Sermons for a Critical Faith

Are you religious or spiritual? Those who have been turned off by the church tend to say that they are spiritual, not religious, as if religion were corrupt. Those who have found the spiritual but not religious to lack grounding tend to say they are religious, not spiritual. Those who have found the religious institution to be deeply nourishing of their spirituality, might say they are religious A...

When was the last time you colored outside the lines? Or maybe we should ask “when was the last time you took out a box of crayons and colored? Today we’re going to explore creating a life outside the lines. Worship this week was led by our Worship Committee.  Today for our Critical Faith Sermon Podcast, we are sharing the scripures and reflections from that service.

Do you ever get anxious? Do you ever worry about whether you have enough? Chances are, you said yes to both of those questions, and chances are, no matter what God promises in scripture, you’re not likely to let go of your worries or set your anxiety aside that easily. Today we are going to hear Jesus go right to the heart of anxiety for many of us, and perhaps for some of us, it might hit a littl...

Rev. Jock Paleak preachig

Did anyone teach you to pray?  Today's meditations on prayer are taken from a worship service on July 24, 2022, inviting you into an experience of prayer through music, images, reflection, and dedicated prayer times.  You can find the full service on our website:  https://fpclincoln.org/, under the Online Worship option under the Watch Online tab.  You can find all our previous...

Our worship this week was lead by the Fellowship Trippers.  Every May we host a Fellowship Trip to the Sandhills, and the group shares their stories and experiences in a worship service.  This Podcast is the series of meditations they shared.  

Today we’re hearing the story of the Good Samaritan – a story Jesus tells in answer to the question – who is my neighbor. But how often do we pay attention to the question that prompts that question? What must I do to inherit eternal life? That question is the driving force for many Christian traditions – and yet like so many things, the question is about so much more than where we end up after de...

The Greek word for hospitality, means literally, friend + stranger, or love + stranger. It is creating a place where strangers become friends.  It also helps us combat ever-shrinking worlds.  Is your world shrinking?  A sermon by Rev. Dr. Sue Coller, from First Presbyterian Church, Lincoln, Nebraska.

A Critical Faith Sermon

A Critical Faith Sermon 

A Critical Faith Sermon 

A Critical Faith Sermon by Rev. Dr. Sue Coller

A Critical Faith Sermon by Rev. Dr. Sue Coller

A Critical Faith Sermon by Rev. Dr. Sue Coller

A Critical Faith Sermon by Rev. Kara Hillhouse

A Critical Faith Sermon by Ruling Elder Greg Jensen.

A Critical Faith sermon by Rev. Dr. Sue Coller on May 1st, 2022!

A Critical Faith sermon by Rev. Dr. Sue Coller on April 24th, 2022!

A Critical Faith sermon by Rev. Dr. Sue Coller on Easter Sunday!

A Critical Faith Sermon by Rev. Dr. Sue Coller on Palm Sunday!

Intimacy is both a wonderful gift and a scary thought – opening ourselves up to be seen and touched by someone else.  We don’t always welcome it from those we love the most, and yet it is what we long for.  Today we hear the story of Mary washing Jesus’ feet – one of the most intimate stories in all scripture. Would you have welcomed her offering? And would you be comfortable washin...

Have you ever been ashamed of something you’ve done?  Have you ever felt like you’ve burned a bridge that can never be rebuilt?  We have a tendency to define ourselves by our sins.  Of course others sometimes do that to us too.  Maybe we should stop listening to those voices, and listen to the voice of the one whose love covers all sins.

Does God punish you for your sins?  That idea has caused so much harm over the years, and sent the message to those who need forgiveness and help the most that they are unworthy of love.  Yet nothing could be further from the truth.  Today we’ll hear about the divine gardener who sees our potential and our needs, even if they are buried under piles of pain and shame and hurt.

Today we have the privilege of hearing from Pastor Jock Paleak.  Jock is the pastor of Sudanese Ministries at First Presbyterian Church.  About 15% of our membership is from South Sudan, and they speak the tribal language of Nuer, and we are fortunate to have Jock with us so that our Sundanese portion of our congregation can worship in their own language.  No fear today, though, Pas...

Is temptation always a bad thing?  We pray for God to "lead us not into temptation."  But maybe we should pray for just the opposite - the temptation to do something loving.  Something kind.  Something that will move us closer to the realm of God.