry; its only the apocalypse." Tune in to hear Pastor Megan's brief reflection on reading the apocalyptic text of Mark 13 during a global pandemic, and to join our prayers and singing and sharing Christ's peace with one another. [Photo by 심 은하 on Unsplash ]

Our new rhythm of gathering for zoom church from our respective homes each Sunday morning prompts Pastor Megan to claim with more regular intention her occasional practice of sharing a "sermon-in-a-sentence." This week's scriptural reflection can be distilled to this: "The heart of our faith is love of God, neighbor, self; all the rest is commentary." Tune in to hear a bit...

There were 69 households participating in worship this past Sunday! Listen along to the prayers and sharing, music and reflection on scripture.  Use the links below to find some of the resources named in the recording. Scripture: Mark 12:1-12 Children’s Time: The Breaking News by Sarah Ruel Offering: donate page of SMC website More music by Michael B: Bai Tu Long Bay   Holy God, whose presence is...

Our first experience of gathering as church via Zoom. While absolutely nothing can replace being in the same space with our whole body-spirit selves, given the circumstances, this was a delight . Forty or more of us logged in for Lenten worship and prayer, and even some fellowship with folks who stuck around at the end. What an unexpected and sweet surprise it was to be able to gather with some in...

Not going to lie: this is a TOUGH message about the laughable impossibility of wealth in God's kindom and the dispiriting reality of growing homelessness on the West Coast and specifically on our front doorstep. But it's also about Jesus' love for we who have much, Jesus' sense of humor to help we who have much to perhaps laugh at ourselves, even if a bit uncomfortably. And it&...

Smack dab in the middle of Mark's gospel and SOMEone finally knows how to answer the persistent question: Who is Jesus? Peter responds, "You are the Christ ." At this fulcrum, we've now tipped over to the second half of the gospel in which Jesus sets out to teach what being the Christ actually means. Jesus' first attempt to teach Peter about suffering, rejection, and death...

The story of an insane, self-important, opportunistic, incestuous, tyrannical (but pretty small-time) political family is dropped into the Gospel of Mark just as Jesus' ministry is taking off: Herod.  He thinks he can stop the Gospel message, but the Gospel cannot be stopped. Where there is oppression, there are prophets who name it and call it out. John way beheaded for it, but his message f...

A woman audaciously reaches for her own belonging and healing. There's not much left for Jesus to do... except to stop, seek her out, and quietly create the conditions for her to speak her whole truth in the presence of the community that has amplified rather than alleviated her suffering.

We are just starting our journey with Jesus through Mark's gospel, and already there's a pattern to his movement: margins --> centers of power --> get into / cause trouble --> retreat to margins for prayer and rest (and around and around). This causes Pastor Megan to think of a piece of our Mennonite history from Rosemarie Freeney Harding, with the formation of Mennonite House i...

Using poetry from  Lifting Hearts off the Ground: Declaring Indigenous Rights in Poetry , by Lyla June Johnston & Joy De Vito, Pastor Melanie reflects on the beginning of Jesus' ministry and on what Jesus' followers are called to - both in scripture and today.  -- Photo by Joseph Barrientos on Unsplash

After a brief introduction by Dan, Kathryn Smith Derksen shares reflections on 4 years of life in (complicated and diverse, awe-inspiring and pain-filled) South Africa. And then she beautifully brings the message home with gracious truth-telling about colonialism in our own (U.S.) lands and among our own (Mennonite) people. Listen to her powerful invitation to resist bumbling around in denying, de...

Daryl Morris powerfully raises his voice in word and song to reflect on his experience of seeking liberation from white supremacy. He raises his voice in longing and expectation for liberation as a response to the listening he has done to the voices of black folks - the prophetic and liberating voices of black history and the prophetic and insightful voices of his children.

An Advent sermon about longing and liberation, scrooge-y Zechariah and prophetic singing, despair and hope. Pastor Megan tosses out her written manuscript and dives deeper into why Advent is her truest spiritual home, and why she can't do faith solo.

Kat Goering reflects on the work of justice from her perspective as a public health grad student working with immigrant communities.  She relates her experience of emerging from her white-centric, individualized analysis into the uncomfortable work of collective justice and liberation.  She encourages our collective at SMC to seek the divine in each other and to seek to enact justice for all.

Comfort Y'all, My People Pastor Amy cedes the sermon to a better preacher but reflects on the experience of the exiles Israelite being called by God to comfort each other in community. When God speaks, "Comfort, comfort my people" this isn't an offer but instructions.  Offer each other care and comfort, for you who are troubled and in need also know bests how to console.

Jeremiah writes as his nation crumbles around him - from a prison in occupied Jerusalem, on the brink of the mass deportation of his people. Which makes his words of promise for justice and hope that God is making things right throughout the land surprising and incredible. On this first Sunday of Advent in which we are asking "What are we waiting for?" Pastor Megan invites us to tap into...

Okay, so Hilkiah isn't *actually* Indiana Jones, but a whole epic adventure begins when he is sent on a mission into the under-construction temple and (re-)discovers the lost book of the law. Hearers of the lost-and-found-again scroll, including King Josiah and ALL the people, are chagrined to learn how far they've strayed from the faith, practices, and covenant of their ancestors. Engag...

In startling twists: 1) cockroaches will apparently NOT be the last ones standing in a global apocalypse, 2) like a screeching record, a love ballad delivers lyrics of divine judgment, and 3) despite our best (read: worst) efforts, God's hope in us refused to be slaughtered. Listen in as Pastor Megan wonders about God's project of re-wilding for the sake of renewed life.

If you've ever found yourself on the pointy end of betrayal, I bet you'd tell a story of someone you loved. Or love still. So it is with God and God's people - at the time of the prophet Hosea and now. How can we ever come back from the ways in which we have betrayed our beloveds (especially our children and their futures), God's beloveds (everyone and all creation), especially...

Pastor Amy recites the tale of Elijah's encounter with King Ahab and the dramatic showdown on Mount Carmel.  Elijah was accused by the king of being a troublemaker.  He absolutely was.  In the way he challenged courageously, engaged humor and sarcasm (he had a potty mouth) and yet ultimately with prayerful humility, Elijah gives us a model of saintly trouble-making, calling God's people...

A woman anoints Jesus' head with precious perfume. She offers this extravagant - even wasteful - gift under the angry eyes of the disapproving disciples. Yet Jesus says of that "what she has done will be told in memory of her."  Sheldon Burkhalter explores the joy, love and beauty inherent in her gift and the way we who follow Jesus are called not only to acts of service but to acts...